As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 7, 2019.

 

Registration Statement No. 333-

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

FORM S-1

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

GUARDION HEALTH SCIENCES, INC.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   2834   47-4428421
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

 

15150 Avenue of Science, Suite 200

San Diego, California 92128

Telephone: 858-605-9055

Telecopier: (858) 630-5543

(Address and telephone number of principal executive offices)

 

Michael Favish, Chief Executive Officer

15150 Avenue of Science, Suite 200

San Diego, California 92128

Telephone: 858-605-9055

Telecopier: (858) 630-5543

(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

 

Copies to:

 

David I. Sunkin, Esq.

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

333 South Hope Street, 43rd Floor

Los Angeles, CA 90071

(213) 620-1780

 

Leslie Marlow, Esq.

Hank Gracin, Esq.

Patrick J. Egan, Esq.

Gracin & Marlow, LLP

The Chrysler Building

405 Lexington Avenue, 26th Floor

New York, NY 10174

(212) 907-6457

 

Approximate Date of Commencement of Proposed Sale to the Public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.

 

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. [X]

 

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. [  ]

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. [  ]

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. [  ]

 

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

 

Large accelerated filer [  ] Accelerated filer [  ]
Non-accelerated filer [X] Smaller reporting company [X]
  Emerging growth company [X]

 

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 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act [ ]

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

Title of Each Class of

Securities to be Registered

  Proposed Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price(1)
    Amount of
Registration Fee (9)
 
Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share(2)(3)(4)   $

11,500,000

    $

1,394

 
Pre-Funded Common Stock Purchase Warrants (2)(3)                
Shares of Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share, underlying Pre-Funded Common Stock Purchase Warrants(2)(3)                
Common Stock Purchase Warrants(2)(4)(5)                
Shares of Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share, underlying Common Stock Purchase Warrants(2)(3)(4)(6)   $

14,950,000

     

1,812

 

Underwriters’ warrants to purchase Common Stock(2)(7)

               
Shares of Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share, underlying Underwriters’ Warrants(2)(8)   $

1,000,000

     

121

 
Total   $

27,450,000

    $

3,327

 

 

(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the amount of registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).
   
(2) Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act, the securities being registered hereunder include such indeterminate number of additional shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share, as may be issued after the date hereof as a result of stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions.
   
(3) The proposed maximum offering price of the common stock proposed to be sold in the offering will be reduced on a dollar-for-dollar basis based on the offering price of any pre-funded common stock purchase warrants offered and sold in the offering.
   
(4) Includes the aggregate offering price of additional shares of common stock and/or common stock purchase warrants that the underwriters have the option to purchase.
   
(5) No additional registration fee is payable pursuant to Rule 457(i) under the Securities Act. There will be issued a common stock purchase warrant to purchase one (1) share of common stock for every share of common stock or pre-funded common stock purchase warrant offered (at an exercise price equal to 130% of the common stock public offering price).
   
(6) Relates to the shares of common stock underlying the common stock purchase warrants, if such common stock purchase warrants are exercised for cash. If such common stock purchase warrants are exercised on a cashless basis, then the underlying shares of common stock shall be covered by the Registration Fee in respect of the common stock and accompanying common stock purchase warrants.
   
(7) No fee pursuant to Rule 457(g) under the Securities Act.
   
(8) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(g) under the Securities Act. The Underwriters’ Warrants are exercisable at a per share exercise price equal to 125% of the public offering price of the common stock. As estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(g) under the Securities Act, the proposed aggregate offering price of the Underwriters’ Warrants is $1,000,000 which is equal to 125% of $800,000 (8% of $10,000,000).
   
(9) Calculated under Section 6(b) of the Securities Act as .0001212 of the proposed maximum aggregate offering price.

 

The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine .

 

 

 

   
 

 

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting offers to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION DATED AUGUST 7, 2019

 

 

9,523,809 Shares of Common Stock

Pre-funded Warrants to Purchase Shares of Common Stock

Warrants to Purchase up to 9,523,809 Shares of Common Stock

Shares of Common Stock Underlying the Pre-Funded Warrants

Shares of Common Stock Underlying the Warrants

 

Guardion Health Sciences, Inc. (the “Company”, “GHS”, “we”, “us” or “our”) is offering 9,523,809 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company and warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 9,523,809 shares of common stock (the “Warrants”) (and the shares of common stock that are issuable from time to time upon exercise of the Warrants).

 

We are also offering to each purchaser whose purchase of shares of common stock in this offering would otherwise result in the purchaser, together with its affiliates and certain related parties, beneficially owning more than 4.99% (or, at the election of the holder, 9.99%) of our outstanding common stock immediately following the consummation of this offering, the opportunity to purchase, if the purchaser so chooses, pre-funded warrants to purchase common stock (the “Pre-Funded Warrants”), in lieu of shares of common stock. Each Pre-Funded Warrant will be exercisable for one share of our common stock.

 

The purchase price of each Pre-Funded Warrant will equal the price per share at which the shares of common stock are being sold to the public in this offering, minus $0.01, and the exercise price of each Pre-Funded Warrant will be $0.01 per share. This prospectus also relates to the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of any Pre-Funded Warrants sold in this offering. For each Pre-Funded Warrant that we sell, the number of shares of common stock that we are offering will be decreased on a one-for-one basis. Each share of common stock and Pre-Funded Warrant is being sold together with a Warrant to purchase one (1) share of our common stock, at an exercise price of $            per share. Because we will issue a Warrant for each share of our common stock and for each Pre-Funded Warrant sold in this offering, the number of Warrants sold in this offering will not change as a result of a change in the mix of the shares of our common stock and Pre-Funded Warrants sold. The Warrants will be exercisable immediately and will expire five (5) years from the date of issuance. The shares of common stock or Pre-Funded Warrants, and the accompanying Warrants, can only be purchased together in this offering but will be issued separately and will be immediately separable upon issuance.

 

Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) under the symbol “GHSI.” The last reported sale price for our common stock on Nasdaq on August 5, 2019 was $1.05 per share. The actual number of securities, and the offering price per share of common stock, Pre-Funded Warrant and accompanying Warrant, and the exercise price for the accompanying Warrant, will be as determined between us and the underwriters at the time of pricing, and may be at a discount to the current market price. Therefore, the recent market price used throughout this prospectus may not be indicative of the actual public offering price for our common stock and for the Pre-Funded Warrants. The assumed public offering price is $1.05 per share of common stock (based on the closing price of our common stock on the Nasdaq on August 5, 2019) and $0.01 per accompanying Warrant and $1.04 per Pre-Funded Warrant and $0.01 per accompanying Warrant. There is no established public trading market for the Pre-Funded Warrants or the Warrants, and we do not expect a market to develop. In addition, we do not intend to apply for a listing of the Pre-Funded Warrants or the Warrants on any national securities exchange. Without an active trading market, the liquidity of the Pre-Funded Warrants and Warrants will be limited.

 

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 7 of this prospectus.

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

   

Per
Share and

Accompanying

Warrant

   

Per Pre-
Funded
Warrant and

Accompanying

Warrant

    Total (1)  
Public offering price (2)   $            $             $         
Underwriting discounts and commissions (3)   $     $     $  
Proceeds, before expenses, to us   $     $     $  

 

(1) Assumes no sale of Pre-Funded Warrants.

 

(2) The public offering price is $       per share of common stock and $0.01 per accompanying Warrant and $     per Pre-Funded Warrant and $0.01 per accompanying Warrant.

 

(3) See the section entitled “ Underwriting ” beginning on page 69 of this prospectus for a description of the compensation payable to the underwriters.

 

We have also granted an option to the underwriters to purchase up to 1,428,571 additional shares of common stock and/or Warrants on the same terms and conditions set forth above from us within 45 days after the date of this prospectus to cover over-allotments, if any.

 

The underwriters expect to deliver the Company’s securities to the purchasers on or about         , 2019.

 

Maxim Group LLC   WallachBeth Capital, LLC

 

The date of this prospectus is         , 2019.

 

     
 

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

 

In this prospectus, unless the context suggests otherwise, references to “the Company,” “GHS,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Guardion Health Sciences, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.

 

This prospectus describes the specific details regarding this offering, the terms and conditions of the securities being offered hereby and the risks of investing in the Company’s securities. You should read this prospectus, any free writing prospectus and the additional information about the Company described in the section entitled ‘‘Where You Can Find More Information’’ before making your investment decision.

 

Neither the Company, nor any of its officers, directors, agents, representatives or underwriters, make any representation to you about the legality of an investment in the Company’s common stock. You should not interpret the contents of this prospectus or any free writing prospectus to be legal, business, investment or tax advice. You should consult with your own advisors for that type of advice and consult with them about the legal, tax, business, financial and other issues that you should consider before investing in the Company’s common stock.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus and in any accompanying prospectus supplement. No one has been authorized to provide you with different or additional information. The shares of common stock are not being offered in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of such documents.

 

TRADEMARKS AND TRADE NAMES

 

This prospectus includes trademarks that are protected under applicable intellectual property laws and are the Company’s property or the property of one of the Company’s subsidiaries. This prospectus also contains trademarks, service marks, trade names and/or copyrights of other companies, which are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, trademarks and trade names referred to in this prospectus may appear without the ® or TM symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that the Company will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, its rights or the right of the applicable licensor to these trademarks and trade names.

 

INDUSTRY AND MARKET DATA

 

Unless otherwise indicated, information contained in this prospectus concerning the Company’s industry and the markets in which it operates, including market position and market opportunity, is based on information from management’s estimates, as well as from industry publications and research, surveys and studies conducted by third parties. The third-party sources from which the Company has obtained information generally state that the information contained therein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but the Company cannot assure you that this information is accurate or complete. The Company has not independently verified any of the data from third-party sources nor has it verified the underlying economic assumptions relied upon by those third parties. Similarly, internal company surveys, industry forecasts and market research, which the Company believes to be reliable, based upon management’s knowledge of the industry, have not been verified by any independent sources. The Company’s internal surveys are based on data it has collected over the past several years, which it believes to be reliable. Management estimates are derived from publicly available information, its knowledge of the industry, and assumptions based on such information and knowledge, which management believes to be reasonable and appropriate. However, assumptions and estimates of the Company’s future performance, and the future performance of its industry, are subject to numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including those described under the heading “Risk Factors” in this prospectus and those described elsewhere in this prospectus, and the other documents the Company files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, from time to time. These and other important factors could result in its estimates and assumptions being materially different from future results. You should read the information contained in this prospectus completely and with the understanding that future results may be materially different and worse from what the Company expects. See the information included under the heading “Forward-Looking Statements.”

 

REVERSE STOCK SPLIT

 

On January 30, 2019, the Company filed a Certificate of Amendment to its Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware to effectuate a one-for-two (1:2) reverse stock split (the “Reverse Stock Split”) of its common stock without any change to its par value. All share and per share numbers in this prospectus reflect proportional adjustments for the Reverse Stock Split which adjustments were made to the Company’s outstanding common stock, stock options, and warrants as if the split occurred at the beginning of the earliest period presented in this prospectus.

 

     
 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

    Page No.
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY   3
     
RISK FACTORS   7
     
USE OF PROCEEDS   27
     
DIVIDEND POLICY   28
     
CAPITALIZATION   29
     
DILUTION   30
     
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS   31
     
BUSINESS   39 
     
MANAGEMENT   55
     
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION   60
     
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE   65
     
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT   66
     
MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF SECURITIES   68
     
UNDERWRITING   69
     
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES   74
     
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES WE ARE OFFERING   77
     
LEGAL MATTERS   79
     
EXPERTS   79
     
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION   79
     
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE   80
     
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS   F-1

 

  - 2 -  
 

 

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

 

The following summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus. This summary may not contain all of the information that may be important to you. You should read this entire prospectus carefully, including the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and the Company’s historical financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. In this prospectus, unless otherwise noted, the terms “the Company,” “GHS,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Guardion Health Sciences, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.

 

The Company

 

Overview

 

The Company is a specialty health sciences company formed to develop, formulate and distribute condition-specific medical foods with an initial medical food product on the market under the brand name Lumega-Z® that is designed to replenish and restore the macular protective pigment. A depleted macular protective pigment is a modifiable risk factor for retina-based diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (“AMD”), computer vision syndrome (“CVS”) and diabetic retinopathy. The Company believes this risk may be modified by taking Lumega-Z to maintain a healthy macular protective pigment. Additional research has also shown a depleted macular protective pigment to be a biomarker for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

 

In September 2017, the Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary VectorVision Ocular Health, Inc., acquired substantially all of the assets and certain liabilities of VectorVision, Inc., a company that specializes in the standardization of contrast sensitivity, glare sensitivity, low contrast acuity, and early treatment diabetic retinopathy study (“ETDRS”) visual acuity testing. VectorVision’s standardization system is designed to provide the practitioner or researcher with the ability to delineate very small changes in visual capability, either as compared to the population or from visit to visit. VectorVision develops, manufactures and sells equipment and supplies for standardized vision testing for use by eye doctors in clinical trials, for real-world vision evaluation, and industrial vision testing. The acquisition expands the Company’s technical portfolio. The Company believes the acquisition of VectorVision, through which it added the CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 to its product portfolio, further establishes its position at the forefront of early detection, intervention and monitoring of a range of eye diseases. The Company has had limited commercial operations to date. Until recently with the acquisition of VectorVision and development of the Company’s sales force, the Company has primarily been engaged in research, development, commercialization, and capital raising.

 

The Company invented a proprietary technology, embodied in the Company’s medical device, the MapcatSF®, that accurately measures the macular pigment optical density (“MPOD”). On November 8, 2016, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) issued patent number 9,486,136 for the MapcatSF invention. Using the MapcatSF to measure the MPOD allows one to monitor the increase in the density of the macular protective pigment after taking Lumega-Z. The MapcatSF is a non-mydriatic, non-invasive device that accurately measures the MPOD, the lens optical density and lens equivalent age, thereby creating an evidence-based protocol that is shared with the patient. A non-mydriatic device is one that does not require dilation of the pupil for it to function. The MapcatSF is the first medical device using a patented “single fixation” process and “automatic lens density correction” that produces accurate serialized data.

 

For the past three years, the clinical prototypes of the MapcatSF have been tested on patients, allowing for frequent modifications of the device’s algorithms and retesting for accuracy, as well as to provide the inclusion of additional features not previously found in the initial prototype. The alpha prototype, which is the pre-commercial production version, was unveiled for the first time in July 2013 in Cambridge, United Kingdom, to researchers and scientists from around the world. The MapcatSF is manufactured and assembled in Irvine, California, and will be distributed from the Company’s national headquarters in San Diego. The marketing of the device will be implemented through continuing education presentations conducted by key opinion leaders in the industry. The MapcatSF device is a Class I medical device under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) classification scheme for medical devices, which the Company has determined does not require pre-market approval.

 

Lumega-Z is a medical food product that has a patent-pending formula that is designed to replenish and restore the macular protective pigment simultaneously delivering critical and essential nutrients to the eye. Management believes, based on review of products on the market and knowledge of the industry, that Lumega-Z is the first liquid ocular health formula to be classified as a medical food (as defined in Section 5(b) of the “Orphan Drug Act”). However, the FDA has not monitored nor approved Lumega-Z as a medical food. Formulated by Dr. Sheldon Hendler in 2010, modifications were made over a two-year period to improve the taste and method of delivery. The current formulation has been delivered to patients and used in clinics since 2014.

 

  - 3 -  
 

 

Medical foods are not considered to be either dietary or nutritional supplements. The Company believes that there is an increasing level of acceptance of medical foods as a primary therapy by patients and healthcare providers to treat pain syndromes, sleep and cognitive disorders, obesity, hypertension, and viral infection. In clinical practice, medical foods are being prescribed as both a standalone therapy and as an adjunct therapy to low doses of commonly prescribed drugs. The Company believes that medical foods will continue to grow in importance over the coming years.

 

Lumega-Z is a regulated medical food and therefore must be administered under the supervision of a physician or professional healthcare provider. In order to reach the large, expanding AMD patient population, the Company primarily markets Lumega-Z to patients through ophthalmologists and optometrists.

 

Over 1,900 patients have been treated with Lumega-Z since the Company began selling the formulation in October 2011. The patients come from a combination of the three initial testing sites, healthcare provider sites where the MapcatSF has been demonstrated, patients that have found Lumega-Z online and through other patient referrals, healthcare provider sites administering Lumega-Z to their patients without use of the MapcatSF, and MapcatSF devices recently placed in additional healthcare facilities. Patients take Lumega-Z under the supervision of their physician. Lumega-Z is typically ingested by the patient on a daily basis. Patients are typically between 50 and 80 years old. Patients are mixed ethnically and socioeconomically. Patients typically have insurance, whether private insurance or Medicare. Physicians have determined that the patient is experiencing or is at a high risk of developing retinal disease and decide based on their medical determination that the patient is a candidate for Lumega-Z.

 

Nearly half of Americans have low MPOD, a risk factor for AMD. As the MapcatSF is specifically designed to measure the MPOD, the Company and the physicians that utilize the MapcatSF are able to observe changes in that macular protective pigment density in patients who are taking Lumega-Z. The Company encourages sites using the MapcatSF® to provide the Company anonymized data on the MPOD readings. Anecdotal reports from physicians indicate improvements in their patients such as increased visual function, a noticeable halt in the progression of the patient’s AMD, improvement in glare and contrast sensitivity, and stabilization and improvement of vision. No adverse effects of taking Lumega-Z have been reported by any of the physicians administering Lumega-Z to their patients.

 

The number of patients regularly ordering Lumega-Z has increased as new healthcare providers have begun working with the Company, with a concurrent rise in patients set on an auto-ship program for delivery every four weeks. Automatic shipment has an added benefit in that it aids physicians because it increases patient compliance in using Lumega-Z on a regular basis. The Company’s operations, to date, indicate that each MapcatSF deployed in a clinic can generate an average of 75 new customers for its Lumega-Z product over a period of approximately 90 days when a MapcatSF is deployed in a small, low volume clinic. A larger, higher volume clinic is expected to generate a larger number of patients in a shorter period of time. All of the Company’s medical food revenue is derived from a limited number of individual customers.

 

AMD is the third leading cause of blindness in the world. More than 10 million people in the United States suffer from various forms of this incurable disease, according to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation. As the population ages, that number is expected to triple by 2025. Congress, the Food and Drug Administration, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services and private insurance companies are focusing increased efforts on pharmacovigilance (the branch of the pharmaceutical industry which assesses and monitors the safety of drugs either in the development pipeline or which have already been approved for marketing) to measure and reduce these adverse health consequences.

 

The Company believes that there is an increasing level of acceptance of medical foods as a primary therapy by patients and healthcare providers to treat pain syndromes, sleep and cognitive disorders, obesity, hypertension, and viral infection. In clinical practice, medical foods are being prescribed as both a standalone therapy and as an adjunct therapy to low doses of commonly prescribed drugs. From a regulatory standpoint, the FDA took steps in 1988 to encourage the development of medical foods by regulating this product category under the Orphan Drug Act. The term “medical food” as defined in Section 5(b) of the Orphan Drug Act is a “food which is formulated to be consumed or administered internally (by mouth) under the supervision of a physician and which is intended for the specific dietary management of a disease or condition for which distinctive nutritional requirements, based on recognized scientific principles, are established by medical evaluation.” This definition was incorporated by reference into the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990.

 

These regulatory changes have reduced the costs and time associated with bringing medical foods to market. Until 1972, medical foods were categorized as drugs and then until 1988 as “foods for special dietary purposes.” The field of candidates for development into medical foods is expanding due to continuing advances in the understanding of the science of nutrition and disease, coupled with advances in food technology thereby increasing the number of products that can be formulated and commercialized.

 

The Company distributes its medical food products through E-commerce in an online store that is operated at www.guardionhealth.com . Information about VectorVision products can be found at www.vectorvision.com.

 

Recent Development—Initial Public Offering

 

On April 9, 2019, the Company closed its initial public offering (the “IPO”) of 1,250,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, at an IPO price to the public of $4.00 per share resulting in net proceeds to the Company of $3,888,000 after all costs and expenses. The shares began trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market on April 5, 2019 under the symbol “GHSI.”

 

  - 4 -  
 

 

Risk Factors Summary

 

An investment in the Company’s common shares involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks summarized below. The risks are discussed more fully in the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus immediately following this prospectus summary. These risks include, but are not limited to, the following:

 

  As we have incurred recurring losses and negative cash flows since our inception, there is no assurance that we will be able to continue as a going concern absent additional financing, which we may not be able to obtain on favorable terms or at all.
  The Company’s future success is dependent on the successful commercialization of Lumega-Z®, the MapcatSF® medical device, the CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 testing devices, and the continued successful integration of VectorVision into the Company’s business.
  The Company may fail to realize all of the anticipated benefits of the VectorVision acquisition or those benefits may take longer to realize than expected.
  The Company has limited experience in developing medical foods and medical devices, and it may be unable to commercialize some of the products and services it develops or acquires.
  The Company and its suppliers and manufacturers are subject to a number of existing laws, regulations and industry initiatives and the regulatory environment of the healthcare industry is continuing to change.
  Lumega-Z may not qualify as a medical food as defined by the FDA.
  The Company’s products may cause undesirable side effects or have other properties that could delay or prevent any required regulatory approval, limit the commercial potential or result in significant negative consequences following any potential marketing approval.
  The Company’s competitors may develop products similar to Lumega-Z, and the Company may therefore need to modify or alter its business strategy, which may delay the achievement of its goals.
  The Company may be unsuccessful in expanding its product distribution outside the United States.
  The Company’s billings and revenues are derived from a limited number of customers and the loss of any of them may have an immediate adverse effect on its financial results.
  Our failure to meet the continued listing requirements of the NASDAQ Capital Market could result in the delisting of our common stock, which could result in the lack of a trading market for our common stock, cause a decrease in the value of our common stock, and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company

 

The Company is an emerging growth company as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, as amended (the “JOBS Act”). It will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the completion of our initial public offering, (2) the last day of the fiscal year in which it has total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, as such amount is indexed for inflation every five years by the Securities and Exchange Commission to reflect the change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers during its most recently completed fiscal year, (3) the last day of the fiscal year in which the Company is deemed to be a “large accelerated filer” as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), which would occur if the market value of the Company’s common stock held by non-affiliates exceeded $700 million as of the last business day of the second fiscal quarter of such fiscal year, or (4) the date on which the Company has issued more than $1 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period. An emerging growth company may take advantage of specified reduced reporting requirements and is relieved of certain other significant requirements that are otherwise generally applicable to public companies. As an emerging growth company:

 

  the Company may present only two years of audited financial statements, plus unaudited condensed financial statements for any interim period, and related management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations in its initial registration statement;
     
  the Company may avail itself of the exemption from the requirement to obtain an attestation and report from its auditors on the assessment of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Sarbanes-Oxley”);
     
  the Company may provide reduced disclosure about its executive compensation arrangements; and
     
  the Company may not require stockholder non-binding advisory votes on executive compensation or golden parachute arrangements.

 

In addition, the JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards. This provision allows an emerging growth company to delay the adoption of some accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. The Company has elected to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period. Its financial statements may therefore not be comparable to those of companies that comply with such new or revised accounting standards.

 

Corporate History and Information

 

Guardion Health Sciences, Inc. was formed under the name P4L Health Sciences, LLC in December, 2009 in California as a limited liability company. The Company changed its name to Guardion Health Sciences, LLC (“GHS”) in December 2009. In June 2015, GHS converted into a Delaware “C” corporation. The Company’s address is 15150 Avenue of Science, Suite 200, San Diego, California 92128. The Company’s telephone number is 858-605-9055. Its website is: www.guardionhealth.com. The information on, or that can be accessed through, this website is not part of this prospectus, and you should not rely on any such information in making the decision whether to purchase the Company’s common stock.

 

  - 5 -  
 

 

THE OFFERING

 

Common stock offered by us   9,523,809 shares (10,952,380 shares if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full), assuming the sale of our shares of common stock at an assumed public offering price of $1.05 per share, which is the last reported sale price of our common stock on Nasdaq on August 5, 2019, and no sale of any Pre-Funded Warrants.
     
Pre-Funded Warrants offered by us   We are also offering to certain purchasers whose purchase of shares of common stock in this offering would otherwise result in such purchaser, together with its affiliates and certain related parties, beneficially owning more than 4.99% (or, at the election of the purchaser, 9.99%) of our outstanding common stock immediately following the consummation of this offering, the opportunity to purchase, if any such purchaser so chooses, Pre-Funded Warrants, in lieu of shares of common stock that would otherwise result in such purchaser’s beneficial ownership exceeding 4.99% (or, at the election of the purchaser, 9.99%) of our outstanding common stock. Each Pre-Funded Warrant will be exercisable for one share of common stock. The purchase price of each Pre-Funded Warrant will be equal to the price per share at which shares of common stock are sold to the public in this offering, minus $0.01, and the exercise price of each Pre-Funded Warrant will be $0.01 per share. This offering also relates to the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of any Pre-Funded Warrant sold in this offering. The Pre-Funded Warrants will be exercisable immediately and may be exercised at any time until all of the Pre-Funded Warrants are exercised in full. For each Pre-Funded Warrant that we sell, the number of shares of common stock that we are offering will be decreased on a one-for-one basis.
     
Warrants offered by us   We are also offering Warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 9,523,809 shares of common stock. Each share of common stock and each Pre-Funded Warrant is being sold together with a Warrant to purchase one share of common stock. Each Warrant will have an exercise price of $           per share, will be immediately exercisable and will expire on the fifth anniversary of the original issuance date. This offering also relates to the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants. The Warrants may be exercised on a cashless basis if there is no effective registration statement registering the shares of common stock underlying the Warrants. In addition, the Warrants may be exercised on a cashless basis, beginning thirty (30) days from the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part (the “Effective Date”), if, during the period of time between the date that is 30 days from the Effective Date and the date that is 12 months from the Effective Date, the daily volume weighted average price of our common stock on the trading day immediately prior to the exercise date fails to exceed the initial exercise price (as may be subject to adjustment).
     
Option to purchase additional securities   The underwriters have a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 1,428,571 shares of common stock and/or Warrants to purchase up to an additional 1,428,571 shares of our common stock, in any combination thereof, from us at the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions.
     
Common stock outstanding prior to this offering (1)   22,733,762 shares.
     
Common Stock to be outstanding after this offering   32,257,571 shares, assuming the sale of $10,000,000 of our shares of common stock at an assumed public offering price of $1.05 per share, which is the last reported sale price of our common stock on Nasdaq on August 5, 2019, no sale of any Pre-Funded Warrants, no exercise of any of the Warrants issued in this offering, and no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option).
     
Use of Proceeds  

We estimate that the net proceeds from this offering will be approximately $8,654,448, or $10,019,448 if the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares of common stock is exercised in full, after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for commercialization and product development, sales and marketing efforts, working capital and general corporate purposes. See “Use of Proceeds” on page 27 of this prospectus.

     
Underwriters’ Warrants  

The registration statement of which this prospectus is a part also registers for sale warrants to purchase             shares of our common stock to Maxim Group LLC and WallachBeth Capital, LLC, as the representatives of the underwriters (the “Underwriters’ Warrants”), as a portion of the underwriting compensation payable to the underwriters in connection with this offering. The Underwriters’ Warrants will be exercisable for a four and one-half year period commencing 180 days following the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part at an exercise price equal to 125% of the public offering price of the common stock. Please see “Underwriting — Underwriters’ Warrants” for a description of these warrants.

 

Risk Factors   See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 7 and the other information included in this prospectus for a discussion of factors you should carefully consider before deciding to invest in our securities.
     
Market Symbol and Trading   Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “GHSI.” There is no established trading market for the Warrants or the Pre-Funded Warrants, and we do not expect a trading market for such securities to develop. We do not intend to list the Warrants or the Pre-Funded Warrants on any securities exchange or other trading market. Without a trading market, the liquidity of the Warrants or the Pre-Funded Warrants will be extremely limited.

 

(1) The number of shares of common stock outstanding is based on 22,733,762 shares of common stock issued and outstanding as of August 5, 2019 and excludes the following:

 

  2,612,500 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options as of that date having a weighted average exercise price of $3.28 per share;
     
  261,538 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding warrants as of that date having a weighted average exercise price of $2.81 per share; and
     
 

3,000,000 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under the Guardion Health Sciences 2018 Equity Incentive Plan, or the 2018 Plan.

 

  - 6 -  
 

 

RISK FACTORS

 

Investing in the Company’s securities involves a high degree of risk. Prospective investors should carefully consider the risks described below, together with all of the other information included or referred to in this prospectus, before purchasing Company securities. There are numerous and varied risks that may prevent the Company from achieving its goals. If any of these risks actually occurs, the Company’s business, financial condition or results of operations may be materially adversely affected. In such case, the trading price of its common stock could decline and investors in the Company’s common stock could lose all or part of their investment.

 

Risks Related to the Company’s Business

 

As the Company has incurred recurring losses and negative cash flows since our inception, there is no assurance that the Company will be able to continue as a going concern absent additional financing, which the Company may not be able to obtain on favorable terms or at all.

 

The Company has incurred net losses since inception in 2009 and cannot be certain if or when the Company will produce sufficient revenue from operations to support costs. The Company had a net loss of $7,767,407 for the year ended December 31, 2018 and a net loss of $5,305,169 for the year ended December 31, 2017. The company had a net loss of $1,385,099 for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The Company had an accumulated deficit of $ 36,018,462 as of March 31, 2019. The Company expects to continue to incur net losses and negative operating cash flows in the near-term.

 

The Company will continue to incur significant expenses for commercialization activities related to its lead product Lumega-Z, the MapcatSF medical device, the CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 devices, and with respect to efforts to build its infrastructure and expand its operations.

 

Even if profitability is achieved in the future, the Company may not be able to sustain profitability on a consistent basis. The Company expects to continue to incur substantial losses and negative cash flow from operations for the foreseeable future. The Company’s financial statements included in this registration statement have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. The Company’s auditors have made reference to the substantial doubt as to our ability to continue as a going concern in their audit report on its audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018. Because the Company has been issued an opinion by its auditors that substantial doubt exists as to whether the Company can continue as a going concern, it may be more difficult for the Company to attract investors. The Company’s future is dependent upon its ability to obtain financing and upon future profitable operations.

 

The Company does not have any credit facilities as a source of present or future funds, and there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to raise sufficient additional capital on acceptable terms, or at all. The Company may seek additional capital through a combination of private and public equity offerings and debt financings, including through this offering. If the Company raises additional funds through the issuance of equity or convertible debt securities, the percentage ownership of our stockholders could be significantly diluted, and these newly issued securities may have rights, preferences or privileges senior to those of existing stockholders. Debt financing, if obtained, may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting the ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt, would increase expenses and require that Company assets secure such debt. Moreover, any debt the Company incurs must be repaid regardless of our operating results.

 

The Company’s ability to obtain additional financing in the future will be subject to a number of factors, including market conditions, operating performance and investor sentiment. If the Company is unable to raise additional capital when required or on acceptable terms, the Company may have to significantly delay, scale back or discontinue our operations or obtain funds by entering into agreements on unattractive terms, which would likely have a material adverse effect on its business, stock price and relationships with third parties, at least until additional funding is obtained. If the Company does not have sufficient funds to continue operations, the Company could be required to seek other alternatives that would likely result in our stockholders losing some or all of their investment.

 

  - 7 -  
 

 

The Company’s future success is largely dependent on the successful commercialization of Lumega-Z®, the MapcatSF® medical device, the CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 testing devices, and the continued successful integration of VectorVision into the Company’s business.

 

The future success of the Company’s business is largely dependent upon the successful commercialization of its medical food, Lumega-Z, its medical device, the MapcatSF and the VectorVision CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 testing devices. The Company is dedicating a substantial amount of its resources to advance Lumega-Z and certain resources to advance MapcatSF as aggressively as possible. If the Company encounters difficulties in the commercialization of Lumega-Z or the MapcatSF, the Company will not have the resources necessary to continue its business in its current form. If the Company is unable to establish and maintain adequate sales, marketing and distribution capabilities or enter into or maintain agreements with third parties to do so, it may be unable to successfully commercialize its products. The Company believes it is creating an efficient commercial organization and taking advantage of outsourcing options where prudent to maximize the effectiveness of its commercial expenditures. However, it may not be able to correctly judge the size and experience of the sales and marketing force and the scale of distribution necessary to be successful. Establishing and maintaining sales, marketing, and distribution capabilities are expensive and time-consuming. Such expenses may be disproportionate compared to the revenues the Company may be able to generate on sales of Lumega-Z or licensing fees or sales of the MapcatSF device or the CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 testing devices. If this occurs, it will have an adverse impact on operations and the Company’s ability to fund any future development.

 

The Company may fail to realize all of the anticipated benefits of the VectorVision acquisition or those benefits may take longer to realize than expected. The Company may also encounter significant difficulties in integrating VectorVision into the existing business and VectorVision may underperform relative to the Company’s expectations.

 

The Company may not fully realize the anticipated benefits of the VectorVision acquisition. The Company has integrated the business of VectorVision with its legacy business, but the Company may continue to devote significant management attention and resources to operate and grow the VectorVision business. The failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the VectorVision acquisition could cause an interruption of, or a loss of momentum in, the Company’s operations and could adversely affect its business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, continued operation of VectorVision may result in material unanticipated problems, expenses, liabilities, competitive responses, loss of customers and other business relationships, and diversion of management’s attention. Additional challenges may include, among other things, difficulties in achieving anticipated cost savings, synergies, business opportunities and growth prospects and the impact of potential liabilities the Company may be assuming from VectorVision.

 

The Company has limited experience in developing medical foods and medical devices, and it may be unable to commercialize some of the products and services it develops or acquires.

 

Development and commercialization of medical foods and medical devices involves a lengthy and complex process. The Company has limited experience in developing products and has only one commercialized medical food product on the market, Lumega-Z. In addition, no one has ever developed or commercialized a medical device like the MapcatSF. The Company cannot assure you that it is possible to further develop or successfully commercialize the MapcatSF or that it will be successful in doing so. While the CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 visual acuity testing devices are commercialized, there is no guarantee that they will continue to be marketable or enjoy commercial success.

 

Even if the Company develops or acquires products for commercial use, these products may not be accepted by the medical and pharmaceutical marketplaces or be capable of being offered at prices that will enable the Company to become profitable. The Company cannot assure you that its products will be approved by regulatory authorities, if required, or ultimately prove to be useful for commercial markets, meet applicable regulatory standards, or be successfully marketed.

 

  - 8 -  
 

 

The Company’s ongoing investment in new businesses and new products, services, and technologies is inherently risky, and could disrupt its current operations.

 

The Company has invested and expects to continue to invest in new businesses, products, services, and technologies. The expansion into the transcranial doppler testing business is a reflection of its ongoing efforts to innovate and provide useful products and services. Such endeavors involve significant risks and uncertainties, including insufficient revenues from such investments to offset any new liabilities assumed and expenses associated with these new investments, inadequate return of capital on the Company’s investments, distraction of management from current operations, and unidentified issues not discovered in its due diligence of such strategies and offerings that could cause the Company to fail to realize the anticipated benefits of such investments and incur unanticipated liabilities. Because these new ventures are inherently risky, no assurance can be given that such strategies and offerings will be successful and will not adversely affect the Company’s reputation, financial condition, and operating results.

 

The Company and its suppliers and manufacturers are subject to a number of existing laws, regulations and industry initiatives and the regulatory environment of the healthcare industry is continuing to change. If it is determined that the Company or its suppliers or manufacturers are not in compliance with the laws and regulations to which they are respectively subject, the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.

 

As a participant in the healthcare industry, the Company’s operations and relationships, and those of the Company’s customers, are regulated by a number of federal, state, local, and foreign governmental entities, and the Company’s products must be capable of being used by its customers in a manner that complies with those laws and regulations. Because of its business relationships with physicians and professional healthcare providers, and since its product, Lumega-Z is believed to be a medical food and the MapcatSF and the CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 are medical devices, a number of regulations are implicated. For example, from the FDA’s perspective, a drug cures, treats, or mitigates the effects or symptoms of a specific disease. A medical food manages a specific disease or condition for which distinctive nutritional requirements, based on recognized scientific principles, are established by medical evaluation. While the Company believes Lumega-Z is a medical food, if the FDA determines Lumega-Z to be a drug, the Company and the product would be subject to considerable additional FDA regulation. Similarly, while the Company believes the MapcatSF is a safe medical device, with a very low potential risk of injury to a patient, the Company believes the MapcatSF is correctly classified as a Class I medical device, which does not require any premarket approval. The CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 are currently classified with the FDA as Class I medical devices. If, however, the FDA were to determine that the MapcatSF, the CSV-1000 or ESV-3000 is a Class II medical device, the Company and the particular product or products would be subject to considerable additional regulatory requirements.

 

In addition, the Company cannot anticipate how changes in regulations or determinations by regulatory agencies may evolve. Thus, application of many foreign, state and federal regulations to the Company’s business operations is uncertain. Further, there are federal and state fraud and abuse laws, including anti-kickback laws and limitations on physician referrals and laws related to off-label promotion of prescription drugs that may or may not be directly or indirectly applicable to the Company’s operations and relationships or the business practices of its customers. It is possible that a review of its business practices or those of its customers by courts or regulatory authorities could result in a determination that may adversely affect the Company. In addition, the healthcare regulatory environment may change in a way that restricts existing operations or growth. The healthcare industry is expected to continue to undergo significant changes for the foreseeable future, which could have an adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations. The Company cannot predict the effect of possible future legislation and regulation.

 

The Company may be subject to fines, penalties, injunctions and other sanctions if it is deemed to be promoting the use of its products as a drug.

 

The Company’s business and future growth depend on the development, use and ultimate sale of products that are subject to FDA regulation, clearance and approval. Under the U.S. Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and other laws, the Company is prohibited from promoting its products for treatment of a condition or disease. This means that the Company may not make claims about the usefulness or effectiveness or expected outcome of use of its products for any particular condition or disease and may not proactively discuss or provide information on the use of its products, except as allowed by the FDA.

 

There is a risk that the FDA or other federal or state law enforcement authorities could determine that the nature and scope of our sales and marketing activities may constitute the promotion of our products for use as a drug in violation of applicable law. The Company also faces the risk that the FDA or other regulatory authorities might pursue enforcement based on past activities that the Company discontinued or changed, including sales activities, arrangements with institutions and doctors, educational and training programs and other activities.

 

  - 9 -  
 

 

Government investigations are typically expensive, disruptive, burdensome and generate negative publicity. If its promotional activities are found to be in violation of applicable law or if the Company agrees to a settlement in connection with an enforcement action, the Company would likely face significant fines and penalties and would likely be required to substantially change its sales, promotion and educational activities. In addition, were any enforcement actions against the Company or its senior officers to arise, the Company could be excluded from participation in U.S. government healthcare programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.

 

Lumega-Z may not qualify as a medical food as defined by the FDA.

 

If the FDA makes a determination that Lumega-Z should not be defined as a medical food (and does not qualify as a drug), the Company would need to relabel and rebrand that product. While reclassification and the subsequent relabeling and rebranding would be an added cost to operations, it would not change the use or effectiveness of Lumega-Z. Although, management believes it is unlikely the FDA would make such a determination, there is a chance that certain physicians may choose not to recommend Lumega-Z to their patients or that certain consumers may choose not to buy Lumega-Z if it is not classified as a medical food. While there is no insurance coverage for Lumega-Z as a medical food, if insurance companies would otherwise pay for Lumega-Z because of it being a medical food, a determination by the FDA that Lumega-Z should not be defined as a medical food could limit or eliminate such potential insurance coverage which might adversely impact the sales of Lumega-Z.

 

The Company’s products may cause undesirable side effects or have other properties that could delay or prevent any required regulatory approval, limit the commercial potential or result in significant negative consequences following any potential marketing approval.

 

If the Company’s products, including Lumega-Z, are associated with undesirable side effects or have characteristics that are unexpected, the Company may need to abandon its development or limit development to certain uses or subpopulations in which the undesirable side effects or other characteristics are less prevalent, less severe or more acceptable from a risk-benefit perspective. Any serious adverse or undesirable side effects identified during the development of its products, could interrupt, delay or halt commercialization and/or could result in the additional regulatory requirements by the FDA or other regulatory authorities, and in turn prevent the Company from commercializing its product candidates and generating revenues from their sale.

 

A key part of the Company’s business strategy is to establish collaborative relationships to commercialize and develop its product candidates. The Company may not succeed in establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships, which may significantly limit its ability to develop and commercialize its products successfully, if at all.

 

A key part of the Company’s business strategy is to establish collaborative relationships to commercialize and fund development of its product candidates. The Company is currently a party to several collaborative relationships. The Illinois College of Optometry, for example, has included the MapcatSF prototype in its curriculum to instruct students on how to measure the macular pigment. The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary is currently evaluating Lumega-Z on glaucoma patients. The Rosenberg School of Optometry at the University of the Immaculate Word is conducting research on patients with a MapcatSF prototype. Moreover, the Company’s Science Advisory Board, each member of whom is displayed on the Company website, includes world renowned experts in macular carotenoids who are developing the peer review markets by conducting research and furthering the understanding of the relevance of the macular pigment in ocular health. The Company’s Medical Advisors includes thought-leading clinicians in retina, glaucoma and the anterior segment of the eye, providing guidance on understanding the clinical applications of Lumega-Z and the MapcatSF and understanding the market opportunities and assisting in driving our strategic goals. However, there is no guarantee that the Company will be successful in negotiating similar collaborative relationships with regard to the CSV-1000 and ESV-3000.

 

While the Company believes that these collaborative relationships help further validate the MapcatSF and Lumega-Z, these relationships are not material to the Company because none of these relationships is exclusive, there are many potential collaborative partners available, and the Company and each collaborator is free to enter into other collaborative relationships as needed. No sales of Lumega-Z are generated directly from Illinois College of Optometry because the MapcatSF is part of its teaching curriculum, not used for direct patient care. However, the other collaborative partners, as a result of using the MapcatSF on patients, periodically put patients on Lumega-Z if a physician determines it appropriate to do so. The majority of sales of Lumega-Z primarily come from clinicians outside of these collaborative relationships.

 

The Company may not be able to negotiate collaborations on acceptable terms, if at all, and if it does enter into collaborations, these collaborations may not be successful. The Company’s current and future success depends in part on its ability to enter into successful collaboration arrangements. If the Company is unable to establish and maintain collaborative relationships on acceptable terms or to successfully transition terminated collaborative agreements, the Company may have to delay or discontinue further development of one or more of its product candidates, undertake development and commercialization activities at its own expense or find alternative sources of capital. Consequently, if it is unable to enter into, maintain or extend successful collaborations, the Company’s business may be harmed.

 

  - 10 -  
 

 

The Company’s long-term success may depend upon the successful development and commercialization of products other than Lumega-Z, the MapcatSF medical device and the CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 testing devices.

 

The Company’s long-term viability and growth may depend upon the successful development and commercialization of products other than Lumega-Z and the MapcatSF. Product development and commercialization is very expensive and involves a high degree of risk. Only a small number of research and development programs result in the commercialization of a product. Product development is a complex and time-consuming process. If the Company fails to adequately manage the research, development, execution and regulatory aspects of new product development it may fail to launch new products altogether.

 

Government agencies may establish usage guidelines that directly apply to the Company’s products or proposed products or change legislation or regulations to which the Company is subject.

 

Government usage guidelines typically address matters such as usage and dose, among other factors. Application of these guidelines could limit the use of the Company’s products and products that the Company may develop. In addition, there can be no assurance that government regulations applicable to the Company’s products or proposed products or the interpretation thereof will not change and thereby prevent the marketing of some or all of its products for a period of time or permanently. The FDA’s policies may change and additional government regulations may be enacted that could modify, prevent, delay or change the regulatory approval required of the Company’s products. The Company cannot predict the likelihood, nature or extent of adverse government regulation that may arise from future legislation or administrative action, either in the U.S. or in other countries.

 

Patent litigation is common in t he pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries. Any litigation or claim against the Company may cause it to incur substantial costs and could place a significant strain on its financial resources, divert the attention of management from its business and harm the Company’s reputation.

 

While the Company is not a pharmaceutical or a biopharmaceutical company, as a health sciences company, the Company’s medical foods or its medical devices may come into competition with products in the medical foods and related industries, such as pharmaceuticals, biologics or dietary supplements. There has been substantial litigation in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries with respect to the manufacture, use and sale of new products that are the subject of conflicting patent rights. For the most part, these lawsuits relate to the validity, enforceability and infringement of patents. The Company expects it will rely upon patents, trade secrets, know-how, continuing technological innovations and licensing opportunities to develop and maintain its competitive position. The Company may find it necessary to initiate claims to defend its intellectual property rights as a result. Other parties may have issued patents or be issued patents that may prevent the sale of the Company’s products or know-how or require the Company to license such patents and pay significant fees or royalties to produce its products. In addition, future patents may issue to third parties which the Company’s technology may infringe. Because patent applications can take many years to issue, there may be applications now pending of which the Company is unaware that may later result in issued patents that the Company’s products may infringe.

 

Intellectual property litigation, regardless of outcome, is expensive and time-consuming, and could divert management’s attention from our business and have a material negative effect on our business, operating results or financial condition. If such a dispute were to be resolved against us, the Company may be required to pay substantial damages, including treble damages and attorney’s fees to the party claiming infringement if the Company were to be found to have willfully infringed a third party’s patent. The Company may also have to develop non-infringing technology, stop selling any products it develops, cease using technology that contains the allegedly infringing intellectual property or enter into royalty or license agreements that may not be available on acceptable or commercially practical terms, if at all. The Company’s failure to develop non-infringing technologies or license the proprietary rights on a timely basis could harm its business. Modification of any products the Company develops or development of new products thereafter could require the Company to become subject to other requirements of the FDA and other regulatory bodies, which could be time-consuming and expensive. In addition, parties making infringement claims may be able to obtain an injunction that would prevent the Company from selling any products it develops, which could harm its business.

 

  - 11 -  
 

 

The Company’s competitors may develop products similar to Lumega-Z, and the Company may therefore need to modify or alter its business strategy, which may delay the achievement of its goals.

 

Competitors may develop products with similar characteristics to Lumega-Z. Such similar products marketed by larger competitors could hinder the Company’s efforts to penetrate the market. As a result, the Company may be forced to modify or alter its business and regulatory strategy and sales and marketing plans, as a response to changes in the market, competition and technology limitations, among others. Such modifications may pose additional delays in achieving the Company’s goals.

 

The Company’s competitors may develop products similar to the MapcatSF medical device, and the Company may therefore need to modify or alter its business strategy, which may delay the achievement of its goals.

 

While the Company believes the MapcatSF is the only device available that can accurately measure the density of the macular pigment, competitors may develop products with similar characteristics to the Company’s MapcatSF medical device. Such similar products marketed by larger competitors could hinder the Company’s efforts to develop the market. As a result, the Company may be forced to modify or alter its business and regulatory strategy and sales and marketing plans, as a response to changes in the market, competition and technology limitations, among others. Such modifications may pose additional delays in achieving the Company’s goals.

 

The Company’s competitors may develop products similar to the CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 devices, and the Company may therefore need to modify or alter its business strategy, which may delay the achievement of its goals.

 

While the Company believes that VectorVision is the only company that offers fully standardized vision testing products that ensure consistent, repeatable and highly accurate results, its competitors may introduce similar products that may compete with the CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 devices. These devices offer auto-calibrated tests to ensure the correct testing luminance and contrast levels for consistent, highly accurate and repeatable results, which is why the VectorVision instruments can detect and quantify subtle changes in vision, and why the VectorVision CSV-1000 instrument is used by eye doctors in more than 60 countries to accomplish contrast sensitivity testing. For the same reasons, the Company believes that the ESV-3000 ETDRS testing device will become the worldwide standard for ETDRS visual acuity testing. The Company’s research has revealed no competing products that offers auto-calibration of ambient illumination. Competitive devices do not allow for variations in ambient light levels, resulting in variability of test results due to the environment in which the testing is performed. The CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 use self-calibrated test lighting. The self-calibrated test lighting is proprietary, and the test faces of the CSV-1000 are proprietary and the intellectual property is protected under copyright and trade secret law. Both CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 are currently sold worldwide, and the Company expects this global distribution to continue. There is a training requirement in incorporating the CSV-1000 device into clinical practice, which the Company plans to provide as part of its commercialization strategy. Competitors currently exist, and while the Company believes its market penetration and intellectual property protection are barriers to entry, competitors may invent around the Company’s intellectual property or otherwise overcome barriers to entry and introduce similar products to compete with either the CSV-1000 or ESV-3000.

 

The Company’s failure to compete successfully could cause its revenue or market share to decline.

 

The market for our products and services is competitive and is characterized by rapidly evolving industry standards, technology and user needs and the frequent introduction of new products and services. Some of our competitors, which include major pharmaceutical companies with alternatives to our products, may be more established, benefit from greater name recognition and have substantially greater financial, technical and marketing resources than us. We compete on the basis of several factors, including distribution of products, reputation, scientific validity, reliability, client service, price, and industry expertise and experience. There can be no assurance that we will be able to compete successfully against current and future competitors or that the competitive pressures that we face will not materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

If the Company is unable to develop its own sales, marketing and distribution capabilities, or if it is not successful in contracting with third parties for these services on favorable terms, or at all, revenues from products could be limited.

 

The Company currently has limited sales, marketing and distribution capabilities. To commercialize our products successfully, we have to develop more robust capabilities internally or collaborate with third parties that can perform these services for us. In the process of commercializing our products, we may not be able to hire the necessary experienced personnel and build sales, marketing and distribution operations capable of successfully launching new products and generating sufficient product revenues. In addition, establishing such operations takes time and involves significant expense.

 

  - 12 -  
 

 

If the Company decides to enter into co-promotion or other licensing arrangements with third parties, we may be unable to identify acceptable partners because the number of potential partners is limited and because of competition from others for similar alliances with potential partners. Even if we are able to identify one or more acceptable partners, we may not be able to enter into any partnering arrangements on favorable terms, or at all. If we enter into any partnering arrangements, our revenues are likely to be lower than if we marketed and sold our products ourselves.

 

In addition, any revenues the Company receives would depend upon our partners’ efforts which may not be adequate due to lack of attention or resource commitments, management turnover, and change of strategic focus, further business combinations or other factors outside of our control. Depending upon the terms of our agreements, the remedies we have against an under-performing partner may be limited. If we were to terminate the relationship, it may be difficult or impossible to find a replacement partner on acceptable terms, or at all.

 

If the Company cannot compete successfully for market share against other companies, it may not achieve sufficient product revenues and its business will suffer.

 

The market for our products and product candidates is characterized by competition and technological advances. If our products are unable to capture and maintain market share, we may not achieve sufficient product revenues and our business will suffer.

 

We will compete for market share against fully integrated medical food and medical device companies or other companies that develop products independently or collaborate with larger pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, government agencies and other public and private research organizations. In addition, many of these competitors, either alone or together with their collaborative partners, have substantially greater capital resources, larger research and development staffs and facilities, and greater financial resources than we do, as well as significantly greater experience in:

 

  developing medical foods and medical devices;
     
  conducting product testing and studies;
     
  complying with regulatory requirements;
     
  formulating and manufacturing products; and
     
  launching, marketing, distributing and selling products.

 

Our competitors may:

 

  develop and patent processes or products earlier than we will;
     
  develop and commercialize products that are less expensive or more efficient than our products;
     
  comply with regulatory requirements more rapidly than us; or
     
  improve upon existing technological approaches or develop new or different approaches that render our technology or products obsolete or uncompetitive.

 

If we are unable to compete successfully against current or future competitors, we may be unable to obtain market acceptance for any product candidates that we create, which could prevent us from generating revenues or achieving profitability and could cause the market price of our common stock to decline.

 

Product liability lawsuits against the Company could divert its resources and could cause it to incur substantial liabilities and to limit commercialization of Company products.

 

We face a risk of product liability exposure related to the use of our products, including Lumega-Z. If we cannot successfully defend ourselves against claims that our product candidates or products caused injuries, we will incur substantial liabilities. Regardless of merit or eventual outcome, liability claims may result in:

 

  decreased demand for any product candidates or products that we develop;
     
  injury to our reputation and significant negative media attention;
     
  significant costs to defend the related litigation;
     
  loss of revenue; and
     
  reduced time and attention of our management to pursue our business strategy.

 

Our insurance policies may not fully cover liabilities that we may incur in the event of a product liability lawsuit. We may not be able to maintain insurance coverage at a reasonable cost or in an amount adequate to satisfy any liability that may arise.

 

  - 13 -  
 

 

The Company may be unsuccessful in expanding its product distribution outside the United States.

 

To the extent we begin to offer our products outside the United States, we expect that we may be dependent on third-party distribution relationships. Distributors may not commit the necessary resources to market and sell our products to the level of our expectations. If distributors do not perform adequately, or we are unable to locate distributors in particular geographic areas, our ability to realize long-term international revenue growth would be materially adversely affected.

 

Additionally, our products may require regulatory clearances and approvals from jurisdictions outside the United States. We expect that we will be subject to and required to comply with local regulatory requirements before selling our products in those jurisdictions. We are not certain that we will be able to obtain these clearances or approvals or compliance requirements on a timely basis, or at all.

 

Manufacturing risks and inefficiencies may adversely affect the Company’s ability to produce products.

 

We engage third parties to manufacture our products in sufficient quantities and on a timely basis, while maintaining product quality, acceptable manufacturing costs and complying with regulatory requirements. In determining the required quantities of our products and the manufacturing schedule, we must make significant judgments and estimates based on historical experience, inventory levels, current market trends and other related factors. Because of the inherent nature of estimates, there could be significant differences between our estimates and the actual amounts of products we require. If we are unable to obtain from one or more of our vendors the needed materials or components that meet our specifications on commercially reasonable terms, or at all, we may not be able to meet the demand for our products. While we have not arranged for alternate suppliers, and it may be difficult to find alternate suppliers in a timely manner and on terms acceptable to us, we believe that there are multiple alternative sources, suppliers and manufacturers available for our products and devices in the event of a termination or a disagreement with any current vendor.

 

Security breaches and other disruptions could compromise the Company’s information and expose it to liability, which would cause its business and reputation to suffer.

 

In the ordinary course of our business, we collect and store sensitive data, including intellectual property, our proprietary business information and that of our customers and business partners, including personally identifiable information of our customers, some of which is stored on our network and some of which is stored with our third-party E-commerce vendor. Despite our security measures, our information technology and infrastructure may be vulnerable to attacks by hackers or breached due to operator error, malfeasance or other disruptions. Any such breach could compromise our network and the information stored there could be accessed, publicly disclosed, lost or stolen. Any such access, disclosure or other loss of information could result in legal claims or proceedings, liability under laws that protect the privacy of personal information, disrupt our operations, and damage our reputation, which could adversely affect our business.

 

The Company’s products and facility and the facilities of its manufacturers are subject to federal laws and regulations and certain requirements in the State of California. Failure to comply with any law or regulation could result in penalties and restrictions on the Company’s manufacturers’ ability to manufacture and the Company’s ability to distribute products. If any such action were to be imposed, it could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business and results of operations.

 

Although medical foods do not require pre-market approval by the FDA, manufacturers of medical foods must be registered with the FDA under a provision promulgated by the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (the “Bioterrorism Act” ). Manufacturers of medical foods are subject to periodic inspection by the FDA. The manufacture of our medical foods is outsourced in its entirety to three third-party manufacturers. We are evaluating additional manufacturers for selection as second source or back-up providers. Our medical foods have not been reviewed by the FDA. There is no certainty that the FDA will favorably review our medical food products or our manufacturers’ facilities. If the outcome of an inspection is negative or if we or our manufacturers fail to comply with any law or regulation, we could be subject to penalties and restrictions on our manufacturers’ ability to manufacture and distribute products. Any such action may result in a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. For a more complete discussion of the laws and regulations to which we are subject, see the section of this prospectus titled “Business - Government Regulation.”

 

Prior to the acquisition of VectorVision, all of the Company’s billings and revenues have been derived from the sale of a single product.

 

For the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company derived a portion of its revenues from the sale of Lumega-Z®. While we continue to see an increasing demand for Lumega-Z from our customers, we cannot assure you that the demand will continue. A decline in sales of Lumega-Z to our customers may have an immediate adverse effect on our financial results. The Company began recognizing revenue from our VectorVision acquisition in the fourth quarter of 2017. Although the Company expects to continue to realize revenues from sales of the CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 products, there is no assurance that such sales will continue at historical levels or that any of our products will otherwise continue to be commercially viable.

 

  - 14 -  
 

 

The Company’s billings and revenues are derived from a limited number of customers and the loss of any one or more of them may have an immediate adverse effect on its financial results.

 

In the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company’s billings were derived from a limited number of individual customers and distributors. Customers may stop purchasing our products with little or no warning. Loss of customers may have an immediate adverse effect on our financial results.

 

If the Company is forced to reduce its prices, its business, financial condition and results of operations may suffer.

 

The Company may be subject to pricing pressures with respect to its future sales arising from various sources, including practices of health insurance companies, healthcare providers and competition in the marketplace. If the Company’s pricing experiences significant downward pressure, our business could be less profitable and our results of operations may be adversely affected. In addition, because cash from sales funds our working capital requirements, reduced profitability could require us to raise additional capital to support our operations.

 

If the Company is unable to successfully introduce new products or fails to keep pace with medical advances and developments, its business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.

 

The successful implementation of our business model depends on our ability to adapt to evolving technologies and industry standards and introduce new products and services. We cannot assure you that we will be able to introduce new products on schedule, or at all, or that such products will achieve market acceptance. Moreover, competitors may develop competitive products that could adversely affect our results of operations. A failure by us to introduce planned products or other new products or to introduce these products on schedule may have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

If we cannot adapt to changing technologies, our products and services may become obsolete, and our business could suffer. Because the healthcare industry is characterized by rapid technological change, we may be unable to anticipate changes in our current and potential customers’ requirements that could make our existing technology obsolete. Our success will depend, in part, on our ability to continue to enhance our existing products, develop new technology that addresses the needs of our prospective customers, license leading technologies and respond to technological advances and emerging industry standards and practices on a timely and cost-effective basis. The development of our proprietary technology entails significant technical and business risks. We may not be successful in using new technologies effectively or adapting our proprietary technology to evolving customer requirements or emerging industry standards, and, as a result, our business may suffer.

 

If customers do not accept the Company’s products or delay in deciding whether to recommend the Company’s products and services, its business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.

 

Our business model depends on our ability to sell our products. Acceptance of our products requires physicians to use our MapcatSF to measure the macular protective pigment in their patients’ eyes, understand and appreciate the benefits of Lumega-Z in order to recommend it to their patients, and to understand the benefits of visual acuity testing using the CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 devices. We cannot assure you that physicians will integrate our products into their treatment plans or patient recommendations. Achieving market acceptance for our products and services will require substantial sales and marketing efforts and the expenditure of significant financial and other resources to create awareness and demand by participants in the healthcare industry. If we fail to achieve broad acceptance of our products by physicians, and other healthcare industry participants or if we fail to position our products as an ocular health remedy, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.

 

If the Company’s principal suppliers fail or are unable to perform their contracts with the Company, it may be unable to meet its commitments to its customers. As a result, the Company’s reputation and its relationships with its customers may be damaged and its business and results of operations may be adversely affected.

 

We currently purchase all our medical food ingredients and products from three vendors – one for carotenoids, one for Omega 3, and one for all other supplements. These companies are subject to FDA regulation and they are responsible for compliance with current Good Manufacturing Practices (“cGMP” as defined by the FDA). Although our agreements provide that our suppliers will abide by the FDA manufacturing requirements, we cannot control their compliance. If they fail to comply with FDA manufacturing requirements, the FDA could prevent our vendors from manufacturing our ingredients and products. Although we believe that there are a number of other sources of supply of ingredients and manufacturers of medical food products, if these suppliers are unable to perform under our agreements, particularly at certain critical times such as when we add new physician clients that will require a large production of one or more products, we may be unable to meet our commitments to our customers. If this were to happen, our reputation as well as our relationships with our customers may suffer and our business and results of operations may be adversely affected. We are evaluating several additional manufacturers for selection as second source or back-up providers.

 

  - 15 -  
 

 

If the Company incurs costs exceeding its insurance coverage in lawsuits that are brought against it in the future, such incident may adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

If we were to become a defendant in any lawsuits involving the manufacture and sale of our products and if our insurance coverage were inadequate to satisfy these liabilities, it would be expected to have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

If the Company is deemed to infringe on the proprietary rights of third parties, it could incur unanticipated expense and be prevented from providing its products and services.

 

We could be subject to intellectual property infringement claims as the number of our competitors grows and if our products or the functionality of our products overlap with patents of our competitors. While we do not believe that we have infringed or are infringing on any proprietary rights of third parties, we cannot assure you that infringement claims will not be asserted against us or that those claims will be unsuccessful. We could incur substantial costs and diversion of management resources defending any infringement claims whether or not such claims are ultimately successful. Furthermore, a party making a claim against us could secure a judgment awarding substantial damages, as well as injunctive or other equitable relief that could effectively block our ability to provide products or services. In addition, we cannot assure you that licenses for any intellectual property of third parties that might be required for our products or services will be available on commercially reasonable terms, or at all.

 

The Company’s business depends on its intellectual property rights, and if it is unable to protect them, its competitive position may suffer.

 

Our business plan is predicated on our proprietary technology. Accordingly, protecting our intellectual property rights is critical to our continued success and our ability to maintain our competitive position. Our goal is to protect our proprietary rights through a combination of patent, trademark, trade secret and copyright law, confidentiality agreements and technical measures. We generally enter into non-disclosure agreements with our employees and consultants and limit access to our trade secrets and technology. We cannot assure you that the steps we have taken will prevent misappropriation of our technology. Misappropriation of our intellectual property would have an adverse effect on our competitive position.

 

The Company has four issued patents and five pending patent applications related to its products. There currently are no issued patents relating to Lumega-Z. Our success, competitive position, and future revenues will depend, in part, on our ability to obtain and maintain patent protection for our products, methods, processes, and other technologies; to preserve our trade secrets; to obtain trademarks for our name, logo and products; to prevent third parties from infringing our proprietary rights; and to operate without infringing the proprietary rights of third parties. To counter infringement or unauthorized use by third parties, we may be required to file infringement claims, which can be expensive and time-consuming.

 

The patent process is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that we will be successful in protecting our products by obtaining and defending patents. These risks and uncertainties include the following:

 

  Claims of issued patents, and the claims of any patents which may be issued in the future and be owned by or licensed to the Company may be challenged by third parties, resulting in patents being deemed invalid, unenforceable, or narrowed in scope, a third party may circumvent any such issued patents, or such issued patents may not provide any significant commercial protection against competing products;
     
  Our competitors, many of which have substantially greater resources than we do and many of which have made significant investments in competing technologies, may seek, or may already have obtained, patents that will limit, interfere with, or eliminate our ability to make, use, and sell our potential products either in the United States or in international markets; and
     
  The legal systems of some foreign countries do not encourage the aggressive enforcement of patents, and countries other than the United States may have less restrictive patent laws than those upheld by United States courts, allowing foreign competitors the ability to exploit these laws to create, develop, and market competing products. Thus, the Company’s foreign patents may not be enforceable to the same extent as the counterpart U.S. patents.

 

  - 16 -  
 

 

In addition, the USPTO, and patent offices in other jurisdictions have often required that patent applications concerning pharmaceutical and/or biotechnology-related inventions be limited or narrowed substantially to cover only the specific innovations exemplified in the patent application, thereby limiting the scope of protection against competitive challenges. Thus, even if we or any of our licensors are able to obtain patents, the patents may be substantially narrower than anticipated.

 

The Company’s business depends in part on and will continue to depend in part on its ability to establish and maintain additional strategic collaborative relationships. Failure to establish and maintain these relationships could make it more difficult to expand the reach of the Company’s products, which may have a material adverse effect on its business.

 

To be successful, we must continue to maintain our existing strategic relationships, such as our relationship with our vendors who manufacture our medical food products. We also must continue to establish additional strategic relationships with healthcare leaders. This is critical to our success because we believe that these relationships contribute towards our ability to extend the reach of our products and services to a larger number of physicians, professional healthcare providers and physician groups and to other participants in the healthcare industry; develop and deploy new products and services; and generate additional revenue and cash flows. Entering into strategic relationships is complicated because strategic partners may decide to compete with us in some or all of our markets. In addition, we may not be able to maintain or establish relationships with key participants in the healthcare industry if we conduct business with their competitors.

 

The Company must attract quality management in order to manage its growth. Failure to do so may result in slower expansion.

 

In order to support the growth of our business and the additional obligations that come with being an exchange-listed company, we will need to expand our senior management team. We plan to recruit additional personnel, including a Chief Financial Officer and a Chief Operating Officer in the near future. There is no assurance that we will be capable of attracting and retaining quality executives and integrating those individuals into our management system. Without experienced and talented management, the growth of our business may be adversely impacted.

 

Competition for qualified employees is intense. The Company may not be able to attract and retain the highly skilled employees needed to support its business. Without skilled employees, the quality of its product development and services could diminish and the growth of its business may be slowed, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

Our ability to provide high-quality products and services to our clients depends, in large part, upon our employees’ experience and expertise. We must attract and retain highly qualified personnel with a deep understanding of the pharmaceutical and healthcare information technology industries. In addition, we will invest significant time and expense in training our employees, increasing their value to clients as well as to competitors who may seek to recruit them, which will increase the cost of replacing them. If we fail to retain our employees, the quality of our product development and services could diminish and the growth of our business may be slowed. This may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

If the Company loses the services of its Chief Executive Officer and other key personnel, it may be unable to replace them, and the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.

 

Our success largely depends on the continued skills, experience, efforts and policies of our management team and other key personnel and our ability to continue to attract, motivate and retain highly qualified employees. In particular, the services of Michael Favish, our founder, President and Chief Executive Officer, and David Evans, director and Chief Science Officer, are integral to the execution of our business strategy. We believe that the loss of the services of Mr. Favish or Dr. Evans could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. We cannot assure you that Mr. Favish, Dr. Evans or our other executive officers will continue to provide services to the Company. We do not maintain key man insurance for any of our key personnel.

 

The Company’s future success depends upon its ability to grow. If the Company is unable to manage its growth effectively, it may incur unexpected expenses and be unable to meet its customers’ requirements.

 

We will need to expand our operations if we successfully achieve market acceptance for our products and services. We cannot be certain that our systems, procedures, controls and existing space will be adequate to support expansion of our operations. Our future operating results will depend on the ability of our officers and key employees to manage changing business conditions and to implement and improve our technical, administrative, financial control and reporting systems. We may not be able to expand and upgrade our systems and infrastructure to accommodate these increases or we may not have the qualified personnel to implement them. Difficulties in managing any future growth could have a significant negative impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations because we may incur unexpected expenses and be unable to meet our customers’ requirements.

 

  - 17 -  
 

 

The Company may consider acquiring other companies or product lines in an effort to expand its business in exchange for cash and/or stock of the Company (or a combination thereof), which may not be successful or which may cause dilution to investors.

 

The Company will consider acquiring other companies or product lines that may be complementary or supplementary as part of our future efforts to expand the business, which acquisitions could be for cash, stock or a combination thereof. There is no guarantee that any such acquisition will be successful or that an acquired company’s products, operations or corporate culture will mesh with our Company, integrate well, or that any economies of scale will be realized. In addition, any such transaction that involves the Company’s stock would cause dilution to investors. In addition, any such transaction that involves cash would result in a reallocation of funds on hand that would be needed to support an acquired company or acquired product line.

 

In order to expand the Company’s business into additional states, it may need to comply with regulatory requirements specific to such states and there can be no assurance that it will be able to initially meet such requirements or that it will be able to maintain compliance on an on-going basis.

 

While we believe our product, Lumega-Z®, to be a medical food and not a drug, it is only available under the supervision of a physician. While it is not available in pharmacies, we are mindful that the act of physicians prescribing, particularly if conducted across state lines, could potentially be subject to certain pharmacy regulations. Each state has its own regulations concerning physician dispensing, restrictions on the corporate practice of medicine, anti-kickback and false claims. In addition, each state has a board of pharmacy that regulates the sale and distribution of drugs and other therapeutic agents. Some states require a physician to obtain a license to dispense prescription products. While we do not believe these pharmacy requirements are applicable should a pharmacy board or medical board determine otherwise, there can be no assurance that we will be able to comply with the regulations of particular states into which we may expand or that we will be able to maintain compliance with the states in which we currently distribute our products. We currently have Lumega-Z customers in California, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Kansas, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Mississippi, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Washington, Hawaii and Alberta, Canada. Our inability to maintain compliance with the regulations of California and these other jurisdictions or expand our business into additional states may adversely affect our results of operations.

