UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
(Mark One)
☒
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended: December 31, 2024
☐
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from to .
Commission File No.: 001-36593
Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
77-0523891
(State or other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
100 Marine Parkway, Suite 400
Redwood City, California
94065
(Address of principal executive offices)
(Zip Code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (650) 213-8444
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class
Trading Symbol(s)
Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $0.001 par value
SLNO
NASDAQ
Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period
that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the
preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
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:
Large accelerated filer
☒
Accelerated filer
☐
Non-accelerated filer
☐
Smaller reporting company
☒
Emerging growth company
☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided
pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued
financial statements. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the
relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☐ No ☒
The aggregate market value of stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant on June 28, 2024, based on the closing price of $40.80 for shares of the registrant’s Common Stock as reported by the Nasdaq Capital
Market, was approximately $1.4 billion. Shares of Common Stock held by each executive officer, director and beneficial holder of 5% or more of the outstanding Common Stock have been excluded in that such persons
may be deemed affiliates.
As of February 26, 2025, there were 45,857,291 shares of the registrant’s Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, outstanding.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Portions of the registrant’s Definitive Proxy Statement to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A in connection with the registrant’s 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, to be filed subsequent
to the date hereof, are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Report. Such Definitive Proxy Statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission not later than 120 days after the conclusion of the
registrant’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2024. Except with respect to information specifically incorporated by reference in this Form 10-K, the Proxy Statement is not deemed to be filed as part of this Form 10-K.
Auditor Name: Marcum LLP
Auditor Location: San Francisco, CA
Auditor Firm ID: 688
Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.
Annual Report on Form 10-K
For the Year Ended December 31, 2024
INDEX
PART I
Item 1
Business
2
Item 1A
Risk Factors
15
Item 1B
Unresolved Staff Comments
57
Item 1C
Cybersecurity
58
Item 2
Properties
59
Item 3
Legal Proceedings
59
Item 4
Mine Safety Disclosures
59
PART II
Item 5
Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
60
Item 6
[Reserved]
61
Item 7
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation
62
Item 7A
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
70
Item 8
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
71
Item 9
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
100
Item 9A
Controls and Procedures
100
Item 9B
Other Information
104
Item 9C
Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections
104
PART III
Item 10
Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
105
Item 11
Executive Compensation
105
Item 12
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
105
Item 13
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
105
Item 14
Principal Accounting Fees and Services
105
PART IV
Item 15
Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules
106
1
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements and the related notes that
appear elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, particularly in Part I, Item 1: “Business,” Part I, Item 1A: “Risk
Factors” and Part 2, Item 7: “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” These statements are often
identified by the use of words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “could,” “should,” “estimate,” “plan” or “continue,” and
similar expressions or variations. All statements other than statements of historical fact could be deemed forward-looking, including, but not limited to: any
statements regarding the timing of any regulatory process or ultimate approvals and determining a path forward for diazoxide choline extended-release
tablets (DCCR) for the treatment of Prader-Willi syndrome; any projections of financial information; any plans or projections regarding the
commercialization of DCCR; any statements about historical results that may suggest trends for our business; any statements of the plans, strategies, and
objectives of management for future operations; any statements of expectation or belief regarding future events, technology developments, our products,
product sales, expenses, liquidity, cash flow, market growth rates or enforceability of our intellectual property rights and related litigation expenses; and any
statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could
cause actual results and the timing of certain events to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
Accordingly, we caution you not to place undue reliance on these statements. Particular uncertainties that could affect future results include: our ability to
achieve or maintain profitability; our ability to obtain substantial additional capital that may be necessary to maintain or expand our business; our ability to
maintain internal control over financial reporting; our dependence on, and need to attract and retain, key management and other personnel; our ability to
obtain, protect and enforce our intellectual property rights; potential advantages that our competitors and potential competitors may have in securing
funding or developing products; business interruptions such as earthquakes and other natural disasters; our ability to comply with laws and regulations;
potential product liability claims; and our ability to use our net operating loss carryforwards to offset future taxable income. For a discussion of some of the
factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements, see the discussion on risk factors that appear in Part I, Item
1A: “Risk Factors” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and other risks and uncertainties detailed in this and our other reports and filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC. The forward-looking statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K represent our views as of the date of
this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause our views to change. However, while we may elect to
update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we have no current intention of doing so except to the extent required by applicable
law. You should, therefore, not rely on these forward-looking statements as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this Annual
Report on Form 10-K.
2
PART I
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Company Overview
We are a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of rare diseases. We have submitted a new drug application
(NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for our lead product candidate, diazoxide choline extended-release tablets (DCCR) for the
treatment of Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) in individuals four years and older who have hyperphagia. On August 27, 2024, we announced that the FDA
had accepted the NDA for filing, designated the application for priority review and set a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target action date of
December 27, 2024. On November 26, 2024, we announced that the FDA had extended the review period for our NDA and set a new PDUFA target action
date of March 27, 2025. DCCR previously received Breakthrough Therapy and Fast-Track designations in the United States (U.S.) and Orphan Drug
designations in the U.S. and European Union (E.U.).
DCCR contains diazoxide choline, a potent ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel activator. The KATP channels play a central role in the
regulation of a number of physiological processes which may otherwise be dysregulated, contributing to the pathophysiology of several diseases. In the
context of the underlying genetic or structural defects in PWS, these pathophysiological processes may cumulatively contribute to increases in appetite and
aggressive food seeking, lack of satiety, accumulation of excess body fat and the establishment and perpetuation of the obese state. Its proposed mode of
action, with targets in the brain, pancreas and fat tissue, has the potential to broadly impact complex diseases like PWS to reduce appetite, reduce food
seeking, decrease insulin and leptin resistance, and reduce body fat. We believe that it has the potential to reduce other problematic behaviors in PWS.
Diazoxide Choline Extended-Release Tablets
DCCR consists of the active ingredient diazoxide choline, a choline salt of diazoxide, which is a benzothiadiazine. Once solubilized from the
formulation, diazoxide choline is rapidly converted to diazoxide prior to absorption. It is believed to act by stimulating ion flux through KATP channels
and appears to act on signs and symptoms of PWS in a variety of ways. Activating the KATP channel in NPY/AgRP neurons in the hypothalamus may
reduce secretion of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and Agouti-related peptile (AgRP), contributing to a reduction in hyperphagia. Activating the KATP channel
in the dorsal motor nucleus of vagus may potentiate the effects of leptin, insulin and -melanocortin stimulating hormone to reduce hyperinsulinemia
and impact appetite and satiety. Activating the KATP in pancreatic ß-cells can reduce the secretion of insulin, and further reduce the accumulation of
excess body fat and the progression to insulin resistance. Activating the KATP channel in adipocytes has the potential to decrease de-novo triglyceride
synthesis and increase ß-oxidation of fat, reducing fat mass.
DCCR was formulated with the goals of improving the safety and bioavailability of orally-administered diazoxide and reducing the frequency of
dosing required by current diazoxide formulations. Diazoxide choline has been formulated into an extended-release tablet that provides lower peak plasma
concentration compared to diazoxide oral suspension and allows for the gradual release of diazoxide choline from DCCR, making it suitable for once-a-day
dosing. The gradual release and absorption of diazoxide achieved using DCCR results in consistent intraday circulating drug levels potentially reducing the
adverse events often associated with transiently high circulating drug levels and providing efficacy at lower diazoxide-equivalent doses.
Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS)
3
PWS is a rare, complex genetic neurobehavioral/metabolic disorder caused by the absence of normally active paternally expressed genes from the
chromosome 15q11-q13 region. PWS is an imprinted condition with 60-65% of the cases due to a de novo deletion in the paternally inherited chromosome
15 11-q13 region, 30-35% from maternal uniparental disomy 15 (UPD), where the affected individual inherited 2 copies of the chromosome from their
mother and no copy from their father, and the remaining 2-5% from either microdeletions or epimutations of the imprinting center (i.e., imprinting defects;
IDs). The Committee on Genetics of the American Academy of Pediatrics has found that PWS affects both genders equally and occurs in people from all
geographic regions, The Prader-Willi Syndrome Association USA estimates that PWS occurs in one in every 15,000 live births. The mortality rate among
patients with PWS has been estimated at 3% a year across all ages and 7% in those over 30 years of age. The mean age of death reported from a 40-year
mortality study in the U.S. was 29.5 ± 15 years (range: 2 months—67 years).
In addition to hyperphagia, typical behavioral disturbances associated with PWS include skin picking, difficulty with change in routine, obsessive
and compulsive behaviors, anxiety and mood fluctuations. The majority of older adolescents and adults with PWS display some degree of aggressive or
threatening behaviors including being verbally aggressive, seeking to intimidate others, being physically aggressive including attacking others, destroying
property, throwing temper tantrums and directing rage or anger at others.
PWS was typically thought of as a genetic obesity. However, many patients with PWS today may not be obese because of increasing awareness
among families and caregivers leading to significant control of access to food and its intake. However, patients remain hyperphagic and will typically have
a higher body fat and lower lean body mass content compared to similarly obese individuals. They are prone to cardiometabolic issues such as abnormal
lipid profiles, diabetes and hypertension associated with obesity once it is established. Other complications in PWS patients include greater risk for autistic
symptomatology, psychosis, sleep disorders, distress, food stealing, withdrawal, sulking, nail-biting, hoarding and overeating, and more pronounced
attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms, insistence on sameness, and their association with maladaptive conduct problems. Cognitively, most
individuals with PWS function in the mild intellectual disability range with a mean IQ in the 60s to low 70s. The combination of food-related
preoccupations and numerous maladaptive behaviors make it difficult for individuals with PWS to perform to their IQ potential. Some older adolescents
and many adults reach a stage at which they can no longer be effectively managed in the home and therefore transition to institutional care.
Unmet Medical Needs in PWS
The target indication for DCCR is the treatment of patients with PWS ages 4 years and older who have hyperphagia. Currently, the only approved
treatment related to PWS is growth hormone which addresses the short stature associated with PWS but has no effect on hyperphagia. A global patient
survey conducted by the Foundation for Prader-Willi Research (n=779), found that 96.5% of respondents rated reducing hunger and 91.2% rated improving
behavior around food as a very important or the most important symptom to be relieved by a new treatment. Physical function and body composition
symptoms for which a high percentage of respondents indicated were very important or most important included: 92.9% indicated improving metabolic
health (reduces fat / increases muscle) and 81.3% indicated the related symptom of improving activity and stamina. The behavioral and cognitive symptoms
rated by respondents as very or most important were: 85.2% indicated reduction of obsessive/compulsive behavior, 84.6% indicated improvements to
intellect/development, and 83.2% indicated reduction of temper outburst severity and frequency.
Therefore, there are clear unmet needs in patients with PWS to reduce hyperphagia, improve behaviors around food, and to reduce other behavioral
and cognitive impacts of this complex disease. In addition, improving metabolic health is also an important unmet need.
Clinical Trials of DCCR for PWS
A Phase 2 clinical trial (Study PC025) was a single-center, randomized withdrawal study to evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of DCCR in
the treatment of PWS subjects. This study enrolled 13 overweight and obese subjects with genetically-confirmed PWS who were between the ages of 11
and 21. This study included 10-week open-label treatment phase was followed by randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled, withdrawal phase.
Key efficacy results included nominally significant reductions from baseline to the end of the open-label treatment phase in mean hyperphagia score,
number of subjects reporting one or more aggressive and destructive
4
behaviors, mean body fat mass, LDL cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol. There were also nominally significant mean increases in lean body mass and
lean body mass / fat mass ratio that were associated with a nominally significant reduction in mean waist circumference, consistent with the loss of visceral
fat.
Responders were randomized in a 1:1 ratio either to continue on active treatment at the dose they were treated with, or to the placebo equivalent of
that dose for an additional 4 weeks. Of the 13 subjects who enrolled, 11 completed the open-label phase and all were designated as responders; the
remaining two subjects had discontinued prematurely.
DCCR was subsequently evaluated in a Phase 3 study (C601 or DESTINY PWS), a 13-week randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study,
which completed enrollment in January 2020, with 127 randomized participants at 29 sites in the U.S. and United Kingdom (U.K.). Participants who
completed DESTINY PWS and sought continued treatment with DCCR were eligible to receive DCCR in a long-term open-label safety extension study
(C602). Top line results from DESTINY PWS were announced in June 2020. Although the trial did not meet its primary endpoint of change from baseline
in hyperphagia, significant improvements were observed in two of three key secondary endpoints.
In February 2021, we announced analysis limited to data collected before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis of the data through
March 1, 2020 showed statistical significance in the primary, all key secondary, and several other efficacy endpoints. In September 2021, we announced
interim one-year data from the C602 open-label extension (OLE) period showing statistically significant reduction from pre-DCCR baseline in mean
hyperphagia scores and all other PWS behavioral parameters and statistically significant improvements compared to natural history of PWS from the PATH
for PWS Study (PATH) over a one-year treatment period. The PATH study was sponsored by the Foundation for Prader-Willi Research (FPWR) to
advance the understanding of the natural history in individuals with PWS. The FDA recommended that additional controlled data be included in an NDA
submission.
In March 2022, we submitted an amended protocol that incorporated a randomized withdrawal (RW) period to Study C602 to obtain additional
controlled data requested by the FDA and the FDA acknowledged that data from the study had the potential to address its concerns about the efficacy of
DCCR. The RW period of Study C602 was a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of DCCR in 77 patients with PWS at 17
sites in the U.S. and 5 sites in the U.K. The RW period consisted only of patients previously enrolled in the Study C602 OLE period and did not enroll any
new patients. We announced the initiation of the RW period for Study C602 in October 2022, and completed enrollment in May 2023.
On September 26, 2023, we announced positive statistically significant results for the primary endpoint from the RW period of Study C602. As
discussed above, we submitted our NDA for DCCR to the FDA on June 27, 2024. On August 27, 2024, we announced that the FDA had accepted the NDA
for filing and priority review and set a PDUFA target action date of December 27, 2024. On November 26, 2024, we announced that the FDA had extended
the review period for our NDA and set a new PDUFA target action date of March 27, 2025.
Safety of DCCR in the Treatment of PWS
Across the combined C601 (DESTINY-PWS), and C602 long-term OLE studies (which included DCCR treatment durations of up to ~4.5 years),
98.4% of participants reported treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs). Most were grade 1 or 2 (75.2%), with no grade 4 or higher events. The most
common TEAEs were hypertrichosis (68.8%), peripheral edema (34.4%), hirsutism (47.8% of female participants) and hyperglycemia (27.2%).
The majority of participants with hypertrichosis, hirsutism, or hyperglycemia experienced resolution or improvement of their symptoms with
continued DCCR dosing through the end of the study. Infrequently, DCCR dose adjustments or glucose-lowering agents (for hyperglycemia) and diuretics
(for peripheral edema) were prescribed to manage participants experiencing these TEAEs.
Two participants, both with known histories of psychiatric illnesses, reported a suspected unexpected serious adverse reaction (SUSAR) in the
ongoing C614 open label extension study. One of the participants reported a SUSAR of aggression and the other participant reported a SUSAR of a major
depressive episode.
5
Overall, the safety profile of DCCR in the Phase 3 PWS clinical development program was generally consistent with the known safety profile of
diazoxide and prior experience with DCCR.
Regulatory Status of DCCR for the Treatment of PWS
Diazoxide choline is being developed in the U.S. under a current Investigational New Drug Application (IND) and has Breakthrough Therapy and
Fast-Track designations in the U.S. and Orphan Drug designations in the U.S. and E.U.
On April 29, 2024, we announced that the FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation to diazoxide choline for the treatment of adults and
children ages 4 years and older with genetically confirmed PWS who have hyperphagia. The designation reflects the FDA’s determination that, based on an
assessment of the preliminary data from the Phase 3 clinical development program, diazoxide choline may demonstrate substantial improvement on a
clinically significant endpoint(s) over available therapies. The FDA’s Breakthrough Therapy Designation is intended to expedite the development and
review of drugs in the United States that are intended to treat a serious condition, when preliminary clinical evidence indicates the drug may demonstrate
substantial improvement over available therapy on a clinically significant endpoint(s). With Breakthrough Therapy Designation, the FDA provides
intensive guidance and organizational commitment involving senior managers in a proactive, collaborative, cross-disciplinary review, and may also allow
for priority review and other actions to expedite review.
Market opportunity
An estimated 300,000 to 400,000 individuals worldwide have PWS with a birth incidence ranging from 1 in 15,000 to 1 in 25,000. Based on an
analysis of claims data (Medicare, Medicaid, pharmacy and medical benefit claims), we have identified approximately 10,000 people who have received a
PWS-specific treatment or had a PWS-specific IDC10 claim in 2022 or 2023. We believe that the number of identified patients with PWS is growing at a
rate that is higher than the rate of general population because of improved rates of diagnosis. If approved on or before the current PDUFA date, DCCR
would be the first treatment for hyperphagia in patients with PWS to reach the market in the U.S. and may therefore be likely to be used in a large
proportion of patients.
Sales and Marketing
The majority of the PWS population in the U.S. is diagnosed shortly after birth through an affordable genetic test, and the patient, as well as their
treating physician, are captured in a commercially available reimbursement claims database. Based on our analysis of this database, we believe that
approximately 300 healthcare providers are either directly prescribing or influencing the prescription of approximately 40% of the PWS patient population.
Patients with PWS are typically treated by a multi-disciplinary team led by a pediatric or adult endocrinologist and many families and patients receive care
at larger clinics that devote specific resources to caring for people with PWS. The PWS care teams with the largest volumes are often in university-
associated hospitals or children’s hospitals and a portion of adults with PWS live in residential group home settings. Due to these factors, we believe we are
positioned to launch DCCR following approval in the U.S. through our commercial organization in a targeted and efficient manner.
In anticipation of FDA approval of DCCR, we are building out our commercial organization across Marketing, Sales, and Patient Support functions
to support demand, with the goal of delivering an exceptional provider, patient and caregiver experience. We have substantially completed hiring of all
senior leadership roles in the commercial team, including adding industry veterans with extensive experience in the rare disease space and are in process of
onboarding a field force of approximately 30 individuals.
The commercial team has already made substantial progress in executing on its foundational commercial strategy, including extensive demand
assessment and marketplace analysis, payer research and outreach, selection and submission of a proprietary name, selection of an advertising agency,
onboarding of a special pharmacy partner to provide patient, caregiver, prescriber and payer services, obtaining relevant state licensures, the
implementation of a customer relationship management system, and the development of a patient services program. The specialty pharmacy will also serve
as our point of contact for inbound health care provider and patient inquiries, prescription processing, insurance investigation and patient on-boarding.
6
We believe a comparable concentration of care exists in Europe and other major markets which may allow us to market DCCR without a partner;
however, we may identify commercialization partners for DCCR for many markets. The final decision on commercialization strategy outside the U.S. will
be made at a later date.
Pricing
We are in the process of conducting a formal pricing analysis of DCCR in PWS. We anticipate that pricing at launch will be influenced by the
product label negotiated with the FDA and data developed to support pricing.
Competition
The biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries are highly competitive and characterized by rapid technological change. We face competition in
each of the aspects of our business from other pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as academic research institutions, clinical reference
laboratories and governmental agencies that are pursuing research or development activities similar to ours. Our competitors may succeed in developing
products faster than we do and obtaining approvals from the FDA or other regulatory agencies for those products earlier than we do. In addition, our
competitors may develop products that are more effective than those we develop or commercialize products more effectively and profitably than we do.
Currently, the only approved products for patients with PWS in the U.S. are Genotropin® (somatropin), and Omnitrope® (somatropin) which are
approved only for growth failure due to PWS. There are no approved products to address PWS-associated hyperphagia and behaviors, or for any other
abnormalities associated with the disease. However, to our knowledge, there are a number of therapeutic products at various stages of clinical development
for the treatment of PWS, including for hyperphagia, by Acadia Pharmaceuticals, Aardvark Therapeutics, Consynance, Neuren Pharmaceuticals, OT4B and
Rhythm Pharmaceuticals.
We believe that our ability to successfully compete with these potentially competitive drug candidates will depend on, among other things:
•
the efficacy and safety of DCCR;
•
our ability to obtain regulatory approvals for DCCR and complete any post-marketing requirements (PMRs);
•
the timing and scope of regulatory approvals of DCCR;
•
our ability to obtain product acceptance by physicians and other healthcare providers and secure coverage and adequate reimbursement for
DCCR use in approved indications;
•
our ability, and the ability of our collaborators, to manufacture and sell commercial quantities of DCCR;
•
the skills of our employees and our ability to recruit and retain skilled employees;
•
protection of our intellectual property; and
•
the availability of substantial capital resources to fund commercialization activities.
We expect that our principal competition for DCCR will include drugs currently in various stages of clinical development specifically for the
treatment of PWS and hyperphagia, but may also include drugs approved for other indications, such as appetite suppression.
Manufacturing and Product Supply
We do not own or operate manufacturing or distribution facilities or resources for commercial production and distribution of DCCR. Instead, we
have multiple contractual agreements in place with third-party contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs) who, on our behalf, have manufactured
clinical supplies of our drug candidates, and will manufacture commercial supplies of DCCR for the foreseeable future. We have selected well-established
and reputable global CMOs for our active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and drug product manufacturing, that have good regulatory standing, large
manufacturing capacities, and multiple manufacturing sites
7
within their business footprint. We employ highly skilled personnel with both technical and manufacturing experience to diligently manage the activities at
our CMOs. Our quality department audits these suppliers on a periodic basis. Our commercial suppliers are subject to routine inspection by regulatory
agencies. We work closely with our third-party manufacturers to ensure compliance with current good manufacturing practices (cGMP), and other stringent
regulatory requirements enforced by the FDA and foreign regulatory agencies in other territories, as applicable.
We store API at third-party facilities in the United States, and provide appropriate amounts to third-party drug product CMOs in the United States
who then manufacture, package and label our specified quantities of finished commercial DCCR and clinical goods for our drug candidates. Our third-party
CMOs also need to obtain materials such as reagents, excipients and components to manufacture our API and finished drug products. Within our supply
chain, we have established safety stock amounts for both our API and drug product, and store those quantities in multiple locations. The quantities that we
store are based on our business needs and take into account scenarios for demand, production lead times, potential supply interruptions and shelf life for our
API and drug product. We believe that our current manufacturing network has the appropriate capacity to produce sufficient commercial quantities of
DCCR.
We plan to utilize a third party logistics provider with multiple locations to provide shipping and warehousing services for our commercial supply of
DCCR. We have also entered into a non-exclusive agreement with a specialty pharmacy who will purchase our labeled drug product and dispense DCCR to
patients pursuant to prescriptions provided by health care providers.
The manufacturing process for pharmaceutical products is highly regulated and regulators may shut down manufacturing facilities that they believe
do not comply with regulations, legislations, and/or guidelines. We and our third-party manufacturers are subject to cGMPs, which are extensive
regulations governing manufacturing processes, stability testing, record keeping, and quality standards as defined by the FDA and the EMA. Similar
regulations and requirements are in effect in other countries.
Intellectual Property
DCCR Patent Portfolio
Our patent portfolio consists of issued U.S. patents and pending U.S. applications. The 20-year expiration dates of our issued U.S. patents are
between 2025 to 2035. We also have issued patents in Europe, Canada, Japan, China, India, Israel, Hong Kong, Australia, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand,
Singapore, Indonesia, Korea, and Eurasia. We are prosecuting numerous patent applications in major pharmaceutical markets around the world. The issued
patents and pending patent applications include protection of compositions, methods of manufacturing, pharmaceutical formulations, and methods of
treating aspects of PWS and Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS).
Government Regulation - Pharmaceuticals
Our operations and activities are subject to extensive regulation by government authorities in the U.S. and in other countries in which we elect to
develop and/or commercialize our products. Our developmental drug products are subject to rigorous regulation. Federal and state statutes and regulations
govern the testing, manufacture, safety, efficacy, labeling, storage, record keeping, approval, advertising and promotion of our products. As a result of these
regulations, product development and product approval processes are very expensive and time-consuming.
A country’s regulatory agency, such as the FDA in the U.S., or a region’s agency, such as the EMA for the E.U., must approve a drug before it can
be sold in the respective country or countries. The general process for drug development and approval in the U.S. is summarized below. Many other
countries, including countries in the E.U., U.K. and Japan, have very similar regulatory development and approval processes.
Nonclinical Testing
Before a drug candidate can be tested in humans, it must be studied in laboratory experiments and in animals to generate data to support the drug
candidate’s potential for wanted and unwanted effects. Additional nonclinical
8
testing may be required during the clinical development process for products intended for long-term use, such as reproductive toxicology, juvenile
toxicology studies and carcinogenicity studies in two species.
Investigational New Drug Application (IND)
The results of initial nonclinical tests, together with manufacturing information, analytical data and a proposed clinical trial protocol and other
information, are submitted as part of an IND to the FDA. If the FDA does not identify significant issues during the initial 30-day IND review, the proposed
clinical trial can proceed. Each clinical trial protocol and/or amendment, new nonclinical data, and/or new or revised manufacturing information must be
submitted to the IND, and the FDA has 30 days to complete its review of each submission.
Clinical Trials
These clinical trials involve three separate phases that often overlap, can take many years and are very expensive. These three phases, which are
subject to considerable regulation, are as follows:
Phase 1 Studies. During Phase 1 studies, researchers test a new drug in healthy volunteers. In most cases, 20 to 80 healthy volunteers participate in
Phase 1. Phase 1 studies are closely monitored and gather information about how a drug interacts with the human body. Researchers adjust dosing schemes
based on animal data to find out how much of a drug the body can tolerate and what its acute side effects are. As a Phase 1 trial continues, researchers
answer research questions related to how it works in the body, the side effects associated with increased dosage, and early information about how effective
it is to determine how best to administer the drug to limit risks and maximize possible benefits. This is important to the design of Phase 2 studies.
Phase 2 Studies. In Phase 2 studies, researchers administer the drug to a group of people with the disease or condition for which the drug is being
developed. Typically involving up to a few hundred patients, these studies are not large enough to show whether the drug will be beneficial. The use of new
study designs, such as adaptive designs, can decrease the number of patients required. Instead, Phase 2 studies provide researchers with additional safety
data. Researchers use these data to refine research questions, develop research methods, identify target doses, and design new Phase 3 research protocols.
Phase 3 Studies. Researchers design Phase 3 studies to demonstrate whether or not a product offers a treatment benefit to a specific population.
Sometimes known as pivotal studies, these studies generally involve a larger number of participants than do Phase 2 studies. Phase 3 studies provide most
of the safety data. In Phase 3 studies, it is possible that less common side effects might have gone undetected. Because these studies are larger and longer in
duration, the results are more likely to show long-term or rare side effects.
For each clinical trial, an institutional review board (IRB) or independent ethics committee (IEC), covering each site proposing to conduct a clinical
trial must review and approve the plan for any clinical trial and written informed consent or assent information for subjects before the trial commences at
that site and it must monitor the study until completed. The FDA, other heath authority, the IRB/IEC, or the sponsor may suspend a clinical trial at any time
on various grounds, including a finding that the subjects or patients are being exposed to an unacceptable health risk or for failure to comply with the
IRB/IEC’s requirements, or may impose other conditions.
Clinical trials involve the administration of an investigational drug to human subjects under the supervision of qualified investigators in accordance
with good clinical practices (GCP) requirements, which include the requirement that all research subjects provide their informed consent in writing for their
participation in any clinical trial. Sponsors of clinical trials generally must register and report, at the NIH-maintained website ClinicalTrials.gov, key
parameters of certain clinical trials.
At any point in this process, the development of a drug candidate can be stopped for a number of reasons including safety concerns and lack of
treatment benefit. We cannot be certain that any clinical trials that we are currently conducting or any that we conduct in the future will be completed
successfully or within any specified time period. We may choose, or FDA may require us, to delay or suspend our clinical trials at any time if it appears that
the patients are being exposed to an unacceptable health risk or if the drug candidate does not appear to have sufficient treatment benefit.
9
FDA Approval Process
When we believe that the data from our clinical trials show an adequate level of safety and efficacy, we would intend to submit an application to
market the drug for a particular use, an NDA with the FDA. The FDA may hold a public hearing where an independent advisory committee of expert
advisors asks additional questions and makes recommendations regarding the drug candidate. This committee is asked by the FDA to provide its
perspective and make recommendations that are not binding, but are generally followed by the FDA. If the FDA determines that the compound is safe and
effective for a particular use, it will approve the application, allowing the drug product to be marketed in the U.S. and sold for that use. It is not unusual,
however, for the FDA to reject an application because it believes that the risks of the drug candidate outweigh the purported benefit or because it does not
believe that the data submitted are reliable or conclusive. The FDA may also issue a Complete Response Letter (CRL), to indicate that the review cycle for
an application is complete and that the application is not ready for approval. CRLs generally outline the deficiencies in the submission and may require
substantial additional testing or information in order for the FDA to reconsider the application. Even with submission of this additional information, the
FDA ultimately may decide that the application does not satisfy the regulatory criteria for approval. If and when the deficiencies have been addressed to the
FDA’s satisfaction, the FDA will typically issue an approval letter. An approval letter authorizes commercial marketing of the drug with specific
prescribing information for specific indications.
If the drug candidate is approved, the FDA may also require additional studies, or PMRs. These include studies to explore scientific questions to
further characterize safety or efficacy of the drug candidate. The FDA may also require us to provide additional data or information, improve our
manufacturing processes, procedures analytical methods or facilities or may require extensive surveillance to monitor the safety or benefits of our product
candidates if it determines that our filing does not contain adequate evidence of the safety and benefits of the drug. In addition, even if the FDA approves a
drug, it could limit the uses of the drug. The FDA can withdraw approvals if it does not believe that we are complying with regulatory standards or if
problems are uncovered or occur after approval.
In addition to obtaining FDA approval for our drug, the manufacturing facilities of the companies who manufacture our drugs for us must also be
approved. These facilities are subject to periodic inspections by the FDA. The FDA must also approve foreign establishments that manufacture products to
be sold in the U.S. and these facilities are subject to periodic regulatory inspection.
Once approved, the FDA may withdraw product approval if ongoing regulatory requirements are not met or if safety problems are identified after the
product reaches the market. In addition, the FDA has the authority to prevent or limit further marketing of a product based on the results of PMRs. Drugs
may be marketed only for the approved indications and in accordance with the provisions of the approved label, and, even if the FDA approves a product, it
may limit the approved indications for use for the product or impose other conditions, including labeling or distribution restrictions or other risk-
management mechanisms. Further, if there are any modifications to the drug, including changes in indications, labeling, or manufacturing processes or
facilities, the sponsor may be required to submit and obtain FDA approval of a new or supplemental NDA, which may require the development of
additional data or conduct of additional pre-clinical studies and clinical trials.
Drugs that treat serious or life-threatening diseases and conditions that are not adequately addressed by existing drugs, and for which the
development program is designed to address the unmet medical need, may be designated as fast track and/or breakthrough candidates by the FDA and may
be eligible for accelerated and priority review.
Drugs that are developed for rare diseases (i.e., in the U.S., the disease or condition has a prevalence of less than 200,000 persons; in the E.U., the
prevalence of the condition must be not more than 5 in 10,000) can be designated as “Orphan Drugs”. In the U.S., orphan-designated drugs are granted up
to 7-year market exclusivity. In response to the court decision in Catalyst Pharms., Inc. v. Becerra, 14 F.4th 1299 (11th Cir. 2021), in January 2023, the
FDA published a notice in the Federal Register to clarify that while the agency complies with the court’s order in Catalyst, the FDA intends to continue to
apply its longstanding interpretation of the regulations to matters outside of the scope of the Catalyst order – that is, the agency will continue tying the
scope of orphan-drug exclusivity to the uses or indications for which a drug is approved, which permits other sponsors to obtain approval of a drug for new
10
uses or indications within the same orphan designated disease or condition that have not yet been approved. It is unclear how future litigation, legislation,
agency decisions and administrative actions will impact the scope of the orphan drug exclusivity. In the E.U., products granted orphan designation are
subject to reduced fees for protocol assistance, marketing authorization applications, inspections before authorization, applications for changes to marketing
authorizations, and annual fees, access to the centralized authorization procedure, and 10 years of market exclusivity.
Ongoing Regulation
Once a pharmaceutical product is approved, a product will be subject to pervasive and continuing regulation by the FDA, EMA, and other health
authorities, including, among other things, recordkeeping, periodic reporting, product sampling and distribution, advertising and promotion and reporting of
adverse experiences with the product.
In addition, drug manufacturers and other entities involved in the manufacture and distribution of approved drugs are subject to periodic
unannounced inspections by the FDA and state agencies for compliance with cGMP requirements. Changes to the manufacturing process are strictly
regulated and generally require prior FDA approval before being implemented. FDA regulations also require investigation and correction of any deviations
from cGMP or QSR and impose reporting and documentation requirements upon us and any third-party manufacturers that we may decide to use.
Accordingly, manufacturers must continue to expend time, money, and effort in the area of production and quality control to maintain cGMP compliance.
Once approved, the FDA may withdraw the approval for a product if compliance with regulatory requirements and standards is not maintained or if
problems occur after the product reaches the market, though the FDA must provide an application holder with notice and an opportunity for a hearing in
order to withdraw its approval of an application. Later discovery of previously unknown problems with a product, including adverse events of unanticipated
severity or frequency, or with manufacturing processes, or failure to comply with regulatory requirements for approved drugs, may result in, among other
things:
•
restrictions on the marketing or manufacturing of the product, complete withdrawal of the product from the market or product recalls;
•
fines, warning letters or holds on post-approval clinical trials;
•
refusal of the FDA to approve pending applications or supplements to approved applications, or suspension or revocation of product
approvals;
•
product seizure or detention, or refusal to permit the import or export of products; and
•
injunctions or the imposition of civil or criminal penalties.
The FDA strictly regulates the marketing, labeling, advertising and promotion of drug and device products that are placed on the market. The
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) also regulates the promotion and advertising of consumer products. While physicians may prescribe drugs and devices
for off label uses, manufacturers may only promote for the approved indications and in accordance with the provisions of the approved label.
Noncompliance may result in warning letters, fines or additional restrictions on subsequent advertising and promotional materials. Manufacturers may not
promote a drug that is still under development and has not been approved by the FDA. The FDA and other agencies actively enforce the laws and
regulations prohibiting the promotion of off label uses, and a company that is found to have improperly promoted off label uses may be subject to
significant liability.
Drugs are also subject to extensive regulation outside of the U.S. In the E.U., there is a centralized approval procedure that authorizes marketing of a
product in all countries of the E.U. through a single application and review process. After receiving regulatory approval through the E.U. registration
procedures, separate pricing and reimbursement approvals are also required in member countries. The E.U. also has requirements for approval of
manufacturing facilities for all products that are approved for sale by the European regulatory authorities.
11
Additional Government Regulations
HIPAA and Other Privacy Laws
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), established for the first-time comprehensive protection for the privacy and security of
health information. The HIPAA standards apply to three types of organizations, or “Covered Entities”: health plans, healthcare clearing houses, and
healthcare providers which conduct certain healthcare transactions electronically. Covered Entities and their Business Associates must have in place
administrative, physical, and technical standards to guard against the misuse of individually identifiable health information. Because we are a healthcare
provider and we conduct certain healthcare transactions electronically, we are presently a Covered Entity, and we must have in place the administrative,
physical, and technical safeguards required by HIPAA, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 (HITECH Act)
and their implementing regulations. Additionally, some state laws impose privacy protections more stringent than HIPAA. Most of the institutions and
physicians from which we obtain biological specimens that we use in our research and validation work are Covered Entities and must obtain proper
authorization from their patients for the subsequent use of those samples and associated clinical information. We may perform future activities that may
implicate HIPAA, such as providing clinical laboratory testing services or entering into specific kinds of relationships with a Covered Entity or a Business
Associate of a Covered Entity.
If we or our operations are found to be in violation of HIPAA, HITECH or their implementing regulations, we may be subject to penalties, including
civil and criminal penalties, fines, and exclusion from participation in U.S. federal or state health care programs, and the curtailment or restructuring of our
operations. HITECH increased the civil and criminal penalties that may be imposed against Covered Entities, their Business Associates and possibly other
persons, and gave state attorneys general new authority to file civil actions for damages or injunctions in federal courts to enforce the federal HIPAA laws
and seek attorney’s fees and costs associated with pursuing federal civil actions.
Our activities must also comply with other applicable privacy laws. For example, there are also international privacy laws that impose restrictions on
the access, use, and disclosure of health information. All of these laws may impact our business. Our failure to comply with these privacy laws or
significant changes in the laws restricting our ability to obtain tissue samples and associated patient information could significantly impact our business and
our future business plans.
Federal and State Billing and Fraud and Abuse Laws
Antifraud Laws/Overpayments. As participants in federal and state healthcare programs, we are subject to numerous federal and state antifraud and
abuse laws. Many of these antifraud laws are broad in scope, and neither the courts nor government agencies have extensively interpreted these laws.
Prohibitions under some of these laws include:
•
the submission, or causing the submission of, false claims or false information to government programs;
•
deceptive or fraudulent conduct;
•
performing medically unnecessary procedures; and
•
prohibitions in defrauding private sector health insurers.
We could be subject to substantial penalties for violations of these laws, including denial of payment and refunds, suspension of payments from
Medicare, Medicaid or other federal healthcare programs and exclusion from participation in the federal healthcare programs, as well as civil monetary and
criminal penalties and imprisonment. One of these statutes, the False Claims Act, is a key enforcement tool used by the government to combat healthcare
fraud. The False Claims Act imposes liability on any person who, among other things, knowingly presents, or causes to be presented, a false or fraudulent
claim for payment by a federal healthcare program. In addition, violations of the federal physician self-referral laws, such as the Stark laws discussed
below, may also violate false claims laws. Liability under the False Claims Act can result in treble damages and imposition of penalties. For example, we
could be subject to penalties of $14,308 to $28,618 per false claim, adjusted each year for inflation, and each use of our product could potentially be part of
a different claim submitted to the government. Separately, the HHS office of the Office of Inspector General, or OIG, can exclude providers found liable
under the False Claims Act from
12
participating in federally funded healthcare programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. The steep penalties that may be imposed on laboratories and other
providers under this statute may be disproportionate to the relatively small dollar amounts of the claims made by these providers for reimbursement. In
addition, even the threat of being excluded from participation in federal healthcare programs can have significant financial consequences on a provider.
Numerous federal and state agencies enforce the antifraud and abuse laws. In addition, private insurers may also bring private actions. In some
circumstances, private whistleblowers are authorized to bring fraud suits on behalf of the government against providers and are entitled to receive a portion
of any final recovery.
Federal and State “Self-Referral” and “Anti-Kickback” Restrictions
Self-Referral law. We are subject to a federal “self-referral” law, commonly referred to as the “Stark” law, which provides that physicians who,
personally or through a family member, have ownership interests in or compensation arrangements with a laboratory are prohibited from making a referral
to that laboratory for laboratory tests reimbursable by Medicare, and also prohibits laboratories from submitting a claim for Medicare payments for
laboratory tests referred by physicians who, personally or through a family member, have ownership interests in or compensation arrangements with the
testing laboratory. The Stark law contains a number of specific exceptions which, if met, permit physicians who have ownership or compensation
arrangements with a testing laboratory to make referrals to that laboratory and permit the laboratory to submit claims for Medicare payments for laboratory
tests performed pursuant to such referrals.
We are subject to comparable state laws, some of which apply to all payers regardless of source of payment, and do not contain identical exceptions
to the Stark law. For example, we are subject to a North Carolina self-referral law that prohibits a physician investor from referring to us any patients
covered by private, employer-funded or state and federal employee health plans. The North Carolina self-referral law contains few exceptions for physician
investors in securities that have not been acquired through public trading but will generally permit us to accept referrals from physician investors who buy
their shares in the public market.
We have several stockholders who are physicians in a position to make referrals to us. We have included within our compliance plan procedures to
identify requests for testing services from physician investors and we do not bill Medicare, or any other federal program, or seek reimbursement from other
third-party payers, for these tests.
Providers are subject to sanctions for claims submitted for each service that is furnished based on a referral prohibited under the federal self-referral
laws. These sanctions include denial of payment and refunds, civil monetary payments and exclusion from participation in federal healthcare programs and
civil monetary penalties, and they may also include penalties for applicable violations of the False Claims Act, which may require payment of up to three
times the actual damages sustained by the government, plus civil penalties of $14,308 to $28,618 for each separate false claim. Similarly, sanctions for
violations under the North Carolina self-referral laws include refunds and monetary penalties.
Anti-Kickback Statute. The federal Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits persons from knowingly and willfully soliciting, receiving, offering or paying
remuneration, directly or indirectly, to induce either the referral of an individual, or the furnishing, recommending, or arranging for a good or service, for
which payment may be made under a federal healthcare program, such as the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The term “remuneration” is not defined in
the federal Anti-Kickback Statute and has been broadly interpreted to include anything of value, including for example, gifts, discounts, the furnishing of
supplies or equipment, credit arrangements, payments of cash, waivers of payment, ownership interests and providing anything at less than its fair market
value. The reach of the Anti-Kickback Statute was also broadened by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA), which, among
other things, amends the intent requirement of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute and certain criminal healthcare fraud statutes, effective March 23, 2010.
Pursuant to the statutory amendment, a person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of this statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have
committed a violation. In addition, PPACA provides that a claim including items or services resulting from a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute
constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the False Claims Act or the civil monetary penalties statute, which imposes penalties against any
person who is determined to have presented or caused to be presented a claim to a federal health program that the person knows or should know is for an
item or service that
13
was not provided as claimed or is false or fraudulent. Sanctions for violations of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute may include imprisonment and other
criminal penalties, civil monetary penalties and exclusion from participation in federal healthcare programs.
The OIG has criticized a number of the business practices in the clinical laboratory industry as potentially implicating the Anti-Kickback Statute,
including compensation arrangements intended to induce referrals between laboratories and entities from which they receive, or to which they make,
referrals. In addition, the OIG has indicated that “dual charge” billing practices that are intended to induce the referral of patients reimbursed by federal
healthcare programs may violate the Anti-Kickback Statute.
Many states have also adopted laws similar to the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, some of which apply to the referral of patients for healthcare items
or services reimbursed by any source, not only the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and do not contain identical safe harbors. For example, North
Carolina has an anti-kickback statute that prohibits healthcare providers from paying any financial compensation for recommending or securing patient
referrals. Penalties for violations of this statute include license suspension or revocation or other disciplinary action. Other states have similar anti-kickback
prohibitions.
Both the federal Anti-Kickback Statute and the North Carolina anti-kickback law are broad in scope. The anti-kickback laws clearly prohibit
payments for patient referrals. Under a broad interpretation, these laws could also prohibit a broad array of practices involving remuneration where one
party is a potential source of referrals for the other.
If we or our operations are found to be in violation of any of the laws described above or any other governmental regulations that apply to us, we
may be subject to penalties, including civil and criminal penalties, damages, fines, exclusion from participation in U.S. federal or state health care
programs, and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations. To the extent that any product we make is sold in a foreign country in the future, we may
be subject to similar foreign laws and regulations, which may include, for instance, applicable post-marketing requirements, including safety surveillance,
anti-fraud and abuse laws, and implementation of corporate compliance programs and reporting of payments or transfers of value to healthcare
professionals. To reduce the risks associated with these various laws and governmental regulations, we have implemented a compliance plan. Although
compliance programs can mitigate the risk of investigation and prosecution for violations of these laws, the risks cannot be entirely eliminated. Any action
against us for violation of these laws, even if we successfully defend against it, could cause us to incur significant legal expenses and divert our
management’s attention from the operation of our business. Moreover, achieving and sustaining compliance with applicable federal and state privacy,
security and fraud laws may prove costly.
The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) prohibits any U.S. individual or business from paying, offering or authorizing payment or offering of
anything of value, directly or indirectly, to any foreign official, political party or candidate for the purpose of influencing any act or decision of the foreign
entity in order to assist the individual or business in obtaining or retaining business. The FCPA also obligates companies whose securities are listed in the
U.S. to comply with accounting provisions requiring us to maintain books and records that accurately and fairly reflect all transactions of the corporation,
including international subsidiaries, and to devise and maintain an adequate system of internal accounting controls for international operations.
Employees and Human Capital
As of December 31, 2024, we had 92 full-time employees. None of our employees is represented by a labor union or covered by collective
bargaining agreements. We consider our relationship with our employees to be good.
14
Our human capital resources objectives include, as applicable, identifying, recruiting, retaining, incentivizing and integrating our existing and new
employees, advisors and consultants. We are committed to providing a work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment. We are an equal-
opportunity employer and make employment decisions on the basis of a person’s qualifications and the needs of our business. We believe in the richness
and quality of a working environment that is informed by people from all walks of life and strive to create a diverse and genuinely inclusive environment.
We are committed to ensuring our team members are treated with fairness and respect. We believe that a cooperative work environment, based in trust and
mutual respect, is essential to our success. As new employees join us, they learn more about our policies and culture through new hire orientation and
onboarding, our Employee Handbook, Code of Conduct, and compliance trainings.
We offer an attractive mix of compensation and benefit plans to support our employees and their families’ physical, mental, and financial well-
being. We believe that we employ a fair and merit-based total compensation system for our employees. Employees are generally eligible for medical,
dental, vision and other comprehensive benefits. The principal purposes of our equity and cash incentive plans are to attract, retain and reward personnel
through the granting of stock-based and cash-based compensation awards, in order to increase stockholder value and the success of our company by
motivating such individuals to perform to the best of their abilities and achieve our objectives.
Corporate and Available Information
Our principal corporate offices are located at 100 Marine Parkway, Suite 400, Redwood City, California 94065 and our telephone number is (650)
213-8444. We were incorporated in Delaware on August 25, 1999. Our internet address is www.soleno.life. We make available on our website, free of
charge, our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to those reports, as soon as
reasonably practicable after we electronically file such materials with, or furnish it to, the Securities Exchange and Commission. Our Securities Exchange
and Commission reports can be accessed through the Investor Relations section of our internet website. The information found on our internet website is
not part of this or any other report we file with or furnish to the Securities Exchange and Commission.
15
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
An investment in our securities has a high degree of risk. Before you invest you should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties. Additional
risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial also may materially adversely affect our business, financial
conditions and/or operating results. If any of these risks actually occur, our business, operating results and financial condition could be harmed, and the
value of our stock could go down. This means you could lose all or a part of your investment.
Summary Risk Factor
Our business is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties that you should consider before investing in our company, as fully described below. The
principal factors and uncertainties that make investing in our company risky include, among others:
•
we are a clinical-stage company with no approved products, which makes assessment of our future viability difficult;
•
we have no commercialization history as a company and have incurred significant losses since our inception, and we anticipate that we will
continue to incur substantial losses for the immediate future;
•
we are dependent upon the success of DCCR, our sole therapeutic product candidate;
•
we may be unable to obtain regulatory approval for DCCR or other potential product candidates. The denial or delay of any such approval
would delay commercialization and have a material adverse effect on our potential to generate revenue, our business and our results of
operations;
•
even if DCCR receives regulatory approval, it may fail to achieve the degree of market acceptance by physicians, patients, caregivers,
healthcare payers and others in the medical community necessary for commercial success;
•
we expect to continue to expand our development, regulatory and sales and marketing capabilities, and as a result, we may encounter
difficulties in managing our growth, which could disrupt our operations;
•
our patent rights may prove to be an inadequate barrier to competition;
•
we have incurred and will continue to incur significant increased costs as a result of operating as a public company, and our management has
devoted and will be required to continue to devote substantial time to new compliance initiatives; and
•
we may need additional funds to support our operations, and such funding may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all, which
would force us to delay, reduce or suspend our research and development programs and other operations or commercialization efforts.
Raising additional capital may subject us to unfavorable terms, cause dilution to our existing stockholders, restrict our operations, or require
us to relinquish rights to our planned products and technologies.
Risks related to our financial condition and capital requirements
We are a clinical-stage company with no approved products, which makes assessment of our future viability difficult.
We have historically been a clinical-stage company with no approved therapeutic products or revenues from the sale of therapeutic products. As a result,
there is limited information for investors to use when assessing our future viability as a company focused primarily on therapeutic products and our
potential to successfully develop product candidates, conduct clinical trials, manufacture our products on a commercial scale, obtain regulatory approval
and profitably commercialize any approved products.
We have no commercialization history as a company and have incurred significant losses since our inception, and we anticipate that we will continue to
incur substantial losses for the immediate future.
16
We are a developer of therapeutics with no commercialization history as a company. Evaluating our performance, viability or future success will be more
difficult than if we had a longer operating history or approved products for sale on the market. We continue to incur significant research and development
and general and administrative expenses and will incur substantial commercial expenses related to our operations.
We expect that our immediate future financial results will depend primarily on our success in launching, selling and supporting DCCR. This will require us
to be successful in a range of activities, including manufacturing, marketing and selling our products. We are only in the preliminary stages of some of
these activities. We may not succeed in these activities and may never generate revenue that is sufficient to be profitable in the future. Even if we are
profitable, we may not be able to sustain or increase profitability on a quarterly or annual basis. Our failure to achieve sustained profitability would depress
the value of our company and could impair our ability to raise capital, expand our business, diversify our planned products, market our current and planned
products, or continue our operations.
We are dependent upon the success of DCCR, our sole therapeutic product candidate.
We have invested substantially all of our efforts and financial resources in the development of DCCR for the treatment of PWS, a rare complex genetic
neurobehavioral/metabolic disease. Our ability to generate product revenues, which may not occur for the foreseeable future, if ever, will depend heavily on
the successful development, regulatory approval, and commercialization of DCCR.
We had previously announced a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target action date of December 27, 2024 for DCCR. On November 26, 2024, we
announced that the FDA had extended the review period for our NDA for DCCR and set a new PDUFA target action date of March 27, 2025. Any further
delay or impediment in our ability to obtain regulatory approval to commercialize in any region, or, if approved, obtain coverage and adequate
reimbursement from third-parties, including government payers, for DCCR, may cause us to be unable to generate the revenues necessary to continue our
research and development pipeline activities or support our operations, thereby adversely affecting our business and our prospects for future growth.
Further, the success of DCCR will depend on a number of factors, including the following:
•
successful and timely completion of nonclinical and clinical development of DCCR, as well as the associated costs, including any unforeseen
costs;
•
receiving marketing approvals for DCCR in the U.S. and E.U.;
•
obtaining a sufficiently broad label that would not unduly restrict patient access;
•
building an infrastructure capable of supporting product sales, marketing, and distribution of DCCR in the U.S. and territories where we
pursue commercialization directly;
•
the success of commercial manufacturing arrangements with third party manufacturers;
•
establishing commercial distribution agreements with third party distributors;
•
launching commercial sales of DCCR, if and when approved, whether alone or in collaboration with others;
•
acceptance of DCCR, if and when approved, by patients, the medical community, and third-party payers;
•
completing any post-marketing requirements or post-approval commitments to applicable regulatory authorities;
•
obtaining a commercially viable price once approved;
•
effectively competing with other therapies;
•
a continued acceptable safety profile of DCCR following approval;
•
obtaining and maintaining patent and trade secret protection and regulatory exclusivity once approved; and
•
protecting our rights in our intellectual property portfolio.
17
If we do not achieve one or more of these factors in a timely manner or at all, we could experience significant delays or an inability to successfully
commercialize DCCR, which would materially harm our business.
After our Phase 3 clinical trial, DESTINY PWS (C601), failed to demonstrate statistical significance on the primary efficacy endpoints the FDA asked us to
conduct a new clinical trial. Following discussions with the FDA, we provided the agency with data from the C601 clinical trial, the open-label extension
study (C602) as well as comparison to the natural history study (PATH for PWS) to allow the FDA to further assess if those data may provide adequate
evidence of safety and efficacy to permit us to submit a new drug application (NDA) seeking approval to market DCCR for the treatment of PWS. At that
time, the FDA indicated that additional controlled data would be necessary to support our planned NDA and we completed a randomized withdrawal period
to Study C602 to obtain additional controlled data. Subsequently, we received preliminary comments from the FDA for our pre-NDA meeting, and as we
decided not to proceed with the meeting, they are considered the official record of the meeting. As we previously disclosed, the FDA stated that the
potential for data from the DCCR clinical program to provide substantial evidence of effectiveness would be a matter of review following the submission of
an NDA. The FDA's concerns regarding our data include the C601 study not meeting its primary efficacy endpoint and the randomized withdrawal period
of the C602 study including the same study population as the C601 study. We submitted our NDA for DCCR to the FDA on June 27, 2024 and on August
27, 2024, we announced that the FDA had accepted the NDA for filing and priority review and set a PDUFA target action date of December 27, 2024. On
November 26, 2024, we announced that the FDA had extended the review period for our NDA and set a new PDUFA target action date of March 27, 2025.
If, following review of our NDA, the FDA does not determine that DCCR is safe and effective, or requires us to conduct additional studies prior to
approval, or if we are unable to adequately address any concerns or requests in a manner satisfactory to the FDA or other regulatory authorities in a timely
manner, or at all, we would be significantly delayed or prevented from receiving approval of DCCR for any intended use. Complying with any additional
requests for information from the FDA or other regulatory authorities as well as any changes in the regulatory requirements will be time-consuming and
expensive. We can provide no assurances regarding the timing of the FDA’s review of the NDA for DCCR or if the FDA will ultimately approve our NDA.
If we fail to obtain regulatory approval for DCCR in the U.S. and the E.U., our business would be harmed.
We are required to obtain regulatory approval for each indication we are seeking before we can market and sell DCCR in a particular jurisdiction, for such
indication. We submitted our NDA for DCCR to the FDA in June 2024 and in August 2024 the FDA accepted the NDA for filing and granted priority
review. There is currently a PDUFA target action date of March 27, 2025 for the NDA. Our ability to obtain regulatory approval of DCCR depends on,
among other things, successful completion of clinical trials by demonstrating efficacy with statistical significance and clinical meaning, and safety in
humans. The results of our current and future clinical trials may not meet the FDA, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), or other regulatory agencies’
requirements to approve DCCR for marketing under any specific indication, and these regulatory agencies may otherwise determine that our third parties’
manufacturing processes, validation, and/ or facilities are insufficient to support approval. As such, we may need to conduct more clinical trials than we
currently anticipate or upgrade the manufacturing processes and facilities, which may require significant additional time and expense, and may delay or
prevent approval. If we fail to obtain regulatory approval in a timely manner, our commercialization of DCCR would be delayed and our business would be
harmed.
We may need additional funds to support our operations, and such funding may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all, which would force
us to delay, reduce or suspend our research and development programs and other operations or commercialization efforts. Raising additional capital
may subject us to unfavorable terms, cause dilution to our existing stockholders, restrict our operations, or require us to relinquish rights to our
planned products and technologies.
We have not commenced commercialization of DCCR, our current sole novel therapeutic product, and accordingly, through December 31, 2024, have
generated no revenue from operations. We had a net loss of $175.9 million during the year ended December 31, 2024 (including non-cash stock-based
compensation of $100.0 million) and an accumulated deficit of $452.3 million at December 31, 2024 as a result of having incurred losses since our
inception. We had $318.6 million in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities at December 31, 2024, used $69.1 million of cash in operating
activities during the year ended December 31, 2024 and expect to continue incurring losses for the foreseeable future.
18
We may need to raise additional capital, either through debt or equity financings to achieve our business plan objectives, including ongoing expenses
related to the review of our NDA submission by the FDA and scaling of a sales and marketing organization to support the launch of DCCR following
potential approval.
Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with our product development and planned commercialization efforts, we are unable to predict
the extent of our future losses or when, or if, we will generate meaningful revenue or become profitable, and it is possible we will never achieve these goals.
Our ability to obtain additional financing will depend on a number of factors, including, among others, our ability to generate positive data from our clinical
trials, our ability to obtain FDA approval for DCCR, the condition of the capital markets and the other risks described in this "Risk Factors" section. If any
one of these risks are realized, we may not be able to obtain additional funding, in which case, our business could be jeopardized and we may not be able to
continue our operations or pursue our strategic plans. If we are forced to scale down, limit or cease operations, our stockholders could lose all of their
investment. Even if we are successful at raising capital, there is no assurance that any funds raised will be sufficient to enable us to attain profitable
operations.
To the extent that we are unsuccessful raising sufficient capital, we may need to curtail or cease our operations and implement a plan to extend payables or
reduce overhead until sufficient additional capital is raised to support further operations. There can be no assurance that such a plan will be successful. If
adequate funds are not available, we may be required to curtail our operations significantly or to obtain funds on unfavorable terms, through dilutive
financings or entering into arrangements with collaborative partners or others that may require us to relinquish rights to certain of our product candidates
that we would not otherwise relinquish. If we issue equity or convertible debt securities to raise additional funds, our existing stockholders will experience
further dilution, and the new equity or debt securities may have rights, preferences and privileges senior to those of our existing stockholders. If we incur
debt, our fixed payment obligations, liabilities and leverage relative to our equity capitalization would increase, which could increase the cost of future
capital. Further, the terms of any debt securities we issue or borrowings we incur, if available, could impose significant restrictions on our operations, such
as limitations on our ability to incur additional debt or issue additional equity or other operating restrictions that could adversely affect our ability to
conduct our business, and any such debt could be secured by any or all of our assets pledged as collateral. Additionally, we may incur substantial costs in
pursuing future capital, including investment banking, legal and accounting fees, printing and distribution expenses and other costs.
We have generated no product revenue and may never become profitable.
To date, we have not generated revenue from the commercialization of DCCR. Our ability to generate significant revenue from product sales and achieve
profitability will depend upon our ability, alone or with any future collaborators, to successfully commercialize products that we may develop, in-license or
acquire in the future. Our ability to generate revenue from product sales from DCCR following approval also depends on a number of additional factors,
including our ability to:
•
develop a commercial organization capable of sales, marketing and distribution of DCCR;
•
achieve market acceptance of DCCR;
•
set a commercially viable price for DCCR;
•
establish and maintain supply and manufacturing relationships with reliable third parties, and ensure adequate and legally compliant
manufacturing to maintain that supply;
•
obtain coverage and adequate reimbursement from third-party payers, including government and private payers;
•
find suitable distribution partners to help us market, sell and distribute DCCR in other markets;
•
complete and submit applications to, and obtain regulatory approval from, foreign regulatory authorities;
•
complete development activities successfully and on a timely basis;
•
establish, maintain and enforce our intellectual property rights and avoid third-party patent interference, intellectual property challenges or
intellectual property infringement claims; and
•
attract, hire and retain qualified personnel.
19
In addition, because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with product development and commercialization, including that our planned
products may not advance through development, achieve the endpoints of applicable clinical trials or obtain approval, we are unable to predict the timing or
amount of increased expenses, or when or if we will be able to achieve or maintain profitability. In addition, our expenses could increase beyond
expectations if we decide, or are required by the FDA or foreign regulatory authorities, to perform studies or clinical trials in addition to those that we
currently anticipate.
Even if we are able to generate significant revenue from the sale of any of our products that may be approved or commercialized, we may not become
profitable and may need to obtain additional funding to continue operations. If we fail to become profitable or are unable to sustain profitability on a
continuing basis, then we may be unable to continue our operations at planned levels and be forced to reduce or shut down our operations.
We have a significant amount of debt, which may affect our ability to operate our business and secure additional financing in the future.
As of December 31, 2024, we had $50.0 million outstanding under our loan and security agreement with Oxford Financing LLC and its affiliates
(collectively, Oxford). Under the terms of the loan agreement with Oxford, an additional $100 million may become available in three additional tranches,
with tranches of $50 million and $25 million contingent upon FDA approval of DCCR for the treatment of PWS and one tranche of $25 million contingent
upon certain commercial milestones. A final $50 million may be made available upon mutual consent with Oxford. The loan carries an interest-only period
of 48 months and a total term of 60 months; provided that if specific milestones are achieved prior to September 30, 2026, the interest-only period and
maturity date will be extended by 12 months. Subject to certain conditions, the term loans accrue interest at a floating rate equal to (a) 1-month term SOFR
plus (b) 5.50%. Our debt with Oxford is collateralized by substantially all of our assets and contains customary financial and operating covenants limiting
our ability to, among other things, dispose of assets, undergo a change in control, merge or consolidate, enter into certain transactions with affiliates, make
acquisitions, incur debt, incur liens, pay dividends, repurchase stock and make investments, in each case subject to certain exceptions. The covenants in our
loan agreement with Oxford, as well as in any future financing agreements into which we may enter, may restrict our ability to finance our operations and
engage in, expand or otherwise pursue our business activities and strategies. Our ability to comply with these covenants may be affected by events beyond
our control and future breaches of any of these covenants could result in a default under the loan agreement. If not waived, future defaults could cause all of
the outstanding indebtedness under the loan agreement to become immediately due and payable and terminate commitments to extend further credit. If we
do not have or are unable to generate sufficient cash to repay our debt obligations when they become due and payable, either upon maturity or in the event
of a default, we may not be able to obtain additional debt or equity financing on favorable terms, if at all, which may negatively impact our ability to
operate and continue our business as a going concern.
Our operating results may fluctuate significantly, which makes our future operating results difficult to predict and could cause our operating results to
fall below expectations or below our guidance.
Our quarterly and annual operating results may fluctuate significantly in the future, which makes it difficult for us to predict our future operating results.
The timing of the commencement of the commercial launch of DCCR is dependent upon the FDA's approval, if any, of the NDA we submitted in June
2024. In addition to the risks related to a company launching its first commercial drug described elsewhere in this "Risk Factors" section, the success of a
new drug product is inherently difficult to predict and we may not recognize revenue as quickly, consistently or in the amounts that we, analysts or
investors anticipate following the launch.
Additionally, from time to time, we may enter into collaboration agreements with other companies that include development funding and significant upfront
and milestone payments or royalties, which may become an important source of our revenue. Accordingly, our revenue may depend on development
funding and the achievement of development and clinical milestones under any potential future collaboration and license agreements and sales of our
products, if approved. These upfront and milestone payments may vary significantly from period to period, and any such variance could cause a significant
fluctuation in our operating results from one period to the next.
In addition, we measure compensation cost for stock-based awards made to employees at the grant date of the award, based on the fair value of the award as
determined by our Board, and recognize the cost as an expense over the employee’s requisite service period. As the variables that we use as a basis for
valuing these awards change over time, including our underlying stock price and stock price volatility, the magnitude of the expense that we must
20
recognize may vary significantly. Furthermore, our operating results may fluctuate due to a variety of other factors, many of which are outside of our
control and may be difficult to predict, including the following:
•
our ability to enroll patients in clinical trials and the timing of enrollment;
•
the design, timing and outcomes of clinical trials;
•
any delays in regulatory review or approval in the U.S. or globally, of any of our planned products;
•
the cost and risk of initiating sales and marketing activities;
•
the timing and cost of, and level of investment in, research and development activities relating to our planned products, which will change
from time to time;
•
the cost of manufacturing our products may vary depending on FDA and other regulatory requirements, the quantity of production and the
terms of our agreements with manufacturers;
•
expenditures that we will or may incur to acquire or develop additional planned products and technologies;
•
changes in the competitive landscape of our industry, including consolidation among our competitors or potential partners;
•
the level of demand for our products may fluctuate significantly and be difficult to predict;
•
the risk/benefit profile, cost and reimbursement policies with respect to our future products, if approved, and existing and potential future
drugs that compete with our planned products;
•
competition from existing and potential future offerings that compete with our products;
•
our ability to commercialize our products inside and outside of the U.S., either independently or working with third parties;
•
our ability to establish and maintain collaborations, licensing or other arrangements;
•
our ability to adequately support future growth;
•
potential unforeseen business disruptions that increase our costs or expenses;
•
future accounting pronouncements or changes in our accounting policies; and
•
the changing and volatile global economic environment.
The cumulative effects of these factors could result in large fluctuations and unpredictability in our quarterly and annual operating results. As a result,
comparing our operating results on a period-to-period basis may not be meaningful. Investors should not rely on our past results as an indication of our
future performance. This variability and unpredictability could also result in our failing to meet the expectations of industry or financial analysts or
investors for any period. If our revenue or operating results fall below the expectations of analysts or investors or below any forecasts we may provide to
the market, or if the forecasts we provide to the market are below the expectations of analysts or investors, the price of our common stock could decline
substantially. Such a stock price decline could occur even when we have met any previously publicly stated revenue or earnings guidance we may provide.
We may engage in strategic transactions that could impact our liquidity, increase our expenses and present significant distractions to our management.
From time to time we may consider strategic transactions, such as acquisitions, asset purchases and sales, and out-licensing or in-licensing of products,
product candidates or technologies. Additional potential transactions that we may consider include a variety of different business arrangements, including
spin-offs, strategic partnerships, joint ventures, restructurings, divestitures, business combinations and investments. Any such transaction may require us to
incur non-recurring or other charges, may increase our near and long-term expenditures, could not result in perceived benefits that were contemplated upon
entering into the transaction, and may pose significant integration challenges or disrupt our management or business, which could adversely affect our
operations, solvency and financial results. For example, these transactions may entail numerous operational and financial risks, including:
21
•
exposure to unknown and contingent liabilities;
•
disruption of our business and diversion of our management’s time and attention in order to develop acquired products, product candidates or
technologies;
•
incurrence of substantial debt or dilutive issuances of equity securities to pay for acquisitions;
•
higher than expected acquisition and integration costs;
•
the timing and likelihood of payment of milestones or royalties;
•
write-downs of assets or goodwill or impairment charges;
•
increased operating expenditures, including additional research, development and sales and marketing expenses;
•
increased amortization expenses;
•
difficulty and cost in combining the operations and personnel of any acquired businesses with our operations and personnel; and
•
impairment of relationships with key suppliers or customers of any acquired businesses due to changes in management and ownership.
Accordingly, although there can be no assurance that we will undertake or successfully complete any additional transactions of the nature described above
or that we will achieve an economic benefit that justifies such transactions, any additional transactions that we do complete could have a material adverse
effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.
We may not be able to enter into strategic transactions on a timely basis or on acceptable terms, which may impact our development and
commercialization plans.
We have relied, and expect to continue to rely, on strategic transactions, which include in-licensing, out-licensing, purchases and sales of assets, and other
ventures. The terms of any additional strategic transaction that we may enter into may not be favorable to us, and the contracts governing such strategic
transaction may be subject to differing interpretations exposing us to potential litigation. We may also be restricted under existing collaboration or licensing
arrangements from entering into future agreements on certain terms with potential strategic partners. We may not be able to negotiate additional strategic
transactions on a timely basis, on acceptable terms, or at all. If we elect to increase our expenditures to fund development or commercialization activities on
our own, we may need to obtain additional capital, which may not be available to us on acceptable terms or at all. If we do not have sufficient funds, we
may not be able to further develop our products or bring them to market and generate product revenue. Furthermore, there is no assurance that any such
transaction will be successful or that we will derive an economic benefit as a result.
Risks related to the development and commercialization of our products
We may be unable to obtain regulatory approval for DCCR or other potential product candidates. The denial or delay of any such approval would delay
commercialization and have a material adverse effect on our potential to generate revenue, our business and our results of operations.
The research, development, testing, manufacturing, labeling, packaging, approval, promotion, advertising, storage, record keeping, marketing, distribution,
post-approval monitoring and reporting, and export and import of drug products are subject to extensive regulation by the FDA, and by foreign regulatory
authorities in other countries. The legislation and regulations differ from country to country. To gain approval to market our product candidates, we must
provide development, manufacturing and clinical data that adequately demonstrates the safety and efficacy of the product for the intended indication. We
have not yet obtained regulatory approval to market any of our product candidates in the U.S. or any other country. Our business depends upon obtaining
these regulatory approvals. The FDA can delay, limit or deny approval of our product candidates for many reasons, including:
•
our inability to satisfactorily demonstrate that the product candidates are safe and effective for the requested indication;
22
•
the FDA’s disagreement with our trial protocol or the interpretation of data from preclinical trials or clinical trials;
•
the population studied in the clinical trial may not be sufficiently broad or representative to assess safety in the full population for which we
seek approval;
•
our inability to demonstrate that clinical or other benefits of our product candidates outweigh any safety or other perceived risks;
•
the FDA’s determination that additional preclinical or clinical trials are required;
•
the FDA’s non-approval of the formulation, labeling or the specifications of our product candidates;
•
the FDA’s failure to accept the manufacturing processes or facilities of third-party manufacturers with which we contract; or
•
the potential for approval policies or regulations of the FDA to significantly change in a manner rendering our clinical data insufficient for
approval.
Even if we eventually complete clinical testing and receive approval of any regulatory filing for our product candidates, the FDA may grant approval
contingent on the performance of costly additional post-approval clinical trials. The FDA may also approve our product candidates for a more limited
indication or a narrower patient population than we originally requested, and the FDA may not approve the labeling that we believe is necessary or
desirable for the successful commercialization of our product candidates. To the extent we seek regulatory approval in foreign countries, we may face
challenges similar to those described above with regulatory authorities in applicable jurisdictions. Any delay in obtaining, or inability to obtain, applicable
regulatory approval for any of our product candidates would delay or prevent commercialization of our product candidates and would materially adversely
impact our business, results of operations and prospects.
Even if DCCR receives regulatory approval, it may fail to achieve the degree of market acceptance by physicians, patients, caregivers, healthcare payers
and others in the medical community necessary for commercial success.
If DCCR receives regulatory approval from the FDA or other regulatory agencies in jurisdictions in which it is not currently approved, it may nonetheless
fail to gain sufficient market acceptance by physicians, hospital administrators, patients, healthcare payers and others in the medical community. The degree
of market acceptance of DCCR, if approved for commercial sale, will depend on a number of factors, including the following:
•
the incidence and severity of any side effects;
•
its effectiveness and potential advantages compared to alternative treatments;
•
the price we charge for DCCR;
•
the willingness of physicians to change their current treatment practices;
•
convenience and ease of administration compared to alternative treatments;
•
the willingness of the target patient population to try new therapies and of physicians to prescribe these therapies;
•
patients' perception of the efficacy of DCCR and interest in remaining on-drug long-term;
•
the strength or effectiveness of marketing and distribution support of partners; and
•
the availability of third-party coverage or reimbursement.
