ARCH THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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

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

ARCH THERAPEUTICS, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

THREE MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2023 AND 2022

(Unaudited) 

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

References in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (this “Quarterly Report”, or this “Report”) to “Arch Biosurgery, Inc.” “Company”, “we”, “us”, “our”, “Arch” or similar references mean Arch Therapeutics, Inc. and its condensed consolidated subsidiary, Arch Biosurgery, Inc.  References to the "SEC" refer to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Forward Looking Statements

You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations in conjunction with our consolidated condensed financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this Report. Our consolidated condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). The following discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), including, without limitation, statements regarding our expectations, beliefs, intentions or future strategies that are signified by the words “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “believe,” or similar language. All forward-looking statements included in this Report are based on information available to us on the date hereof, and we assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Our business and financial performance are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. In evaluating our business, you should carefully consider the information set forth under the heading “Risk Factors” included Part I, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2022 (the "Annual Report”), as well as in Item II, Part 1A of this Report. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

AC5, AC5-G, AC5-V, AC5-P, Crystal Clear Surgery, NanoDrape and NanoBioBarrier and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Arch Therapeutics, Inc. and its subsidiary. For purposes herein, references to regulatory approval and marketing authorization may be used interchangeably.

Corporate Overview

Arch Therapeutics, Inc. (together with its subsidiary, the “Company” or “Arch”) is a biotechnology company developing and marketing a products based on our innovative AC5® self-assembling technology platform. Arch arose from the June 26, 2013 merger (the “Merger”) of three entities previously known as Arch Biosurgery, Inc., Almah, Inc., and Arch Acquisition Corporation, respectively.

Almah, Inc., was incorporated under the laws of the State of Nevada on September 16, 2009 and, as part of the Merger transaction, changed its name to Arch Therapeutics, Inc. and abandoned both its prior business plan and operations in order to adopt those of ABS.

Arch Acquisition Corporation, or Merger Sub, was a wholly owned subsidiary of Almah, Inc., formed for the purpose of the Merger transaction, pursuant to which Merger Sub merged with and into ABS, and ABS thereafter became the wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. The ticker symbol under which its Common Stock trades changed from “AACH” to “ARTH”, accordingly.

The Company’s principal offices are located in Framingham, Massachusetts.

The Company has recently devoted a substantial part of its operational effort to the market adoption and commercial sales of AC5® Advanced Wound System, its first product. To date, the Company has principally raised capital through debt borrowings, the issuance of convertible debt, the issuance of units consisting of the Company's common stock, $0.001 par value per share (“Common Stock”), and warrants to purchase Common Stock (“warrants”).

The Company expects to incur substantial expenses for the foreseeable future relating to research, development and commercialization of its potential products. However, there can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in securing additional resources when needed, on terms acceptable to the Company, if at all. Therefore, there exists substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The condensed consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments related to the recoverability of assets that might be necessary despite this uncertainty.

Business Overview

We are a biotechnology company marketing and developing a number of products based on our innovative AC5® self-assembling technology platform. We believe these products can be important advances in the field of stasis and barrier applications, which includes managing wounds created during surgery, trauma or interventional care, or from disease; stopping bleeding (hemostasis); and controlling leaking (sealant). We have recently devoted a substantial part of our operational effort to the market adoption and commercial sales of AC5 Advanced Wound System, our first product. Our goal is to make care faster and safer for patients by providing products for use on external wounds, which we refer to as Dermal Sciences applications, and products for use inside the body, which we refer to as BioSurgery applications.

Core Technology

Our flagship products and product candidates are derived from our AC5 self-assembling peptide (“SAP”) technology platform and are sometimes referred to as AC5 or the “AC5 Devices.” These include AC5 Advanced Wound System and AC5 Topical Hemostat, which have received marketing authorization as medical devices in the United States (US) and the European Union (EU), respectively, and which are intended for skin applications, such as management of complicated chronic wounds and acute surgical wounds. Marketing for AC5 Topical Hemostat in the EU has not initiated. Other products are in development for use in minimally invasive or open surgical procedures, and include, for example, AC5-G™ for gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures, and AC5-V and AC5 Surgical Hemostat for hemostasis inside the body, all of which are currently investigational devices limited by law to investigational use.