 

The Company is subject to anti-corruption laws, as well as export control laws, customs laws, sanctions laws and other laws governing our operations. If it fails to comply with these laws, it could be subject to civil or criminal penalties, other remedial measures and legal expenses, be precluded from developing manufacturing and selling certain products outside the U.S. or be required to develop and implement costly compliance programs, which could adversely affect its business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

Our operations are subject to anti-corruption laws, including the U.K. Bribery Act 2010, or Bribery Act, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or FCPA, and other anti-corruption laws that apply in countries where we do business and may do business in the future. The Bribery Act, FCPA and these other laws generally prohibit us, our officers, and our employees and intermediaries from bribing, being bribed or making other prohibited payments to government officials or other persons to obtain or retain business or gain some other business advantage. Compliance with the FCPA, in particular, is expensive and difficult, particularly in countries in which corruption is a recognized problem. In addition, the FCPA presents particular challenges in the pharmaceutical industry, because, in many countries, hospitals are operated by the government, and doctors and other hospital employees are considered foreign officials. Certain payments to hospitals in connection with clinical trials and other work have been deemed to be improper payments to government officials and have led to FCPA enforcement actions.

 

We may in the future operate in jurisdictions that pose a high risk of potential Bribery Act or FCPA violations, and we may participate in collaborations and relationships with third parties whose actions could potentially subject us to liability under the Bribery Act, FCPA or local anti-corruption laws. In addition, we cannot predict the nature, scope or effect of future regulatory requirements to which our international operations might be subject or the manner in which existing laws might be administered or interpreted. If we expand our operations outside of the U.S., we will need to dedicate additional resources to comply with numerous laws and regulations in each jurisdiction in which we plan to operate.

 

We are also subject to other laws and regulations governing our international operations, including regulations administered by the governments of the United Kingdom and the U.S., and authorities in the European Union, including applicable export control regulations, economic sanctions on countries and persons, customs requirements and currency exchange regulations, collectively referred to as the Trade Control laws. In addition, various laws, regulations and executive orders also restrict the use and dissemination outside of the U.S., or the sharing with certain non-U.S. nationals, of information classified for national security purposes, as well as certain products and technical data relating to those products. If we expand our presence outside of the U.S., it will require us to dedicate additional resources to comply with these laws, and these laws may preclude us from developing, manufacturing, or selling certain products and product candidates outside of the U.S., which could limit our growth potential and increase our development costs.

 

  - 18 -  
 

 

We may not be completely effective in ensuring our compliance with all applicable anti-corruption laws, including the Bribery Act, the FCPA or other legal requirements, including Trade Control laws. If we are not in compliance with the Bribery Act, the FCPA and other anti-corruption laws or Trade Control laws, we may be subject to criminal and civil penalties, disgorgement and other sanctions and remedial measures, and legal expenses, which could have an adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity. The Securities and Exchange Commission also may suspend or bar issuers from trading securities on U.S. exchanges for violations of the FCPA’s accounting provisions. Any investigation of any potential violations of the Bribery Act, the FCPA, other anti-corruption laws or Trade Control laws by U.K., U.S. or other authorities could also have an adverse impact on our reputation, our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

The Company’s Bylaws have an exclusive forum for adjudication of disputes provision which limits the forum to the Delaware Court of Chancery for certain actions against the Company.

 

Article XI of our Bylaws dictates that the Delaware Court of Chancery is the sole and exclusive forum for certain actions including derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company; an action asserting a breach of fiduciary duty owed by an officer, a director, employee or to the shareholders of the Company; any claim arising under Delaware corporate law; and any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine. This means a shareholder has a limited forum in which to bring one of the above causes of action, which can be inconvenient for the shareholder.

 

The Company has no experience in conducting transcranial doppler ultrasound studies.

 

The Company’s ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the new Transcranial Doppler Solutions, Inc. business will depend on its ability to attract qualified personnel and to successfully launch and advance a new service in an area where the Company has no experience, which may be a complex, costly and time-consuming process. The Company currently consults with one individual who has experience in this area, the loss of which would affect the prospects of a successful launch. The Company may be required to devote significant management attention and resources to develop the Transcranial Doppler Solutions, Inc. business. The initiation process may disrupt its business and, if implemented ineffectively, could restrict the realization of the full expected benefits of the new business service. The failure to meet the challenges involved in the initiation process and to realize the anticipated benefits of the new business could cause an interruption of, or a loss of momentum in, the Company’s operations and could adversely affect its business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

Risks Related to the Company’s Industry

 

Any failure to comply with all applicable federal and state privacy and security requirements for the protection of patient information may result in fines and other liabilities, which may adversely affect the Company’s results of operations and reputation.

 

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Pub. L. No. 104-191 (“HIPAA”), the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, Title XIII of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the “HITECH Act”), and related regulations promulgated by the Secretary (“HIPAA Regulations”) grant a number of rights to individuals as to their identifiable confidential medical information (called “Protected Health Information”) and restrict the use and disclosure of Protected Health Information. Failure to comply with these confidentiality requirements may result in penalties and sanctions. In addition, certain state laws may impose independent obligations upon us with respect to patient-identifiable medical information. Moreover, various new laws relating to the acquisition, storage and transmission of patient medical information have been proposed at both the federal and state level. These laws (collectively, the “State and Federal Privacy and Security Laws”) present different risks as to the Company’s two lines of business: (1) our sale of medical food, Lumega-Z; and (2) our performance of Trans Cranial Doppler (“TCD”) testing.

 

1. Medical Food, Lumega-Z. When a physician recommends the Company’s medical food, Lumega-Z, to a patient, the Company typically receives an order from the customer, but does not usually receive medical information. As part of the operation of its business, it is possible, however, that during communication with customers or with physicians the Company might receive patient-identifiable medical information. To the extent the Company obtains access to Protected Health Information, it must ensure it complies with the State and Federal Privacy and Security Laws. Any failure to comply may result in fines and other liabilities, which may adversely affect its results of operations.

 

  - 19 -  
 

 

2. The TCD Testing Business. In the TCD Testing line-of-business, the Company will go into physicians’ offices and, as a vendor to the physicians, perform TCD tests on patients, as ordered by and under the supervision of the patients’ treating physicians. Radiologists will read and report on the results of the tests, and the results will be reported back to the ordering/treating physician. The treating physician who orders the tests bill for the TCD tests to third party payors. During this process, the Company directly interacts with patients and has access to, processes and transmits Protected Health Information. As a result, the State and Federal Privacy and Security Laws will fully apply to the TCD Testing business. As required by federal law, the Company has been putting into place a HIPAA compliance program, including providing training to staff, instituting appropriate Business Associate Agreements, implementing required policies and procedures, and conducting regular risk assessments. Any failure to comply with the requirements of the State and Federal Privacy and Security Laws – or any loss of Protected Health Information, whether inadvertent or not – may result in fines and other liabilities, which may adversely affect the Company’s results of operations.

 

Any failure to comply with all applicable federal and state physician self-referral law (the “Stark Law”) may result in fines and other liabilities, which may adversely affect the Company’s results of operations and reputation.

 

Congress enacted significant prohibitions against physician self-referrals in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993. This law and its supporting regulations, which have been amended and expanded substantially, are commonly referred to as the “Stark Law,” and prohibit a physician from making any referral of a Stark Designated Health Service (“DHS”) to an entity with which the physician has any kind of financial relationship, unless all of the requirements of a statutory or regulatory exception are met. Stark covered DHS include both outpatient prescription drugs and diagnostic testing that are reimbursable by Medicare or Medicaid. Many states have similar laws, some of which can apply to all payors and not just governmental payors. While the Company believes that its arrangements with its customers are in compliance with the federal and any state Stark Laws, the Stark Laws present different levels of risks as to the Company’s two lines of business: (1) sale of the Company’s medical food, Lumega-Z, and medical device, the MapcatSF; and (2) the Company’s performance of TCD testing.

 

1. Medical Food, Lumega-Z, and Medical Device, the MapcatSF. These products are neither prescription drugs nor are they reimbursable under any federal program at present. Therefore, the Company believes that the federal Stark Law is not applicable. Further, the Company’s believes that these products are also not covered under any potentially applicable state Stark Laws. The federal Stark Law, however, includes an exception for the provision of in-office ancillary services, including a physician’s dispensing of outpatient prescription drugs, provided that the physician meets specified requirements. To the extent that the products might become reimbursable under a federal program, or otherwise become covered under the Stark Law, the Company believes that the physicians who use the Company’s medical device, the MapcatSF, or recommend its medical food, Lumega-Z, to their patients are aware of these requirements. However, the Company does not monitor their compliance and has no assurance that the physicians are in material compliance with the Stark Law. If it were determined that the physicians who use the Company’s medical device or prescribe medical foods purchased from the Company were not in compliance with Stark II, it could potentially have an adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

2. The TCD Testing Business. The TCD tests performed by the Company can be reimbursed by Medicare or Medicaid and otherwise constitute a Stark covered DHS, which include diagnostic testing. In conducting TCD tests, the Company will be providing the tests to the ordering physician, who will be paying TCD as a vendor to perform the test on behalf of the physician; and the physician will then be billing for the test to third party payers, including potentially Medicare and Medicaid. As a result, the tests will be considered to be an in-office ancillary service covered under Stark. The Stark Law, however, includes an exception for the provision of such in-office ancillary services, provided that the physician meets specified requirements. The Company believes that the physicians who engage the Company as a vendor to perform the TCD tests are aware of these requirements. However, the Company does not monitor the physicians’ compliance and has no assurance that the physicians are in material compliance with the Stark Law. If it were determined that the physicians were not in compliance with Stark, such could potentially have an adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

The Company believe its planned structure of its relationships with the ordering physicians to be in compliance with all of the requirements of applicable Stark Law exceptions. Any failure to comply the requirements of the Stark Law, however, may result in fines and other liabilities, which may adversely affect the Company’s results of operations, and the future operations of the TCD business could be adversely affected.

 

  - 20 -  
 

 

Any failure to comply with all applicable federal and state anti-kickback laws may result in fines and other liabilities, which may adversely affect the Company’s results of operations and reputation.

 

The federal anti-kickback statute (the “AKS”) applies to Medicare, Medicaid and other state and federal programs. AKS prohibits the solicitation, offer, payment or receipt of remuneration in return for referrals or the purchase, or in return for recommending or arranging for the referral or purchase, of goods, including drugs, covered by the federal health care programs. At present, the Company does not participate in any federal programs and its products are not reimbursed by Medicare, Medicaid or any other state or federal program. The AKS is a criminal statute with criminal penalties, as well as potential civil and administrative penalties. The AKS, however, provides a number of statutory exceptions and regulatory “safe harbors” for particular types of transactions. Many states have similar fraud and abuse laws and their own anti-kickback laws, some of which can apply to all payors, and not just governmental payors. While the Company believes that it is in material compliance with both federal and state AKS laws, the AKS laws present different levels of risks as to the Company’s two lines of business: (1) sale of the Company’s medical food, Lumega-Z, and medical device, the MapcatSF; and (2) the Company’s performance of TCD testing.

 

1. Medical Food, Lumega-Z, and Medical Device, the MapcatSF. At present, the Company’s products are not reimbursable under any federal program. If, however, that changes in the future and it were determined that the Company was not in compliance with the AKS, the Company could be subject to liability, and its operations could be curtailed, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations. Moreover, if the activities of its customers or other entity with which the Company has a business relationship were found to constitute a violation of the AKS and the Company, as a result of the provision of products or services to such customer or entity, were found to have knowingly participated in such activities, the Company could be subject to sanctions or liability under such laws, including civil and/or criminal penalties, as well as exclusion from government health programs. As a result of exclusion from government health programs, neither products nor services could be provided to any beneficiaries of any federal healthcare program.

 

2. The TCD Testing Business. The TCD tests performed by the Company can be reimbursed by Medicare or Medicaid. As a result, the federal AKS (and potentially any applicable state anti-kickback law) will be implicated to the extent the financial relationships between the physician customers and the Company are (1) not set at a fair market value amount unrelated to the volume or value of TCD tests being ordered; or (2) were found to be a circumvention of the AKS through the creation of a suspect contractual joint venture. If the Company’s arrangements with ordering physicians were found to constitute a violation of the federal AKS, or any applicable state anti-kickback law, we could be subject to sanctions or liability under such laws, including civil and/or criminal penalties, as well as exclusion from government health programs. As a result of exclusion from government health programs, neither products nor services could be provided to any beneficiaries of any federal healthcare program.

 

As to the TCD Testing line of business, any failure to comply with applicable federal and state documentation, coding and billing laws, rules and regulations, including the federal False Claims or similar state laws, may result in fines and other liabilities, which may adversely affect the Company’s results of operations and reputation.

 

The Federal False Claims Act provides for the imposition of extensive financial penalties (including treble damages and fines of over $22,000 for every false claim) if a provider submits false claims to any governmental health program either knowingly or in reckless disregard or in deliberate ignorance of the truth or falsity of the claims at issue. Liability under the False Claims Act can arise from patterns of deficient documentation, coding and billing, as well as for billing for services that are deemed not to have been medically necessary for the treatment of the patient. Many states have their own False Claims Acts as well. The Company intends to bill governmental health care programs for the TCD testing, and the False Claims Act is thus potentially applicable to the Company’s operations. Here, the Company will not be billing for the performance of the tests to governmental health care plans; the treating and ordering physician will. As a result, any patterns of uncorrected deficiencies in coding and billing for TCD tests by the physician could result in fines or other liabilities imposed on the physician. The imposition of such fines and penalties or an investigation into any alleged deficiencies by the physician could adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

Any failure to comply with all state laws relating to the Corporate Practice of Medicine or fee splitting may result in fines and other liabilities, which may adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations and reputation.

 

Many states prohibit or otherwise regulate under Corporate Practice of Medicine (“CPOM”) rules the extent to which non-licensed personnel may be involved in the practice of medicine or otherwise employ licensed personnel. Related state rules further limit the extent to which fees for professional services may be shared or “split” between parties. Under the TCD Testing line of business, such rules in some states my impact the Company’s relationship with the radiologists who will be reading and interpreting the results of the TCD tests, and thereby providing the “professional component” of such tests. In order to avoid such a potential impact, the Company is structuring its financial and billing relationships with such radiologists to be in compliance with applicable state rules by providing that the Company will not be billing for the “professional component,” which will be billed instead either by the treating and ordering physician or the radiologists themselves. Failure to comply with state CPOM and fee splitting rules, however, may result in fines and other liabilities, which may adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

  - 21 -  
 

 

Increased government involvement in healthcare could adversely affect the Company’s business.

 

U.S. healthcare system reform under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 and other initiatives at both the federal and state level, could increase government involvement in healthcare, lower reimbursement rates and otherwise change the business environment of our customers and the other entities with which we have a business relationship. While no federal price controls are included in the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act, any legislation that reduces physician incentives to dispense medications in their offices could adversely affect physician acceptance of our products. We cannot predict whether or when future healthcare reform initiatives at the federal or state level or other initiatives affecting our business will be proposed, enacted or implemented or what impact those initiatives may have on our business, financial condition or results of operations. Our customers and the other entities with which we have a business relationship could react to these initiatives and the uncertainty surrounding these proposals by curtailing or deferring investments, including those for our products. Additionally, government regulation could alter the clinical workflow of physicians, hospitals and other healthcare participants, thereby limiting the utility of our products and services to existing and potential customers and curtailing broad acceptance of our products and services. Additionally, new safe harbors to the federal Anti-Kickback Statute and corresponding exceptions to such law may alter the competitive landscape.

 

Risks Related to The Company’s Common Stock

 

The Company is an “emerging growth company” and it has elected to comply with certain reduced reporting and disclosure requirements which could make its common stock less attractive to investors.

 

We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, (the “JOBS Act”). For as long as we continue to be an emerging growth company, we have elected to take advantage of exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies, including (1) not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which we refer to as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, (2) reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in this prospectus and our periodic reports and proxy statements and (3) exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. In addition, as an emerging growth company, we are only required to provide two years of audited financial statements and two years of selected financial data in this prospectus. As a result of these reduced reporting and disclosure requirements our financial statements may not be comparable to SEC registrants not classified as emerging growth companies. We may be an emerging growth company for up to five years following the first sale our equity securities in a public offering, although circumstances could cause us to lose that status earlier, including if the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates exceeds $700.0 million before that time or if we have total annual gross revenue of $1.07 billion or more during any fiscal year before that time, in which cases we would no longer be an emerging growth company as of the following December 31 or, if we issue more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during any three-year period before that time, we would immediately cease to be an emerging growth company. Even after we no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, we may still qualify as a “smaller reporting company” which would allow us to take advantage of many of the same exemptions from disclosure requirements, including not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements. We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive because we may rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our stock price may be more volatile.

 

Our independent registered public accounting firm will not be required to formally attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting until the later of our second annual report or the first annual report required to be filed with the SEC following the date we are no longer an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act. We cannot assure you that there will not be material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in our internal controls in the future.

 

Under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies can also delay adopting new or revised accounting standards until such time as those standards apply to private companies. We have elected to avail ourselves of this exemption from new or revised accounting standards and, therefore, will not be subject to the same new or revised accounting standards as other SEC registrants that are not emerging growth companies.

 

Investors may find our common stock less attractive as a result of our election to utilize these exemptions, which could result in a less active trading market for our common stock and/or the market price of our common stock may be more volatile.

 

The Company’s directors and executive officers beneficially own a significant number of shares of the Company’s common stock. Their interests may conflict with our outside stockholders, who may be unable to influence management and exercise control over the business.

 

As of the date of this prospectus, our executive officers and directors beneficially own approximately 28% of our shares of common stock. As a result, our executive officers and directors may be able to affect the election or defeat the election of our directors, amend or prevent amendment to our certificates of incorporation or bylaws, effect or prevent a merger, sale of assets or other corporate transaction, and control the outcome of any other matter submitted to the shareholders for vote. Accordingly, our outside stockholders may be unable to influence management and exercise control over our business.

 

  - 22 -  
 

 

The Company does not intend to pay cash dividends to its stockholders, so you may not receive any return on your investment in the Company prior to selling your interest in the Company.

 

We have never paid any dividends to our common stockholders and do not foresee doing so as a public company. We currently intend to retain any future earnings for funding growth and, therefore, do not expect to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. If we determine that we will pay cash dividends to the holders of our common stock, we cannot assure that such cash dividends will be paid on a timely basis. The success of your investment in the Company will likely depend entirely upon any future appreciation. As a result, you will not receive any return on your investment prior to selling your shares in our Company and, for the other reasons discussed in this “Risk Factors” section, you may not receive any return on your investment even when you sell your shares in our Company.

 

The Company will require additional capital in the future to support its operations, and this capital has not always been readily available.

 

Even after this offering, in the future, we will likely require additional debt or equity financing to fund our operations, including, but not limited to, working capital. Our limited operating history makes it difficult to evaluate our current business model and future prospects. Accordingly, investors should consider our prospects in light of the costs, uncertainties, delays and difficulties frequently encountered by companies in the early stages of development, as we have, in fact, encountered. Potential investors should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties that a new company with a limited operating history and with limited funds, will face. In particular, potential investors should consider that there is a significant risk that we will not be able to:

 

  implement or execute our current business plan, which may or may not be sound;
  maintain our anticipated management and advisory team; and
  raise sufficient funds in the capital markets to effectuate our business plan.

 

If we raise additional funds through further issuances of equity or convertible debt securities, our existing shareholders could suffer significant dilution, and any new equity securities we issue could have rights, preferences and privileges superior to those of holders of our existing capital stock. Any debt financing secured by us in the future could involve restrictive covenants relating to our capital raising activities and other financial and operational matters, which may make it more difficult for us to obtain additional capital and to pursue business opportunities. In addition, we may not be able to obtain additional financing on terms favorable to us, if at all. If we are unable to obtain adequate financing or financing on terms satisfactory to us, when we require it, our ability to continue to support our current operations and to respond to business challenges would be significantly limited. If we cannot access the capital necessary to support our business, we would be forced to curtail our business activities or even shut down operations. If we cannot execute any one of the foregoing or similar matters relating to our business, the business may fail, in which case you would lose the entire amount of your investment in the Company.

 

The obligations associated with being a public company require significant resources and management attention, which may divert from the Company’s business operations.

 

We are subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act . The Exchange Act requires that we file annual, quarterly and current reports with respect to our business and financial condition, proxy statement, and other information. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires, among other things, that we establish and maintain effective internal controls and procedures for financial reporting. Our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Accounting Officer need to certify that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective in ensuring that material information we are required to disclose in 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. We will need to hire additional financial reporting, internal controls and other financial personnel in order to develop and implement appropriate internal controls and reporting procedures. As a result, we will incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses. Furthermore, the need to establish the corporate infrastructure demanded of a public company may divert management’s attention from implementing our growth strategy, which could prevent us from improving our business, results of operations and financial condition. We have made, and will continue to make, changes to our internal controls and procedures for financial reporting and accounting systems to meet our reporting obligations as a public company. However, the measures we take may not be sufficient to satisfy our obligations as a public company. In addition, we cannot predict or estimate the amount of additional costs we may incur in order to comply with these requirements. We anticipate that these costs will materially increase our selling, general and administrative expenses.

 

Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires annual management assessments of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. In connection with the implementation of the necessary procedures and practices related to internal control over financial reporting, we may identify deficiencies. If we are unable to comply with the internal controls requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, then we may not be able to obtain the independent account certifications required by that act, which may preclude us from keeping our filings with the SEC current, and interfere with the ability of investors to trade our securities and our shares to be quoted or our ability to list our shares on any national securities exchange.

 

  - 23 -  
 

 

If the Company fails to establish and maintain an effective system of internal controls, it may not be able to report its financial results accurately or prevent fraud. Any inability to report and file its financial results accurately and timely could harm the Company’s reputation and adversely impact the trading price of its common stock.

 

Effective internal controls are necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and prevent fraud. If we cannot provide reliable financial reports or prevent fraud, we may not be able to manage our business as effectively as we would if an effective control environment existed, and our business and reputation with investors may be harmed. We plan to recruit additional personnel in order to achieve our financial reporting obligations. Notwithstanding our diligence, certain internal controls deficiencies may not be detected. As a result, any internal control deficiencies may adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and access to capital. We have not performed an in-depth analysis to determine if historical undiscovered failures of internal controls exist, and may in the future discover areas of our internal controls that need improvement

 

Risks Related to The Company’s Securities and this Offering

 

The Company’s stock price may be volatile, and you may not be able to resell your shares at or above the purchase price.

 

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

 

  our ability to execute our business plan;
  changes in our industry;
  competitive pricing pressures;
  our ability to obtain working capital financing;
  additions or departures of key personnel;
  sales of our common stock;
  operating results that fall below expectations;
  regulatory developments;
  economic and other external factors;
  period-to-period fluctuations in our financial results;
  the public’s response to press releases or other public announcements by us or third parties, including filings with the SEC;
  changes in financial estimates or ratings by any securities analysts who follow our common stock, our failure to meet these estimates or failure of those analysts to initiate or maintain coverage of our common stock;
  the development and sustainability of an active trading market for our common stock; and
  any future sales of our common stock by our officers, directors and significant stockholders.

 

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 can be no assurance that there will be an active trading market for the Company’s shares of common stock in the future.

 

The market liquidity for our securities is dependent on the perception of our operating business, among other things. We intend to take certain steps including utilizing investor awareness campaigns and firms, press releases, road shows and conferences to increase awareness of our business. Any steps that we might take to bring us to the awareness of investors may require that we compensate consultants with cash and/or stock. There can be no assurance that there will be any awareness generated or the results of any efforts will result in any impact on our trading volume. Consequently, investors may not be able to liquidate their investment or liquidate it at a price that reflects the value of the business, and trading may be at an inflated price relative to the performance of the Company due to, among other things, the availability of sellers of our shares.

 

  - 24 -  
 

 

Our share price may decline due to the large number of shares eligible for future sale.

 

The market price of our common stock could decline as a result of sales of a large number of shares of common stock in the market after the expiration of certain lock-up restrictions imposed on our shareholders in connection with our initial public offering, or the perception that such sales could occur. All of our executive officers, directors and holders of substantially all of our outstanding capital stock are subject to lock-up agreements that restrict their ability to transfer shares of our capital stock for 180 days from the date of the underwriting agreement that was executed in connection with our initial public offering. Such lock-up restrictions expire on or about September 26, 2019. In connection with this offering, our directors, officers and certain stockholders will be subject to additional lock-up restrictions for a period of 180 days following this offering. Future sales, or the possibility that these sales may occur, also might make it more difficult for us to sell equity securities in the future at a time and at a price that we deem appropriate.

 

Stockholders who are subject to any of the lock-up agreements described above may be permitted to sell shares prior to the expiration of the applicable lock-up agreement in certain circumstances, including as the result of the waiver or termination of such lock-up agreement.

 

There is no public market for the Pre-Funded Warrants or the Warrants being offered in this offering.

 

There is no established public trading market for the Pre-Funded Warrants or the Warrants being offered in this offering, and we do not expect a market to develop. In addition, we do not intend to apply to list the Pre-Funded Warrants or the Warrants on any securities exchange or nationally recognized trading system, including Nasdaq. Without an active market, the liquidity of the Pre-Funded Warrants and the Warrants will be limited.

 

The Warrants are speculative in nature.

 

The Warrants offered hereby do not confer any rights of common stock ownership on their holders, such as voting rights or the right to receive dividends, but rather merely represent the right to acquire shares of common stock at a fixed price. Specifically, commencing on the date of issuance, holders of the Warrants may exercise their right to acquire the common stock and pay an exercise price of $           (based on the public offering price of $          per share of common stock), or 130% of the public offering price of the common stock. Moreover, following this offering, the market value of the Warrants is uncertain and there can be no assurance that the market value of the Warrants will equal or exceed their public offering price. Furthermore, each Warrant will expire five years from the original issuance date. In the event our common stock price does not exceed the exercise price of the Warrants during the period when the Warrants are exercisable, the Warrants may not have any value.

 

The Warrants have a cashless provision, that if applicable and exercised, could cause downward pressure on the price of our common stock.

 

The Warrants provide that if, during the period of time between the date that is 30 days after the Effective Date and the date that is 12 months after the Effective Date, the daily volume weighted average price of our common stock on the trading day immediately prior to the exercise date fails to exceed the initial exercise price (subject to adjustment for any stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations, recapitalizations and similar events) then the Warrant may be exercised on a cashless basis and no proceeds will be received by the Company. This type of exercise, and the shares issuable upon such exercise, may cause downward pressure on the price of our common stock. There can be no assurance that the cashless provisions will not become effective, or that if such provisions do become operative, that there will not be any downward pressure on the price of our common stock.

 

Holders of Pre-Funded Warrants or Warrants purchased in this offering will have no rights as common stockholders until such holders exercise such warrants and acquire our common stock.

 

Until holders of Pre-Funded Warrants or Warrants acquire shares of our common stock upon exercise thereof, holders of such warrants will have no rights with respect to the shares of our common stock underlying such warrants. Upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants or Warrants, such holders will be entitled to exercise the rights of a common stockholder only as to matters for which the record date occurs after the exercise date.

 

Our failure to meet the continued listing requirements of the NASDAQ Capital Market could result in delisting of our common stock, which could result in the lack of a trading market for our common stock, cause a decrease in the value of our common stock, and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

If we fail to satisfy the continued listing requirements of the NASDAQ Capital Market, such as the corporate governance requirements or the minimum closing bid price requirement, NASDAQ may take steps to delist our common stock. Such a delisting would likely have a negative effect on the price of our common stock and would impair your ability to sell or purchase our common stock when you wish to do so. A delisting would adversely affect the liquidity, trading volume and likely the price of our common stock, causing the value of an investment in us to decrease and having an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

If we are deemed a “penny stock” issuer, you may have difficulty selling shares of our common stock.

 

The Company’s common stock is subject to the provisions of Section 15(g) and Rule 15g-9 of the Exchange Act, commonly referred to as the “penny stock rules.” Section 15(g) sets forth certain requirements for transactions in penny stock, and Rule 15g-9(d) incorporates the definition of “penny stock” that is found in Rule 3a51-1 of the Exchange Act. The SEC generally defines a penny stock to be any equity security that has a market price less than $5.00 per share (other than securities registered on certain national securities exchanges or quoted on the NASDAQ Stock Market), subject to certain exceptions. There can be no assurance that our shares of common stock will continue to qualify for exemption from the penny stock rules.

 

Public company compliance may make it more difficult to attract and retain officers and directors.

 

The Sarbanes Oxley Act and rules implemented by the SEC have required changes in corporate governance practices of public companies. As a public company, these rules and regulations increase our compliance costs and make certain activities more time consuming and costly. As a public company, these rules and regulations may make it more difficult and expensive for us to maintain our director and officer liability insurance and we may be required to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. As a result, it may be more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified persons to serve on our Board of Directors or as executive officers, and to maintain insurance at reasonable rates, or at all.

 

  - 25 -  
 

 

Forward Looking Statements

 

This prospectus contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements contain information about our expectations, beliefs or intentions regarding our product development and commercialization efforts, business, financial condition, results of operations, strategies or prospects, and other similar matters. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions about future events, which are inherently subject to uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. These statements may be identified by words such as “expects,” “plans,” “projects,” “will,” “may,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “should,” “intends,” “estimates,” and other words of similar meaning.

 

Actual results could differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements. Many factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements, including those matters discussed below, as well as those listed in the section titled “Risk Factors” above.

 

Other unknown or unpredictable factors that could also adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations may arise from time to time. Given these risks and uncertainties, the forward-looking statements discussed in this prospectus may not prove to be accurate. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which only reflect the views of the Company’s management as of the date of this prospectus. We undertake no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future operating results or expectations, except as required by law.

 

  - 26 -  
 

 

USE OF PROCEEDS

 

The Company estimates that the net proceeds from the issuance and sale of common stock, Warrants and Pre-Funded Warrants in this offering will be approximately $8,654,448, after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by the Company and assuming no issuance of any Pre-Funded Warrants, no exercise of the over-allotment option and a public offering price of $1.05 per share of common stock, which is the last reported sale price of our common stock on Nasdaq on August 5, 2019, and excluding the proceeds, if any, from the exercise of any Warrants issued in this offering. We will only receive additional proceeds from the exercise of the Warrants issuable in this offering if such warrants are exercised at their exercise price of $         per share of common stock and the holders of such Warrants pay the exercise price in cash.

 

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to conduct operations, increase marketing efforts, increase investment in the Company’s existing business initiatives and products and for general working capital.

 

The Company may also use a portion of the net proceeds of this offering to acquire or invest in complementary businesses, products, or technologies, or to obtain the right to use such complementary technologies. The Company has no commitments with respect to any acquisition or investment and is not currently involved in any negotiations with respect to any such transactions.

 

As of the date of this prospectus, the Company cannot specify with certainty all of the particular uses for the net proceeds to be received upon the completion of this offering. The amounts and timing of its actual expenditures will depend on numerous factors, including the status of its product development efforts, sales and marketing activities, technological advances, amount of cash generated or used by its operations and competition. Accordingly, the Company’s management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds and investors will be relying on the judgment of its management regarding the application of the proceeds of this offering.

 

  - 27 -  
 

 

DIVIDEND POLICY

 

The Company has not declared nor paid any cash dividend on its common stock, and it currently intends to retain future earnings, if any, to finance the expansion of its business, and the Company does not expect to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. The decision whether to pay cash dividends on the common stock will be made by its board of directors, in their discretion, and will depend on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements and other factors that its board of directors considers significant.

 

  - 28 -  
 

 

CAPITALIZATION

 

The following table sets forth the Company’s cash and capitalization as of March 31, 2019 on:

 

an actual basis;

 

● a pro forma basis giving effect to (i) the issuance of 109,038 shares of common stock issued upon the conversion of promissory notes of $250,000 (prior to discount of $232,976) that were mandatorily convertible upon the completion of the IPO, (ii) the valuation of the corresponding derivative liability of $436,034, (iii) the issuance by the Company of 62,500 warrants to WallachBeth LLC, the underwriters for the IPO, (iv) the sale and issuance by the Company of 1,250,000 shares of common stock in the IPO at the public offering price of $4.00 per share, resulting in net proceeds to the Company of $3,888,000 after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by the Company, (v) the repayment of a promissory note for a total of $100,548 including accrued interest on April 11, 2019, (vi) the exercise of warrants for 463,723 shares of common stock resulting in proceeds of $100,625 between April 5, 2019 and May 21, 2019, and (vii) the issuance of 54,387 shares of common stock between April 9, 2019 and June 10, 2019, valued at $124,002, for services rendered.

 

● a pro forma, as adjusted basis giving further effect to the issuance and sale of shares of our common stock and accompanying Warrants in this offering at an assumed public offering price of $1.05 per share and accompanying Warrant, which is the last reported sale price for our common stock on Nasdaq on August 5, 2019, after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, and assuming no Pre-Funded Warrants are issued.

 

The information in this table is unaudited and is illustrative only and the Company’s capitalization following the completion of this offering will be adjusted based on the actual public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing. You should read this table in conjunction with the information contained in “Use of Proceeds,” “Summary Financial Information” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation,” as well as the financial statements and the notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

    As of March 31, 2019  
    Actual     Pro Forma     Pro Forma, As Adjusted  
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 174,298     $ 4,062,375     $ 12,716,823  
Other current assets     370,066       370,066       370,066  
Non-current assets     3,426,559       3,426,559       3,426,559  
Total assets   $ 3,970,923     $ 7,859,000     $ 16,513,448  
                         
Derivative warrant liability   $ 436,034     $ 215,245     $ 215,245  
Convertible notes payable (net of discount)     17,024       -       -  
Other current liabilities     1,116,134       1,015,586       1,015,586  
Lease liability – long term     513,585       513,585       513,585  
Total liabilities     2,082,777       1,744,416       1,744,416  
                         
Stockholders’ equity:                        
Common stock     20,857       22,734       32,258  
Additional paid-in capital     37,885,751       42,356,326       51,001,250  
Accumulated deficit     (36,018,462 )     (36,264,476 )     (36,264,476 )
Total stockholders’ equity     1,888,146       6,114,584       14,769,032  
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 3,970,923     $ 7,859,000     $ 16,513,448  

 

Except as otherwise indicted herein, the number of shares of our common stock to be outstanding after this offering is based on 22,733,762 shares of common stock issued and outstanding as of August 5, 2019 and excludes the following:

 

  2,612,500 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options as of that date having a weighted average exercise price of $3.28 per share;
     
  261,538 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding warrants as of that date having a weighted average exercise price of $2.81 per share;
     
  3,000,000 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2018 Plan.
     
  the exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option to purchase additional shares of common stock and/or Warrants; and
     
  the exercise of any warrants issued in connection with this offering.

 

  - 29 -  
 

 

DILUTION

 

If you invest in the Company’s common stock in this offering, your ownership interest will be diluted to the extent of the difference between the offering price per share of its common stock and the as adjusted net tangible book value per share of its common stock immediately after the offering. Historical net tangible book value per share represents the amount of the Company’s total tangible assets less total liabilities, divided by the number of shares of its common stock outstanding.

 

The historical net tangible book value (deficit) of the Company’s common stock as of March 31, 2019 was approximately $(77,819) or $0 per share based upon shares of common stock outstanding on such date. Historical net tangible book value (deficit) per share represents the amount of its total tangible assets reduced by the amount of its total liabilities, divided by the total number of shares of common stock outstanding. On a pro forma basis, after giving effect to the IPO, the repayment and conversion of debt stock issuances and warrant exercise pro forma events noted in the “Capitalization” section above, our pro forma net tangible book value as of March 31, 2019 would have been $4,148,619 or $0.18 per share of our common stock. After giving further effect to the Company’s sale giving effect to the issuance and sale of 9,523,809 shares of our common stock in this offering at an assumed public offering price of $1.05 per share and accompanying Warrant, which is the last reported sale price of our common stock on Nasdaq on August 5, 2019, and after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, assuming no exercise of the over-allotment option and no issuance of any Pre-Funded Warrant, the Company’s pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value as of March 31, 2019 would have been $12,803,067 or $0.40 per share. This represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value of $0.22 per share to the Company’s existing stockholders, and an immediate dilution in net tangible book value of $0.65 per share to new investors. The following table illustrates this per share dilution:

 

Assumed public offering price per share         $ 1.05  
Pro forma net tangible book value per share as of March 31, 2019   $ 0.18          
Increase in pro forma net tangible book value per share attributable to new investors in this offering     0.22          
                 
Pro forma, as adjusted net tangible book value, after this offering             0.40  
                 
Dilution per share to new investors in this offering           $

0.65

 

 

Each $1.00 increase in the assumed public offering price of $1.05 per share and accompanying Warrant, which is the last reported sale price of our common stock on Nasdaq on August 5, 2019, would increase our as adjusted net tangible book value per share after this offering by $0.27 and increase the dilution per share to new investors purchasing shares in this offering by $0.73 assuming the number of securities offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, no Pre-Funded Warrants are issued, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 

We may also increase or decrease the number of securities to be issued in this offering. Each increase (decrease) of 1.0 million shares and accompanying Warrants offered by us would increase (decrease) our as adjusted net tangible book value per share and the dilution per share and accompanying Warrant to new investors purchasing securities in this offering by $0.02, assuming that the assumed public offering price remains the same, no Pre-Funded Warrants are issued, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 

The information discussed above is illustrative only and will be adjusted based on the actual public offering price and other terms of this offering as determined between us and the underwriters at pricing.

 

Except as otherwise indicted herein, the number of shares of our common stock to be outstanding after this offering is based on 22,733,762 shares of common stock issued and outstanding as of August 5, 2019 and excludes the following:

 

  2,612,500 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options as of that date having a weighted average exercise price of $3.28 per share;
     
  261,538 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding warrants as of that date having a weighted average exercise price of $2.81 per share
     
  3,000,000 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2018 Plan.
     
  the exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option to purchase additional shares of common stock and/or Warrants; and
     
  the exercise of any warrants issued in connection with this offering.  

 

  - 30 -  
 

 

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

Presentation of Information

 

As used in this prospectus, the terms “we,” “us” “our” and the “Company” mean Guardion Health Sciences, Inc. and its subsidiaries unless the context requires otherwise. The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited (and unaudited) financial statements and the related notes thereto. All dollar amounts in this registration statement refer to U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated.

 

Overview

 

Guardion Health Sciences, Inc. (the “Company” or “we”) was formed in December 2009 in California as a limited liability company under the name P4L Health Sciences, LLC, and it subsequently changed its name to Guardion Health Sciences, LLC. On June 30, 2015, the Company converted from a California limited liability company to a Delaware corporation, changing its name to Guardion Health Sciences, Inc.

 

The Company is a specialty health sciences company formed to develop, formulate and distribute condition-specific medical foods with an initial medical food product on the market under the brand name Lumega-Z ® that is designed to replenish and restore the macular protective pigment. A depleted macular protective pigment is a modifiable risk factor for retina-based diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (“AMD”), computer vision syndrome (“CVS”) and diabetic retinopathy. The Company believes this risk may be modified by taking Lumega-Z to maintain a healthy macular protective pigment. Additional research has also shown a depleted macular protective pigment to be a biomarker for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

 

The Company invented a proprietary technology, embodied in the Company’s medical device, the MapcatSF ® that accurately measures the macular pigment optical density (“MPOD”). On November 8, 2016, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) issued patent number 9,486,136 for the MapcatSF invention. Using the MapcatSF to measure the MPOD allows one to monitor the increase in the density of the macular protective pigment after taking Lumega-Z. The MapcatSF is a non-mydriatic, non-invasive device that accurately measures the MPOD, the lens optical density and lens equivalent age, thereby creating an evidence-based protocol that is shared with the patient. A non-mydriatic device is one that does not require dilation of the pupil for it to function. The MapcatSF is the first medical device using a patented “single fixation” process and “automatic lens density correction” that produces accurate serialized data.

 

In September 2017, the Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary VectorVision Ocular Health, Inc. (“VectorVision”), acquired substantially all of the assets and certain liabilities of VectorVision, Inc., a company that specialized in the standardization of contrast sensitivity, glare sensitivity, low contrast acuity, and early treatment diabetic retinopathy study (“ETDRS”) visual acuity testing. VectorVision’s standardization system is designed to provide the practitioner or researcher with the ability to delineate very small changes in visual capability, either as compared to the population or from visit to visit. VectorVision develops, manufactures and sells equipment and supplies for standardized vision testing for use by eye doctors in clinical trials, for real-world vision evaluation, and industrial vision testing. The acquisition expanded the Company’s technical portfolio. CSV-1000 and CSV-3000 instruments offer auto-calibrated tests to ensure correct testing luminance and contrast levels for consistent, highly accurate and repeatable results. Recently issued patents the Company received for continuously calibrating the light source, an automated standardization technology the Company refers to as AcQviz TM , are expected to be incorporated into the new CSV-2000, in which the proprietary standardized contrast sensitivity test patterns can be presented to the patient using a computer monitor as opposed to the current calibrated backlit system. The Company believes the acquisition of VectorVision further establishes its position at the forefront of early detection, intervention and monitoring of a range of eye diseases.

 

In August 2018, the Company created a wholly owned subsidiary, Transcranial Doppler Solutions, Inc. (“TDSI”). TDSI is dedicated to the pursuit of early predictors resulting in, the Company believes, valuable therapeutic intervention for practitioners and their patients, and additional revenue streams generated from the testing and sale of Company products to appropriate customers. The Company has established operations with selected clinics and is focusing on expanding its client base.

 

In November 2018, the Company launched a new medical food product, GlaucoCetin TM , which the Company believes is the first vision-specific medical food designed to support and protect the mitochondrial function of optic nerve cells and improve blood flow in the ophthalmic artery in patients with glaucoma.

 

The Company has had limited operations to date and has been primarily engaged in research and development, product commercialization and capital raising activities.

 

  - 31 -  
 

 

By combining the MapcatSF medical device, the VectorVision standardized vision testing technology and Lumega-Z medical food, the Company has developed, based on Management’s knowledge of the industry, what it believes to be the only reliable three-pronged, evidence-based protocol for replenishing and restoring the macular protective pigment, increasing overall retinal health and measuring the related improvements in visual function.

 

Recent Developments

 

Initial Public Offering

 

On April 9, 2019, the Company closed its initial public offering (the “IPO”) of 1,250,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, at an IPO price to the public of $4.00 per share resulting in net proceeds to the Company of $3,945,000 after all costs and expenses. The shares began trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market on April 5, 2019 under the symbol “GHSI.”

 

Patents

 

On June 14, 2019, the Company was granted a patent from the Patents Registry in Hong Kong (Hong Kong Patent No. HK1204758 titled “Apparatus for Use in the Measurement of Macular Pigment Optical Density and/or Lens Optical Density of an Eye”) for the MapcatSF®.

 

On May 27, 2019, the European Patent Office informed the Company that the opposition period in the respective countries in the European Union had expired, and thus the European patent on the MapcatSF ® , European Patent Number 2811892, issued July 4, 2018, was declared irrevocable in the European Union effective as of May 8, 2019.

 

Trademarks

 

On April 25, 2019, the Company was notified by the State Intellectual Property Office of the People’s Republic of China (“China”) that the Company has been granted trademark registrations in China for its proprietary medical food, Lumega-Z (Registration No. 27151643), and for its proprietary and patented medical device, the MapcatSF (Registration No. 27151644). The trademark registration for the mark LUMEGA-Z is effective from November 7, 2018 to November 6, 2028. The trademark registration for the mark MAPCAT SF is effective from October 28, 2018 to October 27, 2028.

 

Going Concern

 

The financial statements have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern. The Company had a net loss of $1,385,099 and utilized cash in operating activities of $586,085 during the three months ended March 31, 2019. The Company expects to continue to incur net losses and negative operating cash flows in the near-term. As a result, management has concluded that there is substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year of the date that the consolidated financial statements were issued.

 

The Company’s independent registered public accounting firm has also included explanatory language in their opinion accompanying the Company’s audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018. The Company’s financial statements do not include any adjustments to reflect the possible future effects on the recoverability and classification of assets or the amounts and classifications of liabilities that may result from the possible inability of the Company to continue as a going concern.

 

The Company will continue to incur significant expenses for continued commercialization activities related to Lumega-Z, the MapcatSF ® medical device, and VectorVision products. Development and commercialization of medical foods and medical devices involves a lengthy and complex process. Additionally, the Company’s long-term viability and growth may depend upon the successful development and commercialization of new complementary products or product lines. On April 9, 2019, the Company completed the IPO, resulting in net cash proceeds of $3,888,000 to the Company. The Company is seeking to raise additional debt and/or equity capital to fund future operations, including via this offering, but there can be no assurances that the Company will be able to secure such additional financing in the amounts necessary to fully fund its operating requirements on acceptable terms or at all. If the Company is unable to access sufficient capital resources on a timely basis, the Company may be forced to reduce or discontinue its technology and product development programs and curtail or cease operations.

 

Reverse Stock Split

 

On January 30, 2019, following stockholder and Board approval, the Company filed a Certificate of Amendment to its Amended Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “Amendment”), with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware to effectuate a one-for-two (1:2) reverse stock split (the “Reverse Stock Split”) of its common stock, par value $0.001 per share, without any change to its par value. The Amendment became effective on the filing date. The number of shares authorized for common and authorized and outstanding preferred stock were not affected by the Reverse Stock Split. No fractional shares were issued in connection with the Reverse Stock Split as all fractional shares were “rounded up” to the next whole share. Proportional adjustments for the Reverse Stock Split were made to the Company’s outstanding common stock, stock options, and warrants as if the split occurred at the beginning of the earliest period presented.

 

  - 32 -  
 

 

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

 

See Note 2 to the condensed consolidated financial statements for the period ended March 31, 2019 for management’s discussion of recent accounting pronouncements.

 

Concentration of Risk

 

Cash balances are maintained at large, well-established financial institutions. At times, cash balances may exceed federally insured limits. Insurance coverage limits are $250,000 per depositor at each financial institution. The Company has never experienced any losses related to these balances.

 

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

 

The Company’s financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). The preparation of its financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The Company’s financial statements included herein include all adjustments, consisting of only normal recurring adjustments, necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

 

The following critical accounting policies affect the more significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of the Company’s financial statements.

 

Intangible Assets

 

In connection with the VectorVision transaction, the Company identified and allocated estimated fair values to intangible assets including goodwill and customer relationships.

 

In accordance with Accounting Standard Codification (“ASC”) 350 – Intangibles – Goodwill and Other, the Company determined whether these assets are expected to have indefinite (such as goodwill) or limited useful lives, and for those with limited lives, the Company established an amortization period and method of amortization. The Company’s goodwill and other intangible assets are subject to periodic impairment testing.

 

The Company utilized the services of an independent third-party valuation firm to assist it in identifying intangible assets and in estimating their fair values. The useful lives for its intangible assets other than goodwill were estimated based on Management’s consideration of various factors, including assumptions that market participants might use about sales expectations as well as potential effects of obsolescence, competition, technological progress and the regulatory environment. Because the future pattern in which the economic benefits of these intangible assets may not be reliably determined, amortization expense is generally calculated on a straight-line basis.

 

The Company reviews all intangible assets for impairment when circumstances indicate that their carrying values may not be recoverable. If the carrying value of an asset group is not recoverable, the Company recognizes an impairment loss for the excess carrying value over the fair value in its consolidated statements of operations. As of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company was not aware of the existence of any indicators of impairment of its intangibles at such dates.

 

Goodwill

 

Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase consideration over the fair value of the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired in a business combination. The Company evaluates goodwill for impairment on an annual basis or whenever events and changes in circumstances suggest that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. The Company conducts its annual impairment analysis in the beginning of the fourth quarter of each fiscal year. Impairment of goodwill is tested at the reporting unit level by comparing the reporting unit’s carrying amount, including goodwill, to the fair value of the reporting unit. Estimations and assumptions regarding the number of reporting units, future performances, results of the Company’s operations and comparability of its market capitalization and net book value will be used. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit exceeds its fair value, goodwill is considered impaired and an impairment loss is measured by the resulting amount. As of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company was not aware of the existence of any indicators of impairment of its goodwill at such dates.

 

  - 33 -  
 

 

Stock-Based Compensation

 

The Company periodically issues stock-based compensation to officers, directors, contractors and consultants for services rendered. Such issuances vest and expire according to terms established at the issuance date.

 

Stock-based payments to officers, directors, and employees, which include grants of employee stock options, are recognized in the financial statements based on their fair values. Stock option grants, which are generally time vested, will be measured at the grant date fair value and charged to operations on a straight-line basis over the vesting period. The fair value of stock options is determined utilizing the Black-Scholes option-pricing model, which is affected by several variables, including the risk-free interest rate, the expected dividend yield, the expected life of the equity award, the exercise price of the stock option as compared to the fair market value of the common stock on the grant date and the estimated volatility of the common stock over the term of the equity award.

 

In prior periods, the Company accounted for stock option and warrant grants issued and vesting to non-employees in accordance with the authoritative guidance of the FASB whereas the value of the stock compensation is based upon the measurement date as determined at either a) the date at which a performance commitment is reached, or b) at the date at which the necessary performance to earn the equity instruments is complete. On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2018-07 which expands the scope of Topic 718 to include share-based payment transactions for acquiring goods and services from nonemployees. Non-employee stock-based compensation charges generally are amortized over the vesting period using a graded vesting basis. In certain circumstances where there are no future performance requirements by the non-employee, grants are immediately vested and the total stock-based compensation charge is recorded in the period of the measurement date.

 

The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant. Until the Company has established a trading market for its common stock, estimated volatility is based on the average historical volatilities of comparable public companies in a similar industry. The expected dividend yield is based on the current yield at the grant date. The Company has never declared or paid dividends on its common stock and has no plans to do so for the foreseeable future.

 

The fair value of common stock was determined based on management’s judgment. Due to the availability of historical data from the Company’s recent preferred stock sales, Management used a valuation of $2.30 for accounting purposes during the first quarter of 2018. Management used a valuation $4.00 for the first quarter of 2019. Management considered business and market factors affecting the Company during these periods, including capital raising efforts, its proprietary technology, and other factors. Based on this evaluation, management believes that its valuations are appropriate for accounting purposes at March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

 

The Company recognizes the fair value of stock-based compensation within its statements of operations with classification depending on the nature of the services rendered.

 

Plan of Operations

 

General Overview

 

Based on the availability of sufficient funding, the Company intends to increase its commercialization activities and:

 

  further the commercial production of the MapcatSF;
  expand the Company’s domestic sales and marketing efforts;
  explore sales and marketing opportunities in foreign markets such as Asia and Europe;
  increase production of Lumega-Z and GlaucoCetin TM to support the additional sales resulting from the deployment of additional MapcatSF units and increased marketing and promotional activity;
  commence certain FDA electrical safety testing of the MapcatSF;
  increase focus on intellectual property protection and strategy;
  expand the sales and marketing of the VectorVision product line;
  develop the TDSI business and operations; and
  explore opportunities and channels to enter the expansive market opportunity in China for non-pharmacologic treatments of macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.

 

The FDA and other regulatory bodies require electronic medical devices to comply with IEC 60601 standards. The International Electrical Commission (“IEC”) established technical standards for the safety and effectiveness of medical electrical equipment. Adherence to these standards is required for commercialization of electrical medical equipment. As a medical device powered by electricity, the MapcatSF will need to undergo testing to demonstrate compliance with the IEC 60601 standards. This testing is typically conducted by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (“NRTL”), which is an independent laboratory recognized by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) to test products to the specifications of applicable product safety standards. The Company is in discussions with its contract manufacturer of the MapcatSF to engage an NRTL at the appropriate juncture prior to commercialization of the MapcatSF. The relevant predicate device for the MapcatSF is the MPS II, the applicable Class I product code for the MapcatSF is HJW and the applicable Code of Federal Regulation is 886.1050. The FDA does not require test documents to be submitted to the FDA for a Class I medical device, but that the evidence of such testing be placed in a Design History file and be kept internally at the company or manufacturer and readily available should the FDA or other regulatory bodies request to review the testing documents. While the FDA does not require that a Class I medical device have formal validation, the Company expects to complete applicable IEC 60601-1 testing prior to commercialization because the Company believes in marketing a product that has evidence that it is safe and effective.

 

  - 34 -  
 

 

Results of Operations

 

Through March 31, 2019, the Company had limited operations and has primarily been engaged in product development, commercialization, and raising capital. The Company has incurred and will continue to incur significant expenditures for the development of its products and intellectual property, which includes both medical foods and medical diagnostic equipment for the treatment of various eye diseases. The Company had limited revenue during the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018.

 

Comparison of Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 and 2018

 

   

Three Months Ended

March 31,

       
    2019     2018     Change  
Revenue   $ 242,538     $ 193,040     $ 49,498       26 %
Cost of goods sold     93,492       79,278       14,214       18 %
Gross Profit     149,046       113,762       35,284       31 %
Operating Expenses:                                
Research and development     29,028       159,588       (130,560 )     (82 )%
Sales and marketing     353,537       605,990       (252,453 )     (42 )%
General and administrative     947,974       1,680,810       (732,836 )     (44 )%
Total Operating Expenses     1,330,539       2,446,388       (1,115,849 )     (46 )%
Loss from Operations     (1,181,493 )     (2,332,626 )     1,151,133       (49 )%
Other Expense:                                
Interest expense     17,572       835       16,737       2004 %
Fair value of warrants     186,034       -       186,034       100 %
Net Loss   $ (1,385,099 )   $ (2,333,461 )   $ 948,362       (41 )%

 

Revenue

 

For the three months ended March 31, 2019, revenue from product sales was $242,538 compared to $193,040 for the three months ended March 31, 2018, resulting in an increase of $49,498 or 26%. The increase reflects both an increased customer base for Lumega-Z as the Company expands into new clinics and increased sales of VectorVision products.

 

Cost of Goods Sold

 

For the three months ended March 31, 2019, cost of goods sold was $93,492 compared to $79,278 for the three months ended March 31, 2018, resulting in an increase of $14,214 or 18%. The increase reflects the additional sales recorded in 2018.

 

Gross Profit

 

For the three months ended March 31, 2019, gross profit was $149,046 compared to $113,762 for the three months ended March 31, 2018, resulting in an increase of $35,284 or 31%. Gross profit represented 61% of revenues the three months ended March 31, 2019, versus 59% of revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The increase in gross profit in 2019 was due primarily to pricing and product mix changes in 2019.

 

Research and Development

 

For the three months ended March 31, 2019, research and development costs were $29,028 compared to $159,588 for the three months ended March 31, 2018, resulting in a decrease of $130,560 or 82%. The decrease was due to reduced engineering development costs associated with the Company’s MapcatSF medical device during 2019.

 

  - 35 -  
 

 

Sales and Marketing

 

For the three months ended March 31, 2019, sales and marketing expenses were $353,537 compared to $605,990 for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The decrease in sales and marketing expenses of $252,453 or 42% compared to the prior period was primarily due to costs associated with engagement of a third-party contract sales organization in 2018. The contract sales agreement was cancelled during the second quarter of 2018.

 

General and Administrative

 

For the three months ended March 31, 2019, general and administrative expenses were $947,974 compared to $1,680,810 for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The decrease of $732,836 or 44% compared to the prior period was primarily due to a decrease in stock compensation costs during the current period.

 

Interest Expense

 

For the three months ended March 31, 2019, interest expense was $17,572 compared to $835 for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The increase of $16,737 or 2004%, was due primarily to non-cash amortization expense related to the debt discount associated warrants issued in March 2019.

 

Fair Value of Warrants

 

During March 2019, the Company issued $250,000 of convertible promissory notes to two investors. the notes were convertible upon the completion of the IPO, into 109,038 shares of common stock. in connection with the notes, the Company also issued 109,038 warrants to the investors. See Note 9 of the condensed consolidated financial statements for details of the notes and associated warrants.

 

Net Loss

 

For the three months ended March 31, 2019, the Company incurred a net loss of $1,385,099, compared to a net loss of $2,333,461 for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The decrease in net loss of $948,362 or 41% compared to the prior year period was primarily due to a decrease in stock compensation costs during the current period.

 

Segment Information

 

As of March 31, 2019, Management reports its operating results in two operating segments: Medical Foods, and Vision Testing Diagnostics. As of March 31, 2019, the TDSI subsidiary does not yet earn revenues or meet the required criteria to be considered a reportable operating segment.

 

  i. Medical Foods – Our Medical Foods segment develops, formulates and distributes condition-specific medical foods with an initial medical food product on the market under the brand name Lumega-Z ® that is designed to replenish and restore the macular protective pigment. We have also invented a proprietary technology, embodied in a medical device, the MapcatSF, ® that accurately measures the macular pigment optical density (“MPOD”). Using the MapcatSF to measure the MPOD allows one to monitor the increase in the density of the macular protective pigment after taking Lumega-Z. The Company has also developed a new medical food product, GlaucoCetin TM , which the Company believes is the first vision-specific medical food designed to support and protect the mitochondrial function of optic nerve cells and improve blood flow in the ophthalmic artery in patients with glaucoma. GlaucoCetin TM combines a unique set of ingredients, specifically designed to stop or potentially reverse the underlying cause of optic nerve loss, and ultimately vision loss, in patients with glaucoma.
     
  ii. Vision Testing Diagnostics – Our Vision Testing Diagnostics segment, under the brand name VectorVision, specializes in the standardization of contrast sensitivity, glare sensitivity, low contrast acuity, and early treatment diabetic retinopathy study (“ETDRS”) visual acuity testing. VectorVision’s standardization system is designed to provide the practitioner or researcher with the ability to delineate very small changes in visual capability, either as compared to the population or from visit to visit. VectorVision develops, manufactures and sells equipment and supplies for standardized vision testing for use by eye doctors in clinical trials, for real-world vision evaluation, and industrial vision testing.

 

  - 36 -  
 

 

The following tables set forth our results of operations by segment (expenses allocated to Corporate consist of non-cash stock compensation expense, depreciation and amortization, and corporate legal fees):

 

    For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2019  
    Corporate     Medical Foods    

Vision

Testing Diagnostics

    Total  
                         
Revenue   $ -     $ 99,934     $ 142,604     $ 242,538  
                                 
Cost of goods sold     -       38,272       55,220       93,492  
                                 
Gross profit     -       61,662       87,384       149,046  
                                 
Operating expenses     334,774       884,701       111,063       1,330,539  
                                 
Loss from operations   $ (334,775 )   $ (823,039 )   $ (23,679 )   $ (1,181,493 )

 

    For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2018  
    Corporate     Medical Foods    

Vision

Testing Diagnostics

    Total  
                         
Revenue   $ -     $ 72,138     $ 120,902     $ 193,040  
                                 
Cost of goods sold     -       32,188       47,090       79,278  
                                 
Gross profit     -       39,950       73,812       113,762  
                                 
Operating expenses     1,073,400       1,320,627       52,361       2,446,388  
                                 
Loss from operations   $ (1,073,400 )   $ (1,280,677 )   $ 21,451     $ (2,332,626 )

 

For the three months ended March 31, 2019, revenue from our Medical Foods segment was $99,934 compared to $72,138 for the three months ended March 31, 2018, resulting in an increase of $27,796 or 39%. The increase reflects an increased customer base for Lumega-Z as the Company expands into new clinics. For the three months ended March 31, 2019, revenue from our Vision Testing Diagnostics segment was $142,604 compared to $120,902 for the three months ended March 31, 2018, resulting in an increase of $21,702 or 18%. The increase was due to increased distributor sales in 2019.

 

Cost of Goods Sold

 

For the three months ended March 31, 2019, cost of goods sold from our Medical Foods segment was $38,272 compared to $32,188 for the three months ended March 31, 2018, resulting in an increase of $6,084 or 19%. For the three months ended March 31, 2019, cost of goods sold from our Vision Testing Diagnostics segment was $55,220 compared to $47,090 for the three months ended March 31, 2018, resulting in an increase of $8,130 or 17%. The increase for both segments reflects the additional sales recorded in 2018.

 

Gross Profit

 

For the three months ended March 31, 2019, gross profit from the Medical Foods segment was $61,662 compared to $39,950 for the three months ended March 31, 2018, resulting in an increase of $21,712 or 54%. For the three months ended March 31, 2019, gross profit from the Vision Testing Diagnostics segment was $87,384 compared to $73,812 for the three months ended March 31, 2018, resulting in an increase of $13,572 or 18%. The increase is due to the additional sales recorded for both segments in the current year. Gross profit overall represented 61% of revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2019, versus 59% of revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The increase in gross profit in 2018 was due increased sales and to pricing and product mix changes in 2018.

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

Since its formation in 2009, the Company has devoted substantial effort and capital resources to the development and commercialization activities related to its lead product Lumega-Z and its MapcatSF medical device. As a result of these and other activities, the Company utilized cash in operating activities of $586,085 during the three months ended March 31, 2019. The Company had negative working capital of $1,024,828 at March 31, 2019 due to liabilities associated with the issuance of promissory and convertible promissory notes during March 2019 as well as accrued legal costs related to the Company’s IPO process. As of March 31, 2019, the Company had cash in the amount of $174,298 and no available borrowings. The Company’s financing has historically come primarily from the issuance of convertible notes, promissory notes and from the sale of common and preferred stocks.

 

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The financial statements have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern. The Company expects to continue to incur net losses and negative operating cash flows in the near-term. As a result, management has concluded that there is substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year of the date that the financial statements are issued.

 

The Company’s independent registered public accounting firm has also included explanatory language in their opinion accompanying the Company’s audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018. The Company’s financial statements do not include any adjustments to reflect the possible future effects on the recoverability and classification of assets or the amounts and classifications of liabilities that may result from the possible inability of the Company to continue as a going concern.

 

The Company will continue to incur significant expenses for continued commercialization activities related to Lumega-Z, the MapcatSF medical device, and VectorVision products. Development and commercialization of medical foods and medical devices involves a lengthy and complex process. Additionally, the Company’s long-term viability and growth may depend upon the successful development and commercialization of new complementary products or product lines. On April 9, 2019, the Company completed the IPO, resulting in net cash proceeds of $3,945,000 to the Company. The Company is seeking to raise additional debt and/or equity capital to fund future operations, but there can be no assurances that the Company will be able to secure such additional financing in the amounts necessary to fully fund its operating requirements on acceptable terms or at all. If the Company is unable to access sufficient capital resources on a timely basis, the Company may be forced to reduce or discontinue its technology and product development programs and curtail or cease operations.

 

Sources and Uses of Cash

 

The following table sets forth the Company’s major sources and uses of cash for each of the following periods:

 

   

Three Months Ended

March 31,

 
    2019     2018  
Net cash used in operating activities   $ (586,085 )   $ (1,353,530 )
Net cash used in investing activities     (4,815 )     (145,111 )
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities     94,250       (38,240 )
Net decrease in cash   $ (496,650 )   $ (1,536,881 )

 

Operating Activities

 

Net cash used in operating activities was $586,085 during the three months ended March 31, 2019, versus $1,353,530 used during the comparable prior year period. The decrease in 2019 was due primarily to higher sales, marketing, product development, and legal costs paid in the prior year period.

 

Investing Activities

 

Net cash used in investing activities was $4,815 for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and $145,111 for the three months ended March 31, 2018. In January 2018, we acquired the rights to a trademark portfolio for $50,000. In addition, we purchased a trade show booth in February 2018 and have invested in MapCatSF equipment and internal-use software development.

 

Financing Activities

 

Net cash provided by financing activities was $94,250 for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was due to the issuance in March 2019 of $350,000 in promissory and convertible promissory notes as well as from the exercise of warrants for proceeds of $31,250. These proceeds were partially offset by payment of costs directly related to the Company’s IPO. Net cash used in financing activities was $38,240 for the three months ended March 31, 2018 was due primarily to our payoff of a line of credit balance that had been assumed during our 2017 VectorVision acquisition.

 

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

 

At March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company did not have any transactions, obligations or relationships that could be considered off-balance sheet arrangements.

 

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BUSINESS

 

The Company is a specialty health sciences company formed to develop, formulate and distribute condition-specific medical foods with an initial medical food product on the market under the brand name Lumega-Z ® that is designed to replenish and restore the macular protective pigment. A depleted macular protective pigment is a modifiable risk factor for retina-based diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (“AMD”), computer vision syndrome (“CVS”) and diabetic retinopathy. The Company believes this risk may be modified by taking Lumega-Z to maintain a healthy macular protective pigment. Additional research has also shown a depleted macular protective pigment to be a biomarker for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

 

In September 2017, the Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary VectorVision Ocular Health, Inc., acquired substantially all of the assets and certain liabilities of VectorVision, Inc., a company that specializes in the standardization of contrast sensitivity, glare sensitivity, low contrast acuity, and early treatment diabetic retinopathy study (“ETDRS”) visual acuity testing. VectorVision’s standardization system is designed to provide the practitioner or researcher with the ability to delineate very small changes in visual capability, either as compared to the population or from visit to visit. VectorVision develops, manufactures and sells equipment and supplies for standardized vision testing for use by eye doctors in clinical trials, for real-world vision evaluation, and industrial vision testing. The acquisition expands the Company’s technical portfolio. The Company believes the acquisition of VectorVision, through which it added the CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 to its product portfolio, further establishes its position at the forefront of early detection, intervention and monitoring of a range of eye diseases. The Company has had limited commercial operations to date. Until recently with the acquisition of VectorVision and development of the Company’s sales force, the Company has primarily been engaged in research, development, commercialization, and capital raising.

 

The Company invented a proprietary technology, embodied in the Company’s medical device, the MapcatSF, ® that accurately measures the macular pigment optical density (“MPOD”). On November 8, 2016, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) issued patent number 9,486,136 for the MapcatSF invention. Using the MapcatSF to measure the MPOD allows one to monitor the increase in the density of the macular protective pigment after taking Lumega-Z. The MapcatSF is a non-mydriatic, non-invasive device that accurately measures the MPOD, the lens optical density and lens equivalent age, thereby creating an evidence-based protocol that is shared with the patient. A non-mydriatic device is one that does not require dilation of the pupil for it to function. The MapcatSF is the first medical device using a patented “single fixation” process and “automatic lens density correction” that produces accurate serialized data.

 

For the past three years, the clinical prototypes of the MapcatSF have been tested on patients, allowing for frequent modifications of the device’s algorithms and retesting for accuracy, as well as to provide the inclusion of additional features not previously found in the initial prototype. The alpha prototype, which is the pre-commercial production version, was unveiled for the first time in July 2013 in Cambridge, United Kingdom, to researchers and scientists from around the world. The MapcatSF is manufactured and assembled in Irvine, California, and will be distributed from the Company’s national headquarters in San Diego. The marketing of the device will be implemented through continuing education presentations conducted by key opinion leaders in the industry. The MapcatSF device is a Class I medical device under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) classification scheme for medical devices, which the Company has determined does not require pre-market approval.

 

Lumega-Z is a medical food product that has a patent-pending formula that is designed to replenish and restore the macular protective pigment simultaneously delivering critical and essential nutrients to the eye. Management believes, based on review of products on the market and knowledge of the industry, that Lumega-Z is the first liquid ocular health formula to be classified as a medical food (as defined in Section 5(b) of the “Orphan Drug Act”). However, the FDA has not monitored nor approved Lumega-Z as a medical food. Formulated by Dr. Sheldon Hendler in 2010, modifications were made over a two-year period to improve the taste and method of delivery. The current formulation has been delivered to patients and used in clinics since 2014.

 

Medical foods are not considered to be either dietary or nutritional supplements. The Company believes that there is an increasing level of acceptance of medical foods as a primary therapy by patients and healthcare providers to treat pain syndromes, sleep and cognitive disorders, obesity, hypertension, and viral infection. In clinical practice, medical foods are being prescribed as both a standalone therapy and as an adjunct therapy to low doses of commonly prescribed drugs. The Company believes that medical foods will continue to grow in importance over the coming years.

 

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Lumega-Z is a regulated medical food and therefore must be administered under the supervision of a physician or professional healthcare provider. In order to reach the large, expanding AMD patient population, the Company primarily markets Lumega-Z to patients through ophthalmologists and optometrists.

 

Over 1,900 patients have been treated with Lumega-Z since the Company began selling the formulation in October 2011. The patients come from a combination of the three initial testing sites, healthcare provider sites where the MapcatSF has been demonstrated, patients that have found Lumega-Z online and through other patient referrals, healthcare provider sites administering Lumega-Z to their patients without use of the MapcatSF, and MapcatSF devices recently placed in additional healthcare facilities. Patients take Lumega-Z under the supervision of their physician. Lumega-Z is typically ingested by the patient on a daily basis. Patients are typically between 50 and 80 years old. Patients are mixed ethnically and socioeconomically. Patients typically have insurance, whether private insurance or Medicare. Physicians have determined that the patient is experiencing or is at a high risk of developing retinal disease and decide based on their medical determination that the patient is a candidate for Lumega-Z.