If the market opportunity for DCCR is smaller than we believe it is, then our revenues may be adversely affected, and our business may suffer.
PWS is a rare disease, and as such, our projections of both the number of people who have this disease, as well as the subset of people with PWS who have
the potential to benefit from treatment with DCCR, are estimates based on data analysis of the reported patient population. If our estimates of the
prevalence of PWS, or of the number of patients who may benefit from treatment with DCCR prove to be incorrect, the market opportunity for DCCR may
23
be smaller than we believe it is, our prospects for generating revenue may be adversely affected and our business may suffer.
If we are unable to execute our sales and marketing strategy for our products or are unable to gain acceptance in the market, we may be unable to
generate sufficient revenue to sustain our business.
Although we believe that DCCR represents a promising commercial opportunity, DCCR may never gain significant acceptance in the marketplace and
therefore may never generate substantial revenue or profits for us. We will need to establish a market for DCCR globally and build these markets through
physician education, awareness programs, and other marketing efforts. Gaining acceptance in medical communities depends on a variety of factors,
including clinical data published or reported in reputable contexts, the provisions of the approved label for DCCR, and word-of-mouth between physicians.
The process of publication in leading medical journals is subject to a peer review process and peer reviewers may not consider the results of our trials
sufficiently novel or worthy of publication. Failure to have our trials published in peer-reviewed journals may limit the adoption of our products. Our ability
to successfully market our products will depend on numerous factors, including:
•
the outcomes of clinical utility trials of such products in collaboration with key thought leaders to demonstrate our products’ value in
informing important medical decisions such as treatment selection;
•
the success of our distribution partners;
•
whether healthcare providers believe DCCR provides clinical utility; and
•
whether health insurers, government health programs and other payers will cover and pay for DCCR and, if so, whether they will adequately
reimburse us.
We may rely on third parties, who we do not control, to distribute and sell DCCR. If these distributors are not committed to DCCR or otherwise run into
their own financial or other difficulties, it may result in failure to achieve widespread market acceptance of DCCR, and would materially harm our business,
financial condition and results of operations.
If we are unable to implement our sales, marketing, distribution, training and support strategies or enter into agreements with third parties to perform
these functions, we will not be able to effectively commercialize DCCR and may not reach profitability.
We have a limited sales and marketing infrastructure and have no experience as a company in the sale, marketing or distribution of therapeutic products. To
achieve commercial success for DCCR, if and when we obtain marketing approval, we will need to establish a robust sales and marketing organization. We
have begun to build a targeted sales, marketing, training and support infrastructure to market DCCR in the U.S. and to establish relationships with
collaborations to market, distribute and support DCCR outside of the U.S. There are risks involved with establishing our own sales, marketing, distribution,
training and support capabilities. For example, recruiting and training sales and marketing personnel is expensive and time consuming and could delay any
product launch. Additionally commercialization of therapeutic products is subject to a variety of regulations regarding the manner in which potential
customers may be engaged, the manner in which products may be lawfully advertised, and the claims that can be made for the benefits of the product,
among other things. Our lack of experience with product launches may expose us to a higher than usual level of risk of non-compliance with these
regulations, with consequences that may include fines or the removal of our approved products from the marketplace by regulatory authorities. If the
commercial launch of DCCR is delayed or does not occur for any reason, we would have prematurely or unnecessarily incurred these commercialization
expenses. This may be costly, and our investment would be lost if we cannot retain or reposition our sales, marketing, training and support personnel.
24
Factors that may inhibit our efforts to commercialize DCCR on our own include:
•
our inability to recruit, train and retain adequate numbers of effective sales and marketing personnel;
•
the inability of sales personnel to obtain access to or persuade adequate numbers of physicians to prescribe DCCR or any future products;
•
the lack of complementary products to be offered by sales personnel, which may put us at a competitive disadvantage relative to companies
with more extensive product lines;
•
unforeseen costs and expenses associated with creating an independent sales and marketing organization; and
•
efforts by our competitors to commercialize products at or about the time when our product candidates would be coming to market.
If we are unable to establish our own sales, marketing, distribution, training and support capabilities and instead enter into arrangements with third parties
to perform these services, our product revenues and our profitability, if any, are likely to be lower than if we were to market, sell and distribute DCCR
ourselves. In addition, we may not be successful in entering into arrangements with third parties to sell, market and distribute DCCR or may be unable to do
so on terms that are favorable to us. We likely will have little control over such third parties, and any of them may fail to devote the necessary resources and
attention to commercialize DCCR effectively. If we do not establish sales, marketing, distribution, training and support capabilities successfully, either on
our own or in collaboration with third parties, we will not be successful in commercializing DCCR and achieving profitability, and our business would be
harmed.
If physicians decide not to prescribe DCCR in significant numbers, we may be unable to generate sufficient revenue to sustain our business.
To generate demand for DCCR, we will need to educate physicians and other health care professionals on the clinical utility, benefits and value of the tests
we provide through published papers, presentations at scientific conferences, educational programs and one-on-one education sessions by members of our
sales force. In addition, we will need support of physicians, hospital administrators, patients, healthcare payers and others in the medical community that the
clinical and economic utility of our products justifies payment for DCCR at adequate pricing levels. We will need to hire additional commercial, scientific,
technical and other personnel to support this process.
We may attempt to form partnerships with respect to our products, but we may not be able to do so, which may cause us to alter our development and
commercialization plans and may cause us to terminate any such programs.
We may form strategic alliances, create joint ventures or collaborations, or enter into licensing agreements with third parties that we believe will more
effectively provide resources to develop and commercialize DCCR.
If we attempt to seek appropriate strategic partners, we may face significant competition, and the negotiation process to secure favorable terms is time-
consuming and complex. We may not be successful in our efforts to establish such a strategic partnership for any future products and programs on terms
that are acceptable to us, or at all.
Any delays in identifying suitable collaborators and entering into agreements to develop or commercialize our products could negatively impact the
development or commercialization of our products, particularly in geographic regions like the Europe, where we do not currently have development and
commercialization infrastructure. Absent a partner or collaborator, we would need to undertake development or commercialization activities at our own
expense. If we elect to fund and undertake development and commercialization activities on our own, we may need to obtain additional expertise and
additional capital, which may not be available to us on acceptable terms or at all. If we are unable to do so, we may not be able to develop our products or
bring them to market, and our business may be materially and adversely affected.
If clinical trials of any of our planned products, including DCCR, fail to demonstrate safety and effectiveness to the satisfaction of the FDA or similar
regulatory authorities outside the U.S. or do not otherwise produce positive results, we may incur additional costs, experience delays in completing or
ultimately fail in completing the development and commercialization of our planned products.
25
Before obtaining regulatory approval for the sale of any planned product we must conduct extensive clinical trials to demonstrate that the product candidate
is safe and effective for its intended use. Clinical trials are expensive, difficult to design and implement, can take many years to complete and are uncertain
as to outcome. A failure of one or more of our clinical trials could occur at any stage of testing.
Numerous unforeseen events during, or as a result of, clinical trials could occur, which would delay or prevent our ability to receive regulatory approval or
commercialize any of our planned products, including the following:
•
clinical trials may produce negative or inconclusive results, and we may decide, or regulators may require us, to conduct additional clinical
trials or abandon product development programs;
•
the number of patients required for clinical trials may be larger than we anticipate, enrollment in these clinical trials may be insufficient or
slower than we anticipate, or patients may drop out of these clinical trials at a higher rate than we anticipate;
•
the cost of clinical trials or the manufacturing of our planned products may be greater than we anticipate; including due to inflationary
pressures outside of our control;
•
third-party contractors may fail to comply with regulatory requirements or meet their contractual obligations to us in a timely manner, or at
all;
•
we might have to suspend or terminate clinical trials of our planned products for various reasons, including a finding that our planned
products have unanticipated serious side effects or other unexpected characteristics or that the patients are being exposed to unacceptable
health risks;
•
regulators may not approve our proposed clinical development plans;
•
regulators or independent institutional review boards (IRBs) or independent ethics committees (IECs), may not authorize us or our
investigators to commence a clinical trial or conduct a clinical trial at a prospective site;
•
regulators or IRBs/IECs may require that we or our investigators suspend or terminate clinical research for various reasons, including
noncompliance with regulatory requirements; and
•
the supply or quality of our planned products or other materials necessary to conduct clinical trials of our planned products may be
insufficient or inadequate.
If we or any future collaboration partners are required to conduct additional clinical trials or other testing of any planned products beyond those that we
contemplate, if those clinical trials or other testing cannot be successfully completed, if the results of these trials or tests are not positive or are only
modestly positive or if there are safety concerns, we may:
•
be delayed in obtaining marketing approval for our planned products;
•
not obtain marketing approval at all;
•
obtain approval for indications that are not as broad as intended;
•
have the product removed from the market after obtaining marketing approval;
•
be subject to additional post-marketing testing requirements; or
•
be subject to restrictions on how the product is distributed or used.
Our product development costs will also increase if we experience delays in testing or approvals. We do not know whether any future clinical trials for
DCCR will be required by the FDA or EMA or whether such clinical trials will begin as planned, will need to be restructured or will be completed on
schedule, or at all. Significant clinical trial delays also could shorten any periods during which we may have the exclusive right to commercialize our
planned products or allow our competitors to bring products to market before we do, which would impair our ability to commercialize our planned products
and harm our business and results of operations.
Clinical drug development involves a lengthy and expensive process with an uncertain outcome, results of earlier studies and trials may not be
predictive of future trial results, and our clinical trials may fail to adequately demonstrate the safety and efficacy of DCCR or other potential product
candidates.
26
Before obtaining regulatory approvals for the commercial sale of our product candidates, we must obtain data through lengthy, complex and expensive
nonclinical studies and clinical trials for regulatory authorities to assess if our product candidates are both safe and effective for each target indication.
Nonclinical and clinical testing is expensive and can take many years to complete, and its outcome is inherently uncertain. Failure can occur at any time
during the nonclinical study and clinical trial processes. The results of nonclinical studies and early clinical trials of our product candidates may not be
predictive of the results of later-stage clinical trials. Although product candidates may demonstrate promising results in nonclinical studies and early clinical
trials, they may not prove to be safe or effective in subsequent clinical trials. For example, testing on animals occurs under different conditions than testing
in humans and therefore, the results of animal studies may not accurately predict safety and effectiveness in humans. There is typically an extremely high
rate of attrition from the failure of product candidates proceeding through nonclinical studies and clinical trials. Product candidates in later stages of clinical
trials may fail to show the desired safety and efficacy profile despite having progressed through nonclinical studies and initial clinical trials. Further,
clinical trial disruptions or protocol deviations during the COVID-19 pandemic may introduce bias or other factors that can impact the reliability of our
clinical data collected at the peak of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Earlier conducted smaller-scale studies, biomarker analyses, and clinical trials with a single or relatively few clinical trial sites may not be predictive of
eventual outcomes in large-scale, placebo-controlled, pivotal clinical trials across multiple clinical trial sites. Even if data from a pivotal clinical trial are
positive, regulators may not agree that such data are sufficient for approval and may require that we conduct additional clinical trials (including potential
Phase 3 trials) or generate other forms of confirmatory evidence, which could materially delay our anticipated development timelines, require additional
funding for such additional clinical trials or confirmatory studies, and adversely impact our business.
If the results of our current and future clinical trials are inconclusive with respect to the efficacy of our product candidates, including DCCR, if we do not
meet the clinical endpoints with statistical and clinically meaningful significance, or if there are safety concerns associated with our product candidates, we
may:
•
incur unplanned costs;
•
be delayed in or prevented from obtaining marketing approval for our product candidates;
•
obtain approval for indications or patient populations that are not as broad as intended or desired;
•
obtain approval with labeling that includes significant use or distribution restrictions or safety warnings including boxed warnings;
•
be subject to changes in the way the product is administered;
•
be required to perform additional clinical trials to support approval or be subject to additional post-marketing testing requirements;
•
have regulatory authorities withdraw their approval of the product or impose restrictions on its distribution in the form of a risk evaluation
and mitigation strategy (REMS);
•
be subject to the addition of labeling statements, such as warnings or contraindications;
•
become subject to litigation; or
•
experience damage to our reputation.
Clinical testing is expensive and can take many years to complete, and its outcome is inherently uncertain. A failure of one or more of our clinical trials can
occur at any time during the clinical trial process. The results of preclinical studies and early clinical trials of our product candidates may not be predictive
of the results of later stage clinical trials. There is a high failure rate for drugs proceeding through clinical trials, and product candidates in later stages of
clinical trials may fail to show the required safety and efficacy despite having progressed through preclinical studies and initial clinical trials. A number of
companies in the pharmaceutical industry have suffered significant setbacks in advanced clinical trials due to lack of efficacy or adverse safety profiles,
notwithstanding promising results in earlier clinical trials, and we cannot be certain that we will not face similar setbacks. Even if our clinical trials are
completed, the results may not be sufficient to obtain regulatory approval for our product candidates.
27
We may experience delays in our clinical trials. We do not know whether future clinical trials, if any, will begin on time, need to be redesigned, enroll an
adequate number of patients in a timely manner or be completed on schedule, if at all. Clinical trials can be delayed, suspended or terminated for a variety
of reasons, including failure to:
•
generate sufficient nonclinical, toxicology, or other in vivo or in vitro data, or clinical safety data to support the initiation or continuation of
clinical trials;
•
obtain regulatory approval, or feedback on trial design, to commence a trial;
•
identify, recruit and train suitable clinical investigators;
•
reach agreement on acceptable terms with prospective contract research organizations (CROs), and clinical trial sites;
•
obtain and maintain IRB/IEC approval at each clinical trial site;
•
identify, recruit and enroll suitable patients to participate in a trial;
•
have a sufficient number of patients complete a trial and/or return for post-treatment follow-up;
•
ensure clinical investigators observe trial protocol or continue to participate in a trial;
•
address any patient safety concerns that arise during the course of a trial;
•
address any conflicts or compliance with new or existing laws, rule, regulations or guidelines;
•
have a sufficient number of clinical trial sites to conduct the trials;
•
timely manufacture sufficient quantities of product candidate suitable for use at the stage of clinical development; or
•
raise sufficient capital to fund a trial.
Patient enrollment is a significant factor in the timing of clinical trials and is affected by many factors, including the size and nature of the patient
population, the proximity of patients to clinical sites, the eligibility criteria for the trial, the design of the clinical trial, competing clinical trials and
clinicians’ and patients’ or caregivers’ perceptions as to the potential advantages of the drug candidate being studied in relation to other available therapies,
including any new drugs or treatments that may be approved for the indications we are investigating or any investigational new drugs or treatment under
development for the indications we are investigating.
We could also encounter delays if a clinical trial is suspended or terminated by us, by a data safety monitoring board for such trial or by the FDA or any
other regulatory authority, or if the IRBs/IECs of the institutions in which such trials are being conducted suspend or terminate the participation of their
clinical investigators and sites subject to their review. Such authorities may suspend or terminate a clinical trial due to a number of factors, including failure
to conduct the clinical trial in accordance with regulatory requirements or our clinical protocols, inspection of the clinical trial operations or trial site by the
FDA or other regulatory authorities resulting in the imposition of a clinical hold, unforeseen safety issues or adverse side effects, failure to demonstrate a
benefit from using a product candidate, changes in governmental regulations or administrative actions or lack of adequate funding to continue the clinical
trial.
If we experience delays in the completion of, or termination of, any clinical trial of our product candidates for any reason, the commercial prospects of our
product candidates may be harmed, and our ability to generate product revenues from any of these product candidates will be delayed. In addition, any
delays in completing our clinical trials will increase our costs, slow down our product candidate development and approval process and jeopardize our
ability to commence product sales and generate revenues. Any of these occurrences may significantly harm our business, financial condition and prospects.
In addition, many of the factors that cause, or lead to, a delay in the commencement or completion of clinical trials may also ultimately lead to the denial of
regulatory approval of our product candidates.
28
Any “topline”, interim, initial, or preliminary data from our clinical trials that we announce or publish from time to time may change as more patient
data become available and are subject to audit and verification procedures that could result in material changes in the final data.
From time to time, we may publicly disclose preliminary or topline data from our nonclinical studies and clinical trials, which is based on a preliminary
analysis of then-available data, and the results and related findings and conclusions are subject to change following a more comprehensive review of the
data related to the particular study or clinical trial. We also make assumptions, estimations, calculations and conclusions as part of our analyses of data, and
we may not have received or had the opportunity to fully and carefully evaluate all data. As a result, the topline or preliminary results that we report may
differ from future results of the same studies, or different conclusions or considerations may qualify such results, once additional data have been received
and fully evaluated. Topline data also remain subject to audit and verification procedures that may result in the final data being materially different from the
preliminary data we previously published. As a result, topline data should be viewed with caution until the final data become available.
Furthermore, regulatory agencies may not accept or agree with our assumptions, estimates, calculations, conclusions or analyses or may interpret or weigh
the importance of data differently, which could impact the value of the particular program, the approvability or commercialization of the particular product
candidate or product and our company in general. In addition, the information we choose to publicly disclose regarding a particular study or clinical trial is
based on what is typically extensive information, and investors or regulatory authorities may not agree with what we determine is material or otherwise
appropriate information to include in our disclosure. If the interim, topline, or preliminary data that we report differ from actual results, or if others,
including regulatory authorities, disagree with the conclusions reached, our ability to obtain approval for, and commercialize, our product candidates may
be harmed, which could harm our business, operating results, prospects or financial condition.
Our product candidates may cause serious adverse side effects or have other properties that could delay or prevent their regulatory approval, limit the
commercial desirability of an approved label or result in significant negative consequences following any marketing approval.
The risk of failure of clinical development is high. It is impossible to predict when or if any planned product candidates will prove safe enough to receive
regulatory approval. Undesirable side effects caused by any of our product candidates could cause us or regulatory authorities to interrupt, delay or halt
clinical trials or could result in a more restrictive label or the delay or denial of regulatory approval by the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory
authority. Additionally, if any of our planned products receives additional marketing approvals, and we or others later identify undesirable side effects
caused by such product, a number of potentially significant negative consequences could result, including:
•
we may be forced to recall such product and suspend the marketing of such product;
•
regulatory authorities may withdraw their approvals of such product;
•
regulatory authorities may require additional warnings on the label that could diminish the usage or otherwise limit the commercial success of
such products;
•
the FDA or other regulatory bodies may issue safety alerts, Dear Healthcare Provider letters, press releases or other communications
containing warnings about such product;
•
the FDA may require the establishment or modification of Risk Evaluation Mitigation Strategies or a comparable foreign regulatory authority
may require the establishment or modification of a similar strategy that may, for instance, restrict distribution of our products and impose
burdensome implementation requirements on us;
•
we may be required to change the way the product is administered or conduct additional clinical trials;
•
we could be sued and held liable for harm caused to subjects or patients;
•
we may be subject to litigation or product liability claims; and
•
our reputation may suffer.
Any of these events could prevent us from achieving or maintaining market acceptance of the particular planned product, if approved.
29
We face competition, which may result in others discovering, developing or commercializing products before we do, or more successfully than we do.
Alternatives product candidates are being developed by our competitors and we will likely face competition with respect to any planned products that we
may seek to develop or commercialize in the future, from major pharmaceutical companies, specialty pharmaceutical companies, medical device
companies, and biotechnology companies worldwide. These companies may reduce prices for their competing drugs in an effort to gain or retain market
share and undermine the value our products might otherwise be able to offer to payers. Potential competitors also include academic institutions, government
agencies and other public and private research organizations that conduct research, seek patent protection and establish collaborative arrangements for
research, development, manufacturing and commercialization. Many of these competitors are attempting to develop therapeutics for our target indications.
Smaller or early stage companies may also prove to be significant competitors, particularly through collaborative arrangements with large and established
companies. These third parties compete with us in recruiting and retaining qualified technical and management personnel, establishing clinical trial sites
and patient registration for clinical trials, as well as in acquiring technologies complementary to, or necessary for, our programs.
There has recently been increased activity in the development of drugs to treat PWS. We are aware of at least nine other current or proposed clinical trials
evaluating PWS therapies, including with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptors in patients with PWS.
Even if we are able to engage partners in commercializing our products, they may become subject to unfavorable pricing regulations, third-party
reimbursement practices or healthcare reform initiatives, thereby harming our business.
The regulations that govern marketing approvals, pricing and reimbursement for new products vary widely from country to country. Some countries require
approval of the sale price of a product before it can be marketed. In many countries, the pricing review period begins after marketing approval is granted. In
some foreign markets, pricing remains subject to continuing governmental control even after initial approval is granted. As a result, we might obtain
regulatory approval for a product in a particular country, but then be subject to price regulations that delay our commercial launch of the product and
negatively impact the revenue we are able to generate from the sale of the product in that country. Adverse pricing limitations may hinder our ability to
recoup our investment in one or more planned products, even if our planned products obtain regulatory approval.
Our ability to commercialize our products successfully also will depend in part on the extent to which reimbursement for these products and related
treatments becomes available from government health administration authorities, private health insurers and other organizations. Government authorities
and third-party payers, such as private health insurers and health maintenance organizations, decide which medications they will pay for and establish
reimbursement levels. A primary trend in the U.S. healthcare industry and elsewhere is cost containment. Government authorities and these third-party
payers have attempted to control costs by limiting coverage and the amount of reimbursement for particular medications. We cannot be sure that
reimbursement will be available for any product that we commercialize and, if reimbursement is available, what the level of reimbursement will be.
Reimbursement may impact the demand for, or the price of, any product for which we obtain marketing approval. Obtaining reimbursement for our
products may be particularly difficult because of the higher prices often associated with products administered under the supervision of a physician. If
reimbursement is not available or is available only to limited levels, we may not be able to successfully commercialize any planned product that we
successfully develop.
In the U.S., eligibility for reimbursement does not imply that any product will be paid for in all cases or at a rate that covers our costs, including research,
development, manufacture, sale and distribution. Interim payments for new products, if applicable, may also not be sufficient to cover our costs and may
not be made permanent. Payment rates may vary according to the use of the product and the clinical setting in which it is used, may be based on payments
allowed for lower cost products that are already reimbursed and may be incorporated into existing payments for other services. Net prices for products may
be reduced by mandatory discounts or rebates required by government healthcare programs or private payers and by any future relaxation of laws that
presently restrict imports of products from countries where they may be sold at lower prices than in the U.S. Third-party payers often rely upon Medicare
coverage policy and payment limitations in setting their own reimbursement policies.
30
Our inability to promptly obtain coverage and profitable payment rates from both government funded and private payers for new products that we develop
could have a material adverse effect on our operating results, our ability to raise capital needed to commercialize products and our overall financial
condition. In some foreign countries, including major markets in Europe and Japan, the pricing of prescription pharmaceuticals is subject to governmental
control. In these countries, pricing negotiations with governmental authorities can take nine to twelve months or longer after the receipt of regulatory
marketing approval for a product. To obtain reimbursement or pricing approval in some countries, we may be required to conduct a clinical trial that
compares the cost-effectiveness of our product to other available therapies. Our business could be materially harmed if reimbursement of our products, if
any, is unavailable or limited in scope or amount or if pricing is set at unsatisfactory levels.
We may become exposed to costly and damaging liability claims, either when testing our product candidates in clinical trials or at the commercial stage
after regulatory approval, and our product liability insurance may not cover all damages arising from such claims. Product liability lawsuits against us
could cause us to incur substantial liabilities and to limit commercialization of any products that we may develop.
We are exposed to potential product liability and professional indemnity risks that are inherent in the research, development, manufacturing, marketing, sale
and use of pharmaceutical products, including maintaining consistent quality, safety and efficacy profiles for our products and product candidates. The
marketing, sale and use of our products could lead to the filing of product liability claims against us if someone alleges that our products or product
candidates failed to perform as intended. We may also be subject to liability for a misunderstanding of, or inappropriate reliance upon, the information we
provide. These claims might be made by patients that use the products or product candidates, healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies, or others
selling such products. Any claims against us, regardless of their merit, could be costly to defend and could materially adversely affect the market for our
product candidates or any prospects for commercialization of our product candidates.
Although the clinical trial process is designed to identify and assess potential side effects, it is always possible that a drug, even after regulatory approval,
may exhibit unforeseen side effects. Physicians and patients may not comply with any warnings that identify known potential adverse effects and patients
who should not use our product candidates. If any of our product candidates were to cause adverse side effects during clinical trials or after approval, we
may be exposed to substantial liabilities.
If we cannot successfully defend ourselves against claims that our products caused injuries, we may incur substantial liabilities. Regardless of merit or
eventual outcome, liability claims may result in:
•
decreased demand for any planned products that we may develop;
•
injury to our reputation and significant negative media attention;
•
withdrawal of patients from clinical trials or cancellation of clinical trials;
•
significant costs to defend the related litigation and distraction to our management team;
•
substantial monetary awards to patients;
•
loss of revenue; and
•
the inability to commercialize any products that we may develop.
We currently hold $10.0 million in product liability insurance coverage, which may not be adequate to cover all liabilities that we may incur. Insurance
coverage is increasingly expensive. 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.
We may acquire other businesses or form joint ventures or make investments in other companies or technologies that could harm our operating results,
dilute our stockholders’ ownership, increase our debt or cause us to incur significant expense.
As part of our business strategy, we may pursue acquisitions or licenses of assets or acquisitions of businesses. We also may pursue strategic alliances and
joint ventures that leverage our core technology and industry experience to expand our product offerings or sales and distribution resources. Our company
has limited experience with acquiring other companies, acquiring or licensing assets or forming strategic alliances and joint ventures. We may not be able to
find suitable partners or acquisition candidates, and we may not be able to complete such transactions on
31
favorable terms, if at all. If we make any acquisitions, we may not be able to integrate these acquisitions successfully into our existing business, and we
could assume unknown or contingent liabilities. Any future acquisitions also could result in significant write-offs or the incurrence of debt and contingent
liabilities, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Integration of an acquired
company also may disrupt ongoing operations and require management resources that would otherwise focus on developing our existing business. We may
experience losses related to investments in other companies, which could have a material negative effect on our results of operations.
We may not identify or complete these transactions in a timely manner, on a cost-effective basis, or at all, and we may not realize the anticipated benefits of
any acquisition, license, strategic alliance or joint venture. To finance such a transaction, we may choose to issue shares of our common stock as
consideration, which would dilute the ownership of our stockholders. If the price of our common stock is low or volatile, we may not be able to acquire
other companies or fund a joint venture project using our stock as consideration. Alternatively, it may be necessary for us to raise additional funds for
acquisitions through public or private financings. Additional funds may not be available on terms that are favorable to us, or at all.
International expansion of our business will expose us to business, regulatory, political, operational, financial and economic risks associated with
doing business outside of the U.S.
Our business strategy contemplates international expansion, including partnering with distributors, and introducing our current products and other planned
products outside the U.S. Doing business internationally involves a number of risks, including:
•
multiple, conflicting and changing laws and regulations such as tax laws, export and import restrictions, tariffs, employment laws, regulatory
requirements and other governmental approvals, permits and licenses;
•
potential failure by us or our distributors to obtain regulatory approvals for the sale or use of our current products and our planned future
products in various countries;
•
difficulties in managing foreign operations;
•
complexities associated with managing government payer systems, multiple payer-reimbursement regimes or self-pay systems;
•
logistics and regulations associated with shipping products, including infrastructure conditions and transportation delays;
•
limits on our ability to penetrate international markets if our distributors do not execute successfully;
•
financial risks, such as longer payment cycles, difficulty enforcing contracts and collecting accounts receivable, and exposure to foreign
currency exchange rate fluctuations;
•
reduced protection for intellectual property rights, or lack of them in certain jurisdictions, forcing more reliance on our trade secrets, if
available;
•
natural disasters, political and economic instability, including wars, terrorism and political unrest, including the outbreak of hostilities in the
Ukraine and the Middle East, outbreak of disease, boycotts, curtailment of trade and other business restrictions; and
•
failure to comply with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, including its books and records provisions and its anti-bribery provisions, by
maintaining accurate information and control over sales activities and distributors’ activities.
Any of these risks, if encountered, could significantly harm our future international expansion and operations and, consequently, have a material adverse
effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Risks related to the operation of our business
32
We expect to continue to expand our development, regulatory and sales and marketing capabilities, and as a result, we may encounter difficulties in
managing our growth, which could disrupt our operations.
As of December 31, 2024, we had 92 employees, up from 33 full-time employees as of December 31, 2023. We have experienced significant growth in the
number of our employees and the scope of our operations, particularly in the areas of drug development, quality assurance, engineering, product
development, regulatory affairs and sales and marketing. To manage this growth, we must continue to implement and improve our managerial, operational
and financial systems, expand our facilities and continue to recruit and train additional qualified personnel. Due to our limited financial resources and the
limited experience of our management team in managing a company with such growth, we may not be able to effectively manage the expansion of our
operations or recruit and train additional qualified personnel. The physical expansion of our operations may lead to significant costs and may divert our
management and business development resources. Future growth would impose significant added responsibilities on members of management, including:
•
managing our clinical trials effectively, which we anticipate being conducted at numerous clinical sites;
•
identifying, recruiting, maintaining, motivating and integrating additional employees with the expertise and experience we will require;
•
managing our internal development efforts effectively while complying with our contractual obligations to licensors, licensees, contractors
and other third parties;
•
managing additional relationships with various strategic partners, suppliers and other third parties;
•
improving our managerial, development, operational and finance reporting systems and procedures; and
•
expanding our facilities.
Our failure to accomplish any of these tasks could prevent us from successfully growing. Any inability to manage growth could delay the execution of our
business plans or disrupt our operations.
The loss of key members of our executive management team could adversely affect our business.
Our success in implementing our business strategy depends largely on the skills, experience and performance of key members of our executive management
team and others in key management positions. The collective efforts of each of these persons, and others working with them as a team, are critical to us as
we continue to develop our technologies, tests and research and development and sales programs. As a result of the difficulty in locating qualified new
management, the loss or incapacity of existing members of our executive management team could adversely affect our operations. If we were to lose one or
more of these key employees, we could experience difficulties in finding qualified successors, competing effectively, developing our technologies and
implementing our business strategy. Our executive officers all have employment agreements; however, the existence of an employment agreement does not
guarantee retention of members of our executive management team and we may not be able to retain those individuals for the duration of or beyond the end
of their respective terms. We do not currently maintain “key person” life insurance on any of our employees.
In addition, we rely on collaborators, consultants and advisors, including scientific and clinical advisors, to assist us in formulating our research and
development and commercialization strategy. Our collaborators, consultants and advisors are generally employed by employers other than us and may have
commitments under agreements with other entities that may limit their availability to us.
There is a scarcity of experienced professionals in our industry. If we are not able to retain and recruit personnel with the requisite technical skills, we
may be unable to successfully execute our business strategy.
The specialized nature of our industry results in an inherent scarcity of experienced personnel in the field. Our future success depends upon our ability to
attract and retain highly skilled personnel, including scientific, technical, commercial, business, regulatory and administrative personnel, necessary to
support our anticipated growth, develop our business and perform certain contractual obligations. Given the scarcity of professionals with the scientific
knowledge that we require and the competition for qualified personnel among biotechnology businesses, we may not succeed in attracting or retaining the
personnel we require to continue and grow our operations.
33
Any future development or commercialization agreements we may enter into for our products may place the development or distribution of these
products outside our control, may require us to relinquish important rights, or may otherwise be on terms unfavorable to us.
We may enter into distribution or commercialization agreements with third parties with respect to our products. Our likely collaborators for any
distribution, marketing, licensing or other collaboration arrangements include large and mid-size companies, regional and national companies, and
distribution or group purchasing organizations. We will have limited control over the amount and timing of resources that our collaborators dedicate to the
development or commercialization of our products. Our ability to generate revenue from these arrangements will depend in part on our collaborators’
abilities to successfully perform the functions assigned to them in these arrangements.
Collaborations involving our products are subject to numerous risks, which may include the following:
•
collaborators have significant discretion in determining the efforts and resources that they will apply to any such collaborations;
•
collaborators may not pursue development and commercialization of our products, or may elect not to continue or renew efforts based on
clinical trail results, changes in their strategic focus for a variety of reasons, potentially including the acquisition of competitive products,
availability of funding, and mergers or acquisitions that divert resources or create competing priorities;
•
collaborators may delay clinical trials, provide insufficient funding for a clinical trial program, stop a clinical trial, abandon a product, repeat
or conduct new clinical trials or require a new engineering iteration of a product for clinical testing;
•
collaborators could independently develop, or develop with third parties, products that compete directly or indirectly with our products;
•
a collaborator with marketing and distribution rights to one or more products may not commit sufficient resources to their marketing and
distribution;
•
collaborators may not properly maintain or defend our intellectual property rights or may use our intellectual property or proprietary
information in a way that gives rise to actual or threatened litigation that could jeopardize or invalidate our intellectual property or proprietary
information or expose us to potential liability;
•
disputes may arise between us and a collaborator that causes the delay or termination of the research, development or commercialization of
our products or that results in costly litigation or arbitration that diverts management attention and resources;
•
collaborations may be terminated and, if terminated, may result in a need for additional capital to pursue further development or
commercialization of the applicable products; and
•
collaborators may own or co-own intellectual property covering our products that results from our collaborating with them, and in such cases,
we would not have the exclusive right to commercialize such intellectual property.
Any termination or disruption of collaborations could result in delays in the development of products, increases in our costs to develop the products or the
termination of development of a product.
Because we intend to do business outside the U.S., we will be subject to additional risks.
A variety of risks associated with international operations could materially adversely affect our business, including:
•
different regulatory requirements for drug approvals in foreign countries;
•
reduced protection for intellectual property rights;
•
unexpected changes in tariffs, trade barriers, trade restrictions, export or import sanctions, and regulatory requirements;
•
economic weakness, including inflation or political instability in particular foreign economies and markets;
34
•
compliance with tax, employment, immigration and labor laws for employees living or traveling abroad;
•
foreign taxes, including withholding of payroll taxes;
•
foreign currency fluctuations, which could result in increased operating expenses and reduced revenue, and other obligations incident to
doing business in another country;
•
workforce uncertainty in countries where labor unrest is more common than in the U.S.;
•
production shortages resulting from any events affecting raw material supply or manufacturing capabilities abroad; and
•
business interruptions resulting from geopolitical actions, including war and terrorism, including the outbreak of hostilities in the Ukraine, the
Middle East, or natural disasters including earthquakes, typhoons, floods and fires.
In particular, there is currently significant uncertainty about the future relationship between the United States and various other countries with respect to
trade policies, treaties, tariffs, taxes and other limitations on cross-border operations. Since beginning his second term in office, President Trump has made
and continues to make significant additional changes in U.S. trade policy and may continue to take future actions that could negatively impact U.S. trade.
Such trade policies and tariff implementations, and any related retaliatory trade policies and tariff implementations by foreign governments, may result in
any materials that we import to the U.S. from countries subject to tariffs becoming more expensive or increase the price of DCCR in other countries, which
could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. We cannot predict what actions may ultimately be taken
with respect to trade relations between the United States and other countries, what products and services may be subject to such actions or what actions may
be taken by the other countries in retaliation. If we are unable to obtain or use services from existing service providers or become unable to export or sell
our products to any of our customers or service providers, our business, liquidity, financial condition, and results of operations would be materially and
adversely affected.
We have incurred and will continue to incur significant increased costs as a result of operating as a public company, and our management has devoted
and will be required to continue to devote substantial time to new compliance initiatives.
We have incurred and will continue to incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses as a public company. We are subject to the reporting
requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the other rules and regulations of the SEC, and the rules and regulations of Nasdaq. The
expenses of being a public company are material, and compliance with the various reporting and other requirements applicable to public companies requires
considerable time and attention of management. For example, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) and the rules of the SEC and national securities exchanges
have imposed various requirements on public companies, including requiring establishment and maintenance of effective disclosure and financial controls.
Our management and other personnel need to devote a substantial amount of time to these compliance initiatives. These rules and regulations will continue
to increase our legal and financial compliance costs and will make some activities more time-consuming and costly. For example, these rules and
regulations may make it difficult and expensive for us to obtain adequate director and officer liability insurance, and we may be required to accept reduced
policy limits on coverage or incur substantial costs to maintain the same or similar coverage. The impact of these events could also make it more difficult
for us to attract and retain qualified personnel to serve on our Board, our Board committees, or as executive officers.
SOX requires, among other things, that we maintain effective internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures. In particular,
we must perform system and process evaluation and testing of our internal control over financial reporting to allow management to report on the
effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, as required by Section 404 of SOX (Section 404). We currently do not have an internal audit
group, and we will need to hire additional accounting and financial staff with appropriate public company experience and technical accounting knowledge.
If we are not able to comply with the requirements of Section 404 in a timely manner the market price of our stock could decline and we could be subject to
sanctions or investigations by Nasdaq, the SEC or other regulatory authorities, which would require additional financial and management resources. Our
ability to successfully implement our business plan and comply with Section 404 requires us to be able to prepare timely and accurate financial statements.
We expect that we will need to continue to improve existing, and implement new operational
35
and financial systems, procedures and controls to manage our business effectively. Any delay in the implementation of, or disruption in the transition to,
new or enhanced systems, procedures or controls, may cause our operations to suffer and we may be unable to conclude that our internal control over
financial reporting is effective. This, in turn, could have an adverse impact on trading prices for our common stock, and could adversely affect our ability to
access the capital markets.
We are required by Section 404 to evaluate the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. If we are unable to achieve and maintain
effective internal controls, our operating results and financial condition could be harmed and the market price of our common stock may be negatively
affected.
As a public company with SEC reporting obligations, we are required to document and test our internal control procedures to satisfy the requirements of
Section 404, which requires annual assessments by management of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. Effective December 31,
2024, we no longer qualify as a smaller reporting company and the reduced compliance requirements to smaller reporting companies no longer apply to us.
As such, our auditor is required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting beginning with this annual report on Form 10-K.
We must implement and maintain substantial internal control systems and procedures to satisfy the reporting requirements under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934. During our assessments, we may identify deficiencies that we are unable to remediate in a timely manner. Testing and maintaining our internal
control over financial reporting may also divert management’s attention from other matters that are important to the operation of our business. We may not
be able to conclude on an ongoing basis that we have effective internal control over financial reporting in accordance with Section 404. If we conclude that
our internal control over financial reporting is not effective, the cost and scope of remediation actions and their effect on our operations may be significant.
Moreover, any material weaknesses or other deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting may impede our ability to file timely and accurate
reports with the SEC. Any of the above could cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information or our common stock listing on
Nasdaq to be suspended or terminated, which could have a negative effect on the trading price of our common stock.
If we fail to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, we may not be able to accurately report our financial results in a
timely manner or prevent fraud, which would harm our business.
Effective internal controls over financial reporting are necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and, together with adequate disclosure controls
and procedures, are designed to prevent fraud. Any failure to implement required new or improved controls, or difficulties encountered in their
implementation, could cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations in a timely manner, or at all. In addition, any testing by us conducted in connection
with Section 404 or any subsequent testing by our independent registered public accounting firm in connection with Section 404, may reveal deficiencies in
our internal controls over financial reporting that are deemed to be significant deficiencies or material weaknesses or that may require prospective or
retroactive changes to our consolidated financial statements or identify other areas for further attention or improvement. We are also required to disclose
material changes made in our internal controls over financing reporting and procedures on a quarterly basis and our management is required to assess the
effectiveness of these controls annually. Ineffective internal controls could also cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information,
which could have a negative effect on the trading price of our common stock. To achieve compliance with Section 404 within the prescribed period, we
have engaged in a process to document and evaluate our internal control over financial reporting, which is both costly and challenging. In this regard, we
will need to continue to dedicate internal resources, potentially engage outside consultants and adopt a plan to assess and document the adequacy of our
internal control over financial reporting, continue steps to improve control processes as appropriate, validate through testing that controls are designed and
operating effectively and implement a continuous reporting and improvement process for internal control over financial reporting. An independent
assessment of the effectiveness of our internal controls could detect problems that our management’s assessment might not identify. Undetected material
weaknesses in our internal controls could lead to financial statement restatements and require us to incur the expense of remediation.
If our estimates or judgments relating to our critical accounting policies are based on assumptions that change or prove to be incorrect, our results of
operation could fall below our publicly announced guidance or the expectations of securities analysts and investors, resulting in a decline in the market
price of our common stock.
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect
the amounts reported in our financial statements and accompanying notes. We
36
base our estimates on historical experience and estimates and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, the
results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets, liabilities, equity, revenue and expenses that are not readily
apparent from other sources. For example, in connection with the implementation of the new revenue accounting standard if and when we have product
sales, management makes judgments and assumptions based on our interpretation of the new standard. The new revenue standard is principle-based and
interpretation of those principles may vary from company to company based on their unique circumstances. It is possible that interpretation, industry
practice and guidance may evolve as we apply the new standard. If our assumptions underlying our estimates and judgments relating to our critical
accounting policies change or if actual circumstances differ from our assumptions, estimates or judgments, our operating results may be adversely affected
and could fall below our publicly announced guidance or the expectations of securities analysts and investors, resulting in a decline in the market price of
our common stock.
In the future we may identify additional material weaknesses, fail to remediate our current material weakness or otherwise fail to maintain an effective
system of internal controls, which may result in material misstatements of our financial statements or cause us to fail to meet our periodic reporting
obligations.
As discussed in Item 9A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, in preparing our consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31,
2024, our management concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures and our internal control over financial reporting were not effective at the
reasonable assurance level. To address these material weakness, we plan to take actions designed to improve our internal control over financial reporting
and remediate the control deficiencies that led to the material weakness. If we discover additional weaknesses in our system of internal financial and
accounting controls and procedures, our consolidated financial statements may contain material misstatements, and we could be required to restate our
financial results. Our internal control over financial reporting will not prevent or detect all errors and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well
designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the control system’s objectives will be met. Because of the inherent
limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that misstatements due to error or fraud will not occur or that all
control issues and instances of fraud will be detected.
Any failure to implement and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting could cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial
and other information, adversely impact our stock price, cause us to incur increased costs to remediate any deficiencies, and attract regulatory scrutiny or
lawsuits that could be costly to resolve and distract management’s attention, limit our ability to access the capital markets, or cause our stock to be delisted
from The Nasdaq Capital Market or any other securities exchange on which it is then listed. Failure to remedy any material weakness in our internal control
over financial reporting, or to implement or maintain other effective control systems required of public companies, could also restrict our future access to
the capital markets.
If we experience an interruption in supply from a material sole source supplier, our business may be harmed.
We do not currently have nor do we plan to acquire the infrastructure or capability internally to manufacture or distribute DCCR. We will initially be
dependent on sole source suppliers to produce raw materials, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), the finished drug product and the associated
packaging for DCCR. If there is an interruption in supply of our raw materials from these sole source suppliers, for any reason, there can be no assurance
that we will be able to obtain adequate quantities of the raw materials within a reasonable time or at commercially reasonable prices. Interruptions in
supplies due to pricing, timing, availability, or other issues with our sole source suppliers could have a negative impact on our contract manufacturer's
ability to manufacture DCCR, which in turn could adversely affect the commercialization of DCCR.
Regardless of whether a sole source supplier enters into a written supply arrangement with us, such supplier could still delay, suspend, or terminate supply
of raw materials to us for a number of reasons, including manufacturing or quality issues, payment disputes with us, or bankruptcy or insolvency situations.
Manufacturing or quality assurance difficulties at our contractors and suppliers, the failure or refusal of a supplier or contract manufacturer to supply
contracted quantities, or increases in demand on a supplier with constrained capacity could result in delays and disruptions in the manufacturing,
distribution, and sale of DCCR, leading to lost revenue or reduced market opportunities. Supply constraints may also lead to pauses, discontinuations, or
other product availability issues, which could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated results of operations and cash flows. Further, cost inflation
and transportation and logistics challenges in the future may cause delays in, and increase costs related to, procurement activity, and supplier or contract
manufacturer arrangements.
37
If a sole source supplier ceases supply of drug substance, drug product or labeled finished product, there is no guarantee that we will find an alternative
supplier on terms acceptable to us, or at all. Finding alternative suppliers may not be feasible or could take a significant amount of time and involve
significant expense due to the nature of DCCR. Further the qualification process for a new vendor could take months or years, and any such delay in
qualification could significantly harm our business.
In the United States, we intend to rely on one or more specialty pharmacies to dispense DCCR, deliver customer support, and provide us with related
services, and our business could be harmed and we could be subject to liabilities if these services are performed inadequately or in a manner that does
not comply with applicable laws and regulations.
If approved, our DCCR sales in the United States will initially be through specialty pharmacies and therefore our sales of DCCR will be highly dependent
on the performance of these specialty pharmacies. A specialty pharmacy is a pharmacy that specializes in the dispensing of medications which often require
a high level of patient education and ongoing management. The use of a specialty pharmacy involves risks, including, but not limited to, risks that a
specialty pharmacy:
•
does not effectively dispense or support DCCR;
•
fails to properly administer copay mitigation programs;
•
does not provide us with accurate or timely information regarding their inventories or the number of patients who are using DCCR;
•
fails to provide timely and accurate information regarding product adverse events or product complaints;
•
does not devote the resources necessary to dispense DCCR in a manner that meets patient needs;
•
is unable to satisfy financial obligations to us or others;
•
loses the required licenses to distribute DCCR; or
•
ceases operations.
If a specialty pharmacy partner does not fulfill its contractual obligations to us or fails to adequately dispense DCCR and deliver customer support, our
product sales and business could be harmed or we could be subject to legal or regulatory liabilities or sanctions. Furthermore, arrangements between
manufacturers and specialty pharmacies can be subject to government scrutiny and challenge under fraud and abuse laws if not structured properly.
We rely on third parties to conduct certain components of our clinical trials, and those third parties may not perform satisfactorily, including failing to
meet deadlines for the completion of such studies.
We rely on third parties, such as CROs, investigational product packaging, labeling and distribution, laboratories, medical institutions and clinical
investigators and staff, to perform various functions for our clinical trials. Our reliance on these third parties for clinical development activities reduces our
control over these activities but does not relieve us of our responsibilities. We remain responsible for ensuring that each of our clinical trials is conducted in
accordance with the general investigational plan and protocols for the study. Moreover, the FDA requires us and third parties involved in the set-up,
conduct, analysis and reporting of the clinical trials to comply with regulations and with standards, commonly referred to as good clinical practices (GCPs),
to assure that data and reported results are credible and accurate and that the rights, integrity and confidentiality of patients in clinical trials are protected.
Our clinical investigators are also required to comply with GCPs. Furthermore, these third parties may also have relationships with other entities, some of
which may be our competitors. If these third parties do not successfully carry out their contractual duties, meet expected deadlines or conduct our clinical
trials in accordance with regulatory requirements or our stated protocols, we will not be able to obtain, or may be delayed in obtaining, regulatory approvals
for our planned products and will not be able to, or may be delayed in our efforts to, successfully commercialize our planned products.
If we use biological and hazardous materials in a manner that causes injury, we could be liable for damages.
Our manufacturing processes currently require the controlled use of potentially harmful chemicals. We cannot eliminate the risk of accidental
contamination or injury to employees or third parties from the use, storage, handling
38
or disposal of these materials. In the event of contamination or injury, we could be held liable for any resulting damages, and any liability could exceed our
resources or any applicable insurance coverage we may have. Additionally, we are subject to, on an ongoing basis, federal, state and local laws and
regulations governing the use, storage, handling and disposal of these materials and specified waste products. The cost of compliance with these laws and
regulations may become significant and could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. In the event of
an accident or if we otherwise fail to comply with applicable regulations, we could lose our permits or approvals or be held liable for damages or penalized
with fines.
Risks related to intellectual property
Third parties may initiate legal proceedings alleging that we are infringing their intellectual property rights, the outcome of which would be uncertain
and could have a material adverse effect on the success of our business.
Our commercial success depends in part on our avoiding infringement and other violations of the patents and proprietary rights of third parties. Patent and
other intellectual property litigation is prevalent in our sectors. There is a substantial amount of litigation, both within and outside the U.S., involving patent
and other intellectual property rights in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, including patent infringement lawsuits, interferences, derivation
and administrative law proceedings, inter partes review and post-grant review before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as well as
oppositions and similar processes in foreign jurisdictions. Our commercial success depends upon our ability and the ability of our distributors, contract
manufacturers, and suppliers to manufacture, market, and sell our planned products, and to use our proprietary technologies without infringing,
misappropriating or otherwise violating the proprietary rights or intellectual property of third parties. As the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries
expand and more patents are issued, and as we gain greater visibility and market exposure, the risk increases that our commercialization of DCCR or other
business activities may be subject to claims of infringement of the patent and other proprietary rights of third parties. Third parties may assert that we are
infringing their patents or employing their proprietary technology without authorization. We may become party to, or be threatened with, future adversarial
proceedings or litigation regarding intellectual property rights with respect to our products. Third parties may assert infringement claims against us based on
existing or future intellectual property rights. If we are found to infringe a third-party’s intellectual property rights, we could be required to obtain a license
from such third-party to continue developing and marketing our products. We may also elect to enter into such a license in order to settle pending or
threatened litigation. However, we may not be able to obtain any required license on commercially reasonable terms or at all. Even if we were able to obtain
a license, it could be non-exclusive, thereby giving our competitors access to the same intellectual property licensed to us and could require us to pay
significant royalties and other fees.
Also, there may be third-party patents or patent applications with claims to materials, formulations, methods of manufacture or methods for treatment
related to the use or manufacture of DCCR. Because patent applications can take many years to issue, there may be currently pending patent applications
which may later result in issued patents that our product may infringe.
In addition, third parties may obtain patent rights in the future and claim that use of our products infringes upon these rights. If any third-party patents were
held by a court of competent jurisdiction to cover the manufacturing process of DCCR, any molecules formed during the manufacturing process or any final
product itself, the holders of any such patents may be able to block our ability to commercialize DCCR unless we obtained a license under the applicable
patents, or until such patents expire. Similarly, if any third-party patent were held by a court of competent jurisdiction to cover aspects of our formulations,
processes for manufacture or methods of use, including combination therapy, the holders of any such patent may be able to block our ability to develop and
commercialize our product unless we obtained a license or until such patent expires. In either case, such a license may not be available on commercially
reasonable terms or at all. In addition, we may be subject to claims that we are infringing other intellectual property rights, such as trademarks or
copyrights, or misappropriating the trade secrets of others, and to the extent that our employees, consultants or contractors use intellectual property or
proprietary information owned by others in their work for us, disputes may arise as to the rights in related or resulting know-how and inventions.
We could be forced, including by court order, to cease commercializing the infringing product. In addition, we could be found liable for monetary damages.
A finding of infringement could prevent us from commercializing our planned products or force us to cease some of our business operations, which could
materially harm our business. Defense of these claims, regardless of their merit, would involve substantial litigation expense and would be a
39
substantial diversion of employee resources from our business. In the event of a successful infringement or other intellectual property claim against us, we
may have to pay substantial damages, including treble damages and attorneys’ fees for willful infringement, obtain one or more licenses from third parties,
pay royalties, which may be impossible or require substantial time and monetary expenditure. We cannot predict whether any such license would be
available at all or whether it would be available on commercially reasonable terms.
Even if we are successful in defending against intellectual property claims, litigation or other legal proceedings relating to such claims may cause us to
incur significant expenses and could distract our technical and management personnel from their normal responsibilities. In addition, there could be public
announcements of the results of hearings, motions or other interim proceedings or developments and if securities analysts or investors perceive these results
to be negative, it could have a substantial adverse effect on the price of our common stock. Such litigation or proceedings could substantially increase our
operating losses and reduce our resources available for development activities. We may not have sufficient financial or other resources to adequately
conduct such litigation or proceedings. Some of our competitors may be able to sustain the costs of such litigation or proceedings more effectively than we
can because of their substantially greater financial resources. Uncertainties resulting from the initiation and continuation of litigation or other intellectual
property related proceedings could have a material adverse effect on our ability to compete in the marketplace.
Our ability to successfully commercialize our products may be materially adversely affected if we are unable to obtain and maintain effective
intellectual property rights for our planned products, or if the scope of the intellectual property protection is not sufficiently broad.
Our success depends in large part on our ability to obtain and maintain patent and other intellectual property protection in the U.S. and in other countries
with respect to our proprietary products.
The patent position of pharmaceutical companies generally is highly uncertain and involves complex legal and factual questions for which legal principles
remain unresolved. In recent years patent rights have been the subject of significant litigation. As a result, the issuance, scope, validity, enforceability and
commercial value of the patent rights we rely on are highly uncertain. Pending and future patent applications may not result in patents being issued which
protect our products or which effectively prevent others from commercializing competitive products. The laws of foreign countries may not protect our
rights to the same extent as the laws of the U.S. For example, many countries restrict the patentability of methods of treatment of the human body.
Publications of discoveries in the scientific literature often lag behind the actual discoveries, and patent applications in the U.S. and other jurisdictions are
typically not published until 18 months after filing, or in some cases not at all. Therefore, we cannot be certain that we were the first to make the inventions
claimed in our patents or pending patent applications, or that we or were the first to file for patent protection of such inventions. As a result of these and
other factors, the issuance, scope, validity, enforceability and commercial value of our patent rights are highly uncertain. Our pending and future patent
applications may not result in patents being issued which protect products, in whole or in part, or which effectively prevent others from commercializing
competitive products. Changes in either the patent laws or interpretation of the patent laws in the U.S. and other countries may diminish the value of the
patents we rely on or narrow the scope of our patent protection.
Moreover, we may be subject to a third-party pre-issuance submission of prior art to the USPTO or become involved in opposition, derivation,
reexamination, inter partes review, post-grant review or interference proceedings challenging our patent rights or the patent rights of others. The costs of
defending our patents or enforcing our proprietary rights in post-issuance administrative proceedings and litigation can be substantial and the outcome can
be uncertain. An adverse determination in any such submission, proceeding or litigation could reduce the scope of, or invalidate, our patent rights, allow
third parties to commercialize our technology or products and compete directly with us, without payment to us, or result in our inability to manufacture or
commercialize products without infringing third-party patent rights. In addition, if the breadth or strength of protection provided by our patents and patent
applications is threatened, it could dissuade companies from collaborating with us to license, develop or commercialize DCCR.
Even if the patent applications we rely on issue as patents, they may not issue in a form that will provide us with any meaningful protection, prevent
competitors from competing with us or otherwise provide us with any competitive advantage. Our competitors may be able to circumvent our patents by
developing similar or alternative technologies or products in a non-infringing manner. The issuance of a patent is not conclusive as to its scope, validity or
enforceability, and the patents we rely on may be challenged in the courts or patent offices in the U.S. and abroad.
40
Such challenges may result in patent claims being narrowed, invalidated or held unenforceable, which could limit our ability to stop or prevent us from
stopping others from using or commercializing similar or identical technology and products, or limit the duration of the patent protection of our technology
and products. Generally, issued patents are granted a term of 20 years from the earliest claimed non-provisional filing date. In certain instances, patent term
can be adjusted to recapture a portion of delay by the USPTO in examining the patent application (patent term adjustment) or extended to account for term
effectively lost as a result of the FDA regulatory review period (patent term extension), or both. The scope of patent protection may also be limited.
Without patent protection for DCCR, we may be open to competition from generic versions of DCCR. Given the amount of time required for the
development, testing and regulatory review of new planned products, patents protecting such products might expire before or shortly after such products are
commercialized. As a result, our patent portfolio may not provide us with sufficient rights to exclude others from commercializing products similar or
identical to ours or otherwise provide us with a competitive advantage.
The scope, validity, enforceability, and commercial value of trademark rights are also uncertain. Pending and future trademark applications may not be
successful.
We may become involved in legal proceedings to protect or enforce our intellectual property rights, which could be expensive, time-consuming, or
unsuccessful.
Competitors may infringe or otherwise violate the patents we rely on, or our other intellectual property rights including trademarks. To counter
infringement or unauthorized use, we may be required to file infringement claims, which can be expensive and time-consuming. Any claims that we assert
against perceived infringers could also provoke these parties to assert counterclaims against us alleging that we infringe their intellectual property rights. In
addition, in an infringement proceeding, a court may decide that a patent we are asserting is invalid or unenforceable or may refuse to stop the other party
from using the technology at issue on the grounds that the patents we are asserting do not cover the technology in question. An adverse result in any
litigation or defense proceedings could put one or more patents at risk of being invalidated or interpreted narrowly and could put our patent applications at
risk of not issuing. In patent litigation in the U.S., defendant counterclaims alleging invalidity or unenforceability are commonplace. Grounds for a validity
challenge could be an alleged failure to meet any of several statutory requirements, including lack of novelty, obviousness, non-enablement, written
description, or lack of patentable subject matter. Grounds for an unenforceability assertion could be an allegation that someone connected with prosecution
of the patent withheld relevant material information from the USPTO, or made a materially misleading statement, during prosecution. Third parties may
also raise similar validity claims before the USPTO in post-grant proceedings such as ex parte reexaminations, inter partes review or post-grant review, or
oppositions or similar proceedings outside the U.S., in parallel with litigation or even outside the context of litigation. The outcome following legal
assertions of invalidity and unenforceability is unpredictable. We cannot be certain that there is no invalidating prior art, of which we and the patent
examiner were unaware during prosecution. For the patents and patent applications that we have licensed, we may have limited or no right to participate in
the defense of any licensed patents against challenge by a third party. If a defendant were to prevail on a legal assertion of invalidity or unenforceability, we
would lose at least part, and perhaps all, of any future patent protection on our current or future vaccine candidates. Such a loss of patent protection could
harm our business.
We may not be able to prevent misappropriation of our intellectual property rights, particularly in countries where the laws may not protect those rights as
fully as in the U.S. Our business could be harmed if in litigation the prevailing party does not offer us a license on commercially reasonable terms. Any
litigation or other proceedings to enforce our intellectual property rights may fail, and even if successful, may result in substantial costs and distract our
management and other employees.
Interference or derivation proceedings provoked by third parties or brought by the USPTO, or any foreign patent authority may be necessary to determine
the priority of inventions or other matters of inventorship with respect to patents and patent applications. We may become involved in proceedings,
including oppositions, interferences, derivation proceedings interparty reviews, patent nullification proceedings, or re-examinations, challenging our patent
rights or the patent rights of others, and the outcome of any such proceedings are highly uncertain. An adverse determination in any such proceeding could
reduce the scope of, or invalidate, important patent rights, allow third parties to commercialize our technology or products and compete directly with us,
without payment to us, or result in our inability to manufacture or commercialize products without infringing third-party patent rights. Our business also
could be harmed if a prevailing party does not offer us a license on commercially reasonable terms, if any license is offered at all. Litigation or other
proceedings may fail and, even if successful, may result in substantial
41
costs and distract our management and other employees. We may also become involved in disputes with others regarding the ownership of intellectual
property rights. If we are unable to resolve these disputes, we could lose valuable intellectual property rights.
Furthermore, because of the substantial amount of discovery required in connection with intellectual property litigation, there is a risk that some of our
confidential information could be compromised by disclosure during this type of litigation.
Even if resolved in our favor, litigation or other legal proceedings relating to intellectual property claims may cause us to incur significant expenses and
could distract our technical or management personnel from their normal responsibilities. In addition, there could be public announcements of the results of
hearings, motions or other interim proceedings or developments and if securities analysts or investors perceive these results to be negative, it could have a
substantial adverse effect on the market price of our common stock. Such litigation or proceedings could substantially increase our operating losses and
reduce the resources available for development activities or any future sales, marketing or distribution activities. Uncertainties resulting from the initiation
and continuation of intellectual property litigation or other proceedings could have a material adverse effect on our ability to compete in the marketplace.
If we are unable to protect the confidentiality of our trade secrets, the value of our technology could be materially adversely affected, harming our
business and competitive position.
In addition to our patented technology and products, we rely upon confidential proprietary information, including trade secrets, unpatented know-how,
technology and other proprietary information, to develop and maintain our competitive position. Any disclosure to or misappropriation by third parties of
our confidential proprietary information could enable competitors to quickly duplicate or surpass our technological achievements, thus eroding our
competitive position in the market. We seek to protect our confidential proprietary information, in part, by confidentiality agreements with our employees
and our collaborators and consultants. We also have agreements with our employees and selected consultants that obligate them to assign their inventions to
us. These agreements are designed to protect our proprietary information; however, we cannot be certain that our trade secrets and other confidential
information will not be disclosed or that competitors will not otherwise gain access to our trade secrets, or that technology relevant to our business will not
be independently developed by a person that is not a party to such an agreement. Furthermore, if the employees, consultants or collaborators that are parties
to these agreements breach or violate the terms of these agreements, we may not have adequate remedies for any such breach or violation, and we could
lose our trade secrets through such breaches or violations. Further, our trade secrets could be disclosed, misappropriated or otherwise become known or be
independently discovered by our competitors. In addition, intellectual property laws in foreign countries may not protect trade secrets and confidential
information to the same extent as the laws of the U.S. If we are unable to prevent disclosure of the intellectual property related to our technologies to third
parties, we may not be able to establish or maintain a competitive advantage in our market, which would harm our ability to protect our rights and have a
material adverse effect on our business.
We may not be able to protect or enforce our intellectual property rights throughout the world.
Filing, prosecuting and defending patents and trademarks on all of our planned products throughout the world would be prohibitively expensive to us.
Competitors may use our technologies in jurisdictions where we have not obtained patent protection to develop their own products and, further, may export
otherwise infringing products to territories where we have patent protection but where enforcement is not as strong as in the U.S. These products may
compete with our products in jurisdictions where we do not have any issued patents and our patent claims or other intellectual property rights may not be
effective or sufficient to prevent them from so competing. Many companies have encountered significant problems in protecting and defending intellectual
property rights in foreign jurisdictions. The legal systems of certain countries, particularly certain developing countries, do not favor the enforcement of
patents and other intellectual property protection, particularly those relating to biopharmaceuticals, which could make it difficult for us to stop the
infringement of our patents or marketing of competing products in violation of our proprietary rights generally. Proceedings to enforce our patent rights in
foreign jurisdictions could result in substantial cost and divert our efforts and attention from other aspects of our business.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine and related sanctions could significantly devalue our Russian, Belarusian, and Eurasian patents and/or patent applications.
Recent Russian decrees may also significantly limit our ability to enforce Russian patents. We cannot predict when or how this situation will change.
42
Intellectual property rights do not necessarily address all potential threats to our competitive advantage.
The degree of future protection afforded by our intellectual property rights is uncertain because intellectual property rights have limitations and may not
adequately protect our business or permit us to maintain our competitive advantage. The following examples are illustrative:
•
others may be able to make products that are similar to our current and planned products, but that are not covered by claims in our patents;
•
the original filers of our patents that we developed or purchased might not have been the first to make the inventions covered by the claims
contained in such patents;
•
we might not have been the first to file patent applications covering an invention;
•
others may independently develop similar or alternative technologies or duplicate any of our technologies without infringing our intellectual
property rights;
•
pending patent applications may not lead to issued patents;
•
issued patents may not provide us with any competitive advantages, or may be held invalid or unenforceable, as a result of legal challenges by
our competitors;
•
our competitors might conduct research and development activities in countries where we do not have patent rights and then use the
information learned from such activities to develop competitive products for sale in our major commercial markets;
•
we may not develop or in-license additional proprietary technologies that are patentable; and
•
the patents of others may have an adverse effect on our business.
Should any of these events occur, they could significantly harm our business, results of operations and prospects.
Obtaining and maintaining patent protection depends on compliance with various procedural, document submission, fee payment and other
requirements imposed by governmental patent agencies, and our patent protection could be reduced or eliminated for non-compliance with these
requirements.
Periodic maintenance fees, renewal fees, annuity fees and various other governmental fees on patents or applications will be due to be paid by us to the
USPTO and various governmental patent agencies outside of the U.S. in several stages over the lifetime of the patents or applications. The USPTO and
various non-U.S. governmental patent agencies require compliance with a number of procedural, documentary, fee payment and other similar provisions
during the patent application process. In many cases, an inadvertent lapse can be cured by payment of a late fee or by other means in accordance with the
applicable rules. However, there are situations in which noncompliance can result in abandonment or lapse of the patent or patent application, resulting in
partial or complete loss of patent rights in the relevant jurisdiction. In such an event, our competitors might be able to use our technologies and this
circumstance would have a material adverse effect on our business.
Changes in U.S. patent law or the patent law of other countries or jurisdictions could diminish the value of patents in general, thereby impairing our
ability to protect our products.
The U.S. has enacted and implemented wide-ranging patent reform legislation. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled on several patent cases in recent years,
either narrowing the scope of patent protection available in certain circumstances or weakening the rights of patent owners in certain situations. In addition
to increasing uncertainty with regard to our ability to obtain patents in the future, this combination of events has created uncertainty with respect to the
value of patents, once obtained. Depending on actions by Congress, the federal courts, and the USPTO, the laws and regulations governing patents could
change in unpredictable ways that would weaken our ability to obtain new patents or to enforce patents that we have licensed or that we might obtain in the
future. For example, recent decisions raise questions regarding the award of patent term adjustment (PTA) for patents in families where related patents have
issued without PTA. Thus, it cannot be said with certainty how PTA will be viewed in future and whether patent expiration dates may be impacted.
Similarly, changes in patent law and regulations in other countries or jurisdictions or changes in the governmental bodies that enforce them or changes in
how the relevant governmental authority enforces patent laws or regulations may weaken our ability to obtain new patents or to enforce patents that we
have licensed or that we may obtain in the future. For example, the complexity
43
and uncertainty of European patent laws have also increased in recent years. In Europe, a new unitary patent system took effect June 1, 2023, which will
significantly impact European patents, including those granted before the introduction of such a system. Under the unitary patent system, European
applications have the option, upon grant of a patent, of becoming a Unitary Patent which will be subject to the jurisdiction of the Unitary Patent Court
(UPC). As the UPC is a new court system, there is no precedent for the court, increasing the uncertainty of any litigation. Patents granted before the
implementation of the UPC have the ability to opt out of the jurisdiction of the UPC and remain as national patents in the UPC countries. Patents that
remain under the jurisdiction of the UPC will be potentially vulnerable to a single UPC-based revocation challenge that, if successful, could invalidate the
patent in all countries who are signatories to the UPC. We cannot predict with certainty the long-term effects of any potential changes.
If we do not obtain a patent term extension in the U.S. under the Hatch-Waxman Act and in foreign countries under similar legislation, thereby
potentially extending the term of our marketing exclusivity for our planned products, our business may be materially harmed.
Depending upon the timing, duration and specifics of FDA marketing approval of our products, if any, one or more of the U.S. patents covering any such
approved product(s) or the use thereof may be eligible for up to five years of patent term restoration under the Hatch-Waxman Act. The Hatch-Waxman Act
allows a maximum of one patent to be extended per FDA approved product. Patent term extension also may be available in certain foreign countries upon
regulatory approval of our planned products. Nevertheless, we may not be granted patent term extension either in the U.S. or in any foreign country because
of, for example, our failing to apply within applicable deadlines, failing to apply prior to expiration of relevant patents, or otherwise failing to satisfy
applicable requirements. Moreover, the term of extension, as well as the scope of patent protection during any such extension, afforded by the governmental
authority could be less than we request.
If we are unable to obtain patent term extension or restoration, or the term of any such extension is less than requested, the period during which we will
have the right to exclusively market our product will be shortened and our competitors may obtain approval of competing products following our patent
expiration, and our revenue could be reduced, possibly materially.
We may be subject to claims that our employees, consultants or independent contractors have wrongfully used or disclosed confidential information of
their former employers or other third parties.
From time to time we may employ individuals who were previously employed at universities or other biotechnology or pharmaceutical companies,
including our competitors or potential competitors. Although we try to ensure that our employees do not use the proprietary information or know-how of
others in their work for us, we may be subject to claims that we or these employees have used or disclosed intellectual property, including trade secrets or
other proprietary information, of any such employee’s former employer. Additionally, while we seek to protect our ownership of intellectual property rights
by ensuring that our agreements with our employees, collaborators and other third parties with whom we do business include provisions requiring such
parties to assign rights in inventions to us, we may be subject to claims that we or our employees, consultants or independent contractors have inadvertently
or otherwise used or disclosed confidential information of our employees’ former employers or other third parties. These and other claims that we have
misappropriated the confidential information or trade secrets of third parties can have a similar negative impact on our business to the infringement claims
discussed above.
Additionally, we may also be subject to claims that former employers or other third parties have an ownership interest in our patents. Litigation may be
necessary to defend against these claims. There is no guarantee of success in defending these claims, and if we fail in defending any such claims, in addition
to paying monetary damages, we may lose valuable intellectual property rights, such as exclusive ownership of, or right to use, valuable intellectual
property. Even if we are successful, litigation could result in substantial cost and be a distraction to our management and other employees.
Risks related to government regulation
The regulatory approval process is expensive, time consuming and uncertain, and we may not be successful in obtaining approvals for our planned
products.
The research, testing, manufacturing, labeling, approval, selling, import, export, marketing and distribution of our products are subject to extensive
regulation by the FDA in the U.S. and other regulatory authorities in other
44
countries, which regulations differ from country to country. We are not permitted to market our planned products in the U.S. until we received the requisite
approval or clearance from the FDA. We have submitted an NDA for DCCR, but have not received marketing approval for any planned products.
Obtaining approvals from the FDA can be a lengthy, expensive and uncertain process. In addition, failure to comply with FDA and other applicable U.S.
and foreign regulatory requirements may subject us to administrative or judicially imposed sanctions, including the following:
•
warning letters;
•
civil or criminal penalties and fines;
•
injunctions;
•
suspension or withdrawal of regulatory approval;
•
suspension of any ongoing clinical studies;
•
voluntary or mandatory product recalls and publicity requirements;
•
refusal to accept or approve applications for marketing approval of new drugs or biologics or supplements to approved applications filed by
us;
•
restrictions on operations, including costly new manufacturing requirements; or
•
seizure or detention of our products or import bans.