Products based on the AC5 platform contain a biocompatible peptide that is synthesized from proteogenic, naturally occurring L-amino acids. Unlike products that contain traditional peptide sequences, when applied to a wound, AC5-based products intercalate into the interstices of the connective tissue and self-assemble into a protective physical-mechanical nanoscale structure that can provide a barrier to leaking substances, such as blood, while also acting as a biodegradable scaffold that enables healing. Self-assembly is a central component of the mechanism of action of our technology. Individual AC5 peptide units readily build themselves, or self-assemble, into an ordered network of nanofibrils when in aqueous solution by the following process:

Based on the intended application, we believe that the underlying AC5 SAP technology can impart important features and benefits to our products that may include, for instance, stopping bleeding (hemostasis), mitigating contamination, modulating inflammation, donating moisture, and enabling an appropriate wound microenvironment conducive to healing. Furthermore, we believe that AC5 SAP technology permits cell and tissue growth and is self-healing, in that it can dynamically self-repair around migrating cells. For instance, AC5 Advanced Wound System, which is indicated for the management of partial and full-thickness wounds, such as pressure sores, leg ulcers, diabetic ulcers, and surgical wounds, is shipped and stored at room temperature, is applied directly as a liquid, can conform to irregular wound geometry, self-assembles into a wound care matrix that can provide clinicians with multi-modal support, and does not possess sticky or glue-like handling characteristics. We believe these properties enhance its utility in several settings and contribute to its user-friendly profile.

We believe that our technology lends itself to a range of potential applications for wounds inside or on the body, including those for  which a hemostatic agent or sealant is needed. For instance, the results of certain preclinical and clinical investigations that either we have conducted, or others have conducted on our behalf, have shown quick and effective hemostasis with the use of AC5 SAP technology, and that time to hemostasis (THH) is comparable among test subjects regardless of whether such test subject had or had not been treated with therapeutic doses of anticoagulant or antiplatelet medications, commonly called “blood thinners.” Furthermore, the transparency and physical properties of certain AC5 Devices may enable a surgeon to operate through it in order to maintain a clearer field of vision and prophylactically stop or lessen bleeding as surgery starts, a concept that we call Crystal Clear Surgery™. An example of a product that contains related features and benefits is AC5 Topical Hemostat, which is indicated for use as a dressing and to control mild to moderate bleeding, each during the management of injured skin and the micro-environment of an acute surgical wound. AC5 Topical Hemostat has not yet been marketed in Europe but has received marketing authorization.

Sales and marketing efforts for our AC5 Advanced Wound System, which has received 510(k) marketing clearance from the FDA, address the demand for improved solutions to treat challenging chronic and acute surgical wounds, with a particular early focus on diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers and pressure ulcers. Chronic wounds are typically defined as wounds that have not healed after four weeks of standard care. Approximately 4 million to 6.5 million new onset chronic wounds are estimated to occur in the US annually, including approximately 700,000 to 2 million diabetic foot ulcers, 2.5 million pressure ulcers, and 1.2 million venous leg ulcers. If untreated, improperly treated or unresponsive to treatment, these wounds can ultimately lead to amputation. The 5-year mortality rate among patients with chronic wounds, especially after an amputation, is significant.

Published data on AC5 Advanced Wound System shows encouraging outcomes, including limb salvage (avoided limb loss), among patients with multiple co-morbidities and challenging chronic wounds that failed to heal despite treatment with either traditional or other advanced wound care modalities over prolonged periods of time.

Operations

We have recently started to commercialization AC5 Advanced Wound System. We rely on both an internal commercial team and independent sales distributors to drive awareness and adoption of AC5 Advanced Wound System in several targeted channels with a particular focus on physician offices and government channels, such as Veterans Health Administration (VA) hospitals and military treatment facilities. We anticipate that material growth in the physician office setting will require product reimbursement. To that end, we applied to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for a dedicated Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Level II reimbursement code specific to AC5 Advanced Wound System to better enable providers to bill third party payors for AC5 that is used in doctors’ offices. The unique HCPCS code, A2020, was granted and made effective on April 1, 2023.