 

Nearly half of Americans have low MPOD, a risk factor for AMD. As the MapcatSF is specifically designed to measure the MPOD, the Company and the physicians that utilize the MapcatSF are able to observe changes in that macular protective pigment density in patients who are taking Lumega-Z. The Company encourages sites using the MapcatSF ® to provide the Company anonymized data on the MPOD readings. Anecdotal reports from physicians indicate improvements in their patients such as increased visual function, a noticeable halt in the progression of the patient’s AMD, improvement in glare and contrast sensitivity, and stabilization and improvement of vision. No adverse effects of taking Lumega-Z have been reported by any of the physicians administering Lumega-Z to their patients.

 

Lumega-Z has been used in Institutional Review Board (“IRB”)-approved patient study to examine its effectiveness. The study was conducted by research scientists at the Western University College of Optometry to evaluate the visual benefits of Lumega-Z in one group of patients as compared to a group of patients taking AREDS 2 soft gel supplements. Each patient has retinal drusen and was at risk of developing AMD. The results of the study were presented at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (“ARVO”) 2019 annual meeting and showed improvements in visual function (“CSF”) in the group of patients taking Lumega-Z that were statistically significant. The patients taking AREDS 2 showed no statistical change.

 

The number of patients regularly ordering Lumega-Z has increased as new healthcare providers have begun working with the Company, with a concurrent rise in patients set on an auto-ship program for delivery every four weeks. Automatic shipment has an added benefit in that it aids physicians because it increases patient compliance in using Lumega-Z on a regular basis. The Company’s operations, to date, indicate that each MapcatSF deployed in a clinic can generate an average of 75 new customers for its Lumega-Z product over a period of approximately 90 days when a MapcatSF is deployed in a small, low volume clinic. A larger, higher volume clinic is expected to generate a larger number of patients in a shorter period of time. All of the Company’s medical food revenue is derived from a limited number of individual customers.

 

The National Academics of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine projects that “every four minutes, one American will experience partial or complete loss of sight.” According to The Lancet, AMD cases in the US are projected to pass 18 million in 2017, and 20 million by 2022. AMD is the third leading cause of blindness in the world. More than 10 million people in the United States suffer from various forms of this incurable disease, according to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation. As the population ages, that number is expected to triple by 2025. Cataract patients are operated on earlier and younger. After surgery, the long-term damage from oxidative stress & high energy light exposure to the retina becomes more important to address. Protecting the retina after surgery maintains better visual outcomes for the long term. the Company is targeting this unattended market opportunity. Congress, the Food and Drug Administration, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services and private insurance companies are focusing increased efforts on pharmacovigilance (the branch of the pharmaceutical industry which assesses and monitors the safety of drugs either in the development pipeline or which have already been approved for marketing) to measure and reduce these adverse health consequences.

 

The Company’s second medical food product, GlaucoCetin TM , was launched in November 2018. The Company believes GlaucoCetin TM is the first vision-specific medical food designed to support and protect the mitochondrial function of optic nerve cells and improve blood flow in the ophthalmic artery in patients with glaucoma. The parent compound of GlaucoCetin TM , called “GlaucoHealth,” was designed by Robert Ritch, M.D., one of the Company’s Medical Advisory Board members. Dr. Robert Ritch holds the Shelley and Steven Einhorn Distinguished Chair in Ophthalmology and is surgeon Director Emeritus and Chief of Glaucoma Services at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary. Dr. Ritch has devoted his career to broadening the understanding of the underlying etiologies and mechanisms of glaucoma. The Company now owns the GlaucoHealth formula. On June 4, 2019, the Company announced in a press release that the formula was used in an IRB-approved patient study conducted at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary and successfully reversed mitochondrial dysfunction in the optic nerve cells in patients with glaucoma. GlaucoCetin TM is an enhanced formulation of GlaucoHealth. The Company owns both formulas and has a patent application pending on the GlaucoCetin TM formula. The application describes an invention that provides a micro-nutrient composition for a human subject suffering from a glaucomatous disease, wherein the micro-nutrient composition comprises a formulation for reversing mitochondrial dysfunction in glaucomatous disease.

 

The Company believes that there is an increasing level of acceptance of medical foods as a primary therapy by patients and healthcare providers to treat pain syndromes, sleep and cognitive disorders, obesity, hypertension, and viral infection. In clinical practice, medical foods are being prescribed as both a standalone therapy and as an adjunct therapy to low doses of commonly prescribed drugs. From a regulatory standpoint, the FDA took steps in 1988 to encourage the development of medical foods by regulating this product category under the Orphan Drug Act. The term “medical food” as defined in Section 5(b) of the Orphan Drug Act is a “food which is formulated to be consumed or administered internally (by mouth) under the supervision of a physician and which is intended for the specific dietary management of a disease or condition for which distinctive nutritional requirements, based on recognized scientific principles, are established by medical evaluation.” This definition was incorporated by reference into the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990.

 

These regulatory changes have reduced the costs and time associated with bringing medical foods to market. Until 1972, medical foods were categorized as drugs and then until 1988 as “foods for special dietary purposes.” The field of candidates for development into medical foods is expanding due to continuing advances in the understanding of the science of nutrition and disease, coupled with advances in food technology thereby increasing the number of products that can be formulated and commercialized.

 

The Company distributes its medical food products through E-commerce in an online store that is operated at www.guardionhealth.com . Information about VectorVision products can be found at www.vectorvision.com .

 

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Medical Foods Products Industry Overview

 

The Company believes that the science of nutrition was long overlooked and underdeveloped. The Company believes that the sick and elderly have special nutritional needs that cannot be met by traditional adult diets. Medical nutrition has emerged as a large and attractive segment in the food industry today.

 

A number of diseases are associated with metabolic imbalances, and patients in treatment for such diseases have specific nutritional requirements. Some examples are ocular health, pain syndromes, insomnia, cognitive disorders, IBS, and heart disease. Many older Americans have or will develop chronic diseases that are amenable to the dietary management benefits of medical foods. Medical foods help address these diseases and conditions in a drug-free way with food-based ingredients yet are still considered a medical product that should be taken under supervision by a physician. The term “medical foods” does not pertain to all foods fed to sick patients. Medical foods are foods that are specially formulated and processed (as opposed to a naturally occurring foodstuff used in a natural state) for patients who are seriously ill or who require the product as a major treatment modality according to FDA regulations.

 

Medical foods consist of food-based ingredients that are part of the normal human diet and are Generally Recognized as Safe (“GRAS”) under FDA standards. Medical foods must make disease claims for which there is scientific evidence that nutrient deficiencies cannot be corrected by normal diet. Medical foods are intended for a vulnerable population suffering from a particular chronic disease and therefor have special, extra-rigorous guarantees of safety. All ingredients must be designated GRAS and used in therapeutic concentrations to address the particular nutritional needs of the patient. Medical foods are taken under the supervision of a physician or professional healthcare provider who monitors and adjusts the food ‘dosage.’ In addition, under FDA guidelines and congressionally approved laws, medical foods do not require FDA preapproval but undergo continuous FDA monitoring and approval of label claims. Even though pre-market FDA approval is not required for a medical food, the official requirements and responsibilities for the manufacturer, in terms of safety, are greater than for dietary supplements, including solid scientific support for the formula as a whole. For these reasons, medical foods have greater guarantees of efficacy. In contradistinction, dietary supplements, such as vitamins, minerals and botanicals, do not require FDA preapproval, cannot make disease claims, are intended for normal people without disease and cannot claim that they prevent, mitigate or treat a given disease. Dietary supplements do not require physician supervision and can be administered to a person that can self-administer the supplement without supervision.

 

Based on the advice of intellectual property counsel and regulatory affairs consultants, the Company believes that Lumega-Z is properly categorized as a medical food. While the Company believes it is unlikely the FDA would conclude otherwise, if the FDA determines Lumega-Z should not be defined as a medical food, the Company would need to relabel and rebrand that product. The Company believes there would be minimal impact on its operations and financial condition if it were required to change labeling and packaging back to that of a dietary supplement. While reclassification and the subsequent relabeling and rebranding would be an added cost to operations, it would not change the use or effectiveness of Lumega-Z, although there is a chance that certain physicians may choose not to recommend Lumega-Z to their patients or that certain consumers may choose not to buy Lumega-Z if it is not classified as a medical food.

 

Vision Testing Industry Overview

 

The Company believes that consistent, repeatable and accurate results for visual acuity testing are of paramount importance for effective eye health care and for accurately establishing and enforcing the vision performance criteria for certain professions. Variance in test lighting is a major cause of inconsistency in vision testing results. Standards for testing luminance, have been in place for more than three decades. However, recently, vision testing has evolved from the use of projection systems and charts to the use of digital displays. The Company believes that the variance in luminance provided by digital displays is large, and clinicians are now obtaining highly inconsistent results from practice to practice. Conservatively, the Company believes more than 250,000 eye care examination rooms are in use in the United States today.

 

The variability described above has caused the FDA and other agencies to require standardized test lighting for vision tests. Because VectorVision specializes in the standardization of vision tests, VectorVision is the only company that offers fully standardized vision testing products that ensure consistent, repeatable and highly accurate results. The CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 devices offer auto-calibrated tests to ensure the correct testing luminance and contrast levels for consistent, highly accurate and repeatable results, which is why the VectorVision instruments can detect and quantify subtle changes in vision. Consistency, repeatability and accuracy are also why the VectorVision CSV-1000 instrument is used worldwide by eye doctors in more than 60 countries to accomplish contrast sensitivity testing. For the same reasons, the Company believes that the ESV-3000 ETDRS testing device will become the worldwide standard for ETDRS visual acuity testing. The Company’s research has revealed no competing products that offers auto-calibration of ambient illumination. Competitive devices do not allow for variations in ambient light levels, resulting in variability of test results due to the environment in which the testing is performed. The CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 use self-calibrated test lighting. The self-calibrated test lighting is proprietary, and the test faces of the CSV-1000 are proprietary and the intellectual property is protected under copyright and trade secret law. Both CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 are currently sold worldwide, and the Company expects this global distribution to continue. There is a training requirement in incorporating the CSV-1000 device into clinical practice, which the Company plans to provide as part of its commercialization strategy.

 

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Competitive Advantage and Strategy

 

There are no research-validated pharmaceutical solutions for slowing the progression of adult macular degeneration (“AMD”). As a result, it is necessary for physicians to recommend Age-Related Eye Disease Study (“AREDS”)-based supplements to AREDS-based AMD patients. However, more than 90% of all AREDS-based nutritional products currently on the market are in tablet, capsule and gel capsule form. As previously discussed, tablets, capsules and gel capsules have a low efficiency of absorption. For this reason, some doctors may hesitate to prescribe tablet, capsule and gel capsule form AREDS-based nutraceuticals despite the fact that these are currently the only options available to them.

 

The competitive landscape of supplements is crowded and confusing for physicians and patients looking to obtain an appropriate product for eye care. In October 2017, while searching walgreens.com for “AREDS,” the Company found 10 results, all of which are in tablet, capsule or gel capsule form. When searching the same website for “Eye Health Supplements” (a common search term for this category of product), the Company found 204 products, of which 196 (96%) are in tablet, capsule or gel capsule form. The same search term on cvs.com returned over 110 products. These supplement products all have varying ingredients, varying levels of similar ingredients, varying claims regarding their effects, and varying price points.

 

Lumega-Z is designed to address this concern. In contrast, Lumega-Z is a liquid formulated using a proprietary molecular micronization process (“MMP”) to maximize efficiency of absorption and safety and to minimize compatibility issues. The MMP is a proprietary homogenization process whereby the molecular structure of the ingredients is reduced in size to facilitate more efficient absorption in the body.

 

By combining the MapcatSF medical device, the VectorVision standardized vision testing technology and Lumega-Z medical food, the Company has developed, based on Management’s knowledge of the industry, what it believes to be the only reliable three-pronged, evidence-based protocol for replenishing and restoring the macular protective pigment, increasing overall retinal health and measuring the related improvements in visual function. The MapcatSF is the first medical device to use a patented “single fixation” process and “automatic lens density correction” that produces accurate serialized data. Historically, a number of specialized densometers used by research groups within the medical community have been known to produce unreliable data; due in part to the fact that they are not Troxler-free. The Troxler effect is an optical illusion affecting visual perception where an unchanging stimulus away from a fixation point will fade away and disappear as one stares at a fixation point consistently. A device that is Troxler-free does not have this fading of images that otherwise would occur as a result of the Troxler effect. Being Troxler-free is thought to be an important function in being able to accurately complete the testing using these devices.

 

The MapcatSF has been installed in several teaching and ocular research facilities, such as the Illinois College of Optometry (“ICO”), the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, and the Rosenberg School of Optometry at the University of the Immaculate Word. While these collaborative relationships help further validate the MapcatSF and Lumega-Z, these relationships are not material to the Company because none of these relationships is exclusive. There are many potential collaborative partners available. The Company is free to enter into other collaborative relationships as needed. No sales of Lumega-Z are generated directly from Illinois College of Optometry because the MapcatSF is part of its teaching curriculum and not used for direct patient care. However, the other collaborative partners, as a result of using the MapcatSF on patients, periodically put patients on Lumega-Z if a physician determines it appropriate to do so. The majority of sales of Lumega-Z primarily come from clinicians outside of these collaborative relationships.

 

VectorVision specializes in the standardization of vision tests, specifically, contrast sensitivity, glare testing and early treatment diabetic retinopathy study, or ETDRS, acuity. The variability in test lighting has caused the FDA and other agencies to require standardized test lighting for vision tests. Contrast sensitivity testing measures how people see in the real world. A depleted macular pigment greatly affects contrast sensitivity. Research suggests that contrast sensitivity is a better measure than standard acuity tests for real-world vision applications such as military pilots and highway driving. The Company believes that VectorVision is the only company that offers fully standardized vision testing products that ensure consistent, repeatable and highly accurate results. These qualities are why the VectorVision instruments can detect and quantify subtle changes in vision, and why the VectorVision CSV-1000 instrument is used worldwide by eye doctors in more than 60 countries to accomplish contrast sensitivity testing. On July 10, 2018, the USPTO issued US Patent No. 10,016,128, titled Method and Apparatus for Visual Acuity Testing. This patent describes an invention pertaining to automatic light calibration of the display screens used for vision testing. The Company owns this patent, and its VectorVision CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 devices each embody this invention. On July 17, 2018, the USPTO issued US Patent No. 10,022,045, also titled Method and Apparatus for Visual Acuity Testing, which describes a methodology to continuously calibrate display monitors to automatically hold display luminance constant for vision testing. This second patent also covers a methodology to compensate for other testing factors, such as room illumination and when patients view the vision test through a mirror, which is a common practice in eye doctors’ offices worldwide. The Company also owns this patent, and its VectorVision CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 devices each embody this invention.

 

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The Company believes the CSV-1000 is the standard of care for clinical practice. There is a training requirement in incorporating the CSV-1000 device into clinical practice, which the Company plans to provide as part of its commercialization strategy.

 

Similarly, the Company believes that its ESV-3000 device will become the worldwide standard for ETDRS visual acuity testing. The CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 use self-calibrated test lighting. The self-calibrated test lighting is proprietary, and the test faces of the CSV-1000 are proprietary and protected intellectual property. Both CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 are currently sold worldwide, and the Company expects this global distribution to continue. The Company believes the acquisition of VectorVision, through which it added the CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 to its product portfolio, further establishes its position at the forefront of early detection, intervention and monitoring of a range of eye diseases.

 

An important part of the Company’s competitive strategy lies in combining Lumega-Z with technology to demonstrate its effects. The Company’s proprietary MapcatSF medical device measures MOPD, thereby showing changes in macular pigment density from the use of Lumega-Z. In addition, the VectorVision CSV-1000 provides a second opportunity to baseline the vision of patients, and monitor changes in vision performance over time while administering Lumega-Z. The VectorVision CSV-1000 is a highly accurate means of measuring and monitoring contrast sensitivity, a vision performance parameter that can be improved by increasing the level of macular pigment in the eye.

 

Growth Strategy

 

The Company believes that marketing its products is critical in ensuring its success. The Company has several marketing initiatives and will implement them according to the success and product feedback that the Company and products create. The Company will also consider acquiring other companies, product lines and intellectual property that may be complementary or supplementary as part of its future efforts to expand the business, which acquisitions could be for cash, stock or a combination thereof.

 

Management believes that there is a significant unmet need in everyday clinical practice to provide a vision assessment protocol that improves upon the current standard of visual acuity. Contrast sensitivity with the VectorVision CSV-1000 is a highly sensitive and repeatable method of measuring vision performance and can be utilized to monitor the vision performance of patients undergoing treatment with Lumega-Z, as well as for the general patient population. The CSV-1000 is currently the worldwide standard for contrast sensitivity testing in clinical trials, and there is a growing understanding of the importance of contrast sensitivity in general clinical practice. The Company’s intention is to penetrate the market by promotion of the CSV-1000 as the leading contrast sensitivity device available. The Company believes it can grow its business using the following sales and marketing strategies:

 

Sales and Marketing

 

Based on management’s knowledge of the industry, the Company believes that Lumega-Z is the only medical food in the ocular health space. The most analogous products on the market are dietary supplements. While the medical food category is well established and growing for certain diseases or disorders (for example, inborn errors of metabolism, metabolic syndrome, gastrointestinal disorders, and neurological disorders), there are currently no medical foods other than Lumega-Z specifically addressing ocular health. Thus, with regard to the ocular health market no such data is available regarding medical foods. The most comparable industry is dietary supplements. In an attempt to effectively illustrate the market potential for Lumega-Z, the Company has examined ocular health products in the dietary supplement market as the closest appropriate data set available. The use of dietary supplements to enhance health and well-being is a longstanding and increasing trend. According to industry sources, up to 52% of adults in the United States have reported taking nutritional supplements. Worldwide sales of supplements surpassed $132 billion in 2016. Supplementation has recently generated much interest among health professionals in a relatively new area, the prevention and slowing of the AMD epidemic.

 

U.S. Statistics

 

  According to Ocular Surgery News, there are 4 million cataract surgeries in the United States each year.
  According to the BrightFocus Foundation, more than three million Americans are living with glaucoma, 2.7 million whom are aged 40 and older.
  According the American Glaucoma Society, over 27 million people are affected with glaucoma in the U.S. alone.
  According to the American Society of Retina Specialists an estimated 15 million Americans had AMD as of 2016.
  According to Am Fam Physician, one in three people in the U.S. over age 65 will develop AMD or some vision-reducing eye disease.
  MarketScope indicates that US ophthalmology practices are comprised of approximately 18,000 individual optometrists, approximately 10,000 individual ophthalmologists, and approximately 7,000, 5,000, and 2,000 optometrist groups, ophthalmologist groups, and retail establishments, respectively.

 

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Worldwide Statistics

 

  According to Bekryl Market Analysts, the “Global Medical Foods Market” was valued at $11.1 billion in 2018 and will exceed $17.5 billion by 2028. North America was expected to account for 33% of global sales in 2018.
  According to the International Council of Ophthalmology, AMD is the third leading cause of blindness throughout the world, exceeded only by cataracts and glaucoma.
  BrightFocus Foundation has indicated that globally, 60.5 million people had glaucoma in 2010. Due to the aging of the world’s population, BrightFocus Foundation has indicated that this number may increase to almost 80 million by 2020.
  According to Transparency Market Research, the global glaucoma therapeutics market was valued at over $5.9 billion in 2017 and is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 2.9% from 2018 to 2026.
  According to South China Morning Post, 22 million AMD patients are Chinese patients which account for approximately 18% of global Glaucoma patients.
  BrightFocus Foundation has indicated that globally, AMD is expected to reach 196 million people worldwide by 2020 and increase to 288 million by 2040.
  BrightFocus Foundation estimates the global cost of visual impairment due to AMD is $343 billion, including $255 billion in direct health care costs, and estimates the direct health care costs of visual impairment due to AMD in the U.S., Canada and Cuba to be approximately $98 million.
  BrightFocus Foundation estimates the global cost of vision loss due to all causes to be nearly $3 trillion for the 733 million people living with low vision and blindness worldwide. BrightFocus Foundation also estimates the direct costs for vision loss due to all causes was $512.8 billion in North America alone, with indirect costs of $179 billion.
  GlobalData indicates that the potential global market of AMD is currently estimated at $5 billion and expected to reach $11.5 billion by 2026.
  According to Sohu, in China there are 36,342 Ophthalmologists and 3,950 Optometrists.
  According to Springer approximately 25 to 30 million people are affected worldwide by AMD.
  The prevalence of AMD appears to be lower and more variable in the developing nations as compared to more developed countries. Healthcare experts believe this will likely change for the worse with increasing life expectancy, changing lifestyles and increase in viewing computer monitors and other devices.

 

Due to an aging population, the AMD, Glaucoma and Cognitive Decline epidemics are global and growing, creating a significant market for the Company’s products.

 

Marketing Lumega-Z to Practitioners

 

In order to reach the large, expanding AMD patient population, the Company will primarily market Lumega-Z to the patients through ophthalmologists and optometrists. In the U.S. alone, there are more than 18,515 ophthalmologists and over 34,000 optometrists currently practicing. There are over 213,000 ophthalmologists worldwide. This marketing reach will be achieved through a combination of collaboration with industry-specific publishers, peer-to-peer promotion using key opinion leader clinicians, organic and paid search engine optimization and marketing, and other content-driven & educational approaches.

 

Marketing the CSV-1000 to Practitioners

 

Contrast sensitivity is currently one of the standard tests for clinical trials relating to ocular surgeries and treatments, and the CSV-1000 is considered the benchmark for these applications. In addition, there is an increasing need for functional vision assessment in everyday clinical practice, as a means of measuring the effect of disorders such as cataract and macular degeneration on the patient’s functional vision, and the impact of treatment of these conditions on the patient’s vision. The Company will concentrate its efforts on increasing the use of contrast sensitivity in everyday clinical practice, as a means of targeting the optometry and ophthalmology markets, which consists of over 34,000 and over 18,000 doctors, respectively, in the United States.

 

  - 44 -  
 

 

Sales Channel

 

Lumega-Z is a regulated medical food and therefore must be administered under the supervision of a physician or professional healthcare provider. Once the healthcare provider has determined that the patient requires Lumega-Z, they follow the following procedures:

 

  The Company provides all clinicians a DAC number (Doctor Authorization Code).
  Patients are given a customized recommendation from the clinician, including the DAC number; this enables patients to order Lumega-Z either online or by calling the 800 number.
  Patients are able to use their Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts (“FSA”) or Health Savings Account (“HSA”) dollars to pay for Lumega-Z.

 

The Company will support the clinicians by making available Online Ocular Nutrition courses to train their technicians.

 

Sales Force

 

The Company hired and trained a direct sales force in March 2018 consisting of a field-based team of account managers located in key geographical locations based on high population density areas with demographics that match the Company’s target markets. Each account manager is responsible for a defined geographical area and is expected to travel extensively to support the needs of customers. The account managers are tasked with prospecting for new accounts, closing leads generated by the Company’s marketing efforts, and generating revenue through account management activities including physician and staff training, and implementation of patient education resources. The account managers are expected to participate in national and regional trade shows and events, including supporting professional optometric and ophthalmological societies at a state level. Each account manager is assigned a quota that includes units of Lumega-Z sold, as well as sales of the MapcatSF, CSV-1000 and ESV-3000. Commissions are paid based on performance and achievement of quota.

 

International Expansion Strategy

 

Retinal diseases that include macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy are not exclusive to the United States. The Company believes there is great interest internationally to find non-pharmacologic treatments for these diseases. The largest market opportunity is China where some of these diseases are at substantial levels. The Company intends to explore opportunities and channels to enter this expansive market.

 

Transcranial Doppler Solutions

 

In August 2018, the Company created a wholly owned subsidiary, Transcranial Doppler Solutions, Inc. (“TDSI”), to further the Company’s position at the forefront of early detection, intervention and monitoring of a range of eye diseases. TDSI will be dedicated to the pursuit of early predictors resulting in, the Company believes valuable therapeutic intervention for practitioners and their patients, and additional revenues stream generated from the testing and sale of Company products to appropriate customers. TDSI will provide a service that makes TCD (as defined below) testing convenient by being in various medical facilities. A Transcranial Doppler ultrasound (“TCD”) has been accepted as a safe, non-invasive, and lower-cost technique that uses a low-frequency transducer probe to assess intracerebral blood flow, within the brain and to the eyes. Studies have shown the ability of TCD to predict stroke risks as well as other potential cardiovascular events. TCD also plays an important role in detecting changes in the ophthalmic artery blood flow, which is important to help evaluate the course of common eye disorders. Blood velocities and intensities can be measured using TCD, which provides an effective way to determine more accurately the state of pathology in early stages of common eye disorders such as glaucoma and other eye diseases that cause visual field defects. Published medical resources indicate a strong relationship between ocular circulation and visual function in patients with glaucoma, diabetes, and macular disease, which are the three leading causes of acquired irreversible blindness throughout the world. A TCD is also highly repeatable, the results of which provide an effective tool for ophthalmologists to treat their patients. Through the monitoring of blood flow in the intracranial vessels, including the ophthalmic artery, the TCD results will in turn provide an evidence-based protocol for Guardion’s medical foods, including the Company’s soon to be released new GlaucoCetin TM product. The Company is currently setting up the operations of TDSI and hopes to launch its services in upcoming quarters.

 

  - 45 -  
 

 

Proprietary Technology and Intellectual Property

 

Patents

 

The Company currently owns and has exclusive rights to the following patent and pending patent applications:

 

DOMESTIC

 

Number   Title   Owner   Product   File Date   Expiration Date

Patent

9,486,136

  APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE MEASUREMENT OF MACULAR PIGMENT OPTICAL DENSITY AND/OR LENS OPTICAL DENSITY OF AN EYE   GHS   MapcatSF®   08/11/14   09/18/33
                     

Patent Application

15/346,010

  APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE MEASUREMENT OF MACULAR PIGMENT OPTICAL DENSITY AND/OR LENS OPTICAL DENSITY OF AN EYE   GHS   MapcatSF®   11/08/16    
                     

Patent

Application

14/028,104

  EMULSION OF CAROTENOIDS AND OCULAR ANTIOXIDANTS   GHS   Lumega-Z®   09/16/13    
                     

Patent

Application

62/859,885

  COMPOSITION FOR IMPORVED NEUROPROTECTIVE EFFECT AND METHODS OF MAKING SAME   GHS   GlaucoCetin TM   06/11/19    
                     

Patent

10,016,128

 

METHODAND APPARATUS FOR VISION ACUITY TESTING

  VectorVision  

CSV-1000

And

ESV-3000

  09/27/16   10/31/36
                     

Patent

10,022,045

 

METHODAND APPARATUS FOR VISION ACUITY TESTING

  VectorVision  

CSV-1000

and

ESV-3000

    02/28/17   02/28/37

 

FOREIGN

 

Country /
Number
  Title   Owner   Product   File Date   Expiration Date

CANADA

Patent

Application

2,864,154

  APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE MEASUREMENT OF MACULAR PIGMENT OPTICAL DENSITY AND/OR LENS OPTICAL DENSITY OF AN EYE   GHS   MapcatSF®   08/08/14    
                     

EUROPE

Patent

2811892

  APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE MEASUREMENT OF MACULAR PIGMENT OPTICAL DENSITY AND/OR LENS OPTICAL DENSITY OF AN EYE   GHS   MapcatSF®   09/09/14    02/11/33
                     

EUROPE

Patent

Application

18176935.7

  APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE MEASUREMENT OF MACULAR PIGMENT OPTICAL DENSITY AND/OR LENS OPTICAL DENSITY OF AN EYE   GHS   MapcatSF®   06/11/18    
                     

HONG KONG

Patent

Application

15105364.0

  APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE MEASUREMENT OF MACULAR PIGMENT OPTICAL DENSITY AND/OR LENS OPTICAL DENSITY OF AN EYE   GHS   MapcatSF®   06/05/15    
                     

HONG KONG

Patent

1204758

  APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE MEASUREMENT OF MACULAR PIGMENT OPTICAL DENSITY AND/OR LENS OPTICAL DENSITY OF AN EYE   GHS   MapcatSF®   06/14/19   02/11/33

 

The MapcatSF® patent, Patent 9,486,136, describes an apparatus for use in the measurement of the optical density of the macular protective pigment in the human eye, as well as an apparatus for the use in measuring the lens optical density of a human eye. The apparatus is particularly applicable to flicker photometers, which are used to measure the macular protective pigment in the human eye. The foreign counterpart patent applications describe the same invention.

 

Prior to the issuance of US Patent No. 9,486,136, the Company filed a continuation application, Patent Application 15/346,010, covering new embodiments around the MapcatSF® device. These new embodiments contain improvements related to the accuracy of intensity measurements made with the device, as well as updated features around photodiode detector calibrations.

 

The Lumega-Z® patent filing, Patent Application 14/028,104, describes a daily liquid supplement for ocular and body health containing at least one of the following: lutein, zeaxanthin, meso-zeaxanthin and astaxanthin for a human subject and for nutritionally supplementing macular pigments in the human eye. The micronized nutrients in a lipid-based emulsion described in the patent application are more efficiently absorbed into the bloodstream than conventional supplement formulations resulting in higher serum levels and increased macular protective pigment.

 

  - 46 -  
 

 

The Company recently filed Patent Application 62/859,885 for its new GlaucoCetin TM medical food product. A proprietary formulation was developed, which combined a cocktail of mitochondrial protectants with specific antioxidants to arrive at the final micro-nutrient composition for use in the treatment of glaucoma patients. The invention relates to micronutrient formulations for improving outcomes based on resolving conditions at the cellular response level in certain individuals suffering from particular diseases. More particularly, the invention relates to compositions affecting the eye, such as glaucoma. This application describes an invention that provides a micro-nutrient composition for a human subject suffering from a glaucomatous disease, wherein the micro-nutrient composition comprises a formulation for reversing mitochondrial dysfunction in glaucomatous disease.

 

Patent 10,016,128 describes a methodology to calibrate display monitors to automatically hold display luminance constant for vision testing. The method includes a measurement device that is placed on the peripheral areas of the display monitor and feedback software to communicate with a computer and automatically control display luminance. Manual control of luminance based on the output of the measurement device is also included. This invention is embodied in the CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 devices.

 

Patent 10,022,045 describes a methodology to continuously calibrate display monitors to automatically hold display luminance constant for vision testing. The method includes a measurement device that is placed on the peripheral areas of the display monitor and feedback software to communicate with a computer and automatically control display luminance. Manual control of luminance based on the output of the measurement device is also included. Calibration of the luminance provided by mirrors, if patients view the display monitors through mirrors, is also embodied in the invention. This invention is also embodied in the CSV-1000 and ESV-3000 devices.

 

Trade Secrets

 

The MapcatSF® device employs a proprietary algorithm for correcting macular pigment optical density measurements with respect to lens density effects. More particularly, the proprietary algorithm adjusts the photopic luminosity function for the age equivalence of the subject’s lens using a relationship disclosed by Sagawa and Takahashi ( J. Opt. Soc. Am. 18, 2659-2667 ). The algorithm is embedded in an integrated circuit block designed in such a way as to make it difficult to reverse engineer.

 

VectorVision’s CSV-1000 has proprietary testing charts that are not only copyright protected but can only be reproduced accurately by using special lithographs. These lithographs are kept secure, with very limited access, and are closely guarded trade secrets.

 

Trademarks

 

The Company utilizes trademarks on all current products and believes that having distinguishing marks is an important factor in marketing its products. The Company has six U.S. registered trademarks on the principal register at the USPTO. These marks are listed below. The Company has two foreign registered trademarks for its products and product candidates at this time and is evaluating whether additional foreign trademark protection is appropriate. U.S. trademark registrations are generally for fixed, but renewable, terms.

 

The Company currently owns and has exclusive rights to the following registered trademarks:

 

DOMESTIC

 

Registration No.   Mark   Owner   Product
5,025,658   GUARDION   GHS   Guardion Health Sciences, Inc.
5,757,377   LUMEGA-Z   GHS   Lumega-Z
4,997,319   MAPCAT SF   GHS   MapcatSF
4,341,403   VECTORVISION   VectorVision   VectorVision
4,500,241   CSV-1000   VectorVision   CSV-1000
5,092,549   GLAUCO-HEALTH   GHS   Glauco-Health

 

FOREIGN

 

Country/Registration No.   Mark   Owner   Product
China 27151643   LUMEGA-Z   GHS   Lumega-Z
China 27151644   MAPCAT SF   GHS   MapcatSF

 

  - 47 -  
 

 

Copyrights

 

In addition to patent and trademark protection, VectorVision relies on copyright protection and has common law copyright protection on the testing charts contained in the CSV-1000, which includes Vision Testing Chart #1, Vision Testing Chart #2 and Vision Testing Chart #3.

 

Medical Foods and Medical Device Manufacturing and Sources and Availability of Raw Materials

 

The Company outsources the manufacturing of its medical food products and medical devices to contract manufacturers. The Company processes orders through purchase orders and invoices with each manufacturer. The Company believes that there are multiple alternative sources, suppliers and manufacturers available for its products and devices in the event of a termination or a disagreement with any current vendor.

 

Government Regulation

 

Medical Food Statutory Definition and One FDA Regulation

 

Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938 (“FDCA”), products are regulated on the basis of their intended use. Their intended use is determined by the objective factors surrounding their use. Numerous categories and subcategories of products exist under the FDCA that could relate to the Company’s products, such as food, food additive, dietary supplement, GRAS food component, new drug, GRAS and Effective (“GRAS/E”) drug for over the counter use, and GRAS/E drug for use under the supervision of a physician. The categories overlap and products can fall within more than one category depending on their intended use.

 

The FDA has provided little guidance on the regulation of medical foods, as it is still a relatively new and evolving category of product under the FDCA.

 

The Company’s medical food products are defined and regulated by the FDA. The term medical food is a “food which is formulated to be consumed or administered enterally, or by mouth, under the supervision of a physician and which is intended for the specific dietary management of a disease or condition for which distinctive nutritional requirements, based on recognized scientific principles, are established by medical evaluation.” The FDA advises that it considers the statutory definition of medical foods to “narrowly” constrain the types of products that fit within the category of food (see May 2007 Guidance, and Food Labeling; Reference Daily Intakes and Daily Reference Values; Mandatory Status of Nutrition Labeling and Nutrition Content Revision proposed rule.) This is a Final Rule and binding regulation on nutrition labeling for conventional foods.

 

The only FDA regulation pertaining to medical foods exempts them from the nutrition labeling requirements that apply to conventional foods, but they are subject to special labeling requirements, as noted in the following excerpt:

 

(j) The following foods are exempt from this section or are subject to special labeling requirements:

 

(8) Medical foods as defined in section 5(b) of the Orphan Drug Act. A medical food is a food which is formulated to be consumed or administered enterally, or by mouth, under the supervision of a physician and which is intended for the specific dietary management of a disease or condition for which distinctive nutritional requirements, based on recognized scientific principles, are established by medical evaluation. A food is subject to this exemption only if: (i) It is a specially formulated and processed product (as opposed to a naturally occurring foodstuff used in its natural state) for the partial or exclusive feeding of a patient by means of oral intake or enteral feeding by tube; (ii) It is intended for the dietary management of a patient who, because of therapeutic or chronic medical needs, has limited or impaired capacity to ingest, digest, absorb, or metabolize ordinary foodstuffs or certain nutrients, or who has other special medically determined nutrient requirements, the dietary management of which cannot be achieved by the modification of the normal diet alone; (iii) It provides nutritional support specifically modified for the management of the unique nutrient needs that result from the specific disease or condition, as determined by medical evaluation; (iv) It is intended to be used under medical supervision; and (v) It is intended only for a patient receiving active and ongoing medical supervision wherein the patient requires medical care on a recurring basis for, among other things, instructions on the use of the medical food.

 

Unlike regulation for drugs and for dietary supplements, there is no overall regulatory scheme for medical foods, or even a pending proposed rule, meaning that no FDA rulemaking is in progress. However, a very detailed Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“ANPR”) entitled “Regulation of Medical Foods,” was published in the Federal Register on Nov. 29, 1996 (“ANPR 1996”). This ANPR never progressed to a proposed rule, or through the Notice and Comment procedure, or to an eventual Final Rule (binding regulation). However, the ANPR, in conjunction with the May 2007 and August 2013 Draft Guidance still represents the FDA’s position and policy on medical foods. This ANPR was in effect withdrawn, because on April 22, 2003, the FDA published a proposal to withdraw numerous long-pending proposed rules, including this ANPR. The FDA cited as its reasons for withdrawal, first, that the subjects are not a regulatory priority, and agency resources are limited; second, the proposed rules have become outdated due to advances in science or changes in the products or the industry regulated, or changes in legal or regulatory contexts; and, third, to eliminate uncertainty, so that the FDA or the private sector may resolve underlying issues in ways other than those in the proposals. In May 2007, the FDA issued its Guidance to Industry relating to medical foods (“2007 Guidance”), presumably because the medical foods sector was growing, but it did not engage in a formal rulemaking procedure, either because it did not have the resources and/or because the medical foods category is still lower priority than drugs and medical devices. A third draft guidance was issued in August 2013 further attempting to clarify the FDA’s position on medical foods (“August 2013 Draft Guidance”). Although the guidance has not been formalized, the Company maintains compliance with this draft guidance.

 

Medical Food Regulatory Requirements

 

Overview: Medical foods are FDA-regulated, but there is no complete set or scheme of regulations. There is no pre-market approval, or even pre-market notification required. Rather, it is the responsibility of the manufacturer and marketer to test for safety and efficacy before marketing and selling. The developer of a medical food must adhere closely to the statutory definition, and to the descriptions of a medical food in the sole FDA regulation regarding exemption from nutrition labeling, and in the 2007 Guidance and the August 2013 Draft Guidance.

 

  - 48 -  
 

 

Threshold Issue: The manufacturer must demonstrate that the disease or condition to be targeted, scientifically and medically, is a disease with distinctive or unique nutritional requirements. The FDA has stated that this is a “narrow category,” and that whether a product is valid for this category depends on the published medical science of the disease and its origins. The targeted disease or condition may be, or caused by, a metabolic imbalance or deficiency or the accelerated requirements for a certain nutrient caused by a disease state. The Company and its Scientific Advisory Board examine the distinctive nutritional requirements of a disease.

 

Formulation: A medical food may not be a single ingredient formula. Otherwise, that product would be a dietary supplement for a nutrient deficiency. A medical food formula must go beyond a mere modification of the diet. The formula must meet and satisfy the distinctive nutritional requirements, not merely ameliorate the symptoms. For example, Glucosamine or MSM, or an herb’s “active” constituent may indeed help osteoarthritis. One must demonstrate that these nutrients are the distinctive nutritional requirements for osteoarthritis.

 

Safety : There is no particular or mandated FDA pre-market safety studies required of the formula as a whole. However, all ingredients must be either GRAS or approved food-additives. Since medical foods are typically taken with prescription drugs, the developer must assess whether any medical food/drug interactions pose a risk. Many ingredients have been determined by the FDA to be GRAS and are listed as such by regulation. Other ingredients may achieve self-affirmed GRAS status through a panel of experts on that particular substance that author a GRAS Report. The standard for an ingredient to achieve GRAS status requires not only technical demonstration of non-toxicity and safety, but also general recognition and agreement on that safety by experts in the field. All ingredients used in the Company’s medical foods are either FDA-approved food additives or have GRAS status. The GRAS requirement for ingredients is arguably a higher safety standard than the risk/benefit analysis required for pharmaceuticals. Like any evolving area, especially where no premarket approval is required, the FDA reserves the right to raise questions about the qualification of products within any category as well as the labeling and manufacturing safety of those products.

 

Efficacy : No particular FDA pre-market efficacy studies are required by the FDA or by statute, similar to or comparable to Phase 2 & 3 trials for prescription drugs. However, a company must have data to demonstrate that the formula, when taken as directed, meets the distinctive nutritional requirements of the particular disease.

 

Manufacturing: There are no GMP regulations for medical foods in particular. Drug GMPs are not required, nor are the relatively new dietary supplement GMPs required; only food GMPs are required. The manufacture of the Company’s medical foods is outsourced in its entirety. The Company engages state of the art facilities that manufacture only nutritional supplements and medical foods.

 

Labeling: As for all food labels, printing must be legible, and many required elements must be conspicuous, such as a statement of identity, which is the name of the food; the statement: “Must be administered under the supervision of a physician or professional healthcare provider;” the quantity; the ingredients listing; the name and address of the distributor among other requirements.

 

Marketing: A medical food is a food product, thus the FDA does not regulate advertisements and promotional activities according to the pharmaceutical statutes and regulations; there is no side effects disclaimer or fair balancing required, as in direct to consumer (“DTC”) advertising of drugs on television. However, the FDA has a very broad definition of “labeling”; thus all promotional materials, including websites, are under the authority, monitoring and enforcement of FDA. The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) also has joint jurisdiction with the FDA over food products, per a 1983 Memorandum of Understanding. Thus, all advertising claims, both express and implied, must be true, accurate, well-substantiated, and not misleading.

 

Enforcement: Enforcement is post-market, mostly via annual FDA inspections of food facilities, including packaging, distribution facilities, and fulfillment houses, as well as the manufacturer. The FDA also gathers material at trade shows and conferences and examines websites. The FTC has joint jurisdiction, and performs sophisticated Internet searches, both randomly and at the request of the FDA or of a competitor.

 

Medical Device Regulatory Requirements

 

To fall within the purview of the FDA, a product must first meet the definition of a medical device, whereby it is then subject to regulation before and after it is marketed. Section 201(h) of the FDCA defines a device as “an instrument, apparatus, implement, machine, contrivance, implant, in vitro reagent, or other similar or related article, including any component, part, or accessory, which is ... intended for use in the diagnosis of disease or other conditions, or in the cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, in man or other animals.” If the product in question is not a medical device, then no regulation applies. If it is a medical device, then one must evaluate applicable regulation.

 

  - 49 -  
 

 

Since 1976, the FDA’s paradigm has categorized medical devices in three distinct classes based on the potential health risks to the public – Class I, Class II, and Class III. Medical devices are assigned a classification based on the level of control needed in order to provide the FDA reasonable assurance of the product’s safety and effectiveness. If a device represents a very low risk of injury, it is considered Class I and does not require any premarket approval. While most Class I devices are exempt from premarket notification requirements and regulations for good manufacturing practices, there are some general controls that companies must conduct such as registering the company with the FDA, listing the device, paying an annual registration fee and tracking device activity.

 

Devices that present an intermediate level of risk of injury to people are considered Class II. The FDA’s perspective is that for Class II devices “general controls alone are insufficient to assure safety and effectiveness.” In addition to general controls, Class II devices also require special controls such as specified content on labels, adherence to performance standards and surveillance of the product in the marketplace. Some medical devices are also subject to a “Premarket Notification” under Section 510(k) of the FDCA. Most Class I and some Class II devices are exempt from the 510(k) Premarket Notification requirement. If a Class II device is subject to the 510(k) requirement, the manufacturer must file a premarket notification with the FDA to demonstrate that the device is “substantially similar” to another Class II device already on the market. Establishing substantial similarity provides the FDA reasonable assurance that the device is safe and effective.

 

High risk devices are Class III. These are devices that either sustain human life or present an unreasonable risk of injury to humans. Because of the risks involved, the FDA does not believe that general or special controls are sufficient to assure safety and effectiveness. The FDA requires general controls and premarket approval (“PMA”) for Class III devices.

 

VectorVision is registered with the FDA and the CSV-1000 and the ESV-3000 medical devices are listed with the FDA as Class I medical devices. As Class I medical devices, the CSV-1000 and the ESV-3000 are safe medical devices each with a very low potential risk of injury to a patient. These devices do not require any premarket approval.

 

With the assistance of regulatory affairs consultants, the Company has determined the relevant predicate device for the MapcatSF is the MPS II, the applicable product code for the MapcatSF is HJW and the applicable Code of Federal Regulation is 886.1050. The FDA has determined that this particular predicate device, and related product code, is a Class I medical device. Based on this, the Company believes the MapcatSF is correctly classified as a Class I medical device, is a safe medical device with a very low potential risk of injury to a patient and does not require any premarket approval.

 

Stark Law

 

Congress enacted significant prohibitions against physician self-referrals in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993. This law and its supporting regulations, which have been amended and expanded substantially, are commonly referred to as the “Stark Law,” and prohibit a physician from making any referral of a Stark Designated Health Service (“DHS”) to an entity with which the physician has any kind of financial relationship, unless all of the requirements of a statutory or regulatory exception are met. Stark covered DHS include both outpatient prescription drugs and diagnostic testing that are reimbursable by Medicare or Medicaid. Many states have similar laws, some of which can apply to all payors and not just governmental payors. While the Company believes that its arrangements with its customers are in compliance with the federal and any state Stark Laws, the Stark Laws present different levels of risks as to the Company’s two lines of business: (1) sale of the Company’s medical food, Lumega-Z, and medical device, the MapcatSF; and (2) the Company’s performance of TCD testing.

 

1. Medical Food, Lumega-Z, and Medical Device, the MapcatSF. These products are neither prescription drugs nor are they reimbursable under any federal program at present. The federal Stark Law is thus inapplicable. Further, the Company’s believes that these products are also not covered under any potentially applicable state Stark Laws. The federal Stark Law, however, includes an exception for the provision of in-office ancillary services, including a physician’s dispensing of outpatient prescription drugs, provided that the physician meets specified requirements. To the extent that the products might become reimbursable under a federal program, or otherwise become covered under the Stark Law, the Company believes that the physicians who use the Company’s medical device, the MapcatSF, or recommend its medical food, Lumega-Z, to their patients are aware of these requirements. However, the Company does not monitor their compliance and has no assurance that the physicians are in material compliance with Stark II. If it were determined that the physicians who use the Company’s medical device or prescribe medical foods purchased from the Company were not in compliance with Stark II, it could potentially have an adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

2. The TCD Testing Business. The TCD tests performed by the Company can be reimbursed by Medicare or Medicaid and otherwise constitute a Stark covered DHS, which include diagnostic testing. In conducting TCD tests, the Company will be providing the tests to the ordering physician, who will be paying TCD as a vendor to perform the test on behalf of the physician; and the physician will then be billing for the test to third party payers, including potentially Medicare and Medicaid. As a result, the tests will be considered to be an in-office ancillary service covered under Stark. The Stark Law, however, includes an exception for the provision of such in-office ancillary services, provided that the physician meets specified requirements. The Company believes that the physicians who engage the Company as a vendor to perform the TCD tests are aware of these requirements. However, the Company does not monitor the physicians’ compliance and has no assurance that the physicians are in material compliance with the Stark Law. If it were determined that the physicians were not in compliance with Stark, such could potentially have an adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

  - 50 -  
 

 

Anti-Kickback Statute and HIPAA Criminal Laws

 

The federal anti-kickback statute (the “AKS”) applies to Medicare, Medicaid and other state and federal programs. AKS prohibits the solicitation, offer, payment or receipt of remuneration in return for referrals or the purchase, or in return for recommending or arranging for the referral or purchase, of goods, including drugs, covered by the federal health care programs. At present, the Company does not participate in any federal programs and its products are not reimbursed by Medicare, Medicaid or any other state or federal program. The AKS is a criminal statute with criminal penalties, as well as potential civil and administrative penalties. The AKS, however, provides a number of statutory exceptions and regulatory “safe harbors” for particular types of transactions. Many states have similar fraud and abuse laws and their own anti-kickback laws, some of which can apply to all payors, and not just governmental payors. While the Company believes that it is in material compliance with both federal and state AKS laws, the AKS laws present different levels of risks as to the Company’s two lines of business: (1) sale of the Company’s medical food, Lumega-Z, and medical device, the MapcatSF; and (2) the Company’s performance of TCD testing.

 

1. Medical Food, Lumega-Z, and Medical Device, the MapcatSF. At present, the Company’s products are not reimbursable under any federal program. If, however, that changes in the future and it were determined that the Company was not in compliance with the AKS, the Company could be subject to liability, and its operations could be curtailed. Moreover, if the activities of its customers or other entity with which the Company has a business relationship were found to constitute a violation of the AKS and the Company, as a result of the provision of products or services to such customer or entity, were found to have knowingly participated in such activities, the Company could be subject to sanctions or liability under such laws, including civil and/or criminal penalties, as well as exclusion from government health programs. As a result of exclusion from government health programs, neither products nor services could be provided to any beneficiaries of any federal healthcare program.

 

2. The TCD Testing Business. The TCD tests performed by the Company can be reimbursed by Medicare or Medicaid. As a result, the federal AKS (and potentially any state anti-kickback law) will be implicated to the extent the financial relationships between the physician customers and the Company are (1) not set at a fair market value amount unrelated to the volume or value of TCD tests being ordered; or (2) were found to be a circumvention of the AKS through the creation of a suspect contractual joint venture. If the Company’s arrangements with ordering physicians were found to constitute a violation of the federal AKS, or any applicable state anti-kickback law, we could be subject to sanctions or liability under such laws, including civil and/or criminal penalties, as well as exclusion from government health programs. As a result of exclusion from government health programs, neither products nor services could be provided to any beneficiaries of any federal healthcare program.

 

HIPAA Compliance and Privacy Protection

 

HIPAA established comprehensive federal protection for the privacy and security of health information. The HIPAA standards apply to three types of organizations, or “Covered Entities”: (1) health plans, (2) health care clearing houses, and (3) health care providers who conduct certain health care transactions electronically. Covered Entities must have in place administrative, physical and technical standards to guard against the misuse of individually identifiable health information. Additionally, some state laws impose privacy protections more stringent than HIPAA’s. There are also international privacy laws, such as the European Data Directive, that impose restrictions on the access, use, and disclosure of health information. All of these laws may impact the Company’s business in the future.

 

HITECH Act

 

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (“HITECH”) Act promotes the adoption and meaningful use of health information technology. The HITECH Act addresses the privacy and security concerns associated with the electronic transmission of health information, in part, through several provisions that strengthen the civil and criminal enforcement of the HIPAA rules.

 

Physician Sunshine Act

 

Health Care Reform Law provision, generally referred to as the Physician Payment Sunshine Act or Open Payments Program, has imposed new reporting and disclosure requirements for drug and device manufacturers with regard to payments or other transfers of value made to certain practitioners (including physicians, dentists and teaching hospitals), and for such manufacturers and for group purchasing organizations, with regard to certain ownership interests held by physicians in the reporting entity. The Centers for Medicine and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) publishes information from these reports on a publicly available website, including amounts transferred and physician, dentist and teaching hospital identities.

 

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Under the Physician Payment Sunshine Act applicable organizations are required to collect and report detailed information regarding certain financial relationships they have with physicians, dentists and teaching hospitals. The Physician Payment Sunshine Act preempts similar state reporting laws, although some companies may also be required to report under certain state transparency laws that address circumstances not covered by the Physician Payment Sunshine Act, and some of these state laws, as well as the federal law, are ambiguous. Because the Company’s medical devices are Class I, not subject to premarket approval, and not reimbursable under Medicare, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program the Company believes it is not currently subject to the Physician Payment Sunshine Act requirements. As the Company pursues commercialization of the MapcatSF® and considers introducing new products, these requirements will be reevaluated to determine their applicability to the Company’s activities.

 

The Federal False Claims Act

 

The Federal False Claims Act provides for the imposition of extensive financial penalties (including treble damages and fines of over $22,000 for every false claim) if a provider submits false claims to any governmental health program either knowingly or in reckless disregard or in deliberate ignorance of the truth or falsity of the claims at issue. Liability under the False Claims Act can arise from patterns of deficient documentation, coding and billing, as well as for billing for services that are deemed not to have been medically necessary for the treatment of the patient. Many states have their own False Claims Acts as well. The Company will be billing governmental health care programs for the TCD testing, and the False Claims Act is thus potentially applicable to the Company’s operations. The Company is putting in place a fraud and abuse compliance program that is designed to ensure that the Company’s documentation, coding and billing for TCD tests are accurate and compliant. Any patterns of uncorrected deficiencies in documenting, coding and billing for TCD tests, however, may result in fines and other liabilities, which may adversely affect the Company’s results of operations.

 

State Regulatory Requirements

 

Each state has its own regulations concerning physician dispensing, restrictions on the Corporate Practice of Medicine (“CPOM”), anti-kickback and false claim regulations. In addition, each state has a board of pharmacy that regulates the sale and distribution of drugs and other therapeutic agents. Some states require that a physician obtain a license to dispense prescription products. When considering the commencement of business in a new state, the Company consults with healthcare counsel regarding the expansion of operations and utilizes local counsel when necessary.

 

Many states prohibit or otherwise regulate under CPOM rules the extent to which non-licensed personnel may be involved in the practice of medicine or otherwise employ licensed personnel. Related state rules further limit the extent to which fees for professional services may be shared or “split” between parties. Under the TCD Testing line of business, such rules in some states my impact the Company’s relationship with the radiologists who will be reading and interpreting the results of the TCD tests, and thereby providing the “professional component” of such tests. The Company is structuring its financial and billing relationships with such radiologists to be in compliance with applicable state rules. Failure to comply with state CPOM and fee splitting rules, however, may result in fines and other liabilities, which may adversely affect the Company’s results of operations.

 

Other United States Regulatory Requirements

 

In the United States, the research, manufacturing, distribution, sale, and promotion of drug and biological products are subject to regulation by various federal, state, and local authorities in addition to the FDA, including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (formerly the Health Care Financing Administration), other divisions of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (e.g., the Office of Inspector General), the United States Department of Justice and individual United States Attorney offices within the Department of Justice, and state and local governments. Pricing and rebate programs must comply with the Medicaid rebate requirements of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 and the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992, each as amended. If products are made available to authorized users of the Federal Supply Schedule of the General Services Administration, additional laws and requirements apply. All of these activities are also potentially subject to federal and state consumer protection, unfair competition, and other laws. In addition, the Company may be subject to federal and state laws requiring the disclosure of financial arrangements with health care professionals.

 

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Foreign Regulatory Requirements

 

The Company may eventually be subject to widely varying foreign regulations, which may be quite different from those of the FDA, governing clinical trials, manufacturing, product registration and approval, and sales. Whether or not FDA approval has been obtained, generally the Company must obtain a separate approval for a product by the comparable regulatory authorities of foreign countries prior to the commencement of product marketing in those countries. In certain countries, regulatory authorities also establish pricing and reimbursement criteria. The approval process varies from country to country, and the time may be longer or shorter than that required for FDA approval.

 

Corporate History

 

Guardion Health Sciences, Inc. was formed under the name P4L Health Sciences, LLC in December 2009 in California as a limited liability company. The Company changed its name to Guardion Health Sciences, LLC in December 2009. In June 2015, the Company converted into a Delaware “C” corporation.

 

On January 30, 2019, the Company filed a Certificate of Amendment to its Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware to effectuate a one-for-two (1:2) reverse stock split (the “Reverse Stock Split”) of its common stock without any change to its par value. Proportional adjustments for the Reverse Stock Split were made to the Company’s outstanding common stock, stock options, and warrants as if the split occurred at the beginning of the earliest period presented in this Annual Report.

 

Property

 

The Company’s address is 15150 Avenue of Science, Suite 200, San Diego, California 92128. The Company’s corporate offices are rented under a five-year lease for approximately 9,605 square feet of space at a current rental of $12,816 per month. We believe these facilities will be adequate for our needs during the foreseeable future.

 

Employees

 

As of July 2, 2019, the Company had a total staff of thirteen, consisting of four officers and nine full-time employees. VectorVision had a staff of three, consisting of one officer, one full-time employee and one part-time employee, and Transcranial Doppler Solutions, Inc. had a staff of five, consisting of three officers and two full-time employees.

 

Advisory Boards

 

The Company’s research and development efforts are shaped by a Science Advisory Board with advice from a Medical Advisory Board consisting of practicing physicians. Both teams are committed to revealing and validating the connections between health and nutrition and then developing products based on these findings. Their joint goal is the integration of a medical model incorporating nutritional therapy into clinical practice.

 

Science Advisory Board

 

The Company’s Science Advisory Board is a product development and research team of esteemed experts in the fields of biochemistry, biophysics, and clinical nutrition. In addition to developing products based on scientific studies in the public domain, members of the Science Advisory Board conduct and publish their own evidence. Their expertise and the evidence they develop guide the formulation of all of the Company’s products. As an elite team of scientists and researchers, members of the Science Advisory Board contribute a high level of experience and judgment to the field of retinal health and nutrition. The Science Advisory Board currently consists of:

 

 

Richard A. Bone, BSc, PhD, FARVO

Dr. Bone is an experimental biophysicist and professor in the department of physics at Florida International University in Miami. Bone was just awarded The Presidential Award for achievement in macular pigment research and dedicated service to the carotenoid field.

     
 

John T. Landrum, BS, MS, PhD, FARVO

Dr. Landrum is a research scientist and professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Florida International University (FIU). Dr. Landrum was just appointed president of the International Carotenoid Society for the next 3 years.

     
 

William E. Sponsel, M.D., M.B., Ch.B., F.R.A.N.Z.C.O., F.A.C.S.

Dr. Sponsel established the Glaucoma Research and Diagnostic Laboratory at Indiana University in 1991, and was later recruited to the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in 1994, where he became Professor and Director of Clinical Research. He is presently Professor of Vision Sciences at UIW and Adjunct Professor of Biomedical Engineering at UTSA in San Antonio, Texas.

     
 

Robert J. Donati, PhD.

Dr. Donati has a PhD in Anatomy and Cell Biology with a minor in Neuroscience from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). He joined the faculty at the Illinois College of Optometry (ICO) in 2004 and has been an Associate Professor for the past 5 years. He is currently the Chair of the ICO Institutional Review Board.

 

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In memoriam of:

Sheldon Saul Hendler, M.D., Ph.D., FACP, FACN, FAIC – (1936-2012)

Dr. Hendler was the principal author and editor of the PDR for Nutritional Supplements. Dr. Hendler passed away suddenly in November 2012. He was the founding head of the Company’s Science Advisory Board. Dr. Hendler supervised and completed the formulas for Lumega-Z for the Company in 2011.

 

Medical Advisory Board

 

The Company’s Medical Advisory Board is composed of clinicians who are active medical practitioners. Members of the Medical Advisory Board consult with the Scientific Advisory Board on the current standards of care in relevant medical practices. Members of the Medical Advisory Board objectively advise on trends, needs, and issues of concern within their specialties. Their input helps shape the direction of the Company’s research and product development efforts. The Medical Advisory Board currently consists of:

 

 

Robert Ritch, M.D.

Dr. Ritch holds the Shelley and Steven Einhorn Distinguished Chair in Ophthalmology and is Surgeon Director Emeritus and Chief of Glaucoma Services at the New York Eye & Ear Infirmary, New York City and Professor of Ophthalmology at The New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York.

     
 

John A. Hovanesian, M.D., FACS

Dr. Hovanesian is faculty member at the UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute, a board-certified ophthalmologist, and an internationally recognized leader in the field of corneal, cataract, refractive, and laser surgery. He is the chairman of the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s online cataract surgery education committee and an editorial board member for five other eye journals.

     
 

Richard Rosen, M.D.

Dr. Rosen is a vitreoretinal surgeon and consultant at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary where he serves as Vice Chairman and Director of Ophthalmology Research, as well as Surgeon Director and Chief of Retinal Services. Dr. Rosen is Professor of Ophthalmology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Visiting Professor in Applied Optics at the University of Kent in Canterbury, UK.

     
 

William Trattler, M.D.

Dr. Trattler received the “Outstanding Young Ophthalmologist Leadership Award” from the Florida Society of Ophthalmology (FSO) and was elected President of the Miami Ophthalmology Society for 2006. In March 2006, Dr. Trattler was selected as one of the top 50 opinion leaders in Ophthalmology, as voted by his peers in a National survey.

     
 

James A. Davies, M.D.

Dr. Davies is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. He serves on the Medical Advisory Board of Bausch + Lomb Surgical, Inc., and is a consultant for Glaukos, Inc., Optovue, Inc., and Guardion Health Sciences. He also serves as an advisor to the Charity Vision Foundation.

     
 

P. Dee Stephenson, M.D.

Dr. Stephenson is a Board Certified Ophthalmic Surgeon with extensive expertise in micro-incisional cataract surgery and implantation of premium intra-ocular lenses, as well as custom femto cataract techniques. Dr. Stephenson has been recognized by numerous institutions for her expertise. She is also the current president (2015-2017) of the American College of Eye Surgeons (ACES).

     
 

Bridgitte Shen Lee, O.D.

Dr. Lee is the cofounder of Vision Optique. She also founded iTravelCE in 2010 and serves as a consultant and a speaker for various optical industry companies to introduce eye care professionals in the U.S. and Asia to the latest innovations. She served on the Houston Miller Theatre Advisory Board, and she currently serves on the Houston Ballet Foundation Board of Trustees.

     
 

Joseph S. Andrews, M.D.

Dr. Andrews is a member of the Private Internal Medicine Center (PIMC) at Scripps Clinic Torrey Pines, San Diego and has diplomate board certification from the American Board of Internal Medicine. He is currently a clinical mentor at St. Vincent de Paul Clinic. In 2009, he was listed among San Diego’s Top Doctors by San Diego magazine.

     
 

John E. Wanebo, M.D., FACS

Dr. Wanebo is the Director of Neurotrauma at the Scottsdale Healthcare System. Additionally, he serves as a staff neurosurgeon and Director of the Moyamoya Center at Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph’s Medical Center, in Phoenix, where he is also an assistant professor within the Division of Neurological Surgery. He is board certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery.

 

Legal Proceedings

 

The Company is periodically the subject of various pending or threatened legal actions and claims arising out of its operations in the normal course of business. Regardless of the outcome, such proceedings or claims can have an adverse impact on the Company because of defense and settlement costs, diversion of resources and other factors, and there can be no assurances that favorable outcomes will be obtained.

 

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MANAGEMENT

 

Set forth below is certain information regarding the Company’s current executive officers and directors based on information furnished to the Company by each executive officer and director. Each of the directors listed below was elected to the Board of Directors to serve until the Company’s next annual meeting of stockholders or until his or her successor is elected and qualified. All directors hold office for one-year terms until the election and qualification of their successors.

 

Name   Age   Position
         
Michael Favish   70   President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors
         
Robert Weingarten   67   Director, Lead Director
         
Mark Goldstone   56   Director
         
David W. Evans   63   Director, Chief Science Officer
         
Donald A. Gagliano   67   Director
         
John Townsend   58   Controller, Chief Accounting Officer
         
Vincent J. Roth   51   General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

 

Management Team

 

Michael Favish has been Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of the Board since the Company’s formation in 2009. He has more than 30 years’ experience in founding, developing and managing private and public companies, all of which the Company believes contribute to his qualifications as a director. He is an acknowledged and respected leader and innovator with hands-on experience in strategic marketing, brand building and product development. Mr. Favish founded Fotoball USA, Inc. (“Fotoball”), a pioneer in retail licensed products and marketing, in 1984. In 1994, Mr. Favish transformed Fotoball into a publicly held company with 200 employees and was listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market. After growing revenues from $7 million in 1994 to $50 million in 2003, Fotoball was acquired in January 2004 by an industry leading NYSE company. The Company believes that Mr. Favish’s experience in an entrepreneurial environment such as Fotoball is particularly suitable for the Company because it was a small, developing and entrepreneurial company introducing products of a kind that did not currently exist. Mr. Favish’s team building skills from his track record at Fotoball, are also applicable as the Company is still building its departments and leadership team. Mr. Favish developed familiarity with the capital markets and obligations of a public reporting company through his experience at Fotoball which is also pertinent to the Company as it engages in fund raising efforts and pursues its endeavor to become a public reporting company. These experiences collectively make Mr. Favish suitable to serve the Company as Chief Executive Officer and a director.

 

Robert N. Weingarten has been a Director of the Company effective June 30, 2015 and Lead Director on the Board of Directors since January 2017. He is an experienced business consultant and advisor with an ongoing consulting practice. Since 1979, he has provided financial consulting and advisory services and served on boards of directors of numerous public companies in various stages of development, operation or reorganization, which the Company believes qualifies him to serve on the Board of Directors. Mr. Weingarten was the CFO of Alltemp, Inc, from July 10, 2017 through June 28, 2018. Alltemp, Inc. was an SEC full reporting company until it filed a Form 15 on April 16, 2018. Mr. Weingarten was appointed as a director of Staffing 360, Inc. on February 25, 2014 and resigned this position on April 20, 2014. Mr. Weingarten was the Non-Executive Chairman of New Dawn Mining Corp. (“New Dawn”) from August 31, 2005 through September 30, 2010, and was named the Executive Chairman of New Dawn in October 2010. On July 8, 2010, Mr. Weingarten was appointed to the Board of Directors of Central African Gold Limited (formerly known as Central African Gold Plc and listed on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange at that time). Central African Gold Limited was an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of New Dawn. Both New Dawn and Central African Gold Limited have ceased to be publicly traded and reporting companies in their respective jurisdictions. On April 29, 2013, Mr. Weingarten was appointed to the Board of Directors of RespireRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., formerly known as Cortex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“RespireRx”), and was named Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of RespireRx. He resigned from those positions on February 17, 2017. Mr. Weingarten received a B.A. Degree in Accounting from the University of Washington in 1974, and an M.B.A. Degree in Finance from the University of Southern California in 1975. Mr. Weingarten is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive) in the State of California. Mr. Weingarten has considerable accounting and finance acumen, particularly with regard to public reporting requirements. He also has considerable experience in the pharmaceutical industry, which has many similar regulatory requirements supplement as the medical foods and medical device markets in which the Company operates. These skills and experiences make Mr. Weingarten particularly suitable to serve as a director and offer guidance to the Company.

 

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Mark Goldstone has been a Director since June 2015. Mr. Goldstone has over 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry, encompassing operations, commercialization and consulting. He has executed numerous M&A, financing and strategic partnership transactions, for a broad array of middle market and emerging growth companies in technology, life sciences and healthcare services, which qualifies him to serve on the Board of Directors. From 2007 to 2013, Mr. Goldstone was the global President of DDB Worldwide Communications Group Inc.’s healthcare business, where he was responsible for a global communications business spanning 40+ offices in over 36 markets. The business covered advertising, digital, integrated communications, healthcare professional promotion, branding, naming, design, market shaping, medical education and scientific communications. Mr. Goldstone has previously held senior positions at Publicis Healthcare Communications Group where he was responsible for the global Sanofi-Aventis business and at Interbrand where he was CEO of its global Healthcare business.

 

Mr. Goldstone moved from the United Kingdom to New York with Havas Group, where from 1996 to 2003 he held senior positions at Robert A. Becker, Euro RSCG and Jordan McGrath Case & Partners, Euro RSCG and ultimately at Euro RSCG Worldwide Headquarters, where he helped devise and build their global healthcare business – Euro RSCG Life Worldwide (Now Havas Life). Mr. Goldstone holds a BSc (Hons) in Pharmacy. He is a board member of the prestigious Galien Foundation and a board member of G3 Global Genomics Group. He is a member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain and is a past Co-Chairman of New York Corporate Development for the American Diabetes Association. Mr. Goldstone’s breadth of experience in sales, marketing and strategic transactions in the healthcare industry is particularly useful to the Company as it develops its business, commercializes products and builds its marketing channels. The Company believes that these experiences make Mr. Goldstone particularly suitable to serve as a director and guide the Company in the complexities of the life science and healthcare services industries.

 

Donald A. Gagliano has served as a Director since the Company’s initial public offering on April 9, 2019. Dr. Gagliano has been a member of our Scientific Advisory Board since June 2015. Since October 2018, Dr. Gagliano has been the principal of GMIC LLC, which provides healthcare consultation services primarily for health systems engineering and ophthalmology subject matter expertise. Dr. Gagliano does not currently hold any directorships and has not held any directorships within the past five years. From April 2013 to October 2013, Dr. Gagliano was the Vice President for Global Medical Affairs for Bausch+Lomb, Inc. From 2016 to present, Dr. Gagliano has served as the President of the Prevention of Blindness Society. From November 2008 to March 2013, Dr. Gagliano served as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs as the first Executive Director of the Joint Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Vision Center of Excellence (VCE). In 1975, Dr. Gagliano graduated from the US Military Academy at WestPoint with a degree in Engineering. In 1981, he received a Bachelor of Science in medicine from Chicago Medical School and in 1998 he received his Master of Healthcare Administration from Penn State University. Dr. Gagliano’s breadth of experience in the healthcare industry is particularly useful to the Company as it develops its business, commercializes products and builds its marketing channels. The Company believes that these experiences make Dr. Gagliano particularly suitable to serve as a director and guide the Company in the complexities of the life science and healthcare services industries.