Prior to receiving approval to commercialize any of our planned products in the U.S. or abroad, we will be required to demonstrate with substantial
evidence from well-controlled clinical trials, and to the satisfaction of the FDA and other regulatory authorities abroad, that such planned products are safe
and effective for their intended uses. Results from preclinical studies and clinical trials can be interpreted in different ways. Even if we believe the
preclinical or clinical data for our planned products are promising, such data may not be sufficient to support approval by the FDA and other regulatory
authorities. Administering any of our planned products to humans may produce undesirable side effects, which could interrupt, delay or cause suspension of
clinical trials of our planned products and result in the FDA or other regulatory authorities denying approval of our planned products for any or all targeted
indications.
Regulatory approval from the FDA is not guaranteed, and the approval process is expensive and may take several years. The FDA also has substantial
discretion in the approval process. Despite the time and expense exerted, failure can occur at any stage, and we could encounter problems that cause us to
abandon or repeat clinical trials or perform additional preclinical studies and clinical trials. The number of preclinical studies and clinical trials that will be
required for FDA approval varies depending on the planned product, the disease or condition that the planned product is designed to address and the
regulations applicable to any particular planned product. The FDA can delay, limit or deny approval of a planned product for many reasons, including, but
not limited to, the following:
•
a planned product may not be deemed safe or effective;
•
FDA officials may not find the data from preclinical studies and clinical trials sufficient;
•
the FDA might not approve our or our third-party manufacturer’s processes or facilities; or
•
the FDA may change its approval policies or adopt new regulations.
If any planned products fail to demonstrate safety and effectiveness in clinical trials or do not gain regulatory approval, our business and results of
operations will be materially and adversely harmed.
Of the large number of drugs in development, only a small percentage successfully complete the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory approval processes
and are commercialized. The lengthy approval processes as well as the unpredictability of future clinical trial results may result in our failing to obtain
regulatory approval to market our product candidates, which would significantly harm our business, results of operations and prospects.
Applications for our product candidates could fail to receive regulatory approval for many reasons, including the following:
•
the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities may disagree with the design, implementation or results of our clinical trials;
45
•
the FDA may reject some or all of our data from clinical trials due to concerns related to bias, unblinding before statistical analysis plan is
finalized, and/or reliability of data when the analysis is considered exploratory and not planned prospectively;
•
the FDA may not accept data pooled from different studies, especially if the studies features are not sufficiently similar;
•
the FDA finds that our data are not adequate to support the safety and efficacy of our product candidate for the proposed indication;
•
the FDA may disagree with our statistical analysis plan;
•
the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities may determine that our product candidates are not safe and effective or have
undesirable or unintended side effects, toxicities or other characteristics that preclude our obtaining marketing approval or prevent or limit
commercial use;
•
the population studied in the clinical trial may not be sufficiently broad or representative to assure efficacy and safety in the full population
for which we seek approval;
•
the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities may disagree with our interpretation of data from nonclinical studies or clinical
trials;
•
our clinical trials may not meet the statutory standard for substantial evidence of effectiveness or may fail to demonstrate statistical
significance on the primary endpoint;
•
we may be unable to demonstrate to the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities that our product candidate’s risk-benefit ratio
for its proposed indication is acceptable;
•
changes in priorities, reduction in staffing, large staff turnover or inadequate funding for the FDA or comparable foreign regulatory
authorities could hinder those agencies from performing normal business functions and increase the time necessary for regulatory
submissions, such as our NDA for DCCR, to be reviewed and approved, or decrease the likelihood of an approval;
•
the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities may fail to approve the manufacturing processes, test procedures and
specifications or facilities of third-party manufacturers with which we contract for clinical and commercial supplies; and
•
the approval policies or regulations of the FDA or other comparable foreign regulatory authorities may significantly change in a manner
rendering our clinical data insufficient for approval or resulting in delays in our regulatory approval.
As noted above, we received preliminary comments from the FDA for our pre-NDA meeting, and as we decided not to proceed with the meeting, they are
considered the official record of the meeting. While the FDA has raised concerns regarding our clinical data, we believe the data has the potential to support
our NDA for DCCR. If the FDA disagrees with our interpretation of the data, or if we are required to conduct additional studies or clinical trials, our
regulatory approval will be significantly delayed. This lengthy approval process, as well as the unpredictability of the results of clinical trials, may result in
our failing to obtain regulatory approval to market DCCR, which would significantly harm our business, results of operations and prospects.
In addition, even if we obtain approval of DCCR, regulatory authorities may approve DCCR for fewer or more limited indications than we initially request,
or may impose significant limitations in the form of narrow indications, warnings, contraindications, or a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS).
Regulatory authorities may not approve the price we intend to charge for DCCR, may grant approval contingent on the performance of costly post-
marketing clinical trials or other post-marketing studies, or may approve DCCR with a label that does not include the labeling claims necessary or desirable
for the successful commercialization of DCCR. Any of the foregoing scenarios could seriously harm our business.
We received fast track designation for DCCR for the treatment of PWS, and we may seek fast track designation for other product candidates in the
future. Even if received, fast track designation may not actually lead to a faster review process or faster marketing approval.
46
We aim to benefit from the FDA’s fast track and priority review processes, and we previously received fast track designation for DCCR for the treatment
of PWS and priority review was granted for our NDA for DCCR. Under the fast track program, the FDA may initiate a rolling review of sections of a fast
track-designated drug’s NDA before the application is complete, although the FDA’s performance goal for reviewing an application does not begin until the
last section of the NDA is submitted. In addition, under the FDA’s policies, a product candidate is eligible for priority review if it provides a significant
improvement compared to marketed drugs in the treatment, diagnosis or prevention of a disease.
The fast track designation for DCCR, or for other future product candidates that we may develop, may not actually lead to a faster review process. Any
delays in the review process or in the approval of DCCR or our future potential products will delay revenue from their potential sales and will have a
material adverse impact on our business. Moreover, a fast track designation may be withdrawn by the FDA if the agency believes that the designation is no
longer supported by data emerging in the clinical trial process.
Even if we receive marketing approval for a planned product, we will be subject to ongoing regulatory obligations and continued regulatory review,
which may result in significant additional expense and subject us to penalties if we fail to comply with applicable regulatory requirements.
Once marketing approval has been obtained, the approved product and its manufacturer are subject to continual review by the FDA or non-U.S. regulatory
authorities. Future approvals may contain requirements for potentially costly post-marketing follow-up studies to monitor the safety and effectiveness of the
approved product. In addition, we are subject to extensive and ongoing regulatory requirements by the FDA and other regulatory authorities with regard to
the labeling, packaging, adverse event reporting, storage, advertising, promotion and recordkeeping for our products.
In addition, we are required to comply with cGMP regulations regarding the manufacture of our drugs, which include requirements related to quality
control and quality assurance as well as the corresponding maintenance of records and documentation. Further, regulatory authorities must approve these
manufacturing facilities before they can be used to manufacture drug products, and these facilities are subject to continual review and periodic inspections
by the FDA and other regulatory authorities for compliance with cGMP regulations. If we or a third party discover previously unknown problems with a
product, such as adverse events of unanticipated severity or frequency, or problems with the facility where the product is manufactured, a regulatory
authority may impose restrictions on that product, the manufacturer or us, including requiring withdrawal of the product from the market or suspension of
manufacturing.
Once a pharmaceutical product is approved, a product will be subject to pervasive and continuing regulation by the FDA, EMA, and other health
authorities, including, among other things, recordkeeping, periodic reporting, product sampling and distribution, advertising and promotion and reporting of
adverse experiences with the product. The drug name will also be subject to review and approval by the FDA and other non-U.S. regulatory authorities.
In addition, drug manufacturers and other entities involved in the manufacture and distribution of approved drugs are subject to periodic unannounced
inspections by the FDA and these state agencies for compliance with cGMP requirements. Changes to the manufacturing process are strictly regulated and
generally require prior FDA approval before being implemented. FDA regulations also require investigation and correction of any deviations from cGMP
and impose reporting and documentation requirements upon us and any third-party manufacturers that we may decide to use. Accordingly, manufacturers
must continue to expend time, money, and effort in the area of production and quality control to maintain cGMP compliance.
Once an approval is granted, the FDA may withdraw the approval if compliance with regulatory requirements and standards is not maintained or if
problems occur after the product reaches the market, though the FDA must provide an application holder with notice and an opportunity for a hearing in
order to withdraw its approval of an application. Later discovery of previously unknown problems with a product, including adverse events of unanticipated
severity or frequency, or with manufacturing processes, or failure to comply with regulatory requirements, may result in, among other things:
•
restrictions on the marketing or manufacturing of the product, complete withdrawal of the product from the market or product recalls;
•
fines, warning letters or holds on post-approval clinical trials;
47
•
refusal of the FDA to approve pending applications or supplements to approved applications, or suspension or revocation of product
approvals;
•
product seizure or detention, or refusal to permit the import or export of products; and
•
injunctions or the imposition of civil or criminal penalties.
The FDA strictly regulates the marketing, labeling, advertising and promotion of drug and device products that are placed on the market. While physicians
may prescribe drugs and devices for off label uses, manufacturers may only promote for the approved indications and in accordance with the provisions of
the approved label. The FDA and other agencies actively enforce the laws and regulations prohibiting the promotion of off label uses, and a company that is
found to have improperly promoted off label uses may be subject to significant liability.
Drugs that treat serious or life-threatening diseases and conditions that are not adequately addressed by existing drugs, and for which the development
program is designed to address the unmet medical need, may be designated as fast track and/or breakthrough candidates by the FDA and may be eligible for
accelerated and priority review.
Drugs that are developed for rare diseases can be designated as Orphan Drugs. In the U.S., the disease or condition has an incidence of less than 200,000
persons and in the E.U. the prevalence of the condition must be not more than 5 in 10,000 persons. In the U.S., orphan-designated drugs are granted up to 7-
year market exclusivity. In the E.U., products granted orphan designation are subject to reduced fees for protocol assistance, marketing authorization
applications, inspections before authorization, applications for changes to marketing authorizations, and annual fees, access to the centralized authorization
procedure, and 10 years of market exclusivity.
Drugs are also subject to extensive regulation outside of the U.S. In the E.U., there is a centralized approval procedure that authorizes marketing of a
product in all countries of the E.U. (which includes most major countries in the E.U.). If this centralized approval procedure is not used, approval in one
country of the E.U. can be used to obtain approval in another country of the E.U. under one of two simplified application processes: the mutual recognition
procedure or the decentralized procedure, both of which rely on the principle of mutual recognition. After receiving regulatory approval through any of the
E.U. registration procedures, separate pricing and reimbursement approvals are also required in most countries. The E.U. also has requirements for approval
of manufacturing facilities for all products that are approved for sale by the E.U. regulatory authorities.
Failure to obtain marketing approvals in foreign jurisdictions will prevent us from marketing our products internationally.
We intend to seek distribution and marketing partners for our current products outside the U.S. and may market planned products in international markets.
We have had limited interactions with foreign regulatory authorities. The approval procedures vary among countries and can involve additional clinical
testing, and the time required to obtain approval may differ from that required to obtain FDA approval. Moreover, clinical trials or manufacturing processes
conducted in one country may not be accepted by regulatory authorities in other countries. Approval by the FDA does not ensure approval by regulatory
authorities in other countries or regions, and approval by one or more foreign regulatory authorities does not ensure approval by regulatory authorities in
other foreign countries or by the FDA. However, a failure or delay in obtaining regulatory approval in one country may have a negative effect on the
regulatory process in others. The foreign regulatory approval process may include all of the risks associated with obtaining FDA approval. We may not
obtain foreign regulatory approvals on a timely basis, if at all. We may not be able to file for regulatory approvals and even if we file we may not receive
necessary approvals to commercialize our products in any market.
Healthcare reform measures could hinder or prevent our planned products’ commercial success.
In the U.S., there have been, and we expect there will continue to be, a number of legislative and regulatory changes to the healthcare system in ways that
could affect our future revenue and profitability and the future revenue and profitability of our potential customers. Federal and state lawmakers regularly
propose and, at times, enact legislation that would result in significant changes to the healthcare system, some of which are intended to contain or reduce
the costs of medical products and services. For example, one of the most significant healthcare reform measures in decades, the Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA), was enacted in 2010. The PPACA contains a number of provisions, including those governing enrollments in
federal healthcare programs,
48
reimbursement changes and fraud and abuse measures, all of which will impact existing government healthcare programs and will result in the development
of new programs. The PPACA, among other things:
•
could result in the imposition of injunctions;
•
requires collection of rebates for drugs paid by Medicaid managed care organizations; and
•
requires manufacturers to participate in a coverage gap discount program, under which they must agree to offer 50% point-of-sale discounts
off negotiated prices of applicable branded drugs to eligible beneficiaries during their coverage gap period, as a condition for the
manufacturer’s outpatient drugs to be covered under Medicare Part D.
Since its enactment, there have been judicial, executive and Congressional challenges to certain aspects of the PPACA. In June 2021, the U.S. Supreme
Court dismissed the most recent judicial challenge to the PPACA without specifically ruling on the constitutionality of the ACA. Thus, the ACA remains in
force in its current form. Any changes to the PPACA are likely to have an impact on our results of operations and may have a material adverse effect on our
results of operations. We cannot predict what other health care programs and regulations will ultimately be implemented at the federal or state level or the
effect of any future legislation or regulation in the U.S. may have on our business.
In addition, other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted since the PPACA was enacted. For example, the Budget Control Act of 2011, among
other things, created the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to recommend proposals for spending reductions to Congress. The Joint Select
Committee did not achieve a targeted deficit reduction of at least $1.2 trillion for the years 2013 through 2021, which triggered the legislation’s automatic
reduction to several government programs, including aggregate reductions to Medicare payments to providers of up to 2% per fiscal year, starting in 2013.
In January 2013, former President Obama signed into law the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA), which delayed for another two months the
budget cuts mandated by the sequestration provisions of the Budget Control Act of 2011. The ATRA, among other things, also reduced Medicare payments
to several providers, including hospitals, and increased the statute of limitations period for the government to recover overpayments to providers from three
to five years. In March 2013, the President signed an executive order implementing sequestration, and in April 2013, the 2% Medicare reductions went into
effect. We cannot predict how any additional legislative changes or changes in presidential administrations will affect our business.
There likely will continue to be legislative and regulatory proposals at the federal and state levels directed at containing or lowering the cost of health care.
We cannot predict the initiatives that may be adopted in the future or their full impact. The continuing efforts of the government, insurance companies,
managed care organizations and other payers of healthcare services to contain or reduce costs of health care may adversely affect:
•
our ability to set a price that we believe is fair for our products;
•
our ability to generate revenue and achieve or maintain profitability; and
•
the availability of capital.
There has recently been heightened governmental scrutiny over the manner in which manufacturers set prices for their marketed products, which has
resulted in several Congressional inquiries and proposed and enacted legislation designed, among other things, to bring more transparency to product
pricing, to review the relationship between pricing and manufacturer patient programs, and to reform government program reimbursement methodologies
for pharmaceutical products. For example, in August 2022, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), which includes prescription drug
provisions that have significant implications for the pharmaceutical industry and Medicare beneficiaries, including allowing the federal government to
negotiate a maximum fair price for certain high-priced single source Medicare drugs, imposing penalties and excise tax for manufacturers that fail to
comply with the drug price negotiation requirements, requiring inflation rebates for all Medicare Part B and Part D drugs, with limited exceptions, if their
drug prices increase faster than inflation, and redesigning Medicare Part D to reduce out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for beneficiaries, among other
changes. Various industry stakeholders, including certain pharmaceutical companies and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, have
initiated lawsuits against the federal government asserting that the price negotiation provisions of the IRA are unconstitutional. The impact of these judicial
challenges, legislative, executive, and administrative actions and any future healthcare measures and agency rules implemented by the government on us
and the pharmaceutical industry
49
as a whole is unclear. The implementation of cost containment measures or other healthcare reforms may prevent us from being able to generate revenue,
attain profitability, or commercialize our product candidates if approved.
In addition, individual states in the U.S. have also become increasingly active in implementing regulations designed to control pharmaceutical product
pricing, including price or patient reimbursement constraints, discounts, restrictions on certain product access and marketing cost disclosure and
transparency measures and, in some cases, mechanisms to encourage importation from other countries and bulk purchasing. A number of states are
considering or have recently enacted state drug price transparency and reporting laws that could substantially increase our compliance burdens and expose
us to greater liability under such state laws once we begin commercialization after obtaining regulatory approval for any of our products. Further, the FDA
recently authorized the State of Florida to import certain prescription drugs from Canada for a period of two years to help reduce drug costs, provided that
Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration meets the requirements set forth by the FDA. Other states may follow Florida. The implementation of cost
containment measures or other healthcare reforms may prevent us from being able to generate revenue, attain profitability or commercialize our product
candidates.
Further, changes in regulatory requirements and guidance may occur and we may need to amend clinical trial protocols to reflect these changes.
Amendments may require us to resubmit our clinical trial protocols IRBs for reexamination, which may impact the costs, timing or successful completion
of a clinical trial. In light of widely publicized events concerning the safety risk of certain drug products, regulatory authorities, members of Congress, the
Governmental Accounting Office, medical professionals and the general public have raised concerns about potential drug safety issues. These events have
resulted in the recall and withdrawal of drug products, revisions to drug labeling that further limit use of the drug products and establishment of risk
management programs that may, for instance, restrict distribution of drug products or require safety surveillance or patient education. The increased
attention to drug safety issues may result in a more cautious approach by the FDA to clinical trials and the drug approval process. Data from clinical trials
may receive greater scrutiny with respect to safety, which may make the FDA or other regulatory authorities more likely to terminate or suspend clinical
trials before completion or require longer or additional clinical trials that may result in substantial additional expense and a delay or failure in obtaining
approval or approval for a more limited indication than originally sought.
Given the serious public health risks of high-profile adverse safety events with certain drug products, the FDA may require, as a condition of approval,
costly risk evaluation and mitigation strategies, which may include safety surveillance, restricted distribution and use, patient education, enhanced labeling,
special packaging or labeling, expedited reporting of certain adverse events, preapproval of promotional materials and restrictions on direct-to-consumer
advertising.
In addition, in June 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo reversed its longstanding approach under the Chevron doctrine,
which gave deference to regulatory agencies in litigation against the FDA and other agencies. As a result, more companies may bring lawsuits against the
FDA to challenge longstanding decisions and policies of the FDA, which could undermine the FDA’s authority, lead to uncertainties in the industry, and
disrupt the FDA’s normal operations, which could delay the FDA’s review of our marketing applications.
If we fail to comply with healthcare regulations, we could face substantial penalties and our business, operations and financial condition could be
adversely affected.
Even though we do not and will not control referrals of healthcare services or bill directly to Medicare, Medicaid or other third-party payers, certain federal
and state healthcare laws and regulations pertaining to fraud and abuse and patients’ rights are and will be applicable to our business. We could be subject
to healthcare fraud and abuse and patient privacy regulation by both the federal government and the states in which we conduct our business. The
regulations that may affect our ability to operate include, without limitation:
•
the federal healthcare program Anti-Kickback Statute, which prohibits, among other things, any person from knowingly and willfully
offering, soliciting, receiving or providing remuneration, directly or indirectly, in exchange for or to induce either the referral of an individual
for, or the purchase, order or recommendation of, any good or service for which payment may be made under federal healthcare programs,
such as the Medicare and Medicaid programs;
50
•
indirectly, to induce either the referral of an individual, for an item or service or the purchasing or ordering of a good or service, for which
payment may be made under federal healthcare programs, such as the Medicare and Medicaid programs;
•
the federal False Claims Act, which prohibits, among other things, individuals or entities from knowingly presenting, or causing to be
presented, false claims, or knowingly using false statements, to obtain payment from the federal government, and which may apply to entities
like us which provide coding and billing advice to customers;
•
federal criminal laws that prohibit executing a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program or making false statements relating to
healthcare matters;
•
the federal transparency requirements under the Health Care Reform Law requires manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologics and medical
supplies to report to the HHS information related to physician payments and other transfers of value and physician ownership and investment
interests;
•
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical
Health Act of 2009 (HITECH Act), which governs the conduct of certain electronic healthcare transactions and protects the security and
privacy of protected health information; and
•
state law equivalents of each of the above federal laws, such as anti-kickback and false claims laws which may apply to items or services
reimbursed by any third-party payer, including commercial insurers.
The PPACA, among other things, amends the intent requirement of the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute and criminal healthcare fraud statutes. A person or
entity no longer needs to have actual knowledge of this statute or specific intent to violate it. In addition, the PPACA provides that the government may
assert that a claim including items or services resulting from a violation of the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for
purposes of the False Claims Act.
If our operations are found to be in violation of any of the laws described above or any other governmental regulations that apply to us, we may be subject
to penalties, including civil and criminal penalties, damages, fines and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations. Any penalties, damages, fines,
curtailment or restructuring of our operations could adversely affect our ability to operate our business and our financial results. Any action against us for
violation of these laws, even if we successfully defend against it, could cause us to incur significant legal expenses and divert our management’s attention
from the operation of our business. Moreover, achieving and sustaining compliance with applicable federal and state privacy, security and fraud laws may
prove costly.
Our relationships with healthcare providers, other customers, and third-party payers will be subject to applicable anti-kickback, fraud and abuse, and
other healthcare laws and regulations, which could expose us to criminal sanctions, civil penalties, exclusion from government healthcare programs,
contractual damages, reputational harm, and diminished profits and future earnings.
Although we do not currently have any drug products on the market, once we begin commercializing DCCR following potential approval, we will be
subject to additional healthcare statutory and regulatory requirements and enforcement by the federal government and the states and foreign governments in
which we conduct our business. Healthcare providers, physicians, and third-party payers will play a primary role in the recommendation and prescription of
DCCR. Our future arrangements with third-party payors and customers may expose us to broadly applicable fraud and abuse and other healthcare laws and
regulations that may constrain the business or financial arrangements and relationships through which we market, sell, and distribute DCCR. Restrictions
under applicable federal and state healthcare laws and regulations include, but are not limited to, the Anti-Kickback Statute, the False Claims Act, HIPAA
and the HITECH Act.
Efforts to ensure that our future business arrangements with third parties comply with applicable healthcare laws and regulations could involve substantial
costs and may require us to undertake or implement additional policies or measures. We may face claims and proceedings by private parties, and claims,
investigations and other proceedings by governmental authorities, relating to allegations that our business practices do not comply with statutes, regulations
or case law involving applicable fraud and abuse, privacy or data protection, or other healthcare laws and regulations, and it is possible that courts or
governmental authorities may conclude that we have not complied with
51
them, or that we may find it necessary or appropriate to settle any such claims or other proceedings. In connection with any such claims, proceedings, or
settlements, we may be subject to significant civil, criminal, and administrative penalties, damages, fines, other damages, imprisonment, exclusion from
government funded healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, and the curtailment or restructuring of our operations. If any of the physicians or
other providers or entities with whom we expect to do business is found not to be in compliance with applicable laws, they may be subject to criminal, civil
or administrative sanctions, including exclusions from government funded healthcare programs.
We are subject to U.S. and foreign laws regarding privacy, data protection, and data security that could entail substantial compliance costs, while the
failure to comply could subject us to significant liability.
Privacy, data protection, and data security have become significant issues in the U.S., Europe, and other jurisdictions where we conduct or may in the future
conduct our operations. The regulatory framework for the collection, use, safeguarding, sharing, and transfer of health and other personal information is
rapidly evolving worldwide and is likely to remain in flux for the foreseeable future. The scope and interpretation of the laws that are or may be applicable
to us are often uncertain, subject to differing interpretations, and may be inconsistent among different jurisdictions.
In the U.S., HIPAA, as amended by the HITECH Act, imposes on covered entities certain requirements relating to the privacy, security, and transmission of
individually identifiable health information. The legislation also increased the civil and criminal penalties that may be assessed for violations and gave state
attorneys general the authority to file civil actions in federal courts to enforce the HIPAA rules. In addition, for clinical trials conducted in the U.S., any
personal information that is collected is further regulated by the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects. Privacy laws are also being enacted or
considered at the state level, including significant new legislation in California, the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended by the California Privacy
Rights Act. While there is currently an exception for protected health information subject to HIPAA and clinical trial regulations, these and other state
privacy laws may impact our business activities, and there continues to be uncertainty about how these laws will be interpreted and enforced. Other states
have passed privacy legislation, including general privacy legislation similar to the CCPA, and legislation such as Washington’s My Health, My Data Act,
that also may impact our business activities, in the future and additional states are evaluating similar legislation. In the event we enroll subjects in clinical
trials in the E.U. or other jurisdictions, or otherwise acquire or process personal data of individuals in those jurisdictions, we may be subject to additional
restrictions and obligations relating to the collection, use, storage, transfer, and other processing of this data. Clinical trial activities in the European
Economic Area (EEA), for example, are governed by the E.U. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
We may need to take additional steps, such as new contractual negotiations or modifications to our policies or practices relating to cross-border transfers of
personal data, to comply with these restrictions and obligations. More generally, laws and regulations governing privacy and data protection exist in many
other countries around the world, and these laws (which are evolving and expanding) create complicated and potentially inconsistent obligations that may
impact our business.
The increasing number, complexity, and potential inconsistency of current and future laws and regulations relating to privacy, data protection, and data
security in the U.S. and other countries make our compliance obligations more difficult and costly. If we fail to comply with applicable laws and regulations
or experience a breach of security that results in unauthorized disclosure of personal information - or if a third party with whom we share personal
information or who processes such information for us fails to comply with applicable requirements or experiences a security breach or incident- or if any of
these is reported or perceived to have occurred, it could lead to government investigations, enforcement actions, and other proceedings, as well as civil
claims and litigation against us. We could incur substantial costs to defend against any such claims or proceedings and may also be held liable for
significant fines, penalties, and monetary judgments. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations,
reputation, and prospects.
Risks related to ownership of our securities
Our stock price may be volatile, and purchasers of our securities could incur substantial losses.
Our stock price has been and is likely to continue to be volatile. The stock market in general, and the market for biotechnology companies in particular,
have experienced extreme volatility that has often been unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. As a result of this volatility,
investors may not be able to sell their
52
common stock at or above the purchase price. The market price for our common stock may be influenced by many factors, including the following:
•
the results of our clinical trials and our ability to obtain regulatory approval of DCCR in Prader Willi syndrome;
•
our ability to successfully commercialize, and realize significant revenues from sales of our products;
•
the success of competitive products or technologies;
•
the results of other clinical trials of our products or those of our competitors;
•
regulatory or legal developments in the U.S. and other countries, especially changes in laws or regulations applicable to our products;
•
introductions and announcements of new products by us, our commercialization partners, or our competitors, and the timing of these
introductions or announcements;
•
actions taken by regulatory agencies with respect to our products, clinical trials, manufacturing process or sales and marketing terms;
•
variations in our financial results or those of companies that are perceived to be similar to us;
•
the success of our efforts to acquire or in-license additional products or planned products;
•
developments concerning our collaborations, including but not limited to those with our sources of manufacturing supply and our
commercialization partners;
•
developments concerning our ability to bring our manufacturing processes to scale in a cost-effective manner;
•
announcements by us or our competitors of significant acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures or capital commitments;
•
developments or disputes concerning patents or other proprietary rights, including patents, litigation matters and our ability to obtain patent
protection for our products;
•
our ability or inability to raise additional capital and the terms on which we raise it;
•
the recruitment or departure of key personnel;
•
changes in the structure of healthcare payment systems;
•
market conditions in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors;
•
actual or anticipated changes in earnings estimates or changes in stock market analyst recommendations regarding our common stock, other
comparable companies or our industry generally;
•
trading volume of our common stock;
•
sales of our common stock by us or our stockholders;
•
general economic, industry and market conditions; including those due to inflation; and
•
the other risks described in this “Risk Factors” section.
These broad market and industry factors may seriously harm the market price of our common stock, regardless of our operating performance. In the past,
following periods of volatility in the market, securities class-action litigation has often been instituted against companies. Such litigation, if instituted
against us, could result in substantial costs and diversion of management’s attention and resources, which could materially and adversely affect our
business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.
53
Future sales of our common stock, or the perception that future sales may occur, may cause the market price of our common stock to decline, even if
our business is doing well.
Sales of substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that these sales may occur, could materially and adversely affect
the price of our common stock and could impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities. All of our shares of common
stock are freely tradable, without restriction, in the public market, except for any shares held by our affiliates.
In the future, we may issue additional shares of common stock or other equity or debt securities convertible into common stock in connection with a
financing, acquisition, litigation settlement, employee arrangement or otherwise. Any such issuance could result in substantial dilution to our existing
stockholders and could cause our stock price to decline.
Our executive officers, directors and principal stockholders may continue to maintain the ability to control or significantly influence all matters
submitted to stockholders for approval and under certain circumstances may have control over key decision making.
Our executive officers, directors and principal stockholders own a majority of our outstanding common stock. As a result, the foregoing group of
stockholders are able to control all matters submitted to our stockholders for approval, as well as our management and affairs. For example, these
stockholders will control the election of directors and the approval of any merger, consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of our assets. This
concentration of voting power could delay or prevent an acquisition of our company on terms that other stockholders may desire.
Our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards and certain other tax attributes will be limited.
Our ability to utilize our federal net operating loss, carryforwards and federal tax credit will be limited under Sections 382 and 383 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended (the Code). The limitations apply if an “ownership change,” as defined by Section 382, occurs. Generally, an ownership change
occurs if the percentage of the value of the stock that is owned by one or more direct or indirect “five percent shareholders” increases by more than 50%
over their lowest ownership percentage at any time during the applicable testing period (typically three years). The Company has completed a Section 382
analysis from January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2023 and determined that a change in ownership has occurred on March 7, 2017, December 21, 2018,
June 30, 2020 and September 26, 2023. As a result, the net operating loss carryforwards and tax credit carryforwards maybe subject to annual limitations
before being applied to reduce future income tax liabilities. For years ended after December 31, 2024, the utilization of net operating losses and tax credit
carryforwards are subject to further limitation in the event an additional ownership change were to occur for tax purposes. In addition, we also raised capital
in May 2024 that may further limit our ability to utilize our net operating losses and other tax attributes to offset taxable income. As a result, if we earn net
taxable income, our ability to use our pre-change net operating loss carryforwards and other tax attributes to offset U.S. federal taxable income will be
subject to limitations, which could potentially result in increased future tax liability to us.
As our warrant holders exercise their warrants into shares of our common stock, our stockholders will be diluted.
The exercise of some or all of our warrants will result in the issuance of common stock that dilute the ownership interests of existing stockholders. Any
sales of the common stock issuable upon exercise of our warrants could adversely affect prevailing market prices of our common stock.
If holders of our warrants elect to exercise their warrants and sell material amounts of our common stock in the market, such sales could cause the
price of our common stock to decline, and the potential for such downward pressure on the price of our common stock may encourage short selling of
our common stock by holders of our warrants or other parties.
If there is significant downward pressure on the price of our common stock, it may encourage holders of our warrants, or other parties, to sell shares by
means of short sales or otherwise. Short sales involve the sale, usually with a future delivery date, of common stock the seller does not own. Covered short
sales are sales made in an amount not greater than the number of shares subject to the short seller’s right to acquire common stock, such as upon exercise of
warrants. A holder of warrants may close out any covered short position by exercising all, or a portion, of its warrants, or by purchasing shares in the open
market. In determining the source of shares to close out the covered short position, a holder of warrants will likely consider, among other things, the price
of common stock available for purchase in the open market as compared to the exercise price of the warrants. The existence of a
54
significant number of short sales generally causes the price of common stock to decline, in part because it indicates that a number of market participants are
taking a position that will be profitable only if the price of the common stock declines.
If securities or industry analysts do not continue to publish research, or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research, about our business, our stock price
and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for our common stock will continue to depend, in part, on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or
our business. If one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade our stock or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our stock
price would likely decline. In addition, if our operating results fail to meet the forecast of analysts, our stock price would likely decline. If one or more of
these analysts cease coverage of our company or fail to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our common stock could decrease, which might cause
our stock price and trading volume to decline.
Provisions in our corporate charter documents and under Delaware law could make an acquisition of us more difficult and may prevent attempts by
our stockholders to replace or remove our current management.
Provisions in our corporate charter and our bylaws may discourage, delay or prevent a merger, acquisition or other change in control of us that stockholders
may consider favorable, including transactions in which stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares. These provisions could also limit
the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock, thereby depressing the market price of our common stock. In
addition, these provisions may frustrate or prevent any attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management by making it more
difficult for stockholders to replace members of our Board. Because our Board is responsible for appointing the members of our management team, these
provisions could in turn affect any attempt by our stockholders to replace current members of our management team. Among others, these provisions
include the following:
•
our Board is divided into three classes with staggered three-year terms which may delay or prevent a change of our management or a change
in control;
•
our Board has the right to elect directors to fill a vacancy created by the expansion of our Board or the resignation, death or removal of a
director, which will prevent stockholders from being able to fill vacancies on our Board;
•
our stockholders are not able to act by written consent or call special stockholders’ meetings; as a result, a holder, or holders, controlling a
majority of our capital stock cannot take certain actions other than at annual stockholders’ meetings or special stockholders’ meetings called
by our Board, the chairman of our board, the chief executive officer or the president;
•
our certificate of incorporation prohibits cumulative voting in the election of directors, which limits the ability of minority stockholders to
elect director candidates;
•
amendments of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws require the approval of 66 2/3% of our outstanding voting securities;
•
our stockholders are required to provide advance notice and additional disclosures in order to nominate individuals for election to our Board
or to propose matters that can be acted upon at a stockholders’ meeting, which may discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a
solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our company; and
•
our Board are able to issue, without stockholder approval, shares of undesignated preferred stock, which makes it possible for our Board to
issue preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences that could impede the success of any attempt to acquire us.
Moreover, because we are incorporated in Delaware, we are governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which
prohibits a person who owns in excess of 15% of our outstanding voting stock from merging or combining with us for a period of three years after the date
of the transaction in which the person acquired in excess of 15% of our outstanding voting stock, unless the merger or combination is approved in a
prescribed manner.
55
Our employment agreements with our executive officers may require us to pay severance benefits to any of those persons who are terminated in
connection with a change in control of us, which could harm our financial condition or results.
Certain of our executive officers are parties to employment agreements that contain change in control and severance provisions providing for aggregate
cash payments for severance and other benefits and acceleration of equity vesting in the event of a termination of employment in connection with a change
in control of us. The accelerated vesting of options could result in dilution to our existing stockholders and harm the market price of our common stock. The
payment of these severance benefits could harm our financial condition and results. In addition, these potential severance payments may discourage or
prevent third parties from seeking a business combination with us.
We have not paid dividends in the past and do not expect to pay dividends in the future, and, as a result, any return on investment may be limited to the
value of our stock.
We have never paid dividends and do not anticipate paying dividends in the foreseeable future. The payment of dividends will depend on our earnings,
capital requirements, financial condition, prospects and other factors our Board may deem relevant. If we do not pay dividends, our stock may be less
valuable because a return on your investment will only occur if our stock price appreciates and you sell our common stock thereafter.
General risks
Our information technology systems may fail or experience security breaches and incidents that could adversely impact our business and operations
and subject us to liability.
We have experienced significant growth in the complexity of our data and the software tools that we rely upon. We rely significantly upon information
technology systems and infrastructure owned and maintained by us or by third party providers to generate, collect, store, and transmit confidential and
proprietary information and data (including but not limited to intellectual property, proprietary business information, and personal information) and to
operate our business.
We expect to continue to incur significant costs related to technical and procedural controls to reduce the risks to our information technology systems.
Despite these measures, our information technology and other internal infrastructure systems face the risk of failures, interruptions, security breaches and
incidents, or other harm from various causes or sources, and third parties with whom we share confidential or proprietary information face similar risks and
may experience similar events that materially impact us.
The techniques used by cyber criminals change frequently, may not be recognized until launched, and can originate from a wide variety of sources,
including outside groups and individuals with a range of motives (including industrial espionage) and expertise, such as organized crime affiliates, terrorist
organizations, or hostile foreign governments or agencies. The costs to us to investigate and mitigate actual and suspected cybersecurity breaches and
incidents could be significant. We may not be able to anticipate all types of security threats and implement preventive measures effective against all such
threats. In addition, an increased amount of work is occurring remotely, including through the use of mobile devices. This could increase our cybersecurity
risk, create data accessibility concerns, and make us more susceptible to communication disruptions.
If we do not accurately predict and identify our information technology systems requirements and failures and timely enhance our information technology
systems, or if our remediation efforts are not successful, it could result in a material disruption of our business operations, including the loss or unauthorized
disclosure of our trade secrets, individuals’ personal information, or other proprietary or sensitive data.
Moreover, any security breach or other event that leads to loss of, unauthorized access to, disclosure of, or other processing of personal information could
harm our reputation, compel us to comply with federal and/or state notification laws and foreign law equivalents, subject us to mandatory corrective action,
and otherwise subject us to liability under laws and regulations that protect the privacy and security of personal information. For more information see
“Risk Factors- We are subject to U.S. and foreign laws regarding privacy, data protection, and data security that could entail substantial compliance costs,
while the failure to comply could subject us to significant liability”.
56
Unfavorable U.S. or global economic conditions as a result of international conflict, or otherwise, could adversely affect our ability to raise capital
and our business, results of operations and financial condition.
While the potential economic impact brought by the hostilities in the Ukraine and the Middle East are difficult to assess or predict, these conditions have
resulted in, and may continue to result in, extreme volatility and disruptions in the capital and credit markets, reducing our ability to raise additional capital
through equity, equity-linked or debt financings, which could negatively impact our short-term and long-term liquidity and our ability to operate in
accordance with our operating plan, or at all. Additionally, our results of operations could be adversely affected by general conditions in the global
economy and financial markets. A severe or prolonged economic downturn could result in a variety of risks to our business, including weakened demand
for our products and services our ability to raise additional capital when needed on favorable terms, if at all. A weak or declining economy could strain our
customers’ budgets or cause delays in their payments to us. Additionally, inflation and surging oil and gas prices could increase our costs of production.
Any of the foregoing could harm our business, and we cannot anticipate all of the ways in which the current economic climate and financial market
conditions could adversely impact our ability to raise capital, business, results of operations and financial condition.
We maintain our cash at financial institutions, often in balances that exceed federally insured limits.
Our cash is held in accounts at U.S. banking institutions that we believe are of high quality. Cash held in non-interest-bearing and interest-bearing operating
accounts may exceed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insurance limits. If such banking institutions were to fail, we could lose all or a
portion of those amounts held in excess of such insurance limitations. Any material loss that we may experience in the future could have an adverse effect
on our ability to pay our operational expenses or make other payments and may require us to move our accounts to other banks, which could cause a
temporary delay in making payments to our vendors and employees and cause other operational inconveniences.
Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters are subject to increasing scrutiny and evolving expectations from customers, regulators,
investors and other stakeholders and may expose us to reputational, cost and other risks.
Companies across all industries are subject to increasing scrutiny and evolving expectations regarding ESG matters. In particular, customers, regulators,
investors and other stakeholders are increasingly focusing on environmental issues, including climate change, energy use, industrial waste, and other
sustainability concerns. Failure to implement sufficient standards and practices for responsible corporate citizenship, support for local communities,
employee diversity and human capital management, health and safety practices, supply chain management, and corporate governance can increase our costs
of production, decrease our revenue, and negatively affect our reputation, employee retention, and the general willingness of customers and suppliers to do
business with us and investors to invest in us. If we do not adapt to or comply with evolving ESG standards and regulations, the resulting consequences
could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business and financial condition.
If our facilities or our third-party manufacturers’ facilities become unavailable or inoperable, our research and development program and
commercialization plan could be adversely impacted and manufacturing of our products could be interrupted.
Our Redwood City, California, facilities house our corporate, research and development and quality assurance teams. Our drug product is manufactured and
packaged at various locations in the United States. Our facilities in Redwood City and those of our third-party manufacturers are vulnerable to natural
disasters, public health crises, climate change and catastrophic events. For example, our Redwood City facilities are located near earthquake fault zones and
are vulnerable to damage from earthquakes as well as other types of disasters, including fires, wildfires, floods, power loss, communications failures and
similar events. If any disaster, public health crisis or catastrophic event were to occur, our ability to operate our business would be seriously, or potentially
completely, impaired. If our facilities or our third-party manufacturer’s facilities become unavailable for any reason, we cannot provide assurances that we
will be able to secure alternative manufacturing facilities with the necessary capabilities and equipment on acceptable terms, if at all. The inability to
manufacture our drug product, combined with our limited inventory of drug product, may result in the loss of future customers or harm our reputation, and
we may be unable to re-establish relationships with those customers in the future. If our or our third-party manufacturer’s capabilities are impaired, we may
not be able to manufacture and ship our products in a timely manner, which would adversely impact our business.
57
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
Not applicable.
58
ITEM 1C. CYBERSECURITY
Item 1C. Cybersecurity
Our board of directors is responsible for overseeing our risk management program and cybersecurity is a critical element of this program. Management is
responsible for the day-to-day administration of our risk management program and our cybersecurity policies, processes, and practices. Our cybersecurity
policies, standards, processes, and practices are based on recognized frameworks established by the Center for Internet Security (CIS) and other applicable
industry standards and are integrated into our overall risk management system and processes. We have not identified any risks from known cybersecurity
threats, including as a result of any prior cybersecurity incidents, that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect us, including our
operations, business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition. We face certain ongoing risks from cybersecurity threats that, if realized, are
reasonably likely to materially affect us, including our operations, business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition. See “Risk Factors - Our
information technology systems may fail or experience security breaches and incidents that could adversely impact our business and operations and subject
us to liability.”
Cybersecurity Risk Management and Strategy
Our cybersecurity risk management strategy focuses on several areas:
•
Identification and Reporting: We have implemented a cross-functional approach to assessing, identifying and managing material
cybersecurity threats and incidents. Our program includes controls and procedures to identify, classify and escalate certain cybersecurity
incidents to provide management visibility and obtain direction from management as to the public disclosure and reporting of material
incidents in a timely manner.
•
Technical Safeguards: We implement technical safeguards that are designed to protect our information systems from cybersecurity threats,
including firewalls, intrusion prevention and detection systems, anti-malware functionality, and access controls, which are evaluated and
improved through cybersecurity threat intelligence, as well as outside audits and certifications.
•
Incident Response and Recovery Planning: We are establishing incident response, business continuity, and disaster recovery plans designed
to address our response to a cybersecurity incident.
•
Third-Party Risk Management: We maintain a risk-based approach to identifying and overseeing material cybersecurity threats presented by
third parties, including vendors, service providers, and other external users of our systems, as well as the systems of third parties that could
adversely impact our business in the event of a material cybersecurity incident affecting those third-party systems, including any outside
auditors or consultants who advise on our cybersecurity systems.
•
Periodic Assessments: We conduct periodic assessments and testing of our policies, standards, processes, and practices in a manner intended
to address cybersecurity threats and events. The results of such assessments, audits, and reviews are evaluated by management and reported to
our Audit Committee and our board of directors, and we adjust our cybersecurity policies, standards, processes, and practices as necessary
based on the information provided by these assessments, audits, and reviews.
Governance
Our board of directors oversees our risk management program, including the management of cybersecurity threats as part of its general oversight
function. Our Audit Committee is taking the lead on behalf of the board of directors on oversight of our cybersecurity risk management program and
receives reports from management concerning our cybersecurity risk management program.
Our cybersecurity risk assessment and management processes are implemented and maintained by various members of our management team, IT
department and other employees, including but not limited to the individuals on our cybersecurity incident management team, which includes individuals
who have a diverse combination of relevant expertise, experience, education and training, with representation from our IT, finance, legal, human resources,
among others. Our team includes individuals with relevant experience in enterprise risk management and disclosure controls and procedures. Additionally,
certain members of our IT department have experience managing cybersecurity programs and are specifically assigned cybersecurity oversight. Our
cybersecurity incident response processes are designed to escalate certain cybersecurity incidents to members of management depending on the
59
circumstances, including in some cases to our executive team. Our cybersecurity incident management team, and other individuals as needed, work to help
us mitigate and remediate cybersecurity incidents of which we are notified.
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
Facilities
Our principal facilities consist of two office spaces in Redwood City, California. We currently occupy 18,026 square feet of office space under a
non-cancelable operating lease that expires in August 2029 and 6,368 square feet of office space under a non-cancelable operating lease that expires in May
2025.
We believe that the facilities that we currently lease are adequate for our needs for the immediate future and that, should it be needed, additional
space can be leased on commercially reasonable terms to accommodate any future needs.
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
We may, from time to time, be party to litigation and subject to claims that arise in the ordinary course of business. In addition, third parties may,
from time to time, assert claims against us in the form of letters and other communications. We currently believe that these ordinary course matters will not
have a material adverse effect on our business; however, the results of litigation and claims are inherently unpredictable. Regardless of the outcome,
litigation can have an adverse impact on us because of defense and settlement costs, diversion of management resources and other factors.
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not applicable.
60
PART II
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF
EQUITY SECURITIES
Market Information
Our common stock is quoted on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “SLNO”. Our March 2022 common warrants, May 2023 Tranche B
warrants, and October 2023 pre-funded warrants are not traded on a national securities exchange.
As of February 26, 2025, there were 33 shareholders of record for our common stock. A substantially greater number of stockholders may be “street
name” or beneficial holders, whose shares are held of record by banks, brokers and other financial institutions.
Dividend Policy
We have never declared or paid cash dividends on our common stock, and currently do not plan to declare dividends on shares of our common stock
in the foreseeable future. We expect to retain our future earnings, if any, for use in the operation and expansion of our business. The payment of cash
dividends in the future, if any, will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon such factors as earnings levels, capital requirements,
our overall financial condition and any other factors deemed relevant by our board of directors.
Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plan
See Item 12, Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters for information regarding
securities authorized for issuance.
Performance Graph
This graph is not “soliciting material,” is not deemed “filed” with the SEC and is not to be incorporated by reference into any filing of Soleno
Therapeutics, Inc. under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, whether made before or after the date hereof and irrespective of any general incorporation
language in any such filing.
The following graph shows the total stockholder return of an investment of $100 in cash at market close on December 31, 2019, through
December 31, 2024 for (i) our common stock, (ii) the NASDAQ Composite Index (U.S.), and (iii) the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index. Pursuant to
applicable SEC rules, all values assume reinvestment of the full amount of all dividends, however no dividends have been declared on our common stock to
date. The stockholder return shown on the graph below is not necessarily indicative of future performance, and we do not make or endorse any predictions
as to future stockholder returns.
61
12/31/2019
12/31/2020
12/31/2021
12/31/2022
12/31/2023
12/31/2024
Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.
100.00
65.65
13.95
4.49
91.27
101.93
NASDAQ Composite Index
100.00
143.64
174.36
116.65
167.30
219.80
NASDAQ Biotechnology Index
100.00
125.69
124.89
111.27
115.42
113.84
Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
N/A.
ITEM 6. RESERVED
62
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements and the related notes that
appear elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act). These statements are often identified by the use of words such as
“may,” “will,” “expect,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “could,” “should,” “estimate,” “plan,” or “continue,” and similar expressions or variations.
Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results and the timing of certain events to
differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences
include, but are not limited to, those discussed in the section titled “Risk Factors,” set forth in Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and
elsewhere in this report. The forward-looking statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K represent our views as of the date of this Annual Report on
Form 10-K. We anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause our views to change. However, while we may elect to update these forward-
looking statements at some point in the future, we have no current intention of doing so except to the extent required by applicable law. You should,
therefore, not rely on these forward-looking statements as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-
K.
Business Overview
We are a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of rare diseases. We have submitted a new drug application
(NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for our lead product candidate, diazoxide choline extended-release tablets (DCCR) for the
treatment of Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) in individuals four years and older who have hyperphagia. On August 27, 2024, we announced that the FDA
had accepted the NDA for filing, designated the application for priority review and set a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target action date of
December 27, 2024. On November 26, 2024, we announced that the FDA had extended the review period for our NDA and set a new PDUFA target action
date of March 27, 2025. DCCR previously received Breakthrough Therapy and Fast-Track designations in the United States (U.S.) and Orphan Drug
designations in the U.S. and European Union (E.U.).
Financial overview
Summary
We have not generated net income from operations to date, and at December 31, 2024 we had an accumulated deficit of $452.3 million, primarily as
a result of research and development and general and administrative expenses. We may not receive marketing approval or be successful in commercializing
DCCR. Accordingly, we expect to incur significant losses from operations for the foreseeable future, and there can be no assurance that we will ever
generate significant revenue or profits. As of December 31, 2024, we had cash and cash equivalents of $87.9 million and marketable securities of $230.7
million.
Revenue recognition
To date, we have earned no revenue from the commercial development and sale of DCCR.
Research and development expenses
Research and development expenses consist primarily of expenses incurred by contract research organizations (CROs) associated with our clinical
trials, contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs) associated with the manufacture of our drug product, employee related expenses, including salaries
and benefits, and professional consultant costs. These expenses will vary with the cadence and success of DCCR progressing from clinical to commercial
stage.
63
General and administrative expenses
General and administrative expenses consist principally of salaries and benefits, stock-based compensation expense, professional fees for legal,
consulting, audit and tax services, insurance, rent, pre-commercial activities, and other general operating expenses not otherwise included in research and
development. We anticipate general and administrative expenses will increase in future periods, reflecting an expanding infrastructure, an increase in pre-
commercial activities, other administrative expenses, and increased professional fees associated with being a public reporting company.
Change in fair value of contingent consideration
Change in fair value of contingent consideration represents the change in the fair value of the additional consideration that we expect to pay to the
former Essentialis stockholders in accordance with the terms of our 2017 merger agreement with Essentialis based on our assessment of the expected
likelihood of achieving two commercial sales milestones of $100.0 million in revenue and $200.0 million in revenue related to DCCR in future years.
Other income (expense), net
Other income (expense), net is comprised of interest income, and recently interest expense from our loan and security agreement with Oxford
Financing LLC and its affiliates (collectively, Oxford), and the change in the fair value of the 2018 PIPE common stock warrant liabilities.
Critical Accounting Policies and Significant Judgments and Estimates
Our management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations are based upon our audited financial statements, which
have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The preparation of these financial
statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses. On an on-going basis,
we evaluate our critical accounting policies and estimates. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe
to be reasonable in 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. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions and conditions. Our significant
accounting policies are more fully described in Note 3 to our audited financial statements contained herein.
Marketable Securities
We classify our marketable securities as available-for-sale and records such assets at estimated fair value in the balance sheets, with unrealized gains
and non-credit related losses that are determined to be temporary, if any, reported as a component of other comprehensive income (loss) within the
statements of operations and comprehensive loss and as a separate component of stockholders’ equity. We classify marketable securities with remaining
maturities greater than three months but less than one year as marketable securities, and those with remaining maturities greater than one year are classified
as long-term marketable securities. Realized gains and losses are calculated using the specific identification method and recorded as interest income and
were immaterial for all periods presented. To the extent the amortized cost basis of the available-for-sale debt securities exceeds the fair value, management
assesses the debt securities for credit loss; however, management considers the risk of credit loss to be minimized by our policy of investing in financial
instruments issued by highly-rated financial institutions. When assessing the risk of credit loss, management considers factors such as the severity and the
reason of the decline in value (i.e., any changes to the rating of the security by a rating agency or other adverse conditions specifically related to the
security) and management's intended holding period and time horizon for selling. During the year ended December 31, 2024, we did not recognize any
credit losses related to our available-for-sale debt securities. Further, as of December 31, 2024, we did not record an allowance for credit losses related to
our available-for-sale debt securities. During 2023 and 2022, we did not hold any marketable securities.
Research and development expenses
64
Research and development expenses are charged to operations as incurred. Research and development expenses consist primarily of salaries,
benefits, bonus, stock-based compensation, consultant fees, certain facility costs and other costs associated with clinical trials and the manufacture of our
drug product. Clinical trial costs are a significant component of research and development expenses and include costs associated with CROs and other
vendors. Invoicing from CROs and CMOs for services performed can often occur several months later. We accrue the costs incurred for clinical trial
activities as measured by patient progression and the timing of various aspects of the trial. For other services, we accrue the costs in connection with third-
party contractor activities based on our estimate of fees and costs associate with the contract that were rendered during the period and they are expensed as
incurred.
Costs to acquire technologies to be used in research and development that have not reached technological feasibility and have no alternative future
use are expensed to research and development costs when incurred.
Stock-based compensation expense
Stock-based compensation expense related to stock options and restricted stock units granted to employees, directors and consultants are measured at
the date of grant based on the estimated fair value of the award. For restricted stock units this fair value is based on our common stock price on the grant
date. We estimate the grant date fair value of stock options, and the resulting stock-based compensation expense, using the Black-Scholes option-pricing
model. The grant date fair value of stock-based awards is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting
period for service-based awards. For performance-based awards the requisite service period is the longest explicit, implicit or derived service period based
on management’s estimate of the probability of the performance criteria being satisfied, adjusted at each balance sheet date.
The Black-Scholes option-pricing model requires the use of highly subjective assumptions to estimate the fair value of stock-based awards. If we
had made different assumptions, our stock-based compensation expense, net loss and net loss per share of common stock could have been significantly
different. These assumptions include:
•
Volatility: The estimated volatility rate is based on the volatilities of our common stock for a historical period equal to the expected life of the
stock options.
•
Expected life: The expected life of stock options represents the period of time that the options are expected to be outstanding. Due to the lack of
historical exercise history, the expected life of our service-based stock options has been determined utilizing the “simplified method”, based on
the average of the contractual term of the options and the weighted-average vesting period. The expected life for the performance-based options
was determined based on consideration of the contractual term of the stock options, an estimate of the date the performance criteria would be
met and expectations of employee behavior.
•
Risk-free interest rate: The risk-free interest rate is based on the yields of U.S. Treasury securities with maturities similar to the expected life of
the stock options.
•
Dividend rate: We have never declared or paid any cash dividends and do not presently plan to pay cash dividends in the foreseeable future.
Consequently, we used an expected dividend yield of zero.
We account for forfeitures as they occur.
Contingent consideration
Contingent consideration elements of a business combination are recorded in accordance with ASC 805 which provides that, when contingent
consideration terms provide for future payment obligations, the obligation is measured at its fair value on the acquisition date, and the subsequent increase
or decrease of the value of the estimated amounts of contingent consideration to be paid is be recognized as expense or income, respectively, in the
consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.
Our agreement to pay the former Essentialis stockholders for achieving certain commercial milestones resulted in the recognition of contingent
consideration, which was recorded at the inception of the transaction, and subsequent changes to estimate the amount of contingent consideration to be paid
is recognized as expenses or income in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss. The fair value of the contingent
65
consideration is based on our analysis of the likelihood of the drug indication being approved by the FDA and then reaching the cumulative revenue
milestones.
Common Stock Purchase Warrants and Other Derivative Financial Instruments
We account for warrants in accordance with the guidance in ASC 815 Derivatives and Hedging. We classify common stock purchase warrants and
other free standing derivative financial instruments as equity if the contracts (i) require physical settlement or net-share settlement or (ii) give us a choice of
net-cash settlement or settlement in shares (physical settlement or net-share settlement). We classify any contracts that (i) require net-cash settlement
(including a requirement to net cash settle the contract if an event occurs and if that event is outside our control), (ii) give the counterparty a choice of net-
cash settlement or settlement in shares (physical settlement or net-share settlement), or (iii) contain reset provisions, as either an asset or a liability. We
assess classification of freestanding derivatives at each reporting date to determine whether a change in classification between equity and liabilities is
required. We determined that certain freestanding derivatives, which principally consist of the 2018 PIPE Warrants, do not satisfy the criteria for
classification as equity instruments due to the existence of certain cash settlement features that are not within our sole control or variable settlement
provision that cause them to not be indexed to our stock.
We classified the 2018 PIPE Warrants at their fair value and re-measured them at each balance sheet date until they were exercised or expired. Any
changes in the fair value were recognized as Other income (expense), net in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss. The 2018
PIPE Warrants expired in December 2023.
Income Taxes
We use the liability method of accounting for income taxes, whereby deferred tax assets or liability account balances are calculated at the balance
sheet date using current tax laws and rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. We have provided a
valuation allowance to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount that will more likely than not be realized.
We make certain estimates and judgments in determining income tax expense for financial statement purposes. These estimates and judgments occur
in the calculation of tax credits, benefits and deductions and in the calculation of certain tax assets and liabilities, which arise from differences in the timing
of recognition of revenues and expenses for tax and financial statement purposes. Significant changes to these estimates may result in an increase or
decrease to our tax provision in a subsequent period.
We make estimates and judgments about our future taxable income that are based on assumptions that are consistent with our plans and estimates.
Should the actual amounts differ from our estimates, the amount of our valuation allowance could be materially impacted. Any adjustment to the deferred
tax asset valuation allowance would be recorded in the income statement for the periods in which the adjustment is determined to be required.
We account for uncertainty in income taxes as required by the provisions of ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes, which clarifies the accounting for
uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements. The first step is to evaluate the tax position for recognition by determining if
the weight of available evidence indicates that it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of related appeals
or litigation processes, if any. The second step is to estimate and measure the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more than 50% likely of being realized
upon ultimate settlement. It is inherently difficult and subjective to estimate such amounts, as this requires us to determine the probability of various
possible outcomes. We consider many factors when evaluating and estimating our tax positions and tax benefits, which may require periodic adjustments
and may not accurately anticipate actual outcomes.
In addition, the use of net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards may be limited under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code in certain
situations where changes occur in the stock ownership of a company. In the event that we have had a change in ownership, utilization of the carryforwards
could be restricted. For more information, see the section titled “Our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards and certain other tax attributes will
be limited.” at Part 1, Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K
66
Results of Operations
Comparison of the Years Ended December 31, 2024 and 2023
Years Ended
December 31,
Increase (decrease)
2024
2023
Amount
Percentage
(in thousands)
Operating expenses:
Research and development
$
78,568 $
25,189 $
53,379
212%
General and administrative
105,861
13,481
92,380
685%
Change in fair value of contingent consideration
3,242
2,714
528
19%
Total operating expenses
187,671
41,384
146,287
353%
Operating loss
(187,671)
(41,384)
(146,287)
353%
Other income (expense), net
Change in fair value of warrant liabilities
-
(182)
182
100%
Interest income, net
12,052
2,578
9,474
367%
Interest expense
(231)
-
(231)
(100%)
Total other income (expense), net
11,821
2,396
9,425
393%
Net loss
$
(175,850) $
(38,988) $
(136,862)
351%
Revenue
We have not commenced commercialization of DCCR, our current sole novel therapeutic drug candidate, and accordingly, through December 31,
2024, have generated no revenue.
Research and development expenses
Research and development expenses were $78.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, which includes $33.7 million of non-cash stock-
based compensation expense, an increase of $53.4 million from $25.2 million in 2023, which included $2.4 million of non-cash stock-based compensation.
Personnel and associated headcount costs increased $6.4 million as we hired additional employees in support of our research and development and potential
commercialization activities. Costs in support of our NDA submission increased $9.0 million and supply chain and related activities increased $6.5 million
in preparation for commercial launch. The cadence of our research and development expenditures will fluctuate depending upon the state of our clinical
programs, the timing of manufacturing and other projects necessary to support the submission of an NDA and prepare for commercial launch. The $31.3
million of additional non-cash stock-based compensation being recognized in the period is predominantly due to performance-based RSU grants which
partially vested upon the acceptance by the FDA of the NDA submission and will fully vest upon the approval of our NDA by the FDA.
General and administrative expenses
General and administrative expenses were $105.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, which includes $66.2 million of non-cash stock-
based compensation, an increase of $92.4 million from $13.5 million in 2023, which included $3.5 million of non-cash stock-based compensation.
Personnel costs including hiring expense and other associated headcount costs increased $10.7 million as we have hired additional employees in preparation
for commercial launch and in support of our increased business activities. New program costs associated with preparation for commercial launch, including
disease state education, analytics, other marketing programs, medical affairs and patient advocacy activities, totaled $15.8 million and professional services
and consulting costs increased $2.9 million. The $62.7 million of additional non-cash stock-based compensation being recognized in the period is
predominantly due to performance-based RSU grants which partially vested upon acceptance by the FDA of the NDA submission and will fully vest upon
approval of our NDA by the FDA. General and administrative expenses will increase in support of commercializing DCCR if we receive FDA approval.
67
Change in fair value of contingent consideration
We are obligated to make cash payments of up to a maximum of $21.2 million to the former Essentialis stockholders upon the achievement of
certain future commercial milestones associated with the sales of DCCR in accordance with the terms of our 2017 merger agreement with Essentialis. The
fair value of the liability for the contingent consideration payable by us achieving two commercial sales milestones of $100 million and $200 million in
revenue, respectively, in future years was estimated to be $14.8 million as of December 31, 2024, a $3.2 million increase from the estimate as of December
31, 2023.
Other income (expense), net
We had other income (expense), net of $11.8 million, an increase of $9.4 million from $2.4 million in 2023. The increase was primarily due to an
increase in interest income driven by higher cash and cash equivalents, and marketable securities during the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the
year ended December 31, 2023.
Comparison of the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
Years Ended
December 31,
Increase (decrease)
2023
2022
Amount
Percentage
(in thousands)
Operating expenses:
Research and development
$
25,189 $
15,265 $
9,924
65%
General and administrative
13,481
9,844
3,637
37%
Change in fair value of contingent consideration
2,714
(712)
3,426
481%
Total operating expenses
41,384
24,397
16,987
70%
Operating loss
(41,384)
(24,397)
(16,987)
70%
Other income (expense), net
Change in fair value of warrant liability
(182)
30
(212)
(707%)
Interest income
2,578
300
2,278
759%
Total other income (expense), net
2,396
330
2,066
626%
Net loss
$
(38,988) $
(24,067) $
(14,921)
62%
Revenue
We have not commenced commercialization of DCCR, our current sole novel therapeutic drug candidate, and accordingly, through December 31,
2023, had generated no revenue.
Research and development expenses
Research and development expenses were $25.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, an increase of $9.9 million from $15.3 million in
2022. The increase is primarily due to increased spending in clinical trials and manufacturing efforts, and expenditures in support of an NDA submission.
General and administrative expenses
General and administrative expenses were $13.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, an increase of $3.6 million from $9.8 million in
2022. The increase was primarily related to higher stock-based compensation expense, higher costs as a result of an increase in headcount, and higher
professional and consulting expenses in 2023.
68
Change in fair value of contingent consideration
We are obligated to make cash payments of up to a maximum of $21.2 million to the former Essentialis stockholders upon the achievement of
certain future commercial milestones associated with the sales of DCCR in accordance with the terms of our 2017 merger agreement with Essentialis. The
fair value of the liability for the contingent consideration payable by us achieving two commercial sales milestones of $100 million and $200 million in
revenue, respectively, in future years was estimated to be $11.5 million as of December 31, 2023, a $2.7 million increase from the estimate as of December
31, 2022.
Other income (expense), net
We had other income (expense), net of $2.4 million, an increase of $2.1 million from $0.3 million in 2022. Interest income during 2023 was $2.3
million higher than in 2022, partially offset by a decrease in fair value of the 2018 PIPE Warrants of $0.2 million during 2023 compared to 2022.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
We used $69.1 million of cash in operating activities and had a net loss of $175.9 million during 2024. We had an accumulated deficit of $452.3
million at December 31, 2024 as a result of having incurred losses since our inception. We had $87.9 million in cash and cash equivalents, $230.7 million
of marketable securities, and $275.1 million of working capital as of December 31, 2024 and we had lease obligations totaling $3.0 million to be paid
through August 2029, consisting of two operating leases for office space in Redwood City, California, one of which terminates in May 2025.
As of December 31, 2024, we had $50.0 million outstanding under our loan and security agreement with Oxford. Under the terms of the loan
agreement with Oxford, an additional $100 million may become available in three additional tranches, with tranches of $50 million and $25 million
contingent upon FDA approval of DCCR for the treatment of PWS and one tranche of $25 million contingent upon certain commercial milestones. A final
$50 million may be made available upon mutual consent with Oxford. The loan carries an interest-only period of 48 months and a total term of 60 months;
provided that if specific milestones are achieved prior to September 30, 2026, the interest-only period and maturity date will be extended by 12 months. The
term loans accrue interest at a floating rate equal to, subject to certain conditions, (a) 1-month term SOFR plus (b) 5.50%.
Prior to entering into the Oxford loan and security agreement, we had historically financed our operations principally through issuance of equity
securities. In May 2024, we closed an underwritten public offering of 3,450,000 shares of our common stock at a public offering price of $46.00 per share,
which included the exercise in full by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares. The gross proceeds of the public offering were $158.7
million, before deducting the underwriter discount and other offering expenses of $9.7 million. In July 2024, we entered into an Open Market Sale
AgreementSM with Jefferies LLC, as sales agent (Jefferies), pursuant to which we may offer and sell, from time to time, through Jefferies, shares of our
common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $150 million.
In October 2023, we announced the closing of the underwritten public offering of 3,450,000 shares of our common stock at a public offering of
$20.00 per share, which included the exercise in full by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares. The gross proceeds of the public
offering were $69.0 million, before deducting the underwriting discount and other estimated offering expenses. We also announced the closing shares of
our common stock and pre-funded warrants in a concurrent private offering pursuant to the securities purchase agreement with certain investors, including
entities affiliated with existing stockholders, at a price per share of common stock equal to the public offering price of $20.00 and a price per pre-funded
warrant of $19.99, for gross proceeds of approximately $60.0 million.
In December 2022, we entered into a securities purchase agreement providing for the sale of up to $60.0 million in warrants and the common stock
issuable upon the exercise thereof. Through December 31, 2024, we have received $10.0 million from the sale of these warrants and $44.8 million in
proceeds from the exercise of certain of these warrants. Warrants with an aggregate exercise price of $5.2 million are still outstanding.
We expect to continue incurring losses for the foreseeable future and may require additional capital to penetrate markets for the sale of our product,
and pursue product development initiatives. We believe that our
69
existing cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities will be sufficient to meet the company's working capital needs for the next 12 months. Our long
term-term capital requirements will depend on several factors, most notably the timing of the potential approval and commercialization of DCCR. We
believe that we will continue to have access to capital resources through possible public or private equity offerings, debt financings, corporate
collaborations or other means, but the access to such capital resources is uncertain and is not assured. In the future, if we are unable to secure additional
capital, we may be required to curtail our commercial launch activities and take additional measures to reduce costs in order to conserve our cash in
amounts sufficient to sustain operations and meet our obligations. These measures could cause significant delays in our efforts to commercialize our
products, which is critical to the realization of our business plan and our future operations.
Cash Flows
The following table sets forth the primary sources and uses of cash and cash equivalents for each of the periods presented below:
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
(in thousands)
Net cash used in operating activities
$
(69,096) $
(24,940) $
(20,781)
Net cash used in investing activities
(225,682)
-
(13)
Net cash provided by financing activities
213,025
180,019
14,092
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
$
(81,753) $
155,079 $
(6,702)
Cash used in operating activities
During 2024, operating activities used net cash of $69.1 million, which was primarily due to the loss of $175.9 million which included $100.0
million of stock-based compensation expense, $2.0 million of depreciation and amortization, $0.4 million of non-cash lease expense, non-cash expense of
$3.2 million for the change in fair value of contingent consideration, and $4.9 million added back for accretion of premium/discount on marketable
securities. Additionally, there was a $6.1 million net decrease usage of cash during 2024 due to changes in operating assets and liabilities.
During 2023, operating activities used net cash of $24.9 million, which was primarily due to the loss of $39.0 million which included $5.9 million of
stock-based compensation expense, non-cash expense of $2.7 million for the change in fair value of contingent consideration, $2.0 million of depreciation
and amortization, $0.3 million of non-cash lease expense, and $0.2 million for the change in fair value of common stock warrant liability. Additionally,
there was a $3.0 million net decrease usage of cash during 2023 due to changes in operating assets and liabilities.
During 2022, operating activities used net cash of $20.8 million, which was primarily due to the loss of $24.1 million which included non-cash
income of $0.7 million for the change in fair value of contingent consideration, adjusted for non-cash expense of $2.5 million of stock-based compensation
expense, $2.0 million of depreciation and amortization, and $0.3 million of non-cash lease expense. Additionally, there was a $0.8 million net increase
usage of cash during 2022 due to changes in operating assets and liabilities.
Cash used in investing activities
During 2024, we used $356.5 million for purchases of marketable securities and $0.2 million for purchases of property and equipment. We received
proceeds of $131.0 million from maturities of marketable securities.
During 2023, there were no investing activities and minimal cash used during 2022 for the costs of acquiring property and equipment.
70
Cash provided by financing activities
During 2024, we received $149.0 million from the sale of common stock, net of issuance costs, $49.9 million from issuance of debt, net of issuance
costs, and $12.9 million from the exercise of common stock and pre-funded stock warrants. We also received $1.3 million from the exercise of stock
options.
During 2023, we received $43.1 million from the sale and issuance of the warrants and $129.0 million gross proceeds from the sale of common
stock. We also received $9.3 million of net cash proceeds from the exercise of warrants and $7.1 million of net cash proceeds through an at-the-market
offering program. The total net proceeds amount was slightly offset by payments for the taxes from net share-settled vesting of restricted stock units.
During 2022, we received $13.8 million of net cash proceeds from the sale of common stock, net of issuance costs. We also received $0.3 million of
net cash proceeds through an at-the-market offering program. The total net proceeds amount was slightly offset by payments for the taxes from net share-
settled vesting of restricted stock units.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
As of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, we had no off-balance sheet arrangements as defined in Item 303(a)(4) of Regulation S-K as
promulgated by the SEC.
Accounting Guidance Update
Recently Issued Accounting Guidance
From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), or other standard setting
bodies and adopted by us as of the specified effective date.
ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Interest Rate Sensitivity
Our primary exposure to market risk is interest rate sensitivity, which is affected by changes in the general level of U.S. interest rates, particularly
because our investments, including cash equivalents, are in the form, or may be in the form of, money market funds or marketable securities and are or may
be invested in U.S. Treasury or corporate debt.