In support of the government market, we partnered with Lovell Government Services (LGS), a service-disabled veteran-owned small business, to be our government channel distributor. As a direct result of our relationship with LGS, AC5 Advanced Wound System has been added to the four major government contracting vehicles: Federal Supply Schedule (FSS), General Services Administration (GSA) schedule, Defense Logistics Agency’s Medical Electronic Catalog Program (ECAT), and Distribution and Pricing Agreement (DAPA). This listing enables purchase by federal government agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Indian Health Services (IHS), and Department of Defense (DOD) Medical Treatment Facilities, and allows doctors in government channels to order AC5 Advanced Wound System.

We will continue to seek partnerships with reputable, value-added independent sales distributors on a case-by-case basis to expand the overall reach and footprint of its total sales organization. Presently, our commercialization efforts and resources remain dedicated to the US market for advanced wound care.

Much of our operational efforts to date, which we often perform in collaboration with partners, have included selecting compositions and formulations for our initial products; conducting preclinical studies, including safety and other tests; conducting a human trial for safety and performance of AC5; developing and conducting a human safety study to assess for irritation and sensitization potential; securing marketing authorization for our first product in the United States and in Europe; supporting surgeons performing clinical case studies; obtaining post-marketing clinical data;  developing, optimizing, and validating manufacturing methods and formulations, which are particularly important components of self-assembling peptide development; developing methods for manufacturing scale-up, reproducibility, and validation; engaging with regulatory authorities to seek early regulatory guidance as well as marketing authorization for our products; sourcing and evaluating commercial partnering opportunities in the United States and abroad; and developing and protecting the intellectual property rights underlying our technology platform. 

Our long-term business plan includes the following goals:

To support our long-term business goals, we expect to focus on the following activities during the next twelve months:

In addition to capital required for operating expenses, depending upon input from regulatory authorities, authorized representatives, patent and trademark offices, or other agencies in the US, EU or elsewhere, as well as for potential additional regulatory filings and approvals during the approximately next two years, additional capital will be required.

We have no commitments for any future capital. As indicated above, we will require significant additional financing to fund our planned operations, including further research and development relating to AC5, seeking regulatory approval of that or any other product we may choose to develop, commercializing any product for which we are able to obtain regulatory approval or certification, seeking to license or acquire new assets or business, and maintaining our intellectual property rights, pursuing new technologies and for financing the investor relations and incremental administrative costs associated with being a public corporation. We do not presently have, nor do we expect in the near future to have, sufficient revenue to fund our business from operations, and we will need to obtain substantially all of our necessary funding from external sources for the foreseeable future. We may not be able to obtain additional financing on commercially reasonable or acceptable terms when needed, or at all. If we cannot raise the money that we need in order to continue to develop our business, we will be forced to delay, scale back or eliminate some or all of our proposed operations. If any of these were to occur, there is a substantial risk that our business would fail, and our stockholders could lose all of their investment.

Since inception, we have funded our operations primarily through debt borrowings, the issuance of convertible debt and the issuance of units consisting of Common Stock and warrants, and we may continue to seek to do so in the future. If we obtain additional financing by issuing equity securities, our existing stockholders’ ownership will be diluted. The terms of securities we may issue in future capital-raising transactions may be more favorable for our new investors. Further, newly issued securities may include preferences, superior voting rights and the issuance of warrants or other derivative securities, which may have additional dilutive effects. If we obtain additional financing by incurring debt, we may become subject to significant limitations and restrictions on our operations pursuant to the terms of any loan or credit agreement governing the debt. Further, obtaining any loan, assuming a loan on acceptable terms would be available when needed, would increase our liabilities and future cash commitments. We may also seek funding from additional collaboration or licensing arrangements in the future, which may require that we relinquish potentially valuable rights to our product candidates or proprietary technologies or grant licenses on terms that are not favorable to us. Moreover, regardless of the manner in which we seek to raise capital, we may incur substantial costs in those pursuits, including investment-banking fees, legal fees, accounting fees, printing and distribution expenses and other related costs..

The estimated capital requirements potentially could increase significantly if a number of risks relating to conducting these activities were to occur, including without limitation those set forth under the heading “RISK FACTORS” in our Annual Report. We anticipate that our operating and other expenses will continue to increase as we continue to implement our business plan and pursue and achieve these goals. After giving effect to the funds received in past equity and debt financings and assuming our use of that funding at the rate we presently believe that, as of February 14, 2024, our current cash on hand will meet our anticipated cash requirements into the second quarter of fiscal 2024.