 

David W. Evans has been a Director since September 2017 and Chief Science Officer. Dr. Evans is the founder of VectorVision, was appointed to the Company’s Board of Directors on September 29, 2017, the closing of the VectorVision acquisition, and thereafter was engaged as a consultant to serve as the Company’s Chief Science Officer. Dr. Evans is recognized as the leading expert in clinical contrast sensitivity and glare testing. He has provided his testing expertise and data analysis capability to a wide range of leading ophthalmic companies. Dr. Evans has published more than 30 scientific articles and 3 book chapters in the areas of refractive surgery, glaucoma, ocular blood flow and visual function, and is the inventor of 5 patents related to vision testing devices. Dr. Evans received his Bachelor of Science degree in Human Factors Engineering from the United States Air Force Academy, a Master of Science degree and Masters in Business Administration from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, and a Ph.D. in Ocular Physiology from Indiana University. The Company believes that these experiences make Dr. Evans particularly suitable to serve as a director and guide the Company in the complexities of the life science and healthcare services industries.

 

John Townsend has served as Controller since July 2016 and Chief Accounting Officer since March 2017. He has over 20 years of public and private company experience in industries including biotechnology, medical devices, and high-tech electronics manufacturing. Before joining the Company, Mr. Townsend worked at Cosmederm Biosciences, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company in 2016. From 2005 until 2015, he worked at Cytori Therapeutics, Inc., a stem cell therapy company. From 1996 to 2005, he worked at several high-tech companies, and he started his career at Deloitte (formerly Deloitte and Touche) after graduating from San Diego State University in 1993. Mr. Townsend is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of California.

 

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Vincent J. Roth has served as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary since April 2015. He is an experienced corporate attorney with over 19 years of experience serving as the General Counsel to public and private companies in the high-tech, healthcare, medical device, nutraceutical, and biotechnology industries. Mr. Roth has worked as the General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for NucleusHealth, LLC, a medical device and teleradiology company for ten years prior to 2015. Mr. Roth worked as a partner at InnovaCounsel, LLP providing general counsel services to clients from 2009 to 2018. In addition to managing legal affairs, Mr. Roth is very familiar with operating in highly regulated industries. Mr. Roth completed a Master of Laws in Intellectual Property at the University of San Diego where he graduated with honors. He also received a Master of Laws in Business and Corporate Law from the University of San Diego with honors, a Juris Doctor and an MBA from Temple University, a Master of Liberal Arts in Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania and a BBA in Marketing and Human Resources from Temple University.

 

Director or Officer Involvement in Certain Legal Proceedings

 

The Company’s directors and executive officers were not involved in any legal proceedings described in Item 401(f) of Regulation S-K in the past ten years.

 

Directors and Officers Liability Insurance

 

The Company has directors’ and officers’ liability insurance insuring its directors and officers against liability for acts or omissions in their capacities as directors or officers, subject to certain exclusions. Such insurance also insures the Company against losses, which it may incur in indemnifying its officers and directors. In addition, officers and directors also have indemnification rights under applicable laws, and the Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws.

 

Director Independence

 

The listing rules of NASDAQ Capital Market require that independent directors must comprise a majority of a listed company’s board of directors. In addition, the rules of the NASDAQ Capital Market require that, subject to specified exceptions, each member of a listed company’s audit, compensation, and nominating and governance committees be independent. Audit committee members must also satisfy the independence criteria set forth in Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act. Under the rules of the NASDAQ Capital Market, a director will only qualify as an “independent director” if, in the opinion of that company’s board of directors, that person does not have a relationship that would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director.

 

The Company’s Board of Directors has undertaken a review of the independence of the Company’s directors and director nominees and considered whether any director has a material relationship with it that could compromise his or her ability to exercise independent judgment in carrying out his or her responsibilities. Based upon information requested from and provided by each director concerning his background, employment and affiliations, including family relationships, the Board of Directors has determined that each of Messrs. Weingarten, Goldstone and Gagliano, representing three (3) of the Company’s five (5) directors, are “independent” as that term is defined under the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and the listing standards of the NASDAQ Capital Market. In making these determinations, the Board of Directors considered the current and prior relationships that each non-employee director has with the Company and all other facts and circumstances the Board of Directors deemed relevant in determining their independence, including the beneficial ownership of the Company’s capital stock by each non-employee director, and any transactions involving them described in the section captioned “—Certain Relationships and Related Transactions and Director Independence.”

 

Board Committees

 

In October 2018, the Board of Directors established an audit committee and a compensation committee, each of which are comprised and have the responsibilities described below. Each of the below committees has a written charter approved by the Company’s Board of Directors. Each of the committees reports to the Company’s Board of Directors as such committee deems appropriate and as the Company’s Board of Directors may request.

 

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Audit Committee

 

The audit committee is comprised of Robert Weingarten, Mark Goldstone and Donald Gagliano. Mr. Weingarten serves as the chairperson of the audit committee. the Company’s Board of Directors has determined that each member of the audit committee meets the requirements for independence and financial literacy under the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and the listing standards of the NASDAQ Capital Market. the Company’s Board of Directors has also determined that Mr. Weingarten is an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in the rules of the SEC and has the requisite financial sophistication as defined under the listing standards of the NASDAQ Capital Market. The responsibilities of the audit committee include, among other things:

 

  selecting and hiring the independent registered public accounting firm to audit the Company’s financial statements;
     
  overseeing the performance of the independent registered public accounting firm and taking those actions as it deems necessary to satisfy itself that the accountants are independent of management;
     
  reviewing financial statements and discussing with management and the independent registered public accounting firm the Company’s annual audited and quarterly financial statements, the results of the independent audit and the quarterly reviews, and the reports and certifications regarding internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls;
     
  preparing the audit committee report that the SEC requires to be included in the Company’s annual proxy statement;
     
  reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the Company’s internal controls and disclosure controls and procedures;
     
  overseeing the Company’s policies on risk assessment and risk management;
     
  reviewing related party transactions; and
     
  approving or, as required, pre-approving, all audit and all permissible non-audit services and fees to be performed by the independent registered public accounting firm.

 

The Company’s audit committee operates under a written charter which satisfies the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and the listing standards of the NASDAQ Capital Market.

 

Compensation Committee

 

The Company’s compensation committee is comprised of Mark Goldstone and Robert Weingarten. Mr. Goldstone serves as the chairperson the compensation committee. The Company’s Board of Directors has determined that each member of the compensation committee meets the requirements for independence under the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and listing standards of the NASDAQ Capital Market. Each member of the compensation committee is a non-employee director as defined in Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act. The purpose of the compensation committee is to oversee the Company’s compensation policies, plans and benefit programs and to discharge the responsibilities of the Company’s Board of Directors relating to compensation of its executive officers. The responsibilities of the compensation committee include, among other things:

 

  reviewing and approving or recommending to the board for approval compensation of the Company’s executive officers;
     
  reviewing and recommending to the board for approval compensation of directors;
     
  overseeing the Company’s overall compensation philosophy and compensation policies, plans and benefit programs for service providers, including the Company’s executive officers;
     
  reviewing, approving and making recommendations to the Company’s Board of Directors regarding incentive compensation and equity plans; and
     
  administering the Company’s equity compensation plans.

 

The compensation committee operates under a written charter which satisfies the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and the listing standards of the NASDAQ Capital Market.

 

  - 58 -  
 

 

Nominating and Corporate Governance

 

A majority of the independent directors of the Company’s Board are responsible for reviewing, on an annual basis, the appropriate characteristics, skills and experience required for the Board of Directors as a whole and its individual members. In evaluating the suitability of individual candidates (both new candidates and current members), the majority of the independent director of the Company’s Board, in recommending candidates for election, and the Board of Directors, in approving (and, in the case of vacancies, appointing) such candidates, considers many factors, including the following:

 

  diversity of personal and professional background, perspective and experience;
     
  personal and professional integrity, ethics and values;
     
  experience in corporate management, operations or finance, such as serving as an officer or former officer of a publicly held company, and a general understanding of marketing, finance and other elements relevant to the success of a publicly-traded company in today’s business environment;
     
  experience relevant to the Company’s industry and with relevant social policy concerns;
     
  experience as a board member or executive officer of another publicly held company;
     
  relevant academic expertise or other proficiency in an area of the Company’s operations;
     
  practical and mature business judgment, including ability to make independent analytical inquiries;
     
  promotion of a diversity of business or career experience relevant to the Company’s success; and
     
  any other relevant qualifications, attributes or skills.

 

Currently, the independent directors evaluate each individual in the context of the Board of Directors as a whole, with the objective of assembling a group that can best maximize the success of the business and represent stockholder interests through the exercise of sound judgment using its diversity of experience in these various areas.

 

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

 

None of the Company’s executive officers serves, or in the past has served, as a member of the board of directors or compensation committee, or other committee serving an equivalent function, of any entity that has one or more executive officers who serve as members of the Company’s board of directors or its compensation committee. None of the members of the Company’s compensation committee is, or has ever been, an officer or employee of the company.

 

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

 

The Company’s Board of Directors adopted a code of business conduct and ethics applicable to its employees, directors and officers, in accordance with applicable U.S. federal securities laws and the corporate governance rules of the NASDAQ Capital Market. The code of business conduct and ethics is publicly available on the Company’s website. Any substantive amendments or waivers of the code of business conduct and ethics or code of ethics for senior financial officers may be made only by the Company’s Board of Directors and will be promptly disclosed as required by applicable U.S. federal securities laws and the corporate governance rules of the NASDAQ Capital Market.

 

Corporate Governance Guidelines

 

The Company’s Board of Directors has adopted corporate governance guidelines in accordance with the corporate governance rules of the NASDAQ Capital Market.

 

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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

 

Summary Compensation Table

 

The following table sets forth the total compensation paid or accrued during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 to (i) the Chief Executive Officer, and (ii) the Company’s two next most highly compensated executive officers who earned more than $100,000 during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 and were serving as executive officers as of such date (these individuals are referred to as the “Named Executive Officers”).

 

Executive   Year   Salary     Bonus     Stock Awards     All Other
Compensation
    Total  
Michael Favish (1)   2018   $ 275,000     $ -     $ -     $   -     $ 275,000  
    2017   $ 250,000     $ -     $ -     $ -     $ 250,000  
John Townsend (2)   2018   $ 165,000     $ 3,000     $ -     $ -     $ 168,000  
    2017   $ 144,000     $ 10,000     $ 9,000     $ -     $ 163,000  
Vincent J. Roth (3)   2018   $ 156,000     $ -     $ -     $ -     $ 156,000  
    2017   $ 156,000     $ 10,000     $ -     $ -     $ 166,000  

 

(1) Michael Favish has been the Company’s CEO since inception. Mr. Favish received 2,750,000 units of membership interest at inception of the Company on December 1, 2009 when the Company was a California limited liability company, such units became 2,750,000 shares of common stock when the Company incorporated as a Delaware corporation on June 30, 2015. The Company accrued a salary of $250,000 for Mr. Favish in fiscal year 2017 and $275,000 in fiscal year 2018. Mr. Favish was awarded a stock grant on December 31, 2016 for services rendered for 25,000 shares of the Company’s common stock valued at $0.18 per share. Mr. Favish was engaged with a formal employment agreement in 2018.

 

(2) John Townsend began as the Company’s Controller July 1, 2016 with annual compensation of $144,000. Mr. Townsend was awarded a stock grant on December 31, 2016 for services rendered for 2,500 shares of the Company’s common stock valued at $0.18 per share. Mr. Townsend received a stock grant in August 2017 for services rendered for 50,000 shares of the Company’s common stock valued at $0.18 per share. Mr. Townsend was engaged with a formal employment agreement in 2018.

 

(3) Vincent J. Roth has served as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary since April 2015. On December 31, 2016, Mr. Roth was awarded a stock grant for services rendered for 7,500 shares of the Company’s common stock valued at $0.18 per share.

 

Employment Agreements

 

On December 21, 2018, the Company entered into an Employment Agreement (the “Agreement”) with Michael Favish, its President and Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of the Board, which agreement is effective as of January 1, 2019. Pursuant to the Agreement, Mr. Favish will serve in such positions for a term of three (3) years, and following the expiration of such three (3) year term, Mr. Favish’s employment shall be on an “at-will” basis, and such post-term employment will be subject to termination by either party at any time, with or without cause or prior notice.

 

Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, Mr. Favish is entitled to receive an annual base salary of $300,000 in 2019, $325,000 in 2020 and $350,000 in 2021. Mr. Favish shall be eligible for an annual bonus as follows: (i) the initial annual bonus target will be 100% of Mr. Favish’s salary for the applicable calendar year, and (ii) the actual bonus amount awarded will be based 50% on the achievement of Company financial and other performance metrics as determined by the Board and 50% as determined by the Board, in its sole discretion.

 

Additionally, the Company granted Mr. Favish a non-qualified stock option (the “Option”) to purchase 1,250,000 shares of common stock upon the completion of the Company’s initial public offering (the “Grant Date”). The Option term is five years from the Grant Date and the Option has a purchase price per common share equal to $4.40. The Option vests ratably over three years commencing one twelfth on June 30, 2019, and one twelfth at the end of each calendar quarter thereafter until fully vested.

 

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Mr. Favish shall devote his full business time and attention to the performance of his duties and is eligible to participate in benefit programs offered by the Company to similarly situated employees, which may include a paid time off program and medical benefits.

 

If Mr. Favish’s employment is terminated as a result of Mr. Favish’s death or permanent disability, Mr. Favish will be entitled to receive (i) any unpaid salary through the date of termination and any accrued vacation in accordance with Company policy; (ii) reimbursement for any unreimbursed expenses incurred through the date of termination; (iii) any bonus payments due and payable; and (iv) as and when due thereunder, all other payments, benefits or fringe benefits to which Mr. Favish may be entitled under the terms of any applicable compensation arrangement or benefit, equity or fringe benefit plan or program or grant or the Agreement (collectively, the “Accrued Amounts”).

 

If Mr. Favish’s employment is terminated by the Company for Cause (as defined in the Agreement) or if Mr. Favish terminates the Agreement voluntarily without Good Reason (as defined in the Agreement), Mr. Favish will be entitled to receive the Accrued Amounts, and the unvested portion of the Option shall terminate. Mr. Favish shall have ninety (90) days to exercise the vested portion of the Option in such circumstances.

 

If Mr. Favish’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause or if Mr. Favish terminates his employment for Good Reason, the Company shall pay Mr. Favish the Accrued Amounts (and the unvested portion of the Option shall continue in full force and effect under its terms) and, additionally, subject to (x) Mr. Favish’s immediate return to the Company of all Company property, and (y) Mr. Favish’s execution and non-revocation of a waiver and release (the “Release”), the Company shall pay as a lump sum the prorated bonus that would have been paid for the year of termination and any bonus for the year preceding termination, to the extent unpaid, and in addition Mr. Favish will be entitled to (i) a severance payment equal to his then current annual salary payable over a period of one (1) year and (ii) the potential reimbursement of certain COBRA expenses.

 

Finally, if Mr. Favish’s employment is terminated pursuant to a Change in Control Termination (as defined in the Agreement), the Company shall pay Mr. Favish the Accrued Amounts and, additionally, subject to (x) Mr. Favish’s immediate return to the Company of all Company property, and (y) Mr. Favish’s execution and non-revocation of the Release, the Company shall pay as a lump sum the prorated bonus that would have been paid for the year of termination and any bonus for the year preceding termination, to the extent unpaid, and in addition he will be entitled to (i) a severance payment equal to two (2) times his then current annual salary payable in a lump sum in the event that Mr. Favish’s termination occurs after the Change in Control or payable 50% in a lump sum if Mr. Favish’s termination occurs prior to the date of the Change in Control and 50% payable over a one (1) year period, (ii) with respect to the Option and any other outstanding equity awards time vesting (but not performance vesting, if any), accelerated vesting as to 100% of the then-unvested shares subject to the Option and other equity awards effective on the date that the Release becomes irrevocable (and Mr. Favish shall have 360 days (or until the date the Option is set to expire per its original term) to exercise the Option) and (iii) the potential reimbursement of certain COBRA expenses.

 

Mr. Favish will be subject to non-solicitation restrictions for a period of one (1) year following any termination of his employment and various other customary restrictions.

 

2018 Equity Incentive Plan

 

Our stockholders adopted the Guardion Health Sciences 2018 Equity Incentive Plan, or the 2018 Plan, on November 20, 2018. The purpose of the Plan is to attract and retain key personnel and to provide a means for directors, officers, managers, employees, consultants and advisors to acquire and maintain an interest in the Company, which interest may be measured by reference to the value of its common stock. The material terms of the 2018 Plan are summarized below.

 

Shares Available; Certain Limitations . The maximum number of shares of common stock reserved and available for issuance under the 2018 Plan is 3,000,000.

 

New shares reserved for issuance under the 2018 Plan may be authorized but unissued shares or shares that will have been or may be reacquired by the Company in the open market, in private transactions or otherwise. If any shares subject to an award are forfeited, cancelled, exchanged or surrendered or if an award terminates or expires without a distribution of shares to the participant, the shares of common stock with respect to such award will, to the extent of any such forfeiture, cancellation, exchange, surrender, withholding, termination or expiration, again be available for awards under the 2018 Plan except that any shares of common stock surrendered or withheld as payment of either the exercise price of an award and/or withholding taxes in respect of an award will not again be available for awards under the Plan.

 

  - 61 -  
 

 

2018 Plan Term . The 2018 Plan will terminate on November 20, 2028 (although awards granted before that time will remain outstanding in accordance with their terms).

 

Types of Awards . The 2018 Plan provides for the issuance of options, share appreciation rights (“SARs”), restricted shares, restricted stock units (“RSUs”), other share-based awards and cash awards to our officers, employees, directors, independent contractors and consultants.

 

Shares of common stock subject to an award under the 2018 Plan that remain unissued upon the cancellation or termination of the award will again become available for grant under the 2018 Plan. However, shares of common stock that are surrendered by a participant or withheld as payment of the exercise price in connection with any award under the 2018 Plan, as well as any shares of common stock exchanged by a participant or withheld to satisfy tax withholding obligations related to any award, will not be available for subsequent awards under the 2018 Plan. If an award is denominated in shares, but settled in cash, the number of shares of common stock previously subject to the award will again be available for grants under the 2018 Plan. If an award can only be settled in cash, it will not be counted against the total number of shares of common stock available for grant under the 2018 Plan. However, upon the exercise of any award granted in tandem with any other awards, such related awards will be cancelled as to the number of shares as to which the award is exercised and such number of shares will no longer be available for grant under the 2018 Plan.

 

Administration . The 2018 Plan is administered by our board of directors, or if our board of directors does not administer the 2018 Plan, a committee of our board of directors that complies with the applicable requirements of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and any other applicable legal or stock exchange listing requirements (each of our board of directors or such committee, the “plan administrator”). The plan administrator may interpret the 2018 Plan and may prescribe, amend and rescind rules and make all other determinations necessary or desirable for the administration of the 2018 Plan, provided that, subject to the equitable adjustment provisions described below, the plan administrator will not have the authority to reprice or cancel and re-grant any award at a lower exercise, base or purchase price or cancel any award with an exercise, base or purchase price in exchange for cash, property or other awards without first obtaining the approval of our stockholders.

 

The 2018 Plan permits the plan administrator to select the eligible recipients who will receive awards, to determine the terms and conditions of those awards, including but not limited to the exercise price or other purchase price of an award, the number of shares of common stock or cash or other property subject to an award, the term of an award and the vesting schedule applicable to an award, and to amend the terms and conditions of outstanding awards.

 

Restricted Shares and RSUs . Restricted shares and RSUs may be granted under the 2018 Plan. The plan administrator will determine the purchase price, vesting schedule and performance goals, if any, applicable to the grant of restricted shares. Unless otherwise determined by the plan administrator, if the restrictions, performance goals or other conditions determined by the plan administrator are not satisfied, the restricted shares and RSUs will be forfeited. Subject to the provisions of the 2018 Plan and the applicable individual award agreement, the plan administrator has the sole discretion to provide for the lapse of restrictions in installments or the acceleration or waiver of restrictions (in whole or part) under certain circumstances, including the attainment of certain performance goals, a participant’s termination of employment or service or a participant’s death or disability. The rights of restricted share and RSU holders upon a termination of employment or service will be set forth in individual award agreements.

 

Unless the applicable award agreement provides otherwise, participants with restricted shares will generally have all of the rights of a stockholder during the restricted period, including the right to receive dividends declared with respect to such shares; provided, however, that dividends declared during the restricted period with respect to an award will only become payable if  (and to the extent) that the underlying restricted shares vest. During the restricted period, participants with RSUs will generally not have any rights of a stockholder, but will be credited with dividend equivalent rights, unless the applicable individual award agreement provides otherwise.

 

Options . We may issue non-qualified stock options and “incentive stock options” (“ISOs”) (within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code) under the 2018 Plan. The terms and conditions of any options granted to a participant will be set forth in an award agreement and, subject to the provisions in the 2018 Plan, will be determined by the plan administrator. The exercise price of any option granted under our 2018 Plan must be at least equal to the fair market value of our common stock on the date the option is granted (110% of fair market value in the case of ISOs granted to ten percent stockholders). The maximum term of an option granted under our 2018 Plan is ten years. The amount of incentive stock options that become exercisable for the first time in a particular year cannot exceed a value of $100,000 per participant, determined using the fair market value of the shares on the date of grant.

 

Subject to our 2018 Plan, the plan administrator will determine the vesting and other terms and conditions of options granted under our 2018 Plan and the plan administrator will have the authority to accelerate the vesting of any option in its sole discretion. Treatment of an option upon termination of employment of a participant will be provided for by the plan administrator in the applicable award agreement.

 

  - 62 -  
 

 

Share Appreciation Rights . SARs may be granted under the 2018 Plan either alone or in conjunction with all or part of any option granted under the 2018 Plan. A free-standing SAR granted under the 2018 Plan entitles its holder to receive, at the time of exercise, an amount per share up to the excess of the fair market value (at the date of exercise) of a share of common stock over the exercise price of the free-standing SAR multiplied by the number of shares in respect of which the SAR is being exercised. An SAR granted in conjunction with all or part of an option under the 2018 Plan entitles its holder to receive, at the time of exercise of the SAR and surrender of the related option, an amount per share up to the excess of the fair market value (at the date of exercise) of a share of common stock over the exercise price of the related option multiplied by the number of shares in respect of which the SAR is being exercised. Each SAR will be granted with an exercise price that is not less than 100% of the fair market value of the related shares of common stock on the date of grant. Treatment of a SAR upon termination of employment of a participant will be provided for by the plan administrator in the applicable award agreement. The maximum term of all SARs granted under the 2018 Plan will be determined by the plan administrator but may not exceed ten years. The plan administrator may determine to settle the exercise of an SAR in shares of common stock, cash, or any combination thereof.

 

Each free-standing SAR will vest and become exercisable (including in the event of the SAR holder’s termination of employment or service) at such time and subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the plan administrator in the applicable individual free-standing SAR agreement. SARs granted in conjunction with all or part of an option will be exercisable at such times and subject to all of the terms and conditions applicable to the related option.

 

Other Share-Based Awards . Other share-based awards, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, shares of common stock (including dividend equivalents) may be granted under the 2018 Plan. The plan administrator will determine the terms and conditions of such other share-based awards, including the number of shares of common stock to be granted pursuant to such other share-based awards, the manner in which such other share-based awards will be settled (e.g., in shares of common stock, cash or other property), and the conditions to the vesting and payment of such other share-based awards (including the achievement of performance goals). The rights of participants granted other share-based awards upon the termination of employment with or service to us will be set forth in the award agreement. Any dividend or dividend-equivalent award issued under the 2018 Plan will be subject to the same restrictions and conditions as apply to the underlying award.

 

Cash Awards . Bonuses that are payable solely in cash may also be granted under the 2018 Plan and may be granted contingent upon the achievement of performance goals. The rights of participants granted cash awards upon the termination of employment with or service to us will be set forth in the applicable award agreement.

 

Equitable Adjustments . In the event of a merger, amalgamation, consolidation, reclassification, recapitalization, spin-off, spin-out, repurchase, reorganization, special or extraordinary dividend or other extraordinary distribution (whether in the form of common shares, cash or other property), combination, exchange of shares, or other change in corporate structure affecting our common stock, an equitable substitution or proportionate adjustment shall be made in (i) the aggregate number and kind of securities reserved for issuance under the 2018 Plan, (ii) the kind and number of securities subject to, and the exercise price of, any outstanding options and SARs granted under the 2018 Plan, (iii) the kind, number and purchase price of shares of common stock, or the amount of cash or amount or type of property, subject to outstanding restricted shares, RSUs and other share-based awards granted under the 2018 Plan and (iv) the terms and conditions of any outstanding awards (including any applicable performance targets). Equitable substitutions or adjustments other than those listed above may also be made as determined by the plan administrator. In addition, the plan administrator may terminate all outstanding awards for the payment of cash or in-kind consideration having an aggregate fair market value equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares of common stock, cash or other property covered by such awards over the aggregate exercise price, if any, of such awards, but if the exercise price of any outstanding award is equal to or greater than the fair market value of the shares of common stock, cash or other property covered by such award, our board of directors may cancel the award without the payment of any consideration to the participant. With respect to awards subject to foreign laws, adjustments will be made in compliance with applicable requirements. Except to the extent determined by the plan administrator, adjustments to incentive stock options will be made only to the extent not constituting a “modification” within the meaning of Section 424(h)(3) of the Code.

 

Change in Control and Qualifying Termination . Unless otherwise determined by the plan administrator and evidenced in an award agreement, in the event that (i) a “change in control” (as defined below) occurs and (ii) a participant’s employment or service is terminated by us or any of our successors or affiliates without cause or by the participant for good reason (if applicable) within 12 months following the change in control, then (a) any unvested or unexercisable portion of any award carrying a right to exercise will become fully vested and exercisable, and (b) the restrictions, deferral limitations, payment conditions and forfeiture conditions applicable to any award will lapse and such unvested awards will be deemed fully vested and any performance conditions imposed with respect to such awards will be deemed to be fully achieved at target performance levels.

 

  - 63 -  
 

 

Definition of Change in Control . For purposes of the 2018 Plan, a “change in control” will mean, in summary, the first to occur of the following events: (i) a person or entity becomes the beneficial owner of more than 50% of our voting power; (ii) an unapproved change in the majority membership of our board of directors; (iii) a merger or consolidation of us or any of our subsidiaries, other than (A) a merger or consolidation that results in our voting securities not continuing to represent 50% or more of the combined voting power of the surviving entity or our parent and our board of directors immediately prior to the merger or consolidation continuing to represent at least a majority of the board of directors of the surviving entity or its parent or (B) a merger or consolidation effected to implement a recapitalization in which no person is or becomes the owner of our voting securities representing more than 50% of our combined voting power; or (iv) stockholder approval of a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of us or the consummation of an agreement for the sale or disposition of substantially all of our assets, other than a sale or disposition to an entity, more than 50% of the combined voting power of which is owned by our stockholders in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of us immediately prior to such sale or a sale or disposition to an entity controlled by our board of directors. However, a change in control will not be deemed to have occurred as a result of any transaction or series of integrated transactions following which our stockholders, immediately prior thereto, hold immediately afterward the same proportionate equity interests in the entity that owns all or substantially all of our assets.

 

Tax Withholding . Each participant will be required to make arrangements satisfactory to the plan administrator regarding payment of taxes up to the maximum statutory tax rates in the participant’s applicable jurisdiction with respect to any award granted under the 2018 Plan, as determined by the Company. We have the right, to the extent permitted by applicable law, to deduct any such taxes from any payment of any kind otherwise due to the participant. With the approval of the plan administrator, the participant may satisfy the foregoing requirement by either electing to have us withhold from delivery of shares of common stock, cash or other property, as applicable, or by delivering already owned unrestricted shares of common stock, in each case, having a value not exceeding the applicable taxes to be withheld and applied to the tax obligations. We may also use any other method of obtaining the necessary payment or proceeds, as permitted by applicable law, to satisfy our withholding obligation with respect to any award.

 

Amendment and Termination of the 2018 Plan . The 2018 Plan provides our board of directors with authority to amend, alter or terminate the 2018 Plan, but no such action may impair the rights of any participant with respect to outstanding awards without the participant’s consent. The plan administrator may amend an award, prospectively or retroactively, but no such amendment may materially impair the rights of any participant without the participant’s consent. Stockholder approval of any such action will be obtained if required to comply with applicable law.

 

Clawback . If the Company is required to prepare a financial restatement due to the material non-compliance with any financial reporting requirement, then the plan administrator may require any Section 16 officer to repay or forfeit to the Company that part of the cash or equity incentive compensation received by that Section 16 officer during the preceding three years that the plan administrator determines was in excess of the amount that such Section 16 officer would have received had such cash or equity incentive compensation been calculated based on the financial results reported in the restated financial statement. The plan administrator may take into account any factors it deems reasonable in determining whether to seek recoupment of previously paid cash or equity incentive compensation and how much of such compensation to recoup from each Section 16 officer (which need not be the same amount or proportion for each Section 16 officer).

 

Indemnification . To the extent allowable pursuant to applicable law, each member of our board of directors and the plan administrator and any officer or other employee to whom authority to administer any component of the 2018 Plan is delegated shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company from any loss or expense that may be reasonably incurred by such member in connection with any claim, action or proceeding in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action or failure to act pursuant to the 2018 Plan and against all amounts paid by him or her in satisfaction of judgment in such claim, action or proceeding against him or her, provided, however, that he or she gives the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before he or she undertakes to handle and defend it on his or her own behalf.

 

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Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End

 

There were no outstanding unexercised options, unvested stock, and/or equity incentive plan awards issued to the Company’s named executive officers as of December 31, 2018.

 

Director Compensation

 

The Company accrued or paid compensation to its directors for serving in such capacity, as show in the table below.

 

Director   Year   Stock Awards     Fees Earned or
Paid in Cash
    Total  
Mark Goldstone   2018   $       -     $ -     $ -  
    2017   $ -     $ -     $ -  
Robert Weingarten (1)   2018   $ -     $ 60,000     $ 60,000  
    2017   $ -     $ 60,000     $ 60,000  
David W. Evans (2)   2018   $ -     $ -     $ -  
    2017   $ -     $ -     $ -  

 

(1) Mr. Weingarten was paid $60,000 in December 2017 as compensation for services as Lead Director provided to the Company during 2017. Mr. Weingarten earned $60,000 as compensation for services as Lead Director during 2018, of which $10,000 was paid in December 2018 and $50,000 was paid in 2019.

 

(2) Mr. Evans was appointed as a Director on September 29, 2017. The Company entered into a Consulting Agreement with Dr. Evans, dated as of September 29, 2017 (the “Consulting Agreement”), whereby Dr. Evans has been engaged to serve as a consultant to the Company to further the Company’s planned development and commercialization of the Company’s portfolio of products and technology. Dr. Evans was given the title of Chief Science Officer on April 1, 2018. The Consulting Agreement has an initial term of 3 years, with automatic one-year renewals unless earlier terminated. Dr. Evans is entitled to compensation of $10,000 per month.

 

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE

 

Except as set forth below, during the past three years, there have been no transactions, whether directly or indirectly, between the Company and any of its officers, directors or their family members.

 

On September 29, 2017, the Company completed the acquisition of substantially all of the assets and liabilities of VectorVision Ohio in exchange for 1,525,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, pursuant to the Asset Purchase and Reorganization Agreement (“Asset Purchase Agreement”), which was entered into on an arm’s-length basis. David W. Evans, a Director of the Company, owned 28% of the issued and outstanding shares of VectorVision Ohio and his wife, Tamara Evans, owned 72% of the issued and outstanding shares of VectorVision Ohio. VectorVision Ocular Health, Inc is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company formed by the Company in connection with the acquisition of assets from VectorVision Ohio. Dr. Evans was appointed as a director of the Company on September 29, 2017 pursuant to the Asset Purchase Agreement. The Company entered into a Consulting Agreement with Dr. Evans, dated as of September 29, 2017, whereby Dr. Evans has been engaged to serve as a consultant to the Company to further the Company’s planned development and commercialization of the Company’s portfolio of products and technology. The Consulting Agreement has an initial term of 3 years, with automatic one-year renewals unless earlier terminated. Dr. Evans is entitled to compensation of $10,000 per month for the first six months of the term of the Consulting Agreement and $7,500 per month for the remainder of the term of the Consulting Agreement. Additionally, on the same date, the Company and Dr. Evans entered into an Intellectual Property Purchase Agreement wherin the Company agreed to pay to Dr. Evans a commercially reasonable royalty payments on sales of goods relating to vision acuity testing during the term of the agreement. The parties agreed to negotiate the amount and the terms and conditions of the royalty in good faith.

 

Due to and from related parties represents unreimbursed expenses and compensation incurred on behalf of, and amounts loaned to the Company by, Michael Favish, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, as well as other shareholders. The advances are unsecured, non-interest bearing and are due on demand. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company had $0 and $146,133, respectively, due to related parties.

 

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SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

 

The following table sets forth certain information regarding the Company’s common stock, beneficially owned as of August 5, 2019 (i) each person known to the Company to beneficially own more than 5% of its common stock, (ii) each executive officer, director and director nominee and (iii) all officers, directors and director nominees as a group. The following table is based on the Company having 22,733,762 shares of common stock issued and outstanding as of August 5, 2019. The Company calculated beneficial ownership according to Rule 13d-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended as of that date. Shares of the Company’s common stock issuable upon exercise of options or warrants or conversion of notes that are exercisable or convertible within 60 days after August 5, 2019 are included as beneficially owned by the holder, but not deemed outstanding for computing the percentage of any other stockholder for Percentage of common stock Beneficially Owned. For each individual and group included in the table below, percentage ownership is calculated by dividing the number of shares beneficially owned by such person or group by the sum of the 22,733,762 shares of common stock outstanding at August 5, 2019, plus the number of shares of common stock that such person or group had the right to acquire on or within 60 days after August 5, 2019. Beneficial ownership generally includes voting and dispositive power with respect to securities. Unless otherwise indicated below, the persons and entities named in the table have sole voting and sole dispositive power with respect to all shares beneficially owned. Unless otherwise indicated, the address for each person listed is: c/o Guardion Health Sciences, Inc., 15150 Avenue of Science, Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92128.

 

Name of Beneficial Owner and Title of Officers and Directors   Shares of
Common Stock
Beneficially Owned
    Percentage of Common Stock
Beneficially Owned
Before Offering
    Percentage of Common Stock Beneficially Owned After Offering (g)  
                   
Michael Favish, Chief Executive Officer, President and Director (a)     3,326,800       14.50 %    

10.25

%
Robert N. Weingarten, Director     652,500       2.87 %    

2.02

%
Mark Goldstone, Director     525,300       2.31 %    

1.63

%
Donald A. Gagliano, Director     136,500       * %     * %
David Evans, Director and Chief Science Officer (b)     1,502,500       6.61 %    

4.66

%
John Townsend, Chief Accounting Officer and Controller     52,500       * %     * %
Vincent J. Roth, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary     132,500       * %     * %
All Officers and Directors as a Group (7 persons) (c)     6,328,600       27.59 %    

19.49

%
                         
5% Shareholders:                        
                         
Leon Krajian (d)     1,785,370       7.85 %    

5.53

%
Digital Grid (Hong Kong) Technology Co., Limited (e)     1,521,740       6.69 %    

4.72

%
Christopher Scangas (f)     1,289,245       5.67 %     4.00 %

 

* Less than 1%.

 

  (a) Consists of 2,750,000 shares of common stock issued on December 1, 2009 for services provided; 25,000 shares issued on December 31, 2016 for services provided; 342,467 shares issued on December 31, 2016 in exchange for accrued compensation owed; 1,000 shares of common stock purchased April 10, 2019 in the Initial Public Offering, which shares were registered on the S-1 Registration Statement that the SEC declared effective on April 4, 2019; and 208,333 shares of common stock shares issuable upon the exercise of a common stock purchase option granted April 9, 2019 with a per share exercise price of $4.40 per share and a five-year term (the “Favish Option”). Excludes 1,041,667 unvested shares of common stock underlying the Favish Option. The Favish Option vests ratably on the last day of each calendar quarter following the date of grant over a period of three (3) years and is subject to Mr. Favish remaining employed with the Company on the applicable vesting dates.

 

  (b) Consists of 1,371,000 shares of common stock issued on September 29, 2017 in connection with the 2017 acquisition of VectorVision, Inc., 6,500 shares of common stock purchased April 9, 2019 in the Initial Public Offering, which shares were registered on the S-1 Registration Statement that the SEC declared effective on April 4, 2019 and 125,000 of the shares issued in exchange for the VectorVision, Inc. acquisition serve as security for VectorVision, Inc.’s indemnification obligations under the Asset Purchase Agreement.

 

  - 66 -  
 

 

  (c) Unless otherwise indicated, the business address of each individual is c/o Guardion Health Sciences, Inc., 15150 Avenue of Science, Suite 200, San Diego, California 92128.

 

  (d) Consists of 772,270 shares of common stock issued upon the May 1, 2015 conversion of a master convertible promissory note issued November 29, 2012 for amounts invested from November 29, 2012 through September 11, 2014 for an aggregate amount of $317,500; 36,596 shares of common stock held in the name of Kailee Steward; 188,987 shares of common stock held in the name of Equity Trust Company Custodian FBO Leon S. Krajian IRA; 24,336 shares of common stock held in the name of ACS Associates 401K Plan; 49,591 shares of common stock issued upon the June 29, 2012 conversion of a $50,000 promissory note issued September 29, 2011; 458,153 shares of common stock issued upon the exercise of warrants, held in the name of The Leon S. Krajian Living Trust; and 236,514 shares of common stock issued upon the November 3, 2017 conversion of the holder’s shares of convertible preferred stock plus 18,923 shares of common stock issued as dividends on such preferred shares. Mr. Leon Krajian has voting and dispositive authority over these shares. Mr. Krajian’s address is PO box 1626, Crystal Bay, NY 89402.

 

  (e) Mr. He Zhitao has voting and dispositive authority over these shares, with a principal business address of 17 Floor Lianluo Building, Wangjing Street 10 th Yuan, Chaoyang District, Beijing, P.R. China.

 

  (f) Includes 1,289,245 shares of common stock. 1,037,877 of these shares are held in the name of Cynthia Elaine Trust dated December 12, 2014 consisting of 500,000 founder shares issued December 1, 2009; 34,844 shares of common stock issued upon the June 29, 2012 conversion of a $25,000 promissory note issued July 27, 2010; 186,294 shares issued upon the May 1, 2015 conversion of a $200,000 promissory note issued July 3, 2012; 91,739 shares issued upon the June 30, 2015 conversion of a $100,000 promissory note issued March 4, 2013; and 225,000 additional shares purchased in connection with the notes and issued on May 1, 2015. Chris Scangas has voting and dispositive authority over these shares. Of the remaining 251,368 shares, 69,375 are held in the name of Cynthia Elaine Scangas Dated June 12 2002-IRA rollover, BNY Mellon Trustee (Cynthia Scangas has voting and dispositive authority); and 181,993 shares held in the name of Jason Scangas, consisting of 68,125 shares of common stock issued upon the June 29, 2012 conversion of a $50,000 promissory note issued December 1, 2010; 35,938 shares issued upon the June 29, 2012 conversion of a $25,000 promissory note issued December 1, 2010; 62,490 shares issued upon the May 1, 2015 conversion of a $40,000 promissory note issued December 14, 2011; and 15,440 shares issued upon the May 1, 2015 conversion of a $10,000 promissory note issued February 2, 2012. Chris Scangas has voting and dispositive authority over these shares. Mr. Scangas’ address is 25 Sandpiper Strand, Coronado, CA 92118.
     
  (g) Assumes no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option.

 

  - 67 -  
 

 

Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.

 

Market Information

 

Our common stock is listed on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “GHSI.” As of July 10, 2019, there were approximately 154 record holders of our common stock.

 

Dividend Policy

 

The Company has not declared nor paid any cash dividend on its common stock, and it currently intends to retain future earnings, if any, to finance the expansion of its business, and the Company does not expect to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. The decision whether to pay cash dividends on its common stock will be made by its board of directors, in its discretion, and will depend on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements and other factors that its board of directors considers significant.

 

  - 68 -  
 

 

UNDERWRITING

 

We have entered into an underwriting agreement with the underwriters named below with respect to the shares of our common stock and related Warrants and Pre-Funded Warrants and related Warrants subject to this offering. Subject to certain conditions, we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, and the underwriters have agreed to purchase, the number of shares of our common stock, Pre-Funded Warrants and corresponding Warrants provided below opposite each underwriter’s name. Maxim Group LLC (“Maxim”) and WallachBeth Capital, LLC (“WallachBeth”) are acting as the representatives of the underwriters (the “Representatives”).

 

Underwriter  

Number of

Shares

   

Number of

Pre-Funded

Warrants

   

Number of

Warrants

 
Maxim Group LLC                                                        
WallachBeth Capital, LLC                  
Total                  

 

The underwriters are offering the shares of our common stock and related Warrants and Pre-Funded Warrants and related Warrants subject to their acceptance of our common stock, the Pre-Funded Warrants and the Warrants from us and subject to prior sale. The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the underwriters to pay for and accept delivery of the shares of our common stock and related Warrants and Pre-Funded Warrants and related Warrants offered by this prospectus are subject to the approval of certain legal matters by their counsel and to certain other conditions. The underwriters are obligated to take and pay for all of the shares of our common stock and related Warrants and Pre-Funded Warrants and related Warrants if any such shares of our common stock and related Warrants or Pre-Funded Warrants and related Warrants are taken.

 

We have granted the underwriters an option for a period of 45 days from the date of this prospectus to purchase up to an additional 1,428,571 shares of common stock and/or Warrants to purchase 1,428,571 shares of common stock at the public offering price, less the underwriting discount.

 

Discounts and Expenses

 

The underwriters have advised us that they propose to offer the shares of our common stock, Pre-Funded Warrants and related Warrants to the public at the respective public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and to certain dealers at that price less a concession not in excess of $               per share of our common stock and related Warrant or $               per Pre-Funded Warrants and related Warrants. After this offering, the public offering price and concession to dealers may be changed by the representative. No such change shall change the amount of proceeds to be received by us as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. The shares of our common stock, Pre-Funded Warrants and related Warrants are offered by the underwriters as stated herein, subject to receipt and acceptance by them and subject to their right to reject any order in whole or in part. The underwriters have informed us that they do not intend to confirm sales to any accounts over which they exercise discretionary authority.

 

  - 69 -  
 

 

The following table shows the public offering price, underwriting discount payable to the underwriters by us and proceeds before expenses to us, assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares of common stock and/or Warrants. The underwriting commissions are equal to the combined public offering price per share, of common stock, per Pre-Funded Warrant and related Warrant, less the amount per share the underwriters pay us for the shares of common stock, Pre-Funded Warrants and Warrants:

 

    Per Share    

Per Pre- Funded

Warrant

   

Per

Warrant

   

Total without
Over- Allotment

Option

   

Total with

Over- Allotment

Option (1)

 
Public offering price   $          $                   $              $          
Underwriting discount and commissions (8.0%)   $     $                 $     $  
Proceeds, before expenses to us (2)   $     $           $     $  
Non-accountable expense allowance (1.0%) (3)   $     $           $     $  

 

 

(1) Assumes exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment to purchase shares of common stock and Warrants.

(2) Excluding the proceeds, if any, from the exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants and Warrants.

(3) The non-accountable expense allowance will not payable with respect to Representatives’ exercise of the over- allotment option.

 

In addition to the 1.0% non-accountable expense allowance, we have also agreed to reimburse the underwriters for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses not to exceed $110,000 in the aggregate in addition to the expenses related to one or more “road show” marketing trips up to a maximum of $10,000. We estimate that total expenses payable by us in connection with this offering, other than the underwriting discount and non-accountable expense allowance referred to above, will be approximately $445,552.

 

Indemnification

 

We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

 

Lock-up Agreements

 

We, our officers and directors and the holders of seven percent or more (7.0%) of the outstanding shares of our common stock as of the effective date of this offering, have agreed, subject to limited exceptions, for a period of 180 days after the closing of this offering, not to offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase, make any short sale or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly any shares of common stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock either owned as of the date of the underwriting agreement or thereafter acquired without the prior written consent of Maxim. Maxim may, in its sole discretion and at any time or from time to time before the termination of the lock-up period, without notice, release all or any portion of the securities subject to lock-up agreements.

 

Underwriters’ Warrants

 

We have agreed to issue to the Representatives underwriters’ warrants (the “Underwriters’ Warrants”) to purchase up to a total of             shares of our common stock (8% of the shares of common stock and the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants sold in this offering, excluding the over-allotment) with 50% of the Underwriter’s Warrants being issued to Maxim and 50% of the Underwriters’ Warrants being issued to WallachBeth. The Underwriters’ Warrants will be exercisable at any time, and from time to time, in whole or in part, during the four and a half year period commencing 180 days from the effective date of this offering, which period shall not extend further than five years from the effective date of this offering in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(G)(i). The Underwriters’ Warrants are exercisable at a per share price equal to $               per share, or 125% of the public offering price per share of common stock issued and sold in this offering (based on the initial offering price of $               per share). The Underwriters’ Warrants have been deemed compensation by FINRA and are therefore subject to a 180 day lock-up pursuant to Rule 5110(g)(1) of FINRA. The Representatives (or permitted assignees under Rule 5110(g)(1)) will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge, or hypothecate these Underwriters’ Warrants or the securities underlying these warrants, nor will they engage in any hedging, short sale, derivative, put, or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of the Underwriters’ Warrants or the underlying securities for a period of 180 days from the effective date of this offering. In addition, the Underwriters’ Warrants provide for registration rights upon request, in certain cases. In addition, the Underwriters’ Warrants provide for registration rights upon request, in certain cases. The demand registration right provided will not be greater than five years from the effective date of this offering in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(G)(iv). The piggyback registration right provided will not be greater than seven years from the effective date of this offering in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(G)(v). We will bear all fees and expenses attendant to registering the securities issuable on exercise of the Underwriters’ Warrants other than underwriting commissions incurred and payable by the holders. The exercise price and number of shares issuable upon exercise of the Underwriters’ Warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a stock dividend, extraordinary cash dividend or our recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. However, the warrant exercise price or underlying shares will not be adjusted for issuances of shares of common stock at a price below the warrant exercise price.

 

  - 70 -  
 

 

Right of First Refusal

 

Subject to the closing of this offering with gross proceeds in an amount equal to or above $10,000,000, and certain conditions set forth in the underwriting agreement, until fifteen (15) months from the closing date of this offering, the Representatives shall have a right of first refusal to act as book running manager, lead underwriter and lead placement agent, at their sole discretion, for each and every of our future public or private equity, equity-linked or debt (excluding commercial bank debt) offerings for us, or any of our successors or subsidiaries, on terms customary to the Representatives during such fifteen (15) month period. This right of first refusal shall apply to Maxim and WallachBeth equally (i.e., 50% of the economic benefits to Maxim and 50% of the economic benefits to WallachBeth). The Representatives in conjunction with us, shall have the sole right to determine whether or not any other broker-dealer shall have the right to participate in any such offering and the economic terms of any such participation.

 

Subject to the closing of this offering with gross proceeds in an amount less than $10,000,000 and greater than $5,000,000, and certain conditions set forth in the underwriting agreement, until twelve (12) months from the closing date of this offering, the Representatives shall have a right of first refusal to act as book running manager, lead underwriter and lead placement agent, at their sole discretion, for each and every of our future public or private equity, equity-linked or debt (excluding commercial bank debt) offerings for us, or any of our successors or subsidiaries, on terms customary to the Representatives during such twelve (12) month period. This right of first refusal shall apply to Maxim and WallachBeth equally (i.e., 50% of the economic benefits to Maxim and 50% of the economic benefits to WallachBeth). The Representatives in conjunction with us, shall have the sole right to determine whether or not any other broker-dealer shall have the right to participate in any such offering and the economic terms of any such participation.

 

Subject to the closing of this offering with gross proceeds in an amount less than $5,000,000, and certain conditions set forth in the underwriting agreement, for a period of six (6) months from the closing date of this offering, the Representatives shall have a right of first refusal to act as book running manager, lead underwriter and lead placement agent, at their sole discretion, for each and every of our future public or private equity, equity-linked or debt (excluding commercial bank debt) offerings for us, or any of our successors or subsidiaries, on terms customary to the Representatives during such six (6) month period. This right of first refusal shall apply to Maxim and WallachBeth equally (i.e., 50% of the economic benefits to Maxim and 50% of the economic benefits to WallachBeth). The Representatives in conjunction with us, shall have the sole right to determine whether or not any other broker-dealer shall have the right to participate in any such offering and the economic terms of any such participation.

 

Price Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids

 

In connection with this offering the underwriters may engage in stabilizing transactions, over-allotment transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act:

 

  Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum.

 

  Over-allotment involves sales by the underwriters of shares in excess of the number of shares the underwriters are obligated to purchase, which creates a syndicate short position. The short position may be either a covered short position or a naked short position. In a covered short position, the number of shares over-allotted by the underwriters is not greater than the number of shares that they may purchase in the over-allotment option. In a naked short position, the number of shares involved is greater than the number of shares in the over-allotment option. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their over-allotment option and/or purchasing shares in the open market.

 

  - 71 -  
 

 

  Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the common stock in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions. In determining the source of shares to close out the short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase shares through the over-allotment option. A naked short position occurs if the underwriters sell more shares than could be covered by the over-allotment option. This position can only be closed out by buying shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there could be downward pressure on the price of the shares in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in this offering.
     
  Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the common stock originally sold by the syndicate member is purchased in a stabilizing or syndicate covering transaction to cover syndicate short positions.

 

These stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our common stock or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the common stock. As a result, the price of our common stock may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. These transactions may be discontinued at any time.

 

Neither we nor the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of our shares of common stock. In addition, neither we nor the underwriters make any representation that the underwriters will engage in these transactions or that any transaction, if commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.

 

Electronic Distribution

 

This prospectus in electronic format may be made available on websites or through other online services maintained by the underwriters, or by their affiliates. Other than this prospectus in electronic format, the information on the underwriters’ websites and any information contained in any other websites maintained by the underwriters is not part of this prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, has not been approved and/or endorsed by us or the underwriters in their capacity as underwriters, and should not be relied upon by investors.

 

Other

 

From time to time, the underwriters and/or their affiliates have provided, and may in the future provide, various investment banking and other financial services for us for which services it has received and, may in the future receive, customary fees. Except for the services provided in connection with this offering and other than as described below, the underwriters have not provided any investment banking or other financial services during the 180-day period preceding the date of this prospectus.

 

On April 9, 2019, we completed our initial public offering of 1,250,000 shares of our common stock. The shares were sold at the public offering price of $4.00 per share. WallachBeth acted as an underwriter in connection with such offering.

 

In connection with the closing of the initial public offering, we granted WallachBeth, with certain exceptions, a right of first negotiation to co-manage the next public underwriting of our debt or equity securities immediately following the initial public offering, with WallachBeth receiving the right to underwrite or place a number of the securities to be sold in such offering having an aggregate purchase price equal to a minimum of the aggregate purchase price of $10,000,000, until twelve months after completion of the initial public offering.

 

  - 72 -  
 

 

Notice to Prospective Investors in Canada

 

This prospectus constitutes an “exempt offering document” as defined in and for the purposes of applicable Canadian securities laws. No prospectus has been filed with any securities commission or similar regulatory authority in Canada in connection with the offer and sale of the securities. No securities commission or similar regulatory authority in Canada has reviewed or in any way passed upon this prospectus or on the merits of the securities and any representation to the contrary is an offence.

 

Canadian investors are advised that this prospectus has been prepared in reliance on section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (“NI 33-105”). Pursuant to section 3A.3 of NI 33-105, this prospectus is exempt from the requirement that the Company and the underwriter(s) provide Canadian investors with certain conflicts of interest disclosure pertaining to “connected issuer” and/or “related issuer” relationships that may exist between the Company and the underwriter(s) as would otherwise be required pursuant to subsection 2.1(1) of NI 33-105.

 

Resale Restrictions

 

The offer and sale of the securities in Canada is being made on a private placement basis only and is exempt from the requirement that the Company prepares and files a prospectus under applicable Canadian securities laws. Any resale of securities acquired by a Canadian investor in this offering must be made in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws, which may vary depending on the relevant jurisdiction, and which may require resales to be made in accordance with Canadian prospectus requirements, pursuant to a statutory exemption from the prospectus requirements, in a transaction exempt from the prospectus requirements or otherwise under a discretionary exemption from the prospectus requirements granted by the applicable local Canadian securities regulatory authority. These resale restrictions may under certain circumstances apply to resales of the securities outside of Canada.

 

Representations of Purchasers

 

Each Canadian investor who purchases securities will be deemed to have represented to the Company, the underwriters and to each dealer from whom a purchase confirmation is received, as applicable, that the investor is (i) purchasing as principal, or is deemed to be purchasing as principal in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws, for investment only and not with a view to resale or redistribution; (ii) an “accredited investor” as such term is defined in section 1.1 of National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or, in Ontario, as such term is defined in section 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario); and (iii) is a “permitted client” as such term is defined in section 1.1 of National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations .

 

Taxation and Eligibility for Investment

 

Any discussion of taxation and related matters contained in this prospectus does not purport to be a comprehensive description of all of the tax considerations that may be relevant to a Canadian investor when deciding to purchase the securities and, in particular, does not address any Canadian tax considerations. No representation or warranty is hereby made as to the tax consequences to a resident, or deemed resident, of Canada of an investment in the securities or with respect to the eligibility of the securities for investment by such investor under relevant Canadian federal and provincial legislation and regulations.

 

Rights of Action for Damages or Rescission

 

Securities legislation in certain of the Canadian jurisdictions provides certain purchasers of securities pursuant to an offering memorandum (such as this prospectus), including where the distribution involves an “eligible foreign security” as such term is defined in Ontario Securities Commission Rule 45-501 Ontario Prospectus and Registration Exemptions and in Multilateral Instrument 45-107 Listing Representation and Statutory Rights of Action Disclosure Exemptions , as applicable, with a remedy for damages or rescission, or both, in addition to any other rights they may have at law, where the offering memorandum, or other offering document that constitutes an offering memorandum, and any amendment thereto, contains a “misrepresentation” as defined under applicable Canadian securities laws. These remedies, or notice with respect to these remedies, must be exercised or delivered, as the case may be, by the purchaser within the time limits prescribed under, and are subject to limitations and defenses under, applicable Canadian securities legislation. In addition, these remedies are in addition to and without derogation from any other right or remedy available at law to the investor.

 

Language of Documents

 

Upon receipt of this document, each Canadian investor hereby confirms that it has expressly requested that all documents evidencing or relating in any way to the sale of the securities described herein (including for greater certainty any purchase confirmation or any notice) be drawn up in the English language only. Par la réception de ce document, chaque investisseur canadien confirme par les présentes qu’il a expressément exigé que tous les documents faisant foi ou se rapportant de quelque manière que ce soit à la vente des valeurs mobilières décrites aux présentes (incluant, pour plus de certitude, toute confirmation d’achat ou tout avis) soient rédigés en anglais seulement.

 

Offers Outside the United States

 

Other than in the United States, no action has been taken by us or the underwriters that would permit a public offering of the securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. The securities offered by this prospectus may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, nor may this prospectus or any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the offer and sale of any such securities be distributed or published in any jurisdiction, except under circumstances that will result in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of that jurisdiction. Persons into whose possession this prospectus comes are advised to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to the offering and the distribution of this prospectus. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or a solicitation is unlawful.

 

  - 73 -  
 

 

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

 

Authorized and Outstanding Capital Stock

 

The following description of the Company’s capital stock and provisions of its certificate of incorporation and by-laws are summaries and are qualified by reference to the Company’s certificate of incorporation and by-laws.

 

The Company has 100,000,000 shares of capital stock, par value $0.001 per share, authorized of which 90,000,000 are shares of common stock and 10,000,000 are shares of “blank check” preferred stock.

 

On January 30, 2019, the Company filed a Certificate of Amendment to its Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “Amendment”), with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware to effectuate a one-for-two (1:2) reverse stock split (the “Reverse Stock Split”) of its common stock, par value $0.001 per share, without any change to its par value. The Amendment became effective on the filing date. The number of shares authorized for common and preferred stock were not affected by the Reverse Stock Split. No fractional shares were issued in connection with the Reverse Stock Split as all fractional shares were “rounded up” to the next whole share. Proportional adjustments for the Reverse Stock Split were made to the Company’s outstanding common stock, stock options, and warrants for all periods presented.

 

As of August 5, 2019, the Company had outstanding 22,733,762 shares of common stock held by approximately 154 shareholders of record.

 

No shares of preferred stock are outstanding.

 

  - 74 -  
 

 

Common Stock

 

The holders of the Company’s common stock are entitled to one vote per share. In addition, the holders of the Company’s common stock will be entitled to receive dividends ratably, if any, declared by the Company’s board of directors out of legally available funds; however, the current policy of the board of directors is to retain earnings, if any, for operations and growth. Upon liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, the holders of the Company’s common stock are entitled to share ratably in all assets that are legally available for distribution. The holders of the Company’s common stock have no preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights. The rights, preferences and privileges of holders of the Company’s common stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock, which may be designated solely by action of the board of directors and issued in the future.

 

Preferred Stock

 

The Company’s board of directors are authorized, subject to any limitations prescribed by law, without further vote or action by its stockholders, to issue from time to time shares of preferred stock in one or more series. Each series of preferred stock will have the number of shares, designations, preferences, voting powers, qualifications and special or relative rights or privileges as shall be determined by the Company’s board of directors, which may include, among others, dividend rights, voting rights, liquidation preferences, conversion rights and preemptive rights.

 

It is not possible to state the actual effect of the issuance of any shares of preferred stock upon the rights of holders of the Company’s common stock until the board of directors determines the specific rights of the holders of its preferred stock. However, the effects might include, among other things:

 

  Impairing dividend rights of the Company’s common stock;
     
  Diluting the voting power of the Company’s common stock;
     
  Impairing the liquidation rights of the Company’s common stock; and
     
  Delaying or preventing a change of control without further action by the Company’s stockholders.

 

Blank Check Preferred Stock

 

The ability to authorize “blank check” preferred stock makes it possible for the Company’s board of directors to issue preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences that could impede the success of any attempt to acquire the Company. These and other provisions may have the effect of deferring hostile takeovers or delaying changes in control or management of the Company.

 

Common Stock Purchase Warrants

 

As of August 5, 2019, the Company had outstanding warrants to purchase 261,538 shares of its common stock outstanding with various exercise prices and expiration dates, held by 9 warrant holders.

 

Common Stock Purchase Options

 

As of August 5, 2019, the Company had stock options to purchase 2,612,500 shares of its common stock outstanding, 1,287,500 of which were exercisable, with various exercise prices and expiration dates, held by 6 option holders.

 

Transfer Agent

 

The Company’s transfer agent is VStock Transfer with an address 18 Lafayette Pl, Woodmere, NY 11598.

 

  - 75 -  
 

 

Indemnification of Directors and Officers

 

Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved (including, without limitation, as a witness) in any actual or threatened action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director of the Company or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (hereinafter an “indemnitee”), whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, employee or agent, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company to the full extent authorized by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (“Delaware Code”), as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Company to provide broader indemnification rights than said law permitted the Company to provide prior to such amendment), or by other applicable law as then in effect, against all expense, liability and loss (including attorney’s fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts to be paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred or suffered by such indemnitee in connection therewith and such indemnification shall continue as to an indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the indemnitee’s heirs, executors and administrators. The right to indemnification conferred shall be a contract right and shall include the right to be paid by the Company the expenses incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition (hereinafter an “advancement of expenses”); provided, however, that, if the Delaware Code requires, an advancement of expenses incurred by an indemnitee in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such indemnitee while a director or officer, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon delivery to the Company of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified under. Any person who is or was serving as a director of a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company shall be deemed, for indemnification purposes, to be a director or officer of the Company entitled to indemnification under the Company’s bylaws and the Delaware Code. The Company may by action of its Board of Directors, grant rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses to and agents of the Company with the same scope and effects as the indemnification provisions for officers and directors. We have also entered into indemnification agreements with each of our officers and directors.

 

Disclosure of Commission Position on Indemnification for Securities Act Liabilities

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities under the Securities Act may be permitted to officers, directors or persons controlling the Company pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Company has been informed that is it is the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission that such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in such Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.

 

Exclusive forum for adjudication of disputes provision which limits the forum to the Delaware Court of Chancery for certain actions against the Company.

 

Article XI of the Company’s Bylaws dictates that the Delaware Court of Chancery is the sole and exclusive forum for certain actions including derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company; an action asserting a breach of fiduciary duty owed by an officer, director, employee or to the shareholders of the Company; any claim arising under Delaware corporate law; and any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine.

 

A Delaware corporation is allowed to mandate in its corporate governance documents a chosen forum for the resolution of state law based shareholder class actions, derivative suits and other intra-corporate disputes. The Company’s management believes limiting state law based claims to Delaware will provide the most appropriate outcomes as the risk of another forum misapplying Delaware law is avoided, Delaware courts have a well-developed body of case law and limiting the forum will preclude costly and duplicative litigation and avoids the risk of inconsistent outcomes. Additionally, Delaware Chancery Courts can typically resolve disputes on an accelerated schedule when compared to other forums.

 

While management believes limiting the forum is a benefit, shareholders could be inconvenienced by not being able to bring an action in another forum they find favorable.

 

  - 76 -  
 

 

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES WE ARE OFFERING

 

We are offering (i) 9,523,809 shares of our common stock or Pre-Funded Warrants and (ii) Warrants to purchase up to 9,523,809 shares of our common stock. Each share of common stock and Pre-Funded Warrant is being sold together with a Warrant to purchase one (1) share of common stock. The shares of common stock, Pre-Funded Warrants and accompanying Warrants will be issued separately. We are also registering the shares of common stock issuable from time to time upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants and Warrants offered hereby.

 

Common Stock

 

The material terms and provisions of our common stock and each other class of our securities that qualifies or limits our Common Stock are described in the section entitled “ Description of Securities ” beginning on page 74 above.

 

Pre-Funded Warrants

 

The following summary of certain terms and provisions of Pre-Funded Warrants that are being offered hereby is not complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, the provisions of the Pre-Funded Warrant, the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Prospective investors should carefully review the terms and provisions of the form of Pre-Funded Warrant for a complete description of the terms and conditions of the Pre-Funded Warrants.

 

Duration and Exercise Price

 

Each Pre-Funded Warrant offered hereby will have an initial exercise price per share equal to $0.01. The Pre-Funded Warrants will be immediately exercisable and may be exercised at any time until the Pre-Funded Warrants are exercised in full. The exercise price and number of shares of common stock issuable upon exercise is subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of stock dividends, stock splits, reorganizations or similar events affecting our common stock and the exercise price.

 

Exercisability

 

The Pre-Funded Warrants will be exercisable, at the option of each holder, in whole or in part, by delivering to us a duly executed exercise notice accompanied by payment in full for the number of shares of our common stock purchased upon such exercise (except in the case of a cashless exercise as discussed below). A holder (together with its affiliates) may not exercise any portion of the Pre-Funded Warrant to the extent that the holder would own more than 4.99% (or at the election of the holder, 9.99%) of the outstanding common stock immediately after exercise, except that upon at least 61 days’ prior notice from the holder to us, the holder may increase the amount of ownership of outstanding stock after exercising the holder’s Pre-Funded Warrants. No fractional shares of common stock will be issued in connection with the exercise of a Pre-Funded Warrant. In lieu of fractional shares, we will pay the holder an amount in cash equal to the fractional amount multiplied by the exercise price.

 

Cashless Exercise

 

In lieu of making the cash payment otherwise contemplated to be made to us upon such exercise in payment of the aggregate exercise price, the holder may elect instead to receive upon such exercise (either in whole or in part) the net number of shares of common stock determined according to a formula set forth in the Pre-Funded Warrants.

 

Fundamental Transaction

 

In the event of a fundamental transaction, as described in the Pre-Funded Warrants and generally including any reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification of our common stock, the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of our properties or assets, our consolidation or merger with or into another person, the acquisition of more than 50% of our outstanding common stock, or any person or group becoming the beneficial owner of 50% of the voting power represented by our outstanding common stock, the holders of the Pre-Funded Warrants will be entitled to receive upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants the kind and amount of securities, cash or other property that the holders would have received had they exercised the Pre-Funded Warrants immediately prior to such fundamental transaction.

 

  - 77 -  
 

 

Transferability

 

Subject to applicable laws, a Pre-Funded Warrant may be transferred at the option of the holder upon surrender of the pre-funded warrant to us together with the appropriate instruments of transfer.

 

Exchange Listing

 

We do not intend to list the Pre-Funded Warrants on any securities exchange or nationally recognized trading system.

 

Rights as a Stockholder

 

Except as otherwise provided in the Pre-Funded Warrants or by virtue of such holder’s ownership of shares of our common stock, the holders of the Pre-Funded Warrants do not have the rights or privileges of holders of our common stock, including any voting rights, until they exercise their Pre-Funded Warrants.

 

Warrants

 

The following summary of certain terms and provisions of the warrants offered hereby is not complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, the provisions of the warrant, the form of which has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Prospective investors should carefully review the terms and provisions of the form of warrant for a complete description of the terms and conditions of the warrants.

 

Form. The warrants will be issued as individual warrant agreements to the investors.

 

Exercisability. The warrants are exercisable at any time after their original issuance, and at any time up to the date that is five years after their original issuance. The warrants will be exercisable, at the option of each holder, in whole or in part by delivering to us a duly executed exercise notice and, at any time a registration statement registering the issuance of the shares of common stock underlying the warrants under the Securities Act is effective and available for the issuance of such shares, or an exemption from registration under the Securities Act is available for the issuance of such shares, by payment in full in immediately available funds for the number of shares of common stock purchased upon such exercise. If a registration statement registering the issuance of the shares of common stock underlying the warrants under the Securities Act is not effective or available and an exemption from registration under the Securities Act is not available for the issuance of such shares, the holder may, in its sole discretion, elect to exercise the warrant through a cashless exercise, in which case the holder would receive upon such exercise the net number of shares of common stock determined according to the formula set forth in the warrant. No fractional shares of common stock will be issued in connection with the exercise of a warrant. In lieu of fractional shares, we will pay the holder an amount in cash equal to the fractional amount multiplied by the exercise price.

 

Cashless Exercise. If a registration statement registering the issuance of the shares of common stock underlying the warrants under the Securities Act is not effective or available and an exemption from registration under the Securities Act is not available for the issuance of such shares, the holder may, in its sole discretion, elect to exercise the warrant through a cashless exercise, in which case the holder would receive upon such exercise the net number of shares of common stock determined according to the formula set forth in the warrant. In addition, the warrants provide that if, during the period of time between the date that is 30 days after the Effective Date and the date that is 12 months after the Effective Date, the daily volume weighted average price of our common stock on the trading day immediately prior to the exercise date fails to exceed the initial exercise price (subject to adjustment for any stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations, recapitalizations and similar events) the warrant may be exercised on a cashless basis and the aggregate number of shares issuable in a cashless exercise shall equal the product of (x) the aggregate number of shares of common stock that would be issuable if the warrant were issued by means of a cash exercise and (y) one (1). No fractional shares of common stock will be issued in connection with the exercise of a warrant. In lieu of fractional shares, we will pay the holder an amount in cash equal to the fractional amount multiplied by the exercise price.

 

Exercise Limitation. A holder will not have the right to exercise any portion of the warrant if the holder (together with its affiliates) would beneficially own in excess of 4.99% (or, upon election of the holder, 9.99%) of the number of shares of our common stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the exercise, as such percentage ownership is determined in accordance with the terms of the warrants. However, any holder may increase or decrease such percentage, provided that any increase will not be effective until the 61 st day after such election.

 

Exercise Price. The warrants will have an exercise price of $           per share. The exercise price is subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of certain stock dividends and distributions, stock splits, stock combinations, reclassifications or similar events affecting our common stock and also upon any distributions of assets, including cash, stock or other property to our stockholders.

 

Transferability. Subject to applicable laws, the warrants may be offered for sale, sold, transferred or assigned without our consent.

 

  - 78 -  
 

 

Exchange Listing. There is no established trading market for the warrants and we do not expect a market to develop. In addition, we do not intend to apply for the listing of the warrants on any national securities exchange or other trading market. Without an active trading market, the liquidity of the warrants will be limited.

 

Fundamental Transactions. If a fundamental transaction occurs, then the successor entity will succeed to, and be substituted for us, and may exercise every right and power that we may exercise and will assume all of our obligations under the warrants with the same effect as if such successor entity had been named in the warrant itself. If holders of our common stock are given a choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a fundamental transaction, then the holder shall be given the same choice as to the consideration it receives upon any exercise of the warrant following such fundamental transaction.

 

Rights as a Stockholder. Except as otherwise provided in the warrants or by virtue of such holder’s ownership of shares of our common stock, the holder of a warrant does not have the rights or privileges of a holder of our common stock, including any voting rights, until the holder exercises the warrant.