As of December 31, 2024, we had unrestricted cash and cash equivalents totaling $87.9 million and $230.7 million of marketable securities held for
working capital purposes. We do not enter into investments for trading or speculative purposes. We believe we do not have material exposure to changes in
fair value as a result of changes in interest rates. Declines in interest rates, however, will reduce future interest income.
71
ITEM 8. CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
72
Consolidated Balance Sheets
74
Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss
75
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity
76
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
77
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
78
72
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Stockholders and Board of Directors of
Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. (the Company) as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the related
consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended
December 31, 2024, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in
all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each
of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2024, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the Company's
internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024, based on the criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued by the
Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in 2013 and our report dated February 28, 2025, expressed an adverse
opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting because of the existence of a material weakness.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's financial
statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the 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 audits to obtain reasonable
assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing
procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the 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.
Critical Audit Matters
The critical audit matters communicated below are matters arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that were communicated or
required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2)
involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion
on the financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matters below, providing separate opinions on the critical
audit matters or on the accounts or disclosures to which they relate.
Fair Value of Contingent Consideration
Description of the Matter
As discussed in Notes 3 and 4 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company’s acquisition-related purchase price contingent liability, which is
estimated using scenario-based methods based upon the Company’s analysis of the likelihood of obtaining specified approvals from the Federal Drug
Administration as well as reaching cumulative revenue milestones, is remeasured to its estimated fair value each reporting period, with changes in fair value
recorded in the statements of operations and comprehensive loss.
73
Auditing the valuation of the acquisition-related contingent consideration liability was complex and highly judgmental due to the significant estimation
required in determining the fair value. In particular, the fair value estimate was sensitive to significant assumptions such as the Company’s projected future
sales, which are affected by expectations about approval of a New Drug Application and future industry, market or economic conditions.
How We Addressed the Matter in Our Audit
Addressing this matter involved performing procedures and evaluating audit evidence in connection with forming our overall opinion on the financial
statements. These procedures included, among others:
•
We assessed the terms of the arrangement
•
With the assistance of our valuation specialists, we evaluated the appropriateness of the valuation methodologies used by management. This
included testing the completeness, accuracy, relevance and reliability of the market data inputs and evaluating the significant assumptions for
reasonableness.
•
We evaluated the adequacy of the Company’s disclosures related to the fair value of contingent liability in the consolidated financial
statements.
/s/ Marcum LLP
Marcum LLP
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2014.
San Francisco, CA
February 28, 2025
74
Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
December 31,
2024
December 31,
2023
Assets
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents
$
87,928 $
169,681
Marketable securities
203,509
—
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
2,452
1,677
Total current assets
293,889
171,358
Long-term assets
Property and equipment, net
186
12
Operating lease right-of-use assets
2,798
407
Intangible assets, net
6,805
8,749
Long-term marketable securities
27,211
—
Other long-term assets
83
165
Total assets
$
330,972 $
180,691
Liabilities and stockholders’ equity
Current liabilities
Accounts payable
$
8,882 $
3,149
Accrued compensation
4,776
3,135
Accrued clinical trial site costs
1,826
3,393
Operating lease liabilities
526
273
Other current liabilities
2,737
1,555
Total current liabilities
18,747
11,505
Long-term liabilities
Contingent liability for Essentialis purchase price
14,791
11,549
Long-term debt, net
49,828
—
Long-term lease liabilities
2,472
130
Other long-term liabilities
21
—
Total liabilities
85,859
23,184
Commitments and contingencies (Note 7)
Stockholders’ equity
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding
—
—
Common stock, $0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized,
45,703,811 and 31,678,159 shares issued and outstanding at
December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively
46
32
Additional paid-in-capital
696,966
433,885
Accumulated other comprehensive gain
361
—
Accumulated deficit
(452,260)
(276,410)
Total stockholders’ equity
245,113
157,507
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
$
330,972 $
180,691
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements
75
Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss
(in thousands, except share and per share data)
For the Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Operating expenses
Research and development
$
78,568 $
25,189 $
15,265
General and administrative
105,861
13,481
9,844
Change in fair value of contingent consideration
3,242
2,714
(712)
Total operating expenses
187,671
41,384
24,397
Operating loss
(187,671)
(41,384)
(24,397)
Other income (expense), net
Change in fair value of warrant liability
—
(182)
30
Interest income, net
12,052
2,578
300
Interest expense
(231)
—
—
Total other income (expense), net
11,821
2,396
330
Net loss
$
(175,850) $
(38,988) $
(24,067)
Other comprehensive income (loss)
Net unrealized gain on marketable securities
361
—
—
Total comprehensive loss
$
(175,489) $
(38,988) $
(24,067)
Net loss per common share, basic and diluted
$
(4.38) $
(2.36) $
(2.87)
Weighted-average common shares outstanding used to calculate basic and diluted net loss
per common share
40,175,926
16,492,132
8,397,088
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
76
Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity
(in thousands, except share data)
Accumulate
d
Additional
Other
Total
Common Stock
Paid-In
Comprehens
ive
Accumulate
d
Stockholders’
Shares
Amount
Capital
Income
Deficit
Equity
Balances at December 31, 2021
5,324,287 $
5 $
231,143 $
— $
(213,355 ) $
17,793
Stock-based compensation
-
—
2,530
—
—
2,530
Issuance of common stock in connection with vesting of restricted
stock units
18,650
—
—
—
—
—
Tax withholding payments for net share-settled equity awards
(3,683 )
—
(16 )
—
—
(16 )
Sale of common stock in public offering, net of issuance costs of $701
2,666,667
3
9,324
—
—
9,327
Sale of pre-funded warrants in public offering, net of issuance costs of
$333
—
—
4,439
—
—
4,439
Sale of common stock, net of issuance costs of $10
104,773
—
342
—
—
342
Exercise of common stock warrants
48,688
—
—
—
—
—
Net loss
—
—
—
—
(24,067 )
(24,067 )
Balances at December 31, 2022
8,159,382 $
8 $
247,762 $
— $
(237,422 ) $
10,348
Stock-based compensation
-
—
5,809
—
—
5,809
Issuance of common stock in connection with exercise of stock
options and vesting of restricted stock units
510,241
1
482
—
—
483
Tax withholding payments for net share-settled equity awards
(128 )
—
—
—
—
—
Sale of common stock and issuance of common stock warrants and
pre-funded common stock warrants, net of issuance costs of $8,449
7,047,397
6
137,851
—
—
137,857
Exercise of common stock warrants
15,961,267
17
41,981
—
—
41,998
Net loss
—
—
—
—
(38,988 )
(38,988 )
Balances at December 31, 2023
31,678,159 $
32 $
433,885 $
— $
(276,410 ) $
157,507
Stock-based compensation
—
—
99,958
—
—
99,958
Issuance of common stock in connection with exercise of stock
options and vesting of restricted stock units
1,125,054
1
1,315
—
—
1,316
Sale of common stock, net of issuance costs of $9,746
3,450,000
4
148,951
—
—
148,955
Exercise of common stock warrants and pre-funded common stock
warrants
9,450,598
9
12,857
—
—
12,866
Unrealized gain on marketable securities
—
—
—
361
—
361
Net loss
—
—
—
(175,850 )
(175,850 )
Balances at December 31, 2024
45,703,811 $
46 $
696,966 $
361 $
(452,260 ) $
245,113
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements
77
Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(in thousands)
For the Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net loss
$
(175,850 ) $
(38,988 ) $
(24,067 )
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization
1,987
1,958
1,964
Accretion of premium/discount on marketable securities
(4,895 )
—
—
Noncash lease expense
444
321
290
Stock-based compensation expense
99,958
5,945
2,530
Change in fair value of stock warrants
—
182
(30 )
Change in fair value of contingent consideration
3,242
2,714
(712 )
Change in operating assets and liabilities:
Prepaid expenses, other current assets and other assets
(750 )
(837 )
113
Accounts payable
5,672
1,372
(1,477 )
Accrued compensation
1,641
1,460
947
Accrued clinical trial site costs
(1,567 )
171
(198 )
Operating lease liabilities
(183 )
(309 )
(302 )
Other liabilities
1,205
1,071
161
Net cash used in operating activities
(69,096 )
(24,940 )
(20,781 )
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment
(218 )
—
(13 )
Purchases of marketable securities
(356,464 )
—
—
Maturities of marketable securities
131,000
—
—
Net cash used in investing activities
(225,682 )
—
(13 )
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of debt, net of issuance costs
49,888
—
—
Proceeds from the sale of common stock, net of issuance costs
148,955
—
—
Proceeds from the sale of common stock, common stock warrants and pre-funded stock warrants,
net of issuance costs
—
137,857
14,108
Proceeds from exercise of common stock and pre-funded stock warrants
12,866
41,815
—
Proceeds from exercise of stock options
1,316
347
—
Tax withholding payments for net share-settled equity awards
—
—
(16 )
Net cash provided by financing activities
213,025
180,019
14,092
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
(81,753 )
155,079
(6,702 )
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
169,681
14,602
21,304
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
$
87,928 $
169,681 $
14,602
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash operating and financing information
Operating lease right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for operating lease obligations
$
2,835 $
597 $
—
Non-cash exercise of 2018 PIPE Warrants
$
— $
183 $
—
Purchases of property and equipment included in accounts payable
$
1 $
— $
—
Debt issuance costs included in accounts payable
$
62 $
— $
—
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
78
Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.
December 31, 2024
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Note 1. Overview
Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. (the Company or Soleno) is a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of rare
diseases. The Company has submitted a new drug application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its lead product candidate,
diazoxide choline extended-release tablets (DCCR) for the treatment of Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) in individuals four years and older who have
hyperphagia. On August 27, 2024, the Company announced that the FDA had accepted the NDA for filing, designated the application for priority review
and set a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target action date of December 27, 2024. On November 26, 2024, the Company announced that the
FDA had extended the review period for the NDA and set a new PDUFA target action date of March 27, 2025. DCCR previously received Breakthrough
Therapy and Fast-Track designations in the United States (U.S.) and Orphan Drug designations in the U.S. and European Union (E.U.).
The Company incorporated in the State of Delaware on August 25, 1999, and is located in Redwood City, California. It initially established its
operations as Capnia, a diversified healthcare company that developed and commercialized innovative diagnostics, devices and therapeutics addressing
unmet medical needs. During 2017, the Company merged with Essentialis, Inc. (Essentialis) and subsequently received stockholder approval to amend its
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to change its name from “Capnia, Inc.” to “Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.”. Essentialis was a privately held
clinical-stage company focused on the development of breakthrough medicines for the treatment of rare diseases where there is increased mortality and risk
of cardiovascular and endocrine complications. After the merger, the Company’s primary focus has been the development and commercialization of novel
therapeutics for the treatment of rare diseases and the Company divested all prior business efforts.
Note 2. Liquidity
The Company used $69.1 million of cash in its operating activities, had a net loss of $175.9 million during 2024 and has an accumulated deficit of
$452.3 million at December 31, 2024 resulting from having incurred losses since its inception. The Company had $87.9 million of cash and cash
equivalents and $230.7 million of marketable securities on December 31, 2024.
As of December 31, 2024, the Company had $50.0 million outstanding under the loan and security agreement with Oxford Financing LLC and its
affiliates (collectively, Oxford) entered into in December 2024. Under the terms of the loan agreement with Oxford, an additional $100 million may become
available in three additional tranches, with tranches of $50 million and $25 million contingent upon FDA approval of DCCR for the treatment of PWS and
one tranche of $25 million contingent upon certain commercial milestones. A final $50 million may be made available upon the Company's mutual consent
with Oxford. The loan carries an interest-only period of 48 months and a total term of 60 months; provided that if specific milestones are achieved prior to
September 30, 2026, the interest-only period and maturity date will be extended by 12 months. The term loans accrue interest at a floating rate equal to,
subject to certain conditions, (a) 1-month term SOFR plus (b) 5.50%.
Prior to entering into the Oxford loan and security agreement, the Company had historically financed its operations principally through issuance of
equity securities. On May 9, 2024, the Company closed an underwritten public offering of 3,450,000 shares of its common stock at a public offering price
of $46.00 per share, which included the exercise in full by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares. The gross proceeds of the public
offering were $158.7 million, before deducting the underwriter discount and other offering expenses, totaling approximately $9.7 million. On July 19, 2024,
the Company entered into an Open Market AgreementSM (the Sales Agreement) with Jefferies LLC, as sales agent (Jefferies), pursuant to which the
Company may offer and sell, from time to time, through Jefferies shares of its common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $150 million.
79
In December 2022, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement providing for the sale of up to $60.0 million in warrants (Tranche A
and Tranche B) and the common stock issuable upon the exercise thereof. Cumulative to date through December 31, 2024, the Company has received $10.0
million from the sale of these warrants and $44.8 million in proceeds from the exercise of certain of these warrants. Warrants with an aggregate exercise
price of $5.2 million are still outstanding.
The Company expects to continue incurring losses for the foreseeable future. However, the Company expects that its current cash and cash
equivalents and marketable securities balances will be sufficient to enable the Company to meet its obligations for at least the next twelve months from the
date of this filing.
Note 3. Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting
principles (GAAP), and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Certain reclassifications on the
consolidated statements of cash flows have been made to conform to current period presentation.
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and
balances have been eliminated in consolidation.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect
the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, and reported amounts of expenses in the financial statements
and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Key estimates included in the financial statements include the valuation of
deferred income tax assets, the valuation of financial instruments, stock-based compensation, accrued costs for services rendered in connection with third-
party contractor clinical trial activities, and the valuation of contingent liabilities for the purchase price of assets obtained through acquisition.
Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to a concentration of credit risk consist of cash and cash equivalents and marketable
securities at U.S. banking institutions. At December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company’s cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities were held by
three and two separate financial institutions, respectively, and at times these balances may exceed the federally-insured limits. Operating cash in excess of
federally-insured limits is custodied at a separate financial institution with an overnight sweep feature into a U.S. government money market fund.
Segments
The Company operates in one segment. Management uses one measurement of profitability and does not segregate its business for internal reporting,
making operating decisions, and assessing financial performance. All long-lived assets are maintained in the U.S.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company considers all highly liquid investments, including its money market funds, purchased with an original maturity of three months or less
to be cash equivalents. The Company’s cash and cash equivalents are held primarily in institutions in the U.S. and include deposits in a money market funds
which were unrestricted as to withdrawal or use.
80
Marketable Securities
The Company classifies its marketable securities as available-for-sale and records such assets at estimated fair value in the balance sheets, with
unrealized gains and non-credit related losses that are determined to be temporary, if any, reported as a component of other comprehensive income (loss)
within the statements of operations and comprehensive loss and as a separate component of stockholders’ equity. The Company classifies marketable
securities with remaining maturities greater than three months but less than one year as marketable securities, and those with remaining maturities greater
than one year are classified as long-term marketable securities. Realized gains and losses are calculated using the specific identification method and
recorded as interest income and were immaterial for all periods presented. To the extent the amortized cost basis of the available-for-sale debt securities
exceeds the fair value, management assesses the debt securities for credit loss; however, management considers the risk of credit loss to be minimized by
the Company's policy of investing in financial instruments issued by highly-rated financial institutions. When assessing the risk of credit loss, management
considers factors such as the severity and the reason of the decline in value (i.e., any changes to the rating of the security by a rating agency or other adverse
conditions specifically related to the security) and management's intended holding period and time horizon for selling. During the year ended December 31,
2024, the Company did not recognize any credit losses related to its available-for-sale debt securities. Further, as of December 31, 2024, the Company did
not record an allowance for credit losses related to its available-for-sale debt securities. During 2023 and 2022, the Company did not hold any marketable
securities.
Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets
Prepaid expenses and other current assets consist of payments primarily related to clinical trials, insurance and short-term deposits. Prepaid expenses
are initially recorded upon payment and are expensed as goods or services are received.
Property and Equipment, Net
Property and equipment are stated at cost net of accumulated depreciation and amortization calculated using the straight-line method over the
estimated useful lives of the assets, generally between three and five years. Leasehold improvements are amortized on a straight-line basis over the lesser of
their useful life or the remaining term of the lease. Maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred, and improvements are capitalized. When
assets are retired or otherwise disposed of, the cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the balance sheet and any resulting gain or loss is
reflected in operations in the period realized.
Leases
The Company determines whether an arrangement is a lease at inception. Specifically, it considers whether it controls the underlying asset and has
the right to obtain substantially all the economic benefits or outputs from the asset. If the contractual arrangement contains a lease, the Company then
determines whether it is an operating or finance lease. Right-of-Use (ROU) assets represent the Company’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease
term and lease liabilities represent the Company’s obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. ROU assets and lease liabilities are recognized
at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. Lease expense for operating lease payments is recognized on a
straight-line basis over the lease term. Finance lease classification results in a front-loaded expense recognition pattern over the lease term as it recognizes
interest expense and amortization expense as separate components of lease expense.
The Company does not separate lease components from non-lease components for all classes of underlying assets, and instead accounts for the lease
and non-lease components as a single component. Variable lease payments are recognized as they are incurred and primarily include common area
maintenance, utilities, real estate taxes, insurance and other operating costs that are passed on from the lessor in proportion to the space leased by the
Company. The Company does not recognize lease assets and lease liabilities for leases with an original lease term of less than one year.
81
Long-Lived Assets
The Company reviews its long-lived assets for impairment annually and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying
amount of the assets may not be fully recoverable. The Company evaluates assets for potential impairment by comparing estimated future undiscounted net
cash flows to the carrying amount of the asset. If the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the estimated future undiscounted cash flows, impairment is
measured based on the difference between the carrying amount and the fair value of the assets.
Intangible Assets
In March 2017, the Company completed the acquisition of Essentialis in accordance with the merger agreement by and between the Company and
Essentialis dated December 22, 2016 (the Merger Agreement). The merger transaction was accounted for as an asset acquisition under the acquisition
method of accounting and accordingly, the value of $22.0 million was assigned to the identifiable intangible asset relating to the patent for DCCR, which
patent is currently set to expire in June 2028.
Intangible assets with finite lives are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives, which for the patent is 11 years. The useful
life of the intangible asset is evaluated each reporting period to determine whether events and circumstances warrant a revision to the remaining useful life.
Debt
Debt is recognized at its principal amounts upon issuance, net of any issuance costs. The Company categorizes its debt into current and long-term
liabilities based on the maturity date. Interest expense on debt is recorded in the period in which it is incurred. Debt issuance costs are accreted into interest
expense using the straight-line method over the contractual term of the debt. The Company regularly reviews its debt agreements for compliance with
covenants and assesses its ability to meet future obligations.
Research and Development
Research and development costs are charged to operations as incurred. Research and development costs consist primarily of salaries, benefits, bonus,
stock-based compensation, consultant fees, certain facility costs and other costs associated with clinical trials and the manufacture of our drug product.
Clinical trial costs are a significant component of research and development expenses and include costs associated with CROs and other vendors. Invoicing
CROs and CMOs for services performed can often occur several months later. The Company accrues the costs incurred for clinical trial activities as
measured by patient progression and the timing of various aspects of the trial. For other services the Company accrues the costs in connection with third-
party contractor activities based on its estimate of fees and costs associate with the contract that were rendered during the period and they are expensed as
incurred.
Costs to acquire technologies to be used in research and development that have not reached technological feasibility and have no alternative future
use are expensed to research and development costs when incurred.
Change in fair value of contingent consideration
The Company recorded the value of contingent future consideration to be paid for the acquisition of Essentialis as a liability in March 2017 at the
date of the acquisition. The changes in value of the liability for the contingent consideration since the acquisition date are recorded as operating expense in
the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability method. Under this method, deferred income tax assets and liabilities are
recorded based on the estimated future tax effects of differences between the amounts at which assets and liabilities are recorded for financial reporting
purposes and the amounts recorded for income tax purposes. A valuation allowance is provided against the Company’s deferred income tax assets when
their realization is not reasonably assured.
82
The Company assesses all material positions taken in any income tax return, including all significant uncertain positions, in all tax years that are still
subject to assessment or challenge by relevant taxing authorities. Assessing an uncertain tax position begins with the initial determination of the position’s
sustainability and is measured at the largest amount of benefit that is greater than fifty percent likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. As of each
balance sheet date, unresolved uncertain tax positions must be reassessed, and the Company will determine whether (i) the factors underlying the
sustainability assertion have changed and (ii) the amount of the recognized tax benefit is still appropriate. The recognition and measurement of tax benefits
requires significant judgment. Judgments concerning the recognition and measurement of a tax benefit might change as new information becomes available.
Common Stock Purchase Warrants and Other Derivative Financial Instruments
The Company classifies common stock purchase warrants and other free standing derivative financial instruments as equity if the contracts (i)
require physical settlement or net-share settlement or (ii) give the Company a choice of net-cash settlement or settlement in its own shares (physical
settlement or net-share settlement). The Company classifies any contracts that (i) require net-cash settlement (including a requirement to net cash settle the
contract if an event occurs and if that event is outside the control of the Company), (ii) give the counterparty a choice of net-cash settlement or settlement in
shares (physical settlement or net-share settlement), or (iii) contain reset provisions as either an asset or a liability. The Company assesses classification of
its freestanding derivatives at each reporting date to determine whether a change in classification between equity and liabilities is required.
The Company determined that certain freestanding derivatives, which principally consist of 2018 PIPE Warrants, do not satisfy the criteria for
classification as equity instruments due to the existence of certain cash settlement features that are not within the sole control of the Company or variable
settlement provision that cause them to not be indexed to the Company’s own stock.
The Company classified the 2018 PIPE Warrants at their fair value and re-measured them at each balance sheet date until they were exercised or
expired. Any changes in the fair value were recognized as Other income (expense), net in the consolidated statements of operations. The 2018 PIPE
Warrants expired in December 2023.
Stock-Based Compensation
Stock-based compensation costs related to stock options and restricted stock units granted to employees, directors and consultants are measured at
the date of grant based on the estimated fair value of the award. For restricted stock units this fair value is based on the Company’s common stock price on
the grant date. The Company estimates the grant date fair value of stock options, and the resulting stock-based compensation expense, using the Black-
Scholes option-pricing model. The grant date fair value of stock-based awards is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which
is generally the vesting period for service-based awards. For performance-based awards the requisite service period is the longest explicit, implicit or
derived service period based on management’s estimate of the probability of the performance criteria being satisfied, adjusted at each balance sheet date.
The Black-Scholes option-pricing model requires the use of highly subjective assumptions to estimate the fair value of stock-based awards. If the
Company had made different assumptions, its stock-based compensation expense, net loss and net loss per share of common stock could have been
significantly different. These assumptions include:
•
Expected life: The expected life of stock options represents the period of time that the options are expected to be outstanding. Due to the lack of
historical exercise history, the expected life of the Company’s service-based stock options has been determined utilizing the “simplified
method”, based on the average of the contractual term of the options and the weighted-average vesting period. The expected life for the
performance-based options was determined based on consideration of the contractual term of the stock options, an estimate of the date the
performance criteria would be met and expectations of employee behavior.
83
•
Risk-free interest rate: The risk-free interest rate is based on the yields of U.S. Treasury securities with maturities similar to the expected life of
the stock options.
•
Volatility: The estimated volatility rate is based on the volatilities of the Company’s common stock for a historical period equal to the expected
life of the stock options.
•
Dividend rate: The Company has never declared or paid any cash dividends and does not presently plan to pay cash dividends in the
foreseeable future. Consequently, the Company used an expected dividend yield of zero.
The Company accounts for forfeitures as they occur.
Recent Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) or other standard setting
bodies that are adopted by the Company as of the specified effective date.
In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-07, Segment Reporting – Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures, which provides updates
to qualitative and quantitative reportable segment disclosure requirements, including enhanced disclosures about significant segment expenses and
increased interim disclosure requirements, among others. The ASU requires disclosures to include significant segment expenses that are regularly provided
to the chief operating decision maker (CODM), a description of other segment items by reportable segment, and any additional measures of a segment's
profit or loss used by the CODM when deciding how to allocate resources. The ASU also requires all annual disclosures to be disclosed in interim periods.
This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. The
Company adopted ASU 2023-07 on October 1, 2024 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.
In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures, which amends the guidance in ASC 740, Income
Taxes. This amendment is intended to improve the transparency of income tax disclosures by requiring (1) consistent categories and greater disaggregation
of information in the rate reconciliation and (2) income taxes paid disaggregated by jurisdiction. It also includes certain other amendments to improve the
effectiveness of income tax disclosures. The amendment is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. Adoption is permitted either
prospectively or retrospectively, and the Company will adopt the amendment on a prospective basis. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of
adopting this ASU on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures.
In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU 2024-03, Income Statement - Reporting Comprehensive Income - Expense Disaggregation Disclosures
(Subtopic 220-40): Disaggregation of Income Statement Expense, which requires the disclosure of additional information related to certain costs and
expenses, including amounts of inventory purchases, employee compensation, and depreciation and amortization included in each income statement line
item. The guidance also requires disclosure of the total amount of selling expenses and the Company’s definition of selling expenses. The guidance is
effective for the Company for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2026, and for interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15,
2027. The Company is currently assessing the impacts of the new guidance on its financial statement disclosures.
Other accounting standards that have been issued or proposed by FASB or other standards-setting bodies that do not require adoption until a future
date are not currently expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements upon adoption.
Note 4. Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The carrying value of the Company’s cash, cash equivalents and accounts payable, approximate fair value due to the short-term nature of these
items.
84
Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or an exit price paid to transfer a liability in the principal or most
advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. Valuation techniques used to
measure fair value must maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs.
The fair value hierarchy defines a three-level valuation hierarchy for disclosure of fair value measurements as follows:
•
Level I — Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;
•
Level II — Inputs other than quoted prices included within Level I that are observable, unadjusted quoted prices in markets that are not
active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the related assets
or liabilities; and
•
Level III — Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity for the related assets or liabilities.
The categorization of a financial instrument within the valuation hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value
measurement.
The fair value of marketable securities, which are Level 2 financial instruments, is based upon market prices quoted on the last day of the fiscal
period or other observable market inputs. The Company obtains pricing information from its investment manager and generally determines the fair value of
investment securities using standard observable inputs, including reported trades, broker/dealer quotes, bids and/or offers. Marketable securities, all of
which are classified as available-for-sale securities, consisted of the following at December 31, 2024 (in thousands):
December 31, 2024
Amortized Cost
Unrealized Gains
Unrealized Losses
Estimated Fair
Value
U.S. treasury securities
$
197,678 $
449 $
(62) $
198,065
Corporate debt securities and commercial paper
32,681
2
(28)
32,655
Total
$
230,359 $
451 $
(90) $
230,720
The following table sets forth the Company’s financial instruments that were measured at fair value on a recurring basis by level within the fair
value hierarchy (in thousands):
Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2024
Total
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Assets
Cash equivalents:
Money market funds
$
59,885 $
59,885 $
— $
—
Total cash equivalents
$
59,885 $
59,885 $
— $
—
Marketable securities:
U.S. treasury securities
$
198,065 $
— $
198,065 $
—
Corporate debt securities and commercial paper
32,655
—
32,655
—
Total marketable securities
$
230,720 $
— $
230,720 $
—
Total assets
$
290,605 $
59,885 $
230,720 $
—
Liabilities
Essentialis purchase price contingency liability
$
14,791 $
— $
— $
14,791
Total liabilities
$
14,791 $
— $
— $
14,791
85
Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2023
Total
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Assets
Cash equivalents:
Money market funds
$
157,281 $
157,281 $
— $
—
Total cash equivalents and assets
$
157,281 $
157,281 $
— $
—
Liabilities
Essentialis purchase price contingency liability
$
11,549 $
— $
— $
11,549
Total liabilities
$
11,549 $
— $
— $
11,549
Based on the terms of the completed merger with Essentialis on March 7, 2017, the Company is obligated to make cash earnout payments of up to a
maximum of $21.2 million to the former Essentialis stockholders. The fair value of the Essentialis purchase price contingent liability is estimated using
scenario-based methods based upon the Company’s analysis of the likelihood of obtaining specified approvals from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) as well as achieving two commercial sales milestones of $100 million and $200 million in cumulative revenue. The Level 3 estimates are based, in
part, on subjective assumptions. In determining the likelihood of this occurring, the analysis relied on published research relating to clinical development
success rates. Based on management’s assessment, an 88% probability of achieving all three milestones was determined to be reasonable as of both
December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023. During the periods presented, the Company has not changed the manner in which it values its Essentialis
purchase price contingent liability.
The Company recognizes transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy as of the end of the reporting period. There were no transfers within the
hierarchy during the periods presented.
The following table sets forth a summary of the changes in the fair value of the Company’s Level 3 assets and liabilities (dollars in thousands):
Purchase Price
Contingent
Liability
Balance at January 1, 2024
$
11,549
Change in value of contingent liability
3,242
Balance at December 31, 2024
$
14,791
2018 PIPE Warrants
Purchase Price
Number of
Contingent
Warrants
Liability
Liability
Balance at December 31, 2022
34,241 $
1 $
8,835
Change in value of 2018 PIPE Warrants
—
419
—
Exercise of 2018 PIPE Warrants
(21,789)
(183)
—
Expiration of 2018 PIPE Warrants
(12,452)
(237)
—
Change in value of contingent liability
—
—
2,714
Balance at December 31, 2023
0 $
— $
11,549
The Company’s estimated fair value of the 2018 PIPE Warrants was calculated using a Black-Scholes pricing model. The Black-Scholes pricing
model requires the input of highly subjective assumptions including
86
the expected stock price volatility, the expected term, the expected dividend yield and the risk-free interest rate. The 2018 PIPE Warrants expired on
December 21, 2023.
Note 5. Other Financial Statement Details
Property and Equipment, Net
Property and equipment are summarized in the following table (in thousands):
December 31,
2024
December 31,
2023
Computer hardware
$
24 $
72
Leasehold Improvements
52
—
Furniture and fixtures
180
29
256
101
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization
(70)
(89)
Total
$
186 $
12
Depreciation expense was approximately $43 thousand, $14 thousand, and $20 thousand for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022,
respectively.
Intangible Assets, Net
Intangible assets consist of the following (in thousands):
December 31, 2024
December 31, 2023
Amount
Accumulated
Amortization
Net
Amount
Amount
Accumulated
Amortization
Net
Amount
Patents and merger costs
$
22,003 $
(15,198 ) $
6,805 $
22,003 $
(13,254 ) $
8,749
Future amortization expense for intangible assets over their remaining useful lives is as follows (in thousands):
Year ending December 31
Patents and
trademarks
2025
1,944
2026
1,944
2027
1,944
2028 and thereafter
973
Total
$
6,805
Amortization expense was $1.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022.
Note 6. Warrants
The Company has issued multiple warrant series, of which the 2018 PIPE Warrants were determined to be liabilities pursuant to the guidance
established by ASC 815 Derivatives and Hedging.
87
Warrants Issued as Part of the Units in the 2018 PIPE Offering
The 2018 PIPE Warrants were issued on December 19, 2018 in the 2018 PIPE Offering, pursuant to a Warrant Agreement with each of the investors
in the 2018 PIPE Offering, and prior to their expiration on December 21, 2023, entitled the holders to purchase 34,241 shares of the Company’s common
stock at an exercise price equal to $30.00 per share, subject to adjustments.
In the event of a change of control of the Company, the holders of unexercised warrants had the option to present their unexercised warrants to the
Company, or its successor, to be purchased by the Company, or its successor, in an amount equal to the per share value determined by the Black-Scholes
methodology.
Since the Company may have been obligated to settle the 2018 PIPE Warrants in cash, the Company classified the 2018 PIPE Warrants as long-term
liabilities at their fair value and re-measured the warrants at each balance sheet date until they were exercised or expire. Any change in the fair value is
recognized as Other income (expense), net in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.
The 2018 PIPE Warrants were either exercised prior to or expired on December 21, 2023.
Note 7. Commitments and Contingencies
Facility Leases
On June 13, 2024, the Company entered into a new office lease in Redwood City, California for office space for its headquarters facility. The lease
provides office space of approximately 18,026 square feet and for base monthly rent payments beginning at $57,400 that increase annually by
approximately 3.0% over the term of five years from the date of occupancy. In addition to base rent, the Company has agreed to reimburse the landlord for
certain operating expenses under the terms of the lease. The lease commencement date was September 1, 2024 when the premises became available for
occupancy and the related operating lease ROU assets and liabilities were recorded in the Company's consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2024.
The Company's operating lease ROU assets, current operating lease liabilities and long-term operating lease liabilities each appear as a separate line
within the Company's consolidated balance sheets. In September 2024, the Company recorded an increase to its right-of-use assets by $2.8 million and an
increase to its lease liability of $2.8 million as a result of the June 2024 office lease. As of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company's
short-term liabilities were equal to $0.5 million and $0.3 million, respectively, and the long-term operating lease liabilities were equal to $2.5 million and
$0.1 million, respectively.
The Company's prior operating lease for its predecessor headquarters facility office space in Redwood City, California began in June 2021 and
expired in May 2023. In April 2023, the Company entered into a twenty-four month lease extension commencing on June 1, 2023. The term of the lease
extension expires in May 2025. As a result of the lease extension, in 2023, the Company recorded an increase to its right-of-use assets by $0.6 million and
an increase to its lease liability by $0.6 million.
The weighted average discount rate related to the Company’s lease liabilities was 8.5% as of December 31, 2024 over a remaining term of 4.7 years,
and 8.25% as of December 31, 2023 over the remaining term of 17 months. The discount rates were determined based on estimates of the Company's
incremental borrowing rate, as the discount rates implicit in the Company’s leases cannot be readily determined.
The components of lease expense were as follows (in thousands):
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Operating lease cost:
Operating lease cost
$
548
$
312
$
324
Variable lease cost
16
-
-
Short-term lease cost
157
44
29
Total operating lease cost
$
721
$
356
$
353
88
Supplemental cash flow information related to leases was as follows (in thousands):
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities:
Operating cash flows from operating leases
$
344 $
341 $
354
The following is a schedule by year of future maturities of the Company’s operating lease liabilities as of December 31, 2024 (in thousands):
2025
$
494
2026
751
2027
861
2028
942
2029
665
Total lease payments
3,713
Less interest
(715)
Total
$
2,998
Other Commitments
The Company enters into agreements in the normal course of business, including with contract research organizations for clinical trials, contract
manufacturing organizations for certain manufacturing services, and vendors for preclinical studies as well as other services and products for operating
purposes, which are generally cancelable upon written notice. As of December 31, 2024, the Company's non-cancelable other commitments aggregated
$0.9 million.
Contingencies
In the normal course of business, the Company enters into contracts and agreements that contain a variety of representations and warranties and
provide for general indemnifications. The Company’s exposure under these agreements is unknown because it involves claims that may be made against the
Company in the future but have not yet been made. The Company accrues a liability for such matters when it is probable that future expenditures will be
made, and such expenditures can be reasonably estimated.
Note 8. Long-term Debt
On December 17, 2024, the Company entered into a loan and security agreement for up to $200 million with Oxford. The loan is collateralized by
substantially all of the Company's assets, including its intellectual property, subject to certain limitations.
As of December 31, 2024, the Company had $50.0 million outstanding under the Oxford loan agreement. An additional $100 million may become
available in three tranches, with tranches of $50 million and $25 million contingent upon FDA approval of DCCR for the treatment of PWS and one tranche
of $25 million contingent upon certain commercial milestones. A final $50 million may be made available upon the mutual consent of the Company and
Oxford. The loan carries an interest-only period of 48 months and a total term of 60 months; provided that if specific milestones are achieved prior to
September 30, 2026, the interest-only period and maturity date will be extended by 12 months. The term loans accrue interest, payable monthly, at a
floating rate equal to, subject to certain conditions, (a) 1-month term SOFR plus (b) 5.50%. The principal portion of the loan is due in eleven equal monthly
installments beginning February 1, 2029, through December 1, 2029. However, if a specified milestone is achieved on or after December 17, 2025, then the
term loan will begin to amortize in equal monthly installments beginning on February 1, 2030, and the maturity date will be extended to December 1, 2030.
At maturity, the final principal payment will include a fee of 5% of the total
89
principal borrowed. The $2.5 million final interest payment related to the $50 million borrowed as of December 31, 2024 is accrued over the term of loan as
long-term accrued interest payable. However, if a specified milestone is achieved on or after December 17, 2025, then the term loan will begin to amortize
in equal monthly installments beginning on February 1, 2030, the maturity date will be extended to December 1, 2030, and the final payment will include a
fee of 6.5% of the total principal borrowed. As of December 31, 2024, $21 thousand was accrued as part of other long-term liabilities on the consolidated
balance sheet. Loan issuance costs of $174 thousand are recorded as a reduction of the principal loan balance on the consolidated balance sheet and are
amortized as interest expense over the term of the loan. For the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company recorded $231 thousand in interest expense
and $209 thousand of interest was paid.
The loan and security agreement provides for both affirmative and negative covenants. including covenants limiting the ability of the Company and
their subsidiaries to, among other things, dispose of assets, incur debt, grant liens, pay dividends and distributions on their capital stock, make investments
and acquisitions, and enter into transactions with affiliates, in each case subject to customary exceptions for a loan facility of this size and type. In addition,
the loan and security agreement contains (1) a minimum cash covenant commencing on June 30, 2025 if the Company has not obtained FDA approval for
DCCR for the treatment of Prader-Willi syndrome and at all times thereafter until such approval is received and (2) a minimum revenue covenant
commencing on the earlier of the date that the more than $50 million principal amount of term loans have been funded under the loan and security
agreement and June 30, 2026; provided that such minimum revenue covenant shall not be tested during periods when the Company’s market capitalization
or unrestricted cash meet certain minimum thresholds. The occurrence of an event of default could result in the acceleration of the Borrowers’ obligations
under the loan and security agreement, the termination of the Lenders’ commitments, a 5.0% increase in the applicable rate of interest and the exercise by
the Lender of other rights and remedies provided for under the loan and security agreement.
Note 9. Stockholders’ Equity
Preferred Stock
The Company is authorized to issue 10,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock.
Public Offering of Common Stock
On May 9, 2024, the Company closed an underwritten public offering of 3,450,000 shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $46.00
per share, which included the exercise in full by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares. The gross proceeds of the public offering
were $158.7 million, before deducting the underwriter discount and other offering expenses, totaling approximately $9.7 million.
Public Offering of Common Stock and Concurrent Private Placement of Common Stock and Pre-Funded Warrants
90
On October 2, 2023, the Company closed an underwritten public offering of 3,450,000 shares of its common stock at a public offering of $20.00 per
share, which included the exercise in full by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares. The gross proceeds of the public offering were
$69.0 million, before deducting the underwriting discount and other offering expenses. Concurrently, the Company also completed the closing of
approximately $60.0 million for 1,825,000 shares of its common stock and 1,175,000 pre-funded warrants in a private offering pursuant to a securities
purchase agreement with certain investors, including entities affiliated with existing stockholders, at a price per share of common stock equal to the public
offering price of $20.00 and a price per per-funded warrant of $19.99. In aggregate, the Company received $129.0 million of gross proceeds less offering
costs of $8.2 million The Company is not required under any circumstance to settle any of the pre-funded warrants for cash, and therefore classified the pre-
funded warrants as permanent equity.
Securities Purchase Agreement
On December 16, 2022, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement for a private placement (Private Placement) with certain entities
and members of management (collectively, Purchasers). Pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, the Company agreed to sell to the Purchasers
warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 22,598,870 shares of the Company’s common stock, at a purchase price of $0.4425 per warrant. The closing of
the Private Placement occurred on May 8, 2023 (the Issue Date), following the satisfaction of certain closing conditions, including the completion of
enrollment in the randomized withdrawal period of Study C602. The Company received gross proceeds of $10.0 million for the sale and issuance of
warrants to purchase common stock.
The warrants were separated into two tranches with 8,598,870 Tranche A warrants with an exercise price of $1.75 and aggregate proceeds of up to
approximately $15.0 million, and 14,000,000 Tranche B warrants with an exercise price of $2.50 and aggregate proceeds of up to $35.0 million. The
Tranche A warrants were immediately exercisable and were required to be exercised within 30 days of announcement of positive top-line data from the
randomized withdrawal period of Study C602. On September 26, 2023, the Company announced positive top-line data and subsequently received $15.0
million from the exercise of the Tranche A warrants. The Tranche B warrants are also immediately exercisable and expire upon the earlier of 3.5 years from
the date of issuance or 30 days following receipt of FDA approval of DCCR for the treatment of PWS. Through December 31, 2024, certain investors had
exercised their Tranche B warrants and the Company has received $29.8 million. The receipt of the aggregate exercise price of up to $5.2 million for the
remaining Tranche B warrants is contingent upon the exercise of such warrants.
Underwritten Public Offering
On March 31, 2022, the Company sold 2,666,667 shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $3.75, and for certain investors, in lieu of
common stock, pre-funded warrants (the March 2022 pre-funded warrants) to purchase 1,333,333 shares of its common stock at a public offering price
$3.60 per pre-funded warrant, which represents the per share public offering price for the common stock less the $0.15 per share exercise price for each
March 2022 pre-funded warrant. The March 2022 pre-funded warrants are immediately exercisable and may be exercised at any time until all of the March
2022 pre-funded warrants are exercised in full. Each share of common stock or March 2022 pre-funded warrant was sold together with one, immediately
exercisable, common warrant (the 2022 common warrants) with a five-year term to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price of $4.50 per
share. The net proceeds of the offering were $13.8 million, after deducting the underwriting discount and other offering expenses. The Company is not
required under any circumstance to settle any of the 2022 pre-funded warrants or the 2022 common warrants for cash, and therefore classified both types of
warrants as permanent equity.
In 2024, 254,664 of the March 2022 common warrants were exercised for gross proceeds of $1.1 million and 419,056 warrants were exercised using
the cashless exercise option with no proceeds to the Company. In 2023, 2,070,934 March 2022 warrants were exercised for gross proceeds of $9.3 million
and the remainder of the March 2022 pre-funded warrants totaling 1,280,965 were exercised using the cashless exercise option with no additional proceeds
received by the Company. As of December 31, 2024, 1,255,346 of the March 2022 common warrants remain outstanding.
91
At the Market Offering
In July 2024, the Company entered into the Sales Agreement with Jefferies, pursuant to which the Company may offer and sell up to $150.0 million
of shares of its common stock, from time to time, through Jefferies.
The Company will pay Jefferies a commission of 3.0% of the aggregate gross proceeds from the sale of shares and has agreed to provide Jefferies
with customary indemnification and contribution rights. The Company has also agreed to reimburse Jefferies for certain specified expenses. The Company
is not obligated to sell any shares under the Sales Agreement. The offering of the shares pursuant to the Sales Agreement will terminate upon the
termination of the Sales Agreement by Jefferies or the Company, as permitted therein.
In July 2021, the Company entered into a Controlled Equity Offering Sales Agreement with Cantor Fitzgerald under which the Company may sell
shares of its common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $25.0 million from time to time in any method permitted by law deemed to be an “at
the market” Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. As of December 31, 2023, the Company had sold 1,877,170 shares of common stock
through the at the market program, totaling $7.4 million in net proceeds. The Controlled Equity Offering Sales Agreement was terminated in connection
with the October 2, 2023 financing.
Common Stock Warrants
As of December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, the following table summarizes the Company's outstanding common stock warrants:
As of December 31, 2024
As of December 31, 2023
As of December 31, 2022
Number of
Common Warrant
Shares
Weighted
Average
Exercise Price
per Share
Number of Common
Warrant Shares
Weighted
Average
Exercise Price
per Share
Number of
Common Warrant
Shares
Weighted
Average
Exercise Price
per Share
Expiration Date
Common stock warrants
— $
—
7,904 $
388.94
7,904 $
388.94
November
2024
2018 PIPE warrants
— $
—
— $
—
34,241 $
30.00
December
2023
March 2022 Common
warrants
1,255,346 $
4.50
1,929,066 $
4.50
4,000,000 $
4.50
March 2027
March 2022 Pre-funded
warrants
— $
—
— $
—
1,280,965 $
0.15
March 2027
May 2023 Tranche A Pre-
funded warrants
— $
—
2,758,281 $
0.01
— $
—
November
2026
May 2023 Tranche B
warrants
2,065,305 $
2.50
6,750,000 $
2.50
— $
—
November
2026
May 2023 Tranche B Pre-
funded warrants
— $
—
451,632 $
0.01
— $
—
November
2026
October 2023 Pre-funded
warrants
250,000 $
0.01
1,175,000 $
0.01
— $
—
N/A
Total
3,570,651
13,071,883
5,323,110
(1)
92
(1) Subject to earlier expiration as described above.
Equity Incentive Plans
2014 Plan
The Company maintains the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (the 2014 Plan). Under the 2014 Plan the Company may grant stock options, stock
appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance units or performance shares to employees, directors, advisors, and consultants.
Options granted under the 2014 Plan may be incentive stock options (ISOs) or nonqualified stock options (NSOs). ISOs may be granted only to Company
employees, including officers and directors.
The Board has the authority to determine to whom stock options will be granted, the number of options, the term, and the exercise price. Options are
to be granted at an exercise price not less than fair value. For individuals holding more than 10% of the voting rights of all classes of stock, the exercise
price of an option will not be less than 110% of fair value. Performance-based grants have vesting contingent upon the achievement of certain performance
criteria related to the Company’s commercialization of its therapeutics. The contractual term of an option is no longer than five years for ISOs for which the
grantee owns greater than 10% of the voting power of all classes of stock and no longer than ten years for all other options. The terms and conditions
governing restricted stock units is at the sole discretion of the Board.
On January 17, 2024, the Company filed a Registration Statement on Form S-8 which registered an additional 1 million shares automatically
available for issuance under the 2014 Plan as of January 1, 2024. On June 6, 2024, the stockholders approved the Amended and Restated 2014 Plan which
included an increase of 2 million shares, which became immediately available for issuance. As of December 31, 2024, a total of 155,517 shares were
available for future grant under the 2014 Plan.
Inducement Plan
The Company maintains the 2020 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan (the Inducement Plan). The Inducement Plan provides for the grant of equity-
based awards, including non-statutory stock options, restricted stock units, restricted stock, stock appreciation rights, performance shares and performance
units, and its terms are substantially similar to the Company’s 2014 Equity Incentive Plan.
In accordance with Rule 5635(c)(4) and Rule 5635(c)(3) of the Nasdaq Listing Rules, awards under the Inducement Plan may only be made to
individuals not previously employees or non-employee directors of the Company (or following such individuals’ bona fide period of non-employment with
the Company), as an inducement material to the individuals’ entry into employment with the Company, or, to the extent permitted by Rule 5635(c)(3) of the
Nasdaq Listing Rules, in connection with a merger or acquisition. On January 31, 2024, the Company filed a Registration Statement on Form S-8 which
registered 500,000 shares available for issuance under the Inducement Plan, which became available for issuance following approval of the Board of
Directors on January 24, 2024.
As of December 31, 2024, a total of 5,318 shares were available for future grant under the Inducement Plan.
Stock-based compensation expense
The Company recognized stock-based compensation expense related to options and restricted stock units granted to employees, directors and
consultants for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 of $100.0 million, $5.9 million and $2.5 million, respectively. The compensation
expense is allocated on a departmental basis, based on the classification of the option holder. For the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, the
total income tax benefit related to stock-based compensation was $5.7 million, $1.9 million and zero, respectively, however, due to net operating losses and
a full valuation allowance, no tax benefit was recognized in the financial statements.
93
Stock-based compensation expense was recognized in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss as follows (in thousands):
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Research and development
$
33,743 $
2,434 $
692
General and administrative
66,215
3,511
1,838
Total
$
99,958 $
5,945 $
2,530
Stock Options
The Company granted options to purchase 1,819,324 of the Company's common stock to employees and a consultant during year ended December
31, 2024, and 1,821,784 and 283,919 to employees during year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. There were no performance-based
options granted in 2024, 2023 and 2022. The fair value of each award granted was estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing
model with the following assumptions:
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Expected life (years)
5.8-6.1
5.3-6.1
5.5-6.0
Risk-free interest rate
3.7%-4.6%
3.5%-4.5%
1.7%-3.1%
Volatility
121%-124%
98%-122%
88%-95%
Dividend rate
— %
— %
— %
The Black-Scholes option-pricing model requires the use of highly subjective assumptions to estimate the fair value of stock-based awards. These
assumptions include the following estimates:
•
Expected life: The expected life of stock options represents the period of time that the options are expected to be outstanding. Due to the lack of
historical exercise history, the expected life of the Company’s service-based stock options has been determined utilizing the “simplified
method”, based on the average of the contractual term of the options and the weighted-average vesting period. The expected life for the
performance-based options was determined based on consideration of the contractual term of the stock options, an estimate of the date the
performance criteria would be met and expectations of employee behavior.
•
Risk-free interest rate: The risk-free interest rate is based on the yields of U.S. Treasury securities with maturities similar to the expected life of
the stock options.
•
Volatility: The estimated volatility rate is based on the volatilities of the Company’s common stock for a historical period equal to the expected
life of the stock options.
•
Dividend rate: The Company has never declared or paid any cash dividends and does not presently plan to pay cash dividends in the
foreseeable future. Consequently, the Company used an expected dividend yield of zero.
94
The following table summarizes stock option transactions for the year ended December 31, 2024 under the 2014 Plan and the Inducement Plan:
Number of
Options
Weighted-
Average
Exercise
Price per
Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Term
Aggregate Intrinsic
Value
Outstanding
Share
(in years)
(in thousands)
Balance at December 31, 2023
2,369,665 $
11.56
8.72
Options granted
1,819,324
45.54
Options exercised
(171,520)
7.59
Options canceled/forfeited
(45,671)
59.01
Balance at December 31, 2024
3,971,798 $
26.75
8.48 $
79,578
Options exercisable at December 31, 2024
1,301,183 $
14.45
7.33 $
41,417
Options vested and expected to vest at
December 31, 2024
3,971,798 $
26.75
8.48 $
79,578
The weighted-average grant date fair value of employee options granted was $40.13, $5.04 and $2.62 per share for the years ended December 31,
2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The intrinsic value of the stock options exercised was $6.7 million, $2.2 million and zero for the years ended December
31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. At December 31, 2024, total unrecognized employee stock-based compensation for options that are expected to vest
was $65.4 million, which is expected to be recognized over the weighted-average remaining vesting period of 2.7 years.
Restricted Stock Units
There were 1,249,375 performance-based restricted stock units and 763,270 restricted stock units granted to employees and directors during the year
ended December 31, 2024. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company granted 420,710 restricted stock units, of which 414,710 were granted
to employees with a six-month vesting period, and all such restricted stock units vested during 2023. The Company granted 8,965 restricted stock units to
employees and certain directors during the year ended December 31, 2022. The restricted stock units granted to certain directors in 2022 were 100% vested
on the grant date and represent compensation for past board services.
The following table summarizes restricted stock unit transactions for the year ended December 31, 2024 under the 2014 Plan:
Number of
Restricted Stock
Units
Weighted-
Average
Grant-Date Fair
Value per Share
Outstanding at December 31, 2023
15,534
$
43.92
Restricted stock units granted
2,012,645
46.47
Restricted stock units vested
(1,088,314)
44.64
Restricted stock units cancelled/forfeited
-
-
Outstanding at December 31, 2024
939,865
$
48.55
The weighted-average grant-date fair value of all restricted stock units granted was $46.47, $5.49, and $5.33 per share during the year ended
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The fair value of all restricted stock units vested during the year ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and
2022, was $50.9 million, $12.0 million and $0.1 million, respectively. At December 31, 2024, total unrecognized employee stock-based compensation
related to restricted stock units was $10.9 million, which is expected to be recognized over the weighted-average remaining vesting period of 0.7 years.
137,780 restricted stock units vested on December 31, 2024 and are included in the Restricted stock units vested line item above. The shares of common
stock were
95
subsequently issued after December 31, 2024 and therefore are not included in the outstanding common stock as of December 31, 2024.
2014 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
The Company’s board of directors and stockholders have adopted the 2014 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the ESPP). The ESPP has become
effective, and the board of directors will implement commencement of offers thereunder in its discretion. A total of 1,864 shares of the Company’s common
stock has been made available for sale under the ESPP. In addition, the ESPP provides for annual increases in the number of shares available for issuance
under the plan on the first day of each year beginning in the year following the initial date that the board of directors authorizes commencement, equal to
the least of:
•
1.0% of the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock on the first day of such year;
•
3,729 shares; or
•
such amount as determined by the board of directors.
As of December 31, 2024, there were no purchases by employees under this plan.
Note 10. Income Taxes
The geographical distribution of loss before income taxes are summarized below (in thousands):
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
United States
$
(175,921) $
(39,180) $
(24,173)
Foreign
71
192
106
Loss before income taxes
$
(175,850) $
(38,988) $
(24,067)
The provision for income tax benefit differs from the amount estimated by applying the statutory federal income tax rate to the operating loss due to
the following (in thousands):
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Tax (benefit) on the loss before income tax expense
computed at the federal statutory rate
$
(36,928) $
(8,187) $
(5,055)
State tax (benefit) at statutory rate, net of federal benefit
(1,083)
(505)
(527)
Foreign rate differential
(5)
6
-
Change in valuation allowance
17,626
8,934
5,702
Change in research and development credits
(7,052)
(1,631)
(652)
Stock-based compensation
8,694
(600)
(734)
Change in fair value of warrants
-
38
(6)
Change in fair value of contingent consideration
681
570
(150)
Section 162(m) limitation
—
589
-
Change in net operating loss true up
18,025
39
739
Change in capital losses
432
—
405
Change in state rates
(424)
653
375
Other
34
94
(97)
Provision for income tax benefit
$
— $
— $
—
96
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 and liabilities are as
follows at December 31, 2024 and 2023 (in thousands):
December 31,
2024
2023
Non-current deferred tax assets:
Federal and state net operating loss carryforwards
$
44,319 $
51,481
Research and other credits
14,127
6,352
Capitalized research and development
17,200
6,778
Reserves and accruals
555
655
Fixed assets
23
29
Capital loss carryover
-
432
Stock-based compensation
8,628
2,013
Lease liability
636
85
Other deferred tax assets
57
54
Gross non-current deferred tax assets
85,545
67,879
Intangible assets
(1,445)
(1,837)
Right-of-use assets
(594)
(86)
Total non-current deferred tax liabilities
(2,039)
(1,923)
Total deferred tax assets
83,506
65,956
Valuation allowance
(83,506)
(65,956)
Net deferred tax assets
$
— $
—
The Company has recorded a full valuation allowance against its net deferred tax assets due to the uncertainty as to whether such assets will be
realized. The valuation allowance increased by $17.6 million from December 31, 2023 to December 31, 2024 primarily due to the generation of current
year net operating losses, research and development and orphan drug tax credits claimed, capitalized research and experimental costs, and stock-based
compensation.
As of December 31, 2024, the Company had $173.5 million of federal, $113.5 million of state and no foreign net operating losses available to offset
future taxable income. The Federal net operating loss carryforwards arising from years prior to 2018 began to expire in 2022, however post 2017 federal net
operating loss carryforwards of $152.6 million may be carried forward indefinitely. The state net operating loss carryforwards will begin to expire in 2028.
As of December 31, 2024, the Company also had $16.3 million of federal orphan drug and research and development credits and $5.0 million of state
research and development credit carryforwards. The federal research and development credit carryforward begin to expire in 2024 and the state research
and development credit can be carried forward indefinitely. Beginning in fiscal year 2023, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 eliminates the option to
deduct research and development expenditures currently and requires taxpayers to amortize such costs over a period of five or fifteen years. While it is
possible that Congress may modify, defer, or repeal such provision, we have no assurance that the provision will be modified, deferred or repealed.
Utilization of net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards may be subject to certain limitations under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended, in the event of a change in the Company’s ownership, as defined. The annual limitation may result in the expiration of the net operating
loss and tax credit before utilization. The Company has completed a Section 382 analysis from January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2023 and determined
that a change in ownership has occurred on March 7, 2017, December 21, 2018, June 30, 2020 and September 26, 2023. As a result, the net operating loss
carryforwards generated on or prior to September 26, 2023 are subject to annual limitations before being applied to reduce future income tax liabilities. Of
the $214.7 million net operating loss carryforwards generated on or before December 31, 2023, approximately $90 million are expected to be unavailable
for future utilizations. For years ended after
97
December 31, 2023, the utilization of such net operating losses and tax credit carryforwards maybe subject to further limitation in the event an additional
ownership change were to occur for tax purposes.
U.S. taxes and foreign withholding taxes have not been provided on undistributed earnings for certain non-U.S. subsidiaries as of December 31,
2024, as the earnings, if any, are intended to be indefinitely reinvested.
The following tables summarize the activities of gross unrecognized tax benefits (in thousands):
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Beginning balance
$
2,938 $
1,936 $
1,557
Increase related to current year tax positions
2,884
1,002
379
Increase related to prior year tax positions
1,332
—
—
Decrease related to prior year tax positions
(787)
—
—
Ending balance
$
6,367 $
2,938 $
1,936
The Company uses the “more likely than not” criterion for recognizing the tax benefit of uncertain tax positions and to establish measurement
criteria for income tax benefits. The Company has determined it has $6.4 million of unrecognized assets and liabilities related to uncertain tax positions as
of December 31, 2024. Changes in the unrecognized tax benefits within the next 12 months are expected to be similar to prior years and should not
significantly increase or decrease. In the event the Company should need to recognize interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax liabilities, this
amount will be recorded as a component of other expense.
There were no unrecognized tax benefits that would impact the effective tax rate as of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023. As of December
31, 2024, unrecognized tax benefits of $6.4 million would be offset by a change in valuation allowance.
The Company files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, certain state jurisdictions, United Kingdom and Ireland. The Company paid
minimal foreign taxes in 2024 and zero in each of 2023 and 2022. In the normal course of business, the Company is subject to examination by federal, state,
local and foreign jurisdictions, where applicable. In the U.S federal jurisdiction, tax years 2003 forward remain open to examination, in the state tax
jurisdiction, years 2008 forward remain open to examination and in the foreign jurisdiction, years 2015 forward remain open to examination. The Company
is currently not under audit by any federal, state, local or foreign jurisdiction.
Note 11. Net Loss per Share
Basic net loss per share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted-average number of common stock outstanding during the period. Shares of
common stock that are potentially issuable for little or no cash consideration at issuance, such as the Company's pre-funded warrants issued in March 2022
and October 2023 and in connection with the exercise of certain May 2023 Tranche A and Tranche B warrants, are considered outstanding common stock
and are included in the calculation of basic and diluted net loss per share in connection with ASC 260 Earnings Per Shares. Diluted net loss per share is
computed by dividing net loss by the weighted-average number of common stock outstanding and dilutive potential common stock that would be issued
upon the exercise or vesting of common stock awards and exercise of common stock warrants that are not pre-funded. The Company applies the two-class
method to calculate basic and diluted earnings per share as its warrants issued in March 2022, May 2023 and October 2023 are participating securities.
However, the two-class method does not impact the net loss per share of common stock as the March 2022, May 2023 and October 2023 common warrants
issued do not participate in losses. For the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, the effect of issuing the respective potential common stock is
anti-dilutive due to the net losses in those periods and therefore the number of shares used to compute basic and diluted net loss per share are the same in
each of those periods.
98
The following securities are included in the weighted-average common shares outstanding used to calculate basic and diluted net loss per common
share:
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Common stock
37,689,804
15,040,036
7,409,165
March 2022 pre-funded warrants
-
290,665
987,923
May 2023 Tranche A pre-funded exchange
warrants
1,685,181
778,904
-
May 2023 Tranche B pre-funded exchange
warrants
373,892
92,801
-
October 2023 pre-funded warrants
427,049
289,726
-
Total
40,175,926
16,492,132
8,397,088
The following potentially dilutive securities outstanding have been excluded from the computations of diluted weighted-average shares outstanding
because such securities have an antidilutive impact due to losses reported (in common stock equivalent shares):
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Warrants issued to 2010/2012 convertible note holders to
purchase common stock
-
6,804
6,804
Warrants issued to underwriter to purchase common stock
-
1,100
1,100
2018 PIPE warrants
-
-
34,241
March 2022 common warrants
1,255,346
1,929,066
4,000,000
May 2023 Tranche B warrants
2,065,305
6,750,000
-
Options to purchase common stock
3,971,798
2,369,665
686,574
Outstanding restricted stock units
939,865
15,534
19,068
Total
8,232,314
11,072,169
4,747,787
Note 12. Defined Contribution Plan
The Company sponsors a 401(k) Plan, which stipulates that eligible employees can elect to contribute to the 401(k) Plan, subject to certain
limitations of eligible compensation. The Company may match employee contributions in amounts to be determined at the Company’s sole discretion. In
2024, the Company made matching contributions of $0.2 million and no matching contributions in 2023 or 2022.
Note 13. Segment Reporting
The Company has one operating and reporting segment focused on the development and commercialization of its lead therapeutic candidate, DCCR.
The Company’s chief operating decision maker (CODM) is the chief executive officer who reviews cash operating expenses on a consolidated basis to
make
99
decisions about allocating resources and assessing performance for the entire Company. The CODM does not review assets at a level or category different
than the amounts disclosed in the consolidated balance sheet.
Cash operating expenses reconciled to net loss on a consolidated basis were as follows (in thousands):
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Net operating loss
$
(175,850) $
(38,988) $
(24,067)
Less total other income, net
11,821
2,396
330
Operating loss
(187,671)
(41,384)
(24,397)
Total operating expenses
187,671
41,384
24,397
Less non-cash expenses
Depreciation and amortization
(1,987)
(1,958)
(1,964)
Noncash lease expense
(444)
(321)
(290)
Change in fair value of contingent consideration
(3,242)
(2,714)
712
Stock-based compensation
(99,958)
(5,945)
(2,530)
Cash operating expenses
$
82,040 $
30,446 $
20,325
Note 14. Subsequent Events
The Company has evaluated its subsequent events from December 31, 2024 through the date these condensed consolidated financial statements were
issued and has determined that there are no subsequent events disclosure required.
100
ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES
None.
ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Management's Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
We maintain disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that are designed to provide
reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized
and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to management,
including our Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) and Chief Financial Officer (principal financial officer), as appropriate, to allow timely
decisions regarding required disclosure. In designing and evaluating our disclosure controls and procedures, management recognizes that any controls and
procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives, and management
is required to apply its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures.
As required by Rule 13a-15(b) under the Exchange Act, our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial
Officer, evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) as of December 31,
2024. Based on that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were not
effective as of December 31, 2024 because of the material weakness in internal controls discussed below. Notwithstanding the material weakness, our
management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has concluded that our consolidated financial statements included in this
Annual Report on Form 10-K fairly present, in all material respects, our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.
Management's Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) or
15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act). Our management assessed the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on certain
criteria established in the Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) of the Treadway
Commission in 2013. Based on this assessment, our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of
December 31, 2024, due to the material weakness described below. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal
control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not
be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Specifically:
•
The Company had ineffective design and operation of controls over certain information technology general controls (ITGCs), including
segregation of incompatible duties, program change management, and user access controls to ensure: (i) that access to applications and data,
and the ability to perform program changes, were adequately restricted to appropriate personnel and (ii) that the activities of individuals with
access to modify data and make program changes were appropriately monitored and restricted. Automated process-level and manual controls
that are dependent upon the information derived from such financially relevant systems were also determined to be ineffective as a result of
such deficiency.
The material weakness described above did not result in a material misstatement to the Company’s previously issued consolidated financial
statements, nor in the consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report.
The registered public accounting firm that audited our consolidated financial statements within this Annual Report has issued an attestation report on
our internal control over financial reporting.
Remediation Plans
101
Our management is committed to maintaining a strong internal control environment. Management intends to take comprehensive actions to
remediate the material weakness in internal control over financial reporting, which include the following:
•
Hire additional personnel in the accounting and financial reporting function that would allow for appropriate segregation of duties, both
systematically and operationally. We will continue to reassess staffing and add additional resources, as required, with the requisite experience
and training, to support our system of internal control;
•
Implement a training program for all personnel responsible for internal controls over financial reporting, including educating control owners
regarding the requirements of each control. For control owners with IT responsibilities, develop and implement additional training and
awareness programs addressing ITGC policy and requirements, with a specific focus on user access and change management processes and
controls;
•
Continue to enhance, standardize and monitor the ongoing improvements in design and operating effectiveness of our controls and the
adherence of our personnel to any enhancements in controls, policies, and procedures. Moreover, within our IT environment, increase the
extent of oversight and verification checks included in the operation of user access and program change management controls and processes;
•
We will continue to report regularly to the audit committee on the progress and results of the remediation plan, including the identification,
status and resolution of internal control deficiencies.
We believe the foregoing efforts will effectively remediate the identified material weakness in internal controls over financial reporting. Because the
reliability of the internal control process requires repeatable execution, the successful remediation will require review and evidence of effectiveness prior to
management concluding that the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting are effective. We may also conclude that the additional measures may
be required to remediate the material weakness which may necessitate additional implementation and evaluation time. We will continue to assess the
effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting and take steps to remediate the material weakness expeditiously.
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Except as described above, there were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d 15(f) under
the Exchange Act) that occurred during the quarter ended December 31, 2024 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our
internal control over financial reporting.
102
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
To the Stockholders and Board of Directors of
Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.
Adverse Opinion on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
We have audited Soleno Therapeutics Inc.’s (the Company) internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024, based on criteria established
in Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. In our opinion,
because of the effect of the material weakness described in the following paragraph on the achievement of the objectives of the control criteria, the
Company has not maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024, based on criteria established in Internal Control-
Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.
A material weakness is a control deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable
possibility that a material misstatement of the Company's annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. The
following material weakness have been identified and included in Management's Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting:
•
The Company did not design and maintain formal and effective controls over certain information technology general controls (ITGCs) for IT
systems that are relevant to the preparation of the financial statements. Specifically, (a) user access controls to ensure appropriate segregation
of duties and adequate restriction of user and privileged access to financial applications, programs, and data (b) program change management
controls to ensure that IT program and data changes affecting financially significant IT applications and underlying accounting records are
identified, tested, authorized and implemented appropriately. Automated process-level and manual controls that are dependent upon the
information derived from such financially relevant systems were also determined to be ineffective as a result of such deficiency.
This material weakness was considered in determining the nature, timing and extent of audit tests applied in our audit of the fiscal December 31, 2024
consolidated financial statements, and this report does not affect our report dated February 28, 2025 on those financial statements.
We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the consolidated
balance sheets as of December 31, 2024 and 2023 and the related consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss, stockholders’ equity, and
cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2024 of the Company and our report dated February 28, 2025 expressed an
unqualified opinion on those financial statements.
Basis for Opinion
The Company's management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of
internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our
responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm
registered with the 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 audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable
assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit of internal control over
financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and
testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audit also included performing such other
procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
103
Definition and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting
A company's internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting
and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company's internal control
over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly
reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit
preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are
being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding
prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial
statements.
Because of the 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 risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that degree of compliance
with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
/s/ Marcum LLP
Marcum LLP
San Francisco, CA
February 28, 2025
104
ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
We have social media posts at Twitter (X) - @SolenoTX and LinkedIn - Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. It is possible that information we post on social
media channels could be deemed to be material information. The information on, or that may be accessed through, our website and social media channels is
not incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K and should not be considered a part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Securities Trading Plans of Directors and Executive Officers
During the three months ended December 31, 2024, the Company did not adopt, modify or terminate and no directors or officers, as defined in Rule
16a-1(f), adopted, modified or terminated a Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement or a non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement, each as defined in Regulation S-K
Item 408.
ITEM 9C. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS
None.
105
PART III
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our Definitive Proxy Statement for our 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
The Definitive Proxy Statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this
Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Our Board of Directors has adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to all of our employees, officers and directors, including our
Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and other executive and senior financial officers. The full text of our Code of Business Conduct and
Ethics is posted on the Corporate Governance portion of our website at https://investors.soleno.life/. We will post amendments to our Code of Business
Conduct and Ethics or waivers of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for directors and executive officers on the same website.
ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our Definitive Proxy Statement for our 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
The Definitive Proxy Statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this
Annual Report on Form 10-K.
ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER
MATTERS
The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our Definitive Proxy Statement for our 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
The Definitive Proxy Statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this
Annual Report on Form 10-K.
ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS,AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our Definitive Proxy Statement for our 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
The Definitive Proxy Statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this
Annual Report on Form 10-K.
ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our Definitive Proxy Statement for our 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
The Definitive Proxy Statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this
Annual Report on Form 10-K.
106
PART IV
ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
1.
Financial Statements: See “Index to Financial Statements” in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K
2.
Financial Schedules: All schedules have been omitted because the information called for is not required or is shown either in the financial statements
or in the notes thereto.
3.
Exhibits: The exhibits listed in the accompanying index to exhibits are filed or incorporated by reference as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
107
EXHIBIT INDEX
Incorporated by Reference from
Exhibit
Number
Description of Document
Registrant’s
Form
Date Filed
with the SEC
Exhibit
Number
Filed
Herewith
2.1
Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization, dated as of
December 22, 2016, by and among Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.,
Essentialis, Inc., Company E Merger Sub, Inc., a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Soleno Therapeutics, and Neil Cowen as the
stockholders’ representative.
8-K
December 27, 2016
2.1
3.1
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Soleno
Therapeutics, Inc.
S-1/A
August 7, 2014
3.2
3.2
Amended and Restated Bylaws of Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.
S-1/A
July 1, 2014
3.4
3.3
Certificate of Amendment
8-K
May 11, 2017
3.1
3.4
Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation
8-K
October 6, 2017
3.1
3.5
Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation
8-K
August 25, 2022
3.1
4.1
Form of the Registrant's common stock certificate.
S-1/A
August 5, 2014
4.1
4.2
Description of the Registrant’s Securities Registered Pursuant to
Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
10-K
March 4, 2020
4.29
4.3
Form of Common Warrant To Purchase Common Stock.
8-K
March 30, 2022
4.2
4.4
Form of Tranche B Warrant to Purchase Common Stock
8-K
December 19, 2022
10.3
4.5
Form of Pre-Funded Warrant to Purchase Common Stock
8-K
September 28, 2023
10.2
10.1†
Form of Indemnification Agreement between the Registrant and
each of its directors and executive officers.