Manufacturing

We work with contract manufacturing and related organizations, including those operating under cGMP, as is required by applicable regulatory agencies for production of product that can be used for preclinical and human testing as well as for commercial use. We also have engaged and continue to engage other third parties in the United States and abroad to advise on and perform certain manufacturing and related activities, typically with assistance from our team. The activities include development of our primary product candidates, as well as generation of appropriate analytical methods, scale-up, and other procedures for use by manufacturers and/or other members of our supply chain to produce or process our products at current and/or larger scale quantities for research, development, and commercialization.

Our products are regulated as medical devices, and as such, many of our activities have focused on optimizing traditional parameters to target specifications, biocompatibility, physical appearance, stability, and handling characteristics, among other metrics, to achieve the desired product. We and our partners intend to continue to monitor manufacturing processes and formulation methods closely, as success or failure in establishing and maintaining appropriate specifications may directly impact our ability to conduct additional preclinical and clinical trials and/or deliver commercial product.

We believe that the manufacturing methods used for a product, including the type and source of ingredients and the burden of waste byproduct elimination, are important determinants of its opportunity for profitability. Industry participants are keenly aware of the downsides of products that rely on expensive biotechnology techniques and facilities for manufacture, onerous and expensive programs to eliminate complex materials, or ingredients that are sourced from the complicated process of human or other animal plasma separation, since those products typically are expensive, burdensome to produce, and at greater risk for failing regulatory oversight.

The manufacturing methods that we use to produce our current products rely on detailed, complex and difficult to manage synthetic organic chemistry processes. Although use of those methods requires that we engage manufacturers that possess the expertise, skill and know-how involved with those methods, the required equipment to use those methods is widely available. Our current products are synthesized from naturally occurring ingredients amino acids that, while not sourced from humans or other animals, do exist in their natural state in humans. That type of ingredient may be more likely to be categorized as “generally recognized as safe”, or “GRAS”, by the FDA.

Recent Developments

On January 5, 2024, the Company entered into an amendments into with the holders of the Company’s outstanding 2022 Notes, Second Notes, and Third Notes.  Under the amendments, the notes were amended to extend the date of the completion of an uplist transaction, as defined, and to extend the respective maturity date of each of notes, from January 6, 2024, to March 15, 2024.

Results of Operations

The following discussion of our results of operations should be read together with the unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements included in this Report. The period-to-period comparisons of our interim results of operations that follow are not necessarily indicative of future results.

Three Months Ended December 31, 2023 Compared to Three Months Ended December 31, 2022

Revenue

Revenue for the three months ended December 31, 2023 was $45,867, an increase of $39,606 compared to revenue of $6,261 for the three months ended December 31, 2022. Revenue for the three months ended December 31, 2022 was the result of transactions into VA Hospitals through our distribution partner, Lovell Government Services (“LGS”). Revenue for the three months ended December 31, 2023 was the result of transactions into VA Hospitals through LGS, and transactions leveraging the dedicated HCPCS code (A2020) that went effective April 1, 2023 through a growing number of providers and offices working with the Company to submit reimbursement claims with numerous payors.

Cost of Revenues

Cost of revenue during the three months ended December 31, 2023 was $23,606, an increase of $5,971 compared to cost of revenue of $17,635 for the three months ended December 31, 2022. Cost of revenue includes product costs, third party warehousing, overhead allocation, royalty and shipping costs.

Selling, General and Administrative Expense

Selling, general and administrative expense during the three months ended December 31, 2023 was $1,311,350, an increase of $208,434 compared to $1,102,916 for the three months ended December 31, 2022. The increase in selling, general and administrative expense for the three months ended December 31, 2023 is primarily attributable to an increase in professional service costs, most notably legal costs related to financing activities.

Research and Development Expense

Research and development expense during the three months ended December 31, 2023 was $205,580 an increase of $44,127 compared to $161,453 for the three months ended December 31, 2022. The increase in research and development expense is primarily attributable to a decrease in compensation costs attributed to a reduction in headcount. 