 

LEGAL MATTERS

 

The validity of the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for the Company by Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP, Los Angeles, California. Gracin & Marlow, LLP, New York, New York is acting as counsel to the underwriters in connection with this offering.

 

EXPERTS

 

The financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 have been audited by Weinberg & Company, P.A., 1925 Century Park East, Suite 1120, Los Angeles, CA 90067, an independent registered public accounting firm as set forth in their report and are included in reliance upon such report given as authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

 

The Company files annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The Company has filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act, with respect to the common stock being offered under this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and the exhibits to the registration statement. For further information with respect to the Company and the securities being offered under this prospectus, please refer to the complete registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed as a part of the registration statement.

 

  - 79 -  
 

 

You may read and copy the registration statement, as well as the Company’s reports, proxy statements and other information, at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for more information about the operation of the Public Reference Room. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. The SEC’s Internet site can be found at http://www.sec.gov . The Company maintains a website at https://guardionhealth.com/sec-filings/. You may access its annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and other reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act with the SEC free of charge at the Company website as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. The information contained in, or that can be accessed through, the Company’s website is not incorporated by reference in, and is not part of, this prospectus.

 

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

 

The SEC allows the Company to “incorporate by reference” the information it has filed with the SEC, which means that the Company can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information that the Company incorporates by reference is an important part of this prospectus, and information that it files later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. The documents the Company is incorporating by reference are:

 

  The Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, filed with the SEC on February 14, 2019;
     
  The Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2019 filed with the SEC on May 10, 2019;
     
  The Company’s Current Reports on Form 8-K (excluding any reports or portions thereof that are deemed to be furnished and not filed) filed with the SEC on January 15, 2019, February 1, 2019, March 21, 2019, April 9, 2019 and July 15, 2019; and
     
  The description of the Company’s common stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A12B filed with the SEC on April 4, 2019.

 

All documents the Company subsequently files with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, except as to any portion of any report or documents that is not deemed filed under such provisions, (1) on or after the date of filing of the registration statement containing this prospectus and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement and (2) on or after the date of this prospectus until the earlier of the date on which all of the securities registered hereunder have been sold or the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part has been withdrawn, shall be deemed incorporated by reference in this prospectus and to be a part of this prospectus from the date of filing of those documents and will be automatically updated and, to the extent described above, supersede information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and previously filed documents that are incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

 

Nothing in this prospectus shall be deemed to incorporate information furnished but not filed with the SEC pursuant to Item 2.02, 7.01 or 9.01 of Form 8-K.

 

Upon written or oral request, we will provide without charge to each person to whom a copy of the prospectus is delivered a copy of the documents incorporated by reference herein (other than exhibits to such documents, unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference herein). You may request a copy of these filings, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address: Vincent J. Roth, the Company’s General Counsel, at Guardion Health Sciences, Inc., 15150 Avenue of Science, Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92128; Tel: 858-605-9055. We maintain a website at https://guardionhealth.com/sec-filings/. You may access our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and other reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act with the SEC free of charge at our website as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. The information contained in, or that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference in, and is not part of, this prospectus.

 

  - 80 -  
 

 

INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

Guardion Health Sciences, Inc.
     
Unaudited Financial Statements as of and for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 and 2018    
     
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets   F-2
     
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations   F-3
     
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity   F-4
     
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows   F-5
     
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements   F-6

 

Audited Financial Statements as of and for the Years Ended December 31, 2018 and 2017    
     
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm   F-18
     
Consolidated Balance Sheets   F-19
     
Consolidated Statements of Operations   F-20
     
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity (Deficiency)   F-21
     
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows   F-22
     
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements   F-23

 

  F- 1  
 

 

Guardion Health Sciences, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

 

    March 31,     December 31,  
    2019     2018  
      (Unaudited)          
Assets                
                 
Current assets                
Cash   $ 174,298     $ 670,948  
Accounts receivable     15,086       28,203  
Inventories     303,819       357,997  
Prepaid expenses     51,161       47,773  
                 
Total current assets     544,364       1,104,921  
                 
Deposits     11,751       11,751  
Property and equipment, net     265,176       274,804  
Right of use asset, net     626,667       -  
Deferred offering costs     557,000       270,000  
Intangible assets, net     402,445       456,104  
Goodwill     1,563,520       1,563,520  
                 
Total assets   $ 3,970,923     $ 3,681,100  
                 
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity                
                 
Current liabilities                
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities   $ 829,040     $ 413,925  
Accrued expenses and deferred rent     65,000       81,412  
Derivative warrant liability     436,034       -  
Lease liability – current     121,546       -  
Convertible notes payable     17,024       -  
Notes payable     100,548       -  
Total current liabilities     1,569,192       495,337  
                 
Lease liability – long term     513,585       -  
                 
Total liabilities     2,082,777       495,337  
                 
Commitments and contingencies                
                 
Stockholders’ Equity                
                 
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized     -       -  
Common stock, $0.001 par value; 90,000,000 shares authorized; 20,856,611 and 20,564,328 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively     20,857       20,564  
Additional paid-in capital     37,885,751       37,798,562  
Accumulated deficit     (36,018,462 )     (34,633,363 )
                 
Total stockholders’ equity     1,888,146       3,185,763  
                 
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 3,970,923     $ 3,681,100  

 

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

  F- 2  
 

 

Guardion Health Sciences, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations

 

   

Three Months Ended

March 31,

 
    2019     2018  
    (Unaudited)     (Unaudited)  
Revenue                
Medical foods   $ 99,934     $ 72,138  
Vision testing diagnostics     142,604       120,902  
Total Revenue     242,538       193,040  
                 
Cost of goods sold                
Medical foods     38,272       32,188  
Vision testing diagnostics     55,220       47,090  
Total Cost of goods sold     93,492       79,278  
                 
Gross profit     149,046       113,762  
                 
Operating expenses                
Research and development     29,028       159,588  
Sales and marketing     353,537       605,990  
General and administrative     947,974       1,680,810  
                 
Total operating expenses     1,330,539       2,446,388  
                 
Loss from operations     (1,181,493 )     (2,332,626 )
                 
Other expenses:                
Interest expense     17,572       835  
Fair value of warrants     186,034       -  
                 
Total other expenses     203,606       835  
                 
Net loss   $ (1,385,099 )   $ (2,333,461 )
                 
Net loss per common share – basic and diluted   $ (0.07 )   $ (0.12 )
Weighted average common shares outstanding – basic and diluted     20,709,469       20,157,461  

 

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

  F- 3  
 

 

Guardion Health Sciences, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Stockholders’ Equity

(Unaudited)

 

    Common Stock    

Additional  

Paid-In

    Accumulated    

Total

Stockholders’

 
    Shares     Amount     Capital     Deficit     Equity  
    Three Months Ended March 31, 2019  
Balance at December 31, 2018     20,564,328     $ 20,564     $ 37,798,562     $ (34,633,363 )   $ 3,185,763  
Fair value of vested stock options     -       -       56,232       -       56,232  
Issuance of common stock – warrant exercises     292,283       293       30,957       -       31,250  
Net loss     -       -       -       (1,385,099 )     (1,385,099 )
Balance at March 31, 2019     20,856,611     $ 20,857     $ 37,885,751     $ (36,018,462 )   $ 1,888,146  

 

    Three Months Ended March 31, 2018  
Balance at December 31, 2017     20,091,761     $ 20,092     $ 33,716,140     $ (26,865,956 )   $ 6,870,276  
Fair value of vested stock options     -       -       777,513       -       777,513  
Issuance of common stock – warrant exercises     73,000       73       1,387       -       1,460  
Net loss     -       -       -       (2,333,461 )     (2,333,461 )
Balance at March 31, 2018     20,164,761     $ 20,165     $ 34,495,040     $ (29,199,417 )   $ 5,315,788  

 

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

  F- 4  
 

 

Guardion Health Sciences, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

 

   

Three Months Ended

March 31,

 
    2019     2018  
    (Unaudited)     (Unaudited)  
Operating Activities                
Net loss   $ (1,385,099 )   $ (2,333,461 )
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:                
Depreciation and amortization     68,102       73,022  
Amortization of debt discount     16,545       -  
Amortization of lease right     30,502       -  
Accrued interest expense included in notes payable     1,027       -  
Stock-based compensation     56,231       777,513  
Fair value of warrants – derivative liability     186,034       -  
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:                
(Increase) decrease in -                
Accounts receivable     13,116       15,345  
Inventories     54,178       (28,188 )
Deposits and prepaid expenses     (3,388 )     2,486  
Lease liability     (28,088 )     -  
Increase (decrease) in -                
Accounts payable and accrued expenses     415,118       135,324  
Accrued and deferred rent costs     (10,363 )     4,429  
                 
Net cash used in operating activities     (586,085 )     (1,353,530 )
                 
Investing Activities                
Purchase of property and equipment     (4,815 )     (95,111 )
Purchase of intellectual property     -       (50,000 )
                 
Net cash used in investing activities     (4,815 )     (145,111 )
                 
Financing Activities                
Proceeds from issuance of convertible notes     250,000       -  
Proceeds from issuance of promissory notes     100,000       -  
Payments on line of credit     -       (30,535 )
Proceeds from exercise of warrants     31,250       1,460  
Deferred financing costs of IPO     (287,000 )     -  
Decrease in due to related parties     -       (9,165 )
                 
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities     94,250       (38,240 )
                 
Cash:                
Net decrease     (496,650 )     (1,536,881 )
Balance at beginning of period     670,948       4,735,230  
Balance at end of period   $ 174,298     $ 3,198,349  
                 
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:                
Cash paid for-                
Interest   $ -     $ -  
Income taxes   $ -     $ -  
                 
Non-cash financing activities:                
Fair value of warrants issued in connection with convertible notes   $ 436,034     $ -  
Recording of lease asset and liability upon adoption of ASU 2016-02   $ 663,218       -  

 

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

  F- 5  
 

 

Guardion Health Sciences, Inc.

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 and 2018

 

1. Organization and Business Operations

 

Organization and Business

 

Guardion Health Sciences, Inc. (the “Company”) was formed in December 2009 as a California limited liability company under the name P4L Health Sciences, LLC. On June 30, 2015, the Company converted from a California limited liability company to a Delaware corporation, changing its name from Guardion Health Sciences, LLC to Guardion Health Sciences, Inc.

 

The Company is a specialty health sciences company that develops, formulates and distributes condition-specific medical foods with an initial medical food product on the market under the brand name Lumega-Z ® that replenishes and restores the macular protective pigment. The Company also developed a proprietary medical device called the MapcatSF ® that accurately measures the macular pigment optical density.

 

On September 29, 2017, the Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary VectorVision Ocular Health, Inc. (“VectorVision”), completed its acquisition of substantially all of the assets and certain liabilities of VectorVision, Inc. (an Ohio corporation), a company that specialized in the standardization of contrast sensitivity, glare sensitivity, low contrast acuity, and early treatment diabetic retinopathy study (“ETDRS”) visual acuity testing. VectorVision develops, manufactures and sells equipment and supplies for standardized vision testing. The acquisition expands the Company’s technical portfolio. CSV-1000 and CSV-3000 instruments offer auto-calibrated tests to ensure correct testing luminance and contrast levels for consistent, highly accurate and repeatable results. Recently issued patents the Company received for continuously calibrating the light source, an automated standardization technology the Company refers to as AcQviz TM , are expected to be incorporated into the new CSV-2000, in which the proprietary standardized contrast sensitivity test patterns can be presented to the patient using a computer monitor as opposed to the current calibrated backlit system.

 

In August 2018, the Company created a wholly owned subsidiary, Transcranial Doppler Solutions, Inc. (“TDSI”). TDSI is dedicated to the pursuit of early predictors resulting in, the Company believes, valuable therapeutic intervention for practitioners and their patients, and additional revenue streams generated from the testing and sale of Company products to appropriate customers. The Company has established operations with selected clinics and is focusing on expanding its client base.

 

In November 2018, the Company launched a new medical food product, GlaucoCetin TM , which the Company believes is the first vision-specific medical food designed to support and protect the mitochondrial function of optic nerve cells and improve blood flow in the ophthalmic artery in patients with glaucoma.

 

On April 9, 2019, the Company closed its initial public offering (the “IPO”) of 1,250,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, at an IPO price to the public of $4.00 per share. The shares began trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market on April 5, 2019 under the symbol “GHSI.”

 

The Company has had limited operations to date and has been primarily engaged in research and development, product commercialization and capital raising activities.

 

Going Concern and Liquidity

 

The financial statements have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern. The Company had a net loss of $1,385,099 and utilized cash in operating activities of $586,085 during the three months ended March 31, 2019. The Company expects to continue to incur net losses and negative operating cash flows in the near-term. As a result, management has concluded that there is substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year of the date that the consolidated financial statements are issued.

 

  F- 6  
 

 

The Company’s independent registered public accounting firm has also included explanatory language in their opinion accompanying the Company’s audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018. The financial statements do not include any adjustments to reflect the possible future effects on the recoverability and classification of assets or the amounts and classifications of liabilities that may result from the possible inability of the Company to continue as a going concern.

 

The Company will continue to incur significant expenses for commercialization activities related to its medical foods, the MapcatSF medical device, VectorVision diagnostic equipment, the TDSI business and with respect to efforts to continue to build the Company’s infrastructure. Development and commercialization of medical foods and medical devices involves a lengthy and complex process. Additionally, the Company’s long-term viability and growth may depend upon the successful development and commercialization of products other than Lumega-Z and the MapcatSF. Subsequent to March 31, 2019, the Company completed the IPO, resulting in net cash proceeds of $3,888,000 to the Company. The Company is seeking to raise additional debt and/or equity capital to fund future operations, but there can be no assurances that the Company will be able to secure such additional financing in the amounts necessary to fully fund its operating requirements on acceptable terms or at all. If the Company is unable to access sufficient capital resources on a timely basis, the Company may be forced to reduce or discontinue its technology and product development programs and curtail or cease operations.

 

Reverse Stock Split

 

On January 30, 2019, following stockholder and Board approval, the Company filed a Certificate of Amendment to its Amended Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “Amendment”), with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware to effectuate a one-for-two (1:2) reverse stock split (the “Reverse Stock Split”) of its common stock, par value $0.001 per share, without any change to its par value. The Amendment became effective on the filing date. The number of shares authorized for common and preferred stock were not affected by the Reverse Stock Split. No fractional shares were issued in connection with the Reverse Stock Split as all fractional shares were “rounded up” to the next whole share. Proportional adjustments for the Reverse Stock Split were made to all share and per share amounts as if the split occurred at the beginning of the earliest period presented.

 

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

 

Basis of Presentation

 

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited. These unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) and applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) regarding interim financial reporting. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in the financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. Accordingly, these interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 filed with the SEC. The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2018 included herein was derived from the audited consolidated financial statements as of that date, but does not include all disclosures, including notes, required by GAAP.

 

In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments necessary to fairly present the Company’s financial position and results of operations for the interim periods reflected. Except as noted, all adjustments contained herein are of a normal recurring nature. The results of operations for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations to be expected for the full fiscal year ending December 31, 2019.

 

Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to current period presentation. Such amounts consist of operating segment disclosures, whereby revenue and cost of goods sold have been broken out on the Consolidated Statements of Operations to conform with the Company’s two reportable business segments as of March 31, 2019.

 

Use of Estimates

 

The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

These estimates and assumptions include estimates for reserves of uncollectible accounts, inventory obsolescence, depreciable lives of property and equipment, analysis of impairments of recorded long-term tangible and intangible assets, realization of deferred tax assets, accruals for potential liabilities and assumptions made in valuing stock instruments issued for services.

 

  F- 7  
 

 

Intangible Assets

 

In connection with the VectorVision transaction, the Company identified and allocated estimated fair values to intangible assets including goodwill and customer relationships.

 

In accordance with Accounting Standard Codification (“ASC”) 350 – Intangibles – Goodwill and Other, the Company determined whether these assets are expected to have indefinite (such as goodwill) or limited useful lives, and for those with limited lives, the Company established an amortization period and method of amortization. Its goodwill and other intangible assets are subject to periodic impairment testing.

 

The Company utilized the services of an independent third-party valuation firm to assist in identifying intangible assets and in estimating their fair values. The useful lives for the Company’s intangible assets other than goodwill were estimated based on Management’s consideration of various factors, including assumptions that market participants might use about sales expectations as well as potential effects of obsolescence, competition, technological progress and the regulatory environment. Because the future pattern in which the economic benefits of these intangible assets may not be reliably determined, amortization expense is generally calculated on a straight-line basis.

 

Amortization expense for the identifiable intangible assets associated with the VectorVision acquisition is approximately $54,000 per quarter and is included with general and administrative expenses in the Company’s Statements of Operations.

 

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

 

The Company reviews long-lived assets, including property and equipment, identifiable intangible assets, and goodwill for impairment at each fiscal year end or when events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value of these assets may exceed their current fair values. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If the carrying amount of an asset exceeds its estimated future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized for the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds the fair value of the assets. Assets to be disposed of are separately presented in the balance sheet and reported at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value less costs to sell and are no longer depreciated. The Company has not historically recorded any impairment to its long-lived assets. In the future, if events or market conditions affect the estimated fair value to the extent that a long-lived asset is impaired, the Company will adjust the carrying value of these long-lived assets in the period in which the impairment occurs. As of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company had not deemed any long-lived assets as impaired and was not aware of the existence of any indicators of impairment at such dates.

 

Deferred Offering Costs

 

Deferred offering costs consist principally of legal, accounting, and underwriters’ fees incurred related to the IPO. These deferred offering costs will be charged against the gross proceeds received during the appropriate period.

 

Revenue Recognition

 

The Company’s revenue is comprised of sales of medical foods and dietary supplements to consumers through a direct sales/credit card process. In addition, the Company sells medical device equipment and supplies to customers both in the U.S. and internationally.

 

On January 1, 2018. the Company adopted ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) (“ASU 2014-09” or “Topic 606”) and all related amendments and applied the concepts to all contracts using the full retrospective method. The new standard provides authoritative guidance clarifying the principles for recognizing revenue and developing a common revenue standard for U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The core principle of the guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods and services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in the exchange for those goods or services.

 

Under the new guidance, revenue is recognized when control of promised goods or services is transferred to the Company’s customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. The Company reviews its sales transactions to identify contractual rights, performance obligations, and transaction prices, including the allocation of prices to separate performance obligations, if applicable. Revenue and costs of sales are recognized once products are delivered to the customer’s control and performance obligations are satisfied.

 

All products sold by the Company are distinct individual products and consist of medical foods, supplemental formulas, medical devices and related supplies. The products are offered for sale as finished goods only, and there are no performance obligations required post-shipment for customers to derive the expected value from them. Contracts with customers contain no incentives or discounts that could cause revenue to be allocated or adjusted over time.

 

  F- 8  
 

 

Control of products sold transfers to customers upon shipment from the Company’s facilities, and the Company’s performance obligations are satisfied at that time. Shipping and handling activities are performed before the customer obtains control of the goods and therefore represent a fulfillment activity rather than a promised service to the customer. Payment for sales of Lumega-Z is generally made by approved credit cards. Payments for medical device sales are generally made by check, credit card, or wire transfer. Historically the Company has not experienced any significant payment delays from customers.

 

The Company provides a 30-day right of return to its retail Lumega-Z customers. A right of return does not represent a separate performance obligation, but because customers are allowed to return products, the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled is variable. Upon evaluation of historical Lumega-Z and VectorVision product returns, the Company determined that less than one percent of products is returned, and therefore believes it is probable that such returns will not cause a significant reversal of revenue in the future. Due to the insignificant amount of historical returns as well as the standalone nature of the Company’s products and assessment of performance obligations and transaction pricing for the Company’s sales contracts, the Company does not currently maintain a contract asset or liability balance at this time. The Company assesses its contracts and the reasonableness of its conclusions on a quarterly basis.

 

The following table presents the Company’s revenues disaggregated by segment:

 

    Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
    2019     2018  
Medical foods   $ 99,934     $ 72,138  
Vision testing diagnostics     142,604       120,902  
    $ 242,538     $ 193,040  

 

Research and Development Costs

 

Research and development costs consist primarily of fees paid to consultants and outside service providers, patent fees and costs, and other expenses relating to the acquisition, design, development and testing of the Company’s medical foods and related products. Research and development expenditures, which include stock compensation expense, are expensed as incurred and totaled $29,028 and $159,588 for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

 

Patent Costs

 

The Company is the owner of three issued domestic patents, two pending domestic patent applications, one issued foreign patent in Europe, and three foreign patent applications in Canada, Europe and Hong Kong. Due to the significant uncertainty associated with the successful development of one or more commercially viable products based on the Company’s research efforts and any related patent applications, patent costs, including patent-related legal fees, filing fees and internally generated costs, are expensed as incurred. During the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, patent costs were $26,025 and $12,474, respectively, and are included in general and administrative costs in the statements of operations.

 

Leases

 

Prior to January 1, 2019, the Company accounted for leases under Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 840, Accounting for Leases. Effective from January 1, 2019, the Company adopted the guidance of ASU 2016-02 (ASC 842), Leases, which requires an entity to recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for virtually all leases. The Company adopted ASC 842 using a modified retrospective approach. As a result, the comparative financial information has not been updated and the required disclosures prior to the date of adoption have not been updated and continue to be reported under the accounting standards in effect for those periods. The adoption of ASC 842 on January 1, 2019 resulted in the recognition of operating lease right-of-use assets of $626,667, lease liabilities for operating leases of $635,131, and a zero cumulative-effect adjustment to accumulated deficit. See Note 8 for further information regarding the impact of the adoption of ASC 842 on the Company’s financial statements.

 

  F- 9  
 

 

Stock-Based Compensation

 

The Company periodically issues stock-based compensation to officers, directors, contractors and consultants for services rendered. Such issuances vest and expire according to terms established at the issuance date.

 

Stock-based payments to officers, directors, and employees, which include grants of employee stock options, are recognized in the financial statements based on their fair values in accordance with Topic 718. Stock option grants, which are generally time vested, will be measured at the grant date fair value and charged to operations on a straight-line basis over the vesting period. The fair value of stock options is determined utilizing the Black-Scholes option-pricing model, which is affected by several variables, including the risk-free interest rate, the expected dividend yield, the expected life of the equity award, the exercise price of the stock option as compared to the fair market value of the common stock on the grant date and the estimated volatility of the common stock over the term of the equity award.

 

In prior periods, the Company accounted for stock option and warrant grants issued and vesting to non-employees in accordance with the authoritative guidance of the FASB whereby the value of the stock compensation is based upon the measurement date as determined at either a) the date at which a performance commitment is reached, or b) at the date at which the necessary performance to earn the equity instruments is complete. On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2018-07 which expands the scope of Topic 718 to include share-based payment transactions for acquiring goods and services from nonemployees. The Company recognizes the fair value of stock-based compensation within its statements of operations with classification depending on the nature of the services rendered. The adoption of the new standard had no cumulative effect on previously reported amounts.

 

Net Loss per Share

 

The Company’s computation of basic and diluted net loss per common share is measured as net loss divided by the weighted average common shares outstanding during the respective periods, excluding unvested restricted common stock. Shares of restricted stock are included in the basic weighted average number of common shares outstanding from the time they vest. Potential common shares such as from unexercised warrants, options, and shares associated with convertible debt outstanding that have an anti-dilutive effect are excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share. The Company’s basic and diluted net loss per share is the same for all periods presented because all shares issuable upon exercise of warrants and conversion of convertible debt outstanding are anti-dilutive as they decrease loss per share.

 

The following table sets forth the number of shares excluded from the computation of diluted loss per share, as their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive:

 

    March 31,  
    2019     2018  
Warrants     896,712       1,418,836  
Options     1,362,500       1,312,500  
      2,259,212       2,731,336  

 

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

 

The Company’s management does not believe that there are any recently issued, but not yet effective, authoritative guidance, if currently adopted, would have a material impact on the Company’s financial statement presentation or disclosures.

 

3. Segment Reporting

 

The Company determined its reporting units in accordance with ASC 280, “Segment Reporting” (“ASC 280”). The Company historically has reported its operating results as a single reportable segment described as the business of developing and commercializing a variety of products that support the detection, intervention and monitoring of a range of eye diseases. The Company’s chief executive officer, who is the Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”), has historically reviewed financial information on an aggregated basis for purposes of allocating resources and evaluating financial performance.

 

In September 2017, the Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary VectorVision Ocular Health, Inc., acquired substantially all of the assets and certain liabilities of VectorVision, Inc., a company that specialized in the standardization of contrast sensitivity, glare sensitivity, low contrast acuity, and early treatment diabetic retinopathy study (“ETDRS”) visual acuity testing. In August 2018, the Company created a wholly owned subsidiary, Transcranial Doppler Solutions, Inc. (“TDSI”). The Company has established TDSI operations with selected clinics and is focusing on expanding its client base.

 

  F- 10  
 

 

Although all of the Company’s products and services target the early detection, intervention and monitoring of a range of eye diseases, the addition of potential new products or services as the Company grows requires management to periodically reevaluate its reporting structure. As sales of our medical food as well as sales of VectorVision products grow, there is an increased need for the CODM to evaluate revenue and gross profit on a product line or group basis for purposes of resource allocation. As of March 31, 2019, the TDSI subsidiary does not meet the required quantitative criteria to be considered a reportable operating segment. Additionally, TDSI does not share similar economic characteristics or a majority of the aggregation criteria set forth in ASC 280, and therefore is included in “Corporate” below. As of December 31, 2018, based on anticipated growth and the expanding diversity of product and service offerings by the Company, Management has concluded that results should be reported in two operating segments: Medical Foods and Vision Testing Diagnostics. The following tables set forth our results of operations by segment (expenses allocated to Corporate consist of non-cash stock compensation expense, depreciation and amortization, and corporate legal fees):

 

    For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2019  
    Corporate     Medical Foods    

Vision

Testing
Diagnostics

    Total  
                         
Revenue   $ -     $ 99,934     $ 142,604     $ 242,538  
                                 
Cost of goods sold     -       38,272       55,220       93,492  
                                 
Gross profit     -       61,662       87,384       149,046  
                                 
Operating expenses     334,775       884,701       111,063       1,330,539  
                                 
Loss from operations   $ (334,775 )   $ (823,039 )   $ (23,679 )   $ (1,181,493 )

 

    For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2018  
    Corporate     Medical Foods    

Vision

Testing
Diagnostics

    Total  
                         
Revenue   $ -     $ 72,138     $ 120,902     $ 193,040  
                                 
Cost of goods sold     -       32,188       47,090       79,278  
                                 
Gross profit     -       39,950       73,812       113,762  
                                 
Operating expenses     1,073,400       1,320,627       52,361       2,446,388  
                                 
Loss from operations   $ (1,073,400 )   $ (1,280,677 )   $ 21,451     $ (2,332,626 )

 

The following tables set forth our total assets by segment. Intersegment balances and transactions have been removed:

 

    As of March 31, 2019  
    Corporate     Medical Foods    

Vision

Testing
Diagnostics

    Total  
Current assets                                
Cash   $ -     $ 164,914     $ 9,384     $ 174,298  
Inventories     -       170,554       133,265       303,819  
Other     -       46,950       19,297       66,247  
Total current assets     -       382,418       161,946       544,364  
                                 
Right to use asset     626,667       -       -       626,667  
Property and equipment, net     -       255,313       9,863       265,176  
Deferred offering     557,000       -       -       557,000  
Intangible assets, net     402,445       -       -       402,445  
Goodwill     1,563,520       -       -       1,563,520  
Other     -       11,751       -       11,751  
                                 
Total assets   $ 3,149,632     $ 649,482     $ 171,809     $ 3,970,923  

 

  F- 11  
 

 

    As of December 31, 2018  
    Corporate     Medical Foods    

Vision

Testing
Diagnostics

    Total  
Current assets                                
Cash   $ -     $ 552,613     $ 118,335     $ 670,948  
Inventories     -       235,957       122,040       357,997  
Other     -       44,110       31,866       75,976  
Total current assets     -       832,680       272,241       1,104,921  
                                 
Property and equipment, net     -       264,178       10,626       274,804  
Deferred offering     270,000       -       -       270,000  
Intangible assets, net     456,104       -       -       456,104  
Goodwill     1,563,520       -       -       1,563,520  
Other     -       11,751       -       11,751  
                                 
Total assets   $ 2,289,624     $ 1,108,609     $ 282,867     $ 3,681,100  

 

4. Inventories

 

Inventories consisted of the following:

 

    March 31, 2019     December 31, 2018  
Raw materials   $ 236,005     $ 282,574  
Finished goods     67,814       75,423  
    $ 303,819     $ 357,997  

 

5. Property and Equipment, net

 

Property and equipment consisted of the following:

 

    March 31, 2019     December 31, 2018  
Leasehold improvements   $ 98,357     $ 98,357  
Testing equipment     249,447       249,447  
Furniture and fixtures     168,002       163,186  
Computer equipment     64,976       64,976  
Office equipment     8,193       8,193  
      588,975       584,159  
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization     (323,799 )     (309,355 )
    $ 265,176     $ 274,804  

 

For the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, depreciation and amortization expense was $14,444 and $19,363, respectively, of which $0 and $7,325 was included in research and development expense, $9,108 and $1,500 was included in sales and marketing expense, and $5,335 and $10,333 was included in general and administrative expense, respectively.

 

  F- 12  
 

 

6. Intangible Assets

 

The Company’s intangible assets, including finite-lived intangible assets and $50,000 of non-amortizable purchased intellectual property, consisted of the following:

 

    March 31, 2019     December 31, 2018  
Customer relationships   $ 430,700     $ 430,700  
Technology     161,100       161,100  
Trade Names     115,600       115,600  
Noncompetition     17,000       17,000  
      724,400       724,400  
Less accumulated amortization     (321,955 )     (268,296 )
    $ 402,445     $ 456,104  

 

The Company’s amortization expense on its finite-lived intangible assets was $53,659 and $53,659 for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

 

The Company estimates future amortization expense on its finite-lived intangible assets as of March 31, 2019 to be as follows:

 

For Years Ended December 31,      
2019   $ 160,978  
2020     165,320  
2021     16,307  
2022     9,840  
    $ 352,445  

 

7. Promissory Notes

 

Promissory Note

 

On March 12, 2019, the Company issued a promissory note with principal in the amount of $100,000, simple interest of 10% annually, and with a maturity date of June 10, 2019.

 

Convertible Notes and Related Warrants

 

The Company’s convertible notes payable consisted of the following:

 

    March 31, 2019     December 31, 2018  
Convertible notes   $ 250,000     $              -  
Accrued interest     479       -  
Debt discount     (233,455 )     -  
Net   $ 17,024     $ -  

 

On March 15, 2019, the Company issued a convertible note with principal in the amount of $100,000, simple interest of 5% annually, and with a maturity date of September 30, 2019. In addition, on March 20, 2019, the Company issued a convertible note with principal in the amount of $150,000, simple interest of 5% annually, and with a maturity date of September 30, 2019. As of March 31, 2019, convertible notes with a principal balance of $250,000 and accrued interest of $479 were outstanding.

 

  F- 13  
 

 

The convertible notes (principal and accrued interest) were mandatorily convertible upon the consummation of the IPO. Concurrent with the issuance of the notes, the Company issued warrants to both note holders equal to the number of shares of common stock that the holders receive in connection with the converted notes. The per share exercise price of the warrants was set at 125% of the conversion price of the notes, defined in the note agreements, as the lower of (a) 75% of the price per share of common stock of the IPO or (b) $2.30.

 

Due to the variable terms of both the exercise price and the number of warrants to be issued, the warrants were accounted for as derivative liabilities at March 31, 2019. The aggregate fair value of the warrants was calculated as $436,034 based on a probability effected Black-Scholes option pricing model with a stock price of $4.00, volatility of 138%, and risk-free rates ranging from 2.34% - 2.39%. At March 31, 2019, the Company estimated that the issuance of 109,038 warrants with an exercise price of $2.88 per share would correspond to the number of shares of common stock that the holders would receive in connection with the completion of the IPO (the IPO was completed on April 9, 2019). The Company recognized a debt discount of $250,000 equal to the face amount of the convertible notes and recorded a financing cost equal to the difference between the fair value of the warrants and the debt discount. The financing cost of $186,034 is shown as fair value of warrants on the accompanying statement of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2019.

 

The company recorded amortization expense related to the debt discount of $16,545 during the three months ended March 31, 2019. As of March 31, 2019, the unamortized debt discount was $233,455.

 

8. Lease Liabilities

 

In October 2012, the Company entered into a lease agreement for 9,605 square feet of office and warehouse space commencing March 1, 2013. Upon entering into the agreement, the Company paid a deposit of $47,449, of which $36,979 represented prepaid rent. As of March 31, 2019, $10,470 remained on deposit under the lease agreement. The lease (“Lease 1”) was renewed for an additional five years in 2018. As of March 31, 2019, remaining average monthly lease payments under the amended lease agreement were $12,863 through July 2023.

 

In connection with the VectorVision acquisition on September 29, 2017, the Company assumed a lease agreement for 5,000 square feet of office and warehouse space which commenced on October 1, 2017. The lease (“Lease 2”) was renewed for an additional 65 months. As of March 31, 2019, remaining average monthly lease payments are $1,832 through February 2023.

 

In accounting for the leases, the Company adopted ASU 2016-02 - Leases, which requires a lessee to record a right-of-use asset and a corresponding lease liability at the inception of the lease initially measured at the present value of the lease payments. The Company classified the leases as operating leases and determined that the fair value of Lease 1 at the inception of the lease was $625,778 using a discount rate of 8.0%. the fair value of Lease 2 at the inception of the lease was $100,742 using a discount rate of 8%. During the three months ended March 31, 2019, the Company made combined payments on both leases of $41,166 towards the lease liabilities. As of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the lease liability for Lease 1 was $561,623 and $586,082, respectively, and the lease liability for Lease 2 was $73,508 and $77,137, respectively. ASU 2016-02 requires recognition in the statement of operations of a single lease cost, calculated so that the cost of the lease is allocated over the lease term, generally on a straight-line basis. Combined rent expense for both leases for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 was $43,581 and $5,336, respectively. During the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company reflected amortization of right of use asset of $30,502 and $3,543 related to the leases, respectively, resulting in a net asset balance of $626,667 as of March 31, 2019.

 

9. Contingencies

 

The Company is periodically the subject of various pending or threatened legal actions and claims arising out of its operations in the normal course of business. In the opinion of management of the Company, adequate provision has been made in the Company’s financial statements at March 31, 2019 with respect to such matters.

 

  F- 14  
 

 

10. Stockholders’ Equity (Deficit)

 

Warrants

 

A summary of the Company’s warrant activity is as follows:

 

    Shares     Weighted Average Exercise Price    

Weighted Average Remaining
Contractual Term
(Years)

 
December 31, 2018     1,230,674       0.71       0.29  
Granted     109,038       0.35       0.60  
Forfeitures     -       -       -  
Expirations     (70,500 )     (0.11 )     -  
Exercised     (372,500 )     (0.24 )     -  
March 31, 2019, all exercisable     896,712     $ 1.19       0.79  

 

The exercise prices of warrants outstanding and exercisable as of March 31, 2019 are as follows:

 

Warrants Outstanding and Exercisable (Shares)     Exercise Prices  
  536,250     $ 0.50  
  5,000       1.00  
  30,000       1.50  
  216,424       2.00  
  109,038       2.88  
  896,712          

 

In February and March 2019, investors net exercised a total of 310,000 warrants for 231,740 shares of common stock on a cashless basis.

 

In February 2019, an investor exercised warrants for 62,500 shares of common stock. The warrants were exercisable for $0.50 per share, and the Company received $31,250 in cash.

 

In March 2019, the Company issued 109,038 warrants with an exercise price of $2.88 per share to two convertible note holders pursuant to the anticipated completion of the Company’s IPO (the IPO was completed on April 9, 2019).

 

As of March 31, 2019, the Company had an aggregate of 896,712 outstanding warrants to purchase shares of its common stock with a weighted average exercise price of $1.19, weighted average remaining life of 0.8 years and aggregate intrinsic value of $2,522,391, based upon a stock valuation of $4.00 per share. The intrinsic value is calculated as the difference between the market value of the underlying common stock and the exercise price of the warrants.

 

Stock Options

 

A summary of the Company’s stock option activity is as follows:

 

    Shares     Weighted Average Exercise Price     Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term (Years)  
December 31, 2018     1,362,500       2.26       3.78  
Granted     -       -       -  
Forfeitures     -       -       -  
Expirations     -       -       -  
Exercised     -       -       -  
March 31, 2019, outstanding     1,362,500     $ 2.26       3.53  
March 31, 2019, exercisable     1,287,500     $ 2.24       3.67  

 

  F- 15  
 

 

The exercise prices of options outstanding and exercisable as of March 31, 2019 are as follows:

 

Options Outstanding

(Shares)

   

Options Exercisable

(Shares)

    Exercise Prices  
  625,000       625,000     $ 2.00  
  62,500       62,500       2.30  
  675,000       600,000       2.50  
  1,362,500       1,287,500          

 

As of March 31, 2019, options were valued based upon the Black-Scholes option-pricing model, with a stock price of $4.00, volatility of 138%, and an average risk-free rate of 2.21%.

 

During the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, we recognized aggregate stock-compensation expense of $56,232 and $777,513, respectively, based upon stock prices ranging from $2.30 to $4.00 per share, all of which was recorded in general and administrative expense.

 

As of March 31, 2019, the Company had an aggregate of 75,000 remaining unvested options outstanding, with a total estimated fair value of $138,516, weighted average exercise price of $2.50, and weighted average remaining life of 2.8 years. The Company remeasures unvested options for non-employees to fair value at the end of each reporting period. The aggregate intrinsic value of options outstanding as of March 31, 2019 was $2,368,750.

 

11. Related Party Transactions

 

During the three months ended March 31, 2019 and March 31, 2018, the Company incurred and paid $75,000 and 68,750, respectively, of salary expense to our CEO, Michael Favish.

 

12. Subsequent Events

 

On April 9, 2019, the Company closed the IPO and issued 1,250,000 shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $4.00 per share for total gross proceeds of $5.0 million, resulting in net proceeds to the Company of $3,888,000 after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering costs and expenses payable by Guardion. The shares began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on April 5, 2019, under the symbol “GHSI.” In connection with the IPO, the convertible promissory notes previously issued on March 15, 2019 and March 20, 2019 were automatically converted into 109,038 shares of common stock based on a conversion price of $2.30 per share.

 

The following table sets forth the Company’s cash, debt and derivative liabilities, and stockholders’ equity as of March 31, 2019 on:

 

  an actual basis; and
     
  a pro forma basis giving effect to (i) the issuance of 109,038 shares of common stock issued upon the conversion of promissory notes of $250,000 (prior to discount of $232,976) that were mandatorily convertible upon the completion of the IPO, (ii) the valuation of the corresponding derivative liability of $436,034, (iii) the issuance by the Company of 62,500 warrants to WallachBeth LLC, the underwriters for the IPO, (iv) the sale and issuance by the Company of 1,250,000 shares of common stock in the IPO at the public offering price of $4.00 per share, resulting in net proceeds to the Company of $3,888,000 after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by the Company, (v) the repayment of a promissory note for a total of $100,548 including accrued interest on April 11, 2019, (vi) the exercise of warrants for 463,723 shares of common stock resulting in proceeds of $100,625 between April 5, 2019 and May 21, 2019, and (vii) the issuance of 54,387 shares of common stock between April 9, 2019 and June 10, 2019, valued at $124,002, for services rendered.

 

  F- 16  
 

 

    As of March 31, 2019  
    Actual     Pro Forma  
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 174,298     $ 4,062,375  
Other current assets     370,066       370,066  
Non-current assets     3,426,559       3,426,559  
Total assets   $ 3,970,923     $ 7,859,000  
                 
Derivative warrant liability   $ 436,034     $ 215,245  
Convertible notes payable     17,024       -  
Other current liabilities     1,116,134       1,015,586  
Lease liability – long term     513,585       513,585  
Total liabilities     2,082,777       1,744,416  
                 
Stockholders’ equity:                
Common stock     20,857       22,734  
Additional paid-in capital     37,885,751       42,356,326  
Accumulated deficit     (36,018,462 )     (36,264,476 )
Total stockholders’ equity     1,888,146       6,114,584  
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 3,970,923     $ 7,859,000  

 

On April 11, 2019, the Company repaid its promissory note previously issued on March 12, 2019, for a total of $100,849 including accrued interest.

 

On April 12, 2019, an investor exercised warrants for 26,250 shares of common stock. The warrants were exercisable for $0.50 per share, and the Company received $13,125 in cash.

 

On April 5 and 17, 2019, investors exercised a total of 275,000 warrants on a cashless basis resulting in the issuance of 229,365 shares of common stock. The warrants were exercisable for $0.50 and $2.00 per share.

 

As compensation for services rendered, the Company issued a total of 54,390 shares of common stock in April, May, and June 2019.

 

On May 6, 2019, an investor exercised warrants for 125,000 shares of common stock. The warrants were exercisable for $0.50 per share, and the Company received $62,500 in cash.

 

On May 20, 2019, an investor exercised a total of 50,000 warrants on a cashless basis resulting in the issuance of 33,108 shares of common stock. The warrants were exercisable for $0.50 per share.

 

On May 21, 2019, an investor exercised warrants for 50,000 shares of common stock. The warrants were exercisable for $0.50 per share, and the Company received $25,000 in cash.

 

  F- 17  
 

 

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

To the Board of Directors

Guardion Health Sciences, Inc.

San Diego, California

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Guardion Health Sciences, Inc. (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the related consolidated statements of operations, stockholders’ equity (deficiency), and cash flows for the years then ended, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, and the consolidated results of its operations and its cash flows for the years then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Going Concern

 

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 1, the Company has experienced negative operating cash flows since inception. These matters raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 1 to the financial statements. These financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

/s/ Weinberg & Company, P.A.  
   
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2015.  
   
Los Angeles, California  
February 14, 2019  

 

  F- 18  
 

 

Guardion Health Sciences, Inc.

 

Consolidated Balance Sheets

 

    December 31,  
    2018     2017  
             
Assets                
                 
Current assets                
Cash   $ 670,948     $ 4,735,230  
Accounts receivable     28,203       72,771  
Inventories     357,997       154,730  
Prepaid expenses     47,773       117,164  
                 
Total current assets     1,104,921       5,079,895  
                 
Deposits     11,751       10,470  
Property and equipment, net     274,804       95,597  
Deferred offering     270,000       -  
Intangible assets, net     456,104       620,741  
Goodwill     1,563,520       1,563,520  
                 
Total assets   $ 3,681,100     $ 7,370,223  
                 
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity                
                 
Current liabilities                
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities   $ 413,925     $ 311,236  
Accrued expenses and deferred rent     81,412       12,043  
Line of credit     -       30,535  
Due to related parties     -       146,133  
                 
Total current liabilities     495,337       499,947  
                 
Commitments and contingencies                
                 
Stockholders’ Equity                
                 
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized; 0 and 0 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017             -  
Common stock, $0.001 par value; 90,000,000 shares authorized; 20,564,328 and 20,091,761 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017     20,564       20,092  
Additional paid-in capital     37,798,562       33,716,140  
Accumulated deficit     (34,633,363 )     (26,865,956 )
                 
Total stockholders’ equity     3,185,763       6,870,276  
                 
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity   $ 3,681,100     $ 7,370,223  

 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

  F- 19  
 

 

Guardion Health Sciences, Inc.

 

Consolidated Statements of Operations

 

    Years Ended December 31,  
    2018     2017  
             
Revenue                
Medical foods   $ 332,795     $ 245,217  
Vision testing diagnostics     609,358       192,132  
Total revenue     942,153       437,349  
                 
Cost of goods sold                
Medical foods     161,023       110,993  
Vision testing diagnostics     237,156       64,477  
Total cost of goods sold     398,179       175,470  
                 
Gross profit     543,974       261,879  
                 
Operating expenses                
Research and development     231,847       259,463  
Sales and marketing     1,520,862       599,926  
General and administrative     4,934,986       4,683,932  
                 
Total operating expenses     6,687,695       5,543,321  
                 
Loss from operations     (6,143,721 )     (5,281,442 )
                 
Other expenses:                
Interest expense     2,289       23,727  
Warrants – extension of expiration dates     1,621,397       -  
                 
Total other expenses     1,623,686       23,727  
                 
Net loss     (7,767,407 )     (5,305,169 )
                 
Adjustments related to Series A and Series B convertible preferred stock:                
Accretion of deemed dividend     -       (601,952 )
Dividend declared     -       (308,628 )
Net loss attributable to common shareholders   $ (7,767,407 )   $ (6,215,749 )
                 
Net loss per common share – basic and diluted   $ (0.38 )   $ (0.45 )
Weighted average common shares outstanding – basic and diluted     20,188,628       13,934,196  

 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

  F- 20  
 

 

Guardion Health Sciences, Inc.

 

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity (Deficiency)

 

   

Series A

Preferred Stock

   

Series B

Preferred Stock

    Common Stock     Additional Paid-In     Accumulated     Total Stockholders’ Equity  
    Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount     Shares     Amount     Capital     Deficit     (Deficiency)  
Balance at December 31, 2016     1,705,154       1,705       -     $ -       12,341,998     $ 12,342     $ 20,290,586     $ (20,650,207 )   $ (345,574 )
Fair value of common stock issued for acquisition     -       -       -       -       1,525,000       1,525       2,285,975       -       2,287,500  
Issuance of common stock for services     -       -       -       -       324,650       325       657,466       -       657,791  
Sale of common stock     -       -       -       -       2,173,914       2,174       4,997,827       -       5,000,001  
Issuance of preferred stock     -       -       3,105,000       3,105       -       -       3,101,895       -       3,105,000  
Conversion of preferred stock     (1,705,154 )     (1,705 )     (3,105,000 )     (3,105 )     3,490,977       3,491       1,319       -       -  
Fair value of vested stock options     -       -       -       -       -       -       1,457,527       -       1,457,527  
Fair value of common stock issued upon conversion of notes payable and related interest     -       -       -       -       9,041       9       13,191       -       13,200  
Accretion of beneficial conversion feature on preferred stock     -       -       -       -       -       -       601,952       (601,952 )     -  
Dividend on preferred stock     -       -       -       -       226,181       226       308,402       (308,628 )     -  
Net loss     -       -       -       -       -       -       -       (5,305,169 )     (5,305,169 )
Balance at December 31, 2017     -       -       -       -       20,091,761       20,092       33,716,140       (26,865,956 )     6,870,276  
Fair value of vested stock options     -       -       -       -       -       -       1,595,037       -       1,595,037  
Issuance of common stock – warrant exercises     -       -       -       -       103,000       102       16,358       -       16,460  
Sale of common stock     -       -       -       -       369,567       370       849,630       -       850,000  
Warrants – extension of expiration dates     -       -       -       -       -       -       1,621,397       -       1,621,397  
Net loss     -       -       -       -       -       -       -       (7,767,407 )     (7,767,407 )
Balance at December 31, 2018     -     $ -       -     $ -       20,564,328     $ 20,564     $ 37,798,562     $ (34,633,363 )   $ 3,185,763  

 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

  F- 21  
 

 

Guardion Health Sciences, Inc.

 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

 

    Years Ended December 31,  
    2018     2017  
             
Operating Activities                
Net loss   $ (7,767,407 )   $ (5,305,169 )
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:                
Depreciation and amortization     295,672       118,821  
Accrued interest expense included in notes payable     -       (8,818 )
Stock-based compensation     1,595,037       1,932,268  
Stock-based compensation – related parties     -       183,051  
Warrants – extension of expiration dates     1,621,397       -  
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:                
(Increase) decrease in -                
Accounts receivable     44,568       (20,993 )
Inventories     (203,267 )     (17,439 )
Deposits and prepaid expenses     68,111       (87,251 )
Increase (decrease) in -                
Accounts payable and accrued expenses     102,689       (121,919 )
Accrued and deferred rent costs     69,369       (76,247 )
                 
Net cash used in operating activities     (4,173,831 )     (3,403,696 )
                 
Investing Activities                
Purchase of property and equipment     (260,243 )     (37,280 )
Purchase of intellectual property     (50,000 )     -  
Cash assumed upon acquisition     -       4,895  
                 
Net cash used in investing activities     (310,243 )     (32,385 )
                 
Financing Activities                
Proceeds from issuance of promissory notes     -       100,000  
Payments on promissory notes     -       (149,000 )
Proceeds from issuance of preferred stock     -       3,105,000  
Proceeds from issuance of common stock     850,000       5,000,001  
Proceeds from exercise of warrants     16,460       -  
Payments on line of credit     (30,535 )     (1,860 )
Deferred financing costs of IPO     (270,000 )     -  
(Decrease) increase in due to related parties     (146,133 )     54,650  
                 
Net cash provided by financing activities     419,792       8,108,791  
                 
Cash:                
Net (decrease) increase     (4,064,282 )     4,672,710  
Balance at beginning of period     4,735,230       62,520  
Balance at end of period   $ 670,948     $ 4,735,230  
                 
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:                
Cash paid for -                
Interest   $ -     $ 23,532  
Income taxes   $ -     $ -  
                 
Non-cash financing activities:                
Issuance of common stock dividends on preferred stock   $ -     $ 308,628  
Issuance of common stock upon conversion of notes payable and related interest   $ -     $ 13,562  
Fair value of common shares issued for acquisition allocated to:                
Intangible assets   $ -     $ 674,400  
Goodwill   $ -     $ 1,563,520  
Other assets   $ -     $ 49,580  

 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

  F- 22  
 

 

Guardion Health Sciences, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Years Ended December 31, 2018 and 2017

 

1. Organization and Business Operations

 

Organization and Business

 

Guardion Health Sciences, Inc. (the “Company”) was formed in December 2009 as a California limited liability company under the name P4L Health Sciences, LLC. On June 30, 2015, the Company converted from a California limited liability company to a Delaware corporation, changing its name from Guardion Health Sciences, LLC to Guardion Health Sciences, Inc.

 

The Company is a specialty health sciences company that develops, formulates and distributes condition-specific medical foods with an initial medical food product on the market under the brand name Lumega-Z ® that replenishes and restores the macular protective pigment.

 

The Company also developed a proprietary medical device called the MapcatSF ® that accurately measures the macular pigment optical density.

 

On September 29, 2017, the Company completed its acquisition of substantially all of the assets and certain liabilities of VectorVision, Inc., a company that specializes in the standardization of contrast sensitivity, glare sensitivity, low contrast acuity, and ETDRS visual acuity testing. VectorVision develops, manufactures and sells equipment and supplies for standardized vision testing.

 

In August 2018, the Company created a wholly owned subsidiary, Transcranial Doppler Solutions, Inc. (“TDSI”). TDSI will be dedicated to the pursuit of early predictors resulting in, the Company believes, valuable therapeutic intervention for practitioners and their patients, and additional revenue streams generated from the testing and sale of Company products to appropriate customers. The Company is currently setting up the operations of TDSI and hopes to launch its services in upcoming quarters.

 

The Company has had limited operations to date and has been primarily engaged in research and development, product commercialization and capital raising activities.

 

Going Concern and Liquidity

 

The financial statements have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern. The Company has utilized cash in operating activities of $4,173,831 and $3,403,696 during the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, and had an accumulated deficit of $34,633,363 as of December 31, 2018. The Company expects to continue to incur net losses and negative operating cash flows in the near-term. As a result, management has concluded that there is substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year of the date that the consolidated financial statements are issued.

 

The financial statements do not include any adjustments to reflect the possible future effects on the recoverability and classification of assets or the amounts and classifications of liabilities that may result from the possible inability of the Company to continue as a going concern.

 

The Company will continue to incur significant expenses for commercialization activities related to its lead product Lumega-Z, the MapcatSF medical device, and with respect to efforts to build the Company’s infrastructure. Development and commercialization of medical foods and medical devices involves a lengthy and complex process. Additionally, the Company’s long-term viability and growth may depend upon the successful development and commercialization of products other than Lumega-Z and the MapcatSF. The Company is continuing attempts to raise additional debt and/or equity capital to fund future operations, but there can be no assurances that the Company will be able to secure such additional financing in the amounts necessary to fully fund its operating requirements on acceptable terms or at all. If the Company is unable to access sufficient capital resources on a timely basis, the Company may be forced to reduce or discontinue its technology and product development programs and curtail or cease operations.

 

Reverse Stock Split

 

On January 30, 2019, following stockholder and Board approval, the Company filed a Certificate of Amendment to its Amended Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “Amendment”), with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware to effectuate a one-for-two (1:2) reverse stock split (the “Reverse Stock Split”) of its common stock, par value $0.001 per share, without any change to its par value. The Amendment became effective on the filing date. The number of shares authorized for common and preferred stock were not affected by the Reverse Stock Split. No fractional shares were issued in connection with the Reverse Stock Split as all fractional shares were “rounded up” to the next whole share. Proportional adjustments for the Reverse Stock Split were made to the Company’s outstanding common stock, stock options, and warrants as if the split occurred at the beginning of the earliest period presented.

 

  F- 23  
 

 

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

 

Use of Estimates

 

Our financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). The preparation of our financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Management bases its estimates on historical experience and on various assumptions that are believed to be reasonable in relation to the financial statements taken as a whole under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Management regularly evaluates the key factors and assumptions used to develop the estimates utilizing currently available information, changes in facts and circumstances, historical experience and reasonable assumptions. After such evaluations, if deemed appropriate, those estimates are adjusted accordingly. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant estimates include those related to assumptions used in valuing assets acquired in business acquisitions, impairment testing of long-term assets, accruals for potential liabilities, valuing equity instruments issued during the period, and realization of deferred tax assets. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to current period presentation. Such amounts consist of operating segment disclosures, whereby revenue and cost of goods sold have been broken out on the Consolidated Statements of Operations to conform with the Company’s two reportable business segments as of December 31, 2018.

 

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

 

The authoritative guidance with respect to fair value established a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three levels and requires that assets and liabilities carried at fair value be classified and disclosed in one of three categories, as noted below. Disclosure as to transfers into and out of Levels 1 and 2, and activity in Level 3 fair value measurements, is also required.

 

Level 1. Observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets for an identical asset or liability that the Company has the ability to access as of the measurement date. Financial assets and liabilities utilizing Level 1 inputs include active-exchange traded securities and exchange-based derivatives.

 

Level 2. Inputs, other than quoted prices included within Level 1, which are directly observable for the asset or liability or indirectly observable through corroboration with observable market data. Financial assets and liabilities utilizing Level 2 inputs include fixed income securities, non-exchange based derivatives, mutual funds, and fair-value hedges.

 

Level 3. Unobservable inputs in which there is little or no market data for the asset or liability which requires the reporting entity to develop its own assumptions. Financial assets and liabilities utilizing Level 3 inputs include infrequently-traded, non-exchange-based derivatives and commingled investment funds, and are measured using present value pricing models.

 

The Company determines the level in the fair value hierarchy within which each fair value measurement falls in its entirety, based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. In determining the appropriate levels, the Company performs an analysis of the assets and liabilities at each reporting period end.

 

The Company believes the carrying amount of its financial instruments (consisting of cash, accounts receivable, and accounts payable and accrued liabilities) approximates fair value due to the short-term nature of such instruments. The fair value of the Company’s line of credit approximates its carrying value given the interest rate of such line of credit.

 

  F- 24  
 

 

Concentration of Credit Risk and Other Risks and Uncertainties

 

Cash balances are maintained at large, well-established financial institutions. At times, cash balances may exceed federally insured limits. Insurance coverage limits are $250,000 per depositor at each financial institution. The Company has never experienced any losses related to these balances.

 

During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company’s Vision Testing Diagnostics segment had one customer who accounted for approximately 47% of its sales; and during the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company’s Vision Testing Diagnostics segment had one customer who accounted for approximately 30% of its sales. No other customer accounted for more than 10% of sales in either year.

 

Accounts Receivable

 

The Company evaluates the collectability of its trade accounts receivable based on multiple factors. In circumstances where the Company becomes aware of a specific customer’s inability to meet its financial obligations to the Company, a specific reserve for bad debts is estimated and recorded, which reduces the recognized receivable to the estimated amount the Company believes will ultimately be collected. In addition to specific customer identification of potential bad debts, bad debt charges are recorded based on the Company’s historical losses and an overall assessment of past due trade accounts receivable outstanding.

 

The allowance for doubtful accounts and returns is established through a provision reducing the carrying value of receivables. At December 31, 2018 and 2017, no allowance for doubtful accounts and returns was considered necessary.

 

Inventories

 

The Company’s inventories are stated at the lower of weighted-average cost or market. The cost of finished goods and raw materials is determined on a first-in, first-out basis. The Company evaluates its inventories for obsolescence and recoverability at each reporting period.

 

Property and Equipment

 

Property and equipment are initially recorded at their historical cost. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the depreciable assets (ranging from three to seven years). Leasehold improvements are amortized on a straight-line basis over the shorter of their estimated useful lives or the remaining lease term.

 

Management assesses the carrying value of property and equipment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. If there is indication of impairment, management prepares an estimate of future cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset and its eventual disposition. If these cash flows are less than the carrying amount of the asset, an impairment loss is recognized to write down the asset to its estimated fair value. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company was not aware of the existence of any indicators of impairment at such dates.

 

Intangible Assets

 

In connection with the VectorVision transaction, the Company identified and allocated estimated fair values to intangible assets including goodwill and customer relationships.

 

In accordance with Accounting Standard Codification (“ASC”) 350 – Intangibles – Goodwill and Other, the Company determined whether these assets are expected to have indefinite (such as goodwill) or limited useful lives, and for those with limited lives, the Company established an amortization period and method of amortization. Its goodwill and other intangible assets are subject to periodic impairment testing.

 

The Company utilized the services of an independent third-party valuation firm to assist in identifying intangible assets and in estimating their fair values. The useful lives for the Company’s intangible assets other than goodwill were estimated based on Management’s consideration of various factors, including assumptions that market participants might use about sales expectations as well as potential effects of obsolescence, competition, technological progress and the regulatory environment. Because the future pattern in which the economic benefits of these intangible assets may not be reliably determined, amortization expense is generally calculated on a straight-line basis.

 

Amortization expense for the identifiable intangible assets associated with the VectorVision acquisition is approximately $54,000 per quarter and is included with general and administrative expenses in the Company’s Statements of Operations.

 

  F- 25  
 

 

The Company reviews all intangible assets for impairment when circumstances indicate that their carrying values may not be recoverable. If the carrying value of an asset group is not recoverable, the Company recognizes an impairment loss for the excess carrying value over the fair value in its consolidated statements of operations. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company was not aware of the existence of any indicators of impairment of its intangibles at such dates.

 

Goodwill

 

Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase consideration over the fair value of the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired in a business combination. The Company evaluates goodwill for impairment on an annual basis or whenever events and changes in circumstances suggest that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. The Company conducts its annual impairment analysis in the beginning of the fourth quarter of each fiscal year. Impairment of goodwill is tested at the reporting unit level by comparing the reporting unit’s carrying amount, including goodwill, to the fair value of the reporting unit. Estimations and assumptions regarding the number of reporting units, future performances, results of the Company’s operations and comparability of its market capitalization and net book value will be used. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit exceeds its fair value, goodwill is considered impaired and an impairment loss is measured by the resulting amount. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company was not aware of the existence of any indicators of impairment of its goodwill at such dates.

 

Deferred Offering Costs

 

Deferred offering costs consist principally of legal, accounting, and underwriters’ fees incurred related to the planned underwritten public offering of the Company’s Common Stock. These deferred offering costs will be charged against the gross proceeds received or will be charged to expense if the offering is not completed.

 

Revenue Recognition

 

The Company’s revenue is comprised of sales of medical foods and dietary supplements to consumers through a direct sales/credit card process. In addition, the Company sells medical device equipment and supplies to customers both in the U.S. and internationally.

 

Through December 31, 2017, the Company recognized revenue when risk of loss transferred to its customers and collection of the receivable was reasonably assured, which generally occurred when the product was shipped. A product is not shipped without an order from the customer and credit acceptance procedures performed. The Company allows for returns within 30 days of purchase, although for all periods presented, returns have been insignificant.

 

On January 1, 2018. the Company adopted ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) (“ASU 2014-09” or “Topic 606”) and all related amendments and applied the concepts to all contracts using the full retrospective method. The new standard provides authoritative guidance clarifying the principles for recognizing revenue and developing a common revenue standard for U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The core principle of the guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods and services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in the exchange for those goods or services.

 

Under the new guidance, revenue is recognized when control of promised goods or services is transferred to the Company’s customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. The Company reviews its sales transactions to identify contractual rights, performance obligations, and transaction prices, including the allocation of prices to separate performance obligations, if applicable. Revenue and costs of sales are recognized once products are delivered to the customer’s control and performance obligations are satisfied.

 

Due to the nature of the products sold by the Company, the adoption of the new standard has had no quantitative effect on the financial statements and the Company had no cumulative impact of adopting Topic 606 to record through accumulated deficit. However, the guidance requires additional disclosures to help readers of financial statements better understand the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue that is recognized.

 

All products sold by the Company are distinct individual products and consist of medical foods, supplemental formulas, medical devices and related supplies. The products are offered for sale as finished goods only, and there are no performance obligations required post-shipment for customers to derive the expected value from them. Contracts with customers contain no incentives or discounts that could cause revenue to be allocated or adjusted over time.

 

  F- 26  
 

 

Control of products sold transfers to customers upon shipment from the Company’s facilities, and the Company’s performance obligations are satisfied at that time. Shipping and handling activities are performed before the customer obtains control of the goods and therefore represent a fulfillment activity rather than a promised service to the customer. Payment for sales of Lumega-Z is generally made by approved credit cards. Payments for medical device sales are generally made by check, credit card, or wire transfer. Historically the Company has not experienced any significant payment delays from customers.

 

The Company provides a 30-day right of return to its retail Lumega-Z customers. A right of return does not represent a separate performance obligation, but because customers are allowed to return products, the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled is variable. Upon evaluation of historical Lumega-Z and VectorVision product returns, the Company determined that less than one percent of products is returned, and therefore believes it is probable that such returns will not cause a significant reversal of revenue in the future. Due to the insignificant amount of historical returns as well as the standalone nature of the Company’s products and assessment of performance obligations and transaction pricing for the Company’s sales contracts, the Company does not currently maintain a contract asset or liability balance at this time. The Company assesses its contracts and the reasonableness of its conclusions on a quarterly basis.

 

The following table presents the Company’s revenues disaggregated by segment:

 

    Year Ended December 31,  
    2018     2017  
Medical foods   $ 332,795     $ 245,217  
Vision testing diagnostics     609,358       192,132  
    $ 942,153     $ 437,349  

 

Research and Development Costs

 

Research and development costs consist primarily of fees paid to consultants and outside service providers, patent fees and costs, and other expenses relating to the acquisition, design, development and testing of the Company’s medical foods and related products. Research and development expenditures, which include stock compensation expense, are expensed as incurred and totaled $231,847 and $259,463 for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

 

Patent Costs

 

The Company is the owner of three issued domestic patents, two pending domestic patent applications, one issued foreign patent in Europe, and three foreign patent applications in Canada, Europe and Hong Kong. Due to the significant uncertainty associated with the successful development of one or more commercially viable products based on the Company’s research efforts and any related patent applications, patent costs, including patent-related legal fees, filing fees and internally generated costs, are expensed as incurred. During the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, patent costs were $93,149 and $30,789, respectively, and are included in general and administrative costs in the statements of operations.

 

Stock-Based Compensation

 

The Company periodically issues stock-based compensation to officers, directors, contractors and consultants for services rendered. Such issuances vest and expire according to terms established at the issuance date.

 

Stock-based payments to officers, directors, consultants, contractors, and employees, which include grants of employee stock options, are recognized in the financial statements based on their fair values. Stock option grants, which are generally time vested, will be measured at the grant date fair value and charged to operations on a straight-line basis over the vesting period. The fair value of stock options is determined utilizing the Black-Scholes option-pricing model, which is affected by several variables, including the risk-free interest rate, the expected dividend yield, the expected life of the equity award, the exercise price of the stock option as compared to the fair market value of the common stock on the grant date and the estimated volatility of the common stock over the term of the equity award.

 

The Company accounts for stock option and warrant grants issued and vesting to non-employees in accordance with the authoritative guidance of the FASB whereby the value of the stock compensation is based upon the measurement date as determined at either a) the date at which a performance commitment is reached, or b) at the date at which the necessary performance to earn the equity instruments is complete. Non-employee stock-based compensation charges generally are amortized over the vesting period using a graded vesting basis. In certain circumstances where there are no future performance requirements by the non-employee, grants are immediately vested and the total stock-based compensation charge is recorded in the period of the measurement date.

 

  F- 27  
 

 

The Company recognizes stock compensation expense, on stock purchases at a price less than fair value, and for fully-vested stock issued to consultants and other service providers, for the excess of fair value of the stock over the price paid for the stock. The Company recognizes the fair value of stock-based compensation within its statements of operations with classification depending on the nature of the services rendered. The Company will issue new shares to satisfy stock option exercises.

 

Income Taxes

 

The Company currently accounts for income taxes under an asset and liability approach for financial accounting and reporting for income taxes. Accordingly, the Company recognizes deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected impact of differences between the financial statements and the tax basis of assets and liabilities.

 

The Company records a valuation allowance to reduce its deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be realized. In the event the Company determines that it would be able to realize its deferred tax assets in the future in excess of its recorded amount, an adjustment to the deferred tax assets would be credited to operations in the period such determination was made. Likewise, should the Company determine that it would not be able to realize all or part of its deferred tax assets in the future, an adjustment to the deferred tax assets would be charged to operations in the period such determination was made.

 

The Company is subject to U.S. federal income taxes and income taxes of various state tax jurisdictions. As the Company’s net operating losses have yet to be utilized, all previous tax years remain open to examination by Federal authorities and other jurisdictions in which the Company currently operates or has operated in the past. The Company had no unrecognized tax benefits as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 and does not anticipate any material amount of unrecognized tax benefits within the next 12 months.

 

The Company accounts for uncertainties in income tax law under a comprehensive model for the financial statement recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in income tax returns as prescribed by GAAP. The tax effects of a position are recognized only if it is “more-likely-than-not” to be sustained by the taxing authority as of the reporting date. If the tax position is not considered “more-likely-than-not” to be sustained, then no benefits of the position are recognized. As of December 31, 2018, the Company had not recorded any liability for uncertain tax positions. In subsequent periods, any interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions will be recognized as a component of income tax expense.

 

On December 22, 2017, the President of the United States signed and enacted into law H.R. 1 (the “Tax Reform Law”). The Tax Reform Law, effective for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2018, except for certain provisions, resulted in significant changes to existing United States tax law, including various provisions that will impact the Company.

 

The Tax Reform Law reduces the federal corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018. The Company will continue to analyze the provisions of the Tax Reform Law to assess the impact to the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

 

Net Loss per Share

 

The Company’s computation of basic and diluted net loss per common share is measured as net loss divided by the weighted average common shares outstanding during the respective periods, excluding unvested restricted common stock. Shares of restricted stock are included in the basic weighted average number of common shares outstanding from the time they vest. Potential common shares such as from unexercised warrants, options, and shares associated with convertible debt outstanding that have an anti-dilutive effect are excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share. The Company’s basic and diluted net loss per share is the same for all periods presented because all shares issuable upon exercise of warrants and conversion of convertible debt outstanding are anti-dilutive as they decrease loss per share.

 

The following table sets forth the number of shares excluded from the computation of diluted loss per share, as their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive:

 

    December 31,  
    2018     2017  
Warrants     1,230,674       1,491,833  
Options     1,362,500       1,062,500  
      2,593,174       2,554,333  

 

  F- 28  
 

 

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

 

In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02 (ASU 2016-02), Leases (Topic 842). ASU 2016-02 requires a lessee to record a right-of-use asset and a corresponding lease liability, initially measured at the present value of the lease payments, on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months, as well as the disclosure of key information about leasing arrangements. ASU 2016-02 requires recognition in the statement of operations of a single lease cost, calculated so that the cost of the lease is allocated over the lease term, generally on a straight-line basis. ASU 2016-02 requires classification of all cash payments within operating activities in the statement of cash flows. Disclosures are required to provide the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. A modified retrospective transition approach is required for lessees for capital and operating leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements, with certain practical expedients available. ASU 2016-02 has subsequently been amended and modified by ASU 2018-10 (codification improvements), 2018-11 (implementation improvements) and 2018-20 (scope revisions). ASU 2016-02 (including the subsequent amendments and modifications) is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early application is permitted. The Company is evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASU 2016-02 on the Company’s financial statement presentation and disclosures and expects the most significant change will be the recognition of right-to-use assets and lease liabilities on its balance sheet for real estate operating lease commitments.