S-1/A
June 10, 2014
10.1
10.2†
1999 Incentive Stock Plan and forms of agreements thereunder. S-1/A
June 10, 2014
10.2
10.3†
2010 Equity Incentive Plan and forms of agreements thereunder. S-1/A
June 10, 2014
10.3
10.4†
2014 Equity Incentive Plan and forms of agreements thereunder. S-1/A
July 1, 2014
10.4
108
Incorporated by Reference from
Exhibit
Number
Description of Document
Registrant’s
Form
Date Filed
with the SEC
Exhibit
Number
Filed
Herewith
10.5†
2014 Employee Stock Purchase Plan and forms of agreements
thereunder.
S-1/A
July 1, 2014
10.5
10.6†
2020 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan, as amended on January
24, 2024
8-K
January 30, 2024
10.1
10.7†
Employment Agreement, dated April 6, 2010, by and between
Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. and Anish Bhatnagar.
S-1
June 10, 2014
10.7
10.8†
Employment Agreement by and between the Company and
James Mackaness, dated as of November 11, 2020
8-K
November 13, 2020
10.1
10.9†
Amendment to Employment Agreement by and between the
Company and James Mackaness, dated as of January 8, 2021
8-K
January 13, 2021
10.1
10.10†
Employment Agreement by and between the Company and
Patricia Hirano, dated January 1, 2019
X
10.11†
Amendment to Employment Agreement by and between the
Company and Patricia Hirano, dated as of January 8, 2021
8-K
January 13, 2021
10.3
10.12†
Employment Agreement by and between the Company and
Meredith Manning, dated January 23, 2024
X
10.13
License Agreement for Space and Services, dated February 8,
2024, by and between Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. and Hudson
Towers at Shore Center, LLC
10-K
March 7, 2024
10.58
10.14
Lease agreement between the Company and 1 Twin Property
Owner, LLC dated June 13, 2024 Owner, LLC dated June 13,
2024
10-Q
August 7, 2024
10.1
10.15
Open Market Sale Agreement
, dated July 19, 2024, by and
between Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. and Jefferies LLC
8-K
July 19, 2024
10.1
10.16#
Loan and Security Agreement by and between Soleno
Therapeutics, Inc. and Oxford Finance LLC, dated December 17,
2024
X
10.17†
Amended and Restated Outside Director Compensation Policy
X
19.1
Insider Trading Policy
X
21.1
Subsidiaries
X
SM
109
Incorporated by Reference from
Exhibit
Number
Description of Document
Registrant’s
Form
Date Filed
with the SEC
Exhibit
Number
Filed
Herewith
23.1
Consent of Marcum LLP
X
31.1
Certification of Principal Executive Officer Required Under
Rule 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended
X
31.2
Certification of Principal Financial and Accounting Officer
Required Under Rule 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
X
32.1*
Certification of Principal Executive Officer Required Under
Rule 13a-14(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, and 18 U.S.C. §1350
X
32.2*
Certification of Principal Financial and Accounting Officer
Required Under Rule 13a-14(b) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended, and 18 U.S.C. §1350
X
97.1†
Compensation Recovery Policy
10-K
March 7, 2024
97.1
101.INS
Inline XBRL Instance Document – the instance document does
not appear in the Interactive Data file because XBRL tags are
embedded within the Inline XBRL document.
X
101.SCH
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema With Embedded
Linkbase Documents.
X
104
Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline
XBRL document).
* Furnished and not filed herewith.
† Indicates management contract or compensatory plan.
# Confidential treatment has been requested for portions of this exhibit. These portions have been omitted and have been filed separately with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
110
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.
Date: February 28, 2025
By:
/S/ ANISH BHATNAGAR
President and Chief Executive Officer
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Each person whose individual signature appears below hereby authorizes and appoints Anish Bhatnagar and James Mackaness, with full power of
substitution and resubstitution and full power to act, as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent to act in his or her name, place and stead and to
execute in the name and on behalf of each person, individually and in each capacity stated below, and to file any and all amendments to this annual report
on Form 10-K 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, ratifying and
confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them or their or his substitute or substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
thereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the
registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature
Title
Date
/S/ ANISH BHATNAGAR
Anish Bhatnagar
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
(Principal Executive Officer)
February 28, 2025
/S/ JAMES MACKANESS
James Mackaness
Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and
Accounting Officer)
February 28, 2025
/S/ MATTHEW PAULS
Matthew Pauls
Lead Independent Director
February 28, 2025
/S/ ANDREW SINCLAIR
Andrew Sinclair
Director
February 28, 2025
/S/ WILLIAM G. HARRIS
William G. Harris
Director
February 28, 2025
/S/ DAWN BIR
Dawn Bir
Director
February 28, 2025
/S/ BIRGITTE VOLCK
Birgitte Volck
Director
February 28, 2025
Exhibit 10.10
SOLENO THERAPEUTICS, INC. (FKA CAPNIA,
INC.) EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
This Employment Agreement (the "Agreement") is entered into effective as of January 1, 2019, (the "Effective
Date") by and between Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. (FKA Capnia, Inc.) (the "Company"), and Patricia C. Hirano
("Executive").
1.
Duties and Scope of Employment.
(a)
Positions and Duties. This employment agreement between the Executive and the
Company will commence on the Effective Date, as defined above. Executive will serve as Vice
President, Regulatory Affairs of the Company. Executive will render such business and professional
services in the performance of her duties, consistent with Executive's position within the Company, as
will reasonably be assigned to him by the Company's CEO. The CEO may modify Executive's job title
and duties as it deems necessary and appropriate in light of the Company's needs and interests from time
to time. The period of Executive's employment under this Agreement is referred to herein as the
"Employment Term."
(b)
Obligations. During the Employment Term, Executive will perform her duties
faithfully and to the best of her ability and will devote substantially all of Executive's business efforts
and time to the Company. For the duration of the Employment Term, Executive agrees not to actively
engage in any other employment, occupation or consulting activity for any direct or indirect
remuneration that would impact in any material respect Executive's ability to perform Executive's duties
and obligations hereunder.
2.At-Will Employment. The parties agree that Executive's employment with the Company will be "at-will"
employment and may be terminated at any time with or without Cause or notice. Executive understands and agrees that neither
her job performance nor promotions, commendations, bonuses or the like from the Company give rise to or in any way serve
as the basis for modification, amendment, or extension, by implication or otherwise, of her employment with the Company.
However, as described in this Agreement, Executive may be entitled to severance benefits depending on the circumstances of
Executive's termination of employment with the Company.
3.Term of Agreement. This Agreement will have a term running from the Effective Date through the first anniversary
of the Effective Date (the "Initial Term"). On the first anniversary of the Effective Date, this Agreement will renew
automatically for additional one (1) year terms (each an "Additional Term"), unless either party provides the other party with
written notice of non renewal at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of automatic renewal. If Executive becomes entitled to
benefits under Section 8 during the term of this Agreement, the Agreement will not terminate until all of the obligations of the
parties hereto with respect to this Agreement have been satisfied.
4.
Compensation.
(a) Base Salary. Commencing on the date of this Agreement, the
Company will pay Executive an annual salary of $250,000 as compensation for her services (the "Base
Salary"). The Base Salary will be paid periodically in accordance with the Company's normal payroll
practices and be subject to the usual, required withholding. Executive's Base Salary will be subject to
review and adjustments will be made based upon the Company's normal performance review practices.
(b)
Annual Bonus. Executive will be eligible to participate in any bonus plans or
programs maintained from time to time by the Company on such terms and conditions as determined by
the Company's Board of Directors (the "Board") or its compensation committee (the "Committee"),
including eligibility for a bonus of up to twenty five percent (25%) of Executive's Base Salary, upon
achievement of performance objectives to be determined by the Board in its good faith discretion (the
"Target Bonus"). Any earned bonus will be paid in the next regular payroll period after the Board or
the Committee determines that it has been earned, but in no event shall the bonus be paid after the later
of (i) the fifteenth (15th) day of the third (3rd) month following the close of the Company's fiscal year in
which the bonus is earned, or (ii) March 15 following the calendar year in which the bonus is earned.
(c)
Equity. Executive will be eligible to receive awards of stock options, restricted
stock units or other equity awards pursuant to any plans or arrangements the Company may have in
effect from time to time. The Board or the Committee will determine in its discretion within Executive
will be granted any such equity awards and the terms of any such award in accordance with the terms of
any applicable plan or arrangement that may be in effect from time to time.
5.Employee Benefits. During the Employment Term, Executive will be entitled to participate in the employee benefit
plans currently and hereafter maintained by the Company of general applicability to other senior executives of the Company,
including, without limitation, the Company's group medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, and flexible-spending
account plans. The Company reserves the right to cancel or change the benefit plans and programs it offers to its employees at
any time.
6.Vacation. Executive will be entitled to receive paid annual vacation in accordance with Company policy for other
senior executive officers.
7.Expenses. The Company will reimburse Executive for reasonable travel, entertainment or other expenses incurred
by Executive in the furtherance of or in connection with the performance of Executive's duties hereunder, in accordance with
the Company's expense reimbursement policy as in effect from time to time. Such expenses must be pre-approved by the
Company.
8.
Severance.
(a)
If the Company terminates Executive's employment with the Company without
Cause (excluding death or Disability) or if Executive resigns from such employment for Good Reason,
and if such termination or resignation occurs prior to three (3) months before a Change in Control of the
Company, then Executive will receive, in addition to Executive's salary payable through the date
of termination of employment and any other employee benefits earned and owed through the date of
termination, the following benefits from the Company:
(i)
continuing payments of severance pay in accordance with the Company's normal payroll
policies at a rate equal to Executive's Base Salary rate, as is then in effect, for three (3) months from the date of such
termination without Cause or resignation for Good Reason; and
(ii)
if Executive elects continuation coverage pursuant to the Consolidated Budget
Reconciliation Act of 1985 ("COBRA") within the time period prescribed pursuant to COBRA for Executive and Executive's
eligible dependents, then the Company will reimburse Executive on the last day of each month after her employment
termination date for the COBRA premiums paid during such period for such coverage (at the coverage levels in effect
immediately prior to Executive's termination) for a period ending three (3) months following such termination or resignation;
provided, that such coverage shall end upon such earlier date that Executive and/or Executive's eligible dependents become
covered under similar plans. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company determines in its sole discretion that it cannot
provide the benefit described in this Section 8(b) without potentially violating, or being subject to an excise tax under,
applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act), the Company will in lieu thereof
provide to Executive a taxable monthly payment, payable on the last day of a given month, in an amount equal to the monthly
COBRA premium that Executive would be required to pay to continue Executive's group health coverage in effect on the
termination of employment date (which amount will be based on the premium for the first month of COBRA coverage), which
payments will be made regardless of within Executive elects COBRA continuation coverage arid will commence on the month
following Executive's termination of employment and will end on the earlier of (A) the date upon which Executive obtains
other employment or (B) the date the Company has paid an amount equal to three (3) payments, per the terms of this
agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, the taxable payments in lieu of COBRA reimbursements may be used for any purpose,
including, but not limited to continuation coverage under COBRA, and will be subject to all applicable tax withholdings.
(b)
If the Company terminates Executive's employment with the Company without
Cause (excluding death or Disability) or if Executive resigns from such employment for Good Reason,
and if such termination or resignation occurs within three (3) months prior to, or six (6) months
following, a Change in Control of the Company, then Executive will receive, in addition to Executive's
salary payable through the date of termination of employment and any other employee benefits earned
and owed through the date of termination, the following benefits from the Company:
(i)
continuing payments of severance pay in accordance with the Company's normal payroll
policies at a rate equal to Executive's Base Salary rate, as is then in
effect, for six (6) months from the date of such termination without Cause or resignation for Good Reason;
(ii)if Executive elects continuation coverage pursuant to the Consolidated Budget Reconciliation
Act of 1985 ("COBRA") within the time period prescribed pursuant to COBRA for Executive and Executive's eligible
dependents, then the Company will reimburse Executive on the last day of each month after her employment termination date
for the COBRA premiums paid during such period for such coverage (at the coverage levels in effect immediately prior to
Executive's termination) for a period ending six (6) months following such termination or
resignation; provided, that such coverage shall end upon such earlier date that Executive and/or Executive's eligible
dependents become covered under similar plans. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company determines in its sole
discretion that it cannot provide the benefit described in this Section 8(b) without potentially violating, or being subject to an
excise tax under, applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act), the Company
will in lieu thereof provide to Executive a taxable monthly payment, payable on the last day of a given month, in an amount
equal to the monthly COBRA premium that Executive would be required to pay to continue Executive's group health coverage
in effect on the termination of employment date (which amount will be based on the premium for the first month of COBRA
coverage), which payments will be made regardless of within Executive elects COBRA continuation coverage and will
commence on the month following Executive's termination of employment and will end on the earlier of (A) the date upon
which Executive obtains other employment or (B) the date the Company has paid an amount equal to six (6) payments, per the
terms of this agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, the taxable payments in lieu of COBRA reimbursements may be used for
any purpose, including, but not limited to continuation coverage under COBRA, and will be subject to all applicable tax
withholdings;
(iii)fifty percent (50%) the annual Target Bonus opportunity for the year in which employee is
terminated without Cause or resigns for Good Reason; and
(iv)one hundred percent (100%) of any Equity Awards held by Executive as of the date of such
termination without Cause or resignation for Good Reason shall immediately vest and become fully exercisable (to the
extent applicable).
9.
Conditions to Receipt of Severance; No Duty to Mitigate.
(a)
Separation Agreement and Release of Claims. The payment of any severance set
forth in Section 8 above is contingent upon Executive signing and not revoking the Company's standard
separation and release of claims agreement upon Executive's termination of employment and such
agreement becoming effective no later than sixty (60) days following Executive's employment
termination date (such deadline, the "Release Deadline"). In no event will severance payments be paid
or provided until the release actually becomes effective. Any severance payments or benefits under this
Agreement will be paid on, or, in the case of installments, will not commence until, the sixtieth (60th) day
following Executive's separation from service, or if later, such time as required by Section 9(c). Except
as required by Section 9(c), any installment payments that would have been made to Executive during
the sixty
(60) day period immediately following her separation from service but for the preceding sentence will
be paid to Executive on the sixtieth (60th) day following Executive's separation from service and the
remaining payments will be made as provided in the Agreement.
(b)
Confidential Information Agreement. Executive's receipt of any payments or
benefits under Section 8 will be subject to Executive continuing to comply with the terms of her
Confidential Information Agreement (as defined in Section 12), unless Executive is engaged in Protected
Activity (as discussed in Section 23).
(c) Section 409A.
(i)
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, no severance pay or benefits
payable upon separation that is payable to Executive, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, when considered together with any
other severance payments or separation benefits that are considered deferred compensation (together, the "Deferred
Payments") under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended (the "Code") and the final regulations and
official guidance thereunder ("Section 409A") will be payable until Executive has a "separation from service" within the
meaning of Section 409A.
(ii)Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, if Executive is a "specified
employee" within the meaning of Section 409A at the time of her termination (other than due to death), then the Deferred
Payments, if any, that are payable within the first six (6) months following her separation from service, will become payable
on the first payroll date that occurs on or after the date six (6) months and one (1) day following the date of Executive's
separation from service. All subsequent Deferred Payments, if any, will be payable in accordance with the payment schedule
applicable to each payment or benefit. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if Executive dies following her
separation from service, but prior to the six (6) month anniversary of the separation from service, then any payments delayed
in accordance with this Section 9(c) will be payable in a lump sum as soon as administratively practicable after the date of
Executive's death and all other Deferred Payments will be payable in accordance with the payment schedule applicable to each
payment or benefit. Each payment, installment and benefit payable under this Agreement is intended to constitute a separate
payment for purposes of Section 1.409A- 2(b)(2) of the Treasury Regulations.
(iii)Any severance payment that satisfies the requirements of the "short- term deferral" rule set forth
in Section l.409A-l(b)(4) of the Treasury Regulations shall not constitute Deferred Payments for purposes herein. Any amount
paid under this Agreement that qualifies as a payment made as a result of an involuntary separation from service pursuant to
Section l.409A-l(b)(9)(iii) of the Treasury Regulations that does not exceed the Section 409A Limit (as defined below) will
not constitute Deferred Payments for purposes herein.
(iv)For purposes of this Agreement, "Section 409A Limit" means the lesser of two (2) times: (x)
Executive's annualized compensation based upon the annual rate of pay paid to Executive during Executive's taxable year
preceding Executive's taxable year of Executive's termination of employment as determined under Treasury Regulation
l.409A-l(b)(9)(iii)(A)(l) and
any Internal Revenue Service guidance issued with respect thereto, or (y) the maximum amount that may be taken into account
under a qualified plan pursuant to Section 401(a)(l 7) of the Code for the year in which Executive's employment is terminated.
(v)The foregoing provisions are intended to comply with or be exempt from the requirements of
Section 409A so that none of the severance payments and benefits to be provided hereunder will be subject to the additional
tax imposed under Section 409A, and any ambiguities herein will be interpreted to so comply. Executive and the Company
agree to work together in good faith to consider amendments to this Agreement and to take such reasonable actions which are
necessary, appropriate or desirable to avoid imposition of any additional tax or income recognition prior to actual payment to
Executive under Section 409A.
(d)
No Duty to Mitigate. Executive will not be required to mitigate the amount of
any payment contemplated by this Agreement, nor will any earnings that Executive may receive from
any other source reduce any such payment.
10. Definitions.
(a)
Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, "Cause" means: (i) Executive's act of
personal dishonesty in connection with her responsibilities as an employee that is intended to result in
Executive's substantial personal enrichment; (ii) Executive being convicted of, or pleading no contest or
guilty to,
(x) a misdemeanor that the Company reasonably believes has had or will have a material detrimental
effect on the Company, or (y) any felony; (iii) Executive's gross misconduct; (iv) Executive's willful and
continued failure to perform the duties and responsibilities of her position after there has been delivered
to Executive a written demand for performance from the Company that describes the basis for the
Company's belief that Executive has not substantially performed her duties and Executive has not
corrected such failure within thirty (30) days of such written demand; or (v) Executive's material
violation of any written Company employment policy or standard of conduct, including a material
breach of the Confidential Information Agreement.
(b)
Change in Control. For purposes of this Agreement, "Change in Control" has
the same meaning assigned to such term in the 2014 Plan.
(c)
Disability. For purposes of this Agreement, "Disability" means Executive's
inability to perform Executive's duties due to Executive's physical or mental incapacity, as reasonably
determined by the Board or its designee, for an aggregate of 180 days in any 365 consecutive day period.
(d)
Equity Awards. For purposes of this Agreement, "Equity Awards" means
Executive's outstanding stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock units, performance
shares, performance stock units and any other Company equity compensation awards.
(e)
Good Reason. For purposes of this Agreement, "Good Reason" means
Executive's resignation within thirty (30) days following the expiration of any Company cure period
(discussed below) following the occurrence of one or more of the following, without Executive's
consent: (i) a material reduction in Executive's Base Salary, excluding the substitution of substantially
equivalent compensation and benefits, that is not generally applicable to all Company senior
management or employees of the Company generally; (ii) a material reduction of Executive's authority,
duties or responsibilities, unless Executive is provided with a comparable position; provided, however,
that a reduction in authority, duties, or responsibilities solely by virtue of the Company being acquired
and made part of a larger entity within as a subsidiary, business unit or otherwise (as, for example, when
the Chief Executive Officer of the Company remains as such following an acquisition where the
Company becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of the acquirer, but is not made the Chief Executive
Officer of the acquiring corporation) will not constitute "Good Reason"; or (iii) a material change in the
geographic location of Executive's primary work facility or location; provided, that a relocation of fifty
(50) miles or less from Executive's then present location or to Executive's home
as her primary work location will not be considered a material change in geographic location. In order
for an event to qualify as Good Reason, Executive must not terminate employment with the Company
without first providing the Company with written notice of the acts or omissions constituting the grounds
for "Good Reason" within ninety (90) days of the initial existence of the grounds for "Good Reason" and
a reasonable cure period of not less than thirty (30) days following the date of such notice, and such
grounds must not have been cured during such time.
11.Limitation on Payments. In the event that the payments or benefits provided for in this Agreement or otherwise
payable to Executive (collectively, the "Payments") (i) constitute "parachute payments" within the meaning of Section 280G
of the Code and (ii) but for this Section 11, would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code, then
Executive's the Payments will be either:
(a) delivered in full, or
(b)
delivered as to such lesser extent which would result in no portion of such
Payments being subject to excise tax under Section 4999 of the Code,
whichever of the foregoing amounts, taking into account the applicable federal, state and local income taxes and the excise tax
imposed by Section 4999, results in the receipt by Executive on an after-tax basis, of the greatest amount of Payments,
notwithstanding that all or some portion of such Payments may be taxable under Section 4999 of the Code. If a reduction in
Payments constituting "parachute payments" is necessary so that the Payments are delivered to a lesser extent, reduction will
occur in the following order: (i) reduction of cash payments, which shall occur in reverse chronological order such that the
cash payment owed on the latest date following the occurrence of the event triggering such excise tax will be the first cash
payment to be reduced; (ii) reduction of
acceleration of vesting of equity awards, which shall occur in the reverse order of the date of grant for such stock awards (i.e.,
the vesting of the most recently granted stock awards will be reduced first); and (iii) reduction of other benefits paid or
provided to the Executive, which shall occur in reverse chronological order such that the benefit owed on the latest date
following the occurrence of the event triggering such excise tax will be the first benefit to be reduced. If more than one equity
award was made to the Executive on the same date of grant, all such awards shall have their acceleration of vesting reduced
pro rata. In no event shall the Executive have any discretion with respect to the ordering of payment reductions.
Unless the Company and Executive otherwise agree in writing, any determination required under this Section 11 will
be made in writing by a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants selected by the Company (the
"Accountants"), whose determination will be conclusive and binding upon Executive and the Company for all purposes. For
purposes of making the calculations required by this Section 11, the Accountants may make reasonable assumptions and
approximations concerning applicable taxes and may rely on reasonable, good faith interpretations concerning the application
of Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code. The Company and Executive will furnish to the Accountants such information and
documents as the Accountants may reasonably request in order to make a determination under this Section. The Company will
bear all costs the Accountants may reasonably incur in connection with any calculations contemplated by this Section 11.
12.Confidential Information. Executive confirms her continuing obligations under the Company's standard At-Will
Employment, Proprietary Information and Invention Assignment Agreement (the "Confidential Information Agreement")
dated on or about the date hereof.
13.Assignment. This Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of (a) the heirs, executors and legal
representatives of Executive upon Executive's death and (b) any successor of the Company. Any such successor of the
Company will be deemed substituted for the Company under the tern1s of this Agreement for all purposes. For this purpose,
"successor" means any person, firm, corporation or other business entity which at any time, within by purchase, merger or
otherwise, directly or indirectly acquires all or substantially all of the assets or business of the Company. None of the rights of
Executive to receive any form of compensation payable pursuant to this Agreement may be assigned or transferred except by
will or the laws of descent and distribution. Any other attempted assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of
Executive's right to compensation or other benefits will be null and void.
14.Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications called for hereunder will be in writing and will
be deemed given (i) on the date of delivery if delivered personally; (ii) one (1) day after being sent by a well-established
commercial overnight service; or (iii) four (4) days after being mailed by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested,
prepaid and addressed to the parties or their successors at the following addresses, or at such other addresses as the parties may
later designate in writing:
If to the Company: Soleno
Therapeutics, Inc.
Attn: Chief Executive Officer 1235 Radio Rd,
Suite 110
Redwood City, CA 94065 If to
Executive:
at the last residential address known by the Company.
15.Severability. In the event that any provision hereof becomes or is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to
be illegal, unenforceable or void, this Agreement will continue in full force and effect without said provision.
16.Integration. This Agreement, together with the 2014 Plan, Option Agreement and the Confidential Information
Agreement represents the entire agreement and understanding between the parties as to the subject matter herein and
supersedes all prior or contemporaneous agreements within written or oral. This Agreement may be modified only by
agreement of the parties by a written instrument executed by the parties that is designated as an amendment to this Agreement.
17.Waiver of Breach. The waiver of a breach of any term or provision of this Agreement, which must be in writing,
will not operate as or be construed to be a waiver of any other previous or subsequent breach of this Agreement.
18.Headings. All captions and section headings used in this Agreement are for convenient reference only and do not
form a part of this Agreement.
19.Tax Withholding. All payments made pursuant to this Agreement will be subject to withholding of applicable
taxes.
20.Governing Law. This Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of California (with the exception of its
conflict of laws provisions).
21.Acknowledgment. Executive acknowledges that she has had the opportunity to discuss this matter with and obtain
advice from her private attorney, has had sufficient time to, and has carefully read and fully understands all the provisions of
this Agreement, and is knowingly and voluntarily entering into this Agreement.
22.Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, and each counterpart will have the same force and
effect as an original and will constitute an effective, binding agreement on the part of each of the undersigned.
23.Protected Activity. Nothing in this Agreement limits or prohibits Executive from filing a charge or complaint
with, or otherwise communicating or cooperating with or participating in any investigation or proceeding that may be
conducted by, any federal, state or local government agency or commission, including the Securities and Exchange
Commission, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the
National Labor Relations Board ("Government Agencies"), including disclosing documents or other information as
permitted by law, without giving notice to, or receiving authorization from, the Company. Notwithstanding, in making any
such disclosures or communications, Executive must take all reasonable precautions to prevent any unauthorized use or
disclosure of any information that may constitute confidential information of the Company to any parties other than the
Government
Agencies. Executive is not permitted to disclose the Company's attorney-client privileged communications or attorney work
product.
[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has executed this Agreement, in the case of the Company by their duly
authorized officers, as of the day and year first above written.
COMPANY:
SOLENO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
By: /s/ Anish Bhatnagar
Date: January 25, 2019
Anish Bhatnagar, MD
Chief Executive Officer
EXECUTIVE:
By: /s/ Patricia C. Hirano
Date: January 25, 2019
Patricia C. Hirano
[SIGNATURE PAGE TO PATRICIA HIRANO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT]
Exhibit 10.12
SOLENO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
This Executive Employment Agreement (the “Agreement”) is entered into effective as of January 23, 2024, (the
“Effective Date”) by and between Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”), and Meredith Manning (“Executive”).
1. Duties and Scope of Employment.
(a)Positions and Duties. This employment agreement between the Executive and the
Company will commence on the Effective Date, as defined above. Executive will serve as Chief
Commercial Officer of the Company. Executive will render such business and professional services in the
performance of Executive’s duties, consistent with Executive’s position within the Company, as will
reasonably be assigned to Executive by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”). The Company
may modify Executive’s job title and duties as it deems necessary and appropriate in light of the Company’s
needs and interests from time to time. The period of Executive’s employment under this Agreement is
referred to herein as the “Employment Term.”
(b)Obligations. During the Employment Term, Executive will perform Executive’s duties
faithfully and to the best of Executive’s ability and will devote substantially all of Executive’s business
efforts and time to the Company. For the duration of the Employment Term, Executive agrees not to
actively engage in any other employment, occupation or consulting activity for any direct or indirect
remuneration that would impact in any material respect Executive’s ability to perform Executive’s duties
and obligations hereunder. Executive further agrees to comply with all Company policies currently in
existence or that may be adopted by the Company during the Employment Term. For avoidance of doubt,
Executive hereby agrees that, during the Employment Term with the Company, Executive will not engage
in any other employment, occupation, consulting, or other business activity directly related to the business
in which the Company is now involved or becomes involved during the Employment Term, nor will
Executive engage in any other activities that conflict with Executive’s obligations to the Company.
(c)Prior Agreements. Executive hereby represents and warrants to the Company that
Executive is not party to any contract, understanding, agreement, or policy, written or otherwise, which
would be breached by Executive’s entering into, or performing services under, this Agreement. Executive
agrees to disclose to the Company any and all agreements relating to Executive’s prior employment that
may affect Executive’s eligibility to be employed by the Company or limit the manner in which Executive
may be employed. Executive hereby represents and warrants that any such agreements will not prevent
Executive from performing the duties of Executive’s position. Executive hereby agrees not to bring any
third-party confidential information to the Company, including that of Executive’s former
-2-
employer, and that Executive will not in any way utilize any such information in performing Executive’s
duties for the Company.
2. At-Will Employment. The parties agree that Executive’s employment with the Company will be “at-will”
employment and may be terminated at any time with or without Cause or notice. Executive understands and agrees that neither
Executive’s job performance nor promotions, commendations, bonuses or the like from the Company give rise to or in any way
serve as the basis for modification, amendment, or extension, by implication or otherwise, of Executive’s employment with the
Company. However, as described in this Agreement, Executive may be entitled to severance benefits depending on the
circumstances of Executive’s termination of employment with the Company.
3. Compensation.
(a)Base Salary. During the Employment Term, the Company will pay Executive an annual
salary of $440,000 as compensation for Executive’s services (the “Base Salary”). The Base Salary will be
paid periodically in accordance with the Company’s normal payroll practices and be subject to the usual,
required withholdings. Executive’s Base Salary will be subject to review and adjustments will be made
based upon the Company’s normal performance review practices, in the Company’s sole discretion.
Moreover, the Company may modify salaries and benefits from time to time as it deems necessary.
(b)Bonus. Executive will be eligible to receive an annual discretionary target bonus of up
to forty percent (40%) of Executive’s Base Salary, upon the achievement of performance objectives to be
determined in its good faith discretion by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) or its
compensation committee (the “Committee”) (the “Target Bonus”). The Target Bonus, or any portion
thereof, will be paid as soon as practicable after the Board determines that the Target Bonus has been
earned, but in no event will the Target Bonus be paid after the later of (i) the fifteenth (15th) day of the third
(3rd) month following the close of the Company’s fiscal year in which the Target Bonus is earned or (ii)
March 15 following the calendar year in which the Target Bonus is earned. Executive must be employed by
Company on the date a Target Bonus is paid to earn such a bonus.
(c)Equity. Following the Effective Date, it will be recommended to the Board that
Executive be granted a stock option to purchase 128,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at an
exercise price equal to the fair market value of Company common stock per share on the date of grant (the
“Option”). Subject to the acceleration provisions below, the Option will vest as to 1/4th of the shares
subject to the Option on the one year anniversary of the Effective Date, and as to 1/48th of the shares
subject to the Option monthly thereafter on the same day of each month as the Effective Date (and if there is
no corresponding day, the last day of the month), so that the Option will be fully vested and exercisable on
the fourth anniversary from the Effective Date, subject to Executive continuing to provide services to the
Company through the relevant vesting dates. The Option will be
-3-
subject to the terms, definitions and provisions of the Company’s 2020 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan
(the “2020 Plan”) and the stock option agreement between Executive and the Company (the “Option
Agreement”), both of which documents are incorporated herein by reference. Executive will be eligible to
receive additional awards of stock options, restricted stock units or other equity awards pursuant to any
plans or arrangements the Company may have in effect from time to time. The Board or the Committee of
the Board will determine in its discretion within Executive will be granted any such equity awards and the
terms of any such award in accordance with the terms of any applicable plan or arrangement that may be in
effect from time to time.
4. Employee Benefits. During the Employment Term, Executive will be entitled to participate in the employee benefit
plans currently and hereafter maintained by the Company of general applicability to other senior executives of the Company,
including, without limitation, the Company’s group medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, and flexible-spending
account plans. The Company reserves the right to cancel or change the benefit plans and programs it offers to its employees at
any time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall enter an indemnification agreement with Executive and maintain
coverage under the Company’s directors’ and officers’ liability insurance to the same extent as other senior executives during the
Employment Term.
5. Vacation. Executive will be entitled to receive paid annual vacation in accordance with Company policy for other
senior executives of the Company.
6. Reimbursement of Relocation Expenses. The Company shall reimburse Executive for up to $10,000 in relocation
expenses for Executive’s move to the San Francisco Bay Area, subject to Executive submitting valid receipts to the Company and
any applicable Company policy.
7. Business Expenses. The Company will reimburse Executive for reasonable travel, entertainment or other expenses
incurred by Executive in the furtherance of or in connection with the performance of Executive’s duties hereunder, in accordance
with the Company’s expense reimbursement policy as in effect from time to time. To the extent possible, such expenses must be
pre-approved by the Company.
8. Severance Benefits.
(a)Non-CIC Qualified Termination. If, after six (6) months after the Effective Date, the
Company terminates Executive’s employment with the Company outside of the Change in Control Period
(as defined below) other than for Cause (as defined below), death or Disability (as defined below), or if
Executive resigns from employment for Good Reason (as defined below) (such a termination, a “Qualified
Termination”), then, subject to Section 9, Executive will be entitled to the following:
(i)
continued payment of Executive’s annual Base Salary, at the level in effect immediately prior
to Executive’s termination date, for a period of nine (9) months following the date of the Qualified Termination, with the first
payment paid on the first Company payroll date
-4-
following the effective date of the Release (as defined below) (and to include any amounts that otherwise would have been paid
between the termination date and the payment date); and
(ii) reimbursement by the Company for the cost of premiums for Executive and Executive’s
covered dependents, if any, for group health insurance continuation coverage under Title X of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended (“COBRA”) for up to nine (9) months following Executive’s termination of employment
(the “COBRA Premium Reimbursement”), provided that (x) Executive and Executive’s covered dependents timely elect and
remain eligible for continued coverage under COBRA and (y) such COBRA Premium Reimbursement does not result in excise
tax penalties for the Company under applicable laws (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service
Act). Notwithstanding the preceding, if the Company determines in its sole discretion that it cannot provide COBRA
reimbursement benefits without potentially violating applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public
Health Service Act), the Company will instead provide the Executive a taxable payment in an amount equal to the monthly
COBRA premium that the Executive would be required to pay to continue the Executive’s group health coverage in effect on the
date of termination of employment (which amount will be based on the premium for the first month of COBRA coverage), which
payments will be made regardless of whether the Executive elects COBRA continuation coverage and will commence in the
month following the month of the termination date and continue for the period of months indicated in this section.
(b)CIC Qualified Termination. Upon a Qualified Termination occurring after the Effective
Date and during the period beginning three (3) months prior to a Change in Control (as defined below) and
ending six (6) months following a Change in Control (the “Change in Control Period”), then, subject to
Section 9, Executive will be entitled to the following:
(i)
a lump sum payment equal to twelve (12) months of Executive’s annual Base Salary, at the
level in effect immediately prior to Executive’s termination date, paid on the first Company payroll date following the effective
date of the Release;
(ii) a lump sum payment equal to fifty percent (50%) of Executive’s target bonus for the year in
such the Qualified Termination occurred, paid on the first Company payroll date following the effective date of the Release;
(iii) COBRA Premium Reimbursement for up to twelve (12) months following Executive’s
termination of employment, provided that (x) Executive and Executive’s covered dependents timely elect and remain eligible for
continued coverage under COBRA and (y) such COBRA Premium Reimbursement does not result in excise tax penalties for the
Company under applicable laws (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act). Notwithstanding
the preceding, if the Company determines in its sole discretion that it cannot provide COBRA reimbursement benefits without
potentially violating applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act), the Company
will instead provide the Executive a taxable payment in an amount equal to the monthly COBRA premium that the Executive
would be required to pay to continue the Executive’s group health coverage in effect on the date of termination of employment
(which amount will be based on the premium for the first month of COBRA coverage), which payments will be made regardless
of whether the Executive elects COBRA
-5-
continuation coverage and will commence in the month following the month of the termination date and continue for the period
of months indicated in this section; and
(iv) one hundred percent (100%) of the unvested portion of any Equity Awards held by Executive
that remain outstanding as of immediately prior to the date of such Qualified Termination shall immediately vest and become
exercisable (but, in no case, will more than 100% of the shares subject to any award vest and become exercisable); provided,
however, that any stock options or other equity award held by Executive that, at any time such equity award is outstanding, is
subject to performance-based vesting, will vest assuming target performance. For purposes of clarity, any Equity Awards held by
Executive as of any Qualified Termination not within the Change in Control Period will remain outstanding for three (3) months
following such Qualified Termination in order to give effect to this provision.
(c)Non-Duplication of Payment or Benefits. For purposes of clarity, in the event of that a
Change in Control occurs within three (3) months following a Qualified Termination, any severance
payments and benefits to be provided to the Executive under Section 8(b) will be reduced by any amounts
that already were provided to the Executive under Section 8(a).
(d)Termination for Cause, Death or Disability; Voluntary Resignation without Good
Reason. If Executive’s employment with the Company terminates voluntarily by Executive without Good
Reason, for Cause by the Company or due to Executive’s death or Disability, then (i) all vesting will
terminate immediately with respect to Executive’s outstanding equity awards, (ii) all payments of
compensation by the Company to Executive hereunder will terminate immediately (except as to amounts
already earned and which shall be paid to Executive), and (iii) Executive will only be eligible for severance
benefits in accordance with the Company’s established policies, if any, as then in effect and subject to any
conditions set forth by the Company as to the receipt of such severance benefits.
(e)Accrued Compensation and Benefits. For the avoidance of doubt, in the event of a
termination of Executive’s employment with the Company (for any reason), Executive will receive payment
for all accrued but unpaid wages, all accrued but unused vacation/paid time off, all submitted and approved
expense reimbursements, and other benefits due to Executive as of the termination date, in accordance with
applicable law.
9. Conditions to Receipt of Severance; No Duty to Mitigate.
(a)Separation Agreement and Release of Claims. The receipt of any severance set forth in
Section 8 above is contingent upon Executive signing and not revoking a separation agreement and release
of claims in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company (the “Release”) and provided that such Release
becomes effective and irrevocable no later than sixty (60) days following the termination date (such
deadline, the “Release Deadline”). If the Release does not become effective and irrevocable by the Release
Deadline, Executive will forfeit
-6-
any rights to severance payments or benefits under this Agreement. In no event will severance payments or
benefits be paid or provided until the Release becomes effective and irrevocable.
(b)Limitation on Payments.
(i)
In the event that the payments and benefits provided for in this Agreement or other payments
and benefits payable or provided to Executive (i) constitute “parachute payments” within the meaning of Section 280G of the
Code and (ii) but for this Section 9(b), would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code, then your
payments and benefits under this Agreement or other payments or benefits (the “280G Amounts”) will be either:
(1)
delivered in full, or
(2)
delivered as to such lesser extent which would result in no portion of such payments and
benefits being subject to the excise tax under Section 4999 of the Code, whichever of the foregoing amounts, taking into account
the applicable federal, state and local income taxes and the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code, results in your
receipt on an after-tax basis, of the greatest amount of 280G Amounts, notwithstanding that all or some portion of the 280G
Amounts may be taxable under Section 4999 of the Code.
(ii) Reduction Order. In the event that a reduction of 280G Amounts is being made in accordance
with this Section 9(b), the reduction will occur, with respect to the 280G Amounts considered parachute payments within the
meaning of Section 280G of the Code, in the following order:
(1)
reduction of cash payments in reverse chronological order (that is, the cash payment
owed on the latest date following the occurrence of the event triggering the excise tax will be the first cash payment to be
reduced);
(2)
cancellation of equity awards that were granted “contingent on a change in ownership or
control” within the meaning of Code Section 280G in the reverse order of date of grant of the awards (that is, the most recently
granted equity awards will be cancelled first);
(3)
reduction of the accelerated vesting of equity awards in the reverse order of date of grant
of the awards (that is, the vesting of the most recently granted equity awards will be cancelled first); and
(4)
reduction of employee benefits in reverse chronological order (that is, the benefit owed
on the latest date following the occurrence of the event triggering the excise tax will be the first benefit to be reduced).
In no event will Executive have any discretion with respect to the ordering of payments or benefits.
(iii) Firm. Unless the Company and Executive otherwise agree in writing, any determination
required under this Section 9(b) will be made in writing by a nationally recognized accounting or valuation firm (the “Firm”)
selected by the Company, whose determination will be conclusive and binding upon you and the Company for all purposes. For
purposes of making the
-7-
calculations required by this Section 9(b), the Firm may make reasonable assumptions and approximations concerning applicable
taxes and may rely on reasonable, good faith interpretations concerning the application of Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code.
The Company and Executive will furnish to the Firm such information and documents as the Firm may reasonably request in
order to make a determination under this Section 9(b). The Company will bear all costs and make all payments for the Firm’s
services relating to any calculations contemplated by this Section 9(b).
(c)Section 409A.
(i)
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, no severance pay or benefits to
be paid or provided to Executive, if any, pursuant to this Agreement, when considered together with any other severance
payments or separation benefits that are considered deferred compensation under Section 409A of the Code, and the final
regulations and any guidance promulgated thereunder (“Section 409A”) (together, the “Deferred Compensation Separation
Benefits”) will be paid or otherwise provided until Executive has a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section
409A.
(ii) Any severance payments or benefits under this Agreement that would be considered Deferred
Compensation Severance Benefits will be paid on, or, in the case of installments, will not commence until, the sixtieth (60th) day
following Executive’s separation from service. Any installment payments that would have been made to Executive during the
sixty (60) day period immediately following Executive’s separation from service but for the preceding sentence will be paid to
Executive on the sixtieth (60th) day following Executive’s separation from service and the remaining payments shall be made as
provided in this Agreement.
(iii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, if Executive is a “specified
employee” within the meaning of Section 409A at the time of Executive’s termination (other than due to death), then the Deferred
Compensation Separation Benefits that are payable within the first six (6) months following Executive’s separation from service,
will become payable on the first payroll date that occurs on or after the date six (6) months and one (1) day following the date of
Executive’s separation from service. All subsequent Deferred Compensation Separation Benefits, if any, will be payable in
accordance with the payment schedule applicable to each payment or benefit. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if
Executive dies following Executive’s separation from service, but prior to the six (6) month anniversary of the separation from
service, then any payments delayed in accordance with this paragraph will be payable in a lump sum as soon as administratively
practicable after the date of Executive’s death and all other Deferred Compensation Separation Benefits will be payable in
accordance with the payment schedule applicable to each payment or benefit. Each payment and benefit payable under this
Agreement is intended to constitute separate payments for purposes of Section 1.409A-2(b)(2) of the Treasury Regulations.
(iv) Any amount paid under this Agreement that satisfies the requirements of the “short-term
deferral” rule set forth in Section 1.409A-1(b)(4) of the Treasury Regulations will not constitute Deferred Compensation
Separation Benefits for purposes of clause (i) above.
(v)
Any amount paid under this Agreement that qualifies as a payment made as a result of an
involuntary separation from service pursuant to Section 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii) of the
-8-
Treasury Regulations that does not exceed the Section 409A Limit (as defined below) will not constitute Deferred Compensation
Separation Benefits for purposes of clause (i) above.
(vi) The foregoing provisions are intended to comply with or be exempt from the requirements of
Section 409A so that none of the severance payments and benefits to be provided hereunder will be subject to the additional tax
imposed under Section 409A, and any ambiguities herein will be interpreted to so comply. The Company and Executive agree to
work together in good faith to consider amendments to this Agreement and to take such reasonable actions which are necessary,
appropriate or desirable to avoid imposition of any additional tax or income recognition prior to actual payment to Executive
under Section 409A. In no event will the Company have any liability or obligation to reimburse, indemnify, or hold harmless
Executive (or any other person) for any taxes or costs that may be imposed on or incurred by Executive (or any other person) as a
result of Section 409A.
(d)Confidential Information Agreement. Executive’s receipt of any payments or benefits
under Section 8 will be subject to Executive continuing to comply with the terms of the Confidential
Information Agreement (as defined below and to the extent modified herein to permit Protected Activity (as
defined herein)) and the provisions of this Agreement.
(e)No Duty to Mitigate. Executive will not be required to mitigate the amount of any
payment contemplated by this Agreement, nor will any earnings that Executive may receive from any other
source reduce any such payment.
10.Definitions.
(a)Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” means: (i) Executive’s act of personal
dishonesty in connection with Executive’s responsibilities as an employee that is intended to result in
Executive’s substantial personal enrichment; (ii) Executive being convicted of, or pleading no contest or
guilty to, (x) a misdemeanor that the Company reasonably believes has had or will have a material
detrimental effect on the Company, or (y) any felony; (iii) Executive’s gross misconduct; (iv) Executive’s
willful and continued failure to perform the duties and responsibilities of Executive’s position after there
has been delivered to Executive a written demand for performance from the Company that describes the
basis for the Company’s belief that Executive has not substantially performed Executive’s duties and
Executive has not corrected such failure within thirty (30) days of such written demand; or (v) Executive’s
material violation of any written Company employment policy or standard of conduct, including a material
breach of the Confidential Information Agreement (excluding any Protected Activity (as defined herein)) or
this Agreement.
(b)Code. “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(c)Change in Control. For purposes of this Agreement, “Change in Control” has the
same meaning assigned to such term in the 2020 Plan.
-9-
(d)Disability. Except as otherwise provided by applicable law, “Disability” means
Executive (i) is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity/the essential functions of Executive’s
role, with or without reasonable accommodation, by reason of any medically determinable physical or
mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period
of not less than 12 months, or (ii) are, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental
impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not
less than 12 months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than 3 months under an
accident and health plan covering Company employees. Nothing herein means the Company will not
reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities, including, but not necessarily limited to
providing said individuals with a leave of absence for 12 months or more where required by applicable law.
(e)Equity Awards. For purposes of this Agreement, “Equity Awards” means Executive’s
outstanding stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock units, performance shares, performance
stock units and any other Company equity compensation awards.
(f)Good Reason. For purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason” means Executive’s
resignation within thirty (30) days following the expiration of any Company cure period (discussed below)
following the occurrence of one or more of the following, without Executive’s consent: (i) a material
reduction in Base Salary, excluding the substitution of substantially equivalent compensation and benefits,
that is not generally applicable to all Company senior management or employees of the Company generally;
(ii) a material reduction of Executive’s authority, duties or responsibilities, unless Executive is provided
with a comparable position; provided, however, that a reduction in authority, duties, or responsibilities
solely by virtue of the Company being acquired and made part of a larger entity within as a subsidiary,
business unit or otherwise (as, for example, when the Chief Executive Officer of the Company remains as
such following an acquisition where the Company becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of the acquirer, but
is not made the Chief Executive Officer of the acquiring corporation) will not constitute “Good Reason”; or
(iii) a material change in the geographic location of Executive’s primary work facility or location; provided,
that a relocation of fifty (50) miles or less from Executive’s then present location or to Executive’s home as
Executive’s primary work location will not be considered a material change in geographic location. In order
for an event to qualify as Good Reason, Executive must not terminate employment with the Company
without first providing the Company with written notice of the acts or omissions constituting the grounds
for “Good Reason” within ninety (90) days of the initial existence of the grounds for “Good Reason” and a
reasonable cure period of not less than thirty (30) days following the date of such notice, and such grounds
must not have been cured during such time.
(g)Protected Activity. “Protected Activity” means 1) filing and/or pursuing a charge or
complaint with, or otherwise communicating or cooperating with or participating in any investigation or
proceeding that may be conducted by,
-10-
any federal, state or local government agency or commission, including the Securities and Exchange
Commission, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration, and the National Labor Relations Board, including disclosing documents or other
information as permitted by law, without giving notice to, or receiving authorization from, the Company; 2)
discussing the terms, wages, and working conditions of employment; or 3) disclosing information pertaining
to sexual harassment or any unlawful or potentially unlawful conduct, as protected by applicable law.
Protected Activity does not include disclosing the Company’s attorney-client privileged communications or
attorney work product, which is prohibited. Executive acknowledges that the Company hereby provides
Executive with notice in compliance with the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 regarding immunity from
liability for limited disclosures of trade secrets. The full text of the notice is the following:“ . . . An
individual shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any Federal or State trade secret law for the
disclosure of a trade secret that—(A) is made—(i) in confidence to a Federal, State, or local government
official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney; and (ii) solely for the purpose of reporting or
investigating a suspected violation of law; or (B) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit
or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal. . . . An individual who files a lawsuit for retaliation by
an employer for reporting a suspected violation of law may disclose the trade secret to the attorney of the
individual and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, if the individual—(A) files any
document containing the trade secret under seal; and (B) does not disclose the trade secret, except pursuant
to court order.” Nothing in this Agreement impinges upon the exercise of applicable employe rights under
Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act.
(h)Section 409A. “Section 409A” means Section 409A of the Code and any final
regulations and guidance thereunder and any applicable state law equivalent, as each may be amended or
promulgated from time to time.
(i)Section 409A Limit. “Section 409A Limit” will mean two (2) times the lesser of: (i)
Executive’s annualized compensation based upon the annual rate of pay paid to Executive during
Executive’s taxable year preceding Executive’s taxable year of Executive’s separation from service as
determined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii)(A)(1) and any Internal Revenue Service
guidance issued with respect thereto; or (ii) the maximum amount that may be taken into account under a
qualified plan pursuant to Section 401(a)(17) of the Internal Revenue Code for the year in which
Executive’s separation from service occurred.
11.Confidential Information. Confidential Information. Executive agrees to enter into the Company’s standard At-Will
Employment, Confidential Information, Invention Assignment, and Arbitration Agreement (the “Confidential Information
Agreement”) upon commencing employment hereunder. Nothing in this Agreement or the Confidential Information Agreement
limits Executive from engaging in Protected Activity (as defined herein).
-11-
12.Assignment. This Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of (a) the heirs, executors and legal
representatives of Executive upon Executive’s death and (b) any successor of the Company. Any such successor of the Company
will be deemed substituted for the Company under the terms of this Agreement for all purposes. For this purpose, “successor”
means any person, firm, corporation or other business entity which at any time, within by purchase, merger or otherwise, directly
or indirectly acquires all or substantially all of the assets or business of the Company. None of the rights of Executive to receive
any form of compensation payable pursuant to this Agreement may be assigned or transferred except by will or the laws of
descent and distribution. Any other attempted assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of Executive’s right to
compensation or other benefits will be null and void.
13.Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications called for hereunder will be in writing and will be
deemed given (i) on the date of delivery if delivered personally; (ii) one (1) day after being sent by a well-established commercial
overnight service; or (iii) four (4) days after being mailed by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, prepaid and
addressed to the parties or their successors at the following addresses, or at such other addresses as the parties may later designate
in writing:
If to the Company:
Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.
Attn: Chief Executive Officer
203 Redwood Shores Pkwy Suite 500
Redwood City, CA 94065
If to Executive:
at the last residential address known by the Company.
14.Severability. In the event that any provision hereof becomes or is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be
illegal, unenforceable or void, this Agreement will continue in full force and effect without said provision.
15.Integration. This Agreement, together with the 2020 Plan, Option Agreement and the Confidential Information
Agreement represents the entire agreement and understanding between the parties as to the subject matter herein and supersedes
all prior or contemporaneous agreements within written or oral. This Agreement may be modified only by agreement of the
parties by a written instrument executed by the parties that is designated as an amendment to this Agreement.
16.Waiver of Breach. The waiver of a breach of any term or provision of this Agreement, which must be in writing, will
not operate as or be construed to be a waiver of any other previous or subsequent breach of this Agreement.
17.Headings. All captions and section headings used in this Agreement are for convenient reference only and do not
form a part of this Agreement.
18.Tax Withholding. All payments made pursuant to this Agreement will be subject to withholding of applicable taxes.
-12-
19.Governing Law. This Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of California (with the exception of its
conflict of laws provisions).
20.Acknowledgment. Executive acknowledges that Executive has had the opportunity to discuss this matter with and
obtain advice from Executive’s private attorney, has had sufficient time to, and has carefully read and fully understands all the
provisions of this Agreement, and is knowingly and voluntarily entering into this Agreement.
21.Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, and each counterpart will have the same force and
effect as an original and will constitute an effective, binding agreement on the part of each of the undersigned.
[Signature Page Follows]
-13-
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has executed this Agreement, in the case of the Company by their duly
authorized officers, as of the day and year first above written.
COMPANY:
SOLENO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
By: /s/ Anish Bhatnagar
Date:
January 19, 2024
Anish Bhatnagar, MD
Chief Executive Officer
EXECUTIVE:
By: /s/ Meredith Manning
Date:
January 19, 2024
Meredith Manning
[SIGNATURE PAGE TO MEREDITH MANNING EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT]
1614973099.7
Exhibit 10.16
[***] Certain information in this document has been excluded pursuant to Regulation S-K, Item 601(b)(10). Such excluded information is not
material and would likely cause competitive harm to the registrant if publicly disclosed.
LOAN AND SECURITY AGREEMENT
THIS LOAN AND SECURITY AGREEMENT (as the same may from time to time be amended, modified, supplemented or restated, this “Agreement”)
dated as of December 17, 2024 (the “Effective Date”) among OXFORD FINANCE LLC, a Delaware limited liability company with an office located at
115 South Union Street, Suite 300, Alexandria, VA 22314 (“Oxford”), as collateral agent (in such capacity, “Collateral Agent”), the Lenders listed on
Schedule 1.1 hereof or otherwise a party hereto from time to time, including Oxford in its capacity as a Lender, OXFORD FINANCE CREDIT FUND II
LP, by its manager Oxford Finance Advisors, LLC, and OXFORD FINANCE CREDIT FUND III LP, by its manager Oxford Finance Advisors, LLC, each
with an office located at 115 South Union Street, Suite 300, Alexandria, VA 22314 (each a “Lender” and collectively, the “Lenders”), SOLENO
THERAPEUTICS, INC., a Delaware corporation with offices located at 100 Marine Parkway, Suite 400, Redwood City, CA 94065 (“Soleno”), and
ESSENTIALIS, INC., a Delaware corporation with offices located at 100 Marine Parkway, Suite 400, Redwood City, CA 94065 (“Essentialis”, together
with Soleno, individually and collectively, jointly and severally, “Borrower”), provides the terms on which the Lenders shall lend to Borrower and
Borrower shall repay the Lenders. The parties agree as follows:
1.
ACCOUNTING AND OTHER TERMS
1.1 Accounting terms not defined in this Agreement shall be construed in accordance with GAAP. Calculations and determinations shall be
made in accordance with GAAP (except with respect to unaudited financial statements for the absence of footnotes and subject to year-end audit
adjustments), provided, however, that if at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation of any covenant or requirement set forth in any
Loan Document, and either Borrower or any Lender shall so request, Borrower and the Lenders shall negotiate in good faith to amend such covenant or
requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP; provided, further, that, until so amended, (i) such covenant or
requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) Borrower shall provide the Lenders financial
statements and other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of
such covenant or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP; provided, further, that (x) all obligations of any Person that are
or would have been treated as operating leases for purposes of GAAP prior to the issuance by the Financial Accounting Standards Board on February 25,
2016 of an Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (the “ASU”) shall continue to be accounted for as operating leases for purposes
of all financial definitions, calculations and covenants (other than the preparation and delivery of financial statements in accordance with GAAP) for
purpose of this Agreement (whether or not such operating lease obligations were in effect on such date) notwithstanding the fact that such obligations are
required in accordance with the ASU (on a prospective or retroactive basis or otherwise) to be treated as capital lease obligations in accordance with GAAP.
Capitalized terms not otherwise defined in this Agreement shall have the meanings set forth in Section 13. All other terms contained in this Agreement,
unless otherwise indicated, shall have the meaning provided by the Code to the extent such terms are defined therein. All references to “Dollars” or “$” are
United States Dollars, unless otherwise noted.
2.
LOANS AND TERMS OF PAYMENT
2.1 Promise to Pay. Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay each Lender, the outstanding principal amount of all Term Loans
advanced to Borrower by such Lender and accrued and unpaid interest thereon and any other amounts due hereunder as and when due in accordance with
this Agreement.
1614973099.7
2.2 Term Loans.
(a) Availability.
(i)
Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Lenders agree, severally and not jointly, to make term loans
to Borrower on the Effective Date in an aggregate principal amount of Fifty Million Dollars ($50,000,000.00), to be disbursed in a single advance,
according to each Lender’s Term A Loan Commitment as set forth on Schedule 1.1 hereto (such term loans are hereinafter referred to singly as a “Term A
Loan”, and collectively as the “Term A Loans”). After repayment, no Term A Loan may be re‑borrowed.
(ii) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Lenders agree, severally and not jointly, during the Term B
Draw Period, to make term loans to Borrower in an aggregate principal amount of Fifty Million Dollars ($50,000,000.00), to be disbursed in a single
advance, according to each Lender’s Term B Loan Commitment as set forth on Schedule 1.1 hereto (such term loans are hereinafter referred to singly as a
“Term B Loan”, and collectively as the “Term B Loans”). After repayment, no Term B Loan may be re‑borrowed.
(iii) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Lenders agree, severally and not jointly, during the Term C
Draw Period, to make term loans to Borrower in an aggregate principal amount of Twenty-Five Million Dollars ($25,000,000.00), to be disbursed in a
single advance, according to each Lender’s Term C Loan Commitment as set forth on Schedule 1.1 hereto (such term loans are hereinafter referred to singly
as a “Term C Loan”, and collectively as the “Term C Loans”). After repayment, no Term C Loan may be re‑borrowed.
(iv) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Lenders agree, severally and not jointly, during the Term D
Draw Period, to make term loans to Borrower in an aggregate principal amount of Twenty-Five Million Dollars ($25,000,000.00), to be disbursed in a
single advance, according to each Lender’s Term D Loan Commitment as set forth on Schedule 1.1 hereto (such term loans are hereinafter referred to
singly as a “Term D Loan”, and collectively as the “Term D Loans”). After repayment, no Term D Loan may be re‑borrowed.
(v) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Lenders may, in their sole discretion upon Borrower’s
written request, agree to make term loans to Borrower prior to the Amortization Date in an aggregate principal amount of Fifty Million Dollars
($50,000,000.00), to be disbursed in a single advance and, if made, according to a commitment schedule to be provided by the Lenders prior to the Funding
Date of such term loans (and Borrower acknowledges that all times prior to such Funding Date such amount is uncommitted) (such term loans are
hereinafter referred to singly as a “Term E Loan”, and collectively as the “Term E Loans”; each Term A Loan, Term B Loan, Term C Loan, Term D
Loan and Term E Loan is hereinafter referred to singly as a “Term Loan”, and the Term A Loans, the Term B Loans, the Term C Loans, the Term D Loans
and the Term E Loans are hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Term Loans”). After repayment, no Term E Loan may be re-borrowed.
(b) Repayment. Borrower shall make monthly payments of interest only commencing on the first (1st) Payment Date following the
first full calendar month to occur after the Funding Date of each Term Loan, and continuing on the Payment Date of each successive month thereafter
through and including the Payment Date immediately preceding the Amortization Date. Borrower agrees to pay, on the Funding Date of each Term Loan,
any initial partial monthly interest payment otherwise due for the period between the Funding Date of such Term Loan and the last calendar day of the
month in which such Funding Date occurs. Commencing on the Amortization Date, and continuing on the Payment Date of each month thereafter,
Borrower shall make consecutive equal monthly payments of principal, together with applicable interest, in arrears, to each Lender, as calculated by
Collateral Agent (which calculations shall be deemed correct absent manifest error) based upon: (1) the principal amount of such Lender’s Term Loan, (2)
the effective rate of interest, as determined in Section 2.3(a), and (3) a repayment schedule equal to eleven (11) months. All unpaid principal and accrued
and unpaid interest with respect to each Term Loan is due and payable in full on the Maturity Date. Each Term Loan may only be prepaid in accordance
with Sections 2.2(c) and 2.2(d).
1614973099.7
(c) Mandatory Prepayments. If the Term Loans are accelerated following the occurrence of an Event of Default, Borrower shall
immediately pay to Lenders, payable to each Lender in accordance with its respective Pro Rata Share, an amount equal to the sum of: (i) all outstanding
principal of the Term Loans plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon through the prepayment date, (ii) the Final Payment, (iii) the Prepayment Fee, plus
(iv) all other Obligations that are due and payable, including Lenders’ Expenses and interest at the Default Rate with respect to any past due amounts.
Notwithstanding (but without duplication with) the foregoing, on the Maturity Date, if the Final Payment had not previously been paid in full in connection
with the prepayment of the Term Loans in full, Borrower shall pay to Collateral Agent, for payment to each Lender in accordance with its respective Pro
Rata Share, the Final Payment in respect of the Term Loan(s).
(d) Permitted Prepayment of Term Loans. Borrower shall have the option to prepay all, but not less than all, of the Term Loans
advanced by the Lenders under this Agreement, provided Borrower (i) provides written notice to Collateral Agent of its election to prepay the Term Loans
at least ten (10) Business Days prior to such prepayment (which notice may be conditioned upon the consummation of a financing or other events and may
be revoked by Borrower in writing if such condition has not or will not occur on the proposed prepayment date), and (ii) pays to the Lenders on the date of
such prepayment, payable to each Lender in accordance with its respective Pro Rata Share, an amount equal to the sum of (A) all outstanding principal of
the Term Loans plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon through the prepayment date, (B) the Final Payment, (C) the Prepayment Fee, plus (D) all other
Obligations that are due and payable, including Lenders’ Expenses and interest at the Default Rate with respect to any past due amounts.
2.3 Payment of Interest on the Credit Extensions.
(a) Interest Rate. Subject to Section 2.3(b), the principal amount outstanding under the Term Loans shall accrue interest at a floating
per annum rate equal to the Basic Rate, determined by Collateral Agent on the Funding Date of the applicable Term Loan and monthly thereafter, which
interest shall be payable monthly in arrears in accordance with Sections 2.2(b) and 2.3(e). Interest shall accrue on each Term Loan commencing on, and
including, the Funding Date of such Term Loan, and shall accrue on the principal amount outstanding under such Term Loan through and including the day
on which such Term Loan is paid in full.
(b) Default Rate. Immediately upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, Obligations shall accrue
interest at a floating per annum rate equal to the rate that is otherwise applicable thereto plus five percentage points (5.00%) (the “Default Rate”). Payment
or acceptance of the increased interest rate provided in this Section 2.3(b) is not a permitted alternative to timely payment and shall not constitute a waiver
of any Event of Default or otherwise prejudice or limit any rights or remedies of Collateral Agent.
(c) 360‑Day Year. Interest shall be computed on the basis of a three hundred sixty (360) day year, and the actual number of days
elapsed.
(d) Debit of Accounts. Collateral Agent and each Lender may debit (or ACH) any deposit accounts, maintained by Borrower or any
of its Subsidiaries, including the Designated Deposit Account, for principal and interest payments or any other amounts Borrower owes the Collateral Agent
or the Lenders under the Loan Documents when due. Any such debits (or ACH activity) shall not constitute a set‑off.
(e) Payments. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by Borrower under the Loan Documents shall be made to
Collateral Agent (and Collateral Agent shall then make payments to the respective Lender to which such payments are owed), at Collateral Agent’s office
in immediately available funds on the date specified herein. Unless otherwise provided, interest is payable monthly on the Payment Date of each month.
Payments of principal and/or interest received after 12:00 noon Eastern time are considered received at the opening of business on the next Business Day.
When a payment is due on a day that is not a Business Day, the payment is due the next Business Day and additional fees or interest, as applicable, shall
continue to accrue until paid. All payments to be made by Borrower hereunder or under any other Loan Document, including payments of principal and
interest, and all fees, expenses, indemnities and reimbursements, shall be made without set‑off, recoupment or counterclaim, in lawful money of the United
States and in immediately available funds.
1614973099.7
2.4 Secured Promissory Notes. The Term Loans shall be evidenced by a Secured Promissory Note or Notes in the form attached as Exhibit D
hereto (each a “Secured Promissory Note”), and shall be repayable as set forth in this Agreement. Borrower irrevocably authorizes each Lender to make
or cause to be made, on or about the Funding Date of any Term Loan or at the time of receipt of any payment of principal on such Lender’s Secured
Promissory Note, an appropriate notation on such Lender’s Secured Promissory Note Record reflecting the making of such Term Loan or (as the case may
be) the receipt of such payment. The outstanding amount of each Term Loan set forth on such Lender’s Secured Promissory Note Record shall be prima
facie evidence (absent manifest error) of the principal amount thereof owing and unpaid to such Lender, but the failure to record, or any error in so
recording, any such amount on such Lender’s Secured Promissory Note Record shall not limit or otherwise affect the obligations of Borrower under any
Secured Promissory Note or any other Loan Document to make payments of principal of or interest on any Secured Promissory Note when due. Upon
receipt of an affidavit of an officer of a Lender as to the loss, theft, destruction, or mutilation of its Secured Promissory Note with a customary
indemnification with respect to such lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated Secured Promissory Note, Borrower shall issue, in lieu thereof, a replacement
Secured Promissory Note in the same principal amount thereof and of like tenor.
2.5 Fees. Borrower shall pay to Collateral Agent:
(a) [Reserved].
(b) Final Payment. The Final Payment, when due hereunder, to be shared between the Lenders in accordance with their respective
Pro Rata Shares;
(c) Prepayment Fee. The Prepayment Fee, when due hereunder, to be shared between the Lenders in accordance with their respective
Pro Rata Shares;
(d) Lenders’ Expenses. All Lenders’ Expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses for documentation and negotiation
of this Agreement) incurred through and after the Effective Date, when due.
(e) Good Faith Deposit. Borrower has paid to Collateral Agent a deposit of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) (the
“Good Faith Deposit”) to initiate Collateral Agent’s and Lenders’ due diligence review and documentation process. The Good Faith Deposit will be used to
pay Lenders’ Expenses due on the Effective Date; provided, however, Borrower shall be responsible for the entire amount of Lenders' Expenses payable
under Section 2.5(d) hereof.
2.6 Withholding. Payments received by the Lenders from Borrower hereunder will be made free and clear of and without deduction for any
and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings, assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any governmental authority
(including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto). Specifically, however, if at any time any Governmental Authority, applicable law,
regulation or international agreement requires Borrower to make any withholding or deduction from any such payment or other sum payable hereunder to
the Lenders, Borrower shall be permitted to make such withholding and deduction and, hereby covenants and agrees that the amount due from Borrower
with respect to such payment or other sum payable hereunder will be increased to the extent necessary to ensure that, after the making of such required
withholding or deduction, each Lender receives a net sum equal to the sum which it would have received had no withholding or deduction been required
and Borrower shall pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority. The amount by which a payment is required to be
increased pursuant to the prior sentence is referred to hereafter as the “Withholding Tax Indemnity Amount.” Borrower will, upon request, furnish the
Lenders with proof reasonably satisfactory to the Lenders indicating that Borrower has made such withholding payment; provided, however, that Borrower
need not make any withholding payment if the amount or validity of such withholding payment is contested in good faith by appropriate and timely
proceedings and as to which adequate reserves have been set aside on its books in accordance with GAAP. The agreements and obligations of Borrower
contained in this Section 2.6 shall survive the termination of this Agreement. Each Lender shall deliver, and upon a Lender Transfer, the applicable
successor or assign shall deliver to Borrower, on the date of this Agreement and at the time or times reasonably requested by Borrower, a complete and
properly executed IRS Form W-9 or IRS Form W-8, as applicable, or any similar or successor certificate designated by the IRS certifying a full exemption
from U.S. withholding tax (a “Tax Certificate”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.6, so long as no
1614973099.7
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, if a Lender fails to deliver a Tax Certificate, Borrower shall not be required to pay the Withholding Tax
Indemnity Amount, if any, unless and until such Lender delivers the Tax Certificate.
3.
CONDITIONS OF LOANS
3.1 Conditions Precedent to Initial Credit Extension. Each Lender’s obligation to make a Term A Loan is subject to the condition precedent
that Collateral Agent and each Lender shall consent to or shall have received, in form and substance satisfactory to Collateral Agent and each Lender, such
documents, and completion of such other matters, as Collateral Agent and each Lender may reasonably deem necessary or appropriate, including, without
limitation:
(a) original Loan Documents, each duly executed by Borrower and each Subsidiary, as applicable;
(b) duly executed original Control Agreements with respect to any Collateral Accounts maintained by Borrower or Guarantor;
(c) duly executed original Secured Promissory Notes in favor of each Lender according to its Term A Loan Commitment Percentage
in respect of the Term A Loans made by such Lender on the Effective Date;
(d) the Operating Documents and good standing certificates of Borrower and its Subsidiaries certified by the Secretary of State (or
equivalent agency) of Borrower’s and such Subsidiaries’ jurisdiction of organization or formation and each jurisdiction in which Borrower and each
Subsidiary is qualified to conduct business, each as of a date no earlier than thirty (30) days prior to the Effective Date;
(e) a completed Perfection Certificate duly executed by Borrower and completed for Borrower on behalf of itself and each of its
Subsidiaries;
(f) the Annual Projections, for the current calendar year;
(g) duly executed original officer’s certificate for Borrower and each Subsidiary that is a party to the Loan Documents, in a form
acceptable to Collateral Agent and the Lenders;
(h) certified copies, dated as of date no earlier than thirty (30) days prior to the Effective Date, of financing statement searches, as
Collateral Agent shall request, accompanied by written evidence (including any UCC termination statements) that the Liens indicated in any such financing
statements either constitute Permitted Liens or have been or, in connection with the initial Credit Extension, will be terminated or released;
(i)
a landlord’s consent executed in favor of Collateral Agent in respect of all of Borrower’s and each Subsidiaries’ leased locations;
(j)
a bailee waiver executed in favor of Collateral Agent in respect of each third party bailee where Borrower or any Subsidiary
maintains Collateral having a book value in excess of Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00);
(k) a duly executed legal opinion of counsel to Borrower dated as of the Effective Date;
(l)
evidence satisfactory to Collateral Agent and the Lenders that the insurance policies required by Section 6.5 hereof are in full
force and effect, together with appropriate evidence showing loss payable and/or additional insured clauses or endorsements in favor of Collateral Agent,
for the ratable benefit of the Lenders; and
(m) payment of the fees and Lenders’ Expenses then due as specified in Section 2.5 hereof.