Other Expense

Other expense during the three months ended December 31, 2023 was $1,186,983, an increase of $662,670 compared to other expense of $524,313 for the three months ended December 31, 2022. The increase in other expense is primarily attributed to an increase in interest expense related to the amortization of debt discount and debt issuance costs for 2022 Notes, Second Notes and Third Notes as well as increase in related interest expense.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

In the first calendar quarter of 2021, the Company commenced commercial sales of our first product, AC5® Advanced Wound System. We devote a significant amount of our efforts on fundraising as well as planning and conducting product research and development and activities in connection with obtaining regulatory marketing authorization. We have principally raised capital through the issuance of convertible debt and units consisting of Common Stock and warrants to fund our operations.

Working Capital

At December 31, 2023, we had total current assets of $1,814,498 (including cash of $205,850) and working capital deficit of $9,582,965. Our working capital as of December 31, 2023 and September 30, 2023 are summarized as follows:

Total current assets as of December 31, 2023 were $1,814,498, a decrease of $135,892 compared to $1,950,090 as of September 30, 2023. The decrease in current assets is primarily attributable to a decrease in cash and prepaid expenses. Our total current assets as of December 31, 2023 and September 30, 2023 were comprised primarily of cash, inventory and prepaid expenses and other current assets.

Total current liabilities as of December 31, 2023 were $11,397,463, an increase of $1,931,542 compared to $9,465,921 as of September 30, 2023. The increase is primarily due to an increase in shareholder advances and accounts payable, and amortization of the debt discount and debt issuance costs for the notes partially offset by a decrease to the amount owed in connection with the financing of certain insurance premiums and the decrease in the fair value of the derivative liability resulting from the exchange of the Series G warrants into common stock.

Cash Flow for the Three Months Ended December 31, 2023 Compared to the Three Months Ended December 31, 2022

Cash Used in Operating Activities

Cash used in operating activities increased by $212,540 to $862,605 during the three months ended December 31, 2023, compared to $650,065 during the three months ended December 31, 2022. The increase in cash used in operating activities is primarily attributable to the increase in spending for selling, general and administrative expense during the period.

Cash Used in Financing Activities

Cash provided by financing activities increased by $931,992 to $845,735 during the three months ended December 31, 2023, compared to $86,254 cash used in financing activities during the three months ended December 31, 2022. For the three months ended December 31, 2023, the cash provided by financing activities was attributable to the Shareholder and third-party advances related to bridge financing, which was partially offset by payments made in connection with the financing of certain insurance premiums. For the three months ended December 31, 2022, the cash used in financing activities resulted from offset by payments made in connection with the financing of certain insurance premiums  

Cash Requirements

We anticipate that our operating expenses, interest expense and other expenses will increase significantly as we continue to implement our business plan and pursue our operational goals. Depending upon additional input from EU and US regulatory authorities, however, we do not expect to generate sufficient revenues from operations before we will need to raise additional capital. Further, our estimates regarding our use of cash could change if we encounter unanticipated difficulties or other issues arise, including without limitation those set forth under the heading “RISK FACTORS” described in our Annual Report, in which case our current funds may not be sufficient to operate our business for the period we expect.

In the first quarter of 2021, the Company commenced commercial sales of our first product, AC5® Advanced Wound System. That revenue will not be sufficient to fund our business operations and we will need to obtain additional funding from external sources for the foreseeable future. We do not have any commitments for future capital. Significant additional financing will be required to fund our planned operations in the near term and in future periods, including research and development activities relating to our potential new product candidates, seeking regulatory approval of any other product candidates we may choose to develop, commercializing any product candidates for which we are able to obtain regulatory approval or certification, seeking to license or acquire new assets or businesses, and maintaining our intellectual property rights and pursuing rights to new technologies. We may not be able to obtain additional financing on commercially reasonable or acceptable terms when needed, or at all. We are bound by certain contractual terms and obligations that may limit or otherwise impact our ability to raise additional funding in the near-term including, but not limited to, provisions in the 2022 SPA (see Note 8) and 2023 SPA (see Notes 2 and 12) restricting our ability to effect or enter into an agreement to effect any issuance by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of Common Stock or securities convertible, exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (or a combination of units thereof) involving a Variable Rate Transaction. These restrictions and provisions could make it more challenging for us to raise capital through the incurrence of debt or through equity issuances. If we cannot raise the money that we need in order to continue to develop our business, we will be forced to delay, scale back or eliminate some or all of our proposed operations. If any of these were to occur, there is a substantial risk that our business would fail, and our stockholders could lose all of their investments.