 

In July 2017, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 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 (“ASU 2017-11”). ASU 2017-11 allows companies to exclude a down round feature when determining whether a financial instrument (or embedded conversion feature) is considered indexed to the entity’s own stock. As a result, financial instruments (or embedded conversion features) with down round features may no longer be required to be accounted for as derivative liabilities. A company will recognize the value of a down round feature only when it is triggered and the strike price has been adjusted downward. For equity-classified freestanding financial instruments, an entity will treat the value of the effect of the down round as a dividend and a reduction of income available to common shareholders in computing basic earnings per share. For convertible instruments with embedded conversion features containing down round provisions, entities will recognize the value of the down round as a beneficial conversion discount to be amortized to earnings. ASU 2017-11 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The guidance in ASU 2017-11 is to be applied using a full or modified retrospective approach. The adoption of ASU 2017-11 is not currently expected to have any impact on the Company’s financial statement presentation or disclosures.

 

In June 2018, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2018-07, Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting (“ASU 2018-07”). ASU 2018-07 expands the scope of Topic 718 to include share-based payment transactions for acquiring goods and services from nonemployees. ASU 2018-07 also clarifies that Topic 718 does not apply to share-based payments used to effectively provide (1) financing to the issuer or (2) awards granted in conjunction with selling goods or services to customers as part of a contract accounted for under Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). ASU 2018-07 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The Company will adopt the provisions of ASU 2018-07 in the quarter beginning January 1, 2019. The adoption of ASU 2018-07 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial statement presentation or disclosures.

 

The Company’s management does not believe that any other recently issued, but not yet effective, authoritative guidance, if currently adopted, would have a material impact on the Company’s financial statement presentation or disclosures.

 

3. Segment Reporting

 

The Company determined its reporting units in accordance with ASC 280, “Segment Reporting” (“ASC 280”). The Company historically has reported its operating results as a single reportable segment described as the business of developing and commercializing a variety of products that support the detection, intervention and monitoring of a range of eye diseases. The Company’s chief executive officer, who is the Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”), has historically reviewed financial information on an aggregated basis for purposes of allocating resources and evaluating financial performance.

 

In September 2017, the Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary VectorVision Ocular Health, Inc., acquired substantially all of the assets and certain liabilities of VectorVision, Inc., a company that specializes in the standardization of contrast sensitivity, glare sensitivity, low contrast acuity, and early treatment diabetic retinopathy study (“ETDRS”) visual acuity testing. In August 2018, the Company created a wholly owned subsidiary, Transcranial Doppler Solutions, Inc. (“TDSI”). The Company is currently setting up the operations of TDSI and hopes to launch its services in upcoming quarters.

 

  F- 29  
 

 

Although all of the Company’s products and services target the early detection, intervention and monitoring of a range of eye diseases, the addition of potential new products or services as the Company grows requires Management to periodically reevaluate its reporting structure. As sales of our medical food as well as sales of VectorVision products grow, there is an increased need for the CODM to evaluate revenue and gross profit on a product line or group basis for purposes of resource allocation. As of December 31, 2018, the TDSI subsidiary does not meet the required quantitative criteria to be considered a reportable operating segment. Additionally, TDSI does not share similar economic characteristics or a majority of the aggregation criteria set forth in ASC 280, and therefore is shown as “All other (TDSI)” below. As of December 31, 2018, based on anticipated growth and the expanding diversity of product and service offerings by the Company, Management has concluded that results should be reported in two operating segments: Medical Foods, and Vision Testing Diagnostics. The following tables set forth our results of operations by segment (expenses allocated to Corporate consist of non-cash stock compensation expense, depreciation and amortization, and corporate legal fees):

 

    For the Year Ended December 31, 2018  
    Corporate    

Medical

Foods

   

Vision

Testing
Diagnostics

    Total  
                         
Revenue   $ -     $ 332,795     $ 609,358     $ 942,153  
                                 
Cost of goods sold     -       161,023       237,156       398,179  
                                 
Gross profit     -       171,772       372,202       543,974  
                                 
Operating expenses     2,707,924       3,566,835       412,936       6,687,695  
                                 
Loss from operations   $ (2,707,924 )   $ (3,395,063 )   $ (40,734 )   $ (6,143,721 )

 

    For the Year Ended December 31, 2017  
    Corporate    

Medical

Foods

   

Vision

Testing
Diagnostics

    Total  
                         
Revenue   $ -     $ 245,217     $ 192,132     $ 437,349  
                                 
Cost of goods sold     -       110,993       64,477       175,470  
                                 
Gross profit     -       134,224       127,655       261,879  
                                 
Operating expenses     2,865,513       2,595,776       82,032       5,543,321  
                                 
Loss from operations   $ (2,865,513 )   $ (2,461,552 )   $ 45,623     $ (5,281,442 )

 

The following tables set forth our total assets by segment. Intersegment balances and transactions have been removed:

 

    As of December 31, 2018  
    Corporate    

Medical

Foods

   

Vision

Testing
Diagnostics

    Total  
Current assets                                
Cash   $ -     $ 552,613     $ 118,335     $ 670,948  
Inventories     -       235,957       122,040       357,957  
Other     -       44,110       31,866       75,976  
Total current assets     -       832,680       272,241       1,104,921  
                                 
Property and equipment, net     -       264,178       10,626       274,804  
Deferred offering     270,000       -       -       270,000  
Intangible assets, net     456,104       -       -       456,104  
Goodwill     1,563,520       -       -       1,563,520  
Other     -       11,751       -       11,751  
                                 
Total assets   $ 2,289,624     $ 1,108,609     $ 282,867     $ 3,681,100  

 

  F- 30  
 

 

    As of December 31, 2017  
    Corporate    

Medical

Foods

    Vision
Testing
Diagnostics
    Total  
Current assets                                
Cash   $ -     $ 4,709,512     $ 25,718     $ 4,735,230  
Inventories     -       57,978       96,752       154,730  
Other     -       119,640       70,295       189,935  
Total current assets     -       4,887,130       192,765       5,079,895  
                                 
Property and equipment, net     -       86,723       8,874       95,597  
Deferred offering     -       -       -       -  
Intangible assets, net     620,741       -       -       620,741  
Goodwill     1,563,520       -       -       1,563,520  
Other     -       10,470       -       10,470  
                                 
Total assets   $ 2,184,261     $ 4,984,323     $ 201,639     $ 7,370,223  

 

4. Inventories

 

Inventories consisted of the following:

 

    December 31,  
    2018     2017  
Raw materials   $ 282,574     $ 133,354  
Finished goods     75,423       21,376  
    $ 357,997     $ 154,730  

 

5. Property and Equipment, net

 

Property and equipment consisted of the following:

 

    December 31,  
    2018     2017  
Leasehold improvements   $ 98,357     $ 98,357  
Testing equipment     249,447       150,603  
Furniture and fixtures     163,186       50,300  
Computer equipment     64,976       16,464  
Office equipment     8,193       8,193  
      584,159       323,917  
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization     (309,355 )     (228,320 )
    $ 274,804     $ 95,597  

 

For the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, depreciation and amortization expense was $81,035 and $65,161, respectively, of which $34,524 and $29,574 was included in research and development expense, $10,898 and $0 was included in sales and marketing expense, and $35,613and $35,587 was included in general and administrative expense, respectively.

 

6. Acquisition of VectorVision

 

On September 29, 2017, the Company, through a wholly-owned subsidiary, completed the acquisition of substantially all of the assets and liabilities of VectorVision, Inc., an Ohio corporation (“VectorVision”), in exchange for 1,525,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, valued at $2,287,500, pursuant to the terms of an Asset Purchase and Reorganization Agreement dated September 29, 2017, which agreement was entered into on an arm’s-length basis. The wholly-owned subsidiary that acquired the business is called VectorVision Ocular Health, Inc., a Delaware corporation, doing business as VectorVision. VectorVision’s assets acquired by the Company pursuant to the agreement included, among others, accounts receivable, fixed assets, inventories, trademarks and copyrights. VectorVision’s liabilities assumed by the Company included, among others, certain trade accounts payable to third parties and accrued liabilities, and amounts owed under an outstanding line of credit.

 

  F- 31  
 

 

With respect to the 1,525,000 shares of common stock, 125,000 shares were held back as security for VectorVision’s indemnification obligations to the Company and the remaining 1,400,000 shares were issued to VectorVision at the closing of the transaction. The shares represented approximately 11% of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock immediately following consummation of the agreement. The shares held back as security are included in our weighted average common shares outstanding for per-share calculations.

 

VectorVision develops, manufactures and sells equipment and supplies for standardized vision testing for use by eye doctors in clinical trials, for real-world vision evaluation, and industrial vision testing. VectorVision specializes in the standardization of contrast sensitivity, glare sensitivity, low contrast acuity, and ETDRS (Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study) visual acuity testing. VectorVision developed and commercialized its CSV-1000 medical device to conduct contrast sensitivity testing and it developed and commercialized its ESV-3000 medical device to conduct ETDRS visual acuity testing. The patented standardization system provides the practitioner or researcher with the ability to delineate very small changes in visual capability, either as compared to the population or from visit to visit. The Company believes VectorVision’s CSV-1000 device to be the standard of care for clinical trials. The acquisition of VectorVision expands the Company’s technical portfolio and the Company believes it further establishes the Company’s position at the forefront of early detection, intervention and monitoring of a range of eye diseases.

 

The Company accounted for the acquisition pursuant to Accounting Standards Codification Topic 805, Business Combinations (“ASC 805”). Management identified and evaluated the fair values of the assets acquired, relying in part, on the work of an independent third party valuation firm engaged by the Company to provide input as to the fair value of the consideration paid (because there is no established trading market for the Company’s Common Stock) and the assets acquired, including the valuation methodology most relevant to the transactions described herein, and to assist in the related calculations, analysis and allocations. Historical transactions, as well as the income, market and cost approaches to value were considered. Management ultimately determined that due to recent sales of the Company’s preferred stock and consideration of current business and market factors, that the use of historical transactions, and a value of $1.50, would result in the most appropriate valuation for accounting purposes.

 

In accordance with ASC 805, the Company utilized the acquisition method of accounting, whereby the purchase consideration is allocated to specific tangible and intangible assets at their estimated fair values on the date of acquisition. The following table summarizes the allocation of preliminary fair values of the purchase consideration to the assets and liabilities assumed:

 

    Fair Values  
Common stock consideration   $ 2,287,500  
Liabilities assumed     108,722  
Total purchase consideration     2,396,222  
         
Cash     (4,895 )
Accounts receivable     (50,105 )
Inventory     (93,293 )
Prepaid assets     (551 )
Property and equipment     (9,458 )
Intangible assets     (674,400 )
Goodwill   $ 1,563,520  

 

Goodwill is calculated as the excess of the consideration transferred over the net assets recognized and represents the expected revenue and benefits of the combined company.

 

The Company has consolidated VectorVision’s operations with the Company’s statement of operations commencing October 1, 2017.

 

  F- 32  
 

 

The following unaudited pro forma financial information gives effect to the Company’s acquisition of VectorVision as if the acquisition had occurred on January 1, 2017 and had been included in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations during the year ended December 31, 2017:

 

    December 31, 2017  
Pro forma net revenues   $ 824,028  
Pro forma operating expenses   $ 6,087,726  
Pro forma net loss attributable to common shareholders   $ (6,500,590 )
Pro forma net loss per share   $ (0.47 )

 

7. Intangible Assets

 

The Company’s finite-lived intangible assets consisted of the following:

 

    December 31,  
    2018     2017  
Customer relationships   $ 430,700     $ 430,700  
Technology     161,100       161,100  
Trade Names     65,600       65,600  
Noncompetition     17,000       17,000  
      674,400       674,400  
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization     (268,296 )     (53,659 )
    $ 406,104     $ 620,741  

 

The Company’s amortization expense on its finite-lived intangible assets was $214,637 and $53,659 for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

 

The Company estimates future amortization expense on its finite-lived intangible assets as of December 31, 2018 to be as follows:

 

For Years Ended December 31,      
2019   $ 214,637  
2020     165,320  
2021     16,307  
2022     9,840  
    $ 406,104  

 

8. Acquisition of Intellectual Property

 

On January 26, 2018, the Company acquired the rights to the trademark GLAUCO-HEALTH as well as the name “International Eye Wellness Institute” (together, the “IP Assets”) from an unrelated third party. The purchase included all rights, title, and interest in and to the IP Assets, including (a) the right to register and use the IP Assets; (b) all goodwill associated with the IP Assets; (c) all income, royalties, and damages hereafter due or payable with respect to the IP Assets; (d) all rights to sue for past, present, and future infringements or misappropriations of the IP Assets; and I and all other intellectual property rights owned or claimed by the seller or embodied in the IP Assets. In exchange for these rights, the Company paid the seller $50,000 in cash.

 

ASC 350-30-20 defines a defensive intangible asset as an acquired intangible asset in a situation in which an entity does not intend to actively use the asset but intends to hold (lock up) the asset to prevent others from obtaining access to the asset. The Company determined that the acquired intangible asset met the definition of a defensive intangible asset. The Company accounted for the $50,000 payment as an acquired intangible asset as of the closing of the agreement. As the Company can renew the underlying rights to the IP Assets indefinitely at nominal cost, the assets have been classified as a non-amortizable intangible asset on the Company’s balance sheet at September 30, 2018. The Company will evaluate the status of the assets for impairment annually or more frequently if warranted.

 

On January 26, 2018 the Company entered into a consulting agreement with the principal of the seller to assist with the development of the IP Assets and other assets acquired by the Company in the transaction. In conjunction with the consulting agreement, the Company granted a stock option on January 26, 2018 to the consultant to purchase a total of 250,000 shares of the common stock of the Company (See Note 10).

 

  F- 33  
 

 

9. Commitments and Contingencies

 

Operating Lease

 

In October 2012, the Company entered into a lease agreement for 9,605 square feet of office and warehouse space commencing March 1, 2013. Upon entering into the agreement, the Company paid a deposit of $47,449, of which $36,979 represented prepaid rent. As of December 31, 2018, $10,470 remained on deposit under the lease agreement. The lease agreement was renewed for an additional five years in 2018. As of December 31, 2018, remaining average monthly lease payments under the amended lease agreement were $12,816 through July 2023.

 

In connection with the acquisition of VectorVision on September 29, 2017, the Company assumed a lease agreement for 5,000 square feet of office and warehouse space commencing October 1, 2017. The lease was renewed for an additional 65 months. As of December 31, 2018, remaining average monthly lease payments are $1,825 through February 2023.

 

As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company had accrued and deferred rent payable for its office and warehouse facilities under its lease agreements in the aggregate of $3,712.

 

The approximate future minimum lease payments under non-cancelable operating leases at December 31, 2018 are as follows:

 

Years ending December 31,

 

2019   $ 166,770  
2020     171,767  
2021     176,933  
2022     182,249  
2023 and thereafter     98,417  
    $ 796,136  

 

Rent expense was $192,624 and $157,751 for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

 

Contingencies

 

The Company is periodically the subject of various pending or threatened legal actions and claims arising out of its operations in the normal course of business. In the opinion of management of the Company, adequate provision has been made in the Company’s financial statements at December 31, 2018 with respect to such matters, including the matter noted below.

 

On or about July 26, 2017, the Company received a payment demand from a former consultant to the Company alleging that the consultant was owed approximately $192,000 for services rendered. The Company disputed the demand whereby the Company filed a lawsuit on January 29, 2018 against the consultant and its related entities in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California seeking declaratory relief regarding advisory fees and ownership interest in the Company. The parties settled the disputes in their entirety and the case was dismissed with prejudice on August 29, 2018.

 

10. Stockholders’ Equity (Deficit)

 

Preferred Stock

 

Series A

 

During 2016, the Company sold 1,170,000 shares of the Company’s Series A Senior Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) to various investors. The purchase price of the Series A Preferred Stock was $1.00 per share, for an aggregate purchase price of $1,170,000. In addition, during 2016, the Company issued 535,154 shares of its Series A Preferred Stock with a fair value of $784,888 upon conversion of $535,149 of notes payable and accrued interest. The Series A Preferred Stock had a stated value of $1.00 per share and accrued an annual dividend at the rate of 8% of the stated value, calculated quarterly, paid in shares of common stock at the rate of $1.20 per share.

 

During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company declared dividends of $122,328 on its Series A Preferred Stock which were satisfied in full through the issuance of an aggregate of 101,962 shares of common stock.

 

  F- 34  
 

 

Series B

 

Beginning in March 2017 and through September 30, 2017, the Company sold 3,105,000 shares of the Company’s Series B Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Series B Preferred Stock”) to various investors. The purchase price of the Series B Preferred Stock was $1.00 per share, for an aggregate purchase price of $3,105,000. The Series B Preferred Stock had a stated value of $1.00 per share and accrued an annual dividend at the rate of 6% of the stated value, calculated quarterly, paid in shares of common stock at the rate of $1.50 per share.

 

During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company declared dividends of $186,300 on its Series B Preferred Stock which were satisfied in full through the issuance of an aggregate of 124,219 shares of common stock.

 

Preferred Stock Conversion Event

 

On November 3, 2017, the Company completed the issuance and sale of an aggregate of 2,173,914 shares of common stock (see below). The completion of the private placement triggered, at the Company’s election, the automatic conversion of the Series A Preferred Stock and the Series B Preferred Stock into shares of common stock. Accordingly, immediately following the completion of the private placement, the Company effected the conversion of all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the Series B Preferred Stock into 3,490,977 shares of common stock effective November 3, 2017. On April 26, 2018, the Company filed a Certificate of Elimination with the Secretary of the State of Delaware, withdrawing the respective Certificates of Designation that established the right, privileges and preferences of the Series A Preferred Stock and Series B Preferred Stock, thereby making all 10,000,000 authorized shares of preferred stock available for issuance.

 

Common Stock

 

Sale of shares

 

During the period from November 26, 2018 through December 31, 2018, the Company completed the issuance and sale of an aggregate of 369,567 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, at a purchase price of $2.30 per share. Total gross proceeds were $850,000. These shares were sold in a private placement to certain purchasers pursuant to Stock Purchase Agreements.

 

On November 3, 2017, the Company completed the issuance and sale of an aggregate of 2,173,914 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, at a purchase price of $2.30 per share. Total gross proceeds were $5,000,001. These shares were sold in a private placement to certain purchasers pursuant to a Stock Purchase Agreement dated as of November 3, 2017.

 

Shares issued with vesting requirements

 

The Company periodically issues shares of common stock that vest over time to service providers. As of December 31, 2016, there were 176,250 of previously issued shares of restricted common stock to service providers valued at $113,754 that had not yet vested.

 

During 2017, the Company issued an additional 81,250 shares of restricted common stock for services rendered. These shares were subject to vesting requirements over 6 months and subject to forfeiture if vesting conditions were not met. The aggregate fair value of the stock was $143,000 based on a valuation per share of $1.76 on the date of grant. During 2017, the Company recorded $256,754 expense related to the vested portion of restricted stock issued in 2017. As of December 31, 2017, all shares had vested.

 

Additional details of the Company’s restricted common stock are as follows:

 

    Number
of Shares
    Fair Value     Weighted Average
Grant Date Fair
Value
Per Share
 
Non-vested, December 31, 2016     176,250     $ 113,754     $ 2.26  
Issued     81,250       143,000       1.76  
Vested     (257,500 )     (256,754 )     2.10  
Forfeited     -       -       -  
Non-vested, December 31, 2017     -     $ -     $ -  

 

  F- 35  
 

 

Other issuances

 

During 2017, the Company also issued 243,400 fully vested shares of common stock for services rendered. During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company recognized $401,037 in stock compensation expense related to these shares.

 

Warrants

 

A summary of the Company’s warrant activity is as follows:

 

    Shares     Weighted Average Exercise Price     Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Term (Years)
 
December 31, 2016     1,461,836     $ 0.88       2.19  
Granted     30,000       0.03       0.04  
Forfeitures     -       -       -  
Expirations     -       -       -  
Exercised     -       -       -  
December 31, 2017     1,491,836       0.89       1.16  
Granted     -       -       -  
Forfeitures     -       -       -  
Expirations     (158,162 )     0.17       -  
Exercised     (103,000 )     0.01       -  
December 31, 2018, all exercisable     1,230,674     $ 0.71       0.29  

 

The exercise prices of warrants outstanding and exercisable as of December 31, 2018 are as follows:

 

Warrants Outstanding and
Exercisable (Shares)
    Exercise Prices  
  876,250     $ 0.50  
  70,000       1.00  
  30,000       1.50  
  254,424       2.00  
  1,230,674          

 

In January 2018, an investor exercised warrants for 73,000 shares of common stock. The warrants were exercisable for $0.02 per share, and the Company received $1,460 in cash. The Company issued the shares and recorded the cash received as additional equity.

 

In December 2018, an investor exercised warrants for 30,000 shares of common stock. The warrants were exercisable for $0.50 per share, and the Company received $15,000 in cash. The Company issued the shares and recorded the cash received as additional equity.

 

On April 30, 2018, The Company offered a one-month exercise period extension to stockholders who held warrants to purchase shares of common stock of the Company that were scheduled to expire on May 1, 2018. Pursuant to the terms of a Note and Warrant Purchase Agreement entered into by the Company and such holders, such warrants were issued upon the conversion of certain promissory notes into common stock on May 1, 2015. Four of the warrant holders did not extend their warrants, resulting in the expiration of 75,503 warrants on May 1, 2018. Six warrant holders extended the term of an aggregate of 201,543 warrants by one month to June 1, 2018. The exercise price of such warrants is $2.00 per share.

 

On May 31, 2018, the six warrant holders noted above were offered a further extension of the exercise period for their warrants. One holder did not extend, resulting in the expiration of 15,119 warrants on June 1, 2018. The Company and five warrant holders extended the term of an aggregate of 186,424 warrants. These warrants are now scheduled to expire on the earlier of (a) May 31, 2019 or (b) sixty days following the date on which the common stock of the Company becomes listed or approved for listing on a national securities exchange. The exercise price of such warrants remains unchanged at $2.00 per share, but cashless exercise provisions have been eliminated from such warrants.

 

On September 21, 2018, the Company extended the expiration date of warrants to purchase shares of common stock of the Company that were scheduled to expire at dates ranging from September 30, 2018 through January 25, 2019 held by two stockholders. Pursuant to the terms of a Promissory Note and Loan Agreements entered into by the Company and such holders, the warrants were originally issued as inducement to lend money to the Company. The warrant holders extended the expiration dates of an aggregate of 300,000 warrants. These warrants are now scheduled to expire on February 15, 2019. The exercise price of $0.50 per share and all other terms of the warrants remain unchanged.

 

  F- 36  
 

 

Management applied the guidance in ASC 718 – Compensation-Stock Compensation which indicates that a modification to the terms of an award should be treated as an exchange of the original award for a new award with the resulting total compensation cost equal to the grant-date fair value of the original award plus the incremental value of the modification to the award. Under ASC 718, the calculation of the incremental value is based on the excess of the fair value of the new (modified) award based on current circumstances over the fair value of the original award measured immediately before its terms are modified based on current circumstances. The Company recognized expense of $1,621,397 during the year ended December 31, 2018 relating to the extension of the exercise periods of the warrants based upon a Black-Scholes option-pricing model using stock prices of $2.30 and $4.00, volatility of 118% and 119%, and average risk-free rates of 2.61 and 2.89. The expense is reflected as Warrants - extension of expiration dates in the Company’s statements of operations.

 

As of December 31, 2018, the Company had an aggregate of 1,230,674 outstanding warrants to purchase shares of its common stock with a weighted average exercise price of $0.71, weighted average remaining life of 0.3 years and aggregate intrinsic value of $3,860,723, based upon a stock valuation of $4.00 per share. The intrinsic value is calculated as the difference between the market value of the underlying common stock and the exercise price of the warrants.

 

Stock Options

 

A summary of the Company’s stock option activity is as follows:

 

    Shares     Weighted
Average
Exercise Price
    Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Term (Years)
 
December 31, 2016     -       -       -  
Granted     1,062,500     $ 2.19       5.14  
Forfeitures     -       -       -  
Expirations     -       -       -  
Exercised     -       -       -  
December 31, 2017     1,062,500       2.19       5.14  
Granted     300,000       0.55       0.55  
Forfeitures     -       -       -  
Expirations     -       -       -  
Exercised     -       -       -  
December 31, 2018, outstanding     1,362,500     $ 2.26       3.78  
December 31, 2018, exercisable     1,262,500     $ 2.26       3.78  

 

The exercise prices of options outstanding and exercisable as of December 31, 2018 are as follows:

 

Options
Outstanding (Shares)
    Options
Exercisable (Shares)
    Exercise Prices  
  625,000       625,000     $ 2.00  
  62,500       62,500       2.30  
  675,000       575,000       2.50  
  1,362,500       1,262,500          

 

On September 30, 2017, the Company entered into a consulting agreement pursuant to which the Company granted a total of 625,000 common stock options. 325,000 of the options with a fair value of $486,070 vested immediately, and the remaining 300,000 options vested ratably over twelve months on a quarterly basis with compensation cost measured as the fair value at the end of each reporting period. The options are non-qualified, have an exercise price of $2.00 per share, and will expire 5 years from the grant date. As of December 31, 2017, the Company had recognized compensation cost of $658,383 relating to the vesting of 400,000 options. During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company recognized stock compensation costs of $394,239 related to the vesting of 225,000 options based upon a graded vesting schedule. As of December 31, 2018, the 625,000 options were fully vested and exercisable.

 

  F- 37  
 

 

On November 30, 2017, the Company granted a total of 62,500 common stock options to an employee. The options, with a fair value of $143,750 vested immediately and are fully exercisable. The options are non-qualified, have an exercise price of $2.30 per share, and will expire 10 years from the grant date.

 

On December 30, 2017, the Company entered into a consulting agreement pursuant to which the Company granted a total of 375,000 common stock options. 125,000 of the options with a fair value of $312,275 vested immediately, and the remaining 250,000 options vested ratably over six months on a quarterly basis with compensation cost measured as the fair value at the end of each reporting period, using a Black Scholes option-pricing model and a graded vesting schedule. The options are non-qualified, have an exercise price of $2.50 per share, and will expire 5 years from the grant date. During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company recognized stock compensation costs of $413,877 related to the vesting of 250,000 options. As of December 31, 2018, the 375,000 options were fully vested and exercisable.

 

On January 26, 2018, the Company entered into an agreement with a consultant to develop products based on certain intellectual property owned by the Company (see Note 8). In conjunction with the consulting agreement, the Company granted a stock option to the consultant to purchase a total of 250,000 shares of the common stock of the Company. 125,000 shares of the option with a fair value of $287,500 vested immediately, 62,500 shares vested on December 31, 2018 and the remaining 62,500 shares vest on December 31, 2019 provided the consultant is still an active service provider. As of December 31, 2018, the 62,500 options that remain to vest were valued in total at $249,777 based upon a Black-Scholes option-pricing model. Compensation cost is measured as the fair value at the end of each reporting period and cost is amortized based upon a graded vesting schedule. The options are non-qualified, have an exercise price of $2.50 per share, and will expire 5 years from the grant date. During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company recognized stock compensation costs of $656,735 related to the 250,000 options.

 

On July 25, 2018, the Company entered into an agreement with a consultant to develop products based on certain intellectual property owned by the Company. In conjunction with the consulting agreement, the Company granted a stock option to the consultant to purchase a total of 50,000 shares of the common stock of the Company. 12,500 shares of the option with a fair value of $44,994 vested immediately, while the remaining 37,500 shares vest on completion of certain performance conditions to the reasonable satisfaction of the Company. Specifically, 25,000 shares vest upon completion of design and construction of the AcQviz TM device, and the remaining 12,500 shares vest upon integration of the AcQviz TM send/receive functionality with vision testing software platform. As of December 31, 2018, the 37,500 options that remain to vest were valued in total at $149,939 based upon a Black-Scholes option-pricing model. As of December 31, 2018, the completion of all performance conditions was considered probable. Because completion of the performance conditions is considered probable, compensation cost is measured as the fair value at the end of each reporting period and cost is amortized based upon an accelerated attribution model using Management’s estimates of anticipated timing for completion of the conditions. The options are non-qualified, have an exercise price of $2.50 per share, and will expire 5 years from the grant date. During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company recognized stock compensation costs of $130,187 related to the 50,000 options.

 

As of December 31, 2018, options were valued based upon the Black-Scholes option-pricing model, with a stock price of $4.00, volatility of 115%, and an average risk-free rate of 2.46%.

 

During the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, we recognized aggregate stock-compensation expense of $1,595,037 and $2,115,319, respectively, based upon stock prices ranging from $1.76 to $4.00 per share, of which $1,595,037 and $2,094,334 was recorded in general and administrative expense, $0 and $20,357 was recorded in sales and marketing expense, and $0 and $628 was recorded in research and development expense, respectively.

 

As of December 31, 2018, the Company had an aggregate of 100,000 remaining unvested options outstanding, with a total estimated fair value of $399,716, weighted average exercise price of $2.50, and weighted average remaining life of 3.0 years. The Company remeasures unvested options for non-employees to fair value at the end of each reporting period. The aggregate intrinsic value of options outstanding as of December 31, 2018 was $2,368,750.

 

11. Related Party Transactions

 

On September 29, 2017, we completed the acquisition of substantially all of the assets and liabilities of VectorVision Ohio in exchange for 1,525,000 shares of our common stock, pursuant to the Asset Purchase Agreement, which was entered into on an arm’s-length basis. David W. Evans, our Director, owned 28% of the issued and outstanding shares of VectorVision Ohio and his wife, Tamara Evans, owned 72% of the issued and outstanding shares of VectorVision Ohio. VectorVision Ocular Health, Inc is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company formed by the Company in connection with the acquisition of assets from VectorVision Ohio. Mr. Evans was appointed as a director of the Company on September 29, 2017 pursuant to the Asset Purchase Agreement. We entered into a Consulting Agreement with Dr. Evans, dated as of September 29, 2017 (the “Consulting Agreement”), whereby Dr. Evans has been engaged to serve as a consultant to the Company to further the Company’s planned development and commercialization of the Company’s portfolio of products and technology. The Consulting Agreement has an initial term of 3 years, with automatic one-year renewals unless earlier terminated. Dr. Evans is entitled to compensation of $10,000 per month.

 

  F- 38  
 

 

Due to and from related parties represents unreimbursed expenses and compensation incurred on behalf of, and amounts loaned to the Company by, Michael Favish, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, as well as other shareholders. The advances are unsecured, non-interest bearing and are due on demand. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company had $0 and $146,133, respectively, due to related parties.

 

During the twelve months ended December 31, 2018, the Company incurred and paid $275,000 of salary expense to our CEO, Michael Favish. During the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2017, the Company incurred salary expense of $250,000 and paid $170,000 in salary to Mr. Favish. Accrued amounts are included in general and administrative expenses.

 

12. Income Taxes

 

Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. Significant components of the Company’s deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 are summarized below.

 

    December 31,  
    2018     2017  
Net operating loss carryforwards   $ 2,689,000     $ 1,551,000  
Stock-based compensation     942,000       504,000  
Amortization of intangibles     19,000        
Accrued compensation           17,000  
Depreciation     (1,000 )     5,000  
Total deferred tax assets     3,649,000       2,077,000  
Valuation allowance     (3,649,000 )     (2,077,000 )
Net deferred tax assets   $     $  

 

In assessing the potential realization of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the Company attaining future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. As of December 31, 2018, management was unable to determine if it is more likely than not that the Company’s deferred tax assets will be realized and has therefore recorded an appropriate valuation allowance against deferred tax assets at such dates.

 

No federal tax provision has been provided for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, due to the losses incurred during the periods. Reconciled below is the difference between the income tax rate computed by applying the U.S. federal statutory rate and the effective tax rates for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017:

 

    Years Ended December 31,  
    2018     2017  
             
U. S. federal statutory tax rate     (21.0 )%     (35.0 )%
Non-deductible stock-based compensation     %     4.3 %
Non-deductible fair value of warrant extensions     4.4 %     %
Expirations related to stock-based compensation     0.1 %     %
Adjustment to deferred tax asset     0.4 %     68.5 %
Change in valuation allowance     16.0 %     (38.0 )%
Other     0.1 %     0.2 %
Effective tax rate     0.0 %     0.0 %

 

At December 31, 2018, the Company has available net operating loss carryforwards for federal income tax purposes of approximately $9,945,000 which, if not utilized earlier, will begin to expire in 2035. While the Company has not performed a formal analysis of the availability of its net operating loss carryforwards under Internal Revenue Code Sections 382 and 383, management expects that the Company’s ability to use its net operating loss carryforwards will be limited in future periods.

 

  F- 39  
 

 

13. Subsequent Events

 

On January 30, 2019, Guardion Health Sciences, Inc. (the “Company”) filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware an amendment to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, (the “Charter Amendment”) to affect a reverse stock split whereby every two (2) shares of the Company’s common stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to filing the Charter Amendment (the “Old Common Stock”) were automatically, without further action on the part of the Company or any holder of Old Common Stock, reclassified, combined, converted and changed into one (1) fully paid and nonassessable share of common stock, par value of $0.001 per share (the “New Common Stock”). Holders who otherwise would have been entitled to receive fractional share interests of New Common Stock upon the effectiveness of the reverse stock split received one (1) whole share of New Common Stock in lieu of any fractional share created as a result of the reverse stock split. The reverse stock split was approved by the Company’s stockholders at the Company’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on November 20, 2018.

 

On February 11, 2019, two investors exercised warrants for 312,500 shares of common stock. The warrants were exercisable for $0.50 per share, and the Company received $31,250 in cash. The Company will issue the shares and record the cash received as additional equity.

 

  F- 40  
 

 

 

9,523,809 Shares of Common Stock

 

Pre-Funded Warrants to Purchase Shares of Common Stock

Warrants to Purchase up to 9,523,809 Shares of Common Stock

Shares of Common Stock Underlying the Pre-Funded Warrants

Shares of Common Stock Underlying the Warrants

 

Maxim Group LLC   WallachBeth Capital, LLC

 

PROSPECTUS

 

     , 2019

 

     
 

 

PART II — INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

ITEM 13. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.

 

The following table sets forth the expenses in connection with this registration statement. All of such expenses are estimates, other than the filing fee payable to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

    Amount
to be paid
 
SEC registration fee   $

3,327

 
FINRA filing fee    

2,225

 
Accounting fees and expenses     30,000  
Legal fees and expenses     250,000  
Printing and miscellaneous expenses     40,000  
Total   $

325,552

 

 

ITEM 14. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

 

Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved (including, without limitation, as a witness) in any actual or threatened action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director of the Company or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (hereinafter an “indemnitee”), whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent or in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, employee or agent, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company to the full extent authorized by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (“Delaware Code”), as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Company to provide broader indemnification rights than said law permitted the Company to provide prior to such amendment), or by other applicable law as then in effect, against all expense, liability and loss (including attorney’s fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts to be paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred or suffered by such indemnitee in connection therewith and such indemnification shall continue as to an indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the indemnitee’s heirs, executors and administrators. The right to indemnification conferred shall be a contract right and shall include the right to be paid by the Company the expenses incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition (hereinafter an “advancement of expenses”); provided, however, that, if the Delaware Code requires, an advancement of expenses incurred by an indemnitee in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such indemnitee while a director or officer, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon delivery to the Company of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified under. Any person who is or was serving as a director of a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company shall be deemed, for indemnification purposes, to be a director or officer of the Company entitled to indemnification under the Company’s bylaws and the Delaware Code. The Company may by action of its Board of Directors, grant rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses to employees and agents of the Company with the same scope and effects as the indemnification provisions for officers and directors.

 

ITEM 15. RECENT SALES OF UNREGISTERED SECURITIES.

 

On January 30, 2019, the Company filed a Certificate of Amendment to its Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware to effectuate a one-for-two (1:2) reverse stock split (the “Reverse Stock Split”) of its common stock without any change to its par value. All share and per share numbers in this prospectus reflect proportional adjustments for the Reverse Stock Split were made to the Company’s outstanding common stock, stock options, and warrants as if the split occurred at the beginning of the earliest period presented below.

 

The following securities were sold pursuant to the exemption afforded under Sections 4(a)(2) and 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act of 1933. There were no placement agents or underwriters for any of the following private placements.

 

2019

 

On February 11, 2019, the Company issued 258,152 shares of common stock pursuant to the exercise of 312,500 warrants. The Company received $31,250 in cash as a result of these exercises.

 

On March 12, 2019, the Company issued a ninety (90) day unsecured promissory note in the principal amount of $100,000 to a lender. The promissory note bears interest at a rate of ten percent (10%) per annum and matures on June 10, 2019. On April 11, 2019, the Company repaid the promissory note for a total of $100,849 including accrued interest.

 

On March 15, 2019 and March 20, 2019, the Company entered into separate securities purchase agreements pursuant to which the Company issued convertible promissory notes and common stock purchase warrants to two investors in exchange for $250,000. On April 9, 2019, in connection with the IPO, these convertible promissory notes were automatically converted into 109,038 shares of common stock based on a conversion price of $2.30 per share.

 

On March 18, 2019, the Company issued 28,261 shares of common stock pursuant to the cashless exercise of 50,000 warrants.

 

On April 12, 2019, an investor exercised warrants for 26,250 shares of common stock. The warrants were exercisable for $0.50 per share, and the Company received $13,125 in cash.

 

On April 5 and 17, 2019, investors exercised a total of 275,000 warrants on a cashless basis resulting in the issuance of 229,365 shares of common stock. The warrants were exercisable for $0.50 and $2.00 per share.

 

As compensation for services rendered, the Company issued a total of 54,390 shares of common stock in April, May, and June 2019.

 

On May 6, 2019, an investor exercised warrants for 125,000 shares of common stock. The warrants were exercisable for $0.50 per share, and the Company received $62,500 in cash.

 

On May 20, 2019, an investor exercised a total of 50,000 warrants on a cashless basis resulting in the issuance of 33,108 shares of common stock. The warrants were exercisable for $0.50 per share.

 

On May 21, 2019, an investor exercised warrants for 50,000 shares of common stock. The warrants were exercisable for $0.50 per share, and the Company received $25,000 in cash.

 

  - 81 -  
 

 

2018

 

In January 2018, an investor exercised warrants for 73,000 shares of common stock. The warrants were exercisable for $0.02 per share, and the Company received $1,460 in cash.

 

During the three months ended December 31, 2018, the Company sold an aggregate of 369,567 shares of common stock, resulting in gross proceeds of $850,000 to the Company.

 

In December 2018, an investor exercised warrants for 30,000 shares of common stock. The warrants were exercisable for $0.50 per share, and the Company received $15,000 in cash.

 

2017

 

During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company declared dividends of $122,328 on its Series A Preferred Stock which were satisfied in full through the issuance of an aggregate of 101,962 shares of common stock.

 

During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company sold 3,105,000 shares of the Company’s Series B Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Series B Preferred Stock”) to various investors. The purchase price of the Series B Preferred Stock was $1.00 per share, for an aggregate purchase price of $3,105,000. The Series B Preferred Stock had a stated value of $1.00 per share and accrued an annual dividend at the rate of 6% of the stated value, calculated quarterly, paid in shares of common stock at the rate of $1.50 per share.

 

During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company declared dividends of $186,300 on its Series B Preferred Stock which were satisfied in full through the issuance of an aggregate of 124,219 shares of common stock.

 

During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company issued 243,400 fully vested shares of common stock for services rendered. During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company recognized $401,037 in stock compensation expense related to these shares.

 

During the three months ended March 31, 2017, in connection with the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock (and collectively, with the Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, the “Preferred Stock”) offering, the Company issued a total of 30,000 warrants as additional incentive to investors who had previously invested in the Company’s Series A Senior Convertible Preferred Stock offering in 2016. These warrants are fully vested, are immediately exercisable at $1.50 per share, and expire between March 6, 2020 and March 8, 2020. The warrants were valued at $51,796, based upon the Black-Scholes option-pricing model, with a stock price of $1.76, volatility of 135%, and an average risk-free interest rate of 1.61%.

 

During the three months ended March 31, 2017, the Company issued 81,250 shares of restricted common stock to a service provider. These shares are subject to vesting requirements over 4 months and remain subject to forfeiture if vesting conditions are not met. The aggregate fair value of the stock was $143,000 based on a valuation per share of $1.76 on the date of grant.

 

On September 29, 2017, the Company, through a wholly-owned subsidiary, completed the acquisition of substantially all of the assets and liabilities of VectorVision, Inc., in exchange for 1,525,000 shares of the Company’s common stock pursuant to the terms of an Asset Purchase and Reorganization Agreement, dated as of September 29, 2017.

 

All of the above shares were issued in transactions that were exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and 10R Rule 506 of Regulation D promulgated thereunder where noted, based on the representations and warranties contained in subscription agreements, purchase agreements, or investment letters. No commissions were paid and no underwriter or placement agent was involved in these transactions, except as noted.

 

On November 3, 2017, the Company completed the issuance and sale of an aggregate of 2,173,914 shares of common stock (the “Shares”) at a purchase price of $2.30 per Share (or a purchase price of $5,000,001 in the aggregate), in a private placement (the “Private Placement”) to certain purchasers pursuant to a Stock Purchase Agreement dated as of November 3, 2017. The Shares issued pursuant to the Stock Purchase Agreement were issued in reliance upon the exemption from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) and Rule 903 of Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act.

 

The completion of the Private Placement triggered, at the Company’s election, the automatic conversion of all Preferred Stock into shares of common stock. Accordingly, immediately following the completion of the Private Placement, the Company effected the conversion of all outstanding shares of Preferred Stock into 6,981,938 shares of common stock (excluding accrued but unpaid dividends), which was an exempt issuance pursuant to Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act.

 

  - 82 -  
 

 

2016

 

In January, 2016, the Company commenced a private placement in which it offered to accredited investors (1) convertible promissory notes that will automatically convert into the common stock of the Company upon the occurrence of certain events related to the Company becoming a public reporting company with the SEC, and (2) warrants to purchase one share of common stock of the Company for each two dollars invested, whereby such warrant is immediately exercisable at two dollars ($2.00) per share for a period of three (3) years from the date of issue. As of February 11, 2016, an aggregate of $76,000.00 of convertible promissory notes had been sold. No placement agents or underwriters are involved in this offering and no sales commissions or other compensation is being paid.

 

During 2016, the Company sold 1,170,000 shares of the Company’s Series A Senior Convertible Preferred Stock to various investors. The purchase price of the stock was $1.00 per share, for an aggregate purchase price of $1,170,000. In addition, the Company issued 535,154 shares of its preferred stock with a fair value of $784,888 upon conversion of $535,149 of notes payable and accrued interest. The stock has a stated value of $1.00 per share and accrues an annual dividend at the rate of 8% of the stated value, calculated quarterly, to be paid in shares of common stock at the rate of $1.20 per share. Dividends are payable to holders of record quarterly, on the last business day of each calendar quarter, from the date of issuance, as may be declared by the Board of Directors, and are cumulative.

 

During the year ended December 31, 2016, the Company declared dividends of $35,018 to its preferred shareholders which were paid through the issuance of 29,190 shares of common stock.

 

During 2016, the Company issued an additional 72,500 shares of restricted common stock for services rendered. These shares are subject to vesting requirements over 9 to 12 months and remain subject to forfeiture if vesting conditions are not met. The aggregate fair value of the stock was $145,348 based on a valuation per share of $2.00 on the date of grant.

 

During 2016, the Company also issued 297,500 fully vested shares of common stock for services rendered. During the year ended December 31, 2016, the Company recognized $560,932 in stock compensation expense related to these shares.

 

During 2016, the Company issued 825,867 shares of common stock with a fair value of $1,385,515 upon conversion of notes payable and accrued interest of $687,368 resulting in a loss on conversion of $698,147.

 

On December 31, 2016, the Company issued 342,467 shares of common stock with a fair value of $602,741 to its CEO, Michael Favish.

 

During the period January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016, the Company granted 292,500 post-maturity warrants to a related party investor. The warrants are exercisable at $0.50 per share for a period of three years.

 

During the period January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016, the Company granted warrants, to various investors, to purchase 326,750 shares of its common stock. The warrants are exercisable at a weighted average price of $0.92 per share for a period of three years.

 

On May 18, 2016, the Company issued warrants to purchase 125,000 shares of its common stock, with an exercise price of $0.50 per share, as compensation for services rendered.

 

On June 1, 2016, the Company issued warrants to purchase 50,000 shares of its common stock, with an exercise price of $0.50 per share, as compensation for services rendered.

 

  - 83 -  
 

 

ITEM 16. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES.

 

Exhibit No.   Description
1.1*   Form of Underwriting Agreement
2.1   Asset Purchase and Reorganization Agreement dated as of September 29, 2017 (filed on Form 8-K on October 5, 2017)
3.1   Articles of Organization of P4L Health Sciences, LLC and restatement changing name to Guardion Health Sciences, LLC filed in California (filed with the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on February 11, 2016)
3.2   Articles of Conversion; Delaware and California (filed with the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on February 11, 2016)
3.3   Certificate of Incorporation in Delaware and amendment thereto (filed with the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on February 11, 2016)
3.4   Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation filed and effective with the Delaware Secretary of State on January 30, 2019 (filed on Form 8-K on February 1, 2019)
3.5   Bylaws (filed with the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on February 11, 2016)
4.1   November 30, 2015 Warrant Agreement (filed with the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on February 11, 2016)
4.2*   Form of Pre-Funded Warrant
4.3*   Form of Warrant
4.4*   Form of Underwriters’ Warrant
5.1*   Opinion of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, LLP
10.1   Lease for 15150 Avenue of the Sciences, Suite 200, San Diego California and amendments thereto (filed with the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on February 11, 2016)
10.2   Form of Restricted Unit Purchase Agreement from Round 3 Funding in 2013 (filed with the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on February 11, 2016)
10.3   Form of Bridge Loan from September 30, 2015 - January 25, 2016 (filed with the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on February 11, 2016)
10.4   Form of Indemnification Agreement (filed with the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on February 11, 2016)
10.5   Intellectual Property Assignment Agreement with David W. Evans and VectorVision, Inc. dated as of September 29, 2017 (filed on Form 8-K on October 5, 2017)
10.6   Consulting Agreement with David W. Evans dated as of September 29, 2017 (filed on Form 8-K on October 5, 2017)
10.7   Intellectual Property Purchase Agreement with David W. Evans dated as of September 29, 2017 (filed on Form 8-K on October 5, 2017)
10.8   Stock Purchase Agreement dated as of November 3, 2017 (filed on Form 8-K on November 7, 2017)
10.9   Form of November 2018 Stock Purchase Agreement (filed on Form 8-K on November 30, 2018)
10.10   Guardion Health Sciences, Inc. 2018 Equity Incentive Plan (filed with the Registration Statement on Form S-1/A with the SEC on January 7, 2019)
10.11   Employment Agreement between Guardon Health Sciences, Inc. and Michael Favish (filed on Form 8-K on December 27, 2018)
23.1*   Consent of Weinberg & Company, P.A., independent registered public accounting firm for Guardion Health Sciences, Inc.
23.2*   Consent of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP (included as Exhibit 5.1)
24.1*   Power of Attorney (included on signature page of this Registration Statement)

 

* filed herewith.

 

  - 84 -  
 

 

ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS.

 

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

 

  (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

 

  (i) To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;
     
  (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement.
     
  (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

 

  (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
     
  (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
     
  (4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser, if the registrant is subject to Rule 430C, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.
     
  (5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

  (i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
  (ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;
  (iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and
  (iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriter at the closing specified in the underwriting agreements certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriter to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.

 

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:

 

  (1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b) (1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.
  (2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

  - 85 -  
 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on the 7 th day of August 2019.

 

  GUARDION HEALTH SCIENCES, INC.
     
  By: /s/ Michael Favish
  Name: Michael Favish
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

We, the undersigned officers and directors of GUARDION HEALTH SCIENCES, INC., hereby severally constitute and appoint Michael Favish and Vincent J. Roth, and each of them (with full power to each of them to act alone), our true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for us and in our stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement and all documents relating thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing necessary or advisable to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

 

WITNESS our hands and common seal on the dates set forth below.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature   Title   Date
         
/s/ Michael Favish   CEO, President and Chairman of the Board   August 7, 2019
Michael Favish   (Principal Executive Officer)    
         
/s/ John Townsend   Chief Accounting Officer and Controller  

August 7 , 2019

John Townsend   (Principal Accounting and Financial Officer)    
         
/s/ Robert N. Weingarten   Director  

August 7 , 2019

Robert N. Weingarten        
         
/s/ Mark Goldstone   Director  

August 7 , 2019

Mark Goldstone        
         
/s/ David W. Evans   Director  

August 7 , 2019

David W. Evans        
         
/s/ Donald A. Gagliano   Director  

August 7 , 2019

Donald A. Gagliano        

 

  - 86 -  
 

 

 

_________ SHARES OF COMMON STOCK,

 

_________ PRE-FUNDED WARRANTS (EXERCISABLE FOR _________ SHARES)

 

AND

 

_________ WARRANTS (EXERCISABLE FOR _________ SHARES)

 

OF

 

GUARDION HEALTH SCIENCES, INC.

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

[  ], 2019

 

Maxim Group LLC

Investment Banking

405 Lexington Avenue, 2nd Fl.

New York, New York 10174

 

WallachBeth Capital, LLC

Harborside Financial Center Plaza 5

185 Hudson Street, Suite 1410

Jersey City, New Jersey 07311

As Representatives of the

Several underwriters, if any, named in Schedule 1 hereto

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned, GUARDION HEALTH SCIENCES, INC., a company incorporated under the laws of Delaware (collectively with its subsidiaries and affiliates, including, without limitation, all entities disclosed or described in the Registration Statement as being subsidiaries or affiliates of GUARDION HEALTH SCIENCES, INC., the “ Company ”), hereby confirms its agreement (this “ Agreement ”) with the several underwriters (such underwriters, including the Representatives (as defined below), the “ Underwriters ” and each an “ Underwriter ”) named in Schedule 1 hereto for which MAXIM GROUP LLC (“ Maxim ”) and WallachBeth Capital, LLC (“ WallachBeth ”) are acting as Representatives to the several Underwriters (in such capacity, the “ Representatives ” and each a “ Representatives ” and if there are no Underwriters other than the Representatives, references to multiple Underwriters shall be disregarded and the term Representatives as used herein shall have the same meaning as Underwriters) on the terms and conditions set forth herein.

 

It is understood that the several Underwriters are to make a public offering of the Public Securities (as defined below) as soon as the Representatives deem it advisable to do so. The Public Securities are to be initially offered to the public at the public offering price set forth in the Prospectus. The Representatives may from time to time thereafter change the public offering price and other selling terms.

 

 
 

 

It is further understood that you will act as the Representatives for the Underwriters in the offering and sale of the Closing Securities and, if any, the Option Securities in accordance with this Agreement.

 

1.  Nature and Purchase of Securities .

 

(a) Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, the Company agrees to sell in the aggregate (i) [ ___] shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share (the “ Common Stock ”), (ii) pre-funded warrants in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “ Pre-Funded Warrants ”) exercisable for an aggregate of [___] shares of Common Stock, and (iii) warrants in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the “ Traditional Warrants ”) exercisable for an aggregate of [___] shares of Common Stock, and each Underwriter agrees to purchase, severally and not jointly, at the Closing, the following securities of the Company:

 

(i) the number of shares of Common Stock (the “ Closing Shares ”) set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter on Schedule 1 hereof;

 

(ii) Pre-Funded Warrants to purchase up to the number of shares of Common Stock set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter on Schedule 1 hereof, which shall have an exercise price equal to $0.01 (the “Pre-Funded Warrant Shares”) (subject to adjustment therein) (collectively, with the Traditional Warrants delivered at Closing, the “ Closing Warrants ” and, collectively with the Closing Shares, the “ Closing Securities” ); and

 

(iii) Traditional Warrants to purchase up to the number of shares of Common Stock and shares underlying the Pre-Funded Warrants set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter on Schedule 1 hereof (the “Traditional Warrant Shares”), which shall have an exercise price of $[___] (subject to adjustment as provided therein).

 

Warrants ” means, collectively, the Pre-Funded Warrants and the Traditional Warrants. “ Warrant Shares ” means the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants.

 

(b) The aggregate purchase price for the Closing Securities shall equal the amount set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter on Schedule 1 hereto (the “Closing Purchase Price”). The purchase price shall be $[___] per Closing Share (92% of the per Closing Share public offering price) (the “Share Purchase Price”), $[___] per Pre-Funded Warrant (92% of the per Pre-Funded Warrant public offering price) and $0.0092 per Traditional Warrant (92% of the per Traditional Warrant public offering price) (the “Warrant Purchase Price”).

 

(c) On the Closing Date, each Underwriter shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Company, via wire transfer, immediately available funds equal to such Underwriter’s Closing Purchase Price and the Company shall deliver to, or as directed by, such Underwriter its respective Closing Securities and the Company shall deliver the other items required pursuant to this Agreement deliverable at the Closing. Upon satisfaction of the covenants and conditions set forth herein, the Closing shall occur at the offices at the offices of Gracin & Marlow, LLP, located at 405 Lexington Avenue, 26th Floor, New York, New York 10174 (“ Representatives Counsel ”) or such other location (including remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmission) as the Company and Representatives shall mutually agree. The Closing Securities and, if any, the Option Securities are collectively referred to as the “ Public Securities .” The Public Securities shall be issued directly by the Company and shall have the rights and privileges described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus referred to below. The Public Securities are to be offered initially to the public at the offering price set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus (the “ Offering ”).

 

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(d) The Company acknowledges and agrees that, with respect to any Notice(s) of Exercise (as defined in the Pre-Funded Warrants) delivered by a Holder (as defined in the Pre-Funded Warrants) on or prior to 12:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Closing Date, which Notice(s) of Exercise may be delivered at any time after the time of execution of this Agreement, the Company shall deliver the Warrant Shares with respect to the Pre-Funded Warrants subject to such notice(s) to the Holder by 4:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Closing Date. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Holders are third-party beneficiaries of this covenant of the Company.

 

(e) Over-allotment Option .

 

(i) For the purposes of covering any over-allotments in connection with the distribution and sale of the Closing Securities, the Representatives are hereby granted an option (the “ Over-Allotment Option ”) to purchase, in the aggregate, up to [___] shares of Common Stock (the “ Option Shares ”) representing 15% of the Closing Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant Shares and Traditional Warrants to purchase up to [___] shares of Common Stock representing 15% of the Traditional Warrant Shares (the “ Option Warrants ” and, collectively with the Option Shares, the “ Option Securities ”) which may be purchased in any combination of Option Shares and/or Option Warrants at the Share Purchase Price and/or Warrant Purchase Price, respectively.

 

(ii) In connection with an exercise of the Over-Allotment Option, (A) the purchase price to be paid for any Option Shares is equal to the product of the Share Purchase Price multiplied by the number of Option Shares to be purchased and (B) the purchase price to be paid for any Option Warrants is equal to the product of the Warrant Purchase Price multiplied by the number of Option Warrants to be purchased (the aggregate purchase price to be paid on an Option Closing Date, the “ Option Closing Purchase Price ”).

 

(iii) The Over-Allotment Option granted pursuant to this Section 1(e)(iii) may be exercised by the Representatives as to all (at any time) or any part (from time to time) of the Option Securities within 45 days after the date of execution of this Agreement (the “Execution Date”). An Underwriter will not be under any obligation to purchase any Option Securities prior to the exercise of the Over-Allotment Option by the Representatives. The Over-Allotment Option granted hereby may be exercised by the giving of oral notice to the Company from the Representatives, which must be confirmed in writing by overnight mail or facsimile or other electronic transmission setting forth the number of Option Shares and/or Option Warrants to be purchased and the date and time for delivery of and payment for the Option Securities (each, an “ Option Closing Date ”), which will not be later than the earlier of (i) 45 days after the Execution Date and (ii) two (2) full Business Days after the date of the notice or such other time as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representatives, at the offices of Gracin & Marlow, LLP, located at 405 Lexington Avenue, 26th Floor, New York, New York 10174, or at such other location (including remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representatives. If such delivery and payment for the Option Securities does not occur on the Closing Date, each Option Closing Date will be as set forth in the notice. Upon exercise of the Over-Allotment Option, the Company will become obligated to convey to the Underwriters, and, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Underwriters will become obligated to purchase, the number of Option Shares and/or Option Warrants specified in such notice. The Representatives may cancel the Over-Allotment Option at any time prior to the expiration of the Over-Allotment Option by written notice to the Company.

 

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(f) Representatives’ Warrant .

 

(i) Warrant Amount; Term . The Company hereby agrees to issue and sell to the Representatives (and/or their designees) on the Closing Date for an aggregate purchase price of $100.00 warrants (the “ Representatives’ Warrants ”) for the purchase of an aggregate of [●] shares of Common Stock (which is equal to an aggregate of 8% of the shares of Common Stock and the Pre-Funded Warrant Shares included in the Closing Securities sold in the Offering), with fifty percent (50%) of the Representatives’ Warrants being issued to Maxim and fifty percent (50%) of the Representatives’ Warrants being issued to WallachBeth, The Representatives’ Warrants shall be issuable pursuant to the Representatives’ Warrant Agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the “ Representatives’ Warrant Agreement ”) and exercisable, in whole or in part, commencing on a date which is one hundred eighty (180) days after the effective date of the Registration Statement (the “Effective Date”) and expiring on the five-year anniversary of the Effective Date at an initial exercise price per share of Common Stock of $[●], which is equal to 125% of the public offering price of each Closing Share. The Representatives’ Warrant Agreement and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise thereof are sometimes hereinafter referred to together as the “ Representatives’ Securities .” The Representatives understand and agree that there are significant restrictions pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 against transferring the Representatives’ Warrant and the underlying shares of Common Stock during the one hundred eighty (180) days after the Effective Date and by its acceptance thereof each shall agree that it will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate the Representatives’ Warrant Agreement, or any portion thereof, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of such securities for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the Effective Date to anyone other than (i) an Underwriter or a selected dealer in connection with the Offering, or (ii) a bona fide officer or partner of the Representatives or of any such Underwriter or selected dealer; and only if any such transferee agrees to the foregoing lock-up restrictions.

 

(ii) Delivery . Delivery of the Representatives’ Warrant Agreement shall be made on the Closing Date and shall be issued in the name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representatives may request.

 

2.  Representations and Warranties of the Company . The Company represents and warrants to the Underwriters as of the Applicable Time (as defined below) and as of the Closing Date and as of the Option Closing Date, as follows (unless otherwise indicated, all references to the Company in this Section 2 shall refer to the Company, its subsidiaries and its variable interest entities):

 

(a) Filing of Registration Statement .

 

(i) Pursuant to the Securities Act .

 

(A) The Company has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) a registration statement, and an amendment or amendments thereto, on Form S-1 (File No. 333-[  ]), including any related prospectus or prospectuses, for the registration of the Public Securities and the Representatives’ Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), which registration statement and amendment or amendments have been prepared by the Company in conformity in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act (the “ Securities Act Regulations ”) and will contain all material statements that are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Except as the context may otherwise require, such registration statement, as amended, on file with the Commission at the time the registration statement became effective (including the Preliminary Prospectus included in the registration statement, financial statements, schedules, exhibits and all other documents filed as a part thereof or incorporated therein by reference and all information deemed to be a part thereof as of the Effective Date pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A of the Securities Act Regulations (the “ Rule 430A Information ”)), is referred to herein as the “ Registration Statement .” If the Company files any registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, then after such filing, the term “ Registration Statement ” shall include such registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b). The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission on the date hereof.

 

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(B) Each prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and each prospectus that omitted the Rule 430A Information that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, is herein called a “ Preliminary Prospectus .” The Preliminary Prospectus that was included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the Applicable Time is hereinafter called the “ Pricing Prospectus .” The final prospectus in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in the Offering is hereinafter called the “ Prospectus .” Any reference to the “most recent Preliminary Prospectus” shall be deemed to refer to the latest Preliminary Prospectus included in the Registration Statement.

 

(C) “ Applicable Time ” means [  ] [a.m.][p.m.], Eastern time, on the date of this Agreement.

 

(ii) Pursuant to the Exchange Act . The Company has filed with the Commission a Form 8-A providing for the registration pursuant to Section 12(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”), of the Common Stock. The registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act has been declared effective by the Commission on or prior to the date hereof. The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration.

 

(b) Stock Exchange Listing . The Common Stock and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants, the Traditional Warrants and the Representatives’ Warrants have been approved for listing on The NASDAQ Capital Market (the “ Exchange ”), subject to official notice of issuance, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, delisting the Common Stock from the Exchange, nor has the Company received any notification that the Company is not incompliance with the listing or maintenance requirements of the Exchange or that the Exchange is contemplating terminating such listing.

 

(c) No Stop Orders, etc . Neither the Commission nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any state regulatory authority has issued any order preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or has instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to institute, any proceedings with respect to such an order. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.

 

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(d) Disclosures in Registration Statement .

 

(i) Compliance with Securities Act and 10b-5 Representation .

 

(A) Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each Preliminary Prospectus, including the prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment or supplement thereto, and the Prospectus, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each Preliminary Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this Offering and the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(B) Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, as of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

(C) The Pricing Prospectus, as of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date, did not, does not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements made or statements omitted in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company with respect to the Underwriters by the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto. The parties acknowledge and agree that such information provided by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus consists solely of the information set forth in the following sections of the Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus: “Underwriting—Electronic Distribution” and “Underwriting—Price Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids” (the “ Underwriters’ Information ”).

 

(D) Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to the Underwriters’ Information.

 

(ii) Disclosure of Agreements . The agreements and documents described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained therein and there are no agreements or other documents required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus or to be filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Registration Statement, that have not been so described or filed. Each agreement or other instrument (however characterized or described) to which the Company is a party or by which it is or may be bound or affected and (i) that is referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, and (ii) is material to the Company’s business, has been duly authorized and validly executed by the Company, is in full force and effect in all material respects and is enforceable against the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the other parties thereto, in accordance with its terms, except (x) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (y) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws, and (z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. None of such agreements or instruments has been assigned by the Company, and neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party is in material default thereunder and, to the Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a material default thereunder, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Performance by the Company of the material provisions of such agreements or instruments will not result in a violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its assets or business (each, a “ Governmental Entity ”), including, without limitation, those relating to environmental laws and regulations, that would reasonably be expected to constitute a Material Adverse Change (as hereinafter defined).

 

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(iii) Prior Securities Transactions . Since January 1, 2016, no securities of the Company have been sold by the Company or by or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any person or persons controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Company, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Preliminary Prospectus.

 

(iv) Regulations . The disclosures in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus concerning the effects of federal, state, local and all foreign laws, rules and regulations relating to the Company’s business as currently contemplated are correct in all material respects and no other such regulations are required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus which are not so disclosed.

 

(e) Changes after Dates in Registration Statement .

 

(i) No Material Adverse Change . Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, except as otherwise specifically stated therein: (i) there has been no material adverse change in the financial position or results of operations of the Company, nor to the Company’s knowledge, any change or development that, singularly or in the aggregate, would involve a material adverse change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, assets or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and there has been no material adverse change on the Company’s ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under any Transaction Document (a “ Material Adverse Change ”); (ii) there have been no material transactions entered into by the Company, other than as contemplated pursuant to this Agreement; and (iii) no officer or director of the Company has resigned from any position with the Company. “ Transaction Documents ” means this Agreement and all exhibits and schedules hereto, the Pre-Funded Warrants, the Traditional Warrants, the Lock-Up Agreements, the Representatives’ Warrant Agreement and any other documents or agreements executed in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder.

 

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(ii) Recent Securities Transactions, etc . Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, and except as may otherwise be indicated or contemplated herein or disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company has not: (i) issued any securities (other than (i) grants under any stock compensation plan and (ii) shares of common stock issued upon exercise or conversion of option, warrants or convertible securities described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus) or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money; or (ii) declared or paid any dividend or made any other distribution on or in respect to its capital stock.

 

(f) Independent Accountants . To the knowledge of the Company, Weinberg & Company, P.A. (the “ Auditor ”), whose report is filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. Except as may otherwise be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Auditor has not, during the periods covered by the financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act.

 

(g) SEC Reports; Financial Statements, etc . The Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the two years preceding the date hereof (or such shorter period as the Company was required by law or regulation to file such material) (the foregoing materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, together with the Prospectus, being collectively referred to herein as the “ SEC Reports ”) on a timely basis or has received a valid extension of such time of filing and has filed any such SEC Reports prior to the expiration of any such extension. As of their respective dates, the SEC Reports complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and none of the SEC Reports, when filed, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Company has never been an issuer subject to Rule 144(i) under the Securities Act. The financial statements, including the notes thereto and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, fairly present in all material respects the financial position and the results of operations of the Company at the dates and for the periods to which they apply; and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (“ GAAP ”), consistently applied throughout the periods involved (provided that unaudited interim financial statements are subject to year-end audit adjustments that are not expected to be material in the aggregate and do not contain all footnotes required by GAAP); and the supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects the information required to be stated therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus under the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations. The pro forma and pro forma as adjusted financial information and the related notes, if any, included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus have been properly compiled and prepared in all material respects in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission), if any, comply with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. Each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus discloses all material off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations), and other relationships of the Company with unconsolidated entities or other persons that may have a material current or future effect on the Company’s financial condition, changes in financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources, or significant components of revenues or expenses. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, (i) the Company has not incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions other than in the ordinary course of business, (ii) the Company has not declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its capital stock, (iii) there has not been any change in the capital stock of the Company (other than (A) grants under any stock compensation plan and (B) shares of common stock issued upon exercise or conversion of option, warrants or convertible securities described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus), and (iv) there has not been any Material Adverse Change in the Company’s long-term or short-term debt.

 

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(h) Material Changes; Undisclosed Events, Liabilities or Developments . Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the Registration Statement and the SEC Reports, except as specifically disclosed in a subsequent SEC Report filed prior to the date hereof, (i) there has been no event, occurrence or development that has had or that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, (ii) the Company has not incurred any liabilities (contingent or otherwise) other than (A) trade payables and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the Company’s financial statements pursuant to GAAP or disclosed in filings made with the Commission, (iii) the Company has not altered its method of accounting, (iv) the Company has not declared or made any dividend or distribution of cash or other property to its stockholders or purchased, redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any shares of its capital stock and (v) the Company has not issued any equity securities to any officer, director or Affiliate, except pursuant to existing Company stock option plans and the issuance of Common Stock Equivalents as disclosed in the SEC Reports. The Company does not have pending before the Commission any request for confidential treatment of information. Except for the issuance of the Public Securities contemplated by this Agreement, no event, liability, fact, circumstance, occurrence or development has occurred or exists or is reasonably expected to occur or exist with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries or their respective businesses, prospects, properties, operations, assets or financial condition that would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws at the time this representation is made or deemed made that has not been publicly disclosed at least one trading day prior to the date that this representation is made. Unless otherwise disclosed in an SEC Report filed prior to the date hereof, the Company has not: (i) issued any securities or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money; or (ii) declared or paid any dividend or made any other distribution on or in respect to its capital stock.

 

(i) Authorized Capital; Options, etc . The Company had, at the date or dates indicated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, the duly authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth therein. Based on the assumptions stated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company will have on the Closing Date the adjusted stock capitalization set forth therein. Except as set forth in, or contemplated by, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, on the Effective Date, as of the Applicable Time, on the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, there will be no stock options, warrants, or other rights to purchase or otherwise acquire any authorized, but unissued shares of Common Stock of the Company or any security convertible or exercisable into shares of Common Stock of the Company, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell shares of Common Stock or any such options, warrants, rights or convertible securities. There are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any Subsidiary that contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to redeem a security of the Company or such Subsidiary. The Company does not have any stock appreciation rights or “phantom stock” plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement. No further approval or authorization of any stockholder, the Board of Directors or others is required for the issuance and sale of the Public Securities or the Representatives’ Securities. There are no stockholders agreements, voting agreements or other similar agreements with respect to the Company’s capital stock to which the Company is a party or, to the knowledge of the Company, between or among any of the Company’s stockholders.

 

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(j) Valid Issuance of Securities, etc.

 

(i) Outstanding Securities . All issued and outstanding securities of the Company issued prior to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof have no rights of rescission with respect thereto, and are not subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; and except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, none of such securities were issued in violation of the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The authorized shares of Common Stock, Company preferred stock and other securities of the Company to be outstanding upon consummation of the Offering conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus. The offers and sales of the outstanding shares of Common Stock were at all relevant times either registered under the Securities Act and the applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws or, based in part on the representations and warranties of the purchasers of such shares, exempt from such registration requirements.