1614973099.7
3.2 Conditions Precedent to all Credit Extensions. The obligation of each Lender to make each Credit Extension, including the initial Credit
Extension, is subject to the following conditions precedent:
(a) receipt by Collateral Agent of an executed Disbursement Letter in the form of Exhibit B attached hereto;
(b) the representations and warranties in Section 5 hereof shall be true and correct in all material respects on the date of the
Disbursement Letter and on the Funding Date of each Credit Extension; provided, however, that such materiality qualifier shall not be applicable to any
representations and warranties that already are qualified or modified by materiality in the text thereof; and provided, further that those representations and
warranties expressly referring to a specific date shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such date, and no Event of Default shall have
occurred and be continuing or result from the Credit Extension. Each Credit Extension is Borrower’s representation and warranty on that date that the
representations and warranties in Section 5 hereof are true and correct in all material respects; provided, however, that such materiality qualifier shall not be
applicable to any representations and warranties that already are qualified or modified by materiality in the text thereof; and provided, further that those
representations and warranties expressly referring to a specific date shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such date;
(c) in such Lender’s sole discretion, there has not been any Material Adverse Change or any material adverse deviation by Borrower
from the Annual Projections of Borrower presented to and accepted by Collateral Agent and each Lender;
(d) to the extent not delivered at the Effective Date and requested by a Lender, duly executed original Secured Promissory Notes, in
number, form and content acceptable to such Lender, and in favor of such Lender according to its Commitment Percentage, with respect to each Credit
Extension made by such Lender after the Effective Date; and
(e) payment of the fees and Lenders’ Expenses then due as specified in Section 2.5 hereof.
3.3 Covenant to Deliver. Borrower agrees to deliver to Collateral Agent and the Lenders each item required to be delivered to Collateral Agent
under this Agreement as a condition precedent to any Credit Extension. Borrower expressly agrees that a Credit Extension made prior to the receipt by
Collateral Agent or any Lender of any such item shall not constitute a waiver by Collateral Agent or any Lender of Borrower’s obligation to deliver such
item, and any such Credit Extension in the absence of a required item shall be made in each Lender’s sole discretion.
3.4 Procedures for Borrowing. Subject to the prior satisfaction of all other applicable conditions to the making of a Term Loan set forth in this
Agreement, to obtain a Term Loan, Borrower shall notify the Lenders (which notice shall be irrevocable) by electronic mail, facsimile, or telephone by
12:00 noon Eastern time ten (10) Business Days prior to the date the Term Loan is to be made. Together with any such electronic, facsimile or telephonic
notification, Borrower shall deliver to the Lenders by electronic mail or facsimile a completed Disbursement Letter executed by a Responsible Officer or
his or her designee. The Lenders may rely on any telephone notice given by a person whom a Lender reasonably believes is a Responsible Officer or
designee. On the Funding Date, each Lender shall credit and/or transfer (as applicable) to the Designated Deposit Account, an amount equal to its Term
Loan Commitment.
4.
CREATION OF SECURITY INTEREST
4.1 Grant of Security Interest. Borrower hereby grants Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, to secure the payment and
performance in full of all of the Obligations, a continuing security interest in, and pledges to Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, the
Collateral, wherever located, whether now owned or hereafter acquired or arising, and all proceeds and products thereof. Borrower represents, warrants,
and covenants that the security interest granted herein is and shall at all times continue to be a first priority perfected security interest in the Collateral,
provided that the Collateral may be subject to Permitted Liens. If Borrower shall acquire a commercial tort claim (as defined in the Code) that exceeds Five
Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00), Borrower, shall promptly notify Collateral Agent in a writing signed by Borrower of the general details thereof
(and
1614973099.7
further details as may be required by Collateral Agent, but excluding any attorney-client privileged information) and grant to Collateral Agent, for the
ratable benefit of the Lenders, in such writing a security interest therein and in the proceeds thereof, all upon the terms of this Agreement, with such writing
to be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Collateral Agent.
If this Agreement is terminated, Collateral Agent’s Lien in the Collateral shall continue until the Obligations (other than inchoate indemnity and
reimbursement obligations and any other obligations which, by their terms, are to survive the termination of this Agreement) are repaid in full in cash.
Upon payment in full in cash of the Obligations (other than inchoate indemnity and reimbursement obligations and any other obligations which, by their
terms, are to survive the termination of this Agreement) and at such time as the Lenders’ obligation to make Credit Extensions has terminated, Collateral
Agent shall, at the sole cost and expense of Borrower, release its Liens in the Collateral and all rights therein shall revert to Borrower.
4.2 Authorization to File Financing Statements. Borrower hereby authorizes Collateral Agent to file financing statements or take any other
action required to perfect Collateral Agent’s security interests in the Collateral, without notice to Borrower, with all appropriate jurisdictions to perfect or
protect Collateral Agent’s interest or rights under the Loan Documents, including a notice that any disposition of the Collateral, except to the extent
permitted by the terms of this Agreement, by Borrower, or any other Person, shall be deemed to violate the rights of Collateral Agent under the Code.
4.3 Pledge of Collateral. Borrower hereby pledges, collaterally assigns and grants to Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, a
security interest in all the Shares, together with all proceeds and substitutions thereof, all cash, stock and other moneys and property paid thereon, all rights
to subscribe for securities declared or granted in connection therewith, and all other cash and noncash proceeds of the foregoing, as security for the
performance of the Obligations. Borrower shall deliver to Collateral Agent (i) within ten (10) Business Days of the Effective Date, the certificate or
certificates, if any, for any then-certificated Shares existing on the Effective Date and (ii) within ten (10) Business Days after the certification of any Shares
uncertificated on the Effective Date, in each case accompanied by an instrument of assignment duly executed in blank by Borrower. To the extent required
by the terms and conditions governing the Shares, Borrower shall cause the books of each entity whose Shares are part of the Collateral and any transfer
agent to reflect the pledge of the Shares. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default hereunder, Collateral Agent may effect
the transfer of any securities included in the Collateral (including but not limited to the Shares) into the name of Collateral Agent and cause new (as
applicable) certificates representing such securities to be issued in the name of Collateral Agent or its transferee. Borrower will execute and deliver such
documents, and take or cause to be taken such actions, as Collateral Agent may reasonably request to perfect or continue the perfection of Collateral
Agent’s security interest in the Shares. Unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, Borrower shall be entitled to exercise any voting
rights with respect to the Shares and to give consents, waivers and ratifications in respect thereof, provided that no vote shall be cast or consent, waiver or
ratification given or action taken which would violate any of the terms of this Agreement. All such rights to vote and give consents, waivers and
ratifications shall terminate upon the occurrence and continuance of an Event of Default.
5.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
Borrower represents and warrants to Collateral Agent and the Lenders as follows:
5.1 Due Organization, Authorization: Power and Authority. Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries is duly existing and in good standing (to
the extent such concept is applicable) as corporation or company in its respective jurisdiction of organization or formation and Borrower and each of its
Subsidiaries is qualified and licensed to do business and is in good standing (to the extent such concept is applicable) in any jurisdiction in which the
conduct of its businesses or its ownership of property requires that it be qualified except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have
a Material Adverse Change. In connection with this Agreement, Borrower has delivered to Collateral Agent a completed perfection certificate signed by an
officer of Borrower and completed for Borrower on behalf of itself and each of its Subsidiaries (the “Perfection Certificate”). Borrower represents and
warrants that (a) Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries’ exact legal name is that which is indicated on the Perfection Certificate and on the signature page of
each Loan Document to which it is a party; (b) Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries is an organization of the type and is organized in the jurisdiction set
forth on the Perfection Certificate;
1614973099.7
(c) the Perfection Certificate accurately sets forth each of Borrower’s and its Subsidiaries’ organizational identification number or accurately states that
Borrower or such Subsidiary has none; (d) the Perfection Certificate accurately sets forth Borrower’s and each of its Subsidiaries’ place of business, or, if
more than one, its chief executive office as well as Borrower’s and each of its Subsidiaries’ mailing address (if different than its chief executive office); (e)
Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries (and each of its respective predecessors) have not, in the five (5) years prior to the Effective Date, changed its
jurisdiction of organization, organizational type, or any organizational number assigned by its jurisdiction; and (f) all other information set forth on the
Perfection Certificate pertaining to Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries, is accurate and complete (it being understood and agreed that Borrower and each
of its Subsidiaries may from time to time update certain information in the Perfection Certificate (including the information set forth in clause (d) above)
after the Effective Date to the extent permitted by one or more specific provisions in this Agreement); such updated Perfection Certificate subject to the
review and approval of Collateral Agent. If Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is not now a Registered Organization but later becomes one, Borrower shall
notify Collateral Agent of such occurrence and provide Collateral Agent with such Person’s organizational identification number within five (5) Business
Days of receiving such organizational identification number.
The execution, delivery and performance by Borrower and each other Credit Party of the Loan Documents to which it is a party have been duly
authorized by Borrower or such Credit Party, as applicable, and do not (i) conflict with any of Borrower’s or such Credit Party’s organizational documents,
including its respective Operating Documents, (ii) contravene, conflict with, constitute a default under or violate any material Requirement of Law
applicable thereto, (iii) contravene, conflict or violate any applicable order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, determination or award of any Governmental
Authority by which Borrower or such Credit Party, or any of their respective property or assets may be bound, (iv) require any action by, filing, registration,
or qualification with, or Governmental Approval from, any Governmental Authority (except such Governmental Approvals which have already been
obtained and are in full force and effect or are being obtained pursuant to Section 6.1(b)), or (v) constitute an event of default under any material agreement
by which Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or their respective properties, is bound. Neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is in default under any
agreement to which it is a party or by which it or any of its assets is bound in which such default could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Change.
5.2 Collateral.
(a) Borrower and each other Credit Party have good title to, have rights in, and the power to transfer each item of the Collateral upon
which it purports to grant a Lien under the Loan Documents, free and clear of any and all Liens except Permitted Liens, and neither Borrower nor any other
Credit Party has any Deposit Accounts, Securities Accounts, Commodity Accounts or other investment accounts other than the Collateral Accounts or the
other investment accounts, if any, described in the Perfection Certificate (as such Perfection Certificate may be updated from time to time by written notice
by Borrower to Collateral Agent) delivered to Collateral Agent in connection herewith with respect of which Borrower or such Subsidiary has given
Collateral Agent notice and taken such actions as are necessary to give Collateral Agent a perfected security interest therein, in each case as provided in and
required by Section 6.6. The Accounts are bona fide, existing obligations of the Account Debtors.
(b) On the Effective Date, and except as disclosed on the Perfection Certificate (i) the Collateral (other than (1) inventory or goods in
transit, (2) laptops and mobile phones in the possession of employees in the ordinary course of business and (3) inventory maintained with clinical research
providers or clinical trial sites in the ordinary course of business) is not in the possession of any third party bailee (such as a warehouse), and (ii) no such
third party bailee possesses components of the Collateral in excess of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00). None of the components of the Collateral shall
be maintained at locations other than as disclosed in the Perfection Certificate on the Effective Date or as permitted pursuant to Section 6.11.
(c) All Inventory is in all material respects of good and marketable quality, free from material defects.
1614973099.7
(d) Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries is the sole owner of the Intellectual Property each respectively purports to own, free and
clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens. (i) Each of Borrower’s and its Subsidiaries’ Patents material to its business is valid and enforceable and no
part of Borrower’s or its Subsidiaries’ Intellectual Property material to its business has been judged invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, and (ii) to
the best of Borrower’s knowledge, no written claim has been made that any part of the Intellectual Property owned by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries
violates the rights of any third party except to the extent such claim could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change. Except as noted
on the Perfection Certificate or otherwise notified to Collateral Agent pursuant to the terms of this Agreement (to the extent Borrower is permitted to take
such action resulting in the applicable update by one or more specific provisions of this Agreement), neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party
to, nor is bound by, any material license or other material agreement with respect to which Borrower or such Subsidiary is the licensee that (i) prohibits or
otherwise restricts Borrower or its Subsidiaries from granting a security interest in Borrower’s or such Subsidiaries’ interest in such material license or
material agreement or any property subject thereto, or (ii) for which a default under or termination of could interfere in any material respect with Collateral
Agent’s or any Lender’s right to sell any Collateral. Borrower shall provide written notice to Collateral Agent and each Lender with the next Compliance
Certificate of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries entering into or becoming bound by any material license or agreement with respect to which Borrower or
any Subsidiary is the licensee (other than any commercially available license, any open-source software or any “off the shelf” or “shrink wrap” or label
licenses).
5.3 Litigation. Except as disclosed (i) on the Perfection Certificates, or (ii) in accordance with Section 6.9 hereof, there are no actions, suits,
investigations, or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Responsible Officers, threatened in writing by or against Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries involving more than One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00).
5.4 No Material Deterioration in Financial Condition; Financial Statements. All consolidated financial statements for Borrower and its
Subsidiaries delivered to Collateral Agent have been prepared in accordance with GAAP and fairly present in all material respects the consolidated
financial condition of Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of their respective dates, and the consolidated results of operations of Borrower and its Subsidiaries
for the periods covered thereby. There has not been any material deterioration in the consolidated financial condition of Borrower and its Subsidiaries since
the date of the most recent financial statements submitted to any Lender.
5.5 Solvency. Borrower, taken as a whole, is Solvent, and Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, are solvent.
5.6 Regulatory Compliance. Neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an
“investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. Neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is engaged as one of its
important activities in extending credit for margin stock (under Regulations X, T and U of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors). Borrower and each of
its Subsidiaries has complied in all material respects with the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act. Neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is a “holding
company” or an “affiliate” of a “holding company” or a “subsidiary company” of a “holding company” as each term is defined and used in the Public
Utility Holding Company Act of 2005. Neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries has violated any laws, ordinances or rules, the violation of which could
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change. Neither Borrower’s nor any of its Subsidiaries’ properties or assets has been used by Borrower
or such Subsidiary or, to Borrower’s knowledge, by previous Persons, in disposing, producing, storing, treating, or transporting any hazardous substance
other than in material compliance with applicable laws. Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries has obtained all material consents, approvals and
authorizations of, made all material declarations or filings with, and given all material notices to, all Governmental Authorities that are necessary to
continue their respective businesses as currently conducted.
None of Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of Borrower’s or its Subsidiaries’ controlled Affiliates or any of their respective agents acting
or benefiting in any capacity in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement is (i) in violation of any Anti‑Terrorism Law, (ii)
engaging in or conspiring to engage in any transaction that evades or avoids, or has the purpose of evading or avoiding or attempts to violate, any of the
prohibitions set forth in any Anti‑Terrorism Law, or (iii) is a Blocked Person. None of Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries, or to the knowledge of Borrower
and any of their controlled Affiliates or agents, acting or benefiting in any capacity in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (x)
conducts any business or engages in making or receiving any
1614973099.7
contribution of funds, goods or services to or for the benefit of any Blocked Person, or (y) deals in, or otherwise engages in any transaction relating to, any
property or interest in property blocked pursuant to Executive Order No. 13224, any similar executive order or other Anti‑Terrorism Law.
5.7 Investments. Neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries owns any stock, shares, partnership interests or other equity securities except for
Permitted Investments.
5.8 Tax Returns and Payments; Pension Contributions. Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries has timely filed (or timely filed extensions to
file) all required income tax returns and all other material tax returns and reports, and Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries, has timely paid all material
foreign, federal, material state, and material local taxes, assessments, deposits and contributions owed by Borrower and such Subsidiaries, in all
jurisdictions in which Borrower or any such Subsidiary is subject to taxes, unless (a) such taxes, assessments, deposits or contributions are being contested
in accordance with the following sentence or (b) such taxes, assessments, deposits and contributions owed do not, individually or in the aggregate, exceed
One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00). Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries, may defer payment of any contested taxes, assessments, deposits or
contributions, provided that Borrower or such Subsidiary, (a) in good faith contests its obligation to pay the taxes, assessments, deposits or contributions by
appropriate proceedings promptly and diligently instituted and conducted, (b) notifies Collateral Agent in writing of the commencement of, and any
material development in, such proceedings, and (c) posts bonds or takes any other steps required to prevent the Governmental Authority levying such
contested taxes, assessments, deposits or contributions from obtaining a Lien upon any of the Collateral that is other than a “Permitted Lien.” Neither
Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is aware of any claims or adjustments proposed for any of Borrower’s or such Subsidiaries’ prior tax years which could
result in additional Taxes in excess of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) becoming due and payable by Borrower or its Subsidiaries. Borrower
and each of its Subsidiaries have paid all amounts necessary to fund all present pension, profit sharing and deferred compensation plans in accordance with
their terms, and neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries have, withdrawn from participation in, and have not permitted partial or complete termination
of, or permitted the occurrence of any other event with respect to, any such plan which could reasonably be expected to result in any liability of Borrower or
its Subsidiaries, including any liability to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or its successors or any other Governmental Authority, in excess of
One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00).
5.9 Use of Proceeds. Borrower shall use the proceeds of the Credit Extensions solely as working capital and to fund its general business
requirements in a manner not prohibited by this Agreement, and not for personal, family, household or agricultural purposes.
5.10 Shares. Borrower has full power and authority to create a first lien on the Shares in favor of Collateral Agent and no disability or
contractual obligation exists that would prohibit Borrower from pledging the Shares pursuant to this Agreement. To Borrower’s knowledge, there are no
subscriptions, warrants, rights of first refusal or other restrictions on transfer relative to, or options exercisable with respect to the Shares. The Shares have
been and will be duly authorized and validly issued, and (to the extent applicable) are fully paid and non‑assessable. To Borrower’s knowledge, the Shares
are not the subject of any present or threatened in writing suit, action, arbitration, administrative or other proceeding, and Borrower knows of no reasonable
grounds for the institution of any such proceedings.
5.11 Full Disclosure. No written representation, warranty or other statement of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in any certificate or written
statement given to Collateral Agent or any Lender, as of the date such representation, warranty, or other statement was made, taken together with all such
written certificates and written statements given to Collateral Agent or any Lender, contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a
material fact necessary to make the statements contained in the certificates or statements not misleading (it being recognized that the projections and
forecasts provided by Borrower in good faith and based upon reasonable assumptions are not viewed as facts and that actual results during the period or
periods covered by such projections and forecasts may differ from the projected or forecasted results).
1614973099.7
5.12 “Know Your Customer” Information. All materials and information provided to Collateral Agent and Lenders in connection with
applicable “know your customer” and Anti-Terrorism Legislation are true and correct.
5.13 Definition of “Knowledge.” For purposes of the Loan Documents, whenever a representation or warranty is made to Borrower’s
knowledge or awareness, to the “best of” Borrower’s knowledge, or with a similar qualification, knowledge or awareness means the actual knowledge, after
reasonable investigation, of the Responsible Officers.
6.
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
Borrower shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, do all of the following:
6.1 Government Compliance.
(a) Except as permitted by Section 7.3, maintain its and all its Subsidiaries’ legal existence and good standing (to the extent
applicable) in their respective jurisdictions of organization and maintain qualification in each jurisdiction in which the failure to so qualify could reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Change. Comply with all laws, ordinances and regulations to which Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is subject,
the noncompliance with which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change.
(b) Obtain and keep in full force and effect, all of the material Governmental Approvals necessary for the performance by Borrower
and its Subsidiaries of their respective businesses and obligations under the Loan Documents and the grant of a security interest to Collateral Agent for the
ratable benefit of the Lenders, in all of the Collateral. Borrower shall notify Collateral Agent with its next Compliance Certificate of any material
Governmental Approvals obtained by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and, upon Collateral Agent’s request, provide copies of such Governmental
Approvals to Collateral Agent.
6.2 Financial Statements, Reports, Certificates.
(a) Deliver to each Lender:
(i)
as soon as available, but no later than forty-five (45) days after the last day of each of the first three fiscal quarters of
each fiscal year of Soleno, a company prepared consolidated balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement covering the consolidated operations
of Soleno and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal quarter certified by a Responsible Officer and in a form reasonably acceptable to Collateral Agent;
(ii) as soon as available, but no later than ninety (90) days after the last day of Soleno’s fiscal year or within five (5) days
of filing with the SEC, audited consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP, consistently applied, together with an unqualified
opinion on the financial statements from an independent certified public accounting firm acceptable to Collateral Agent in its reasonable discretion (it being
agreed that CBIZ, Inc. is acceptable to Collateral Agent);
(iii) as soon as available after approval thereof by Soleno’s Board of Directors, but no later than forty-five (45) days after
the last day of each of Soleno’s fiscal years, Borrower’s annual financial projections for the entire current fiscal year as approved by Soleno’s Board of
Directors, which such annual financial projections shall include a balance sheet and income statement to be set forth in a month-by-month or
quarter‑by‑quarter format (such annual financial projections as originally delivered to Collateral Agent and the Lenders are referred to herein as the
“Annual Projections”; provided that, any revisions of the Annual Projections approved by Borrower’s Board of Directors shall be delivered to Collateral
Agent and the Lenders no later than seven (7) days after such approval);
(iv) within five (5) days of delivery, copies of all statements, reports and notices made available to Borrower’s security
holders or holders of Subordinated Debt, in each case in their capacities as such;
1614973099.7
(v) within five (5) days of filing, all reports on Form 10‑K, 10‑Q and 8‑K filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission,
(vi) (y) prompt notice in the event that Soleno is no longer subject to the reporting requirements under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and (z) together with the next Compliance Certificate, notice of any material change to the Operating Documents of
Soleno or any Credit Party, together with any copies reflecting such amendments or changes with respect thereto;
(vii) together with the next Compliance Certificate, notice of (A) any material change in the composition of the Intellectual
Property, or (B) the registration of any copyright, including any subsequent ownership right of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in or to any copyright,
patent or trademark, including a copy of any such registration;;
(viii)
prompt notice of any event that could reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the value of the
Intellectual Property;
(ix) as soon as available, but no later than forty-five (45) days after the last day of each fiscal quarter, copies of the
month‑end bank account statements for each Collateral Account maintained by Borrower or its Subsidiaries, which statements may be provided to
Collateral Agent and each Lender by Borrower or directly from the applicable institution(s); and
(x) other information as reasonably requested by Collateral Agent or any Lender.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, documents required to be delivered pursuant to the terms hereof (to the extent any such documents are included in materials
otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date on which Borrower
posts such documents, or provides a link thereto, on Borrower’s website on the internet at Borrower’s website address.
(b) Concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements specified in Section 6.2(a)(i) and (ii) above, deliver to each Lender, a
duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by a Responsible Officer.
(c) Keep proper books of record and account sufficient to prepare financial statements in accordance with GAAP, in which full, true
and correct in all material respects entries shall be made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities. Borrower shall, and shall
cause each of its Subsidiaries to, allow, at the sole cost of Borrower, Collateral Agent or any Lender, during regular business hours upon reasonable prior
notice (provided that no notice shall be required when an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing), to visit and inspect any of its properties, to
examine and make abstracts or copies from any of its books and records, and to conduct a collateral audit and analysis of its operations and the Collateral.
Such audits shall be conducted no more often than once every year unless (and more frequently if) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.
6.3 Inventory; Returns. Keep all Inventory in good and marketable condition, free from material defects. Returns and allowances between
Borrower, or any of its Subsidiaries, and their respective Account Debtors shall follow Borrower’s, or such Subsidiary’s, customary practices as in effect
from time to time. Borrower must promptly notify Collateral Agent and the Lenders of all returns, recoveries, disputes and claims that involve more than
Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) individually or in the aggregate in any calendar year.
6.4 Taxes; Pensions. Timely file and require each of its Subsidiaries to timely file, all required income tax returns and all other material tax
returns and reports and timely pay, and require each of its Subsidiaries to timely pay, all federal, material foreign, material state, and material local taxes,
assessments, deposits and contributions owed by Borrower or its Subsidiaries, except for deferred payment of any taxes, assessments, deposits and
contributions contested pursuant to the terms of Section 5.8 hereof, and shall deliver to Lenders, on demand, appropriate certificates attesting to such
payments, and pay all amounts necessary to fund all present pension, profit sharing and deferred compensation plans in accordance with the terms of such
plans; provided that, as used herein, “material foreign, material state, and material local Taxes, assessments, deposits and contributions” mean those,
individually or in the aggregate, equal to or that exceed One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00).
1614973099.7
6.5 Insurance. Keep Borrower’s and its Subsidiaries’ business and the Collateral insured for risks and in amounts standard for companies in
Borrower’s and its Subsidiaries’ industry and location and as Collateral Agent may reasonably request, it being acknowledged that Borrower’s insurance in
effect as of the Effective Date is acceptable to Collateral Agent. Insurance policies shall be in a form, with companies, and in amounts that are reasonably
satisfactory to Collateral Agent and Lenders. All property policies shall have a lender’s loss payable endorsement showing Collateral Agent as lender loss
payee and waive subrogation against Collateral Agent, and all commercial general and product liability policies shall show, or have endorsements showing,
Collateral Agent, as additional insured. The Collateral Agent shall be named as lender loss payee and/or additional insured with respect to any such
insurance providing coverage in respect of any Collateral, and each provider of any such insurance shall agree, by endorsement upon the policy or policies
issued by it or by independent instruments furnished to the Collateral Agent, that it will give the Collateral Agent thirty (30) days prior written notice before
any such policy or policies shall be canceled. At Collateral Agent’s request, Borrower shall deliver certified copies of policies and evidence of all premium
payments. Proceeds payable under any property policy shall, at Collateral Agent’s option, be payable to Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the
Lenders, on account of the Obligations. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, Borrower shall
have the option of applying the proceeds of any property policy up to Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($2,500,000.00) with respect to any
loss, but not exceeding Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($2,500,000.00), in the aggregate for all losses under all casualty policies in any one
year, toward the replacement or repair of destroyed or damaged property; provided that any such replaced or repaired property (i) shall be of equal or like
value as the replaced or repaired Collateral or other applicable property and (ii) to the extent such damaged or destroyed property was Collateral, shall be
deemed Collateral in which Collateral Agent has been granted a first priority security interest (provided that the Collateral may be subject to Permitted
Liens), and (b) after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, all proceeds payable under such property policy shall, at the option
of Collateral Agent, be payable to Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, on account of the Obligations. If Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries fails to obtain insurance as required under this Section 6.5 or to pay any amount or furnish any required proof of payment to third persons,
Collateral Agent and/or any Lender may make, at Borrower’s expense, all or part of such payment or obtain such insurance policies required in this Section
6.5, and take any action under the policies Collateral Agent or such Lender deems prudent.
6.6 Operating Accounts.
(a) Maintain all of Borrower’s and its Subsidiaries’ Collateral Accounts at the banks and financial institutions as disclosed in the
Perfection Certificate delivered on the Effective Date or such other accounts as to which Borrower provided notice pursuant to Section 6.6(b), which such
accounts (other than Excluded Accounts) are subject, or will be subject in accordance with the Post Closing Letter, to a Control Agreement in favor of
Collateral Agent.
(b) Borrower shall provide Collateral Agent at least five (5) days’ prior written notice before Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries
establishes any Collateral Account. In addition, for each Collateral Account that Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries at any time maintains, to the extent
constituting Collateral Borrower or such Subsidiary shall cause the applicable bank or financial institution at or with which such Collateral Account is
maintained to execute and deliver a Control Agreement or other appropriate instrument with respect to such Collateral Account to perfect Collateral
Agent’s Lien in such Collateral Account in accordance with the terms hereunder prior to or concurrently with the establishment of such Collateral Account
(or at such other time after the establishment of the Collateral Account as may be agreed by Collateral Agent), which Control Agreement may not be
terminated without prior written consent of Collateral Agent. The provisions of the previous sentence shall not apply to Collateral Accounts exclusively
used for (i) payroll, payroll taxes and other employee wage and benefit payments to or for the benefit of Borrower’s, or any of its Subsidiaries’, employees
and (ii) cash collateral accounts subject to Liens permitted by clause (o) of the definition of Permitted Liens (collectively, the “Excluded Accounts”), in
each case with respect to clauses (i) and (ii), identified to Collateral Agent by Borrower as such in the Perfection Certificate delivered from time pursuant to
this Agreement or otherwise in writing.
(c) Neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries shall maintain any Collateral Accounts except Collateral Accounts maintained in
accordance with Sections 6.6(a) and (b).
1614973099.7
6.7 Protection of Intellectual Property Rights. Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries shall: (a) use commercially reasonable efforts to protect,
defend and maintain the validity and enforceability of its Intellectual Property that is material to Borrower’s business; (b) promptly upon becoming aware,
advise Collateral Agent in writing of material infringement by a third party of its Intellectual Property; and (c) not allow any Intellectual Property material
to Borrower’s business to be abandoned, forfeited or dedicated to the public without Collateral Agent’s prior written consent. If Borrower or any other
Credit Party(i) obtains any patent, registered trademark or servicemark, registered copyright, registered mask work, or any pending application for any of
the foregoing, as owner, or (ii) applies for any patent or the registration of any trademark or servicemark, then Borrower or such Credit Party shall provide
written notice thereof to Collateral Agent with the next Compliance Certificate and shall execute such intellectual property security agreements and other
documents and take such other actions as Collateral Agent shall reasonably request in its good faith business judgment to perfect and maintain a first
priority perfected security interest in favor of Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, in such property constituting Collateral. If Borrower
or any other Credit Party decides to register any copyrights or mask works in the United States Copyright Office, Borrower or such Credit Party shall: (x)
provide Collateral Agent with at least fifteen (15) days prior written notice of Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s intent to register such copyrights or mask
works together with a copy of the application it intends to file with the United States Copyright Office (excluding exhibits thereto); (y) execute an
intellectual property security agreement and such other documents and take such other actions as Collateral Agent may reasonably request in its good faith
business judgment to perfect and maintain a first priority perfected security interest in favor of Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, in the
copyrights or mask works intended to be registered with the United States Copyright Office; and (z) record such intellectual property security agreement
with the United States Copyright Office contemporaneously with filing the copyright or mask work application(s) with the United States Copyright Office.
Borrower or such Credit Party shall promptly provide to Collateral Agent and each Lender with evidence of the recording of the intellectual property
security agreement necessary for Collateral Agent to perfect and maintain a first priority perfected security interest in such property.
6.8 Litigation Cooperation. Commencing on the Effective Date and continuing through the termination of this Agreement, make available to
Collateral Agent and the Lenders, without expense to Collateral Agent or the Lenders, Borrower and each of Borrower’s officers, employees and agents and
Borrower’s Books, to the extent that Collateral Agent or any Lender may reasonably deem them necessary to prosecute or defend any third‑party suit or
proceeding instituted by or against Collateral Agent or any Lender with respect to any Collateral or relating to Borrower.
6.9 Notices of Litigation and Default. Borrower will give prompt written notice to Collateral Agent and the Lenders of any litigation or
governmental proceedings pending or threatened (in writing) against Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, which could reasonably be expected to result in
damages or costs to Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) or more or which could reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Change. Without limiting or contradicting any other more specific provision of this Agreement, promptly (and in any event within three
(3) Business Days) upon Borrower becoming aware of the existence of any Event of Default or event which, with the giving of notice or passage of time, or
both, would constitute an Event of Default, Borrower shall give written notice to Collateral Agent and the Lenders of such occurrence, which such notice
shall include a reasonably detailed description of such Event of Default or event which, with the giving of notice or passage of time, or both, would
constitute an Event of Default.
6.10 Financial Covenant.
(a) Minimum Cash. If Borrower has not achieved [***] prior to June 30, 2025, beginning on June 30, 2025 and at all times thereafter
until Borrower has achieved [***], Borrower’s total unrestricted cash plus Cash Equivalents and investments described in clause (b)(ii) of Permitted
Investments, maintained in Collateral Accounts subject to a Control Agreement in favor of Collateral Agent, must be equal to or above the Minimum Cash
Requisite Cash Level.
(b) Minimum DCCR Revenue. Commencing upon the Revenue Covenant Trigger Date and continuing at all times thereafter,
Borrower shall, as of the last day of each such fiscal quarter, achieve DCCR Net Product Revenue (measured in accordance with GAAP on a trailing six (6)
month basis) in an amount equal to or greater than the corresponding amount set forth in Annex A hereof for the applicable measuring period (the
“Revenue Covenant”); provided, however, (x) upon Borrower first achieving DCCR Net Product Revenue (measured in
1614973099.7
accordance with GAAP on a trailing twelve (12) month basis) in an amount equal to or greater than [***] the Revenue Covenant level shall require
Borrower to achieve and maintain DCCR Net Product Revenue (measured in accordance with GAAP on a trailing twelve (12) month basis) in an amount
equal to or greater than [***] for each fiscal quarter thereafter; and (y) if for any testing date (i.e. last day of each fiscal quarter) either (i) Borrower’s
Market Capitalization is equal to or greater than [***] or (ii) Borrower’s total unrestricted cash plus Cash Equivalents and investments described in clause
(b)(ii) of Permitted Investments, maintained in Collateral Accounts subject to a Control Agreement in favor of Collateral Agent, is equal to or above the
Minimum Revenue Requisite Cash Level at all times, such Revenue Covenant will not be tested for such fiscal quarter.
6.11 Landlord Waivers; Bailee Waivers. In the event that Borrower or any other Credit Party, after the Effective Date, adds any new offices or
business locations, including warehouses, or otherwise store any portion of the Collateral (other than (1) inventory in transit, (2) laptops and mobile phones
in the possession of employees in the ordinary course of business and (3) inventory maintained with clinical research providers or clinical trial sites in the
ordinary course of business) with, or deliver any portion of the Collateral to, a bailee (regardless of whether such office, business location, or warehouse is a
new or existing office, business location or warehouse), in each case pursuant to Section 7.2, in the event that the new location is the chief executive office
of the Borrower or such Subsidiary or the Collateral (other than (1) inventory in transit, (2) laptops and mobile phones in the possession of employees in the
ordinary course of business and (3) inventory maintained with clinical research providers or clinical trial sites in the ordinary course of business) at any
such new location is valued in excess of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) in the aggregate, such bailee or landlord, as applicable, shall use
commercially reasonable efforts to deliver a bailee waiver or landlord waiver, as applicable, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Collateral
Agent.
6.12 Creation/Acquisition of Subsidiaries. In the event Borrower, or any other Credit Party creates or acquires any Subsidiary (including,
without limitation, pursuant to a Division), Borrower shall provide prior written notice to Collateral Agent of the creation or acquisition of such new
Subsidiary and take all such action as may be reasonably required by Collateral Agent or any Lender to cause each such Subsidiary to become a
co‑Borrower hereunder or to guarantee the Obligations of Borrower under the Loan Documents and, in each case, grant a continuing pledge and security
interest in and to the assets of such Subsidiary constituting Collateral (substantially as described on Exhibit A hereto); and Borrower (or its Subsidiary, as
applicable) shall grant and pledge to Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, a perfected security interest in the Shares of each such newly
created Subsidiary constituting Collateral; provided, however, that solely in the circumstance in which a Credit Party creates a Foreign Subsidiary or
acquires a Foreign Subsidiary approved by the Required Lenders and Borrower remains in compliance with the negative covenant set forth in Section 7.12
hereof, (i) such Foreign Subsidiary shall not be required to guarantee the Obligations under the Loan Documents and grant a continuing pledge and security
interest in and to the assets of such Foreign Subsidiary, and (ii) such Credit Party shall not be required to grant and pledge to Collateral Agent, for the
ratable benefit of Lenders, a perfected security interest in Shares that have more than sixty-five percent (65%) of the total combined voting power of all
classes of Shares of any Foreign Subsidiary that are entitled to vote (as determined under U.S. federal tax principles) (the "Foreign Subsidiary Interests"),
if Borrower demonstrates to the reasonable satisfaction of Collateral Agent that such Foreign Subsidiary providing such guarantee or pledge and security
interest or Borrower providing a perfected security interest in the Foreign Subsidiary Interests would create a present and existing adverse tax consequence
to a Credit Party under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. For the avoidance of doubt, neither Soleno Therapeutics UK Ltd. nor Soleno Therapeutics Europe
Ltd. shall be required to become a Credit Party on the Effective Date.
6.13 Further Assurances.
(a) Execute any further instruments and take further action as Collateral Agent or any Lender reasonably requests to perfect or
continue Collateral Agent’s Lien in the Collateral or to effect the purposes of this Agreement.
(b) Deliver to Collateral Agent and Lenders, within five (5) days after the same are sent or received, copies of all material
correspondence, reports, documents and other filings with any Governmental Authority that could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect
on any of the Governmental Approvals material to Borrower’s business or otherwise could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change.
1614973099.7
7.
NEGATIVE COVENANTS
Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, do any of the following without the prior written consent of the Required
Lenders:
7.1 Dispositions. Convey, sell, lease, transfer, assign, or otherwise dispose of (including, without limitation, pursuant to a Division)
(collectively, “Transfer”), or permit any of its Subsidiaries to Transfer, all or any part of its business or property, except for Transfers (a) of Inventory in
the ordinary course of business; (b) of worn out or obsolete Equipment; (c) of cash and Cash Equivalents in connection with transactions not prohibited
hereunder; (d) in connection with Permitted Liens, Permitted Investments and Permitted Licenses; (e) by or among Borrowers; (f) subject to the limitations
set forth in Section 7.12, between or among Subsidiaries that are not Borrowers; (g) of assets (other than Intellectual Property) having a value of not more
than One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) in the aggregate in any fiscal year of Soleno so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or
could reasonably be expected to result therefrom; (h) permitted by Sections 7.3 or 7.7; and (i) of immaterial Intellectual Property (including by lapse or
abandonment) that is no longer useful to Borrower’s business and no longer has any material value to Borrower or its Subsidiaries.
7.2 Changes in Business, Management, Ownership, or Business Locations. (a) Engage in or permit any of its Subsidiaries to engage in any
business other than the businesses engaged in by Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the Effective Date or reasonably related or incidental thereto; (b)
liquidate or dissolve, except that a Subsidiary that is not a Credit Party may liquidate or dissolve so long as its assets, if any, are transferred to a Credit
Party; or (c) (i) any Key Person shall cease to be actively engaged in the management of Borrower unless written notice thereof is provided to Collateral
Agent within five (5) days of such change (which notice shall be deemed given upon the filing by Soleno of a Current Report on Form 8-K disclosing such
matter), or (ii) consummate any transaction or series of related transactions in which the stockholders of Soleno who were not stockholders immediately
prior to the first such transaction own more than forty nine percent (49%) of the voting stock of Soleno immediately after giving effect to such transaction
or related series of such transactions (other than by the sale of Soleno’s equity securities in a public offering, a private placement of public equity or to
institutional or fund investors so long as Borrower identifies to Collateral Agent the investors prior to the closing of the transaction). Borrower shall not,
without at least ten (10) Business Days’ prior written notice to Collateral Agent (or such shorter period of time as may be agreed by Collateral Agent in its
sole discretion): (A) add any new offices or business locations, including warehouses (unless such new offices or business locations (i) contain less than
One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) in assets or property of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and (ii) are not Borrower’s or its Subsidiaries’ chief
executive office); (B) change its jurisdiction of organization, (C) change its organizational type, (D) change its legal name, or (E) change any organizational
number (if any) assigned by its jurisdiction of organization.
7.3 Mergers or Acquisitions. Merge or consolidate, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to merge or consolidate, with any other Person, or
acquire, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to acquire, all or substantially all of the capital stock, shares or property of another Person (including, without
limitation, pursuant to a Division) other than a Permitted Acquisition without the consent of the Required Lenders; provided that a Subsidiary may merge or
consolidate into another Subsidiary (provided such surviving Subsidiary is a “co‑Borrower” hereunder or has provided a secured Guaranty of Borrower’s
Obligations hereunder, in each case to the extent the non-surviving Subsidiary was a Credit Party) or with (or into) Borrower provided Borrower is the
surviving legal entity, and as long as no Event of Default is occurring prior thereto or arises as a result therefrom.
7.4 Indebtedness. Create, incur, assume, or be liable for any Indebtedness, or permit any Subsidiary to do so, other than Permitted
Indebtedness.
7.5 Encumbrance. (a) Create, incur, allow, or suffer any Lien on any of its property, or assign or convey any right to receive income, including
the sale of any Accounts, permit any of its Subsidiaries to do so, except for Permitted Liens or as permitted by Section 7.1 or Section 7.3, or (b) permit any
Collateral not to be subject to the first priority security interest granted herein (except that the Collateral may be subject to Permitted Liens), or (c) enter into
any agreement, document, instrument or other arrangement (except with or in favor of Collateral Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders) with any
Person which directly or indirectly prohibits or has the effect of prohibiting Borrower, or any of its Subsidiaries, from assigning, mortgaging, pledging,
granting a security interest in or upon, or encumbering any of Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s Intellectual Property in favor of Collateral Agent, except (i)
as
1614973099.7
is otherwise permitted in Section 7.1 hereof and the definition of “Permitted Liens” herein, (ii) for customary non-assignment clauses and (iii) with respect
to the foregoing clause (c), for customary covenants with such restrictions in merger or acquisition agreements, provided that such covenants do not
prohibit any Borrower or any Subsidiary from granting a security interest in Borrower’s or any such Subsidiary’s Intellectual Property in favor of Collateral
Agent and provided further that the counterparties to such covenants are not permitted to receive a security interest in Borrower’s or any Subsidiary’s
Intellectual Property.
7.6 Maintenance of Collateral Accounts. Maintain any Collateral Account except pursuant to the terms of Section 6.6 hereof.
7.7 Distributions; Investments. (a) Pay any dividends (other than (i) dividends payable solely in capital stock or (ii) dividends or distributions
by any Subsidiary of a Borrower to a Borrower or by such Subsidiary to another Subsidiary) or make any distribution or payment in respect of or redeem,
retire or purchase any capital stock other than (i) repurchases by Soleno pursuant to the terms of employee stock purchase plans, employee restricted stock
agreements, stockholder rights plans, director or consultant stock option plans, or similar plans, provided such repurchases do not exceed Five Hundred
Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) in the aggregate per fiscal year, (ii) Soleno may make purchases or redemptions of capital stock in the ordinary course of
business in connection with the exercise of stock options or similar equity-based compensation or the satisfaction of withholding tax obligations, in each
case by way of cashless or “net” exercise by the holders of such stock options or similar equity-based compensation, (iii) Soleno may pay cash in lieu of
fractional shares of not more than One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) in the aggregate per fiscal year, (iv) the conversion of any of its
convertible securities into other securities pursuant to the terms of such convertible securities or otherwise in exchange therefor and (v) Soleno may enter
into a customary stockholder rights plan and distribute rights thereunder so long as such plan could not reasonably be expected to adversely affect Lenders
or Soleno and a copy of such plan is provided to Lenders at least ten (10) Business Days prior to the adoption of such plan or (b) directly or indirectly make
any Investment other than Permitted Investments.
7.8 Transactions with Affiliates. Directly or indirectly enter into or permit to exist any material transaction with any Affiliate of Borrower or
any of its Subsidiaries, except for (a) transactions that are in the ordinary course of Borrower’s or such Subsidiary’s business, upon fair and reasonable
terms that are no less favorable to Borrower or such Subsidiary than would be obtained in an arm’s length transaction with a non‑affiliated Person, (b)
Subordinated Debt or equity investments by Borrower’s investors in Borrower or its Subsidiaries, (c) transactions by or among Borrowers, (d) transactions
permitted by Sections 7.3, 7.4 or 7.7 hereof, and (e) reasonable and customary indemnification arrangements and employee agreements, severance
arrangements, compensation arrangements (including equity-based compensation and reasonable and customary fees paid to directors), in each case with
current or former employees, officers or directors in the ordinary course of business and approved by Borrower’s board of directors (or a committee
thereof).
7.9 Subordinated Debt. (a) Make or permit any payment on any Subordinated Debt, except under the terms of the subordination, intercreditor,
or other similar agreement to which such Subordinated Debt is subject, or (b) amend any provision in any document relating to the Subordinated Debt
which would increase the amount thereof or adversely affect the subordination thereof to Obligations owed to the Lenders, except as permitted by the
subordination, intercreditor, or similar agreement to which such Subordinated Debt is subject.
7.10 Compliance. Become an “investment company” or a company controlled by an “investment company”, under the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended, or undertake as one of its important activities extending credit to purchase or carry margin stock (as defined in Regulation U of
the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), or use the proceeds of any Credit Extension for that purpose; fail to meet the minimum funding
requirements of ERISA, permit a Reportable Event or Prohibited Transaction, as defined in ERISA, to occur; fail to comply with the Federal Fair Labor
Standards Act or violate any other law or regulation, if the violation could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change, or permit any of its
Subsidiaries to do so if the failure to so comply or such violation could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change; withdraw or permit any
Subsidiary to withdraw from participation in, permit partial or complete termination of, or permit the occurrence of any other event with respect to, any
present pension, profit sharing and deferred compensation plan which could reasonably be expected to result in any liability of Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries, including any liability to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or its successors or any other Governmental Authority.
1614973099.7
7.11 Compliance with Anti‑Terrorism Laws. Collateral Agent hereby notifies Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries that pursuant to the
requirements of Anti‑Terrorism Laws, and Collateral Agent’s policies and practices, Collateral Agent is required to obtain, verify and record certain
information and documentation that identifies Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries and their principals, which information includes the name and address
of Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries and their principals and such other information that will allow Collateral Agent to identify such party in
accordance with Anti‑Terrorism Laws. Neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries shall, nor shall Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries permit any Affiliate
to, directly or indirectly, knowingly enter into any documents, instruments, agreements or contracts with any Person listed on the OFAC Lists. Borrower
and each of its Subsidiaries shall immediately notify Collateral Agent if Borrower or such Subsidiary has knowledge that Borrower, or any Subsidiary or
Affiliate of Borrower, is listed on the OFAC Lists or (a) is convicted on, (b) pleads nolo contendere to, (c) is indicted on, or (d) is arraigned and held over
on charges involving money laundering or predicate crimes to money laundering. Neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries shall, nor shall Borrower or
any of its Subsidiaries, permit any controlled Affiliate to, directly or indirectly, (i) conduct any business or engage in any transaction or dealing with any
Blocked Person, including, without limitation, the making or receiving of any contribution of funds, goods or services to or for the benefit of any Blocked
Person, (ii) deal in, or otherwise engage in any transaction relating to, any property or interests in property blocked pursuant to Executive Order No. 13224
or any similar executive order or other Anti‑Terrorism Law, or (iii) engage in or conspire to engage in any transaction that evades or avoids, or has the
purpose of evading or avoiding, or attempts to violate, any of the prohibitions set forth in Executive Order No. 13224 or other Anti‑Terrorism Law.
7.12 Foreign Subsidiary Assets. Permit the aggregate amount of cash, Cash Equivalents and the value of other assets held or maintained by
Foreign Subsidiaries, taken together, to exceed One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) at any time or permit any Foreign Subsidiary to own, license, maintain or
otherwise hold any material Intellectual Property.
8.
EVENTS OF DEFAULT
Any one of the following shall constitute an event of default (an “Event of Default”) under this Agreement:
8.1 Payment Default. Borrower fails to (a) make any payment of principal or interest on any Credit Extension on its due date, or (b) pay any
other Obligations within three (3) Business Days after such Obligations are due and payable (which three (3) Business Day grace period shall not apply to
payments due on the Maturity Date or the date of acceleration pursuant to Section 9.1 (a) hereof). During the cure period, the failure to cure the payment
default is not an Event of Default (but no Credit Extension will be made during the cure period);
8.2 Covenant Default.
(a) Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries fails or neglects to perform any obligation in Sections 6.2 (Financial Statements, Reports,
Certificates), 6.4 (Taxes), 6.5 (Insurance), 6.6 (Operating Accounts), 6.7 (Protection of Intellectual Property Rights), 6.9 (Notice of Litigation and Default),
6.10 (Financial Covenant), 6.11 (Landlord Waivers; Bailee Waivers), 6.12 (Creation/Acquisition of Subsidiaries) or 6.13 (Further Assurances) or Borrower
violates any covenant in Section 7; or
(b) Borrower, or any of its Subsidiaries, fails or neglects to perform, keep, or observe any other term, provision, condition, covenant
or agreement contained in this Agreement or any Loan Documents, and as to any default (other than those specified elsewhere in this Section 8) under such
other term, provision, condition, covenant or agreement that can be cured, has failed to cure the default within ten (10) days after the earlier of the date that
a Responsible Officer of Borrower has knowledge of the occurrence thereof or Borrower receives written notice thereof from Collateral Agent; provided,
however, that if the default cannot by its nature be cured within the ten (10) day period or cannot after diligent attempts by Borrower be cured within such
ten (10) day period, and such default is likely to be cured within a reasonable time, then Borrower shall have an additional period (which shall not in any
case exceed thirty (30) days) to attempt to cure such default, and within such reasonable time period the failure to cure the default shall not be deemed an
Event of Default (but no Credit Extensions shall be made during such cure period). Grace periods provided under this Section shall not apply, among other
things, to financial covenants or any other covenants set forth in subsection (a) above;
1614973099.7
8.3 Material Adverse Change. A Material Adverse Change occurs;
8.4 Attachment; Levy; Restraint on Business.
(a) (i) The service of process seeking to attach, by trustee or similar process, any funds in excess of One Hundred Thousand Dollars
($100,000) of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or of any entity under control of Borrower or its Subsidiaries on deposit with any Lender or any Lender’s
Affiliate or any bank or other institution at which Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries maintains a Collateral Account, or (ii) a notice of lien, levy, or
assessment is filed against Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or their respective assets by any government agency, and the same under subclauses (i) and
(ii) hereof are not, within ten (10) days after the occurrence thereof, discharged or stayed (whether through the posting of a bond or otherwise); provided,
however, no Credit Extensions shall be made during any ten (10) day cure period; and
(b) (i) any material portion of Borrower’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ assets (as determined taking Borrower and its Subsidiaries as a
whole) is attached, seized, levied on, or comes into possession of a trustee or receiver, or (ii) any court order enjoins, restrains, or prevents Borrower or any
of its Subsidiaries from conducting any part of its business;
8.5 Insolvency. (a) Borrower is or becomes Insolvent, or Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, are or become Insolvent; (b)
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries begins an Insolvency Proceeding; or (c) an Insolvency Proceeding is begun against Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries
and not dismissed or stayed within forty‑five (45) days (but no Credit Extensions shall be made while Borrower or any Subsidiary is Insolvent and/or until
any Insolvency Proceeding is dismissed);
8.6 Other Agreements. There is a default in any agreement to which Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is a party with a third party or parties
resulting in a right by such third party or parties, whether or not exercised, to accelerate the maturity of any Indebtedness in an amount in excess of One
Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) or that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change;
8.7 Judgments. One or more judgments, orders, or decrees for the payment of money in an amount, individually or in the aggregate, of at least
One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) (not covered by independent third‑party insurance as to which liability has been accepted by such insurance carrier)
shall be rendered against Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and shall remain unsatisfied, unvacated, or unstayed for a period of ten (10) Business Days
after the entry thereof (provided that no Credit Extensions will be made prior to the satisfaction, vacation, or stay of such judgment, order or decree);
8.8 Misrepresentations. Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any Person acting for Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries makes any
representation, warranty, or other statement now or later in this Agreement, any Loan Document or in any writing delivered to Collateral Agent and/or
Lenders or to induce Collateral Agent and/or the Lenders to enter this Agreement or any Loan Document, and such representation, warranty, or other
statement is incorrect in any material respect when made;
8.9 Subordinated Debt. A default or breach occurs under any agreement between Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and any creditor of
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that signed a subordination, intercreditor, or other similar agreement with Collateral Agent or the Lenders, or any
creditor that has signed such an agreement with Collateral Agent or the Lenders breaches any terms of such agreement;
8.10 Guaranty. (a) Any Guaranty terminates or ceases for any reason to be in full force and effect (other than in accordance with its terms); (b)
any Guarantor does not perform any obligation or covenant under any Guaranty; (c) any circumstance described in Sections 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.7, or 8.8 occurs
with respect to any Guarantor, or (d) except as permitted by Section 7.3, the liquidation, winding up, or termination of existence of any Guarantor;
1614973099.7
8.11 Governmental Approvals. Any Governmental Approval shall have been revoked, rescinded, suspended, modified in an adverse manner,
or not renewed in the ordinary course for a full term and such revocation, rescission, suspension, modification or non‑renewal has resulted in or could
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; or
8.12 Lien Priority. Any Lien created hereunder or by any other Loan Document shall at any time fail to constitute a valid and perfected Lien on
any of the Collateral purported to be secured thereby, subject to no prior or equal Lien (the Collateral may also be subject to Permitted Liens).
8.13 Delisting. The shares of common stock of Soleno are delisted from NASDAQ Capital Market because of failure to comply with continued
listing standards thereof or due to a voluntary delisting which results in such shares not being listed on any other nationally recognized stock exchange in
the United States having listing standards at least as restrictive as the NASDAQ Capital Market.
9.
RIGHTS AND REMEDIES
9.1 Rights and Remedies.
(a) Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, Collateral Agent may, and at the written direction of
Required Lenders shall, without notice or demand, do any or all of the following: (i) deliver notice of the Event of Default to Borrower, (ii) by notice to
Borrower declare all Obligations immediately due and payable (but if an Event of Default described in Section 8.5 occurs all Obligations shall be
immediately due and payable without any action by Collateral Agent or the Lenders) or (iii) by notice to Borrower suspend or terminate the obligations, if
any, of the Lenders to advance money or extend credit for Borrower’s benefit under this Agreement or under any other agreement between Borrower and
Collateral Agent and/or the Lenders (but if an Event of Default described in Section 8.5 occurs all obligations, if any, of the Lenders to advance money or
extend credit for Borrower’s benefit under this Agreement or under any other agreement between Borrower and Collateral Agent and/or the Lenders shall
be immediately terminated without any action by Collateral Agent or the Lenders).
(b) Without limiting the rights of Collateral Agent and the Lenders set forth in Section 9.1(a) above, upon the occurrence and during
the continuance of an Event of Default, Collateral Agent shall have the right at the written direction of the Required Lenders, without notice or demand, to
do any or all of the following:
(i)
foreclose upon and/or sell or otherwise liquidate, the Collateral;
(ii) apply to the Obligations any (a) balances and deposits of Borrower that Collateral Agent or any Lender holds or
controls, or (b) any amount held or controlled by Collateral Agent or any Lender owing to or for the credit or the account of Borrower; and/or
(iii) commence and prosecute an Insolvency Proceeding or consent to Borrower commencing any Insolvency Proceeding.
(c) Without limiting the rights of Collateral Agent and the Lenders set forth in Sections 9.1(a) and (b) above, upon the occurrence and
during the continuance of an Event of Default, Collateral Agent shall have the right, without notice or demand, to do any or all of the following:
(i)
settle or adjust disputes and claims directly with Account Debtors for amounts on terms and in any order that Collateral
Agent considers advisable, notify any Person owing Borrower money of Collateral Agent’s security interest in such funds, and verify the amount of such
account;
(ii) make any payments and do any acts it considers necessary or reasonable to protect the Collateral and/or its security
interest in the Collateral. Borrower shall assemble the Collateral if Collateral Agent requests and make it available in a location as Collateral Agent
reasonably designates. Collateral Agent may enter premises where the Collateral is located, take and maintain possession of any part of the Collateral, and
pay, purchase, contest, or compromise any Lien which appears to be prior or superior to its security interest and pay all expenses incurred. Borrower grants
Collateral Agent a license to enter and occupy any of its premises, without charge, to exercise any of Collateral Agent’s rights or remedies;
1614973099.7
(iii) ship, reclaim, recover, store, finish, maintain, repair, prepare for sale, and/or advertise for sale, the Collateral.
Collateral Agent is hereby granted a non‑exclusive, royalty‑free license or other right to use, without charge, Borrower’s and each of its Subsidiaries’
labels, patents, copyrights, mask works, rights of use of any name, trade secrets, trade names, trademarks, service marks, and advertising matter, or any
similar property as it pertains to the Collateral, in completing production of, advertising for sale, and selling any Collateral and, in connection with
Collateral Agent’s exercise of its rights under this Section 9.1, Borrower’s and each of its Subsidiaries’ rights under all licenses and all franchise
agreements inure to Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders;
(iv) place a “hold” on any account maintained with Collateral Agent or the Lenders and/or deliver a notice of exclusive
control, any entitlement order, or other directions or instructions pursuant to any Control Agreement or similar agreements providing control of any
Collateral;
(v) demand and receive possession of Borrower’s Books;
(vi) appoint a receiver to seize, manage and realize any of the Collateral, and such receiver shall have any right and
authority as any competent court will grant or authorize in accordance with any applicable law, including any power or authority to manage the business of
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; and
(vii) subject to clauses 9.1(a) and (b), exercise all rights and remedies available to Collateral Agent and each Lender under
the Loan Documents or at law or equity, including all remedies provided under the Code (including disposal of the Collateral pursuant to the terms thereof).
Notwithstanding any provision of this Section 9.1 to the contrary, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default, Collateral Agent shall have the right to
exercise any and all remedies referenced in this Section 9.1 without the written consent of Required Lenders following the occurrence of an Exigent
Circumstance. As used in the immediately preceding sentence, “Exigent Circumstance” means any event or circumstance that, in the reasonable judgment
of Collateral Agent, imminently threatens the ability of Collateral Agent to realize upon all or any material portion of the Collateral, such as, without
limitation, fraudulent removal, concealment, or abscondment thereof, destruction or material waste thereof, or failure of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries
after reasonable demand to maintain or reinstate adequate casualty insurance coverage, or which, in the judgment of Collateral Agent, could reasonably be
expected to result in a material diminution in value of the Collateral.
9.2 Power of Attorney. Borrower hereby irrevocably appoints Collateral Agent as its lawful attorney‑in‑fact, exercisable upon the occurrence
and during the continuance of an Event of Default, to: (a) endorse Borrower’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ name on any checks or other forms of payment or
security; (b) sign Borrower’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ name on any invoice or bill of lading for any Account or drafts against Account Debtors; (c) settle
and adjust disputes and claims about the Accounts directly with Account Debtors, for amounts and on terms Collateral Agent determines reasonable; (d)
make, settle, and adjust all claims under Borrower’s insurance policies; (e) pay, contest or settle any Lien, charge, encumbrance, security interest, and
adverse claim in or to the Collateral, or any judgment based thereon, or otherwise take any action to terminate or discharge the same; and (f) transfer the
Collateral into the name of Collateral Agent or a third party as the Code or any applicable law permits. Borrower hereby appoints Collateral Agent as its
lawful attorney‑in‑fact to sign Borrower’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ name on any documents necessary to perfect or continue the perfection of Collateral
Agent’s security interest in the Collateral regardless of whether an Event of Default has occurred until all Obligations (other than inchoate indemnity and
reimbursement obligations and any other obligations which, by their terms, are to survive the termination of this Agreement) have been satisfied in full and
Collateral Agent and the Lenders are under no further obligation to make Credit Extensions hereunder. Collateral Agent’s foregoing appointment as
Borrower’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ attorney in fact, and all of Collateral Agent’s rights and powers, coupled with an interest, are irrevocable until all
Obligations (other than inchoate indemnity and reimbursement obligations and any other obligations which, by their terms, are to survive the termination of
this Agreement) have been fully repaid and performed and Collateral Agent’s and the Lenders’ obligation to provide Credit Extensions terminates.
1614973099.7
9.3 Protective Payments. If Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries fail to obtain the insurance called for by Section 6.5 or fails to pay any
premium thereon or fails to pay any other amount which Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is obligated to pay under this Agreement or any other Loan
Document, Collateral Agent may obtain such insurance or make such payment, and all amounts so paid by Collateral Agent are Lenders’ Expenses and
immediately due and payable, bearing interest at the Default Rate, and secured by the Collateral. Collateral Agent will make reasonable efforts to provide
Borrower with notice of Collateral Agent obtaining such insurance or making such payment at the time it is obtained or paid or within a reasonable time
thereafter. No such payments by Collateral Agent are deemed an agreement to make similar payments in the future or Collateral Agent’s waiver of any
Event of Default.
9.4 Application of Payments and Proceeds. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, upon the occurrence and
during the continuance of an Event of Default, (a) Borrower irrevocably waives the right to direct the application of any and all payments at any time or
times thereafter received by Collateral Agent from or on behalf of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of all or any part of the Obligations, and, as between
Borrower on the one hand and Collateral Agent and Lenders on the other, Collateral Agent shall have the continuing and exclusive right to apply and to
reapply any and all payments received against the Obligations in such manner as Collateral Agent may deem advisable notwithstanding any previous
application by Collateral Agent, and (b) the proceeds of any sale of, or other realization upon all or any part of the Collateral shall be applied: first, to the
Lenders’ Expenses; second, to accrued and unpaid interest on the Obligations (including any interest which, but for the provisions of the United States
Bankruptcy Code, would have accrued on such amounts); third, to the principal amount of the Obligations outstanding; and fourth, to any other
indebtedness or obligations of Borrower owing to Collateral Agent or any Lender under the Loan Documents. Any balance remaining shall be delivered to
Borrower or to whoever may be lawfully entitled to receive such balance or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct. In carrying out the foregoing,
(x) amounts received shall be applied in the numerical order provided until exhausted prior to the application to the next succeeding category, and (y) each
of the Persons entitled to receive a payment in any particular category shall receive an amount equal to its pro rata share of amounts available to be applied
pursuant thereto for such category. Any reference in this Agreement to an allocation between or sharing by the Lenders of any right, interest or obligation
“ratably,” “proportionally” or in similar terms shall refer to Pro Rata Share unless expressly provided otherwise. Collateral Agent, or if applicable, each
Lender, shall promptly remit to the other Lenders such sums as may be necessary to ensure the ratable repayment of each Lender’s portion of any Term
Loan and the ratable distribution of interest, fees and reimbursements paid or made by Borrower. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Lender receiving a
scheduled payment shall not be responsible for determining whether the other Lenders also received their scheduled payment on such date; provided,
however, if it is later determined that a Lender received more than its ratable share of scheduled payments made on any date or dates, then such Lender
shall remit to Collateral Agent or other Lenders such sums as may be necessary to ensure the ratable payment of such scheduled payments, as instructed by
Collateral Agent. If any payment or distribution of any kind or character, whether in cash, properties or securities, shall be received by a Lender in excess
of its ratable share, then the portion of such payment or distribution in excess of such Lender’s ratable share shall be received by such Lender in trust for
and shall be promptly paid over to the other Lender for application to the payments of amounts due on the other Lenders’ claims. To the extent any
payment for the account of Borrower is required to be returned as a voidable transfer or otherwise, the Lenders shall contribute to one another as is
necessary to ensure that such return of payment is on a pro rata basis. If any Lender shall obtain possession of any Collateral, it shall hold such Collateral
for itself and as agent and bailee for Collateral Agent and other Lenders for purposes of perfecting Collateral Agent’s security interest therein.
9.5 Liability for Collateral. So long as Collateral Agent and the Lenders comply with reasonable banking practices regarding the safekeeping
of the Collateral in the possession or under the control of Collateral Agent and the Lenders, Collateral Agent and the Lenders shall not be liable or
responsible for: (a) the safekeeping of the Collateral; (b) any loss or damage to the Collateral; (c) any diminution in the value of the Collateral; or (d) any
act or default of any carrier, warehouseman, bailee, or other Person. Borrower bears all risk of loss, damage or destruction of the Collateral.
9.6 No Waiver; Remedies Cumulative. Failure by Collateral Agent or any Lender, at any time or times, to require strict performance by
Borrower of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall not waive, affect, or diminish any right of Collateral Agent or any Lender
thereafter to demand strict performance and compliance herewith or therewith. No waiver hereunder shall be effective unless signed by Collateral Agent
and the Required Lenders and then is only effective for the specific instance and purpose for which it is given. The rights
1614973099.7
and remedies of Collateral Agent and the Lenders under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents are cumulative. Collateral Agent and the Lenders
have all rights and remedies provided under the Code, any applicable law, by law, or in equity. The exercise by Collateral Agent or any Lender of one right
or remedy is not an election, and Collateral Agent’s or any Lender’s waiver of any Event of Default is not a continuing waiver. Collateral Agent’s or any
Lender’s delay in exercising any remedy is not a waiver, election, or acquiescence.
9.7 Demand Waiver. Borrower waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, demand, notice of default or dishonor, notice of payment and
nonpayment, notice of any default, nonpayment at maturity, release, compromise, settlement, extension, or renewal of accounts, documents, instruments,
chattel paper, and guarantees held by Collateral Agent or any Lender on which Borrower or any Subsidiary is liable.
10. NOTICES
All notices, consents, requests, approvals, demands, or other communication (collectively, “Communication”) by any party to this Agreement or
any other Loan Document must be in writing and shall be deemed to have been validly served, given, or delivered: (a) upon the earlier of actual receipt and
three (3) Business Days after deposit in the U.S. mail, first class, registered or certified mail return receipt requested, with proper postage prepaid; (b) upon
transmission, when sent by facsimile or electronic mail transmission; (c) one (1) Business Day after deposit with a reputable overnight courier with all
charges prepaid; or (d) when delivered, if hand‑delivered by messenger, all of which shall be addressed to the party to be notified and sent to the address,
facsimile number, or email address indicated below. Any of Collateral Agent, Lender or Borrower may change its mailing address, facsimile number, or
email address by giving the other party written notice thereof in accordance with the terms of this Section 10.
If to Borrower:
SOLENO THERAPEUTICS, INC., on behalf of each
Borrower
100 Marine Parkway, Suite 400
Redwood City, CA 94065
Attn: [***]
Email: [***]
with a copy (which shall not
constitute notice) to:
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C.
650 Page Mill Road
Palo Alto, CA 94304
Attn: [***]
Email: [***]
If to Collateral Agent:
OXFORD FINANCE LLC
c/o Oxford Finance Advisors, LLC, its manager
115 South Union Street
Suite 300
Alexandria, VA 22314
Attention: [***]
Fax: [***]
Email: [***]
1614973099.7
If to Lenders:
OXFORD FINANCE CREDIT FUND II LP
c/o Oxford Finance Advisors, LLC, its manager
115 South Union Street
Suite 300
Alexandria, VA 22314
Attention: [***]
Fax: [***]
Email: [***]
OXFORD FINANCE CREDIT FUND III LP
c/o Oxford Finance Advisors, LLC, its manager
115 South Union Street
Suite 300
Alexandria, VA 22314
Attention: [***]
Fax: [***]
Email: [***]
with a copy (which shall not
constitute notice) to:
DLA PIPER LLP (US)
4365 Executive Drive Suite 1100
San Diego, California 92121-2133
Attention: [***]
Fax: [***]
Email: [***]
11. CHOICE OF LAW, VENUE AND JURY TRIAL WAIVER, AND JUDICIAL REFERENCE
California law governs the Loan Documents without regard to principles of conflicts of law. Borrower, Collateral Agent and each Lender each
submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the State and Federal courts in Santa Clara County, California; provided, however, that nothing in this Agreement
shall be deemed to operate to preclude Collateral Agent or any Lender from bringing suit or taking other legal action in any other jurisdiction to realize on
the Collateral or any other security for the Obligations, or to enforce a judgment or other court order in favor of Collateral Agent or any Lender. Borrower
expressly submits and consents in advance to such jurisdiction in any action or suit commenced in any such court, and Borrower hereby waives any
objection that it may have based upon lack of personal jurisdiction, improper venue, or forum non conveniens and hereby consents to the granting of such
legal or equitable relief as is deemed appropriate by such court. Borrower hereby waives personal service of the summons, complaints, and other process
issued in such action or suit and agrees that service of such summons, complaints, and other process may be made by registered or certified mail addressed
to Borrower at the address set forth in, or subsequently provided by Borrower in accordance with, Section 10 of this Agreement and that service so made
shall be deemed completed upon the earlier to occur of Borrower’s actual receipt thereof or three (3) days after deposit in the U.S. mails, proper postage
prepaid.
TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, BORROWER, COLLATERAL AGENT AND EACH LENDER EACH
WAIVE THEIR RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL OF ANY CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR BASED UPON THIS
AGREEMENT, THE LOAN DOCUMENTS OR ANY CONTEMPLATED TRANSACTION, INCLUDING CONTRACT, TORT, BREACH OF
DUTY AND ALL OTHER CLAIMS. THIS WAIVER IS A MATERIAL INDUCEMENT FOR EACH PARTY TO ENTER INTO THIS
AGREEMENT. EACH PARTY HAS REVIEWED THIS WAIVER WITH ITS COUNSEL.
1614973099.7
WITHOUT INTENDING IN ANY WAY TO LIMIT THE PARTIES’ AGREEMENT TO WAIVE THEIR RESPECTIVE RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY
JURY, if the above waiver of the right to a trial by jury is not enforceable, the parties hereto agree that any and all disputes or controversies of any nature
between them arising at any time shall be decided by a reference to a private judge, mutually selected by the parties (or, if they cannot agree, by the
Presiding Judge of the Santa Clara County, California Superior Court) appointed in accordance with California Code of Civil Procedure Section 638 (or
pursuant to comparable provisions of federal law if the dispute falls within the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal courts), sitting without a jury, in Santa
Clara County, California; and the parties hereby submit to the jurisdiction of such court. The reference proceedings shall be conducted pursuant to and in
accordance with the provisions of California Code of Civil Procedure §§ 638 through 645.1, inclusive. The private judge shall have the power, among
others, to grant provisional relief, including without limitation, entering temporary restraining orders, issuing preliminary and permanent injunctions and
appointing receivers. All such proceedings shall be closed to the public and confidential and all records relating thereto shall be permanently sealed. If
during the course of any dispute, a party desires to seek provisional relief, but a judge has not been appointed at that point pursuant to the judicial reference
procedures, then such party may apply to the Santa Clara County, California Superior Court for such relief. The proceeding before the private judge shall
be conducted in the same manner as it would be before a court under the rules of evidence applicable to judicial proceedings. The parties shall be entitled
to discovery which shall be conducted in the same manner as it would be before a court under the rules of discovery applicable to judicial proceedings. The
private judge shall oversee discovery and may enforce all discovery rules and orders applicable to judicial proceedings in the same manner as a trial court
judge. The parties agree that the selected or appointed private judge shall have the power to decide all issues in the action or proceeding, whether of fact or
of law, and shall report a statement of decision thereon pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure § 644(a). Nothing in this paragraph shall limit the
right of any party at any time to exercise self‑help remedies, foreclose against collateral, or obtain provisional remedies. The private judge shall also
determine all issues relating to the applicability, interpretation, and enforceability of this paragraph.