As previously noted, since inception we have funded our operations primarily through equity and debt financings and we expect to continue to seek to do so in the future. If we obtain additional financing by issuing equity securities, our existing stockholders’ ownership will be diluted. Additionally, the terms of securities we may issue in future capital-raising transactions may be more favorable for our new investors, and in particular may include preferences, superior voting rights and the issuance of warrants or other derivative securities, which may have additional dilutive effects. If we obtain additional financing by incurring debt, we may become subject to significant limitations and restrictions on our operations pursuant to the terms of any loan or credit agreement governing the debt. Further, obtaining any loan, assuming a loan would be available when needed on acceptable terms, would increase our liabilities and future cash commitments. We may also seek funding from collaboration or licensing arrangements in the future, which may require that we relinquish potentially valuable rights to our product candidates or proprietary technologies or grant licenses on terms that are not favorable to us. Moreover, regardless of the manner in which we seek to raise capital, we may incur substantial costs in those pursuits, including investment banking fees, legal fees, accounting fees, printing and distribution expenses and other related costs.

Going Concern

We have commenced commercial sales of our first product, AC5® Advanced Wound System. From inception, we have had recurring losses from operations. The continuation of our business as a going concern is dependent upon raising additional capital and eventually attaining and maintaining profitable operations. As of December 31, 2023, there is substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements included in this Annual Report do not include any adjustments that might be necessary should operations discontinue.

Critical Accounting Policies and Significant Judgments and Estimates

Pursuant to certain disclosure guidance issued by the SEC, the SEC defines “critical accounting policies” as those that require the application of management’s most difficult, subjective or complex judgments, often as a result of the need to make estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain and may change in subsequent periods. Our critical accounting policies that we anticipate will require the application of our most difficult, subjective or complex judgments are as follows:

Use of Estimates

Management is required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expense during the reporting periods.  Significant estimates include the assumptions used in the accrual for potential liabilities, the net realizable value of inventory, the valuation of debt and equity instruments, the fair value of derivative liabilities, valuation of equity instruments issued for services, and deferred tax valuation allowances.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation

The Company accounts for stock-based compensation in accordance with the guidance of FASB ASC Topic 718, Compensation-Stock Compensation (“ASC 718”), which requires all share-based payments be recognized in the condensed consolidated financial statements based on their fair values. In accordance with ASC 718, the Company has elected to use the Black-Scholes Option Pricing Model (the “Black-Scholes Model”) to determine the fair value of options granted and recognizes the compensation cost of share-based awards on a straight-line basis over the vesting period of the award.

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

Not applicable

Item 4. Controls and Procedures

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act. Internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer and effected by our Board of Directors, management and other personnel, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Under the supervision and with the participation of our Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer, management conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the framework in Internal Control — Integrated Framework issued in 2013 by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (“COSO”). As of December 31, 2023, our Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risks that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in our internal controls over financial reporting that occurred during the quarter ended December 31, 2023 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal controls over financial reporting. From time to time, we make changes to our internal control over financial reporting that are intended to enhance its effectiveness, and which do not have a material effect on our overall internal control over financial reporting.

PART II – OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1. Legal Proceedings

In the ordinary course of business, we may become a party to legal proceedings involving various matters. We are unaware of any such legal proceedings presently pending to which we or our subsidiary is a party or of which any of our property is the subject that management deems to be, individually or in the aggregate, material to our financial condition or results of operations.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

In addition to the other information set forth in this Report, you should carefully consider the factors discussed in Part I, “Item 1A. Risk Factors” of our Annual Report, which could materially affect our business, financial condition or future results. The risks described in our Annual Report may not be the only risks facing the Company. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to the Company or that the Company currently deems to be immaterial also may materially adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition and/or operating results.

There were no material changes to the risk factors previously disclosed in our Annual Report.

Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

Not applicable 

Item 6. Exhibits

* Pursuant to Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K, certain identified information has been excluded from this exhibit because it is both (i) not material and (ii) would be competitively harmful if publicly disclosed. Further, the schedules and exhibits to this agreement have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. A copy of any omitted schedule and/or exhibit will be furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request.

SIGNATURE

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