 

(ii) Securities Sold Pursuant to this Agreement . The Public Securities and Representatives’ Securities have been duly authorized for issuance and sale and, when issued and paid for, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable free and clear of all liens, charges, mortgages or other encumbrances; the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; the Public Securities and Representatives’ Securities are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company; and all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of the Public Securities and Representatives’ Securities has been duly and validly taken; the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants and Representatives’ Warrants (the “ Underlying Common Stock ”) have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and when paid for and issued in accordance with such Representatives’ Warrants or exercised on a cashless basis as set forth in such Warrants or Representatives’ Warrants, as the case may be, such shares of Underlying Common Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the Public Securities and Representatives’ Securities conform in all material respects to all statements with respect thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

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(k) Registration Rights of Third Parties . Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, no holders of any securities of the Company or any rights exercisable for or convertible or exchangeable into securities of the Company have the right to require the Company to register any such securities of the Company under the Securities Act or to include any such securities in a registration statement to be filed by the Company (except for any such rights that have been waived).

 

(l) Validity and Binding Effect of Agreements . This Agreement, the Pre-Funded Warrants, the Traditional Warrants and the Representatives’ Warrant Agreement have been duly and validly authorized by the Company, and, when executed and delivered, will constitute, the valid and binding agreements of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, except: (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally; (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws; and (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.

 

(m) No Conflicts, etc . The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the Pre-Funded Warrants, the Traditional Warrants and the Representatives’ Warrant Agreement and all ancillary documents, the consummation by the Company of the transactions herein and therein contemplated and the compliance by the Company with the terms hereof and thereof do not and will not, with or without the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both: (i) result in a breach of, or conflict with any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a material default under, or result in the creation, modification, termination or imposition of any lien, charge, mortgage or other encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of any agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party; (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the Company’s Articles of Incorporation (as the same may be amended or restated from time to time, the “ Charter ”) or the by-laws of the Company (as the same may be amended or restated from time to time, the “ Bylaws ”); or (iii) violate any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any Governmental Entity as of the date hereof, except in the cases of clauses (i) and (iii) for such breaches, conflicts or violations which would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change.

 

(n) Regulatory . Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus or as would not reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change: (i) the Company has not received notice from any Governmental Entity alleging or asserting noncompliance with any Applicable Laws (as defined in clause (ii) below) or Authorizations (as defined in clause (iii) below); (ii) the Company is conducting and has conducted its business and operations in compliance with federal, state or foreign statutes, laws, ordinances, rules and regulations applicable to the Company (collectively, “ Applicable Laws ”); (iii) the Company possesses all licenses, certificates, approvals, clearances, consents, authorizations, qualifications, registrations, permits, and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Applicable Laws and/or to carry on its businesses as now conducted (“ Authorizations ”) and such Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and the Company is not in violation of any term of any such Authorizations, except for any violations which would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change; (iv) the Company has not received notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any Governmental Entity or third party alleging that any product, operation or activity is in violation of any Applicable Laws or Authorizations or has any knowledge that any such Governmental Entity or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, has there been any material noncompliance with or violation of any Applicable Laws by the Company that could reasonably be expected to require the issuance of any such communication or result in an investigation, corrective action, or enforcement action by any Governmental Entity; and (v) the Company has not received notice that any Governmental Entity has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any Authorizations or has any knowledge that any such Governmental Entity has threatened or is considering such action or any other action that would result in a Material Adverse Change. Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its directors, officers, employees or agents has been convicted of any crime under any Applicable Laws. All initial patient studies and testing conducted by or on behalf of the Company were and, if still ongoing, are being conducted in material compliance with all Applicable Laws in the jurisdictions in which they are being conducted. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company has not received any written notices or statements from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the European Medicines Agency or any other governmental agency or authority requiring, requesting or suggesting that Lumega-Z is not a regulated medical food or that MapcatSF is not a Class I medical device. The Company has not been informed by the FDA that the FDA will prohibit the marketing, sale, license or use in the United States of any product as it is currently marketed and sold. The Company has no knowledge of any regulatory actions that will adversely impact the manufacturer of its products or its products.

 

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(o) Reserved .

 

(p) No Defaults; Violations . No material default exists in the due performance and observance of any term, covenant or condition of any material license, contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, note, loan or credit agreement, or any other agreement or instrument evidencing an obligation for borrowed money, or any other material agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company is subject. The Company is not (i) in violation of any term or provision of its Charter or Bylaws, or (ii) in violation of any franchise, license, permit, applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment or decree of any Governmental Entity applicable to the Company, except for such defaults or violations the consequences of which would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

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(q) Corporate Power; Licenses; Consents .

 

(i) Conduct of Business . The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority, and has all necessary authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, certificates and permits of and from all governmental regulatory officials and bodies that it needs as of the date hereof to conduct its business purpose as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, except where such failure to have such necessary authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, certificates and permits would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

(ii) Transactions Contemplated Herein . The Company has all corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement, the Pre-Funded Warrants, the Traditional Warrants and the Representatives’ Warrant Agreement and to carry out the provisions and conditions hereof, and all consents, authorizations, approvals and orders required in connection therewith have been obtained. No consent, authorization or order of, and no filing with, any court, government agency or other body is required for the valid issuance, sale and delivery of the Public Securities and the consummation of the transactions and agreements contemplated by this Agreement, the Pre-Funded Warrants, the Traditional Warrants and the Representatives’ Warrant Agreement and as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, except with respect to applicable federal and state securities laws and the rules and regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“ FINRA ”) and of the Exchange.

 

(r) D&O Questionnaires . To the Company’s knowledge, all information contained in the questionnaires (the “ Questionnaires ”) completed by each of the Company’s directors and officers immediately prior to the Offering (the “ Insiders ”) as supplemented by all information concerning the Company’s directors, officers and principal stockholders as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, provided to the Underwriters, is true and correct in all material respects and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in the Questionnaires to become materially inaccurate and incorrect.

 

(s) Litigation; Governmental Proceedings . There is no material action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, arbitration, investigation, litigation or governmental proceeding pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against, or involving the Company or its property or, to the Company’s knowledge, any executive officer or director which has not been disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus which is required to be disclosed, in each case which individually or in the aggregate, is reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

(t) Subsidiaries . All of the Subsidiaries of the Company are set forth on Exhibit 21.1 to the Company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 (each a “ Subsidiary ” and collectively, the “ Subsidiaries ”). The Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the capital stock or other equity interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any liens, charges, mortgages or other encumbrances, and all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary are validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive and similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities.

 

(u) Good Standing . The Company and each Subsidiary have been duly organized and validly existing as a corporation and is in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware as of the date hereof, and is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of business requires such qualification, except where the failure to qualify, singularly or in the aggregate, would not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation nor default of any of the provisions of its respective Articles of Incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents.

 

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(v) Insurance . The Company carries or is entitled to the benefits of insurance, with, to the Company’s knowledge, reputable insurers, and in such amounts and covering such risks which the Company believes are reasonably adequate, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. The Company has no reason to believe that it will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

(w) Transactions Affecting Disclosure to FINRA .

 

(i) Finder’s Fees . Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, there are no claims, payments, arrangements, agreements or understandings relating to the payment of a finder’s, consulting or origination fee by the Company or any Insider with respect to the sale of the Public Securities hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its stockholders that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by FINRA.

 

(ii) Payments Within 180 Days . Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) to: (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company; (ii) any FINRA member; or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member, within the 180-day period immediately preceding the original filing of the Registration Statement, other than the payment to the Underwriters as provided hereunder in connection with the Offering.

 

(iii) Use of Proceeds . None of the net proceeds of the Offering will be paid by the Company to any participating FINRA member or its affiliates, except as specifically authorized herein.

 

(iv) FINRA Affiliation . There is no (i) officer or director of the Company, (ii) to the Company’s knowledge, beneficial owner of 5% or more of any class of the Company’s securities or (iii) to the Company’s knowledge, beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities which were acquired during the 180-day period immediately preceding the original filing of the Registration Statement that, in each case, is an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA).

 

(v) Information . All information provided by the Company in its FINRA Questionnaire to Representatives Counsel specifically for use by Representatives Counsel in connection with its Public Offering System filings (and related disclosure) with FINRA is true, correct and complete in all material respects.

 

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(x) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act . Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any other person acting on behalf of the Company, has, directly or indirectly, given or agreed to give any money, gift or similar benefit (other than legal price concessions to customers in the ordinary course of business) to any customer, supplier, employee or agent of a customer or supplier, or official or employee of any governmental agency or instrumentality of any government (domestic or foreign) or any political party or candidate for office (domestic or foreign) or other person who was, is, or may be in a position to help or hinder the business of the Company (or assist it in connection with any actual or proposed transaction) that (i) might subject the Company to any damage or penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding, (ii) if not given in the past, might have had a Material Adverse Change or (iii) if not continued in the future, might adversely affect the assets, business, operations or prospects of the Company. The Company has taken reasonable steps to ensure that its accounting controls and procedures are sufficient to cause the Company to comply in all material respects with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.

 

(y) Compliance with OFAC . Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any other person acting on behalf of the Company, is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“ OFAC ”), and the Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the Offering hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

 

(z) Money Laundering Laws . The operations of the Company are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “ Money Laundering Laws ”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(aa) Environmental Laws . The Company and its Subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with all federal, state, local and foreign laws relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata), including laws relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, or toxic or hazardous substances or wastes (collectively, “ Hazardous Materials ”) into the environment, or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials, as well as all authorizations, codes, decrees, demands, or demand letters, injunctions, judgments, licenses, notices or notice letters, orders, permits, plans or regulations, issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder (“ Environmental Laws ”); (ii) have received all permits licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval where in each clause (i), (ii) and (iii), the failure to so comply could be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Change.

 

(bb) Officers’ Certificate . Any certificate signed by any duly authorized officer of the Company and delivered to the Representatives or to Representatives Counsel shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.

 

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(cc) Lock-Up Agreements . Schedule 2 hereto contains a complete and accurate list of the Company’s officers, and directors and a list of certain shareholders, as agreed to between the Company and the Representatives (collectively, the “ Lock-Up Parties ”). The Company has caused each of the Lock-Up Parties to deliver to the Representatives an executed Lock-Up Agreement, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit D ( the “ Lock-Up Agreement ”), prior to the execution of this Agreement.

 

(dd) Related Party Transactions . There are no business relationships or related party transactions involving the Company or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus that have not been described as required.

 

(ee) Board of Directors . The Board of Directors of the Company is comprised of the persons set forth under the heading of the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus captioned “Directors and Executive Officers.” The qualifications of the persons serving as board members and the overall composition of the board comply with the Exchange Act, the Exchange Act Regulations, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “ Sarbanes-Oxley Act ”) applicable to the Company and the listing rules of the Exchange. At least one member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as such term is defined under Regulation S-K and the listing rules of the Exchange. In addition, at least a majority of the persons serving on the Board of Directors qualify as “independent,” as defined under the listing rules of the Exchange.

 

(ff) Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance .

 

(i) Disclosure Controls . The Company has developed and currently maintains disclosure controls and procedures that will comply with Rule 13a-15 or 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations applicable to it, and except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, such controls and procedures are effective to ensure that all material information concerning the Company will be made known on a timely basis to the individuals responsible for the preparation of the Company’s Exchange Act filings and other public disclosure documents.

 

(ii) Compliance . The Company is, or at the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date will be, in material compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act applicable to it, and has implemented or will implement such programs and taken reasonable steps to ensure the Company’s future compliance (not later than the relevant statutory and regulatory deadlines therefor) with all of the material provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

(gg) Accounting Controls . The Company maintains systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined under Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations) that comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, its principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal controls. The Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses, if any, in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which are known to the Company’s management and that have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’ ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud, if any, known to the Company’s management, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.

 

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(hh) No Investment Company Status . The Company is not and, after giving effect to the Offering and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, will not be, required to register as an “investment company,” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

(ii) No Labor Disputes . No labor dispute with the employees of the Company exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent. None of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ employees is a member of a union that relates to such employee’s relationship with the Company or such Subsidiary, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to a collective bargaining agreement, and the Company and its Subsidiaries believe that their relationships with their employees are good. To the knowledge of the Company, no executive officer of the Company or any Subsidiary, is, or is now expected to be, in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement or non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant in favor of any third party, and the continued employment of each such executive officer does not subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any liability with respect to any of the foregoing matters that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all U.S. federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to employment and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where the failure to be in compliance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change.

 

(jj) Intellectual Property Rights . To the Company’s knowledge, the Company has, or can acquire on reasonable terms, ownership of and/or license to, or otherwise has the right to use, all inventions, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), patents and patent rights trademarks, service marks and trade names, copyrights, (collectively “ Intellectual Property ”) material to carrying on its businesses as described in the Pricing Prospectus. The Company has not received any correspondence relating to any Intellectual Property, including notice of: (A) infringement or misappropriation of, or conflict with, any Intellectual Property of a third party; (B) asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property of the Company; or (C) assertions that any Intellectual Property of the Company is invalid or otherwise inadequate to protect the interest of the Company, that in each case (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding), individually or in the aggregate, would have or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change. To the Company’s knowledge, there are no third parties who have been able to establish any material rights to any Intellectual Property, except for the retained rights of the owners or licensors of any Intellectual Property that is licensed to the Company. There is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others: (A) challenging the validity, enforceability or scope of any Intellectual Property of the Company or (B) challenging the Company’s rights in or to any Intellectual Property or (C) that the Company materially infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates or conflicts with any Intellectual Property or other proprietary rights of others. The Company has complied in all material respects with the terms of each agreement described in the Registration Statement, Pricing Prospectus or Prospectus pursuant to which any Intellectual Property is licensed to the Company, and all such agreements related to products currently made or sold by the Company, or to product candidates currently under development, are in full force and effect.

 

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(kk) Taxes . The Company has filed all returns (as hereinafter defined) required to be filed with taxing authorities prior to the date hereof or has duly obtained extensions of time for the filing thereof. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company has paid all taxes (as hereinafter defined) shown as due on such returns that were filed and has paid all taxes imposed on or assessed against the Company, except for such exceptions as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Change. The provisions for taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial statements filed with or as part of the Registration Statement are sufficient for all accrued and unpaid taxes, whether or not disputed, and for all periods to and including the dates of such consolidated financial statements. Except as disclosed in writing to the Underwriters, (i) no issues have been raised (and are currently pending) by any taxing authority in connection with any of the returns or taxes asserted as due from the Company, and (ii) no waivers of statutes of limitation with respect to the returns or collection of taxes have been given by or requested from the Company. The term “ taxes ” mean all federal, state, local, foreign and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments or charges of any kind whatever, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts with respect thereto. The term “ returns ” means all returns, declarations, reports, statements and other documents required to be filed in respect to taxes.

 

(ll) Employee Benefit Laws . The Company is not in violation of or has not received notice of any violation with respect to any federal or state law relating to discrimination in the hiring, promotion or pay of employees, nor any applicable federal or state wages and hours law, nor any state law precluding the denial of credit due to the neighborhood in which a property is situated, the violation of any of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change.

 

(mm) Stock Option Plans . Each stock option granted by the Company under the Company’s stock option plan was granted (i) in accordance with the terms of the Company’s stock option plan and (ii) with an exercise price at least equal to the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date such stock option would be considered granted under GAAP and applicable law. No stock option granted under the Company’s stock option plan has been backdated. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no Company policy or practice to knowingly grant, stock options prior to, or otherwise knowingly coordinate the grant of stock options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its Subsidiaries or their financial results or prospects .

 

(nn) Industry Data . The statistical and market-related data included in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate or represent the Company’s good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from such sources.

 

(oo) Forward-Looking Statements . No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

 

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(pp) Export and Import Laws . The Company, and, to the Company’s knowledge, each of its affiliates, and any director, officer, agent or employee of, or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company, has acted at all times in compliance with applicable Export and Import Laws (as defined below) and there are no claims, complaints, charges, investigations or proceedings pending or expected or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and any governmental authority under any Export or Import Laws. The term “ Export and Import Laws ” means the Arms Export Control Act, the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, the Export Administration Act of 1979, as amended, the Export Administration Regulations, and all other laws and regulations of the United States government regulating the provision of services to non-U.S. parties or the export and import of articles or information from and to the United States of America, and all similar laws and regulations of any foreign government regulating the provision of services to parties not of the foreign country or the export and import of articles and information from and to the foreign country to parties not of the foreign country.

 

(qq) Integration . Neither the Company, nor any of its affiliates, nor any person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause the Offering to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of the Securities Act that would require the registration of any such securities under the Securities Act.

 

(rr) [Reserved]

 

(ss) Confidentiality and Non-Competition . To the Company’s knowledge, no director, officer, key employee or consultant of the Company is subject to any confidentiality, non-disclosure, non-competition agreement or non-solicitation agreement with any employer or prior employer that could reasonably be expected to materially affect his ability to be and act in his respective capacity of the Company or be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

(tt) Smaller Reporting Company . As of the time of filing of the Registration Statement, the Company was a “smaller reporting company,” as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act Regulations

 

3.  Covenants of the Company . The Company covenants and agrees as follows:

 

(a) Amendments to Registration Statement . The Company shall deliver to the Representatives, prior to filing, any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus proposed to be filed after the Effective Date and not file any such amendment or supplement to which the Representatives shall reasonably object in writing; provided however, that this Section 3(a) shall not be applicable with respect to any supplements to the Registration Statement filed solely for the purpose of supplementing the Registration Statement or Prospectus with a report filed with the Commission by the Company pursuant to the Exchange Act.

 

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(b) Federal Securities Laws .

 

(i) Compliance . The Company shall comply with the requirements of Rule 430A of the Securities Act Regulations, and will notify the Representatives promptly, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed; (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Public Securities and Representatives’ Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatening, of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the Offering of the Public Securities and Representatives’ Securities. The Company shall effect all filings required under Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and shall take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

 

(ii) Continued Compliance . The Company shall comply with the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Public Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Public Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the Securities Act Regulations (“ Rule 172 ”), would be) required by the Securities Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Public Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) amend or supplement the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus in order that the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representatives notice of such event; (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representatives with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The Company has given the Representatives notice of any filings made pursuant to the Exchange Act or the Exchange Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time. The Company shall give the Representatives notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time until the later of the Closing Date and the exercise in full or expiration of the Over-allotment Option specified in Section 10 hereof and will furnish the Representatives with copies of the related document(s) a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.

 

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(c) Delivery to the Underwriters of Registration Statements . The Company has delivered or made available or shall deliver or make available to the Representatives and counsel for the Representatives, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Underwriters, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(d) Delivery to the Underwriters of Prospectuses . The Company has delivered or made available or will deliver or make available to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the Securities Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Public Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(e) Effectiveness and Events Requiring Notice to the Representatives . The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Registration Statement to remain effective with a current prospectus through and including the expiration date of the Warrants and Representatives Warrants (or the date all Warrants have been exercised or duly called, if earlier), and shall notify the Representatives immediately and confirm the notice in writing: (i) of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto; (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of the initiation, or to the Company’s knowledge, the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iii) of the issuance by any state securities commission of any proceedings for the suspension of the qualification of the Public Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the initiation, or to the Company’s knowledge, the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iv) of the mailing and delivery to the Commission for filing of any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus; (v) of the receipt of any comments or request for any additional information from the Commission; and (vi) of the happening of any event during the period described in this Section 3(e) that, in the judgment of the Company, makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus untrue or that requires the making of any changes in (a) the Registration Statement in order to make the statements therein not misleading, or (b) in the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Commission or any state securities commission shall enter a stop order or suspend such qualification at any time, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain promptly the lifting of such order.

 

(f) Listing . The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the listing of the Common Stock on the Exchange for three (3) years after the date of this Agreement.

 

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(g) Reports to the Representatives; Transfer Agent .

 

(i) Periodic Reports, etc . For a period of one year after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall furnish or make available to the Representatives copies of such financial statements and other periodic and special reports as the Company from time to time furnishes generally to holders of any class of its securities and also promptly furnish or make available to the Representatives: (i) a copy of each periodic report the Company shall be required to file with the Commission under the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations; (ii) a copy of every press release and every news item and article with respect to the Company or its affairs which was released by the Company and filed or furnished on a Current Report on Form 8-K; (iii) a copy of each Current Report on Form 8-K prepared and filed by the Company; and (iv) five copies of each registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act. Documents filed with the Commission pursuant to its EDGAR system or otherwise filed with the Commission or made publicly available shall be deemed to have been delivered to the Representatives pursuant to this Section 3(g)(i).

 

(ii) Transfer Agent . The Company shall maintain a transfer agent and registrar for the Common Stock.

 

(h) Payment of Expenses .

 

(i) General Expenses Related to the Offering . The Company hereby agrees to pay on each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, to the extent not paid at the Closing Date, expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including: (a) all filing fees and communication expenses relating to the registration of the Public Securities to be sold in the Offering with the Commission; (b) all actual Public Offering Filing System filing fees associated with the review of the Offering by FINRA; (c) all fees and expenses relating to the listing of the Common Stock on the Exchange; (d) all fees, expenses and disbursements, if any, relating to the registration or qualification of the Public Securities under the “blue sky” securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably designate (including, without limitation, all filing and registration fees, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of “blue sky” counsel); (e) all actual fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration, qualification or exemption of the Public Securities under the securities laws of such foreign jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably designate; (f) the costs of all mailing and printing of the Registration Statements, Prospectuses and all amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto and as many preliminary and final Prospectuses as the Representatives may reasonably deem necessary; (g) the costs of preparing, printing and delivering certificates representing the Public Securities; (h) fees and expenses of the transfer agent for the Common Stock; (i) stock transfer and/or stamp taxes, if any, payable upon the transfer of securities from the Company to the Underwriters; (j) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants; (k) the fees and expenses of the Company’s legal counsel and other agents and representatives; (l) all reasonable and documented “road show” expenses for the Offering up to a maximum of $10,000; and (m) the due diligence fees and expenses of the Underwriters, including, without limitation, legal fees and expenses of the Underwriters and other diligence expenses; provided that these actual accountable expenses of the Underwriters shall not exceed $110,000 in the aggregate (less any retainer previously paid to the Representatives) in addition to any expenses reimbursed pursuant to clause (l) above), including the fees and disbursements of the underwriters’ counsel. The Representatives may deduct from the net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company on the Closing Date, or any Option Closing Date, if any, the expenses set forth herein (as limited by this Section 3(h)(i)) to be paid by the Company to the Underwriters, provided, however, that in the event that the Offering is terminated, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters pursuant to Section 8(c) hereof. In the event the offering is terminated, the Advance received against reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the offering will be returned to the issuer to the extent not actually incurred in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(C).

 

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(ii) Non-accountable Expenses . The Company further agrees that, in addition to the expenses payable pursuant to Section 3(h)(i) clauses (d) and (m), on the Closing Date it shall pay to the Representatives, by deduction from the net proceeds of the Offering contemplated herein, a non-accountable expense allowance equal to one percent (1%) of the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the Closing Shares.

 

(j) Application of Net Proceeds . The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the Offering received by it in a manner consistent with the application thereof described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus.

 

(k) Rule 158 . The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the Exchange Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by, Rule 158(a) under Section 11(a) of the Securities Act.

 

(l) Stabilization . Neither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, directors or stockholders (without the consent of the Representatives) has taken or shall take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under Regulation M of the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Public Securities.

 

(m) Internal Controls . The Company shall maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary in order to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

 

(n) Accountants . The Company shall retain an independent registered public accounting firm reasonably acceptable to the Representatives, and the Company shall continue to retain a nationally recognized independent registered public accounting firm for a period of at least three (3) years after the date of this Agreement.

 

(o) FINRA . For a period of 180 days from the later of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, the Company shall advise the Representatives (who shall make an appropriate filing with FINRA) if it is or becomes aware that (i) any officer or director of the Company, (ii) any beneficial owner of 5% or more of any class of the Company’s securities or (iii) any beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities which were acquired during the 180 days immediately preceding the original filing of the Registration Statement is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA).

 

(p) No Fiduciary Duties . The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters’ responsibility to the Company is solely contractual and commercial in nature, based on arms-length negotiations and that neither the Underwriters nor their affiliates or any selected dealer shall be deemed to be acting in a fiduciary capacity, or otherwise owes any fiduciary duty to the Company or any of its affiliates in connection with the Offering and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

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(q) Company Lock-Up Agreements . The Company, on behalf of itself and any successor entity, agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, it will not, for a period of 180 days after the date of this Agreement (the “ Lock-Up Period ”), (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company; (ii) file or cause to be filed any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company (other than pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-8 for employee benefit plans); or (iii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of capital stock of the Company, whether any such transaction described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above is to be settled by delivery of shares of capital stock of the Company or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The restrictions contained in this section shall not apply to (i) the Public Securities and the Representatives’ Securities to be sold hereunder; (ii) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of an outstanding stock option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof and disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Prospectus, (iii) the grant by the Company of stock options or other stock-based awards, or the issuance of shares of capital stock of the Company under any equity compensation plan of the Company disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus, or (iv) the issuance of securities in connection with mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, licensing arrangements or any other similar non-capital raising transactions.

 

(r) Blue Sky Qualifications . The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, if necessary, to qualify the Public Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representatives may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Public Securities; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

 

(s) Warrant Shares . If all or any portion of a Warrant or Representatives Warrant is exercised at a time when there is an effective registration statement to cover the issuance of the Warrant Shares or Underlying Common Stock or if the Warrant or Representatives Warrant is exercised via cashless exercise at a time when such Warrant Shares or Underlying Common Stock would be eligible for resale under Rule 144 by a non-affiliate of the Company, the Warrant Shares or Underlying Common Stock issued pursuant to any such exercise shall be issued free of all restrictive legends. If at any time following the date hereof the Registration Statement (or any subsequent registration statement registering the sale or resale of the Warrant Shares or Underlying Common Stock) is not effective or is not otherwise available for the sale of the Warrant Shares or Underlying Common Stock, the Company shall immediately notify the holders of the Warrants or Representatives Warrants in writing that such registration statement is not then effective and thereafter shall promptly notify such holders when the registration statement is effective again and available for the sale of the Warrant Shares or Underlying Common Stock (it being understood and agreed that the foregoing shall not limit the ability of the Company to issue, or any holder thereof to sell, any of the Warrant Shares or Underlying Common Stock in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws).

 

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(t) Reporting Requirements . The Company, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Public Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods required by the Exchange Act and Exchange Act Regulations. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Public Securities as may be required under Rule 463 under the Securities Act Regulations.

 

4.  Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations . The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Public Securities, as provided herein, shall be subject to (i) the continuing accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company as of the date hereof and as of each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any; (ii) the accuracy of the statements of officers of the Company made pursuant to the provisions hereof; (iii) the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and (iv) the following conditions:

 

(a) Regulatory Matters .

 

(i) Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Rule 430A Information . The Registration Statement has become effective not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the date of this Agreement or such later date and time as shall be consented to in writing by the Representatives, and, at each of the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto shall have been issued under the Securities Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall have been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated by the Commission. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. The Prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time frame required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)) or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed with, and declared effective by, the Commission in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A.

 

(ii) FINRA Clearance . On or before the date of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received clearance from FINRA as to the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Underwriters as described in the Registration Statement.

 

(iii) Exchange Stock Market Clearance . On the Closing Date, the Closing Shares and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants, the Traditional Warrants and the Representatives’ Warrant shall have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance. On each Option Closing Date (if any), the Option Shares and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Option Warrants (if any) and shall have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance.

 

(b) Company Counsel Matters .

 

(i) Closing Date Opinion of U.S. Counsel . On the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date (if any), the Representatives shall have received (i) the favorable opinion of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP, U.S. counsel to the Company, dated the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as applicable, and addressed to the Representatives, and (ii) a written statement providing certain “10b-5” negative assurances, addressed to the Representatives and dated the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date (if such date is other than the Closing Date), each in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives and Representatives Counsel.

 

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(c) Comfort Letters .

 

(i) Comfort Letter . At the time this Agreement is executed the Representatives shall have received a cold comfort letter from Weinberg & Company, P.A. containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ comfort letters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, addressed to the Representatives and in form and substance satisfactory in all respects to the Representatives and to the Auditor, dated as of the date of this Agreement.

 

(ii) Bring-down Comfort Letter . At the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date (if any), the Representatives shall have received from Weinberg & Company, P.A. a letter, dated as of the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as applicable, to the effect that such Auditor reaffirms the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to Section 4(c)(i), except that with respect to the initial comfort letter the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three (3) Business Days prior to the Closing Date.

 

(d) Officers’ Certificates .

 

(i) Officers’ Certificate . The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate, dated the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as applicable, of its President and Chief Executive Officer, and its Chief Financial Officer, or Controller and Chief Accounting Officer, stating on behalf of the Company and not in an individual capacity that (i) such officers have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus and, in their opinion, the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as applicable, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and the Pricing Prospectus, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date, or Option Closing Date, as applicable, the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto, as of the respective date thereof and as of the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as applicable, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, (ii) since the effective date of the Registration Statement, no event has occurred which should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, (iii) to their knowledge after reasonable investigation, as of the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as applicable, the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct in all material respects (except for those representations and warranties qualified as to materiality, which shall be true and correct in all respects and except for those representations and warranties which refer to facts existing at a specific date, which shall be true and correct as of such date) and the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date (if such date is other than the Closing Date), and (iv) there has not been, subsequent to the date of the most recent audited financial statements included in the Pricing Prospectus, any Material Adverse Change in the financial position or results of operations of the Company, or any change or development that, singularly or in the aggregate, would involve a Material Adverse Change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, assets or prospects of the Company, except as set forth in the Prospectus.

 

(ii) Secretary’s Certificate . At each of the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date and Option Closing Date (if such date is other than the Closing Date), certifying: (i) that each of the Charter and Bylaws is true and complete, has not been modified and is in full force and effect; (ii) that the resolutions of the Company’s Board of Directors relating to the Offering are in full force and effect and have not been modified; (iii) the good standing of the Company; and (iv) as to the incumbency of the officers of the Company. The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.

 

(iii) Chief Financial Officer Certificate . At each of the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date and Option Closing Date (if such date is other than the Closing Date), with respect to certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, General Disclosure Package, and the Prospectus, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

 

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(e) No Material Changes . Prior to and on each of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date: (i) there shall have been no Material Adverse Change or development involving a prospective Material Adverse Change in the condition or the business activities, financial or otherwise, of the Company or any subsidiary or variable interest entity of the Company from the latest dates as of which such condition is set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus; (ii) no action, suit or proceeding, at law or in equity, shall have been pending or threatened against the Company or any Insider before or by any court or federal or state commission, board or other administrative agency wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus; (iii) no stop order shall have been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings therefor shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and (iv) the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto shall contain all material statements which are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and shall conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and neither the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus nor the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto shall contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(f) Deliveries .

 

(i) Lock-Up Agreements . On or before the date of this Agreement, the Company shall have delivered to the Representatives executed copies of the Lock-Up Agreements from each of the persons listed in Schedule 2 hereto.

 

(ii) Shares . At the Closing Date, the Company shall have delivered or caused to be delivered the Closing Shares and, as to each Option Closing Date, if any, the applicable Option Shares, which shares shall be delivered via The Depository Trust Company Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system for the accounts of the several Underwriters.

 

(iii) Warrants . At the Closing Date, the Company shall have delivered or caused to be delivered the Closing Warrants and, as to each Option Closing Date, if any, the applicable Option Warrants in certificated form registered in the name or names and in such authorized denominations as the applicable Underwriter may request in writing at least one Business Day prior to the Closing Date and, if any, each Option Closing Date.

 

(iv) Representatives’ Warrant Agreement . On the Closing Date, the Company shall have delivered to the Representatives executed copies of the Representatives’ Warrant Agreement.

 

(v) General Counsel Certificate . At the Closing Date and at each Option Closing Date, the duly executed and delivered certificate (addressed to the Underwriters) of its General Counsel/Compliance with respect to certain regulatory matters dated as of the Closing Date, and in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Representative.

 

(vi) Intellectual Property Opinion. The Company shall have delivered or caused to be delivered at the Closing Date and at each Option Closing Date, the duly executed and delivered opinion (addressed to the Underwriters) of [______], with respect to certain intellectual property matters dated as of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, and in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Representative.

 

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(g) Additional Documents . At the Closing Date, Representatives Counsel shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling Representatives Counsel to deliver an opinion to the Underwriters, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Public Securities and the Representatives’ Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and Representatives Counsel.

 

5.  Indemnification .

 

(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters . The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates and each person controlling such Underwriter (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors, officers, agents and employees of each Underwriter, its affiliates and each such controlling person (each Underwriter, and each such entity or person hereafter is referred to as an “ Underwriter Indemnified Person ”) from and against any losses, claims, damages, judgments, assessments, costs and other liabilities (collectively, the “ Liabilities ”), and shall reimburse each Underwriter Indemnified Person for all fees and expenses (including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriter Indemnified Persons, except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) (collectively, the “ Expenses ”) as they are incurred in connection with such Indemnified Person’s enforcement of his or its rights under this Agreement, and agrees to advance payment of such Expenses as they are incurred by an Underwriter Indemnified Person in investigating, preparing, pursuing or defending any actions, whether or not any Indemnified Person is a party thereto, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (i) the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as from time to time each may be amended and supplemented), including the information deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement at the time of effectiveness and at any subsequent time pursuant to Rules 430A and 430B of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, as applicable; (ii) any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the Offering, including any “road show” or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically); (iii) in the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement, or (iv) any application or other document or written communication (in this Section 5, collectively called “application”) executed by the Company or based upon written information furnished by the Company in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Public Securities under the securities laws thereof or filed with the Commission, any state securities commission or agency, the Exchange or any other national securities exchange; or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, the Underwriters’ Information.

 

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(b) Procedure . Upon receipt by an indemnified person under this section 5 (an “ Indemnified Person ”) of actual notice of an action against such Indemnified Person with respect to which indemnity may reasonably be expected to be sought under this Agreement, such Indemnified Person shall promptly notify the Company in writing; provided that failure by any Indemnified Person so to notify the Company shall not relieve the Company from any obligation or liability which the Company may have on account of this Section 5 or otherwise to such Indemnified Person, except to the extent the Company is materially prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure. An Indemnified Person shall have the right to require that the Company assume the defense of any such action (including the employment of counsel designated by the Company and reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives). Any Indemnified Person shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless: (i) the Company has failed promptly to assume the defense and employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives for the benefit of the Underwriters and the other Indemnified Persons or (ii) such Indemnified Person shall have been advised that in the opinion of counsel that there is an actual or potential conflict of interest that prevents (or makes it imprudent for) the counsel engaged by the Company for the purpose of representing the Indemnified Person, to represent both such Indemnified Person and any other person represented or proposed to be represented by such counsel. The Company shall not be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate counsel (together with local counsel), representing all Indemnified Persons who are parties to such action), which counsel (together with any local counsel) for the Indemnified Persons shall be selected by the Representatives, subject to the Company’s approval (which shall not be unreasonably withheld). The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any action effected without its written consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld). In addition, the Company shall not, without the prior written consent of each Indemnified Person, settle, compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any pending or threatened action in respect of which advancement, reimbursement, indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not such Indemnified Person is a party thereto) unless such settlement, compromise, consent or termination (i) includes an unconditional release of that Indemnified Person, from all Liabilities arising out of such action for which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person. The advancement, reimbursement, indemnification and contribution obligations of the Company required hereby shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as every Liability and Expense is incurred and is due and payable, and in such amounts as fully satisfy each and every Liability and Expense as it is incurred (and in no event later than 30 days following the date of any invoice therefore).

 

(c) Indemnification of the Company . Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and persons who control the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all Liabilities, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or in any application, in reliance upon, and in strict conformity with, the Underwriters’ Information; provided, however, that in no case shall any Underwriter be liable or responsible for any amount in excess of the underwriting discount and commissions applicable to the Public Securities purchased by such Underwriter hereunder.

 

In case any action shall be brought against the Company or any other person so indemnified based on any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or in any application, and in respect of which indemnity may be sought against any Underwriter, such Underwriter shall have the rights and duties given to the Company, and the Company and each other person so indemnified shall have the rights and duties given to the several Underwriters by the provisions of Section 5(a). The Company agrees promptly to notify the Representatives of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against the Company or any of its officers, directors or any person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, in connection with the issuance and sale of the Public Securities or in connection with the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus; provided that failure by the Company so to notify the Representatives shall not relieve any Underwriter from any obligation or liability which such Underwriter may have on account of this Section 5 or otherwise to the Company, except to the extent such Underwriter is materially prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure.

 

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(d) Contribution . If the indemnification provided for in this Section 5 shall for any reason be unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 5(a) or 5(c) in respect of any Liabilities and Expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such Liabilities and Expenses, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and each of the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the Offering, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the matters as to which such Liabilities or Expenses relate, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, with respect to such Offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total proceeds from the Offering pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discount and commissions actually received by the Underwriters in connection with the Offering, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Underwriters, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement, omission, act or failure to act; provided that the parties hereto agree that the written information furnished to the Company through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, any Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, consists solely of the Underwriters’ Information. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). Notwithstanding the above, no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act shall be entitled to contribution from a party who was not guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

(e) Limitation . The Company also agrees that no Indemnified Person shall have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract or tort or otherwise) to the Company for or in connection with advice or services rendered or to be rendered by any Indemnified Person pursuant to this Agreement, the transactions contemplated thereby or any Indemnified Person’s actions or inactions in connection with any such advice, services or transactions, except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction has made a finding that Liabilities (and related Expenses) of the Company have resulted primarily from such Indemnified Person’s gross negligence or willful misconduct in connection with any such advice, actions, inactions or services.

 

(f) Survival & Third-Party Beneficiaries . The advancement, reimbursement, indemnity and contribution obligations set forth in this Section 5 shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any termination of, or the completion of any Indemnified Person’s services under or in connection with, this Agreement. Each Indemnified Person is an intended third-party beneficiary of this Section 5, and has the right to enforce the provisions of Section 5 as if he/she/it was a party to this Agreement.

 

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6.  Default by an Underwriter.

 

(a) Default Not Exceeding 10% of Public Securities . If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall default in its or their obligations to purchase the Closing Shares, and if the number of the Closing Shares with respect to which such default relates does not exceed in the aggregate 10% of the number of Closing Shares that all Underwriters have agreed to purchase hereunder, then such Closing Shares to which the default relates shall be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder.

 

(b) Default Exceeding 10% of Public Securities . In the event that the default addressed in Section (a)(a) relates to more than 10% of the Closing Shares, the Representatives may in its discretion arrange for itself or for another party or parties to purchase such Closing Shares to which such default relates on the terms contained herein. If, within one Business Day after such default relating to more than 10% of the Closing Shares, the Representatives does not arrange for the purchase of such Closing Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of one Business Day within which to procure another party or parties satisfactory to the Representatives to purchase said Closing Shares on such terms. In the event that neither the Representatives nor the Company arrange for the purchase of the Closing Shares to which a default relates as provided in this Section (a), this Agreement will automatically be terminated by the Representatives or the Company without liability on the part of the Company (except as provided in Sections 3(h) and 5 hereof) or the several Underwriters (except as provided in Section 5 hereof); and provided, further, that nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the other Underwriters and to the Company for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.

 

(c) Postponement of Closing Date . In the event that the Closing Shares to which the default relates are to be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters, or are to be purchased by another party or parties as aforesaid, the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date for a reasonable period, but not in any event exceeding five (5) Business Days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or in any other documents and arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendment to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus that in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter may thereby be made necessary. The term “ Underwriter ” as used in this Agreement shall include any party substituted under this Section (a) with like effect as if it had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Securities.

 

7.  Additional Covenants.

 

(a) Prohibition on Press Releases and Public Announcements . The Company shall not issue press releases or engage in any other publicity, without the Representatives’ prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld), for a period ending at 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the first Business Day following the forty-fifth (45 th ) day after the Closing Date, other than normal and customary releases issued in the ordinary course of the Company’s business.

 

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(b) Right of First Refusal .

 

(i) Upon the Closing of an Offering with gross proceeds in an amount equal to or above $10,000,000, for a period of fifteen (15) months from such Closing the Representatives shall have the right of first refusal to act as book running manager, lead underwriter and/or lead placement agent for any and all future public or private equity, equity-linked or debt (excluding commercial bank debt) offerings during such fifteen (15) month period of the Company, or any successor to or any subsidiary of the Company. This right shall apply to the Representatives equally ( i . e ., 50% of the economic benefits to Maxim and 50% of the economic benefits to WallachBeth).

 

(ii) Upon the Closing of an Offering with gross proceeds in an amount less than $10,000,000 and greater than or equal to $5,000,000, for a period of twelve (12) months from such Closing the Representatives shall have the right of first refusal to act as book running manager, lead underwriter and/or lead placement agent for any and all future public or private equity, equity-linked or debt (excluding commercial bank debt) offerings during such twelve (12) month period of the Company, or any successor to or any subsidiary of the Company. This right shall apply to the Representatives equally ( i . e ., 50% of the economic benefits to Maxim and 50% of the economic benefits to WallachBeth).

 

(iii) Upon the Closing of an Offering with gross proceeds in an amount less than $5,000,000, for a period of six (6) months from such Closing the Representatives shall have the right of first refusal to act as book running manager, lead underwriter and/or lead placement agent for any and all future public or private equity, equity-linked or debt (excluding commercial bank debt) offerings during such six (6) month period of the Company, or any successor to or any subsidiary of the Company. This right shall apply to the Representatives equally ( i . e ., 50% of the economic benefits to Maxim and 50% of the economic benefits to WallachBeth).

 

(iv) If the Agreement is terminated by the Company or expires prior to a closing of the Offering, WallachBeth shall retain all of the rights and benefits under its engagement letter with the Company dated September 23, 2018 and the Underwriting Agreement with the Company dated March 29, 2019 (herein collectively referred to as the “ WallachBeth Agreements ”). Upon the consummation of the Offering, the rights and benefits under the WallachBeth Agreements shall terminate.

 

(c) Subsequent Equity Sales .

 

(i) From the date hereof until six months after the Closing Date, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary shall issue, enter into any agreement to issue or announce the issuance or proposed issuance of any shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents.

 

(ii) From the date hereof until six months after the Closing Date, the Company shall be prohibited from effecting or entering into an agreement to effect any issuance by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents (or a combination of units thereof) involving a Variable Rate Transaction. “ Variable Rate Transaction ” means a transaction in which the Company (i) issues or sells any debt or equity securities that are convertible into, exchangeable or exercisable for, or include the right to receive, additional shares of Common Stock either (A) at a conversion price, exercise price or exchange rate or other price that is based upon, and/or varies with, the trading prices of or quotations for the shares of Common Stock at any time after the initial issuance of such debt or equity securities or (B) with a conversion, exercise or exchange price that is subject to being reset at some future date after the initial issuance of such debt or equity security or upon the occurrence of specified or contingent events directly or indirectly related to the business of the Company or the market for the Common Stock or (ii) enters into, or effects a transaction under, any agreement, including, but not limited to, an equity line of credit, whereby the Company may issue securities at a future determined price. Any Underwriter shall be entitled to obtain injunctive relief against the Company to preclude any such issuance, which remedy shall be in addition to any right to collect damages.

 

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(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 7(c) shall not apply in respect of an Exempt Issuance, except that no Variable Rate Transaction shall be an Exempt Issuance.

 

For purposes of this Section 7(c):

 

Common Stock Equivalents ” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.

 

Exempt Issuance ” means the issuance of (i) shares of Common Stock, restricted stock, restricted stock units or options to employees, officers, directors or consultants of the Company pursuant to any stock or option plan duly adopted for such purpose, by a majority of the non-employee members of the Board of Directors or a majority of the members of a committee of non-employee directors established for such purpose for services rendered to the Company, (ii) securities upon the exercise or exchange of or conversion of any Securities issued hereunder and/or other securities exercisable or exchangeable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding on the date of this Agreement, provided that such securities have not been amended since the date of this Agreement to increase the number of such securities or to decrease the exercise price, exchange price or conversion price of such securities (other than in connection with automatic price resets, stock splits, adjustments or combinations as set forth in such securities) or to extend the term of such securities and (iii) securities issued pursuant to acquisitions or strategic transactions approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company, provided that such securities are issued as “restricted securities” (as defined in Rule 144) and carry no registration rights that require or permit the filing of any registration statement in connection therewith during the prohibition period in Section 7(c) herein, and provided that any such issuance shall only be to a Person (or to the equityholders of a Person) which is, itself or through its subsidiaries, an operating company or an owner of an asset in a business synergistic with the business of the Company and shall provide to the Company additional benefits in addition to the investment of funds, but shall not include a transaction in which the Company is issuing securities primarily for the purpose of raising capital or to an entity whose primary business is investing in securities.

 

Person ” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

 

8.  Effective Date of this Agreement and Termination Thereof.

 

(a) Effective Date . This Agreement shall become effective when both the Company and the Representatives have executed the same and delivered counterparts of such signatures to the other party.

 

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(b) Termination . The Representatives shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time prior to any Closing Date, (i) if any domestic or international event or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, or in Representatives’ opinion will in the immediate future materially disrupt, general securities markets in the United States; or (ii) if trading on the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC shall have been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required by FINRA or by order of the Commission or any other government authority having jurisdiction; or (iii) if the United States shall have become involved in a new war or an increase in major hostilities; or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by a New York State or federal authority; or (v) if a moratorium on foreign exchange trading has been declared which materially adversely impacts the United States securities markets; or (vi) if the Company shall have sustained a material loss by fire, flood, accident, hurricane, earthquake, theft, sabotage or other calamity or malicious act which, whether or not such loss shall have been insured, will, in Representatives opinion, make it inadvisable to proceed with the delivery of the Closing Shares; or (vii) if the Company is in material breach of any of its representations, warranties or covenants hereunder; or (viii) if the Representatives shall have become aware after the date hereof of such a Material Adverse Change in the conditions of the Company, or such adverse material change in general market conditions as in the Representatives’ judgment would make it impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the Public Securities or to enforce contracts made by the Underwriters for the sale of the Public Securities. Section 5 of this Agreement shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

 

(c) Expenses . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, except in the case of a default by the Underwriters pursuant to Section (a)(b) above, in the event that this Agreement shall not be carried out for any reason whatsoever, within the time specified herein or any extensions thereof pursuant to the terms herein, the Company shall be obligated to pay to the Underwriters their actual and accountable out-of-pocket expenses related to the transactions contemplated herein then due and payable and upon demand the Company shall pay the full amount thereof to the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters (less any amounts previously advanced to the Representatives), including without limitation the full amount of a credit towards the Underwriters’ legal fees and expenses in the amount of $50,000, as set forth above with such legal fees. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any advance received by the Representatives will be reimbursed to the Company to the extent not actually incurred in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(C).

 

(d) Indemnification . Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained in this Agreement, any election hereunder or any termination of this Agreement, and whether or not this Agreement is otherwise carried out, the provisions of Section 5 shall remain in full force and effect and shall not be in any way affected by, such election or termination or failure to carry out the terms of this Agreement or any part hereof.

 

(e) Representations, Warranties, Agreements to Survive . All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company or (ii) delivery of and payment for the Public Securities.

 

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9.  Miscellaneous.

 

(a) Notices . Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of: (a) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or e-mail attachment at the email address set forth on the signature pages attached hereto at or prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading Day, (b) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or e-mail attachment at the e-mail address as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (c) the second (2nd) Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service or (d) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such notices and communications shall be as set forth below.

 

If to the Representatives:

 

Maxim Group LLC

405 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10174

Facsimile: (212) 895-3783

Attention: Clifford A. Teller

E-mail: [        ]

 

And

 

WallachBeth Capital, LLC

Harborside Financial Center Plaza 5

185 Hudson Street, Suite 1410

Jersey City, New Jersey 07311

Attention: [  ]

E-mail: [       ]

 

with copies to:

 

Gracin & Marlow, LLP

405 Lexington Avenue, 26th Floor

New York, New York 10174

Facsimile: (212) 208-4657

Attention: Leslie Marlow

E-mail: lmarlow@gracinmarlow.com

 

If to the Company:

 

Guardion Health Sciences, Inc.

15150 Avenue of Science, Suite 200

San Diego, California 92128

Attention: Chief Executive Officer

E-mail: [       ]

 

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with copies to:

 

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

333 South Hope Street, 43rd Floor

Los Angeles, California 90071

Attention: David I. Sunkin

E-mail: dsunkin@sheppardmullin.com

 

(b) Headings . The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement.

 

(c) Amendment . This Agreement may only be amended by a written instrument executed by each of the parties hereto.

 

(d) Entire Agreement . This Agreement (together with the other agreements and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement) constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement shall replace and supersede the Engagement Letter, including, without limitation, any terms which survive termination thereof pursuant to Section 9 thereof.

 

(e) Binding Effect . This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the Representatives, the Underwriters, each Indemnified Person referred to in Section 5, the Company and the controlling persons, directors and officers referred to in Section 5 hereof, and their respective successors, legal Representatives, heirs and assigns, and no other person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Agreement or any provisions herein contained. The term “successors and assigns” shall not include a purchaser, in its capacity as such, of securities from any of the Underwriters.

 

(f) Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction; Trial by Jury . This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflict of laws principles thereof. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of, or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the New York Supreme Court, County of New York, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 9(a) hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company agrees that the prevailing party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies) all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation therefor. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

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(g) Execution in Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts has been signed by each of the parties hereto and delivered to each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by email/pdf transmission shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery thereof.

 

(h) Waiver, etc . The failure of any of the parties hereto to at any time enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way effect the validity of this Agreement or any provision hereof or the right of any of the parties hereto to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Agreement. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment.

 

[ Signature Page Follows ]

 

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If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Underwriters and the Company, please so indicate in the space provided below.

 

  Very truly yours,
     
  GUARDION HEALTH SCIENCES, INC.
     
  By:                 
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

Accepted by the Representatives, acting

for themselves and as

Representatives of the Underwriters

named on Schedule 2 hereto,

as of the date first above written:

 

MAXIM GROUP LLC

 

By:    
Name: Clifford A. Teller  
Title: Executive Managing Director, Investment Banking  
     
WallachBeth Capital, LLC  
     
By:    
Name:   Daniel Tapia  
Title: Chief Compliance Officer  

 

[Signature Page]

Underwriting Agreement

 

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SCHEDULE 1

 

Schedule of Underwriters

 

Underwriter   Total Number of Closing Shares to be Purchased     Total Number of Pre-Funded Warrants to be Purchased     Total Number of Traditional Warrants to be Purchased     Number of Option Shares to be Purchased if the Over-Allotment Option is Fully Exercised     Number of Option Warrants to be Purchased if the Over-Allotment Option is Fully Exercised  
Maxim Group LLC                                                                                   
                                         
WallachBeth Capital, LLC                                        
                                         
TOTAL                                        

 

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SCHEDULE 2

 

List of Lock-Up Parties

 

Michael Favish
 
Robert Weingarten
 
Mark Goldstone
 
David W. Evans
 
Donald A. Gagliano
 
John Townsend
 
Vincent J. Roth
 
Leon Krajian
 
Digital Grid (Hong Kong) Technology Co., Limited

 

40
 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

Form of Pre-Funded Warrant

 

41
 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

Form of Traditional Warrant

 

42
 

 

EXHIBIT C

 

Form of Representatives’ Warrant

 

43
 

 

EXHIBIT D

 

Form of Lock-Up Agreement

 

44
 

 

PRE-FUNDED COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT

 

GUARDION HEALTH SERVICES, INC.

 

Warrant Shares: [_______] Initial Exercise Date: [____], 2019

 

THIS PRE-FUNDED COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT (the “ Warrant ”) certifies that, for value received, _____________ or its assigns (the “ Holder ”) is entitled, upon the terms and subject to the limitations on exercise and the conditions hereinafter set forth, at any time on or after the date hereof (the “ Initial Exercise Date ”) and until this Warrant is exercised in full (the “ Termination Date ”) but not thereafter, to subscribe for and purchase from Guardion Health Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), up to ______ shares (as subject to adjustment hereunder, the “ Warrant Shares ”) of Common Stock. The purchase price of one share of Common Stock under this Warrant shall be equal to the Exercise Price, as defined in Section 2(b).

 

Section 1 . Definitions . In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Warrant, the following terms have the meanings indicated in this Section 1:

 

Affiliate ” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

Bid Price ” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the bid price of the Common Stock for the time in question (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported in the “Pink Sheets” published by OTC Markets Group, Inc. (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

Business Day ” means any day except any Saturday, any Sunday, any day which is a federal legal holiday in the United States or any day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.

 

Commission ” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

 
 

 

Common Stock ” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share, and any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed.

 

Common Stock Equivalents ” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.

 

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Person ” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

 

Registration Statement ” means the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. [______).

 

Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Trading Day ” means a day on which the Common Stock is traded on a Trading Market.

 

Trading Market ” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market or the New York Stock Exchange (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

 

Transfer Agent ” means VStock Transfer, the current transfer agent of the Company with a mailing address of 8 Lafayette Pl, Woodmere, New York 11598, a phone number of (212) 828-8436 and an email address of [ ]@vstock.com, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.

 

VWAP ” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported in the “Pink Sheets” published by OTC Markets Group, Inc. (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

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Warrants ” means this Warrant and other Pre-Funded Common Stock purchase warrants issued by the Company pursuant to the Registration Statement.

 

Section 2 . Exercise .

 

a) Exercise of Warrant . Subject to the provisions of Section 2(e) herein, exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant may be made, in whole or in part, at any time or times on or after the Initial Exercise Date and on or before the Termination Date by delivery to the Company of a duly executed facsimile copy or PDF copy submitted by e-mail (or e-mail attachment) of the Notice of Exercise in the form annexed hereto (the “ Notice of Exercise ”). Within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period (as defined in Section 2(d)(i) herein) following the date of exercise as aforesaid, the Holder shall deliver the aggregate Exercise Price for the Warrant Shares specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise by wire transfer or cashier’s check drawn on a United States bank unless the cashless exercise procedure specified in Section 2(c) below is specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise. No ink-original Notice of Exercise shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise be required. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company until the Holder has purchased all of the Warrant Shares available hereunder and the Warrant has been exercised in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company for cancellation within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the final Notice of Exercise is delivered to the Company. Partial exercises of this Warrant resulting in purchases of a portion of the total number of Warrant Shares available hereunder shall have the effect of lowering the outstanding number of Warrant Shares purchasable hereunder in an amount equal to the applicable number of Warrant Shares purchased. The Holder and the Company shall maintain records showing the number of Warrant Shares purchased and the date of such purchases. The Company shall deliver any objection to any Notice of Exercise within one (1) Trading Day of receipt of such notice. The Holder and any assignee, by acceptance of this Warrant, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following the purchase of a portion of the Warrant Shares hereunder, the number of Warrant Shares available for purchase hereunder at any given time may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof.

 

b) Exercise Price . The aggregate exercise price of this Warrant, except for a nominal exercise price of $0.01 per Warrant Share, was pre-funded to the Company on or prior to the Initial Exercise Date and, consequently, no additional consideration (other than the nominal exercise price of $0.01 per Warrant Share) shall be required to be paid by the Holder to any Person to effect any exercise of this Warrant. The Holder shall not be entitled to the return or refund of all, or any portion, of such pre-paid aggregate exercise price under any circumstance or for any reason whatsoever, including in the event this Warrant shall not have been exercised prior to the Termination Date. The remaining unpaid exercise price per share of Common Stock under this Warrant shall be $0.01, subject to adjustment hereunder (the “ Exercise Price ”).

 

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c) Cashless Exercise . If at the time of exercise hereof there is no effective registration statement registering, or the prospectus contained therein is not available for the issuance of the Warrant Shares to the Holder, then this Warrant may also be exercised, in whole or in part, at such time by means of a “cashless exercise” in which the Holder shall be entitled to receive a number of Warrant Shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing [(A-B) (X)] by (A), where:

 

(A) = as applicable: (i) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is (1) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a day that is not a Trading Day or (2) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a Trading Day prior to the opening of “regular trading hours” (as defined in Rule 600(b)(64) of Regulation NMS promulgated under the federal securities laws) on such Trading Day, (ii) at the option of the Holder, either (y) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise or (z) the Bid Price of the Common Stock on the principal Trading Market as reported by Bloomberg L.P. as of the time of the Holder’s execution of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is executed during “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day and is delivered within two (2) hours thereafter (including until two (2) hours after the close of “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day) pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof or (iii) the VWAP on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if the date of such Notice of Exercise is a Trading Day and such Notice of Exercise is both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof after the close of “regular trading hours” on such Trading Day;

 

(B) =  the Exercise Price of this Warrant, as adjusted hereunder; and

 

(X) = the number of Warrant Shares that would be issuable upon exercise of this Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise.

 

If Warrant Shares are issued in such a cashless exercise, the parties acknowledge and agree that in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, the Warrant Shares shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 2(c).

 

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d) Mechanics of Exercise .

 

i. Delivery of Warrant Shares Upon Exercise . The Company shall cause the Warrant Shares purchased hereunder to be transmitted by the Transfer Agent to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system (“ DWAC ”) if the Company is then a participant in such system and either (A) there is an effective registration statement permitting the issuance of the Warrant Shares to or resale of the Warrant Shares by the Holder or (B) this Warrant is being exercised via cashless exercise, and otherwise by physical delivery of a certificate, registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the address specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise by the date that is the earliest of (i) two (2) Trading Days after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise, (ii) one (1) Trading Day after delivery of the aggregate Exercise Price to the Company and (iii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise (such date, the “ Warrant Share Delivery Date ”). Upon delivery of the Notice of Exercise, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record of the Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant has been exercised, irrespective of the date of delivery of the Warrant Shares, provided that payment of the aggregate Exercise Price (other than in the case of a cashless exercise) is received within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period following delivery of the Notice of Exercise. If the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Warrant Shares subject to a Notice of Exercise by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant Shares subject to such exercise (based on the VWAP of the Common Stock on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the fifth (5th)Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day after such Warrant Share Delivery Date until such Warrant Shares are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise. The Company agrees to maintain a transfer agent that is a participant in the FAST program so long as this Warrant remains outstanding and exercisable. As used herein, “ Standard Settlement Period ” means the standard settlement period, expressed in a number of Trading Days, on the Company’s primary Trading Market with respect to the Common Stock as in effect on the date of delivery of the Notice of Exercise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Notice(s) of Exercise delivered on or prior to 12:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Initial Exercise Date, which may be delivered at any time after the time of execution of the Underwriting Agreement, dated [_____], 2019 between the Company and Maxim Group LLC, the Company agrees to deliver the Warrant Shares subject to such notice(s) by 4:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Initial Exercise Date.

 

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ii. Delivery of New Warrants Upon Exercise . If this Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the request of a Holder and upon surrender of this Warrant certificate, at the time of delivery of the Warrant Shares, deliver to the Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder to purchase the unpurchased Warrant Shares called for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with this Warrant.

 

iii. Rescission Rights . If the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder the Warrant Shares pursuant to Section 2(d)(i) by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise.

 

iv. Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Warrant Shares Upon Exercise . In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder the Warrant Shares in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(d)(i) above pursuant to an exercise on or before the Warrant Share Delivery Date (other than any such failure that is solely due to any action or inaction by the Holder with respect to such exercise), and if after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “ Buy-In ”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Warrant Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder purchases Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of shares of Common Stock with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

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v. No Fractional Shares or Scrip . No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant. As to any fraction of a share which the Holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such exercise, the Company shall, at its election, either pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Exercise Price or round up to the next whole share.

 

vi. Charges, Taxes and Expenses . Issuance of Warrant Shares shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in respect of the issuance of such Warrant Shares, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company, and such Warrant Shares shall be issued in the name of the Holder or in such name or names as may be directed by the Holder; provided , however , that in the event that Warrant Shares are to be issued in a name other than the name of the Holder, this Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be accompanied by the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto. The Company shall pay all Transfer Agent fees required for same-day processing of any Notice of Exercise and all fees to the Depository Trust Company (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions) required for same-day electronic delivery of the Warrant Shares.

 

vii. Closing of Books . The Company will not close its stockholder books or records in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this Warrant, pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

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e) Holder’s Exercise Limitations . The Company shall not effect any exercise of this Warrant, and a Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Warrant, pursuant to Section 2 or otherwise, to the extent that after giving effect to such issuance after exercise as set forth on the applicable Notice of Exercise, the Holder (together with the Holder’s Affiliates, and any other Persons acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the Holder’s Affiliates (such Persons, “Attribution Parties”)), would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below). For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Holder and its Affiliates and Attribution Parties shall include the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of shares of Common Stock which would be issuable upon (i) exercise of the remaining, nonexercised portion of this Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties and (ii) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or nonconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any other Common Stock Equivalents) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 2(e), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the Holder that the Company is not representing to the Holder that such calculation is in compliance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the Holder is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith. To the extent that the limitation contained in this Section 2(e) applies, the determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable shall be in the sole discretion of the Holder, and the submission of a Notice of Exercise shall be deemed to be the Holder’s determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable, in each case subject to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the Company shall have no obligation to verify or confirm the accuracy of such determination. In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 2(e), in determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, a Holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock as reflected in (A) the Company’s most recent periodic or annual report filed with the Commission, as the case may be, (B) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (C) a more recent written notice by the Company or the Transfer Agent setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. Upon the written or oral request of a Holder, the Company shall within one Trading Day confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Warrant, by the Holder or its Affiliates or Attribution Parties since the date as of which such number of outstanding shares of Common Stock was reported. The “ Beneficial Ownership Limitation ” shall be [4.99% /9.99%] of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant. The Holder, upon notice to the Company, may increase or decrease the Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this Section 2(e), provided that the Beneficial Ownership Limitation in no event exceeds 9.99% of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of this Warrant held by the Holder and the provisions of this Section 2(e) shall continue to apply. Any increase in the Beneficial Ownership Limitation will not be effective until the 61 st day after such notice is delivered to the Company. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 2(e) to correct this paragraph (or any portion hereof) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended Beneficial Ownership Limitation herein contained or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitations contained in this paragraph shall apply to a successor holder of this Warrant.

 

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Section 3 . Certain Adjustments .

 

a) Stock Dividends and Splits . If the Company, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding: (i) pays a stock dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions on shares of its Common Stock or any other equity or equity equivalent securities payable in shares of Common Stock (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon exercise of this Warrant), (ii) subdivides outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, (iii) combines (including by way of reverse stock split) outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (iv) issues by reclassification of shares of the Common Stock any shares of capital stock of the Company, then in each case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event, and the number of shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant shall be proportionately adjusted such that the aggregate Exercise Price of this Warrant shall remain unchanged. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 3(a) shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification.

 

b) Subsequent Rights Offerings . In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 3(a) above, if at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any Common Stock Equivalents or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to all (or substantially all) of the record holders of any class of shares of Common Stock (the “ Purchase Rights ”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Purchase Right would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Purchase Right to such extent (or beneficial ownership of such shares of Common Stock as a result of such Purchase Right to such extent) and such Purchase Right to such extent shall be held in abeyance for the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).

 

c) Pro Rata Distributions . During such time as this Warrant is outstanding, if the Company shall declare or make any dividend or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to all (or substantially all) of holders of shares of Common Stock, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of cash, stock or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “ Distribution ”), at any time after the issuance of this Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date of which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution ( provided , however , to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Distribution would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Distribution to such extent (or in the beneficial ownership of any shares of Common Stock as a result of such Distribution to such extent) and the portion of such Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).

 

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d) Fundamental Transaction . If, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding, (i) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person, (ii) the Company, directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Common Stock are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock, (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of the Common Stock or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Common Stock is effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, or (v) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another Person or group of Persons whereby such other Person or group acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (not including any shares of Common Stock held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “ Fundamental Transaction ”), then, upon any subsequent exercise of this Warrant, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Warrant Share that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction, at the option of the Holder (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant), the number of shares of Common Stock of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration (the “ Alternate Consideration ”) receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant). For purposes of any such exercise, the determination of the Exercise Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one share of Common Stock in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Company shall apportion the Exercise Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the Alternate Consideration. If holders of Common Stock are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise of this Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction. The Company shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the survivor (the “ Successor Entity ”) to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3(d) pursuant to written agreements prior to such Fundamental Transaction and shall, at the option of the Holder, deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock of such Successor Entity (or its parent entity) equivalent to the shares of Common Stock acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the shares of Common Stock pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such number of shares of capital stock and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction). Upon the occurrence of any such Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Warrant referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein. For the avoidance of doubt, if, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding, a Fundamental Transaction occurs, pursuant to the terms of this Section 3(d), the Holder shall not be entitled to receive more than one of (i) the consideration receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction, or (ii) the assumption by the Successor Entity of all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant and the option to receive a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant.

 

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e) [Reserved.]

 

f) Calculations . All calculations under this Section 3 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as the case may be. For purposes of this Section 3, the number of shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) issued and outstanding.

 

g) Notice to Holder .

 

i. Adjustment to Exercise Price . Whenever the Exercise Price is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 3, the Company shall promptly deliver to the Holder by facsimile or email a notice setting forth the Exercise Price after such adjustment and any resulting adjustment to the number of Warrant Shares and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.

 

ii. Notice to Allow Exercise by Holder . If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Common Stock, (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Common Stock, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the Common Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any rights, (D) the approval of any stockholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the Common Stock, any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or any compulsory share exchange whereby the Common Stock is converted into other securities, cash or property, or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be delivered by facsimile or email to the Holder at its last facsimile number or email address as it shall appear upon the Warrant Register of the Company, at least twenty (20) calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, a notice (unless such information is filed with the Commission, in which case a notice shall not be required) stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Common Stock of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of the Common Stock for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange; provided that the failure to deliver such notice or any defect therein or in the delivery thereof shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. To the extent that any notice provided in this Warrant constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. The Holder shall remain entitled to exercise this Warrant during the period commencing on the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice except as may otherwise be expressly set forth herein.

 

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Section 4 . Transfer of Warrant .

 

a) Transferability . This Warrant and all rights hereunder are transferable, in whole or in part, upon surrender of this Warrant at the principal office of the Company or its designated agent, together with a written assignment of this Warrant substantially in the form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder or its agent or attorney and funds sufficient to pay any transfer taxes payable upon the making of such transfer. Upon such surrender and, if required, such payment, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in the name of the assignee or assignees, as applicable, and in the denomination or denominations specified in such instrument of assignment, and shall issue to the assignor a new Warrant evidencing the portion of this Warrant not so assigned, and this Warrant shall promptly be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company unless the Holder has assigned this Warrant in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the Holder delivers an assignment form to the Company assigning this Warrant in full. The Warrant, if properly assigned in accordance herewith, may be exercised by a new holder for the purchase of Warrant Shares without having a new Warrant issued.

 

b) New Warrants . This Warrant may be divided or combined with other Warrants upon presentation hereof at the aforesaid office of the Company, together with a written notice specifying the names and denominations in which new Warrants are to be issued, signed by the Holder or its agent or attorney. Subject to compliance with Section 4(a), as to any transfer which may be involved in such division or combination, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in exchange for the Warrant or Warrants to be divided or combined in accordance with such notice. All Warrants issued on transfers or exchanges shall be dated the initial issuance date of this Warrant and shall be identical with this Warrant except as to the number of Warrant Shares issuable pursuant thereto.

 

c) Warrant Register . The Company shall register this Warrant, upon records to be maintained by the Company for that purpose (the “ Warrant Register ”), in the name of the record Holder hereof from time to time. The Company may deem and treat the registered Holder of this Warrant as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose of any exercise hereof or any distribution to the Holder, and for all other purposes, absent actual notice to the contrary.

 

Section 5 . Miscellaneous .

 

a) No Rights as Stockholder Until Exercise; No Settlement in Cash . This Warrant does not entitle the Holder to any voting rights, dividends or other rights as a stockholder of the Company prior to the exercise hereof as set forth in Section 2(d)(i), except as expressly set forth in Section 3. Without limiting the rights of a Holder to receive Warrant Shares on a “cashless exercise,” and to receive the cash payments contemplated pursuant to Sections 2(d)(i) and 2(d)(iv), in no event, including if the Company is for any reason unable to issue and deliver Warrant Shares upon exercise of this Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof, shall the Company be required to net cash settle an exercise of this Warrant or cash settle in any other form.

 

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b) Loss, Theft, Destruction or Mutilation of Warrant . The Company covenants that upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant or any stock certificate relating to the Warrant Shares, and in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to it (which, in the case of the Warrant, shall not include the posting of any bond), and upon surrender and cancellation of such Warrant or stock certificate, if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Warrant or stock certificate of like tenor and dated as of such cancellation, in lieu of such Warrant or stock certificate.

 

c) Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc . If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Business Day, then, such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Business Day.

 

d) Authorized Shares .