12. GENERAL PROVISIONS
12.1 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement binds and is for the benefit of the successors and permitted assigns of each party. Borrower may
not transfer, pledge or assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations under it without Collateral Agent’s and each Lender’s prior written consent (which
may be granted or withheld in Collateral Agent’s and each Lender’s discretion, subject to Section 12.6). The Lenders have the right, without the consent of
or notice to Borrower, to sell, transfer, assign, pledge, negotiate, or grant participation in (any such sale, transfer, assignment, negotiation, or grant of a
participation, a “Lender Transfer”) all or any part of, or any interest in, the Lenders’ obligations, rights, and benefits under this Agreement and the other
Loan Documents; provided, however, that any such Lender Transfer (other than a transfer, pledge, sale or assignment to an Eligible Assignee) of its
obligations, rights, and benefits under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall require the prior written consent of the Required Lenders (such
approved assignee, an “Approved Lender”). Borrower and Collateral Agent shall be entitled to continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in
connection with the interests so assigned until Collateral Agent shall have received and accepted an effective assignment agreement in form satisfactory to
Collateral Agent executed, delivered and fully completed by the applicable parties thereto, and shall have received such other information regarding such
Eligible Assignee or Approved Lender as Collateral Agent reasonably shall require. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, so long as
no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, no Lender Transfer (other than a Lender Transfer in connection with (x) assignments by a Lender due
to a forced divestiture at the request of any regulatory agency; or (y) upon the occurrence of a default, event of default or similar occurrence with respect to
a Lender’s own financing or securitization transactions) shall be permitted, without Borrower’s consent, to any Person which is an Affiliate or Subsidiary of
Borrower, a direct competitor of Borrower or a vulture hedge fund, each as determined by Collateral Agent. Collateral Agent, acting as a non-fiduciary
agent of Borrower (solely for tax purposes), shall maintain (a) a copy (or electronic equivalent) of the documentation for each Lender Transfer delivered to
it, and (b) a register for recordation of the names, addresses, Term Loan Commitments of and Obligations owing to, each Lender. Entries in the register
shall be conclusive, absent manifest error, and Borrower, Collateral Agent and Lenders shall treat each Person recorded in such register as a Lender for all
purposes under the Loan Documents, notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. The register shall be available for inspection by Borrower or any Lender,
from time to time upon reasonable notice. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting as a non-fiduciary agent of Borrower (solely for tax purposes),
maintain a register in which it enters the participant’s name, address and interest in Term Loan Commitments and Obligations (the “Participant Register”).
Entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive, absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat
1614973099.7
each Person recorded in the register as the owner of the participation for all purposes, notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. No Lender shall have an
obligation to disclose any information in such Participant Register, except to the extent necessary to establish that a participant’s interest is in registered
form under the Internal Revenue Code and Treasury Regulations Section 5f.103-1(c). Collateral Agent (in its capacity as Collateral Agent) shall have no
responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.
12.2 Indemnification. Borrower agrees to indemnify, defend and hold Collateral Agent and the Lenders and their respective directors, officers,
employees, agents, attorneys, or any other Person affiliated with or representing Collateral Agent or the Lenders (each, an “Indemnified Person”) harmless
against: (a) all obligations, demands, claims, and liabilities (collectively, “Claims”) asserted by any other party in connection with; related to; following; or
arising from, out of or under, the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents; and (b) all losses or Lenders’ Expenses incurred, or paid by
Indemnified Person in connection with; related to; following; or arising from, out of or under, the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents
between Collateral Agent, and/or the Lenders and Borrower (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses), except for Claims and/or losses directly
caused by such Indemnified Person’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. Borrower hereby further indemnifies, defends and holds each Indemnified
Person harmless from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, claims, costs, expenses and
disbursements of any kind or nature whatsoever (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for such Indemnified Person) in connection
with any investigative, response, remedial, administrative or judicial matter or proceeding, whether or not such Indemnified Person shall be designated a
party thereto and including any such proceeding initiated by or on behalf of Borrower, and the reasonable expenses of investigation by engineers,
environmental consultants and similar technical personnel and any commission, fee or compensation claimed by any broker (other than any broker retained
by Collateral Agent or Lenders) asserting any right to payment for the transactions contemplated hereby which may be imposed on, incurred by or asserted
against such Indemnified Person as a result of or in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the use or intended use of the proceeds of the
loan proceeds except for liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, claims, costs, expenses and disbursements directly
caused by such Indemnified Person’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. This Section 12.2 shall not apply with respect to taxes, other than taxes that
represent claims, damages, losses or liability arising from any non-tax claim.
12.3 Time of Essence. Time is of the essence for the performance of all Obligations in this Agreement.
12.4 Severability of Provisions. Each provision of this Agreement is severable from every other provision in determining the enforceability of
any provision.
12.5 Correction of Loan Documents. Collateral Agent and the Lenders may correct patent errors and fill in any blanks in this Agreement and
the other Loan Documents consistent with the agreement of the parties so long as Collateral Agent and Lenders provide Borrower with written notice of
such correction and allow Borrower at least ten (10) days to object to such correction. In the event of such objection, such correction shall not be made
except by an amendment signed by Borrower, Collateral Agent and the requisite Lenders in accordance with Section 12.6 hereof.
12.6 Amendments in Writing; Integration. (a) No amendment, modification, termination or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any
other Loan Document, no approval or consent thereunder, or any consent to any departure by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries therefrom, shall in any
event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by Borrower, Collateral Agent and the Required Lenders provided that:
(i)
no such amendment, waiver or other modification that would have the effect of increasing or reducing a Lender’s Term
Loan Commitment or Commitment Percentage shall be effective as to such Lender without such Lender’s written consent;
(ii) no such amendment, waiver or modification that would affect the rights and duties of Collateral Agent shall be
effective without Collateral Agent’s written consent or signature;
1614973099.7
(iii) no such amendment, waiver or other modification shall, unless signed by all the Lenders directly affected thereby, (A)
reduce the principal of, rate of interest on or any fees with respect to any Term Loan or forgive any principal, interest (other than default interest) or fees
(other than late charges) with respect to any Term Loan (B) postpone the date fixed for, or waive, any payment of principal of any Term Loan or of interest
on any Term Loan (other than default interest) or any fees provided for hereunder (other than late charges or for any termination of any commitment); (C)
change the definition of the term “Required Lenders” or the percentage of Lenders which shall be required for the Lenders to take any action hereunder;
(D) release all or substantially all of any material portion of the Collateral, authorize Borrower to sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all or any
material portion of the Collateral or release any Guarantor of all or any portion of the Obligations or its guaranty obligations with respect thereto, except, in
each case with respect to this clause (D), as otherwise may be expressly permitted under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents (including in
connection with any disposition permitted hereunder); (E) amend, waive or otherwise modify this Section 12.6 or the definitions of the terms used in this
Section 12.6 insofar as the definitions affect the substance of this Section 12.6; (F) consent to the assignment, delegation or other transfer by Borrower of
any of its rights and obligations under any Loan Document or release Borrower of its payment obligations under any Loan Document, except, in each case
with respect to this clause (F), pursuant to a merger or consolidation permitted pursuant to this Agreement; (G) amend any of the provisions of Section 9.4
or amend any of the definitions of Pro Rata Share, Term Loan Commitment, Commitment Percentage or that provide for the Lenders to receive their Pro
Rata Shares of any fees, payments, setoffs or proceeds of Collateral hereunder; (H) subordinate the Liens granted in favor of Collateral Agent securing the
Obligations; or (I) amend any of the provisions of Section 12.10. It is hereby understood and agreed that all Lenders shall be deemed directly affected by
an amendment, waiver or other modification of the type described in the preceding clauses (C), (D), (E), (F), (G) and (H) of the preceding sentence;
(iv) the provisions of the foregoing clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) are subject to the provisions of any interlender or agency
agreement among the Lenders and Collateral Agent pursuant to which any Lender may agree to give its consent in connection with any amendment, waiver
or modification of the Loan Documents only in the event of the unanimous agreement of all Lenders.
(b) Other than as expressly provided for in Section 12.6(a)(i)‑(iii), Collateral Agent may, if requested by the Required Lenders, from
time to time designate covenants in this Agreement less restrictive by notification to a representative of Borrower.
(c) This Agreement and the Loan Documents represent the entire agreement about this subject matter and supersede prior
negotiations or agreements. All prior agreements, understandings, representations, warranties, and negotiations between the parties about the subject matter
of this Agreement and the Loan Documents merge into this Agreement and the Loan Documents.
12.7 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties on separate counterparts, each of
which, when executed and delivered, is an original, and all taken together, constitute one Agreement.
12.8 Survival. All covenants, representations and warranties made in this Agreement continue in full force and effect until this Agreement has
terminated pursuant to its terms and all Obligations (other than inchoate indemnity and reimbursement obligations and any other obligations which, by their
terms, are to survive the termination of this Agreement and any other obligations which, by their terms, are to survive the termination of this Agreement)
have been satisfied. The obligation of Borrower in Section 12.2 to indemnify each Lender and Collateral Agent, as well as the confidentiality provisions in
Section 12.9 below, shall survive until the statute of limitations with respect to such claim or cause of action shall have run.
12.9 Confidentiality. In handling any confidential information of Borrower, the Lenders and Collateral Agent shall exercise the same degree of
care that it exercises for their own proprietary information, but disclosure of information may be made: (a) subject to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement including this Section 12.9, on a need to know basis to the Lenders’ and Collateral Agent’s Subsidiaries or Affiliates, or in connection with a
Lender’s own financing or securitization transactions and upon the occurrence of a default, event of default or similar occurrence with respect to such
financing or securitization transaction; (b) to prospective transferees (other than those identified in (a) above) or purchasers of any interest in the Credit
Extensions (provided, however, the Lenders and
1614973099.7
Collateral Agent shall, except upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, obtain such prospective transferee’s or purchaser’s
agreement to the terms of this provision or to similar confidentiality terms and Borrower is an express third-party beneficiary thereof); (c) as required by
law, regulation, subpoena, or other order; (d) to Lenders’ or Collateral Agent’s regulators or as otherwise required in connection with an examination or
audit; (e) as Collateral Agent reasonably considers appropriate in exercising remedies under the Loan Documents; and (f) to third party service providers of
the Lenders and/or Collateral Agent so long as such service providers have executed a confidentiality agreement with the Lenders and Collateral Agent with
terms no less restrictive than those contained herein and Borrower is an express third-party beneficiary thereof, and the information is used solely for
purposes of providing services to Lenders and/or Collateral Agent. Confidential information does not include information that either: (i) is in the public
domain or in the Lenders’ and/or Collateral Agent’s possession on a non-confidential basis when disclosed to the Lenders and/or Collateral Agent, or
becomes part of the public domain after disclosure to the Lenders and/or Collateral Agent; or (ii) is disclosed to the Lenders and/or Collateral Agent by a
third party, if the Lenders and/or Collateral Agent does not know that the third party is prohibited from disclosing the information. Collateral Agent and the
Lenders may use confidential information for any purpose related to the administration of this Agreement and the Loan Documents, including, without
limitation, for the development of client databases, reporting purposes, and market analysis. This Section 12.9 shall survive the termination of this
Agreement. The agreements provided under this Section 12.9 supersede all prior agreements, understanding, representations, warranties, and negotiations
between the parties about the subject matter of this Section 12.9.
12.10
Public Announcement. Notwithstanding anything else herein to the contrary, Borrower hereby agrees that, at any time after Borrower
has publicly disclosed this Agreement, Collateral Agent and each Lender may make a public announcement of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, and may publicize the same on its company website, in marketing materials, newspapers and other publications, and otherwise, and in
connection therewith may, in consultation with Soleno, use Borrower’s name, tradenames, logos, and any information related to the transactions to the
extent such information is not confidential or has not been redacted in Soleno’s filing of this Agreement with the SEC.
12.11
Right of Set Off. Borrower hereby grants to Collateral Agent and to each Lender, a lien, security interest and right of set off as
security for all Obligations to Collateral Agent and each Lender hereunder, whether now existing or hereafter arising upon and against all deposits, credits,
collateral and property, now or hereafter in the possession, custody, safekeeping or control of Collateral Agent or the Lenders or any entity under the
control of Collateral Agent or the Lenders (including a Collateral Agent affiliate) or in transit to any of them. At any time after the occurrence and during
the continuance of an Event of Default, without demand or notice, Collateral Agent or the Lenders may set off the same or any part thereof and apply the
same to any liability or obligation of Borrower even though unmatured and regardless of the adequacy of any other collateral securing the Obligations.
ANY AND ALL RIGHTS TO REQUIRE COLLATERAL AGENT TO EXERCISE ITS RIGHTS OR REMEDIES WITH RESPECT TO ANY OTHER
COLLATERAL WHICH SECURES THE OBLIGATIONS, PRIOR TO EXERCISING ITS RIGHT OF SETOFF WITH RESPECT TO SUCH
DEPOSITS, CREDITS OR OTHER PROPERTY OF BORROWER ARE HEREBY KNOWINGLY, VOLUNTARILY AND IRREVOCABLY WAIVED
TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.
12.12
Cooperation of Borrower. If necessary, Borrower agrees to (i) execute any documents (including new Secured Promissory Notes)
reasonably required to effectuate and acknowledge each assignment of a Term Loan Commitment or Loan to an assignee in accordance with Section 12.1,
(ii) at reasonable times and upon reasonable prior notice (unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing), make Borrower’s management
available to meet with Collateral Agent and prospective participants and assignees of Term Loan Commitments or Credit Extensions (which meetings shall
be conducted no more often than once every twelve months unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing), and (iii) assist Collateral Agent or
the Lenders in the preparation of information relating to the financial affairs of Borrower as any prospective participant or assignee of a Term Loan
Commitment or Term Loan reasonably may request. Subject to the provisions of Section 12.9, Borrower authorizes each Lender to disclose to any
prospective participant or assignee of a Term Loan Commitment, any and all information in such Lender’s possession concerning Borrower and its
financial affairs which has been delivered to such Lender by or on behalf of Borrower pursuant to this Agreement, or which has been delivered to such
Lender by or on behalf of Borrower in connection with such Lender’s credit evaluation of Borrower prior to entering into this Agreement.
1614973099.7
12.13
Borrower Liability. Either Borrower may, acting singly, request Credit Extensions hereunder. Each Borrower hereby appoints the
other as agent for the other for all purposes hereunder, including with respect to requesting Credit Extensions hereunder. Each Borrower hereunder shall be
jointly and severally obligated to repay all Credit Extensions made hereunder, regardless of which Borrower actually receives said Credit Extension, as if
each Borrower hereunder directly received all Credit Extensions. Each Borrower waives (a) any suretyship defenses available to it under the Code or any
other applicable law, including, without limitation, the benefit of California Civil Code Section 2815 permitting revocation as to future transactions and the
benefit of California Civil Code Sections 1432, 2809, 2810, 2819, 2839, 2845, 2847, 2848, 2849, 2850, and 2899 and 3433, and (b) any right to require
Collateral Agent or any Lender to: (i) proceed against any Borrower or any other person; (ii) proceed against or exhaust any security; or (iii) pursue any
other remedy. Collateral Agent and or any Lender may exercise or not exercise any right or remedy it has against any Borrower or any security it holds
(including the right to foreclose by judicial or non‑judicial sale) without affecting any Borrower’s liability. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Agreement or other related document, each Borrower irrevocably waives all rights that it may have at law or in equity (including, without limitation, any
law subrogating Borrower to the rights of Collateral Agent and the Lenders under this Agreement) to seek contribution, indemnification or any other form
of reimbursement from any other Borrower, or any other Person now or hereafter primarily or secondarily liable for any of the Obligations, for any payment
made by Borrower with respect to the Obligations in connection with this Agreement or otherwise and all rights that it might have to benefit from, or to
participate in, any security for the Obligations as a result of any payment made by Borrower with respect to the Obligations in connection with this
Agreement or otherwise. Any agreement providing for indemnification, reimbursement or any other arrangement prohibited under this Section shall be null
and void. If any payment is made to a Borrower in contravention of this Section, such Borrower shall hold such payment in trust for Collateral Agent and
the Lenders and such payment shall be promptly delivered to Collateral Agent for application to the Obligations, whether matured or unmatured.
13. DEFINITIONS
13.1 Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the following meanings:
“1-Month CME Term SOFR” is the 1-month CME Term SOFR reference rate as published by the CME Term SOFR Administrator on the
CME Term SOFR Administrator’s Website.
“Account” is any “account” as defined in the Code with such additions to such term as may hereafter be made, and includes, without limitation,
all accounts receivable and other sums owing to Borrower.
“Account Debtor” is any “account debtor” as defined in the Code with such additions to such term as may hereafter be made.
“Acquisition” means the purchase or other acquisition by any Person, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of all or
substantially all of the property of another Person, or of a division or other business segment, line or unit of another Person, or at least a majority of the
voting Equity Interests of another Person, in each case whether or not involving a merger or consolidation with such other Person and whether for cash,
property, services, assumption of Indebtedness, securities or otherwise.
“Affiliate” of any Person is a Person that owns or controls directly or indirectly the Person, any Person that controls or is controlled by or is
under common control with the Person, and each of that Person’s senior executive officers, directors, partners and, for any Person that is a limited liability
company, that Person’s managers and members.
“Agreement” is defined in the preamble hereof.
“Amortization Date” is February 1, 2029; provided, however, if Borrower achieves the Interest-Only Extension Milestone as of or after the first
anniversary of the Effective Date, then the Amortization Date with respect to all Term Loans shall be extended to February 1, 2030.
“Annual Projections” is defined in Section 6.2(a).
1614973099.7
“Anti‑Terrorism Laws” are any laws relating to terrorism or money laundering, including Executive Order No. 13224 (effective September 24,
2001), the USA PATRIOT Act, the laws comprising or implementing the Bank Secrecy Act, and the laws administered by OFAC.
“Approved Fund” is any (a) Person, investment company, fund, securitization vehicle or conduit that is (or will be) engaged in making,
purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business and that is
administered or managed by (i) a Lender, (ii) an Affiliate of a Lender, or (iii) a Person (other than a natural person) or an Affiliate of a Person (other than a
natural person) that administers or manages a Lender, or (b) any Person (other than a natural person) which temporarily warehouses loans, or provides
financing or securitizations, in each case, for any Lender or any entity described in the preceding clause (a).
[***]
“Approved Lender” is defined in Section 12.1.
“Basic Rate” is with respect to each Term Loan, the per annum rate of interest (based on a year of three hundred sixty (360) days) equal to (a)
greater of (i) the lesser of (x) the 1-Month CME Term SOFR on the last Business Day of the month that immediately precedes the month in which the
interest will accrue and (y) seven and twelve hundredths of one percent (7.12%); and (ii) two percent (2.00%), plus (b) five and one half of one percent
(5.50%). Notwithstanding the foregoing, (x) in no event shall the Basic Rate for any Term Loan be less than seven and one half of one percent (7.50%) or
greater than twelve and sixty-two hundreds of one percent (12.62%), (y) upon the occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event, Collateral Agent may, in
good faith and with reference to the margin above such interest rate in this definition, amend this Agreement to replace the Benchmark with a replacement
interest rate and replacement margin above such interest rate that results in a substantially similar interest rate floor and total rate in effect immediately prior
to the effectiveness of such replacement interest rate and replacement margin, and any such amendment shall become effective at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on
the third Business Day after Collateral Agent has notified Borrower of such amendment. Any determination, decision or election that may be made by
Collateral Agent pursuant hereto will be conclusive and binding absent manifest error and may be made in Collateral Agent’s sole discretion and without
consent from any other party.
“Benchmark” is, initially, the 1-Month CME Term SOFR; provided, that if a Benchmark Transition Event has occurred with respect to the 1-
Month CME Term SOFR or the then-current Benchmark, then “Benchmark” means the applicable replacement rate that has replaced the immediately
preceding benchmark rate pursuant to the defined term “Basic Rate”.
“Benchmark Transition Event” means the occurrence of one or more of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:
(a) a public statement or publication of information by or on behalf of the administrator for such Benchmark announcing that such Person has
ceased or will cease to provide such Benchmark, permanently or indefinitely, provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no
successor administrator that will continue to provide such Benchmark;
(b) a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator for such Benchmark, the U.S. Federal
Reserve System, an insolvency official with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark, a resolution authority with jurisdiction over the
administrator for such Benchmark or a court or an entity with similar insolvency or resolution authority over the administrator for such Benchmark, which
states that the administrator for such Benchmark has ceased or will cease to provide such Benchmark permanently or indefinitely, provided that, at the time
of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide such Benchmark; or
(c) a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator for such Benchmark announcing that such
Benchmark is no longer representative or in compliance with the International Organization of Securities Commissions Principles for Financial
Benchmarks.
1614973099.7
“Blocked Person” is any Person: (a) listed in the annex to, or is otherwise subject to the provisions of, Executive Order No. 13224, (b) a Person
owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, any Person that is listed in the annex to, or is otherwise subject to the provisions of, Executive Order
No. 13224, (c) a Person with which any Lender is prohibited from dealing or otherwise engaging in any transaction by any Anti‑Terrorism Law, (d) a
Person that commits, threatens or conspires to commit or supports “terrorism” as defined in Executive Order No. 13224, or (e) a Person that is named a
“specially designated national” or “blocked person” on the most current list published by OFAC or other similar list.
“Borrower” is defined in the preamble hereof.
“Borrower’s Books” are Borrower’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ books and records including ledgers, federal, and state tax returns, records
regarding Borrower’s or its Subsidiaries’ assets or liabilities, the Collateral, business operations or financial condition, and all computer programs or storage
or any equipment containing such information.
“Business Day” is any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which Collateral Agent is closed.
“Cash Equivalents” are (a) marketable direct obligations issued or unconditionally guaranteed by the United States or any agency or any State
thereof having maturities of not more than one (1) year from the date of acquisition; (b) commercial paper maturing no more than one (1) year after its
creation and having the highest rating from either Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group or Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., (c) certificates of deposit maturing
no more than one (1) year after issue provided that the account in which any such certificate of deposit is maintained is subject to a Control Agreement in
favor of Collateral Agent to the extent required by this Agreement, (d) money market accounts at least ninety-five percent (95%) of the assets of which
constitute Cash Equivalents of the kinds described in clauses (a) through (c) of this definition. For the avoidance of doubt, the direct purchase by Borrower
or any of its Subsidiaries of any Auction Rate Securities, or purchasing participations in, or entering into any type of swap or other derivative transaction
with respect to, or otherwise holding or engaging in any ownership interest in any type of Auction Rate Security by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall
be conclusively determined by the Lenders as an ineligible Cash Equivalent, and any such transaction shall expressly violate each other provision of this
Agreement governing Permitted Investments. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Cash Equivalents does not include and Borrower, and each of its
Subsidiaries, are prohibited from purchasing, purchasing participations in, entering into any type of swap or other equivalent derivative transaction with
respect to, or otherwise holding or engaging in any ownership interest in any type of debt instrument, including, without limitation, any corporate or
municipal bonds with a long‑term nominal maturity for which the interest rate is reset through a dutch auction and more commonly referred to as an auction
rate security (each, an “Auction Rate Security”).
“Claims” are defined in Section 12.2.
“CME Term SOFR Administrator” is CME Group Benchmark Administration Limited, as administrator of the forward-looking term SOFR, or
any successor administrator.
“CME Term SOFR Administrator’s Website” is the website of the CME Group Benchmark Administrator at http://www.cmegroup.com, or
any successor source.
“Code” is the Uniform Commercial Code, as the same may, from time to time, be enacted and in effect in the State of California; provided, that,
to the extent that the Code is used to define any term herein or in any Loan Document and such term is defined differently in different Articles or Divisions
of the Code, the definition of such term contained in Article or Division 9 shall govern; provided further, that in the event that, by reason of mandatory
provisions of law, any or all of the attachment, perfection, or priority of, or remedies with respect to, Collateral Agent’s Lien on any Collateral is governed
by the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in a jurisdiction other than the State of California, the term “Code” shall mean the Uniform Commercial Code
as enacted and in effect in such other jurisdiction solely for purposes of the provisions thereof relating to such attachment, perfection, priority, or remedies
and for purposes of definitions relating to such provisions.
“Collateral” is any and all properties, rights and assets of Borrower described on Exhibit A.
1614973099.7
“Collateral Account” is any Deposit Account, Securities Account, Commodity Account or any other bank account.
“Collateral Agent” is, Oxford, not in its individual capacity, but solely in its capacity as agent on behalf of and for the benefit of the Lenders.
“Commitment Percentage” is set forth in Schedule 1.1, as amended from time to time.
“Commodity Account” is any “commodity account” as defined in the Code with such additions to such term as may hereafter be made.
“Communication” is defined in Section 10.
“Compliance Certificate” is that certain certificate in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C.
“Contingent Obligation” is, for any Person, any direct or indirect liability, contingent or not, of that Person for (a) any indebtedness, lease,
dividend, letter of credit or other obligation of another Person such as an obligation directly or indirectly guaranteed, endorsed, co‑made, discounted or sold
with recourse by that Person, or for which that Person is directly or indirectly liable; (b) any obligations for undrawn letters of credit for the account of that
Person; and (c) all obligations from any interest rate, currency or commodity swap agreement, interest rate cap or collar agreement, or other agreement or
arrangement designed to protect a Person against fluctuation in interest rates, currency exchange rates or commodity prices; but “Contingent Obligation”
does not include endorsements in the ordinary course of business, customary warranty obligations or customary indemnification obligations. The amount
of a Contingent Obligation is the stated or determined amount of the primary obligation for which the Contingent Obligation is made or, if not
determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability for it determined by the Person in good faith; but the amount may not exceed the maximum of
the obligations under any guarantee or other support arrangement.
“Control Agreement” is any control agreement entered into among the depository institution at which Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries
maintains a Deposit Account or the securities intermediary or commodity intermediary at which Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries maintains a Securities
Account or a Commodity Account, Borrower and such Subsidiary, and Collateral Agent pursuant to which Collateral Agent obtains control (within the
meaning of the Code) for the benefit of the Lenders over such Deposit Account, Securities Account, or Commodity Account.
“Copyrights” are any and all copyright rights, copyright applications, copyright registrations and like protections in each work or authorship and
derivative work thereof, whether published or unpublished and whether or not the same also constitutes a trade secret.
“Credit Extension” is any Term Loan or any other extension of credit by Collateral Agent or Lenders for Borrower’s benefit.
“Credit Party” means each Borrower and any Guarantor.
“DCCR Net Product Revenue” means net product revenue (as determined in accordance with GAAP) from the sale of DCCR (diazoxide
choline) extended release tablets for [***] by Borrower or its Subsidiaries exclusively attributable to sales made and booked in the United States (which
shall in any event shall be booked by Borrower). For the avoidance of doubt, net product revenue shall not include any of the following to the extent not
recognizable as revenue in accordance with GAAP: (i) trade, quantity and cash discounts allowed by Borrower, (ii) discounts, refunds, rebates, charge
backs, retroactive price adjustment and any other allowances which effectively reduce net selling price, (iii) product returns and allowances, (iv) allowances
for shipping or other distribution expenses, (iv) set-offs and counterclaims, (v) any upfront or non-sales-based milestone payments under royalty, profit
sharing, business development or licensing transactions, and (vi) any other similar and customary deductions that are typically deducted from gross revenue
and not included in net revenue in accordance with GAAP.
1614973099.7
“Default Rate” is defined in Section 2.3(b).
“Deposit Account” is any “deposit account” as defined in the Code with such additions to such term as may hereafter be made.
“Designated Deposit Account” is Soleno’s deposit account, account number [***], maintained with Silicon Valley Bank, a division of First-
Citizens Bank & Trust Company.
“Disbursement Letter” is that certain form attached hereto as Exhibit B.
“Division” means, in reference to any Person which is an entity, the division of such Person into two (2) or more separate Persons, with the
dividing Person either continuing or terminating its existence as part of such division, including, without limitation, as contemplated under Section 18-217
of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act for limited liability companies formed under Delaware law, or any analogous action taken pursuant to any
other applicable law with respect to any corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other entity.
“Dollars,” “dollars” and “$” each mean lawful money of the United States.
“Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary organized under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof, the District of
Columbia, or any other jurisdiction within the United States of America.
“Effective Date” is defined in the preamble of this Agreement.
“Eligible Assignee” is (i) a Lender, (ii) an Affiliate of a Lender, (iii) an Approved Fund and (iv) any commercial bank, savings and loan
association or savings bank or any other entity which is an “accredited investor” (as defined in Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended)
and which extends credit or buys loans as one of its businesses, including insurance companies, mutual funds, lease financing companies and commercial
finance companies, in each case, which either (A) has a rating of BBB or higher from Standard & Poor’s Rating Group and a rating of Baa2 or higher from
Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. at the date that it becomes a Lender or (B) has total assets in excess of Five Billion Dollars ($5,000,000,000.00), and in
each case of clauses (i) through (iv), which, through its applicable lending office, is capable of lending to Borrower without the imposition of any
withholding or similar taxes; provided that notwithstanding the foregoing, “Eligible Assignee” shall not include, unless an Event of Default has occurred
and is continuing, (i) Borrower or any of Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries or (ii) a direct competitor of Borrower or a vulture hedge fund, each as
determined by Collateral Agent. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (x) in connection with assignments by a Lender due to a forced divestiture at the request of
any regulatory agency, the restrictions set forth herein shall not apply and Eligible Assignee shall mean any Person or party and (y) in connection with a
Lender’s own financing or securitization transactions, the restrictions set forth herein shall not apply and Eligible Assignee shall mean any Person or party
providing such financing or formed to undertake such securitization transaction and any transferee of such Person or party upon the occurrence of a default,
event of default or similar occurrence with respect to such financing or securitization transaction; provided that no such sale, transfer, pledge or assignment
under this clause (y) shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such Person or party for such Lender as a party hereto
until Collateral Agent shall have received and accepted an effective assignment agreement from such Person or party in form satisfactory to Collateral
Agent executed, delivered and fully completed by the applicable parties thereto, and shall have received such other information regarding such Eligible
Assignee as Collateral Agent reasonably shall require.
“Equipment” is all “equipment” as defined in the Code with such additions to such term as may hereafter be made, and includes without
limitation all machinery, fixtures, goods, vehicles (including motor vehicles and trailers), and any interest in any of the foregoing.
“ERISA” is the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and its regulations.
“Event of Default” is defined in Section 8.
1614973099.7
“Excluded Accounts” is defined in Section 6.6(b).
[***]
“Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Website” means the website of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York at http://www.newyorkfed.org,
or any successor source.
“Final Payment” is a payment (in addition to and not a substitution for the regular monthly payments of principal plus accrued interest) due on
the earliest to occur of (a) the Maturity Date, or (b) the acceleration of any Term Loan, or (c) the prepayment of a Term Loan pursuant to Section 2.2(c) or
(d), equal to the original principal amount of such Term Loan multiplied by the Final Payment Percentage, payable to Lenders in accordance with their
respective Pro Rata Shares.
“Final Payment Percentage” is five percent (5.00%); provided, however, if Borrower achieves the Interest-Only Extension Milestone and the
Amortization Date is extended to February 1, 2030 and the Maturity Date is extended to December 1, 2030, then the Final Payment Percentage shall be six
and one half of one percent (6.5%).
“Foreign Subsidiary” means (a) a Subsidiary other than any Domestic Subsidiary and (b) a Domestic Subsidiary substantially all of the assets of
which consist of equity interests in, or other securities of or debt obligations owed by, one or more “controlled foreign corporations” within the meaning of
Section 957(a) of the Internal Revenue Code (or are treated as consisting of such assets for U.S. federal income tax purposes).
“Funding Date” is any date on which a Credit Extension is made to or on account of Borrower which shall be a Business Day.
“GAAP” is generally accepted accounting principles set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other
statements by such other Person as may be approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in the United States, which are applicable to the
circumstances as of the date of determination.
“General Intangibles” are all “general intangibles” as defined in the Code in effect on the date hereof with such additions to such term as may
hereafter be made, and includes without limitation, all copyright rights, copyright applications, copyright registrations and like protections in each work of
authorship and derivative work, whether published or unpublished, any patents, trademarks, service marks and, to the extent permitted under applicable
law, any applications therefor, whether registered or not, any trade secret rights, including any rights to unpatented inventions, payment intangibles,
royalties, contract rights, goodwill, franchise agreements, purchase orders, customer lists, route lists, telephone numbers, domain names, claims, income
and other tax refunds, security and other deposits, options to purchase or sell real or personal property, rights in all litigation presently or hereafter pending
(whether in contract, tort or otherwise), insurance policies (including without limitation key man, property damage, and business interruption insurance),
payments of insurance and rights to payment of any kind.
“Good Faith Deposit” is defined in Section 2.5(e).
“Governmental Approval” is any consent, authorization, approval, order, license, franchise, permit, certificate, accreditation, registration, filing
or notice, of, issued by, from or to, or other act by or in respect of, any Governmental Authority.
“Governmental Authority” is any nation or government, any state or other political subdivision thereof, any agency, authority, instrumentality,
regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining
to government, any securities exchange and any self‑regulatory organization.
“Guarantor” is any Person providing a Guaranty in favor of Collateral Agent.
1614973099.7
“Guaranty” is any guarantee of all or any part of the Obligations, as the same may from time to time be amended, restated, modified or
otherwise supplemented.
“Indebtedness” is (a) indebtedness for borrowed money or the deferred price of property or services, such as reimbursement and other
obligations for surety bonds and letters of credit, (b) obligations evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or similar instruments, (c) capital lease obligations,
and (d) Contingent Obligations.
“Indemnified Person” is defined in Section 12.2.
“Insolvency Proceeding” is any proceeding by or against any Person under the United States Bankruptcy Code, or any other bankruptcy or
insolvency law, including assignments for the benefit of creditors, compositions, extensions generally with its creditors, or proceedings seeking
reorganization, arrangement, or other relief.
“Insolvent” means not Solvent.
“Intellectual Property” means all of Borrower’s or any Subsidiary’s right, title and interest in and to the following:
(a) its Copyrights, Trademarks and Patents;
(b) any and all trade secrets and trade secret rights, including, without limitation, any rights to unpatented inventions, know‑how,
operating manuals;
(c) any and all source code;
(d) any and all design rights which may be available to Borrower;
(e) any and all claims for damages by way of past, present and future infringement of any of the foregoing, with the right, but not the
obligation, to sue for and collect such damages for said use or infringement of the Intellectual Property rights identified above; and
(f) all amendments, renewals and extensions of any of the Copyrights, Trademarks or Patents.
“Interest-Only Extension Milestone” means [***].
“Internal Revenue Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“IRS” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
“Inventory” is all “inventory” as defined in the Code in effect on the date hereof with such additions to such term as may hereafter be made, and
includes without limitation all merchandise, raw materials, parts, supplies, packing and shipping materials, work in process and finished products, including
without limitation such inventory as is temporarily out of any Person’s custody or possession or in transit and including any returned goods and any
documents of title representing any of the above.
“Investment” is any beneficial ownership interest by any Person in any other Person (including stock, partnership interest or other securities),
and any loan, advance or capital contribution to any other Person.
“IP Agreement” is that certain Intellectual Property Security Agreement entered into by and between Borrower and Collateral Agent dated as of
the Effective Date, as such may be amended from time to time.
“Key Person” is each of Borrower’s (i) Chief Executive Officer, who is Anish Bhatnagar, M.D. as of the Effective Date, and (ii) Chief Financial
Officer, who is Jim Mackaness as of the Effective Date.
1614973099.7
“Lender” is any one of the Lenders.
“Lenders” are the Persons identified on Schedule 1.1 hereto and each assignee that becomes a party to this Agreement pursuant to Section 12.1.
“Lenders’ Expenses” are all audit fees and expenses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, as well as appraisal
fees, fees incurred on account of lien searches, inspection fees, and filing fees) for preparing, amending, negotiating, administering, defending and
enforcing the Loan Documents (including, without limitation, those incurred in connection with appeals or Insolvency Proceedings) or otherwise incurred
by Collateral Agent and/or the Lenders in connection with the Loan Documents.
“Lien” is a claim, mortgage, deed of trust, levy, charge, pledge, security interest, or other encumbrance of any kind, whether voluntarily incurred
or arising by operation of law or otherwise against any property.
“Loan Documents” are, collectively, this Agreement, the Perfection Certificate, each Compliance Certificate, each Disbursement Letter, the Post
Closing Letter, the IP Agreement, any subordination agreements, any note, or notes or guaranties executed by Borrower or any other Person pursuant to this
Agreement, and any other present or future agreement entered into by Borrower, any Guarantor or any other Person for the benefit of the Lenders and
Collateral Agent in connection with this Agreement; all as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified.
“Market Capitalization” means, as of any date of determination, the product of (a) the number of Soleno’s shares of common stock outstanding
on such date of determination and (b) the closing price of one share of Soleno’s common stock as quoted on www.nasdaq.com (or other exchange where
such shares are listed for trading), or if such page is not available, any other commercially available source providing quotations of such closing price as
reasonably selected by Soleno, on such date of determination.
“Material Adverse Change” is (a) a material impairment in the perfection or priority of Collateral Agent’s Lien in the Collateral or in the value
of such Collateral; (b) a material adverse change in the business, operations or condition (financial or otherwise) of Borrower (taken as a whole), or
Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; or (c) a material impairment of the prospect of repayment of any portion of the Obligations.
“Maturity Date” is, for each Term Loan, December 1, 2029; provided, however, if Borrower achieves the Interest-Only Extension Milestone as
of or after the first anniversary of the Effective Date, then the Amortization Date is extended to February 1, 2030, and the Maturity Date is December 1,
2030.
“Minimum Cash Requisite Cash Level” means [***].
“Minimum Revenue Requisite Cash Level” means [***].
“Obligations” are all of Borrower’s obligations to pay when due any debts, principal, interest, Lenders’ Expenses, the Prepayment Fee, the Final
Payment, and other amounts Borrower owes the Lenders now or later, in connection with, related to, following, or arising from, out of or under, this
Agreement or, the other Loan Documents, or otherwise, and including interest accruing after Insolvency Proceedings begin (whether or not allowed) and
debts, liabilities, or obligations of Borrower assigned to the Lenders and/or Collateral Agent, and the performance of Borrower’s duties under the Loan
Documents.
“OFAC” is the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control.
“OFAC Lists” are, collectively, the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List maintained by OFAC pursuant to Executive Order
No. 13224, 66 Fed. Reg. 49079 (Sept. 25, 2001) and/or any other list of terrorists or other restricted Persons maintained pursuant to any of the rules and
regulations of OFAC or pursuant to any other applicable Executive Orders.
1614973099.7
“Operating Documents” are, for any Person, such Person’s formation documents, as certified by the Secretary of State (or equivalent agency) of
such Person’s jurisdiction of organization on a date that is no earlier than thirty (30) days prior to the Effective Date in the case of formation documents
delivered on the Effective Date, and, (a) if such Person is a corporation, its bylaws in current form, (b) if such Person is a limited liability company, its
limited liability company agreement (or similar agreement), and (c) if such Person is a partnership, its partnership agreement (or similar agreement), each of
the foregoing with all current amendments or modifications thereto.
“Participant Register” is defined in Section 12.1.
“Patents” means all patents, patent applications and like protections including without limitation improvements, divisions, continuations,
renewals, reissues, extensions and continuations-in-part of the same.
“Payment Date” is the first (1st) calendar day of each calendar month, commencing on February 1, 2025.
“Perfection Certificate” is defined in Section 5.1.
“Permitted Acquisition” means an Acquisition through the payment of consideration (including, but not limited to cash, the value of any of
Borrower’s capital stock issued or exchanged, and the value of any deferred compensation and/or earn-out obligations), of no more than (i) [***] of cash
consideration, plus (ii) the issuance of Borrower’s capital stock so long as the number of shares or the voting power of Borrower’s capital stock issued with
respect to any one Person is less than twenty percent (20%) of the total shares or voting power of Borrower’s capital stock outstanding before the issuance;
provided that the aforementioned dollar amount and percentage shall apply with respect to any one Acquisition and all Acquisitions in the aggregate from
the Effective Date until this Agreement has terminated pursuant to its terms and all Obligations (other than inchoate indemnity and reimbursement
obligations and any other obligations which, by their terms, are to survive the termination of this Agreement and any other obligations which, by their
terms, are to survive the termination of this Agreement) have been satisfied, and shall be determined as of the date of each such Acquisition and such
percentages shall be added together for the determination of the aggregate percentage, in each case to the extent that each of the following conditions shall
have been satisfied:
(a) immediately prior to, and after giving effect thereto, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result
therefrom;
(b) all transactions in connection therewith shall be consummated, in all material respects, in accordance with applicable law;
(c) such acquired Person or assets shall be in the same line of business as is conducted by Borrower as of the Effective Date (or a line
of business reasonably related thereto);
(d) such Acquisition shall not cause the focus or locations of Borrower’s and its Subsidiaries’ operations (when taken as a whole) to
be located outside of the United States;
(e) in the case of the purchase or other Acquisition of Shares, all of the Shares acquired or otherwise issued by such Person or any
newly formed Subsidiary in connection with such acquisition shall be wholly owned by Borrower or a Subsidiary;
(f) in connection with such Acquisition, neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries (including for this purpose, the target of the
Acquisition) shall acquire or be subject to any Indebtedness or Liens that are not otherwise permitted hereunder;
(g) Borrower shall have delivered to the Collateral Agent and Lenders at least five (5) Business Days (or such shorter period as may
be acceptable to Collateral Agent and Lenders) prior to such proposed Acquisition (i) a copy of the purchase agreement related to the proposed Acquisition
(and any related documents reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent and Lenders), (ii) a general description of the acquired assets or acquired business
line or unit or division and the competitive position of such business line or unit or division within the industry, (iii) the sources and uses of funds to finance
the proposed Acquisition, and (iv) to the extent available, quarterly and annual
1614973099.7
audited financial statements of the Person whose Shares or assets are being acquired for the twelve (12) month period immediately prior to such proposed
Acquisition;
(h) Collateral Agent and the Lenders have received a certificate from a Responsible Officer together with Board approved projections
certifying and setting forth in reasonable detail that Borrower has enough cash on hand to pay its projected expenses and all debt service when due for a
period of eighteen (18) months after the consummation of such transaction (after giving effect to such transaction); and
(i)
such Permitted Acquisition shall be consensual and shall have been approved by the target’s board of directors.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in order for any Acquisition of Shares or assets of another Person to constitute a
Permitted Acquisition, Borrower must comply with all of the following: (a) within thirty (30) days of the closing of such Permitted Acquisition (or such
longer period as may be acceptable to Collateral Agent), the applicable Borrower (or Subsidiary) making such Permitted Acquisition and the target shall
have executed such documents and taken such actions as may be required under Section 6.12; (b) the applicable Borrower shall have delivered to Collateral
Agent and Lenders, in form and substance satisfactory to the Collateral Agent and Lenders and sufficiently in advance (and in any case no later than five (5)
Business Days prior to such Permitted Acquisition (or such shorter period as may be acceptable to Collateral Agent and Lenders)), such other financial
information, financial analysis, documentation or other information relating to such Permitted Acquisition and the pro forma certifications required by
clause (c) below, in each case, as Collateral Agent and Lenders shall reasonably request; (c) on or prior to the date of such Permitted Acquisition, the
Collateral Agent and Lenders shall have received, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent and Lenders, a certificate of the
chief financial officer of Borrower certifying compliance with the requirements contained in this definition of “Permitted Acquisition” and with the other
applicable terms of the Loan Documents (before and after giving effect to such Permitted Acquisition); and (d) Borrower shall provide to the Collateral
Agent and Lenders a copy of the executed purchase agreement or similar agreement with respect to any such Acquisition.
“Permitted Indebtedness” is:
(a) Borrower’s or any Credit Party’s Indebtedness to the Lenders and Collateral Agent under this Agreement and the other Loan
Documents;
(b) Indebtedness existing on the Effective Date and disclosed on the Perfection Certificate;
(c) Subordinated Debt;
(d) unsecured Indebtedness to trade creditors incurred in the ordinary course of business;
(e) Indebtedness consisting of capitalized lease obligations and purchase money Indebtedness, in each case incurred by Borrower or
any of its Subsidiaries to finance the acquisition, repair, improvement or construction of fixed or capital assets of such person, provided that (i) the
aggregate outstanding principal amount of all such Indebtedness does not exceed Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) at any time and (ii) at the
time incurred, the principal amount of such Indebtedness does not exceed the lower of the cost or fair market value of the property so acquired or built or of
such repairs or improvements financed with such Indebtedness (each measured at the time of such acquisition, repair, improvement or construction is
made);
(f) (i) Indebtedness incurred as a result of endorsing negotiable instruments received in the ordinary course of Borrower’s business
and (ii) Indebtedness arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument in the ordinary course of
business; and
(g) (i) intercompany Indebtedness between or among Credit Parties, (ii) Indebtedness between any Subsidiary that is not a Credit
Party and any other Subsidiary that is not a Credit Party, and (iii) Indebtedness of any Subsidiary that is not a Borrower or other Credit Party owing to a
Borrower or other Credit Party provided that
1614973099.7
the aggregate outstanding amount of Indebtedness of all Subsidiaries pursuant to this clause (iii) does not exceed Five Hundred Thousand Dollars
($500,000.00) at any time;
(h) Indebtedness in respect of performance, bid, appeal and surety bonds and performance and completion guarantees and similar
obligations, in each case in the ordinary course of business and not to exceed Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) in the aggregate at any time;
(i)
Indebtedness in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees, bankers’ acceptances, warehouse receipts or similar instruments
issued or created in the ordinary course of business and not to exceed Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) in the aggregate at any time;
(j)
Indebtedness in respect of any cash management services, corporate credit cards, netting services, automatic clearinghouse
arrangements, overdraft protections, employee credit card programs and other cash management and similar arrangements in the ordinary course of
business and not to exceed One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) in the aggregate at any time;
(k) unsecured intercompany Indebtedness with respect to cost plus or transfer pricing arrangements for the purchase of goods and
services in the ordinary course of business;
(l)
other unsecured Indebtedness not to exceed Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) in the aggregate at any time;
(m) Indebtedness in an amount not to exceed Twenty-One Million Two Hundred Fifty Thousand ($21,250,000) to the former
Essentialis stockholders upon the achievement of certain future commercial milestones associated with the sales of DCCR in accordance the merger
agreement with Essentialis; and
(n) extensions, refinancings, modifications, amendments and restatements of any items of Permitted Indebtedness (a) through (l)
above, provided that the principal amount thereof is not increased or the terms thereof are not modified to impose materially more burdensome terms upon
Borrower, or its Subsidiary, as the case may be.
“Permitted Investments” are:
(a) Investments disclosed on the Perfection Certificate and existing on the Effective Date;
(b) (i) Investments consisting of cash and Cash Equivalents held in Borrower’s or any Subsidiary’s Collateral Accounts that are
maintained in accordance with Section 6.6 of this Agreement, and (ii) any other Investments permitted by Soleno’s investment policy, as amended from
time to time, provided that such investment policy (and any such amendment thereto) has been approved in writing by Collateral Agent solely for purposes
of this Agreement;
(c) Investments consisting of the endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the
ordinary course of Borrower and its Subsidiaries;
(d) Investments consisting of Collateral Accounts in which Collateral Agent has a perfected security interest to the extent required by
Section 6.6;
(e) Investments in connection with Transfers permitted by Section 7.1;
(f) Investments consisting of (i) travel advances and employee relocation loans and other employee loans and advances in the
ordinary course of business, and (ii) loans to employees, officers or directors relating to the purchase of equity securities of Borrower or its Subsidiaries
pursuant to employee stock purchase plans or agreements approved by Borrower’s Board of Directors; not to exceed Five Hundred Thousand Dollars
($500,000.00) in the aggregate for (i) and (ii) in any fiscal year;
1614973099.7
(g) Investments (including debt obligations) received in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of customers or suppliers
and in settlement of delinquent obligations of, and other disputes with, customers or suppliers arising in the ordinary course of business;
(h) Investments consisting of accounts receivable, notes receivable of, or prepaid royalties and other credit extensions, to customers
and suppliers who are not Affiliates, in the ordinary course of business; provided that this paragraph (h) shall not apply to Investments of Borrower in any
Subsidiary;
(i)
non-cash Investments in joint ventures or strategic alliances in the ordinary course of Borrower’s business consisting of the
non‑exclusive licensing of technology, the development of technology or the providing of technical support;
(j)
without duplication of Permitted Investments permitted by clause (g) of the definition of Permitted Indebtedness, (i) Investments
by a Credit Party in another Credit Party, (ii) Investments by a Subsidiary that is not a Credit Party in another Subsidiary that is not a Credit Party and (iii)
Investments by a Credit Party in any Subsidiary that is not a Credit Party provided that the aggregate amount of Investments by Credit Parties in
Subsidiaries that are not a Credit Party pursuant to this clause (iii) shall not exceed One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) in the aggregate in any fiscal year;
(k) to the extent constituting Investments, intercompany receivables with respect to cost plus or transfer pricing arrangements for the
purchase of goods and services in the ordinary course of business permitted by clause (k) of the definition of Permitted Indebtedness;
(l)
any Permitted Acquisition; and
(m) other Investments not to exceed Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) in the aggregate in any fiscal year.
“Permitted Licenses” are (A) any commercially available license, any open-source software or any “off the shelf” or “shrink wrap” license, (B)
label licenses, (C) non‑exclusive and exclusive licenses for the use of the Intellectual Property of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries entered into in the
ordinary course of business, provided, that, with respect to each such license described in clause (C), (i) no Event of Default has occurred or is continuing at
the time such license is entered into; (ii) the license constitutes an arms‑length transaction, the terms of which, on their face, do not provide for a sale or
assignment of any Intellectual Property and do not restrict the ability of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, as applicable, to pledge, grant a security
interest in or lien on, or assign or otherwise Transfer any Intellectual Property; (iii) in the case of any exclusive license, (x) Borrower delivers ten (10) days’
prior written notice and a brief summary of the terms of the proposed license to Collateral Agent and the Lenders and delivers to Collateral Agent and the
Lenders copies of the final executed licensing documents in connection with the exclusive license promptly upon consummation thereof, and (y) any such
license could not result in a legal transfer of title of the licensed property but may be exclusive in respects other than territory and may be exclusive as to
territory only as to discrete geographical areas outside of the United States; and (iv) all upfront payments, royalties, milestone payments or other proceeds
arising from the licensing agreement that are payable to Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries are paid to a Deposit Account that is governed by a Control
Agreement, and (D) other licenses as may be consented to by the Required Lenders.
“Permitted Liens” are:
(a) Liens existing on the Effective Date and disclosed on the Perfection Certificate or arising under this Agreement and the other
Loan Documents;
(b) Liens for taxes, fees, assessments or other government charges or levies, either (i) not due and payable or (ii) being contested in
good faith and for which Borrower maintains adequate reserves on its Books, provided that no notice of any such Lien has been filed or recorded under the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the Treasury Regulations adopted thereunder;
1614973099.7
(c) Liens securing Indebtedness permitted under clause (e) of the definition of “Permitted Indebtedness,” provided that (i) such
Liens exist prior to the acquisition of, or attach substantially simultaneous with, or within thirty (30) days after the, acquisition, lease, repair, improvement
or construction of, such property financed or leased by such Indebtedness and (ii) such Liens do not extend to any property of Borrower or any Subsidiary
other than the property (and proceeds thereof) acquired, leased or built, or the improvements or repairs, financed by such Indebtedness;
(d) Liens of carriers, warehousemen, suppliers, or other Persons that are possessory in nature arising in the ordinary course of
business so long as such Liens attach only to Inventory, securing liabilities in the aggregate amount not to exceed Five Hundred Thousand Dollars
($500,000.00) (excluding from such cap any location to the extent Collateral Agents is party to a bailee waiver with respect thereto), and which are not
delinquent or remain payable without penalty or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings which proceedings have the effect
of preventing the forfeiture or sale of the property subject thereto;
(e) Liens to secure payment of workers’ compensation, employment insurance, old‑age pensions, social security and other like
obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business (other than Liens imposed by ERISA);
(f) Liens incurred in the extension, renewal or refinancing of the Indebtedness secured by Liens described in (a) through (c), but any
extension, renewal or replacement Lien must be limited to the property encumbered by the existing Lien and the principal amount of the Indebtedness may
not increase;
(g) leases or subleases of real property granted in the ordinary course of Borrower’s business (or, if referring to another Person, in the
ordinary course of such Person’s business), and leases, subleases, non‑exclusive licenses or sublicenses of personal property (other than Intellectual
Property) granted in the ordinary course of Borrower’s business (or, if referring to another Person, in the ordinary course of such Person’s business), if the
leases, subleases, licenses and sublicenses do not prohibit granting Collateral Agent or any Lender a security interest therein;
(h) banker’s liens, rights of setoff and Liens in favor of financial institutions incurred in the ordinary course of business arising in
connection with Borrower’s or any Subsidiary’s deposit accounts or securities accounts held at such institutions solely to secure payment of fees and similar
costs and expenses and provided such accounts are maintained in compliance with Section 6.6(b) hereof;
(i)
Liens arising from judgments, decrees or attachments in circumstances not constituting an Event of Default under Section 8.4 or
8.7;
(j)
Liens consisting of Permitted Licenses;
(k) pledges or deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts (other than for Indebtedness for borrowed money), leases,
statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business;
provided, however, that the aggregate amount of such deposits does not exceed One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) at any time;
(l)
easements, zoning restrictions, rights of way, restrictions, minor defects, irregularities in title, and other similar encumbrances
affecting real property which, in the aggregate, are not substantial in amount, and which do not in any case materially detract from the value of the property
subject thereto or materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the applicable Person;
(m) Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection
with the importation of goods;
(n) Liens on insurance proceeds securing the payment of financed insurance premiums that are promptly paid on or before the date
they become due (provided that such Liens extend only to such insurance proceeds and not to any other property or assets);
1614973099.7
(o) deposits as security for contested taxes or contested import or customs duties; and
(p) Liens on cash collateral to secure letters of credit permitted under clause (i) of the definition of Permitted Indebtedness.
“Person” is any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, company, trust, unincorporated
organization, association, corporation, institution, public benefit corporation, firm, joint stock company, estate, entity or government agency.
“Post Closing Letter” is that certain Post Closing Letter dated as of the Effective Date by and between Collateral Agent and Borrower.
“Prepayment Fee” is, with respect to any Term Loan subject to prepayment prior to the Maturity Date, whether by mandatory or voluntary
prepayment, acceleration or otherwise, an additional fee payable to the Lenders in amount equal to:
for a prepayment made on or after the Funding Date of such Term Loan through and including the first anniversary of the Funding Date of such
Term Loan, [***] of the principal amount of such Term Loan prepaid;
(i)
for a prepayment made after the date which is after the first anniversary of the Funding Date of such Term Loan
through and including the second anniversary of the Funding Date of such Term Loan, [***] of the principal amount of the Term Loans prepaid; and
(ii) for a prepayment made after the second anniversary of the Funding Date of such Term Loan and prior to the Maturity
Date, no Prepayment Fee shall be applicable.
“Pro Rata Share” is, as of any date of determination, with respect to each Lender, a percentage (expressed as a decimal, rounded to the ninth
decimal place) determined by dividing the outstanding principal amount of Term Loans held by such Lender by the aggregate outstanding principal amount
of all Term Loans.
“Registered Organization” is any “registered organization” as defined in the Code with such additions to such term as may hereafter be made.
“Required Lenders” means (i) for so long as all of the Persons that are Lenders on the Effective Date (each an “Original Lender”) have not
assigned or transferred any of their interests in their Term Loan, Lenders holding one hundred percent (100%) of the aggregate outstanding principal
balance of the Term Loan, or (ii) at any time from and after any Original Lender has assigned or transferred any interest in its Term Loan, Lenders holding
at least sixty six percent (66%) of the aggregate outstanding principal balance of the Term Loan and, in respect of this clause (ii), (A) each Original Lender
that has not assigned or transferred any portion of its Term Loan, (B) each assignee or transferee of an Original Lender’s interest in the Term Loan, but only
to the extent that such assignee or transferee is an Affiliate or Approved Fund of such Original Lender, and (C) any Person providing financing to any
Person described in clauses (A) and (B) above; provided, however, that this clause (C) shall only apply upon the occurrence of a default, event of default or
similar occurrence with respect to such financing.
“Requirement of Law” is as to any Person, the organizational or governing documents of such Person, and any law (statutory or common),
treaty, rule or regulation or determination of an arbitrator or a court or other Governmental Authority, in each case applicable to or binding upon such
Person or any of its property or to which such Person or any of its property is subject.
“Responsible Officer” is any of the President, Chief Executive Officer, or Chief Financial Officer of Borrower acting alone.
“Revenue Covenant Trigger Date” means [***].
“Secured Promissory Note” is defined in Section 2.4.
1614973099.7
“Secured Promissory Note Record” is a record maintained by each Lender with respect to the outstanding Obligations owed by Borrower to
Lender and credits made thereto.
“Securities Account” is any “securities account” as defined in the Code with such additions to such term as may hereafter be made.
“Shares” is one hundred percent (100%) of the issued and outstanding capital stock, membership units or other securities owned or held of
record by Borrower or any other Credit Party , in any Subsidiary; provided that, in the event Borrower, demonstrates to Collateral Agent’s reasonable
satisfaction, that a pledge of more than sixty five percent (65%) of the Shares of any such Subsidiary which is a Foreign Subsidiary, creates a present and
existing adverse tax consequence to Borrower or its Subsidiaries under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, “Shares” shall mean sixty‑five percent (65%) of the
issued and outstanding capital stock, membership units or other securities owned or held of record by Borrower or any other Credit Party in such Foreign
Subsidiary.
“Solvent” is, with respect to any Person: the fair salable value of such Person’s consolidated assets (including goodwill minus disposition costs)
exceeds the fair value of such Person’s liabilities; such Person is not left with unreasonably small capital after the transactions in this Agreement; and such
Person is able to pay its debts (including trade debts) as they mature.
“Subordinated Debt” is indebtedness incurred by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries subordinated in writin to all Indebtedness of Borrower
and/or its Subsidiaries to the Lenders (pursuant to a subordination, intercreditor, or other similar agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Collateral
Agent and the Lenders entered into between Collateral Agent, Borrower, and/or any of its Subsidiaries, and the other creditor), on terms acceptable to
Collateral Agent and the Lenders.
“Subsidiary” is, with respect to any Person, any Person of which more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting stock or other equity interests (in
the case of Persons other than corporations) is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or through one or more intermediaries.
“Term Loan” is defined in Section 2.2(a)(v) hereof.
“Term A Loan” is defined in Section 2.2(a)(i) hereof.
“Term B Loan” is defined in Section 2.2(a)(ii) hereof.
“Term B Draw Period” is the period commencing on the date of the occurrence of [***] and ending on the earlier of (i) September 30, 2025 and
(ii) the occurrence of an Event of Default; provided, however, that the Term B Draw Period shall not commence if on the date of the occurrence of [***] an
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.
“Term C Loan” is defined in Section 2.2(a)(iii) hereof.
“Term C Draw Period” is the period commencing on the later of (i) date of the occurrence of [***] and (ii) October 1, 2025, and ending on the
earlier of (i) September 30, 2026 and (ii) the occurrence of an Event of Default; provided, however, that the Term C Draw Period shall not commence if on
the date of the occurrence of [***] an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.
“Term D Loan” is defined in Section 2.2(a)(iv) hereof.
“Term D Draw Period” is the period commencing on the date of the occurrence of [***] and ending on the earlier of (i) September 30, 2026 and
(ii) the occurrence of an Event of Default; provided, however, that the Term D Draw Period shall not commence if on the date of the occurrence of [***] an
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.
“Term E Loan” is defined in Section 2.2(a)(v) hereof.
1614973099.7
“Term Loan Commitment” is, for any Lender, the obligation of such Lender to make a Term Loan, up to the principal amount shown on
Schedule 1.1. “Term Loan Commitments” means the aggregate amount of such commitments of all Lenders.
“Trademarks” means any trademark and servicemark rights, whether registered or not, applications to register and registrations of the same and
like protections, and the entire goodwill of the business of Borrower connected with and symbolized by such trademarks.
“Transfer” is defined in Section 7.1.
“Withholding Tax Indemnity Amount” is defined in Section 2.6 hereof.
[Balance of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
[Signature Page to Loan and Security Agreement]
1614973099.7
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the Effective Date.
BORROWER:
SOLENO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
By:
/s/ James Mackaness
Name:
James Mackaness
Title:
Chief Financial Officer
ESSENTIALIS, INC.
By:
/s/ James Mackaness
Name:
James Mackaness
Title:
Chief Financial Officer
[Signature Page to Loan and Security Agreement]
1614973099.7
COLLATERAL AGENT AND LENDER:
OXFORD FINANCE LLC
By:
/s/ Colette H. Featherly
Name: Colette H. Featherly
Its: Senior Vice President
LENDERS:
OXFORD FINANCE CREDIT FUND II LP
By: Oxford Finance Advisors, LLC, its manager
By:
/s/ Colette H. Featherly
Name: Colette H. Featherly
Its: Senior Vice President
OXFORD FINANCE CREDIT FUND III LP
By: Oxford Finance Advisors, LLC, its manager
By:
/s/ Colette H. Featherly
Name: Colette H. Featherly
Its: Senior Vice President
1614973099.7
SCHEDULE 1.1
Lenders and Commitments
Term A Loans
Lender
Term Loan Commitment
Commitment Percentage
OXFORD FINANCE LLC
$35,000,000.00
70.00%
OXFORD FINANCE CREDIT FUND II LP
$7,500,000.00
15.00%
OXFORD FINANCE CREDIT FUND III LP
$7,500,000.00
15.00%
TOTAL
$50,000,000.00
100.00%
Term B Loans
Lender
Term Loan Commitment
Commitment Percentage
OXFORD FINANCE LLC
$50,000,000.00
100.00%
TOTAL
$50,000,000.00
100.00%
Term C Loans
Lender
Term Loan Commitment
Commitment Percentage
OXFORD FINANCE LLC
$25,000,000.00
100.00%
TOTAL
$25,000,000.00
100.00%
Term D Loans
Lender
Term Loan Commitment
Commitment Percentage
OXFORD FINANCE LLC
$25,000,000.00
100.00%
TOTAL
$25,000,000.00
100.00%
Aggregate (all Term Loans A-D)
Lender
Term Loan Commitment
Commitment Percentage
OXFORD FINANCE LLC
$135,000,000.00
90.00%
OXFORD FINANCE CREDIT FUND II LP
$7,500,000.00
5.00%
OXFORD FINANCE CREDIT FUND III LP
$7,500,000.00
5.00%
TOTAL
$150,000,000.00
100.00%
1614973099.7
EXHIBIT A
Description of Collateral
The Collateral consists of all of Borrower’s right, title and interest in and to the following personal property:
All goods, Accounts (including health‑care receivables), Equipment, Inventory, contract rights or rights to payment of money, leases, license
agreements, franchise agreements, General Intangibles (including all Intellectual Property), commercial tort claims, documents, instruments (including any
promissory notes), chattel paper (whether tangible or electronic), cash, deposit accounts and other Collateral Accounts, all certificates of deposit, fixtures,
letters of credit rights (whether or not the letter of credit is evidenced by a writing), securities, and all other investment property, supporting obligations, and
financial assets, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, wherever located; and
All Borrower’s Books relating to the foregoing, and any and all claims, rights and interests in any of the above and all substitutions for, additions,
attachments, accessories, accessions and improvements to and replacements, products, proceeds and insurance proceeds of any or all of the foregoing.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Collateral does not include (i) any Shares that have more than 65% of the total combined voting power of all
classes of Shares of any Foreign Subsidiary that are entitled to vote (as determined under U.S. federal tax principles) (the “Foreign Subsidiary Interests”), if
Borrower demonstrates to Collateral Agent’s reasonable satisfaction that a pledge of the Foreign Subsidiary Interests creates a present and existing adverse
tax consequence to Borrower under the Internal Revenue Code; (ii) any license or contract, in each case if the granting of a Lien in such license or contract
is prohibited by or would constitute a default under the agreement governing such license or contract (but (A) only to the extent such prohibition is
enforceable under applicable law and (B) other than to the extent that any such term would be rendered ineffective pursuant to Sections 9-406, 9-408 or 9-
409 (or any other Section) of Division 9 of the Code); provided that upon the termination, lapsing or expiration of any such prohibition, such license or
contract, as applicable, shall automatically be subject to the security interest granted in favor of Collateral Agent hereunder and become part of the
“Collateral”; (iii) any Excluded Account, (iv) Equipment that is subject to a Lien that is otherwise permitted pursuant to subsection (c) of the definition of
“Permitted Liens” if the holder of such Lien has expressly prohibited Credit Party in writing from granting Liens on such property in favor of third parties;
provided that immediately upon the ineffectiveness, lapse, or termination of any such provision, the term “Collateral” shall include, and Credit Party shall
be deemed to have granted a security interest in, all of its rights, title and interests in and to such property as if such provision had never been in effect, (v)
any “intent to use” trademarks at all times prior to the first use thereof, whether by the actual use thereof in commerce, the recording of a statement of use
with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or otherwise, provided, that upon submission and acceptance by the United States Patent and
Trademark Office of an amendment to allege use of an intent-to-use trademark application pursuant to 15 U.S.C. Section 1060(a) (or any successor
provision) such intent-to-use application shall constitute Collateral, (vi) margin stock, or (f) motor vehicles and assets subject to a certificate of title except
to the extent a security interest therein can be perfected by the filing of a UCC financing statement.
1614973099.7
EXHIBIT B
Form of Disbursement Letter
[see attached]
1614973099.7
DISBURSEMENT LETTER
[DATE]
The undersigned, being the duly elected and acting
of SOLENO THERAPEUTICS, INC., a Delaware corporation with offices located at
100 Marine Parkway, Suite 400, Redwood City, CA 94065 (“Soleno”), ESSENTIALIS, INC., a Delaware corporation with offices located at 100 Marine
Parkway, Suite 400, Redwood City, CA 94065 (“Essentialis”, together with Soleno, individually and collectively, jointly and severally, “Borrower”), does
hereby certify to OXFORD FINANCE LLC (“Oxford”), as collateral agent acting on behalf of the Lenders from time to time party to (as defined herein)
the Loan Agreement (as defined below) (the “Collateral Agent”) in connection with that certain Loan and Security Agreement dated as of December 17,
2024, by and among Borrower, Collateral Agent and the Lenders from time to time party thereto (the “Loan Agreement”; with other capitalized terms used
below having the meanings ascribed thereto in the Loan Agreement) that:
1. The representations and warranties made by Borrower in Section 5 of the Loan Agreement and in the other Loan Documents are true and
correct in all material respects as of the date hereof.
2. No event or condition has occurred that would constitute an Event of Default under the Loan Agreement or any other Loan Document.
3. Borrower is in compliance with the covenants and requirements contained in Sections 4, 6 and 7 of the Loan Agreement.
4. All conditions referred to in Section 3 of the Loan Agreement to the making of the Loan to be made on or about the date hereof have been
satisfied or waived by Collateral Agent.
5. No Material Adverse Change has occurred.
6. The undersigned is a Responsible Officer.
[Balance of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
1614973099.7
7. The proceeds of the Term [A][B][C][D] Loan shall be disbursed as follows:
Disbursement from Collateral Agent:
Loan Amount
$_______________
Plus:
‑‑Deposit Received
$__________
Less:
‑‑Facility Fee
($_________)
‑‑Interim Interest
($_________)
‑‑Lender’s Legal Fees
($_________)*
TOTAL TERM [A][B][C][D] LOAN NET PROCEEDS FROM LENDERS
$_______________
8. The Term [A][B][C][D] Loan shall amortize in accordance with the Amortization Table attached hereto.
9. The aggregate net proceeds of the Term Loans shall be transferred to the Designated Deposit Account as follows:
Account Name:
SOLENO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Bank Name:
[________]
Bank Address:
[________]
[_________]
Account Number:
[____________________________________]
ABA Number:
[________]
[Balance of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
* Legal fees and costs are through the Effective Date. Post‑closing legal fees and costs, payable after the Effective Date, to be invoiced and paid
post‑closing.
1614973099.7
Dated as of the date first set forth above.
BORROWER:
SOLENO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
By
Name:
Title:
ESSENTIALIS, INC.
By
Name:
Title:
COLLATERAL AGENT ON BEHALF OF LENDERS:
OXFORD FINANCE LLC
By
Name:
Title:
1614973099.7
AMORTIZATION TABLE
(Term [A][B][C][D] Loan)
[see attached]
1614973099.7
EXHIBIT C
Compliance Certificate
TO:
OXFORD FINANCE LLC, as Collateral Agent
FROM:
SOLENO THERAPEUTICS, INC. and ESSENTIALIS, INC.
The undersigned authorized officer (“Officer”) of SOLENO THERAPEUTICS, INC., a Delaware corporation with offices located at 100 Marine Parkway,
Suite 400, Redwood City, CA 94065 (“Soleno”), ESSENTIALIS, INC., a Delaware corporation with offices located at 100 Marine Parkway, Suite 400,
Redwood City, CA 94065 (“Essentialis”, together with Soleno, individually and collectively, jointly and severally, “Borrower”), hereby certifies that in
accordance with the terms and conditions of the Loan and Security Agreement by and among Borrower, Collateral Agent, and the Lenders from time to
time party thereto (the “Loan Agreement;” capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings given them in the Loan
Agreement),
(a) Borrower is in complete compliance for the period ending _______________ with all required covenants except as noted below;
(b) There are no Events of Default, except as noted below;
(c) Except as noted below, all representations and warranties of Borrower stated in the Loan Documents are true and correct in all material
respects on this date and for the period described in (a), above; provided, however, that such materiality qualifier shall not be applicable to any
representations and warranties that already are qualified or modified by materiality in the text thereof; and provided, further that those representations and
warranties expressly referring to a specific date shall be true, accurate and complete in all material respects as of such date.