 

The Company covenants that, during the period the Warrant is outstanding, it will reserve from its authorized and unissued Common Stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the Warrant Shares upon the exercise of any purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company further covenants that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of issuing the necessary Warrant Shares upon the exercise of the purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company will take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such Warrant Shares may be issued as provided herein without violation of any applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the Trading Market upon which the Common Stock may be listed. The Company covenants that all Warrant Shares which may be issued upon the exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant will, upon exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant and payment for such Warrant Shares in accordance herewith, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens and charges created by the Company in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue).

 

Except and to the extent as waived or consented to by the Holder, the Company shall not by any action, including, without limitation, amending its certificate of incorporation or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to protect the rights of Holder as set forth in this Warrant against impairment. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will (i) not increase the par value of any Warrant Shares above the amount payable therefor upon such exercise immediately prior to such increase in par value, (ii) take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Warrant Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant and

 

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(iii) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or consents from any public regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof, as may be, necessary to enable the Company to perform its obligations under this Warrant.

 

Before taking any action which would result in an adjustment in the number of Warrant Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable or in the Exercise Price, the Company shall obtain all such authorizations or exemptions thereof, or consents thereto, as may be necessary from any public regulatory body or bodies having jurisdiction thereof.

 

e) Governing Law . All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Warrant (whether brought against a party hereto or their respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, partners, members, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for such proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Warrant and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. If either party shall commence an action, suit or proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Warrant, the prevailing party in such action, suit or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for their reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this paragraph shall limit or restrict the federal district court in which a Holder may bring a claim under the federal securities laws.

 

f) Restrictions . The Holder acknowledges that the Warrant Shares acquired upon the exercise of this Warrant, if not registered, and the Holder does not utilize cashless exercise, will have restrictions upon resale imposed by state and federal securities laws.

 

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g) Nonwaiver and Expenses . No course of dealing or any delay or failure to exercise any right hereunder on the part of Holder shall operate as a waiver of such right or otherwise prejudice the Holder’s rights, powers or remedies. Without limiting any other provision of this Warrant, if the Company willfully and knowingly fails to comply with any provision of this Warrant, which results in any material damages to the Holder, the Company shall pay to the Holder such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover any costs and expenses including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees, including those of appellate proceedings, incurred by the Holder in collecting any amounts due pursuant hereto or in otherwise enforcing any of its rights, powers or remedies hereunder.

 

h) Notices . Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Holders hereunder including, without limitation, any Notice of Exercise, shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile or e-mail, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service, addressed to the Company, at 15150 Avenue of Science, Suite 200, San Diego, California 92128, Attention: Chief Executive Officer, facsimile number ( 858) 605-9055 , E-mail: mfavish@guardionhealth.com, or such other facsimile number, email address or address as the Company may specify for such purposes by notice to the Holders. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Company hereunder shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile or e-mail, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service addressed to each Holder at the facsimile number, e-mail address or address of such Holder appearing on the books of the Company. Any notice or other communication or deliveries hereunder shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (i) the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or via e-mail at the e-mail address set forth in this Section prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any date, (ii) the next Trading Day after the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or via e-mail at the e-mail address set forth in this Section on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (iii) the second Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (iv) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. To the extent that any notice provided hereunder constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

i) Limitation of Liability . No provision hereof, in the absence of any affirmative action by the Holder to exercise this Warrant to purchase Warrant Shares, and no enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of the Holder, shall give rise to any liability of the Holder for the purchase price of any Common Stock or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such liability is asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company.

 

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j) Remedies . The Holder, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Warrant. The Company agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Warrant and hereby agrees to waive and not to assert the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.

 

k) Successors and Assigns . Subject to applicable securities laws, this Warrant and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of the Company and the successors and permitted assigns of Holder. The provisions of this Warrant are intended to be for the benefit of any Holder from time to time of this Warrant and shall be enforceable by the Holder or holder of Warrant Shares.

 

l) Amendment . This Warrant may be modified or amended or the provisions hereof waived with the written consent of the Company, on the one hand, and the Holder, on the other hand.

 

m) Severability . Wherever possible, each provision of this Warrant shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Warrant shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provisions or the remaining provisions of this Warrant.

 

n) Headings . The headings used in this Warrant are for the convenience of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be deemed a part of this Warrant.

 

********************

 

(Signature Page Follows)

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed by its officer thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above indicated.

 

Guardion Health Services, Inc.  
     
By:                  
Name:     
Title:    

 

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NOTICE OF EXERCISE

 

To:Guardion Health Services, Inc.

 

(1) The undersigned hereby elects to purchase ________ Warrant Shares of the Company pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant (only if exercised in full), and tenders herewith payment of the exercise price in full, together with all applicable transfer taxes, if any.

 

(2) Payment shall take the form of (check applicable box):

 

[  ] in lawful money of the United States; or

 

[  ] if permitted the cancellation of such number of Warrant Shares as is necessary, in accordance with the formula set forth in subsection 2(c), to exercise this Warrant with respect to the maximum number of Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure set forth in subsection 2(c).

 

(3) Please issue said Warrant Shares in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:

 

_______________________________

 

The Warrant Shares shall be delivered to the following DWAC Account Number:

 

_______________________________

 

_______________________________

 

_______________________________

 

[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]

 

Name of Investing Entity: ________________________________________________________________________

 

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity : _________________________________________________

 

Name of Authorized Signatory: ___________________________________________________________________

 

Title of Authorized Signatory: ____________________________________________________________________

 

Date: ______________________________________________________________________________

 

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ASSIGNMENT FORM

 

(To assign the foregoing Warrant, execute this form and supply required information. Do not use this form to purchase shares.)

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the foregoing Warrant and all rights evidenced thereby are hereby assigned to

 

Name:  
  (Please Print)
Address:  
  (Please Print)
Phone Number:  
   
Email Address:  

 

Dated: _______________ __, ______  
   

Holder’s Signature:

 
   
Holder’s Address:  

 

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COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT

 

GUARDION HEALTH SERVICES, INC.

 

Warrant Shares: [_______] Initial Exercise Date: [____], 2019

 

THIS COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT (the “ Warrant ”) certifies that, for value received, _____________ or its assigns (the “ Holder ”) is entitled, upon the terms and subject to the limitations on exercise and the conditions hereinafter set forth, at any time on or after the date hereof (the “ Initial Exercise Date ”) and on or prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on [_____] 1 (the “ Termination Date ”) but not thereafter, to subscribe for and purchase from Guardion Health Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), up to ______ shares (as subject to adjustment hereunder, the “ Warrant Shares ”) of Common Stock. The purchase price of one share of Common Stock under this Warrant shall be equal to the Exercise Price, as defined in Section 2(b).

 

Section 1 . Definitions . In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Warrant, the following terms have the meanings indicated in this Section 1:

 

Affiliate ” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

Bid Price ” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the bid price of the Common Stock for the time in question (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported in the “Pink Sheets” published by OTC Markets Group, Inc. (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

Business Day ” means any day except any Saturday, any Sunday, any day which is a federal legal holiday in the United States or any day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.

 

 

1 Insert the date that is the five year anniversary of the Initial Exercise Date; provided, however, that, if such date is not a Trading Day, insert the immediately following Trading Day.

 

     

 

 

Commission ” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Common Stock ” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share, and any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed.

 

Common Stock Equivalents ” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock..

 

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Person ” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

 

Registration Statement ” means the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. [______]).

 

Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Trading Day ” means a day on which the Common Stock is traded on a Trading Market.

 

Trading Market ” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market or the New York Stock Exchange (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

 

Transfer Agent ” means VStock Transfer, the current transfer agent of the Company with a mailing address of 8 Lafayette Place, Woodmere, New York 11598, a phone number of (212) 828-8436 and an email address of [                ]@vstock.com, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.

 

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VWAP ” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported on the Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

Warrants ” means this Warrant and other Common Stock purchase warrants issued by the Company pursuant to the Registration Statement.

 

Section 2 . Exercise .

 

a) Exercise of Warrant . Subject to the provisions of Section 2(e) herein, exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant may be made, in whole or in part, at any time or times on or after the Initial Exercise Date and on or before the Termination Date by delivery to the Company of a duly executed facsimile copy or PDF copy submitted by e-mail (or e-mail attachment) of the Notice of Exercise in the form annexed hereto (the “ Notice of Exercise ”). Within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period (as defined in Section 2(d)(i) herein) following the date of exercise as aforesaid, the Holder shall deliver the aggregate Exercise Price for the Warrant Shares specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise by wire transfer or cashier’s check drawn on a United States bank unless the cashless exercise procedure specified in Section 2(c) below is specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise. No ink-original Notice of Exercise shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise be required. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company until the Holder has purchased all of the Warrant Shares available hereunder and the Warrant has been exercised in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company for cancellation within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the final Notice of Exercise is delivered to the Company. Partial exercises of this Warrant resulting in purchases of a portion of the total number of Warrant Shares available hereunder shall have the effect of lowering the outstanding number of Warrant Shares purchasable hereunder in an amount equal to the applicable number of Warrant Shares purchased. The Holder and the Company shall maintain records showing the number of Warrant Shares purchased and the date of such purchases. The Company shall deliver any objection to any Notice of Exercise within one (1) Trading Day of receipt of such notice. The Holder and any assignee, by acceptance of this Warrant, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following the purchase of a portion of the Warrant Shares hereunder, the number of Warrant Shares available for purchase hereunder at any given time may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof.

 

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b) Exercise Price . The exercise price per share of Common Stock under this Warrant shall be $[_____], subject to adjustment hereunder (the “ Exercise Price ”).

 

c) Cashless Exercise . If at the time of exercise hereof there is no effective registration statement registering, or the prospectus contained therein is not available for the issuance of the Warrant Shares to the Holder, then this Warrant may also be exercised, in whole or in part, at such time by means of a “cashless exercise” in which the Holder shall be entitled to receive a number of Warrant Shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing [(A-B) (X)] by (A), where:

 

  (A) = as applicable: (i) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is (1) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a day that is not a Trading Day or (2) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a Trading Day prior to the opening of “regular trading hours” (as defined in Rule 600(b)(64) of Regulation NMS promulgated under the federal securities laws) on such Trading Day, (ii) at the option of the Holder, either (y) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise or (z) the Bid Price of the Common Stock on the principal Trading Market as reported by Bloomberg L.P. as of the time of the Holder’s execution of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is executed during “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day and is delivered within two (2) hours thereafter (including until two (2) hours after the close of “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day) pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof or (iii) the VWAP on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if the date of such Notice of Exercise is a Trading Day and such Notice of Exercise is both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof after the close of “regular trading hours” on such Trading Day;
     
  (B) = the Exercise Price of this Warrant, as adjusted hereunder; and
     
  (X) = the number of Warrant Shares that would be issuable upon exercise of this Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise.

 

In addition, a cashless exercise may occur after during the period from thirty (30) days from the effective date of the registration statement  (the “ Effective Date ”) filed with the Commission in connection with this Warrant until the one year anniversary of the Effective Date (the “ Cashless Period ”), if the VWAP of the Common Stock on any Trading Day during the Cashless Period fails to exceed the Exercise Price in effect as of the date hereof (subject to adjustment for any stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations, recapitalizations and similar events). In such event, in lieu of the formula, the aggregate number of Warrant Shares issuable in such cashless exercise pursuant to any given Notice of Exercise electing to effect a cashless exercise shall equal the product of (x) the aggregate number of Warrant Shares that would be issuable upon exercise of this Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise and (y) 1.0.

 

If Warrant Shares are issued in such a cashless exercise, the parties acknowledge and agree that in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, the Warrant Shares shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 2(c).

 

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d) Mechanics of Exercise .

 

i. Delivery of Warrant Shares Upon Exercise . The Company shall cause the Warrant Shares purchased hereunder to be transmitted by the Transfer Agent to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system (“ DWAC ”) if the Company is then a participant in such system and either (A) there is an effective registration statement permitting the issuance of the Warrant Shares to or resale of the Warrant Shares by the Holder or (B) this Warrant is being exercised via cashless exercise, and otherwise by physical delivery of a certificate, registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the address specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise by the date that is the earliest of (i) two (2) Trading Days after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise, (ii) one (1) Trading Day after delivery of the aggregate Exercise Price to the Company and (iii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise (such date, the “ Warrant Share Delivery Date ”). Upon delivery of the Notice of Exercise, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record of the Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant has been exercised, irrespective of the date of delivery of the Warrant Shares, provided that payment of the aggregate Exercise Price (other than in the case of a cashless exercise) is received within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period following delivery of the Notice of Exercise. If the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Warrant Shares subject to a Notice of Exercise by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant Shares subject to such exercise (based on the VWAP of the Common Stock on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the fifth (5 th )Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day after such Warrant Share Delivery Date until such Warrant Shares are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise. The Company agrees to maintain a transfer agent that is a participant in the FAST program so long as this Warrant remains outstanding and exercisable. As used herein, “ Standard Settlement Period ” means the standard settlement period, expressed in a number of Trading Days, on the Company’s primary Trading Market with respect to the Common Stock as in effect on the date of delivery of the Notice of Exercise.

 

ii. Delivery of New Warrants Upon Exercise . If this Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the request of a Holder and upon surrender of this Warrant certificate, at the time of delivery of the Warrant Shares, deliver to the Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder to purchase the unpurchased Warrant Shares called for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with this Warrant.

 

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iii. Rescission Rights . If the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder the Warrant Shares pursuant to Section 2(d)(i) by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise.

 

iv. Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Warrant Shares Upon Exercise . In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder the Warrant Shares in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(d)(i) above pursuant to an exercise on or before the Warrant Share Delivery Date (other than any such failure that is solely due to any action or inaction by the Holder with respect to such exercise), and if after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “ Buy-In ”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Warrant Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder purchases Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of shares of Common Stock with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

v. No Fractional Shares or Scrip . No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant. As to any fraction of a share which the Holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such exercise, the Company shall, at its election, either pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Exercise Price or round up to the next whole share.

 

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vi. Charges, Taxes and Expenses . Issuance of Warrant Shares shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in respect of the issuance of such Warrant Shares, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company, and such Warrant Shares shall be issued in the name of the Holder or in such name or names as may be directed by the Holder; provided , however , that in the event that Warrant Shares are to be issued in a name other than the name of the Holder, this Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be accompanied by the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto. The Company shall pay all Transfer Agent fees required for same-day processing of any Notice of Exercise and all fees to the Depository Trust Company (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions) required for same-day electronic delivery of the Warrant Shares.

 

vii. Closing of Books . The Company will not close its stockholder books or records in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this Warrant, pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

e) Holder’s Exercise Limitations . The Company shall not effect any exercise of this Warrant, and a Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Warrant, pursuant to Section 2 or otherwise, to the extent that after giving effect to such issuance after exercise as set forth on the applicable Notice of Exercise, the Holder (together with the Holder’s Affiliates, and any other Persons acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the Holder’s Affiliates (such Persons, “Attribution Parties”)), would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below). For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Holder and its Affiliates and Attribution Parties shall include the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of shares of Common Stock which would be issuable upon (i) exercise of the remaining, nonexercised portion of this Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties and (ii) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or nonconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any other Common Stock Equivalents) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 2(e), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the Holder that the Company is not representing to the Holder that such calculation is in compliance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the Holder is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith. To the extent that the limitation contained in this Section 2(e) applies, the determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable shall be in the sole discretion of the Holder, and the submission of a Notice of Exercise shall be deemed to be the Holder’s determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable, in each case subject to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the Company shall have no obligation to verify or confirm the accuracy of such determination. In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 2(e), in determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, a Holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock as reflected in (A) the Company’s most recent periodic or annual report filed with the Commission, as the case may be, (B) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (C) a more recent written notice by the Company or the Transfer Agent setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. Upon the written or oral request of a Holder, the Company shall within one Trading Day confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Warrant, by the Holder or its Affiliates or Attribution Parties since the date as of which such number of outstanding shares of Common Stock was reported. The “ Beneficial Ownership Limitation ” shall be [4.99% /9.99%] of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant. The Holder, upon notice to the Company, may increase or decrease the Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this Section 2(e), provided that the Beneficial Ownership Limitation in no event exceeds 9.99% of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of this Warrant held by the Holder and the provisions of this Section 2(e) shall continue to apply. Any increase in the Beneficial Ownership Limitation will not be effective until the 61 st day after such notice is delivered to the Company. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 2(e) to correct this paragraph (or any portion hereof) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended Beneficial Ownership Limitation herein contained or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitations contained in this paragraph shall apply to a successor holder of this Warrant.

 

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Section 3 . Certain Adjustments .

 

a) Stock Dividends and Splits . If the Company, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding: (i) pays a stock dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions on shares of its Common Stock or any other equity or equity equivalent securities payable in shares of Common Stock (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon exercise of this Warrant), (ii) subdivides outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, (iii) combines (including by way of reverse stock split) outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (iv) issues by reclassification of shares of the Common Stock any shares of capital stock of the Company, then in each case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event, and the number of shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant shall be proportionately adjusted such that the aggregate Exercise Price of this Warrant shall remain unchanged. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 3(a) shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification.

 

b) Subsequent Rights Offerings . In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 3(a) above, if at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any Common Stock Equivalents or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to all (or substantially all) of the record holders of any class of shares of Common Stock (the “ Purchase Rights ”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Purchase Right would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Purchase Right to such extent (or beneficial ownership of such shares of Common Stock as a result of such Purchase Right to such extent) and such Purchase Right to such extent shall be held in abeyance for the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).

 

c) Pro Rata Distributions . During such time as this Warrant is outstanding, if the Company shall declare or make any dividend or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to all (or substantially all) of holders of shares of Common Stock, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of cash, stock or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “ Distribution ”), at any time after the issuance of this Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date of which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution ( provided , however , to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Distribution would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Distribution to such extent (or in the beneficial ownership of any shares of Common Stock as a result of such Distribution to such extent) and the portion of such Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).

 

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d) Fundamental Transaction . If, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding, (i) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person, (ii) the Company, directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Common Stock are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock, (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of the Common Stock or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Common Stock is effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, or (v) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another Person or group of Persons whereby such other Person or group acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (not including any shares of Common Stock held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “ Fundamental Transaction ”), then, upon any subsequent exercise of this Warrant, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Warrant Share that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction, at the option of the Holder (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant), the number of shares of Common Stock of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration (the “ Alternate Consideration ”) receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant). For purposes of any such exercise, the determination of the Exercise Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one share of Common Stock in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Company shall apportion the Exercise Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the Alternate Consideration. If holders of Common Stock are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise of this Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction. The Company shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the survivor (the “ Successor Entity ”) to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3(d) pursuant to written agreements prior to such Fundamental Transaction and shall, at the option of the Holder, deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock of such Successor Entity (or its parent entity) equivalent to the shares of Common Stock acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the shares of Common Stock pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such number of shares of capital stock and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction). Upon the occurrence of any such Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Warrant referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein. For the avoidance of doubt, if, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding, a Fundamental Transaction occurs, pursuant to the terms of this Section 3(d), the Holder shall not be entitled to receive more than one of (i) the consideration receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction, or (ii) the assumption by the Successor Entity of all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant and the option to receive a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant.

 

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e) [Reserved.]

 

f) Calculations . All calculations under this Section 3 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as the case may be. For purposes of this Section 3, the number of shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) issued and outstanding.

 

g) Notice to Holder .

 

i. Adjustment to Exercise Price . Whenever the Exercise Price is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 3, the Company shall promptly deliver to the Holder by facsimile or email a notice setting forth the Exercise Price after such adjustment and any resulting adjustment to the number of Warrant Shares and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.

 

ii. Notice to Allow Exercise by Holder . If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Common Stock, (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Common Stock, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the Common Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any rights, (D) the approval of any stockholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the Common Stock, any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or any compulsory share exchange whereby the Common Stock is converted into other securities, cash or property, or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be delivered by facsimile or email to the Holder at its last facsimile number or email address as it shall appear upon the Warrant Register of the Company, at least twenty (20) calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, a notice (unless such information is filed with the Commission, in which case a notice shall not be required) stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Common Stock of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of the Common Stock for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange; provided that the failure to deliver such notice or any defect therein or in the delivery thereof shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. To the extent that any notice provided in this Warrant constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. The Holder shall remain entitled to exercise this Warrant during the period commencing on the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice except as may otherwise be expressly set forth herein.

 

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Section 4 . Transfer of Warrant .

 

a) Transferability . This Warrant and all rights hereunder are transferable, in whole or in part, upon surrender of this Warrant at the principal office of the Company or its designated agent, together with a written assignment of this Warrant substantially in the form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder or its agent or attorney and funds sufficient to pay any transfer taxes payable upon the making of such transfer. Upon such surrender and, if required, such payment, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in the name of the assignee or assignees, as applicable, and in the denomination or denominations specified in such instrument of assignment, and shall issue to the assignor a new Warrant evidencing the portion of this Warrant not so assigned, and this Warrant shall promptly be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company unless the Holder has assigned this Warrant in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the Holder delivers an assignment form to the Company assigning this Warrant in full. The Warrant, if properly assigned in accordance herewith, may be exercised by a new holder for the purchase of Warrant Shares without having a new Warrant issued.

 

b) New Warrants . This Warrant may be divided or combined with other Warrants upon presentation hereof at the aforesaid office of the Company, together with a written notice specifying the names and denominations in which new Warrants are to be issued, signed by the Holder or its agent or attorney. Subject to compliance with Section 4(a), as to any transfer which may be involved in such division or combination, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in exchange for the Warrant or Warrants to be divided or combined in accordance with such notice. All Warrants issued on transfers or exchanges shall be dated the initial issuance date of this Warrant and shall be identical with this Warrant except as to the number of Warrant Shares issuable pursuant thereto.

 

c) Warrant Register . The Company shall register this Warrant, upon records to be maintained by the Company for that purpose (the “ Warrant Register ”), in the name of the record Holder hereof from time to time. The Company may deem and treat the registered Holder of this Warrant as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose of any exercise hereof or any distribution to the Holder, and for all other purposes, absent actual notice to the contrary.

 

Section 5 . Miscellaneous .

 

a) No Rights as Stockholder Until Exercise; No Settlement in Cash . This Warrant does not entitle the Holder to any voting rights, dividends or other rights as a stockholder of the Company prior to the exercise hereof as set forth in Section 2(d)(i), except as expressly set forth in Section 3. Without limiting the rights of a Holder to receive Warrant Shares on a “cashless exercise,” and to receive the cash payments contemplated pursuant to Sections 2(d)(i) and 2(d)(iv), In no event, including if the Company is for any reason unable to issue and deliver Warrant Shares upon exercise of this Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof, shall the Company be required to net cash settle an exercise of this Warrant or cash settle in any other form.

 

b) Loss, Theft, Destruction or Mutilation of Warrant . The Company covenants that upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant or any stock certificate relating to the Warrant Shares, and in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to it (which, in the case of the Warrant, shall not include the posting of any bond), and upon surrender and cancellation of such Warrant or stock certificate, if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Warrant or stock certificate of like tenor and dated as of such cancellation, in lieu of such Warrant or stock certificate.

 

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c) Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc . If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Business Day, then, such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Business Day.

 

d) Authorized Shares .

 

The Company covenants that, during the period the Warrant is outstanding, it will reserve from its authorized and unissued Common Stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the Warrant Shares upon the exercise of any purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company further covenants that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of issuing the necessary Warrant Shares upon the exercise of the purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company will take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such Warrant Shares may be issued as provided herein without violation of any applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the Trading Market upon which the Common Stock may be listed. The Company covenants that all Warrant Shares which may be issued upon the exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant will, upon exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant and payment for such Warrant Shares in accordance herewith, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens and charges created by the Company in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue).

 

Except and to the extent as waived or consented to by the Holder, the Company shall not by any action, including, without limitation, amending its certificate of incorporation or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to protect the rights of Holder as set forth in this Warrant against impairment. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will (i) not increase the par value of any Warrant Shares above the amount payable therefor upon such exercise immediately prior to such increase in par value, (ii) take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Warrant Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant and (iii) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or consents from any public regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof, as may be, necessary to enable the Company to perform its obligations under this Warrant.

 

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Before taking any action which would result in an adjustment in the number of Warrant Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable or in the Exercise Price, the Company shall obtain all such authorizations or exemptions thereof, or consents thereto, as may be necessary from any public regulatory body or bodies having jurisdiction thereof.

 

e) Governing Law . All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Warrant (whether brought against a party hereto or their respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, partners, members, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for such proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Warrant and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. If either party shall commence an action, suit or proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Warrant, the prevailing party in such action, suit or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for their reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this paragraph shall limit or restrict the federal district court in which a Holder may bring a claim under the federal securities laws.

 

f) Restrictions . The Holder acknowledges that the Warrant Shares acquired upon the exercise of this Warrant, if not registered, and the Holder does not utilize cashless exercise, will have restrictions upon resale imposed by state and federal securities laws.

 

g) Nonwaiver and Expenses . No course of dealing or any delay or failure to exercise any right hereunder on the part of Holder shall operate as a waiver of such right or otherwise prejudice the Holder’s rights, powers or remedies. Without limiting any other provision of this Warrant, if the Company willfully and knowingly fails to comply with any provision of this Warrant, which results in any material damages to the Holder, the Company shall pay to the Holder such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover any costs and expenses including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees, including those of appellate proceedings, incurred by the Holder in collecting any amounts due pursuant hereto or in otherwise enforcing any of its rights, powers or remedies hereunder.

 

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h) Notices . Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Holders hereunder including, without limitation, any Notice of Exercise, shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile or e-mail, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service, addressed to the Company, at 15150 Avenue of Science, Suite 200, San Diego, California 92128, Attention: Chief Executive Officer, facsimile number (858) 605-9055, E-mail: mfavish@guardionhealth.com, or such other facsimile number, email address or address as the Company may specify for such purposes by notice to the Holders. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Company hereunder shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile or e-mail, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service addressed to each Holder at the facsimile number, e-mail address or address of such Holder appearing on the books of the Company. Any notice or other communication or deliveries hereunder shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (i) the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or via e-mail at the e-mail address set forth in this Section prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any date, (ii) the next Trading Day after the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or via e-mail at the e-mail address set forth in this Section on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (iii) the second Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (iv) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. To the extent that any notice provided hereunder constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

i) Limitation of Liability . No provision hereof, in the absence of any affirmative action by the Holder to exercise this Warrant to purchase Warrant Shares, and no enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of the Holder, shall give rise to any liability of the Holder for the purchase price of any Common Stock or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such liability is asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company.

 

j) Remedies . The Holder, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Warrant. The Company agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Warrant and hereby agrees to waive and not to assert the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.

 

k) Successors and Assigns . Subject to applicable securities laws, this Warrant and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of the Company and the successors and permitted assigns of Holder. The provisions of this Warrant are intended to be for the benefit of any Holder from time to time of this Warrant and shall be enforceable by the Holder or holder of Warrant Shares.

 

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l) Amendment . This Warrant may be modified or amended or the provisions hereof waived with the written consent of the Company, on the one hand, and the Holder, on the other hand.

 

m) Severability . Wherever possible, each provision of this Warrant shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Warrant shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provisions or the remaining provisions of this Warrant.

 

n) Headings . The headings used in this Warrant are for the convenience of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be deemed a part of this Warrant.

 

********************

 

(Signature Page Follows)

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed by its officer thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above indicated.

 

Guardion Health Services, Inc.  
     
By:            
Name:    
Title:    

 

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NOTICE OF EXERCISE

 

To:Guardion Health Services, Inc.

 

(1) The undersigned hereby elects to purchase ________ Warrant Shares of the Company pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant (only if exercised in full), and tenders herewith payment of the exercise price in full, together with all applicable transfer taxes, if any.

 

(2) Payment shall take the form of (check applicable box):

 

[  ] in lawful money of the United States; or

 

[  ] if permitted the cancellation of such number of Warrant Shares as is necessary, in accordance with the formula set forth in subsection 2(c), to exercise this Warrant with respect to the maximum number of Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure set forth in subsection 2(c).

 

(3) Please issue said Warrant Shares in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:

 

_______________________________

 

The Warrant Shares shall be delivered to the following DWAC Account Number:

 

_______________________________

 

_______________________________

 

_______________________________

 

[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]

 

Name of Investing Entity: ________________________________________________________________________

 

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity : _________________________________________________

 

Name of Authorized Signatory: ___________________________________________________________________

 

Title of Authorized Signatory: ____________________________________________________________________

 

Date: _____________________________________________________________________________

 

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ASSIGNMENT FORM

 

(To assign the foregoing Warrant, execute this form and supply required information. Do not use this form to purchase shares.)

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the foregoing Warrant and all rights evidenced thereby are hereby assigned to

 

Name:    
    (Please Print)
Address:    
    (Please Print)
     
Phone Number:    
     
Email Address:    
     
Dated: _______________ __, ______    
     
Holder’s Signature:    
     
Holder’s Address:    

 

  18  

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

Form of Representative’s Warrant Agreement

 

THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THIS PURCHASE WARRANT BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT SELL, TRANSFER, ASSIGN, PLEDGE OR HYPOTHECATE OR BE THE SUBJECT OF ANY HEDGING, SHORT SALE, DERIVATIVE, PUT, OR CALL TRANSACTION THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE EFFECTIVE ECONOMIC DISPOSITION OF THIS PURCHASE WARRANT OR THE UNDERLYING SECURITIES FOR A PERIOD OF ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY (180) DAYS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE EFFECTIVE DATE (DEFINED BELOW) EXCEPT AS HEREIN PROVIDED AND THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THIS PURCHASE WARRANT AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT SELL, TRANSFER, ASSIGN, PLEDGE OR HYPOTHECATE OR BE THE SUBJECT OF ANY HEDGING, SHORT SALE, DERIVATIVE, PUT, OR CALL TRANSACTION THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE EFFECTIVE ECONOMIC DISPOSITION OF THIS PURCHASE WARRANT OR THE UNDERLYING SECURITIES FOR A PERIOD OF ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DAYS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE EFFECTIVE DATE TO ANYONE OTHER THAN (I) MAXIM PARTNERS LLC, WALLACHBETH CAPITAL, LLC OR ANY UNDERWRITER OR A SELECTED DEALER IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING, OR (II) A BONA FIDE OFFICER OR PARTNER OF MAXIM PARTNERS LLC, WALLACHBETH CAPITAL, LLC, OR OF ANY SUCH UNDERWRITER OR SELECTED DEALER.

 

THIS PURCHASE WARRANT IS NOT EXERCISABLE PRIOR TO [________________] [ DATE THAT IS 180 DAYS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE OFFERING ]. VOID AFTER 5:00 P.M., EASTERN TIME, [___________________] [ DATE THAT IS FIVE YEARS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE OFFERING ].

 

WARRANT TO PURCHASE COMMON STOCK

 

GUARDION HEALTH SCIENCES, INC.

 

Warrant Shares: _______

 

Initial Exercise Date: ______, 2020

 

THIS WARRANT TO PURCHASE COMMON STOCK (the “ Warrant ”) certifies that, for value received, _____________ or its assigns (the “ Holder ”) is entitled, upon the terms and subject to the limitations on exercise and the conditions hereinafter set forth, at any time on or after ____, 2020 [ DATE THAT IS 180 DAYS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE (as defined below) (the “ Initial Exercise Date ”) and, in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(G)(i), prior to at 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on the date that is five (5) years following the Effective Date (the “ Termination Date ”) but not thereafter, to subscribe for and purchase from GUARDION HEALTH SCIENCES, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), up to ______ 1 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “ Warrant Shares ”), as subject to adjustment hereunder. The purchase price of one share of Common Stock under this Warrant shall be equal to the Exercise Price, as defined in Section 2(b).

 

Section 1 . Definitions . In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated in this Section 1:

 

Affiliate ” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

 

1 Equal to 8% of the Securities being sold in the Offering.

 

  Ex. A- 1  
 

 

Business Day ” means any day except any Saturday, any Sunday, any day which is a federal legal holiday in the United States or any day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.

 

Commission ” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Effective Date ” means the effective date of the registration statement pursuant to which this Warrant is initially issued.

 

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Person ” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

 

Rule 144 ” means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.

 

Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Trading Day ” means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading.

 

Trading Market ” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, or the New York Stock Exchange (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

 

VWAP ” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of a share of Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on the OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for Common Stock are then reported in the “Pink Sheets” published by OTC Markets Group, Inc. (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of the Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holder and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

  Ex. A- 2  
 

 

Section 2 . Exercise .

 

a) Exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant may be made, in whole or in part, at any time or times on or after the Initial Exercise Date and on or before the Termination Date by delivery to the Company (or such other office or agency of the Company as it may designate by notice in writing to the registered Holder at the address of the Holder appearing on the books of the Company) of a duly executed facsimile copy (or e-mail attachment) of the Notice of Exercise Form annexed hereto. Within two (2) Trading Days following the date of exercise as aforesaid, the Holder shall deliver the aggregate Exercise Price for the shares specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise by wire transfer or cashier’s check drawn on a United States bank unless the cashless exercise procedure specified in Section 2(c) below is specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise. No ink-original Notice of Exercise shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise form be required. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company until the Holder has purchased all of the Warrant Shares available hereunder and the Warrant has been exercised in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company for cancellation within five (5) Trading Days of the date the final Notice of Exercise is delivered to the Company. Partial exercises of this Warrant resulting in purchases of a portion of the total number of Warrant Shares available hereunder shall have the effect of lowering the outstanding number of Warrant Shares purchasable hereunder in an amount equal to the applicable number of Warrant Shares purchased. The Holder and the Company shall maintain records showing the number of Warrant Shares purchased and the date of such purchases. The Company shall deliver any objection to any Notice of Exercise Form within two (2) Business Days of receipt of such notice. The Holder and any assignee, by acceptance of this Warrant, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following the purchase of a portion of the Warrant Shares hereunder, the number of Warrant Shares available for purchase hereunder at any given time may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof.

 

b) Exercise Price . The exercise price per share of the Common Stock under this Warrant shall be $_______ 2 , subject to adjustment hereunder (the “ Exercise Price ”).

 

c) Cashless Exercise . If at any time on or after the Initial Exercise Date, there is no effective registration statement registering, or the prospectus contained therein is not available for the issuance of the Warrant Shares to the Holder, then this Warrant may also be exercised, in whole or in part, at such time by means of a “cashless exercise” in which the Holder shall be entitled to receive the number of Warrant Shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing [(A-B) (X)] by (A), where:

 

(A) = as applicable: (i) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is (1) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a day that is not a Trading Day or (2) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a Trading Day prior to the opening of “regular trading hours” (as defined in Rule 600(b)(64) of Regulation NMS promulgated under the federal securities laws) on such Trading Day, (ii) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is executed during “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day and is delivered within two (2) hours thereafter (including until two (2) hours after the close of “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day) pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof or (iii) the VWAP on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if the date of such Notice of Exercise is a Trading Day and such Notice of Exercise is both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof after the close of “regular trading hours” on such Trading Day;

 

 

2 125% of the public offering price in the Offering

 

  Ex. A- 3  
 

 

(B) =  the Exercise Price of this Warrant, as adjusted hereunder; and

 

(X) =  the number of Warrant Shares that would be issuable upon exercise of this Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise.

 

If Warrant Shares are issued in such a “cashless exercise,” the parties acknowledge and agree that in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, the Warrant Shares shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised, and the holding period of the Warrants being exercised may be tacked on to the holding period of the Warrant Shares. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 2(c).

 

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, on the Termination Date, this Warrant shall be automatically exercised via cashless exercise pursuant to this Section 2(c).

 

d) Mechanics of Exercise .

 

i. Delivery of Warrant Shares Upon Exercise . The Company shall cause the Warrant Shares purchased hereunder to be transmitted by its transfer agent to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system (“ DWAC ”) if the Company is then a participant in such system and either (A) there is an effective registration statement permitting the issuance of the Warrant Shares to or resale of the Warrant Shares by Holder, or (B) the Warrant Shares are eligible for resale by the Holder without volume or manner-of-sale limitations pursuant to Rule 144 and, in either case, the Warrant Shares have been sold by the Holder prior to the Warrant Share Delivery Date (as defined below), and otherwise by physical delivery of a certificate, registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the address specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise by the date that is two (2) Trading Days after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise (such date, the “ Warrant Share Delivery Date ”). If the Warrant Shares can be delivered via DWAC, the transfer agent shall have received from the Company, at the expense of the Company, any legal opinions or other documentation required by it to deliver such Warrant Shares without legend (subject to receipt by the Company of reasonable back up documentation from the Holder, including with respect to affiliate status) and, if applicable and requested by the Company prior to the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the transfer agent shall have received from the Holder a confirmation of sale of the Warrant Shares (provided the requirement of the Holder to provide a confirmation as to the sale of Warrant Shares shall not be applicable to the issuance of unlegended Warrant Shares upon a cashless exercise of this Warrant if the Warrant Shares are then eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144(b)(1)). The Warrant Shares shall be deemed to have been issued, and Holder or any other person so designated to be named therein shall be deemed to have become a holder of record of such shares for all purposes, as of the date the Warrant has been exercised, with payment to the Company of the Exercise Price (or by cashless exercise, if permitted) and all taxes required to be paid by the Holder, if any, pursuant to Section 2(d)(vi) prior to the issuance of such shares, having been paid. If the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Warrant Shares subject to a Notice of Exercise by the second Trading Day following the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant Shares subject to such exercise (based on the VWAP of the Common Stock on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the fifth Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day after the second Trading Day following such Warrant Share Delivery Date until such Warrant Shares are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise.

 

  Ex. A- 4  
 

 

ii. Delivery of New Warrants Upon Exercise . If this Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the request of a Holder and upon surrender of this Warrant certificate, at the time of delivery of the Warrant Shares, deliver to the Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder to purchase the unpurchased Warrant Shares called for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with this Warrant.

 

iii. Rescission Rights. If the Company fails to cause its transfer agent to deliver to the Holder the Warrant Shares pursuant to Section 2(d)(i) by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise; provided, however, that the Holder shall be required to return any Warrant Shares or Common Stock subject to any such rescinded exercise notice concurrently with the return to Holder of the aggregate Exercise Price paid to the Company for such Warrant Shares and the restoration of Holder’s right to acquire such Warrant Shares pursuant to this Warrant (including, issuance of a replacement warrant certificate evidencing such restored right).

 

iv. Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Warrant Shares Upon Exercise. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause its transfer agent to transmit to the Holder the Warrant Shares pursuant to an exercise on or before the Warrant Share Delivery Date, and if after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Warrant Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder purchases Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of shares of Common Stock with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

  Ex. A- 5  
 

 

v. No Fractional Shares or Scrip . No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant. As to any fraction of a share which the Holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such exercise, the Company shall, at its election, either pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Exercise Price or round up to the next whole share.

 

vi. Charges, Taxes and Expenses. Issuance of Warrant Shares shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in respect of the issuance of such Warrant Shares, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company, and such Warrant Shares shall be issued in the name of the Holder or in such name or names as may be directed by the Holder; provided , however , that in the event that Warrant Shares are to be issued in a name other than the name of the Holder, this Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be accompanied by the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto. The Company shall pay all transfer agent fees required for same-day processing of any Notice of Exercise and all fees to the Depository Trust Company (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions) required for same-day electronic delivery of the Warrant Shares.

 

vii. Closing of Books . The Company will not close its stockholder books or records in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this Warrant, pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

viii. Signature. This Section 2 and the exercise form attached hereto set forth the totality of the procedures required of the Holder in order to exercise this Purchase Warrant. Without limiting the preceding sentences, no ink-original exercise form shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any exercise form be required in order to exercise this Purchase Warrant. No additional legal opinion, other information or instructions shall be required of the Holder to exercise this Purchase Warrant. The Company shall honor exercises of this Purchase Warrant and shall deliver Shares underlying this Purchase Warrant in accordance with the terms, conditions and time periods set forth herein.

 

  Ex. A- 6  
 

 

e) Holder’s Exercise Limitations . The Company shall not effect any exercise of this Warrant, and a Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Warrant, pursuant to Section 2 or otherwise, to the extent that after giving effect to such issuance after exercise as set forth on the applicable Notice of Exercise, the Holder (together with the Holder’s Affiliates, and any other Persons acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the Holder’s Affiliates), would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below). For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Holder and its Affiliates shall include the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of shares of Common Stock which would be issuable upon (i) exercise of the remaining, nonexercised portion of this Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates and (ii) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or nonconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any other Common Stock Equivalents) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 2(e), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the Holder that the Company is not representing to the Holder that such calculation is in compliance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the Holder is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith. To the extent that the limitation contained in this Section 2(e) applies, the determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable shall be in the sole discretion of the Holder, and the submission of a Notice of Exercise shall be deemed to be the Holder’s determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable, in each case subject to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the Company shall have no obligation to verify or confirm the accuracy of such determination. In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 2(e), in determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, a Holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock as reflected in (A) the Company’s most recent periodic or annual report filed with the Commission, as the case may be, (B) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (C) a more recent written notice by the Company or the Company’s transfer agent setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. Upon the written or oral request of a Holder, the Company shall within two Trading Days confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Warrant, by the Holder or its Affiliates since the date as of which such number of outstanding shares of Common Stock was reported. The “ Beneficial Ownership Limitation ” shall be 9.99% of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant. The Holder, upon notice to the Company, may increase or decrease the Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this Section 2(e), provided that the Beneficial Ownership Limitation in no event exceeds 9.99% of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of this Warrant held by the Holder and the provisions of this Section 2(e) shall continue to apply. Any increase in the Beneficial Ownership Limitation will not be effective until the 61 st day after such notice is delivered to the Company. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 2(e) to correct this paragraph (or any portion hereof) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended Beneficial Ownership Limitation herein contained or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitations contained in this paragraph shall apply to a successor holder of this Warrant.

 

  Ex. A- 7  
 

 

Section 3 . Certain Adjustments .

 

a) Stock Dividends and Splits . If the Company, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding: (i) pays a stock dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions on shares of its Common Stock or any other equity or equity equivalent securities payable in shares of Common Stock (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon exercise of this Warrant), (ii) subdivides outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, (iii) combines (including by way of reverse stock split) outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (iv) issues by reclassification of shares of the Common Stock any shares of capital stock of the Company, then in each case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event, and the number of shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant shall be proportionately adjusted such that the aggregate Exercise Price of this Warrant shall remain unchanged. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 3(a) shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification. For the purposes of clarification, the Exercise Price of this Warrant will not be adjusted in the event that the Company or any Subsidiary thereof, as applicable, sells or grants any option to purchase, or sell or grant any right to reprice, or otherwise dispose of or issue (or announce any offer, sale, grant or any option to purchase or other disposition) any Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents, at an effective price per share less than the Exercise Price then in effect.

 

b) [RESERVED]

 

c) Subsequent Rights Offerings . In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 3(a) above, if at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any Common Stock Equivalents or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to the record holders of any class of shares of Common Stock (the “ Purchase Rights ”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Purchase Right would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Purchase Right to such extent (or beneficial ownership of such shares of Common Stock as a result of such Purchase Right to such extent) and such Purchase Right to such extent shall be held in abeyance for the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).

 

  Ex. A- 8  
 

 

d) Pro Rata Distributions . During such time as this Warrant is outstanding, if the Company shall declare or make any dividend (other than cash dividends) or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of shares of Common Stock, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of shares or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “ Distribution ”), at any time after the issuance of this Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date of which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution ( provided , however , to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Distribution would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Distribution to such extent (or in the beneficial ownership of any shares of Common Stock as a result of such Distribution to such extent) and the portion of such Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation). To the extent that this Warrant has not been partially or completely exercised at the time of such Distribution, such portion of the Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until the Holder has exercised this Warrant.

 

e) Fundamental Transaction . If, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding, (i) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person, (ii) the Company, directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Common Stock are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock, (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of the Common Stock or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Common Stock is effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, or (v) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another Person or group of Persons whereby such other Person or group acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (not including any shares of Common Stock held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “ Fundamental Transaction ”), then, upon any subsequent exercise of this Warrant, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Warrant Share that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction, at the option of the Holder (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant), the number of shares of Common Stock of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration (the “ Alternate Consideration ”) receivable by holders of Common Stock as a result of such Fundamental Transaction for each share of Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant). For purposes of any such exercise, the determination of the Exercise Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one share of Common Stock in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Company shall apportion the Exercise Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the Alternate Consideration. If holders of Common Stock are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise of this Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction. The Company shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the survivor (the “ Successor Entity ”) to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3(e) pursuant to written agreements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Holder and approved by the Holder (without unreasonable delay) prior to such Fundamental Transaction and shall, at the option of the Holder, deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock of such Successor Entity (or its parent entity) equivalent to the shares of Common Stock acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the shares of Common Stock pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such number of shares of capital stock and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction), and which is reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Holder. Upon the occurrence of any such Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Warrant referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein.

 

  Ex. A- 9  
 

 

f) Calculations . All calculations under this Section 3 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as the case may be. For purposes of this Section 3, the number of shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) issued and outstanding.

 

g) Notice to Holder .

 

i. Adjustment to Exercise Price . Whenever the Exercise Price is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 3, the Company shall promptly mail to the Holder a notice setting forth the Exercise Price after such adjustment and any resulting adjustment to the number of Warrant Shares and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.

 

ii. Notice to Allow Exercise by Holder . If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Common Stock, (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Common Stock, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the Common Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any rights, (D) the approval of any stockholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the Common Stock, any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or any compulsory share exchange whereby the Common Stock is converted into other securities, cash or property, or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be mailed a notice to the Holder at its last address as it shall appear upon the Warrant Register of the Company, at least 20 calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Common Stock of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of the Common Stock for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange; provided that the failure to provide such notice or any defect therein shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. To the extent that any notice provided hereunder constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. The Holder shall remain entitled to exercise this Warrant during the period commencing on the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice except as may otherwise be expressly set forth herein.

 

  Ex. A- 10  
 

 

Section 4 . Transfer of Warrant .

 

a) Transferability . Pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(g)(1), neither this Warrant nor any Warrant Shares issued upon exercise of this Warrant shall be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged, or hypothecated, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put, or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of the securities by any person for a period of 180 days immediately following the Effective Date or commencement of sales of the offering pursuant to which this Warrant is being issued, except the transfer of any security:

 

i. by operation of law or by reason of reorganization of the Company;

 

ii. to any FINRA member firm participating in the offering and the officers or partners thereof, if all securities so transferred remain subject to the lock-up restriction in this Section 4(a) for the remainder of the time period;

 

iii. if the aggregate amount of securities of the Company held by the Holder or related person do not exceed 1% of the securities being offered;

 

iv. that is beneficially owned on a pro-rata basis by all equity owners of an investment fund, provided that no participating member manages or otherwise directs investments by the fund, and participating members in the aggregate do not own more than 10% of the equity in the fund; or

 

v. the exercise or conversion of any security, if all securities received remain subject to the lock-up restriction in this Section 4(a) for the remainder of the time period.

 

  Ex. A- 11  
 

 

Subject to the foregoing restriction, any applicable securities laws and the conditions set forth in Section 4(d), this Warrant and all rights hereunder (including, without limitation, any registration rights) are transferable, in whole or in part, upon surrender of this Warrant at the principal office of the Company or its designated agent, together with a written assignment of this Warrant substantially in the form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder or its agent or attorney and funds sufficient to pay any transfer taxes payable upon the making of such transfer. Upon such surrender and, if required, such payment, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in the name of the assignee or assignees, as applicable, and in the denomination or denominations specified in such instrument of assignment, and shall issue to the assignor a new Warrant evidencing the portion of this Warrant not so assigned, and this Warrant shall promptly be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company unless the Holder has assigned this Warrant in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company within three (3) Trading Days of the date the Holder delivers an assignment form to the Company assigning this Warrant full. The Warrant, if properly assigned in accordance herewith, may be exercised by a new holder for the purchase of Warrant Shares without having a new Warrant issued.

 

b) New Warrants . This Warrant may be divided or combined with other Warrants upon presentation hereof at the aforesaid office of the Company, together with a written notice specifying the names and denominations in which new Warrants are to be issued, signed by the Holder or its agent or attorney. Subject to compliance with Section 4(a), as to any transfer which may be involved in such division or combination, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in exchange for the Warrant or Warrants to be divided or combined in accordance with such notice. All Warrants issued on transfers or exchanges shall be dated the initial issuance date of this Warrant and shall be identical with this Warrant except as to the number of Warrant Shares issuable pursuant thereto.

 

c) Warrant Register . The Company shall register this Warrant, upon records to be maintained by the Company for that purpose (the “ Warrant Register ”), in the name of the record Holder hereof from time to time. The Company may deem and treat the registered Holder of this Warrant as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose of any exercise hereof or any distribution to the Holder, and for all other purposes, absent actual notice to the contrary.

 

d) Representation by the Holder . The Holder, by the acceptance hereof, represents and warrants that it is acquiring this Warrant and, upon any exercise hereof, will acquire the Warrant Shares issuable upon such exercise, for its own account and not with a view to or for distributing or reselling such Warrant Shares or any part thereof in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law, except pursuant to sales registered or exempted under the Securities Act.

 

Section 5. Registration Rights.

 

5.1 Demand Registration .

 

5.1.1 Grant of Right . The Company, upon written demand (a “Demand Notice”) of the Holder(s) of at least 51% of the Warrants and/or the underlying Warrant Shares (“Majority Holders”), agrees to register, on one occasion, all or any portion of the Warrant Shares underlying the Warrants (collectively, the “Registrable Securities”). On such occasion, the Company will file a registration statement with the Commission covering the Registrable Securities within sixty (60) days after receipt of a Demand Notice and use its reasonable best efforts to have the registration statement declared effective promptly thereafter, subject to compliance with review by the Commission; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to comply with a Demand Notice if the Company has filed a registration statement with respect to which the Holder is entitled to piggyback registration rights pursuant to Section 5.2 hereof and either: (i) the Holder has elected to participate in the offering covered by such registration statement or (ii) if such registration statement relates to an underwritten primary offering of securities of the Company, until the offering covered by such registration statement has been withdrawn or until thirty (30) days after such offering is consummated. The demand for registration may be made at any time during a period of four (4) years beginning on the Initial Exercise Date. The Company covenants and agrees to give written notice of its receipt of any Demand Notice by any Holder(s) to all other registered Holders of the Warrants and/or the Registrable Securities within ten (10) days after the date of the receipt of any such Demand Notice.

 

  Ex. A- 12  
 

 

5.1.2 Terms . The Company shall bear all fees and expenses attendant to the registration of the Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 5.1.1, but the Holders shall pay any and all underwriting commissions and the expenses of any legal counsel selected by the Holders to represent them in connection with the sale of the Registrable Securities. The Company agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to cause the filing required herein to become effective promptly and to qualify or register the Registrable Securities in such States as are reasonably requested by the Holder(s); provided, however, that in no event shall the Company be required to register the Registrable Securities in a State in which such registration would cause: (i) the Company to be obligated to register or license to do business in such State or submit to general service of process in such State, or (ii) the principal shareholders of the Company to be obligated to escrow their shares of capital stock of the Company. The Company shall cause any registration statement filed pursuant to the demand right granted under Section 5.1.1 to remain effective for a period of at least twelve (12) consecutive months after the date that the Holders of the Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement are first given the opportunity to sell all of such securities. The Holders shall only use the prospectuses provided by the Company to sell the Warrant Shares covered by such registration statement, and will immediately cease to use any prospectus furnished by the Company if the Company advises the Holder that such prospectus may no longer be used due to a material misstatement or omission. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5.1.2, the Holder shall be entitled to a demand registration under this Section 5.1.2 on only one (1) occasion and such demand registration right shall terminate on the fifth anniversary of the date of the Underwriting Agreement (as defined below) in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(G)(iv).

 

5.2 Piggy-Back” Registration.

 

5.2.1 Grant of Right . In addition to the demand right of registration described in Section 5.1 hereof, the Holder shall have the right, for a period of no more than two (2) years from the Initial Exercise Date in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(G)(v), to include the Registrable Securities as part of any other registration of securities filed by the Company (other than in connection with a transaction contemplated by Rule 145(a) promulgated under the Securities Act or pursuant to Form S-8 or any equivalent form); provided, however, that if, solely in connection with any primary underwritten public offering for the account of the Company, the managing underwriter(s) thereof shall, in its reasonable discretion, impose a limitation on the number of Shares which may be included in the Registration Statement because, in such underwriter(s)’ judgment, marketing or other factors dictate such limitation is necessary to facilitate public distribution, then the Company shall be obligated to include in such Registration Statement only such limited portion of the Registrable Securities with respect to which the Holder requested inclusion hereunder as the underwriter shall reasonably permit. Any exclusion of Registrable Securities shall be made pro rata among the Holders seeking to include Registrable Securities in proportion to the number of Registrable Securities sought to be included by such Holders; provided, however, that the Company shall not exclude any Registrable Securities unless the Company has first excluded all outstanding securities, the holders of which are not entitled to inclusion of such securities in such Registration Statement or are not entitled to pro rata inclusion with the Registrable Securities.

 

  Ex. A- 13  
 

 

5.2.2 Terms . The Company shall bear all fees and expenses attendant to registering the Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 5.2.1 hereof, but the Holders shall pay any and all underwriting commissions and the expenses of any legal counsel selected by the Holders to represent them in connection with the sale of the Registrable Securities. In the event of such a proposed registration, the Company shall furnish the then Holders of outstanding Registrable Securities with not less than thirty (30) days written notice prior to the proposed date of filing of such registration statement. Such notice to the Holders shall continue to be given for each registration statement filed by the Company during the two (2) year period following the Initial Exercise Date until such time as all of the Registrable Securities have been sold by the Holder. The holders of the Registrable Securities shall exercise the “piggy-back” rights provided for herein by giving written notice within ten (10) days of the receipt of the Company’s notice of its intention to file a registration statement. Except as otherwise provided in this Warrant, there shall be no limit on the number of times the Holder may request registration under this Section 5.2.2; provided, however, that such registration rights shall terminate on the second anniversary of the Initial Exercise Date.

 

5.3 General Terms

 

5.3.1 Indemnification . The Company shall indemnify the Holder(s) of the Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to any registration statement hereunder and each person, if any, who controls such Holders within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 (a) of the Exchange Act against all loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (including all reasonable attorneys’ fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any claim whatsoever) to which any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, arising from such registration statement but only to the same extent and with the same effect as the provisions pursuant to which the Company has agreed to indemnify the Underwriters contained in Section 5(a) of the underwriting agreement, dated _______ __, 2019, by and among the Company and Maxim Group LLC and WallachBeth Capital, LLC, as representatives of the underwriters set forth therein (the “Underwriting Agreement”). The Holder(s) of the Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to such registration statement, and their successors and assigns, shall severally, and not jointly, indemnify the Company, against all loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (including all reasonable attorneys’ fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any claim whatsoever) to which they may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, arising from information furnished by or on behalf of such Holders, or their successors or assigns, in writing, for specific inclusion in such registration statement to the same extent and with the same effect as the provisions contained in Section 6.2 of the Underwriting Agreement pursuant to which the Underwriters have agreed to indemnify the Company.

 

5.3.2 Exercise of Warrants . Nothing contained in this Warrant shall be construed as requiring the Holder(s) to exercise their Warrants prior to or after the initial filing of any registration statement or the effectiveness thereof.

 

  Ex. A- 14  
 

 

5.3.3 Documents Delivered to Holders . The Company shall furnish to each Holder participating in any of the foregoing offerings and to each underwriter of any such offering, if any, a signed counterpart, addressed to such Holder or underwriter, of: (i) an opinion of counsel to the Company, dated the effective date of such registration statement (and, if such registration includes an underwritten public offering, an opinion dated the date of the closing under any underwriting agreement related thereto), and (ii) a “cold comfort” letter dated the effective date of such registration statement (and, if such registration includes an underwritten public offering, a letter dated the date of the closing under the underwriting agreement) signed by the independent registered public accounting firm which has issued a report on the Company’s financial statements included in such registration statement, in each case covering substantially the same matters with respect to such registration statement (and the prospectus included therein) and, in the case of such accountants’ letter, with respect to events subsequent to the date of such financial statements, as are customarily covered in opinions of issuer’s counsel and in accountants’ letters delivered to underwriters in underwritten public offerings of securities. The Company shall also deliver promptly to each Holder participating in the offering requesting the correspondence and memoranda described below and to the managing underwriter, if any, copies of all correspondence between the Commission and the Company, its counsel or auditors and all memoranda relating to discussions with the Commission or its staff with respect to the registration statement and permit each Holder and underwriter to do such investigation, upon reasonable advance notice, with respect to information contained in or omitted from the registration statement as it deems reasonably necessary to comply with applicable securities laws or rules of FINRA. Such investigation shall include access to books, records and properties and opportunities to discuss the business of the Company with its officers and independent auditors, all to such reasonable extent and at such reasonable times as any such Holder shall reasonably request.

 

5.3.4 Underwriting Agreement . The Company shall enter into an underwriting agreement with the managing underwriter(s), if any, selected by any Holders whose Registrable Securities are being registered pursuant to this Section 5, which managing underwriter shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company. Such agreement shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Company, each Holder and such managing underwriters, and shall contain such representations, warranties and covenants by the Company and such other terms as are customarily contained in agreements of that type used by the managing underwriter. The Holders shall be parties to any underwriting agreement relating to an underwritten sale of their Registrable Securities and may, at their option, require that any or all the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company to or for the benefit of such underwriters shall also be made to and for the benefit of such Holders. Such Holders shall not be required to make any representations or warranties to or agreements with the Company or the underwriters except as they may relate to such Holders, their Warrant Shares and their intended methods of distribution.

 

5.3.5 Documents to be Delivered by Holder(s) . Each of the Holder(s) participating in any of the foregoing offerings shall furnish to the Company a completed and executed questionnaire provided by the Company requesting information customarily sought of selling security holders.

 

5.3.6 Damages . Should the registration or the effectiveness thereof required by Sections 5.1 and 5.2 hereof be delayed by the Company or the Company otherwise fails to comply with such provisions, the Holder(s) shall, in addition to any other legal or other relief available to the Holder(s), be entitled to obtain specific performance or other equitable (including injunctive) relief against the threatened breach of such provisions or the continuation of any such breach, without the necessity of proving actual damages and without the necessity of posting bond or other security.

 

  Ex. A- 15  
 

 

Section 6 . Miscellaneous .

 

a) No Rights as Stockholder Until Exercise; No Settlement in Cash . This Warrant does not entitle the Holder to any voting rights, dividends or other rights as a stockholder of the Company prior to the exercise hereof as set forth in Section 2(d)(i). In no event, including if the Company is for any reason unable to issue and deliver Warrant Shares upon exercise of this Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof, shall the Company be required to net cash settle an exercise of this Warrant or cash settle in any other form.

 

b) Loss, Theft, Destruction or Mutilation of Warrant . The Company covenants that upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant or any certificate relating to the Warrant Shares, and in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to it (which, in the case of the Warrant, shall not include the posting of any bond), and upon surrender and cancellation of such Warrant or stock certificate, if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Warrant or stock certificate of like tenor and dated as of such cancellation, in lieu of such Warrant or stock certificate.

 

c) Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc . If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Trading Day, then, such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Trading Day.

 

d) Authorized Shares .

 

The Company covenants that, during the period the Warrant is outstanding, it will reserve from its authorized and unissued Common Stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the Warrant Shares upon the exercise of any purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company further covenants that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of issuing the necessary Warrant Shares upon the exercise of the purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company will take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such Warrant Shares may be issued as provided herein without violation of any applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the Trading Market upon which the Common Stock may be listed. The Company covenants that all Warrant Shares which may be issued upon the exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant will, upon exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant and payment for such Warrant Shares in accordance herewith, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens and charges created by the Company in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue).

 

Except and to the extent as waived or consented to by the Holder, the Company shall not by any action, including, without limitation, amending its certificate of incorporation or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to protect the rights of Holder as set forth in this Warrant against impairment. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will (i) not increase the par value of any Warrant Shares above the amount payable therefor upon such exercise immediately prior to such increase in par value, (ii) take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Warrant Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant and (iii) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or consents from any public regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof, as may be, necessary to enable the Company to perform its obligations under this Warrant.

 

  Ex. A- 16  
 

 

Before taking any action which would result in an adjustment in the number of Warrant Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable or in the Exercise Price, the Company shall obtain all such authorizations or exemptions thereof, or consents thereto, as may be necessary from any public regulatory body or bodies having jurisdiction thereof.

 

e) Jurisdiction . All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Warrant shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement.

 

f) Restrictions . The Holder acknowledges that the Warrant Shares acquired upon the exercise of this Warrant, if not registered, and the Holder does not utilize cashless exercise, will have restrictions upon resale imposed by state and federal securities laws.

 

g) Nonwaiver and Expenses . No course of dealing or any delay or failure to exercise any right hereunder on the part of Holder shall operate as a waiver of such right or otherwise prejudice the Holder’s rights, powers or remedies. Without limiting any other provision of this Warrant or the Underwriting Agreement, if the Company willfully and knowingly fails to comply with any provision of this Warrant, which results in any material damages to the Holder, the Company shall pay to the Holder such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover any costs and expenses including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees, including those of appellate proceedings, incurred by the Holder in collecting any amounts due pursuant hereto or in otherwise enforcing any of its rights, powers or remedies hereunder.

 

h) Notices . Any notice, request or other document required or permitted to be given or delivered to the Holder by the Company shall be delivered in accordance with the notice provisions of the Underwriting Agreement.

 

i) Limitation of Liability . No provision hereof, in the absence of any affirmative action by the Holder to exercise this Warrant to purchase Warrant Shares, and no enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of the Holder, shall give rise to any liability of the Holder for the purchase price of any Common Stock or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such liability is asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company.

 

j) Remedies . The Holder, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Warrant. The Company agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Warrant and hereby agrees to waive and not to assert the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.

 

k) Successors and Assigns . Subject to applicable securities laws, this Warrant and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of the Company and the successors and permitted assigns of Holder. The provisions of this Warrant are intended to be for the benefit of any Holder from time to time of this Warrant and shall be enforceable by the Holder or holder of Warrant Shares.

 

l) Amendment . This Warrant may be modified or amended or the provisions hereof waived with the written consent of the Company and the Holder.

 

m) Severability . Wherever possible, each provision of this Warrant shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Warrant shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provisions or the remaining provisions of this Warrant.

 

n) Headings . The headings used in this Warrant are for the convenience of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be deemed a part of this Warrant.

 

********************

 

(Signature Page Follows)

 

  Ex. A- 17  
     

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed by its officer thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above indicated.

 

  GUARDION HEALTH SCIENCES, INC.
     
  By:            
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

  Ex. A- 18  
     

 

NOTICE OF EXERCISE

 

TO: GUARDION HEALTH SCIENCES, INC.

_________________________

 

(1) The undersigned hereby elects to purchase ________ Warrant Shares of the Company pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant (only if exercised in full), and tenders herewith payment of the exercise price in full, together with all applicable transfer taxes, if any.

 

(2) Payment shall take the form of (check applicable box):

 

[  ] in lawful money of the United States; or

 

[  ] if permitted the cancellation of such number of Warrant Shares as is necessary, in accordance with the formula set forth in subsection 2(c), to exercise this Warrant with respect to the maximum number of Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure set forth in subsection 2(c).

 

(3) Please register and issue said Warrant Shares in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:

 

_______________________________

 

 

The Warrant Shares shall be delivered to the following DWAC Account Number or by physical delivery of a certificate to:

 

_______________________________

 

_______________________________

 

_______________________________

 

(4) Accredited Investor . If the Warrant is being exercised via cash exercise, the undersigned is an “accredited investor” as defined in Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended

 

 

[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]

 

Name of Investing Entity: _______________________________________________________________

 

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity : _________________________________________

 

Name of Authorized Signatory: ___________________________________________________________

 

Title of Authorized Signatory: ____________________________________________________________

 

Date: ________________________________________________________________________________

 

  Ex. A- 19  
     

 

ASSIGNMENT FORM

 

(To assign the foregoing warrant, execute
this form and supply required information.
Do not use this form to exercise the warrant.)

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, [____] all of or [_______] shares of the foregoing Warrant and all rights evidenced thereby are hereby assigned to

 

_______________________________________________ whose address is

 

_______________________________________________________________.

 

 

_______________________________________________________________

 

Dated: ______________, _______

 

Holder’s Signature: _____________________________

 

Holder’s Address: _____________________________

 

_____________________________

 

NOTE: The signature to this Assignment Form must correspond with the name as it appears on the face of the Warrant, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever. Officers of corporations and those acting in a fiduciary or other representative capacity should file proper evidence of authority to assign the foregoing Warrant.

 

  Ex. A- 20  
     

 

 

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

333 South Hope Street, 43 rd Floor

Los Angeles, California 90071-1422

213.620.1780 main

213.620.1398 fax

www.sheppardmullin.com

 

August 7, 2019

 

Guardion Health Sciences, Inc.

15150 Avenue of Science, Suite 200

San Diego, California 92128

 

  Re: Registration Statement on Form S-1

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

This opinion is furnished to you in connection with a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (the “Registration Statement”), filed by Guardion Health Sciences, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), for the proposed offering (the “Offering”) of (a) $11,500,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (“Common Stock”); (b) $14,950,000 warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock (and the shares of Common Stock that are issuable from time to time upon exercise of the Warrants) (the “Warrants”); (c) to each purchaser whose purchase of shares of Common Stock in such offering would otherwise result in the purchaser, together with its affiliates and certain related parties, beneficially owning more than 4.99% (or, at the election of the holder, 9.99%) of the Company’s outstanding Common Stock immediately following the consummation of such offering, the opportunity to purchase, if the purchaser so chooses, pre-funded warrants (the “Pre-Funded Warrants”), in lieu of shares of Common Stock and (d) $1,000,000 underwriters’ warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock (and the shares of Common Stock that are issuable from time to time upon exercise of the Underwriters’ Warrants) (the “Underwriters’ Warrants”). Each Pre-Funded Warrant will be exercisable for one share of Common Stock. The Common Stock, Pre-Funded Warrants, Warrants and Underwriters’ Warrants are referred to herein collectively as the “Securities.”

 

We are acting as special counsel for the Company in connection with the Registration Statement. We have examined the Registration Statement, including the exhibits filed therewith, and have also examined and relied upon minutes of meetings and resolutions of the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) as provided to us by the Company, the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Company, each as restated and/or amended to date, and such other documents as we have deemed necessary for purposes of rendering the opinion hereinafter set forth.

 

In our examination of the foregoing documents, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies, the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents and the legal competence of all signatories to such documents. Other than our examination of the documents indicated above, we have made no other examination in connection with this opinion.

 

We express no opinion as to matters governed by any laws other than the Delaware General Corporation Law. No opinion is expressed herein with respect to the qualification of the Securities under the securities or blue sky laws of any state or any foreign jurisdiction.

 

     

 

 

Our opinions set forth below with respect to the validity or binding effect of any security or obligation may be limited by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance, marshaling, moratorium or other similar laws affecting the enforcement generally of the rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties or the obligations of debtors, (ii) general principles of equity (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), including but not limited to principles limiting the availability of specific performance or injunctive relief, and concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, (iii) the possible unenforceability under certain circumstances of provisions providing for indemnification, contribution, exculpation, release or waiver that may be contrary to public policy or violative of federal or state securities laws, rules or regulations, and (iv) the effect of course of dealing, course of performance, oral agreements or the like that would modify the terms of an agreement or the respective rights or obligations of the parties under an agreement.

 

Based upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that (i) the Securities have been duly authorized for issuance by all necessary corporate action by the Company; (ii) the shares of Common Stock, when issued and sold as described in the Registration Statement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, (iii) provided that the Pre-Funded Warrants, Warrants and Underwriters’ Warrants have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and duly delivered to the purchasers or underwriters, such Pre-Funded Warrants, Warrants and Underwriters’ Warrants, when issued as contemplated in the Registration Statement, will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, and (iv) the shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to each of the Pre-Funded Warrants, Warrants and Underwriters’ Warrants, upon payment to the Company of the required consideration, and when issued and sold by the Company and paid for in accordance with the terms of the Pre-Funded Warrants, Warrants or Underwriters’ Warrants, as applicable, and as described in the Registration Statement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

The opinion set forth herein is rendered as of the date hereof, and we assume no obligation to update such opinion to reflect any facts or circumstances which may hereafter come to our attention or any changes in the law which may hereafter occur (which may have retroactive effect).

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission.

 

  Respectfully submitted,
   
  /s/ Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
  Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

 

     

 

 

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

We consent to the inclusion in the foregoing Registration Statement on Form S-1 of our report dated February 14, 2019, relating to the financial statements of Guardion Health Sciences, Inc. as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 and for the years then ended which appear in Guardion Health Sciences, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 14, 2019. We also consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Experts”.

 

/s/ Weinberg & Company, P.A.

Weinberg & Company, P.A.

Los Angeles, California

August 7, 2019