(d) Borrower, and each of Borrower’s Subsidiaries, has timely filed all required income tax returns and other material tax returns and reports,
Borrower, and each of Borrower’s Subsidiaries, has timely paid all foreign, federal, state, and local taxes, assessments, deposits and contributions owed by
Borrower, or Subsidiary, except as otherwise permitted pursuant to the terms of Section 5.8 of the Loan Agreement;
(e) No Liens have been levied or claims made against Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries relating to unpaid employee payroll or benefits of
which Borrower has not previously provided written notification to Collateral Agent and the Lenders.
Attached are the required documents, if any, supporting our certification(s). The Officer, on behalf of Borrower, further certifies that the attached financial
statements are prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and are consistently applied from one period to the next
except as explained in an accompanying letter or footnotes and except, in the case of unaudited financial statements, for the absence of footnotes and
subject to year‑end audit adjustments as to the interim financial statements.
1614973099.7
Please indicate compliance status since the last Compliance Certificate by circling Yes, No, or N/A under “Complies” column.
Reporting Covenant
Requirement
Actual
Complies
1)
Financial statements
Quarterly within 45 days after quarter end
(for first three fiscal quarters of Soleno’s
fiscal year)
Yes
No
N/A
2)
Annual (CPA Audited) statements
Within 90 days after FYE
Yes
No
N/A
3)
Annual Financial Projections/Budget
(prepared on a monthly basis)
Annually (within 30 days of FYE), and
when revised
Yes
No
N/A
5)
8‑K, 10‑K and 10‑Q Filings
If applicable, within 5 days of filing
Yes
No
N/A
6)
Compliance Certificate
Quarterly within 45 days after quarter end
(for first three fiscal quarters of Soleno’s
fiscal year; 90 days for Q4)
Yes
No
N/A
7)
IP Report
With Compliance Certificate
Yes
No
N/A
8)
Total amount of Borrower’s cash and
cash equivalents and investments
described in clause (b)(ii) of Permitted
Investments at the last day of the
measurement period
$________
Yes
No
N/A
9)
Total amount of Borrower’s
Subsidiaries’ cash and cash equivalents
and investments described in clause (b)
(ii) of Permitted Investments at the last
day of the measurement period
$________
Yes
No
N/A
10)
Total amount of cash and cash
equivalents at the last day of the
measurement period held at Foreign
Subsidiaries (converted to USD)
$________
Yes
No
N/A
1614973099.7
Deposit and Securities Accounts
(Please list all accounts; attach separate sheet if additional space needed)
Institution Name
Account Number
New Account?
Account Control Agreement in place?
1)
Yes
No
Yes
No
2)
Yes
No
Yes
No
3)
Yes
No
Yes
No
4)
Yes
No
Yes
No
Financial Covenants
Covenant
Requirement
Actual
Compliance
Minimum DCCR Net Product Revenue
(trailing 12 months)
$_________
$________
Yes
No
Waived
Revenue Covenant Waiver
(Revenue Covenant will not be tested at the end
of any fiscal quarter if Borrower maintains at
least one of these requirements for each day
during such fiscal quarter)
☐ Borrower’s Market Capitalization is
equal to or greater than $[***];
☐ Borrower’s total unrestricted cash plus
Cash Equivalents is equal to or [***] the
aggregate outstanding aggregate original
principal amount of Term Loans
outstanding.
$________
Yes
No
N/A
Other Matters
1)
Have there been any changes in management since the last Compliance Certificate?
Yes
No
2)
Have there been any transfers/sales/disposals/retirement of Collateral or IP prohibited by the Loan Agreement?
Yes
No
3)
Have there been any new or pending claims or causes of action against Borrower that involve more than One
Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00)?
Yes
No
4)
Have there been any amendments of or other changes to the Operating Documents of Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries? If Soleno is no longer subject to the reporting requirements of under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, has there been a material change to the capitalization table of Soleno? If yes,
provide copies of any such amendments or changes with this Compliance Certificate.
Yes
No
1614973099.7
Exceptions
Please explain any exceptions with respect to the certification above: (If no exceptions exist, state “No exceptions.” Attach separate sheet if additional
space needed.)
SOLENO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
By
Name:
Title:
ESSENTIALIS, INC.
By
Name:
Title:
Date:
LENDER USE ONLY
Received by:
Date:
Verified by:
Date:
Compliance Status: Yes No
1614973099.7
EXHIBIT D
Form of Secured Promissory Note
[see attached]
1614973099.7
SECURED PROMISSORY NOTE
(Term [A][B][C][D] Loan)
$____________________
Dated: [DATE]
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, SOLENO THERAPEUTICS, INC., a Delaware corporation with offices located at 100 Marine
Parkway, Suite 400, Redwood City, CA 94065 (“Soleno”), ESSENTIALIS, INC., a Delaware corporation with offices located at 100 Marine Parkway,
Suite 400, Redwood City, CA 94065 (“Essentialis”, together with Soleno, individually and collectively, jointly and severally, “Borrower”) HEREBY
PROMISES TO PAY [OXFORD FINANCE LLC] [OXFORD FINANCE CREDIT FUND II LP] [OXFORD FINANCE CREDIT FUND III LP], or its
registered assigns (“Lender”) the principal amount of [___________] MILLION DOLLARS ($______________) or such lesser amount as shall equal the
outstanding principal balance of the Term [A][B][C][D] Loan made to Borrower by Lender, plus interest on the aggregate unpaid principal amount of such
Term [A][B][C][D] Loan, at the rates and in accordance with the terms of the Loan and Security Agreement dated December 17, 2024 by and among
Borrower, Lender, Oxford Finance LLC, as Collateral Agent, and the other Lenders from time to time party thereto (as amended, restated, supplemented or
otherwise modified from time to time, the “Loan Agreement”). If not sooner paid, the entire principal amount and all accrued and unpaid interest
hereunder shall be due and payable on the Maturity Date as set forth in the Loan Agreement. Any capitalized term not otherwise defined herein shall have
the meaning attributed to such term in the Loan Agreement.
Principal, interest and all other amounts due with respect to the Term [A][B][C][D] Loan, are payable in lawful money of the United States of America to
Lender as set forth in the Loan Agreement and this Secured Promissory Note (this “Note”). The principal amount of this Note and the interest rate
applicable thereto, and all payments made with respect thereto, shall be recorded by Lender and, prior to any transfer hereof, endorsed on the grid attached
hereto which is part of this Note.
The Loan Agreement, among other things, (a) provides for the making of a secured Term [A][B][C][D] Loan by Lender to Borrower, and (b) contains
provisions for acceleration of the maturity hereof upon the happening of certain stated events.
This Note may not be prepaid except as set forth in Section 2.2 (c) and Section 2.2(d) of the Loan Agreement.
This Note and the obligation of Borrower to repay the unpaid principal amount of the Term [A][B][C][D] Loan, interest on the Term [A][B][C][D] Loan
and all other amounts due Lender under the Loan Agreement is secured under the Loan Agreement.
Presentment for payment, demand, notice of protest and all other demands and notices of any kind in connection with the execution, delivery, performance
and enforcement of this Note are hereby waived.
Borrower shall pay all reasonable fees and expenses, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, incurred by Lender in the
enforcement or attempt to enforce any of Borrower’s obligations hereunder not performed when due.
This Note shall be governed by, and construed and interpreted in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of California.
The ownership of an interest in this Note shall be registered on a record of ownership maintained by Lender or its agent. Notwithstanding anything else in
this Note to the contrary, the right to the principal of, and stated interest on, this Note may be transferred only if the transfer is registered on such record of
ownership and the transferee is identified as the owner of an interest in the obligation. Borrower shall be entitled to treat the registered holder of this Note
(as recorded on such record of ownership) as the owner in fact thereof for all purposes and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or
interest in this Note on the part of any other person or entity.
[Balance of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
1614973099.7
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Borrower has caused this Note to be duly executed by one of its officers thereunto duly authorized on the date hereof.
BORROWER:
SOLENO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
By
Name:
Title:
ESSENTIALIS, INC.
By
Name:
Title:
1614973099.7
LOAN INTEREST RATE AND PAYMENTS OF PRINCIPAL
Date
Principal
Amount
Interest Rate
Scheduled
Payment Amount
Notation By
1614973099.7
CORPORATE BORROWING CERTIFICATE
Borrower:
SOLENO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Date: December 17, 2024
Lenders:
OXFORD FINANCE LLC, as Collateral Agent and Lender,
OXFORD FINANCE CREDIT FUND II LP, and OXFORD FINANCE CREDIT
FUND III LP as Lenders
I hereby certify as follows, as of the date set forth above:
1.
I am the Secretary, Assistant Secretary or other officer of Borrower. My title is as set forth below.
2.
Borrower’s exact legal name is set forth above. Borrower is a corporation existing under the laws of the State of Delaware.
3.
Attached hereto as Exhibit A and Exhibit B, respectively, are true, correct and complete copies of (i) Borrower’s Certificate of Incorporation
(including amendments), as filed with the Secretary of State of the state in which Borrower is incorporated as set forth in paragraph 2 above; and (ii)
Borrower’s Bylaws. Neither such Certificate of Incorporation nor such Bylaws have been amended, annulled, rescinded, revoked or supplemented, and
such Certificate of Incorporation and such Bylaws remain in full force and effect as of the date hereof.
4.
The following resolutions were duly and validly adopted by Borrower’s Board of Directors at a duly held meeting of such directors (or pursuant to a
unanimous written consent or other authorized corporate action). Such resolutions are in full force and effect as of the date hereof and have not been in any
way modified, repealed, rescinded, amended or revoked, and the Lenders may rely on them until each Lender receives written notice of revocation from
Borrower.
[Balance of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
1614973099.7
Resolved, that any one of the following officers or employees of Borrower, whose names, titles and signatures are below, may act on
behalf of Borrower:
Name
Title
Signature
Authorized to Add
or Remove
Signatories
□
□
□
□
Resolved Further, that any one of the persons designated above with a checked box beside his or her name may, from time to time,
add or remove any individuals to and from the above list of persons authorized to act on behalf of Borrower.
Resolved Further, that such individuals may, on behalf of Borrower:
Borrow Money. Borrow money from the Lenders.
Execute Loan Documents. Execute any loan documents any Lender requires.
Grant Security. Grant Collateral Agent a security interest in any of Borrower’s assets.
Negotiate Items. Negotiate or discount all drafts, trade acceptances, promissory notes, or other indebtedness in which Borrower has
an interest and receive cash or otherwise use the proceeds.
Further Acts. Designate other individuals to request advances, pay fees and costs and execute other documents or agreements
(including documents or agreement that waive Borrower’s right to a jury trial) they believe to be necessary to effectuate such
resolutions.
Resolved Further, that all acts authorized by the above resolutions and any prior acts relating thereto are ratified.
[Balance of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
1614973099.7
5.
The persons listed above are Borrower’s officers or employees with their titles and signatures shown next to their names.
By:
Name:
Title:
*** If the Secretary, Assistant Secretary or other certifying officer executing above is designated by the resolutions set forth in paragraph 4 as one of the
authorized signing officers, this Certificate must also be signed by a second authorized officer or director of Borrower.
I, the __________________________ of Borrower, hereby certify as to paragraphs 1 through 5 above, as
[print title]
of the date set forth above.
By:
Name:
Title:
[Signature Page to Corporate Borrowing Certificate]
1614973099.7
EXHIBIT A
Certificate of Incorporation (including amendments)
[see attached]
1614973099.7
EXHIBIT B
Bylaws
[see attached]
1614973099.7
CORPORATE BORROWING CERTIFICATE
Borrower:
ESSENTIALIS, INC.
Date: December 17, 2024
Lenders:
OXFORD FINANCE LLC, as Collateral Agent and Lender,
OXFORD FINANCE CREDIT FUND II LP, and OXFORD FINANCE CREDIT
FUND III LP as Lenders
I hereby certify as follows, as of the date set forth above:
1.
I am the Secretary, Assistant Secretary or other officer of Borrower. My title is as set forth below.
2.
Borrower’s exact legal name is set forth above. Borrower is a corporation existing under the laws of the State of Delaware.
3.
Attached hereto as Exhibit A and Exhibit B, respectively, are true, correct and complete copies of (i) Borrower’s Certificate of Incorporation
(including amendments), as filed with the Secretary of State of the state in which Borrower is incorporated as set forth in paragraph 2 above; and (ii)
Borrower’s Bylaws. Neither such Certificate of Incorporation nor such Bylaws have been amended, annulled, rescinded, revoked or supplemented, and
such Certificate of Incorporation and such Bylaws remain in full force and effect as of the date hereof.
4.
The following resolutions were duly and validly adopted by Borrower’s Board of Directors at a duly held meeting of such directors (or pursuant to a
unanimous written consent or other authorized corporate action). Such resolutions are in full force and effect as of the date hereof and have not been in any
way modified, repealed, rescinded, amended or revoked, and the Lenders may rely on them until each Lender receives written notice of revocation from
Borrower.
[Balance of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
1614973099.7
Resolved, that any one of the following officers or employees of Borrower, whose names, titles and signatures are below, may act on
behalf of Borrower:
Name
Title
Signature
Authorized to Add or
Remove Signatories
□
□
□
□
Resolved Further, that any one of the persons designated above with a checked box beside his or her name may, from time to time,
add or remove any individuals to and from the above list of persons authorized to act on behalf of Borrower.
Resolved Further, that such individuals may, on behalf of Borrower:
Borrow Money. Borrow money from the Lenders.
Execute Loan Documents. Execute any loan documents any Lender requires.
Grant Security. Grant Collateral Agent a security interest in any of Borrower’s assets.
Negotiate Items. Negotiate or discount all drafts, trade acceptances, promissory notes, or other indebtedness in which Borrower has
an interest and receive cash or otherwise use the proceeds.
Further Acts. Designate other individuals to request advances, pay fees and costs and execute other documents or agreements
(including documents or agreement that waive Borrower’s right to a jury trial) they believe to be necessary to effectuate such
resolutions.
Resolved Further, that all acts authorized by the above resolutions and any prior acts relating thereto are ratified.
[Balance of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
5.
The persons listed above are Borrower’s officers or employees with their titles and signatures shown next to their names.
1614973099.7
By:
Name:
Title:
*** If the Secretary, Assistant Secretary or other certifying officer executing above is designated by the resolutions set forth in paragraph 4 as one of the
authorized signing officers, this Certificate must also be signed by a second authorized officer or director of Borrower.
I, the __________________________ of Borrower, hereby certify as to paragraphs 1 through 5 above, as
[print title]
of the date set forth above.
By:
Name:
Title:
[Signature Page to Corporate Borrowing Certificate]
1614973099.7
EXHIBIT A
Certificate of Incorporation (including amendments)
[see attached]
1614973099.4
1614973099.5
EXHIBIT B
Bylaws
[see attached]
1614973099.7
DEBTOR:
SOLENO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
SECURED PARTY:
OXFORD FINANCE LLC,
as Collateral Agent
EXHIBIT A TO UCC FINANCING STATEMENT
Description of Collateral
The Collateral consists of all of Debtor’s right, title and interest in and to the following personal property:
All goods, Accounts (including health‑care receivables), Equipment, Inventory, contract rights or rights to payment of money, leases, license
agreements, franchise agreements, General Intangibles (including all Intellectual Property), commercial tort claims, documents, instruments (including any
promissory notes), chattel paper (whether tangible or electronic), cash, deposit accounts and other Collateral Accounts, all certificates of deposit, fixtures,
letters of credit rights (whether or not the letter of credit is evidenced by a writing), securities, and all other investment property, supporting obligations, and
financial assets, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, wherever located; and
All Borrower’s Books relating to the foregoing, and any and all claims, rights and interests in any of the above and all substitutions for, additions,
attachments, accessories, accessions and improvements to and replacements, products, proceeds and insurance proceeds of any or all of the foregoing.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Collateral does not include (i) any Shares that have more than 65% of the total combined voting power of all
classes of Shares of any Foreign Subsidiary that are entitled to vote (as determined under U.S. federal tax principles) (the “Foreign Subsidiary Interests”), if
Borrower demonstrates to Collateral Agent’s reasonable satisfaction that a pledge of the Foreign Subsidiary Interests creates a present and existing adverse
tax consequence to Borrower under the Internal Revenue Code; (ii) any license or contract, in each case if the granting of a Lien in such license or contract
is prohibited by or would constitute a default under the agreement governing such license or contract (but (A) only to the extent such prohibition is
enforceable under applicable law and (B) other than to the extent that any such term would be rendered ineffective pursuant to Sections 9-406, 9-408 or 9-
409 (or any other Section) of Division 9 of the Code); provided that upon the termination, lapsing or expiration of any such prohibition, such license or
contract, as applicable, shall automatically be subject to the security interest granted in favor of Collateral Agent hereunder and become part of the
“Collateral”; (iii) any Excluded Account, (iv) Equipment that is subject to a Lien that is otherwise permitted pursuant to subsection (c) of the definition of
“Permitted Liens” if the holder of such Lien has expressly prohibited Credit Party in writing from granting Liens on such property in favor of third parties;
provided that immediately upon the ineffectiveness, lapse, or termination of any such provision, the term “Collateral” shall include, and Credit Party shall
be deemed to have granted a security interest in, all of its rights, title and interests in and to such property as if such provision had never been in effect, (v)
any “intent to use” trademarks at all times prior to the first use thereof, whether by the actual use thereof in commerce, the recording of a statement of use
with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or otherwise, provided, that upon submission and acceptance by the United States Patent and
Trademark Office of an amendment to allege use of an intent-to-use trademark application pursuant to 15 U.S.C. Section 1060(a) (or any successor
provision) such intent-to-use application shall constitute Collateral, (vi) margin stock, or (f) motor vehicles and assets subject to a certificate of title except
to the extent a security interest therein can be perfected by the filing of a UCC financing statement.
Capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the meanings ascribed in the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the State of California as
in effect from time to time (the “Code”) or, if not defined in the Code, then in the Loan and Security Agreement by and between Debtor, Secured Party and
the other Lenders party thereto (as modified, amended and/or restated from time to time).
1614973099.7
DEBTOR:
ESSENTIALIS, INC.
SECURED PARTY:
OXFORD FINANCE LLC,
as Collateral Agent
EXHIBIT A TO UCC FINANCING STATEMENT
Description of Collateral
The Collateral consists of all of Debtor’s right, title and interest in and to the following personal property:
All goods, Accounts (including health‑care receivables), Equipment, Inventory, contract rights or rights to payment of money, leases, license
agreements, franchise agreements, General Intangibles (including all Intellectual Property), commercial tort claims, documents, instruments (including any
promissory notes), chattel paper (whether tangible or electronic), cash, deposit accounts and other Collateral Accounts, all certificates of deposit, fixtures,
letters of credit rights (whether or not the letter of credit is evidenced by a writing), securities, and all other investment property, supporting obligations, and
financial assets, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, wherever located; and
All Borrower’s Books relating to the foregoing, and any and all claims, rights and interests in any of the above and all substitutions for, additions,
attachments, accessories, accessions and improvements to and replacements, products, proceeds and insurance proceeds of any or all of the foregoing.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Collateral does not include (i) any Shares that have more than 65% of the total combined voting power of all
classes of Shares of any Foreign Subsidiary that are entitled to vote (as determined under U.S. federal tax principles) (the “Foreign Subsidiary Interests”), if
Borrower demonstrates to Collateral Agent’s reasonable satisfaction that a pledge of the Foreign Subsidiary Interests creates a present and existing adverse
tax consequence to Borrower under the Internal Revenue Code; (ii) any license or contract, in each case if the granting of a Lien in such license or contract
is prohibited by or would constitute a default under the agreement governing such license or contract (but (A) only to the extent such prohibition is
enforceable under applicable law and (B) other than to the extent that any such term would be rendered ineffective pursuant to Sections 9-406, 9-408 or 9-
409 (or any other Section) of Division 9 of the Code); provided that upon the termination, lapsing or expiration of any such prohibition, such license or
contract, as applicable, shall automatically be subject to the security interest granted in favor of Collateral Agent hereunder and become part of the
“Collateral”; (iii) any Excluded Account, (iv) Equipment that is subject to a Lien that is otherwise permitted pursuant to subsection (c) of the definition of
“Permitted Liens” if the holder of such Lien has expressly prohibited Credit Party in writing from granting Liens on such property in favor of third parties;
provided that immediately upon the ineffectiveness, lapse, or termination of any such provision, the term “Collateral” shall include, and Credit Party shall
be deemed to have granted a security interest in, all of its rights, title and interests in and to such property as if such provision had never been in effect, (v)
any “intent to use” trademarks at all times prior to the first use thereof, whether by the actual use thereof in commerce, the recording of a statement of use
with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or otherwise, provided, that upon submission and acceptance by the United States Patent and
Trademark Office of an amendment to allege use of an intent-to-use trademark application pursuant to 15 U.S.C. Section 1060(a) (or any successor
provision) such intent-to-use application shall constitute Collateral, (vi) margin stock, or (f) motor vehicles and assets subject to a certificate of title except
to the extent a security interest therein can be perfected by the filing of a UCC financing statement.
Capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the meanings ascribed in the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the State of California as
in effect from time to time (the “Code”) or, if not defined in the Code, then in the Loan and Security Agreement by and between Debtor, Secured Party and
the other Lenders party thereto (as modified, amended and/or restated from time to time).
1614973099.7
Annex A
[***]
1
Exhibit 10.17
SOLENO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
OUTSIDE DIRECTOR COMPENSATION POLICY
(As most recently amended and restated on February 25, 2025)
Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) believes that the granting of equity and cash compensation to its members of
the Board of Directors (the “Board,” and members of the Board, the “Directors”) represents an effective tool to attract, retain,
and reward Directors who are not employees of the Company (the “Outside Directors”). This Outside Director Compensation
Policy (the “Policy”) is intended to formalize the Company’s policy regarding the compensation to its Outside Directors. Unless
otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms used in this Policy will have the meaning given to such terms in the Company’s 2014
Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), or if the Plan is no longer in place, the meaning given to such terms or any similar terms in
the equity plan then in place. Each Outside Director will be solely responsible for any tax obligations incurred by such Outside
Director as a result of the equity and cash payments such Outside Director receives under this Policy.
1.
Cash Compensation
Annual Cash Retainer
Each Outside Director will be paid an annual cash retainer of $45,000. There are no per‑meeting attendance fees for
attending Board meetings.
Non-Executive Chair / Committee Membership Annual Cash Retainer
Each Outside Director who serves as Non-Executive Chair, or chair or member of a committee of the Board will be paid
additional annual fees as follows:
Non-Executive Chair:
$30,000
Lead Independent Director:
$27,500
Chair of Audit Committee:
$20,000
Member of Audit Committee (other than the Chair of the
Audit Committee):
$10,000
Chair of Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee:
$10,000
Member of Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee (other than the Chair of the Nominating and
Corporate Governance Committee):
$5,000
2
Chair of Compensation Committee:
$15,000
Member of Compensation Committee (other than the Chair of
the Compensation Committee):
$7,500
Each annual cash retainer and additional annual fee will be paid quarterly in arrears on a prorated basis.
2.
Equity Compensation
Outside Directors will be eligible to receive all types of Awards (except Incentive Stock Options) under the Plan (or the
applicable equity plan in place at the time of grant), including discretionary Awards not covered under this Policy. All grants of
Awards to Outside Directors pursuant to Section 2 of this Policy will be automatic and nondiscretionary, except as otherwise
provided herein, and will be made in accordance with the following provisions:
a. No Discretion. No person will have any discretion to select which Outside Directors will be granted any Awards
under this Policy or to determine the number of Shares to be covered by such Awards.
b. Initial Award. Subject to Section 7 of this Policy, each individual who first becomes an Outside Director will be
granted Restricted Stock Units (“RSUs”) with an aggregate Value equal to $600,000 (an “Initial Award”). The Initial Award
will be made on the first Trading Day on or after the date on which such individual first becomes an Outside Director, whether
through election by the stockholders of the Company or appointment by the Board to fill a vacancy (such grant date, the “Initial
Award Grant Date”). If an individual was a member of the Board and also an employee, becoming an Outside Director due to
termination of employment will not entitle the Outside Director to an Initial Award.
Subject to Section 3 of this Policy, each Initial Award will be scheduled to vest as follows 1/3rd of the Shares subject to
the Initial Award will be scheduled to vest on each annual anniversary of the Initial Award Grant Date.
c. Annual Award. Subject to Section 7 of this Policy, on the date of each annual meeting of the Company’s
stockholders (each, an “Annual Meeting”), each Outside Director will be automatically granted RSUs with an aggregate Value
equal to $300,000 (an “Annual Award”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Outside Director who has not been a Director for at
least six (6) months prior to the date of the applicable Annual Meeting will not receive an Annual Award.
Subject to Section 3 of this Policy, each Annual Award will be scheduled to vest on the earlier of (i) the one (1)-year
anniversary of the date the Annual Award is granted, or (ii) the day prior to the date of the Annual Meeting next following the
date the Annual Award is granted, in each case, subject to the Outside Director continuing to be a Service Provider through the
applicable vesting date.
d. Value. For purposes of this Policy, “Value” means, with respect to each Initial
3
Award and Annual Award (each, an “RSU Award”), the average of the closing prices of the Company’s Common Stock in each
trading day occurring during the consecutive, thirty (30) trailing calendar day period ending on (and inclusive of) the Friday
immediately preceding the grant date of the RSU Award, or such other methodology the Board or its Compensation Committee
may determine prior to the grant of the RSU Award becoming effective; provided, however, that any RSU Award will cover only
a whole number of Shares, such that any fractional Share that otherwise would result from a given Value will be rounded down
and will not become subject to such RSU Award.
e. Additional Terms of Initial Awards and Annual Awards. Each Initial Award and Annual Award will be granted
under and subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and the applicable form of Award Agreement previously approved by
the Board or its Compensation Committee, as applicable, for use thereunder.
3.
Change in Control
In the event of a Change in Control, each Outside Director outstanding Company equity awards will be treated in
accordance with the terms of the Plan.
4.
Travel Expenses
Each Outside Director’s reasonable, customary, and documented travel expenses to Board meetings will be reimbursed
by the Company.
5.
Additional Provisions
All provisions of the Plan not inconsistent with this Policy will apply to Awards granted to Outside Directors.
6.
Adjustments
In the event that any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Shares, other securities or other property),
recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination,
reclassification, repurchase, or exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company, or other change in the corporate structure
of the Company affecting the Shares occurs, the Administrator, in order to prevent diminution or enlargement of the benefits or
potential benefits intended to be made available under this Policy, will adjust the number of Shares issuable pursuant to Awards
granted under this Policy.
7.
Limitations
No Outside Director may be paid, issued or granted, in any Fiscal Year, cash payments (including the fees under Section
1 above) and Awards with an aggregate value greater than $750,000, increased to $1,000,000 in connection with his or her initial
service (with the value of Awards based on its grant date fair value (determined in accordance with U.S. generally accepted
accounting principles)). Any Awards or other compensation provided to an individual (a) for his or her services as an Employee,
or for his or her services as a Consultant other than as an Outside Director, or (b) prior to the Effective Date, will be excluded for
purposes of the foregoing limits.
4
8.
Section 409A
In no event will cash compensation or expense reimbursement payments under this Policy be paid after the later of (a)
the fifteenth (15th) day of the third (3rd) month following the end of the Company’s fiscal year in which the compensation is
earned or expenses are incurred, as applicable, or (b) the fifteenth (15th) day of the third (3rd) month following the end of the
calendar year in which the compensation is earned or expenses are incurred, as applicable, in compliance with the “short-term
deferral” exception under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the final regulations and
guidance thereunder, as may be amended from time to time (together, “Section 409A”). It is the intent of this Policy that this
Policy and all payments hereunder be exempt from or otherwise comply with the requirements of Section 409A so that none of
the compensation to be provided hereunder will be subject to the additional tax imposed under Section 409A, and any ambiguities
or ambiguous terms herein will be interpreted to be so exempt or comply. In no event will the Company reimburse an Outside
Director for any taxes imposed or other costs incurred as a result of Section 409A.
9.
Revisions
The Board or any Committee designated by the Board may amend, alter, suspend, or terminate this Policy at any time
and for any reason. No amendment, alteration, suspension, or termination of this Policy will materially impair the rights of an
Outside Director with respect to compensation that already has been paid or awarded, unless otherwise mutually agreed between
the Outside Director and the Company. Termination of this Policy will not affect the Board’s or the Compensation Committee’s
ability to exercise the powers granted to it under the Plan with respect to Awards granted under the Plan pursuant to this Policy
prior to the date of such termination.
Exhibit 19.1
SOLENO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
___________________
INSIDER TRADING POLICY
AND
GUIDELINES WITH RESPECT TO
CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS IN SECURITIES
___________________
(As amended on November 9, 2024)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
INTRODUCTION
1
Legal prohibitions on insider trading
1
Detection and prosecution of insider trading
1
Penalties for violation of insider trading laws and this Policy
1
Compliance Officer
2
Reporting violations
2
Personal responsibility
2
PERSONS AND TRANSACTIONS COVERED BY THIS POLICY
3
Persons covered by this Policy
3
Types of transactions covered by this Policy
3
Responsibilities regarding the nonpublic information of other companies
3
Applicability of this Policy after your departure
3
MATERIAL NONPUBLIC INFORMATION
5
“Material” information
5
“Nonpublic” information
6
POLICIES REGARDING MATERIAL NONPUBLIC INFORMATION
7
Confidentiality of nonpublic information
7
No trading on material nonpublic information
7
No disclosing material nonpublic information for the benefit of others
7
Obligation to disclose material nonpublic information to the Company
8
Responding to outside inquiries for information
8
TRADING BLACKOUT PERIODS
9
Quarterly blackout periods
9
Special blackout periods
9
Regulation BTR blackouts
10
No “safe harbors”
10
PRE-CLEARANCE OF TRADES
11
ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS AND GUIDANCE
12
Short sales
12
Derivative securities and hedging transactions
12
Using Company securities as collateral for loans
12
Holding Company securities in margin accounts
13
Placing open orders with brokers
13
LIMITED EXCEPTIONS
14
Transactions pursuant to a trading plan that complies with SEC rules
14
Receipt and vesting of stock options, restricted stock units, restricted stock and stock appreciation rights
14
Exercise of stock options for cash and tax withholding requirements
15
Purchases from the employee stock purchase plan
15
Stock splits, stock dividends and similar transactions
15
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(Continued)
Page
-ii-
Estate planning
15
Other exceptions
16
COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 16 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT
17
Obligations under Section 16
17
Notification requirements to facilitate Section 16 reporting
17
Personal responsibility
17
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
18
Delivery of Policy
18
Amendments
18
Current Version of Policy
18
SCHEDULE I (Covered Persons List)
SCHEDULE II (Individuals subject to Section 16 reporting and liability provisions)
SCHEDULE III (Forms of Ancillary Documents Under the Policy)
Pre-Clearance Checklist and Form Certification
Memorandum re Delivery of Insider Trading Policy
Form of Special Blackout Period Notice
Requirements for Trading Plans
Guidelines for Preparing Trading Plans
INTRODUCTION
Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, the “Company”) opposes the unauthorized disclosure of any
nonpublic information acquired in the course of your service with the Company and the misuse of material nonpublic information
in securities trading. Any such actions will be deemed violations of this Insider Trading Policy (this “Policy”).
Legal prohibitions on insider trading
The antifraud provisions of U.S. federal securities laws prohibit directors, officers, employees and other individuals who
possess material nonpublic information from trading on the basis of that information. Transactions will be considered “on the
basis of” material nonpublic information if the person engaged in the transaction was aware of the material nonpublic information
at the time of the transaction. It is not a defense that the person did not “use” the information for purposes of the transaction.
Disclosing material nonpublic information directly or indirectly to others who then trade based on that information or making
recommendations or expressing opinions as to transactions in securities while aware of material nonpublic information (which is
sometime referred to as “tipping”) is also illegal. Both the person who provides the information, recommendation or opinion and
the person who trades based on it may be liable.
These illegal activities are commonly referred to as “insider trading”. State securities laws and securities laws of other
jurisdictions also impose restrictions on insider trading.
In addition, a company, as well as individual directors, officers and other supervisory personnel, may be subject to liability as
“controlling persons” for failure to take appropriate steps to prevent insider trading by those under their supervision, influence or
control.
Detection and prosecution of insider trading
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and the NASDAQ
Stock Market use sophisticated electronic surveillance techniques to investigate and detect insider trading, and the SEC and the
U.S. Department of Justice pursue insider trading violations vigorously. Cases involving trading through foreign accounts, trading
by family members and friends and trading involving only a small number of shares have been successfully prosecuted.
Penalties for violation of insider trading laws and this Policy
Civil and criminal penalties. As of the effective date of this Policy, potential penalties for insider trading violations under
U.S. federal securities laws include:
damages in a private lawsuit;
disgorging any profits made or losses avoided;
imprisonment for up to 20 years;
criminal fines of up to $5 million for individuals and $25 million for entities;
-2-
civil fines of up to three times the profit gained or loss avoided;
a bar against serving as an officer or director of a public company; and
an injunction against future violations.
Civil and criminal penalties also apply to tipping. The SEC has imposed large penalties in tipping cases even when the
disclosing person did not trade or gain any benefit from another person’s trading.
Controlling person liability. As of the effective date of this Policy, the penalty for “controlling person” liability is a civil fine
of up to the greater of $1.425 million or three times the profit gained or loss avoided as a result of the insider trading violations, as
well as potential criminal fines and imprisonment.
Company disciplinary actions. If the Company has a reasonable basis to conclude that you have failed to comply with this
Policy, you may be subject to disciplinary action by the Company, up to and including dismissal for cause, regardless of whether
or not your failure to comply with this Policy results in a violation of law. It is not necessary for the Company to wait for the
filing or conclusion of any civil or criminal action against an alleged violator before taking disciplinary action. In addition, the
Company may give stop transfer and other instructions to the Company’s transfer agent to enforce compliance with this Policy.
Compliance Officer
Please direct any questions, requests or reports as to any of the matters discussed in this Policy to the Chief Financial Officer
of the Company (the “Compliance Officer”). The Compliance Officer is generally responsible for the administration of this
Policy. The Compliance Officer may select others to assist with the execution of his or her duties.
Reporting violations
It is your responsibility to help enforce this Policy. You should be alert to possible violations and promptly report violations
or suspected violations of this Policy to the Compliance Officer. If your situation requires that your identity be kept secret, your
anonymity will be preserved to the greatest extent reasonably possible, or otherwise permitted by law. You may report violations
or suspected violations of this Policy via our confidential independent secure web portal at www.soleno.life.ethicspoint.com or by
phone at 1-844-723-8334. If you wish to remain anonymous, you may send a letter addressed to the Compliance Officer at Soleno
Therapeutics, Inc., 100 Marine Parkway, Suite 400, Redwood City, CA 94065. If the Compliance Officer is implicated in your
report, then you should report it through the whistleblower hotline. If you make an anonymous report, please provide as much
detail as possible, including any evidence that you believe may be relevant to the issue.
Personal responsibility
The ultimate responsibility for complying with this Policy and applicable laws and regulations rests with you. You should use
your best judgment at all times and consult with your legal and financial advisors, as needed. We advise you to seek assistance if
you have any questions at all.
-3-
The rules relating to insider trading can be complex, and a violation of insider trading laws can carry severe consequences.
-4-
PERSONS AND TRANSACTIONS COVERED BY THIS POLICY
Persons covered by this Policy
This Policy applies to all directors, officers, employees, consultants, contractors and advisors of the Company. References in
this Policy to “you” (as well as general references to directors, officers, employees, consultants, contractors and advisors of the
Company) should also be understood to include members of your immediate family, persons with whom you share a household,
persons who are your economic dependents and any other individuals or entities whose transactions in securities you influence,
direct or control (including, for example, a venture or other investment fund, if you influence, direct or control transactions by the
fund). You are responsible for making sure that these other individuals and entities comply with this Policy.
Types of transactions covered by this Policy
Except as discussed in the section entitled “Limited Exceptions”, this Policy applies to all transactions involving the
securities of the Company or the securities of other companies as to which you possess material nonpublic information obtained
in the course of your service with the Company. This Policy therefore applies to purchases, sales and other transfers of common
stock, options, restricted stock units, warrants, preferred stock, debt securities (such as debentures, bonds and notes) and other
securities of the Company and such other companies, whether direct or indirect (including transactions made on your behalf by
money managers), and any offer to engage in the foregoing transactions. This Policy also applies to any disposition in the form of
a gift of any securities of the Company and any distribution to holders of interests in an entity if the entity is subject to this Policy.
This Policy also applies to any arrangements that affect economic exposure to changes in the prices of these securities. These
arrangements may include, among other things, transactions in derivative securities (such as exchange‑traded put or call options,
swaps, caps and collars), hedging and pledging transactions, short sales and certain decisions with respect to participation in
benefit plans, and any offer to engage in the foregoing transactions. You should note that there are no exceptions from insider
trading laws or this Policy based on the size of the transaction or the type of consideration received.
Responsibilities regarding the nonpublic information of other companies
This Policy prohibits the unauthorized disclosure or other misuse of any nonpublic information of other companies, including
but not limited to the Company’s distributors, vendors, customers, collaborators, suppliers and competitors. This Policy also
prohibits insider trading and tipping based on the material nonpublic information of other companies.
Applicability of this Policy after your departure
You are expected to comply with this Policy until such time as you are no longer affiliated with the Company. Regardless of
whether you are employed or affiliated with the Company, if you are aware of material nonpublic information, you will be subject
to the insider trading laws and you may not trade in Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.’s securities or in the securities from which you
have obtained material nonpublic information in the course of performing services for Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. until after that
information has become public or is no longer material. There are no exceptions based on personal circumstances.
-5-
There may be instances where you suffer financial harm or other hardship or are otherwise required to forego a planned
transaction because of the restrictions imposed by this Policy. Personal financial emergency or other personal circumstances are
not mitigating factors under securities laws and will not excuse a failure to comply with this Policy.
-6-
MATERIAL NONPUBLIC INFORMATION
“Material” information
Information should be regarded as “material “if there is a substantial likelihood that a reasonable investor would consider it
important in deciding whether to buy, hold or sell securities or would view the information as significantly altering the total mix
of information in the marketplace about the issuer of the security. In general, any information that could reasonably be expected
to affect the market price of a security is likely to be material. Either positive or negative information may be material.
It is not possible to define all categories of “material” information. However, some examples of information that would often
be regarded as material include information with respect to:
Clinical trial results;
Significant developments in research and development or relating to intellectual property;
Financial results, financial condition, earnings pre-announcements, guidance, projections or forecasts,
particularly if inconsistent with the expectations of the investment community;
Restatements of financial results, or material impairments, write-offs or restructurings;
Changes in independent auditors, or notification that the Company may no longer rely on an audit report;
Significant changes in business plans or budgets;
Creation of significant financial obligations, or any significant default under or acceleration of any financial
obligation;
Impending bankruptcy or financial liquidity problems;
Significant developments involving business relationships, including execution, modification or termination of
significant agreements or orders with customers, suppliers, distributors, manufacturers or other business
partners;
Product introductions, modifications, defects or recalls or significant pricing changes or other product
announcements of a significant nature;
Significant legal or regulatory developments, whether actual or threatened;
Major events involving the Company’s securities, including calls of securities for redemption, adoption of stock
repurchase programs, option repricings, stock splits, changes in dividend policies, public or private securities
offerings, modification to the rights of security holders or notice of delisting;
Significant corporate events, such as a pending or proposed merger, joint venture or tender offer, a significant
investment, the acquisition or disposition of a significant business or asset or a change in control of the
Company;
Major personnel changes, such as changes in senior management or layoffs;
-7-
Data breaches or other cybersecurity events;
Updates regarding any prior material disclosure that has materially changed; and
The existence of a special blackout period.
If you have any questions as to whether information should be considered “material”, you should consult with the
Compliance Officer. In general, it is advisable to resolve any close questions as to the materiality of any information by assuming
that the information is material.
“Nonpublic” information
Information is considered “nonpublic” if the information has not been broadly disseminated to the public for a sufficient
period to be reflected in the price of the security. As a general rule, information should be considered nonpublic until at least two
full trading days have elapsed after the information is broadly distributed to the public in a press release, a public filing with the
SEC, a pre-announced public webcast or another broad, non-exclusionary form of public communication. However, depending
upon the form of the announcement and the nature of the information, it is possible that information may not be fully absorbed by
the marketplace until a later time. Any questions as to whether information is nonpublic should be directed to the Compliance
Officer.
The term “trading day” means a day on which national stock exchanges and the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. Automated Quotation System are open for trading. A “full” trading day has elapsed when, after the public disclosure, trading
in the relevant security has opened and then closed.
-8-
POLICIES REGARDING MATERIAL NONPUBLIC INFORMATION
Confidentiality of nonpublic information
The unauthorized use or disclosure of nonpublic information relating to the Company or other companies is prohibited. All
nonpublic information you acquire in the course of your service with the Company may only be used for legitimate Company
business purposes. In addition, nonpublic information of others should be handled in accordance with the terms of any relevant
nondisclosure agreements, and the use of any such nonpublic information should be limited to the purpose for which it was
disclosed.
You must use all reasonable efforts to safeguard nonpublic information in the Company’s possession. You may not disclose
nonpublic information about the Company or any other company, unless required by law, or unless (i) disclosure is required for
legitimate Company business purposes, (ii) you are authorized to disclose the information and (iii) appropriate steps have been
taken to prevent misuse of that information (including entering into an appropriate nondisclosure agreement that restricts the
disclosure and use of the information, if applicable). This restriction also applies to internal communications within the Company
and to communications with consultants, contractors and advisors of the Company. In cases where disclosing nonpublic
information to third parties is required, you should coordinate with the Compliance Officer.
All directors, officers, employees, consultants, contractors and advisors of the Company are required to sign and comply with
an At Will Employment, Confidential Information, Invention Assignment, and Arbitration Agreement, or in the case of
consultants, contractors and advisors, an agreement that has substantially similar terms.
No trading on material nonpublic information
Except as discussed in the section entitled “Limited Exceptions”, you may not, directly or indirectly through others, engage
in any transaction involving the Company’s securities while aware of material nonpublic information relating to the Company. It
is not an excuse that you did not “use” the information in your transaction.
Similarly, you may not engage in transactions involving the securities of any other company if you are aware of material
nonpublic information about that company (except to the extent the transactions are analogous to those presented in the section
entitled “Limited Exceptions”). For example, you may be involved in a proposed transaction involving a prospective business
relationship or transaction with another company. If information about that transaction constitutes material nonpublic information
for that other company, you would be prohibited from engaging in transactions involving the securities of that other company (as
well as transactions involving Company securities, if that information is material to the Company). It is important to note that
“materiality” is different for different companies. Information that is not material to the Company may be material to another
company.
No disclosing material nonpublic information for the benefit of others
You may not disclose material nonpublic information concerning the Company or any other company to friends, family
members or any other person or entity not authorized to receive such
-9-
information where such person or entity may benefit by trading on the basis of such information. In addition, you may not make
recommendations or express opinions on the basis of material nonpublic information as to trading in the securities of companies
to which such information relates. You are prohibited from engaging in these actions whether or not you derive any profit or
personal benefit from doing so. This prohibition against disclosure of material nonpublic information includes disclosure (even
anonymous disclosure) via the internet, blogs, investor forums or chat rooms where companies and their prospects are discussed.
Obligation to disclose material nonpublic information to the Company
You may not enter into any transaction, including those discussed in the section entitled “Limited Exceptions”, unless you
have disclosed any material nonpublic information that you become aware of in the course of your service with the Company, and
that senior management is not aware of, to the Compliance Officer. If you are a member of senior management, the information
must be disclosed to the Chief Executive Officer, and if you are the Chief Executive Officer or a director, you must disclose the
information to the Company’s Board of Directors before any transaction is permissible.
Responding to outside inquiries for information
In the event you receive an inquiry from someone outside of the Company, such as a stock analyst, for information, you
should refer the inquiry to the Chief Financial Officer or the Company’s Head of Investor Relations, if any. The Company is
required under Regulation FD (Fair Disclosure) of the U.S. federal securities laws to avoid the selective disclosure of material
nonpublic information. In general, the regulation provides that when a public company discloses material nonpublic information,
it must provide broad, non-exclusionary access to the information. Violations of this regulation can subject the company to SEC
enforcement actions, which may result in injunctions and severe monetary penalties. The Company has established procedures for
releasing material information in a manner that is designed to achieve broad public dissemination of the information immediately
upon its release in compliance with applicable law. Please consult the Company’s External Communications Policy for more
details.
-10-
TRADING BLACKOUT PERIODS
To limit the likelihood of trading at times when there is a significant risk of insider trading exposure, the Company has
instituted quarterly trading blackout periods and may institute special trading blackout periods from time to time. In addition, to
comply with applicable legal requirements, the Company may also institute blackout periods that prevent directors and officers
from trading in Company securities at a time when employees are prevented from trading Company securities in the Company’s
401(k) plan.
It is important to note that whether or not you are subject to blackout periods, you remain subject to the prohibitions on
trading on the basis of material nonpublic information and any other applicable restrictions in this Policy.
Quarterly blackout periods
Except as discussed in the section entitled “Limited Exceptions”, directors, executive officers and those employees,
consultants, contractors and advisors identified by the Company must refrain from conducting transactions involving the
Company’s securities during quarterly blackout periods. Even if you are not specifically identified as being subject to quarterly
blackout periods, you should exercise caution when engaging in transactions during quarterly blackout periods because of the
heightened risk of insider trading exposure.
Quarterly blackout periods begin at 4 p.m. EST on the 15th calendar day of the third month of each fiscal quarter and end at
the start of the third full trading day following the date of public disclosure of the financial results for the previous fiscal quarter.
This period is a particularly sensitive time for transactions involving the Company’s securities from the perspective of compliance
with applicable securities laws due to the fact that, during this period, individuals may often possess or have access to material
nonpublic information relevant to the expected financial results for the quarter.
Individuals subject to quarterly blackout periods are listed on Schedule I (the “Covered Persons List”). From time to time,
the Company may revise the Covered Persons List.
Special blackout periods
From time to time, the Company may also prohibit directors, officers, employees, consultants, contractors and advisors from
engaging in transactions involving the Company’s securities when, in the judgment of the Compliance Officer, a trading blackout
is warranted. The Company will generally impose special blackout periods when there are material developments known to the
Company that have not yet been disclosed to the public. For example, the Company may impose a special blackout period in
anticipation of announcing material clinical data results or a significant transaction or business development. However, special
blackout periods may be declared for any reason.
The Company will notify those persons subject to a special blackout period. Each person who has been so identified and
notified by the Company may not engage in any transaction involving the Company’s securities until instructed otherwise by the
Compliance Officer, and should not disclose to others the fact of such suspension of trading.
-11-
Regulation BTR blackouts
Directors and executive officers may also be subject to trading blackouts pursuant to Regulation Blackout Trading
Restriction, or Regulation BTR, under U.S. federal securities laws. In general, Regulation BTR prohibits any director or executive
officer from engaging in certain transactions involving Company securities during periods when 401(k) plan participants are
prevented from purchasing, selling or otherwise acquiring or transferring an interest in certain securities held in individual
account plans. Any profits realized from a transaction that violates Regulation BTR are recoverable by the Company, regardless
of the intentions of the director or officer effecting the transaction. In addition, individuals who engage in such transactions are
subject to sanction by the SEC as well as potential criminal liability. The Company has provided, or will provide, separate
memoranda and other appropriate materials to its directors and executive officers regarding compliance with Regulation BTR.
The Company will notify directors and officers if they are subject to a blackout trading restriction under Regulation BTR.
Failure to comply with an applicable trading blackout in accordance with Regulation BTR is a violation of law and this Policy.
No “safe harbors”
There are no unconditional “safe harbors” for trades made at particular times, and all persons subject to this Policy should
exercise good judgment at all times. Even when a quarterly blackout period is not in effect, you may be prohibited from engaging
in transactions involving the Company’s securities because you possess material nonpublic information, are subject to a special
blackout period or are otherwise restricted under this Policy.
-12-
PRE-CLEARANCE OF TRADES
Except as discussed in the section entitled “Limited Exceptions”, directors, executive officers and any other persons
identified on the Covered Persons List of this Policy as being subject to pre-clearance requirements must obtain pre-clearance
prior to engaging in any transaction involving the Company’s securities. This is done by submitting a pre-clearance request on
the form provided by the Compliance Officer to the Compliance Officer and obtaining the required signature from the
Compliance Officer prior to the desired transaction date. The Compliance Officer should use the Pre-Clearance Checklist (see
Schedule III) before signing a pre-clearance request. The Compliance Officer may not engage in a transaction involving the
Company’s securities unless the Chief Executive Officer has pre‑cleared the transaction. All trades must be executed within three
trading days of any pre-clearance.
These pre-clearance procedures are intended to decrease insider trading risks associated with transactions by individuals with
regular or special access to material nonpublic information. In addition, requiring pre‑clearance of transactions by directors and
officers facilitates compliance with Rule 144 resale restrictions under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the liability and
reporting provisions of Section 16 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and Regulation
BTR. Pre-clearance of a trade, however, is not a defense to a claim of insider trading and does not excuse you from otherwise
complying with insider trading laws or this Policy. Further, pre-clearance of a transaction does not constitute an affirmation by
the Company or the Compliance Officer that you are not in possession of material nonpublic information.
The Compliance Officer is under no obligation to approve a transaction submitted for pre‑clearance, and may determine not
to permit the transaction.
From time to time, the Company may identify other persons who should be subject to the pre-clearance requirements set forth
above, and the Compliance Officer may update and revise the Covered Persons List as appropriate.
-13-
ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS AND GUIDANCE
This section addresses certain types of transactions that may expose you and the Company to significant risks. You should
understand that, even though a transaction may not be expressly prohibited by this section, you are responsible for ensuring that
the transaction otherwise complies with other provisions in this Policy that may apply to the transaction, such as the general
prohibition against insider trading as well as pre-clearance procedures and blackout periods, to the extent applicable.
Short sales
Short sales (i.e., the sale of a security that must be borrowed to make delivery) and “selling short against the box” (i.e., a sale
with a delayed delivery) with respect to Company securities are prohibited under this Policy. Short sales may signal to the market
possible bad news about the Company or a general lack of confidence in the Company’s prospects, and an expectation that the
value of the Company’s securities will decline. In addition, short sales are effectively a bet against the Company’s success and
may reduce the seller’s incentive to improve the Company’s performance. Short sales may also create a suspicion that the seller is
engaged in insider trading.
Derivative securities and hedging transactions
You are prohibited from engaging in transactions in publicly-traded options, such as puts and calls, and other derivative
securities with respect to the Company’s securities. This prohibition extends to any hedging or similar transaction designed to
decrease the risks associated with holding Company securities. Stock options, stock appreciation rights and other securities issued
pursuant to Company benefit plans or other compensatory arrangements with the Company are also subject to this prohibition;
provided, however, as described in the “Limited Exceptions” section of this Policy, you are not prohibited from exercising any
stock options issued under any of the Company’s benefit plans or other compensatory arrangements in accordance with the terms
of such plans or arrangements.
Transactions in derivative securities may reflect a short‑term and speculative interest in the Company’s securities and may
create the appearance of impropriety, even where a transaction does not involve trading on inside information. Trading in
derivatives may also focus attention on short‑term performance at the expense of the Company’s long‑term objectives. In
addition, the application of securities laws to derivatives transactions can be complex, and persons engaging in derivatives
transactions may subject themselves to an increased risk of violating securities laws. “Guidelines for Preparing Trading Plans” are
set forth in Schedule III.
Using Company securities as collateral for loans
You may not pledge Company securities as collateral for loans. If you default on the loan, the lender may sell the pledged
securities as collateral in a foreclosure sale. The sale, even though not initiated at your request, is still considered a sale for your
benefit and, if made at a time when you are aware of material nonpublic information or otherwise are not permitted to trade in
Company securities, may result in inadvertent insider trading violations, Section 16 and Regulation BTR violations (for officers
and directors), violations of this Policy and unfavorable publicity for you and the Company.
-14-
Holding Company securities in margin accounts
You may not hold Company securities in margin accounts. Under typical margin arrangements, if you fail to meet a margin
call, the broker may be entitled to sell securities held in the margin account without your consent. The sale, even though not
initiated at your request, is still considered a sale for your benefit and, if made at a time when you are aware of material nonpublic
information or are otherwise not permitted to trade, may result in inadvertent insider trading violations, Section 16 and Regulation
BTR violations (for officers and directors), violations of this Policy and unfavorable publicity for you and the Company.
Placing open orders with brokers
Except in accordance with an approved trading plan (as discussed below), you should exercise caution when placing open
orders, such as limit orders or stop orders, with brokers, particularly where the order is likely to remain outstanding for an
extended period of time. If you are subject to the blackout window, open orders should be canceled prior to entering a blackout
window, as this may result in the execution of a trade at a time when you are aware of material nonpublic information or
otherwise are not permitted to trade in Company securities, which may result in inadvertent insider trading violations, Section 16
and Regulation BTR violations (for officers and directors), violations of this Policy and unfavorable publicity for you and the
Company. If you are subject to blackout periods or pre-clearance requirements, you should so inform any broker with whom you
place any open order at the time it is placed.
-15-
LIMITED EXCEPTIONS
The following are certain limited exceptions to the restrictions imposed by the Company under this Policy. Please be aware
that even if a transaction is subject to an exception to this Policy, you will need to separately assess whether the transaction
complies with applicable law. For example, even if a transaction is indicated as exempt from this Policy, you may need to comply
with the “short-swing” trading restrictions under Section 16 of the Exchange Act, to the extent applicable. You are responsible for
complying with applicable law at all times.
Transactions pursuant to a trading plan that complies with SEC rules
The SEC has enacted rules that provide an affirmative defense against alleged violations of U.S. federal insider trading laws
for transactions pursuant to trading plans that meet certain requirements. In general, these rules, as set forth in Rule 10b5‑1 under
the Exchange Act, provide for an affirmative defense if you enter into a contract, provide instructions or adopt a written plan for
trading securities when you are not aware of material nonpublic information. The contract, instructions or plan must (i) specify
the amount, price and date of the transaction, (ii) specify an objective method for determining the amount, price and date of the
transaction and/or (iii) place any subsequent discretion for determining the amount, price and date of the transaction in another
person who is not, at the time of the transaction, aware of material nonpublic information.
Transactions made pursuant to a written trading plan that (i) complies with the affirmative defense set forth in Rule 10b5‑1,
(ii) complies with the “Requirements for Trading Plans” set forth in Schedule III and (iii) is approved by the Compliance
Officer, are not subject to the restrictions in this Policy against trades made while aware of material nonpublic information or to
the pre‑clearance procedures or blackout periods established under this Policy. If the Compliance Officer is the requester, then the
Company’s Chief Executive Officer or General Counsel must approve the written 10b5-1 trading plan. In approving a trading
plan, the Compliance Officer may, in furtherance of the objectives expressed in this Policy, impose criteria in addition to those set
forth in Rule 10b5‑1. You should therefore confer with the Compliance Officer prior to entering into any trading plan.
The SEC rules regarding trading plans are complex and must be complied with completely to be effective. The description
provided above is only a summary, and the Company strongly advises that you consult with your legal advisor if you intend to
adopt a trading plan. While trading plans are subject to review and approval by the Company, the individual adopting the trading
plan is ultimately responsible for compliance with Rule 10b5‑1 and ensuring that the trading plan complies with this Policy.
Trading plans must be filed with the Compliance Officer and must be accompanied with an executed certificate stating that
the trading plan complies with Rule 10b5‑1 and any other criteria established by the Company. The Company may publicly
disclose information regarding trading plans that you may enter.
Receipt and vesting of stock options, restricted stock units, restricted stock and stock appreciation rights
The trading restrictions under this Policy do not apply to the acceptance or purchase of stock options, restricted stock units,
restricted stock, stock appreciation rights or other equity
-16-
compensation awards issued or offered by the Company. The trading restrictions under this Policy also do not apply to the
vesting, cancellation or forfeiture of stock options, restricted stock units, restricted stock, stock appreciation rights or other equity
compensation awards from the Company in accordance with applicable plans and agreements; however, this exception does not
apply to any market activity associated with such securities.
Exercise of stock options for cash and tax withholding requirements
The trading restrictions under this Policy do not apply to the exercise of stock options for cash under the Company’s stock
option plans. However, the trading restrictions under this Policy do apply to market activity associated with the exercise of stock
options under the Company’s stock option plans, such as (i) the sale of any securities issued upon the exercise of a stock option,
(ii) a cashless exercise of a stock option through a broker, since this involves selling a portion of the underlying shares to cover
the costs of exercise, and (iii) any other market sale for the purpose of generating the cash needed to pay the exercise price of an
option.
The trading restrictions under this Policy do not apply to net share withholding with respect to equity awards where shares
are withheld and sold by the Company in order to satisfy tax withholding requirements, if (x) permitted by the Company’s Board
of Directors or the Compensation Committee and the award agreement governing such equity award and (y) so long as it is the
Company’s default policy or the individual makes the election in writing at a time when a trading blackout is not in place and the
individual is not in possession of material nonpublic information. Likewise, the trading restrictions under this Policy do not apply
to sell to cover transactions where shares are sold on an individual’s behalf upon vesting of equity awards sold in order to satisfy
tax withholding requirements, if (x) permitted by the Company’s Board of Directors or the Compensation Committee and the
award agreement governing such equity award and (y) so long as it is the Company’s default policy or the individual makes the
election in writing at a time when a trading blackout is not in place and the individual is not in possession of material nonpublic
information; however, this exception does not apply to any other sale of such securities.
Purchases from the employee stock purchase plan
The trading restrictions in this Policy do not apply to elections with respect to participation in the Company’s employee stock
purchase plan or to purchases of securities under the plan. However, the trading restrictions do apply to any subsequent sales of
any such securities.
Stock splits, stock dividends and similar transactions
The trading restrictions under this Policy do not apply to a change in the number of securities held as a result of a stock split
or stock dividend applying equally to all securities of a class, or similar transactions.
Estate planning
The trading restrictions under this Policy do not apply to transfers by will or the laws of descent or distribution and,
provided that prior written notice is provided to the Compliance Officer, distributions or transfers (such as certain tax planning or
estate planning transfers) that effect only a change in the form of beneficial interest without changing your pecuniary interest in
the Company’s securities.
-17-
Other exceptions
Any other exception from this Policy must be approved by the Compliance Officer, in consultation with the Company’s
Board of Directors or an independent committee of the Board of Directors.
-18-
COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 16 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT
Obligations under Section 16
All of the Company’s officers and directors and certain other individuals are required to comply with Section 16 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the related rules and regulations, which set forth (i) reporting obligations, (ii) limitations on
“short‑swing” transactions, which are certain matching purchases and sales of the Company’s securities within a six-month
period, and (iii) limitations on short sales.
The Board of Directors of the Company has determined that the persons specified as Section 16 insiders on Schedule II are
required to comply with Section 16 of the Exchange Act, and the related rules and regulations, because of their positions with the
Company. The Compliance Officer may amend Schedule II from time to time as appropriate to reflect the election of new
officers or directors, any change in the responsibilities of officers or other employees and any promotions, demotions,
resignations or departures.
Schedule II may not necessarily contain an exhaustive list of persons subject to Section 16 requirements at any given time.
Even if you are not listed on Schedule II, you may be subject to Section 16 reporting obligations because of your shareholdings,
for example.
Notification requirements to facilitate Section 16 reporting
To facilitate timely reporting of transactions pursuant to Section 16 requirements, each person subject to Section 16 reporting
requirements must provide, or must ensure that his or her broker provides, the Company with detailed information (e.g., trade
date, number of shares, exact price, etc.) regarding his or her transactions involving the Company’s securities, including gifts,
transfers, pledges and transactions pursuant to a trading plan, both prior to (to confirm compliance with pre-clearance procedures,
if applicable) and promptly following execution.
Personal responsibility
The obligation to file Section 16 reports, and to otherwise comply with Section 16, is personal. The Company is not
responsible for the failure to comply with Section 16 requirements.
-19-
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Delivery of Policy
This Policy will be delivered to all directors, officers, employees, consultants, contractors and advisors of the Company when
they commence service with the Company. In addition, this Policy (or a summary of this Policy) will be circulated periodically.
Each director, officer, employee, consultant, contractor and advisor of the Company is required to acknowledge that he or she
understands, and agrees to comply with, this Policy.
Amendments
We are committed to continuously reviewing and updating our policies and procedures. The Company therefore reserves the
right to amend, alter or terminate this Policy at any time and for any reason, subject to applicable law. Unless otherwise permitted
by this Policy, any amendments must be approved by the Company’s Board of Directors.
Current Version of Policy
A copy of the Company’s current policies regarding insider trading may be obtained by contacting the Compliance Officer.
Ancillary Documents
Attached as Schedule III are forms of various ancillary documents that may be used from time to time in connection with the
matters discussed in this Policy. The Compliance Officer may amend, alter, substitute or terminate any of these ancillary
documents at any time and for any reason, subject to applicable law.
* * *
Nothing in this Insider Trading Policy creates or implies an employment contract or term of employment. Employment at the
Company is employment at-will. Employment at-will may be terminated with or without cause and with or without notice at any
time by the employee or the Company. Nothing in this Insider Trading Policy shall limit the right to terminate employment at-
will. No employee of the Company has any authority to enter into any agreement for employment for a specified period of time or
to make any agreement or representation contrary to the Company’s policy of employment at-will. Only the Chief Executive
Officer of the Company has the authority to make any such agreement, which must be in writing.
The policies in this Insider Trading Policy do not constitute a complete list of Company policies or a complete list of the
types of conduct that can result in discipline, up to and including discharge.
FILENAME 6791195_3.docx
I - 1
SCHEDULE I
INDIVIDUALS SUBJECT TO
QUARTERLY BLACKOUT PERIODS
All officers, directors, and
employees.
INDIVIDUALS SUBJECT TO
PRE-CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS
All officers, directors, and
employees.
FILENAME 6791195_3.docx
III - 1
SCHEDULE II
INDIVIDUALS SUBJECT TO
SECTION 16 REPORTING AND LIABILITY PROVISIONS
Anish Bhatnagar
James Mackaness
Raymond Urbanski
Meredith Manning
Michael Huang
Patricia Hirano
Kristen Yen
William Harris
Andrew Sinclair
Birgitte Volck
Matthew Pauls
Dawn Carter
FILENAME 6791195_3.docx
SCHEDULE III
SOLENO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
FORMS OF ANCILLARY DOCUMENTS UNDER THE POLICY
-2-
INSIDER TRADING POLICY — PRE‑CLEARANCE CHECKLIST
FORMCHECKBOX
No blackout period. The proposed trade will not be made during a quarterly or special blackout period.
FORMCHECKBOX
No pension fund blackout under Regulation BTR.* There is no pension fund blackout period in
effect.
FORMCHECKBOX
No prohibition under Insider Trading Policy. The person confirmed that the proposed transaction is
not prohibited under the Insider Trading Policy.
FORMCHECKBOX
Section 16 compliance.* The person confirmed that the proposed trade will not give rise to any
potential liability under Section 16 as a result of matched past (or intended future) transactions.
FORMCHECKBOX
Form 4 filing.* A Form 4 has been or will be completed and will be timely filed with the SEC, if
applicable.
FORMCHECKBOX
Rule 144 compliance.
FORMCHECKBOX The “current public information” requirement has been met ( i.e., all 10‑Ks, 10‑Qs and other
relevant reports during the last 12 months have been filed);
FORMCHECKBOX The shares that the person proposes to trade are not restricted or, if restricted, the applicable
holding period has been met;
FORMCHECKBOX Volume limitations (greater of 1% of outstanding securities of the same class or the average
weekly trading volume during the last four weeks) are not exceeded, and the person is not part of an aggregated
group;
FORMCHECKBOX The manner of sale requirements will be met (a “broker’s transaction” or directly with a market
maker or a “riskless principal transaction”); and
FORMCHECKBOX
A Form 144 has been completed and will be timely filed with the SEC.
FORMCHECKBOX
Rule 10b‑5 concerns. The person has been reminded that trading is prohibited when in possession of
any material nonpublic information regarding the Company that has not been adequately disclosed to the public. The
individual has discussed with the Compliance Officer any information known to the individual or the Compliance Officer
that the individual believes may be material.
* Applies if the individual is a director or an officer subject to Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
-3-
I am not aware of material nonpublic information regarding the Company. I am not trading on the basis of any material nonpublic
information. The transaction is in accordance with the Insider Trading Policy and applicable law. I intend to comply with any applicable
reporting and disclosure requirements on a timely basis.
(Signature of person proposing to trade)
-4-
M E M O R A N D U M
To: All directors, officers, employees, consultants, contractors and other agents of Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.
From:
Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.
Date:
_______________, 2024
Re: Insider Trading Policy
Attached is a copy of our policy with respect to transactions involving company securities by our directors, officers, employees and agents
(including consultants and contractors). As described in the policy, violations of insider trading laws can result in significant civil and
criminal liability. Accordingly, please carefully review the materials provided.
After reading the policy, please sign the receipt and acknowledgement at the bottom of this memorandum and return it to the CEO.
If you have any questions about the policy or insider trading laws generally or about any transaction involving the securities of the company,
please contact the Compliance Officer at jmackaness@soleno.life.
Attachment(s)
-5-
Receipt and Acknowledgement
I have received and read the Insider Trading Policy.
I have received satisfactory answers to any questions that I had regarding the Insider Trading Policy and insider trading in general.
I understand and agree to comply with the Insider Trading Policy.
I understand that my failure to comply in all respects with the Insider Trading Policy is a basis for termination for cause of my
employment or other service relationship with the company as well as any other appropriate discipline.
I understand and agree that the company may give stop transfer and other instructions to the company’s transfer agent with respect
to transactions that the company considers to be in contravention of the Insider Trading Policy.
Signature
Date
Print Name
FILENAME 6791195_3.docx
Form of special blackout notification
[insert date]
CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION
Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.
[_____________]
Dear [insert name]:
Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) has imposed a special blackout period in accordance with the terms of the Company’s Insider
Trading Policy (the “Policy”). Pursuant to the Policy, and subject to the exceptions stated in the Policy, you may not engage in any
transaction involving the securities of the Company until you receive official notice that the special blackout period is no longer in effect.
You may not disclose to others the fact that a special blackout period has been imposed. In addition, you should take care to handle any
confidential information in your possession in accordance with the Company’s policies.
If you have any questions at all, please contact me at [phone number].
Sincerely,
[Name]
Compliance Officer
-2-
SOLENO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
REQUIREMENTS FOR TRADING PLANS
For transactions under a trading plan to be exempt from (i) the prohibitions in the Company’s Insider Trading Policy with
respect to transactions made while aware of material nonpublic information and (ii) the pre-clearance procedures and blackout
periods established under the Insider Trading Policy, the trading plan must comply with the affirmative defense set forth in
Exchange Act Rule 10b5‑1 and must meet the following requirements:
1.
The trading plan must be in writing and signed by the person adopting the trading plan. The person adopting the trading
plan may not have an outstanding (and may not subsequently enter into any additional) trading plan except as permitted
by Rule 10b5-1.
2.
The trading plan must be adopted at a time when:
the person adopting the trading plan is not aware of any material nonpublic information; and
there is no quarterly, special or other trading blackout in effect with respect to the person adopting the plan.
3.
The trading plan must be entered in good faith and not as part of a plan or scheme to evade the prohibitions of Rule
10b5‑1, and the person adopting the trading plan must act in good faith with respect to the trading plan.
4.
The trading plan must include representations that, on the date of adoption of the trading plan, the person adopting the
trading plan:
is not aware of material nonpublic information about the securities or the Company; and
is adopting the trading plan in good faith and not as part of a plan or scheme to evade the prohibitions of Rule
10b5-1.
5.
The person adopting the trading plan may not have entered into or altered a corresponding or hedging transaction or
position with respect to the securities subject to the trading plan and must agree not to enter into any such transaction
while the trading plan is in effect. Subject to Section 8, an individual may conduct transactions with respect to securities
not subject to a trading plan.
6.
The first trade under the trading plan for directors and officers (as defined in Rule 16a-1(f) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended) may not occur until after the expiration of a cooling-off period consisting of the later of (a) 90
calendar days after the adoption of the trading plan and (b) two business days after the filing by the Company of its
financial results in a Form 10-Q or Form 10-K for the completed fiscal quarter in which the trading plan was adopted
(but, in any event, this required cooling-off period is subject to a maximum of 120 days after the
-3-
adoption of the trading plan). The first trade under the trading plan for all other persons (other than the Company) may
not occur until the expiration of a cooling-off period that is 30 calendar days after adoption of the trading plan. The
trading plan must have a minimum term of six months (starting from the date of adoption of the trading plan).
7.
All transactions during the term of the trading plan (except for the other “Limited Exceptions” identified in the
Company’s Insider Trading Policy and bona fide gifts) must be conducted through the trading plan. In addition, the
person adopting the trading plan may not have an outstanding (and may not subsequently enter into any additional)
trading plan except as permitted by Rule 10b5-1. For example, as contemplated by Rule 10b5-1, a person may adopt a
new trading plan before the scheduled termination date of an existing trading plan, so long as the first scheduled trade
under the new trading plan does not occur prior to the last scheduled trade(s) of the existing trading plan and otherwise
complies with these guidelines. Termination of the existing trading plan prior to its scheduled termination date may
impact the timing of the first trade or the availability of the affirmative defense for the new trading plan; therefore,
persons adopting a new trading plan are advised to exercise caution and consult with the Compliance Officer prior to the
early termination of an existing trading plan.
8.
Any modification or change to the amount, price or timing of transactions under the trading plan is deemed the
termination of the trading plan, and the adoption of a new trading plan (“Modification”). Therefore, a Modification is
subject to the same conditions as a new trading plan as set forth in Sections 1 through 7 herein.
9.
Within six months preceding the adoption or a Modification of a trading plan, a person may not have otherwise adopted
or done a Modification to a plan more than once.
10. A person may adopt a trading plan designed to cover a single trade only once in any consecutive 12-month period
except as permitted by Rule 10b5-1.
11. If the person that adopted the trading plan terminates the plan prior to its stated duration, he or she may not trade in the
Company’s securities until after the expiration of 30 calendar days following termination, and then only in accordance
with the Policy.
12. The Company must be promptly notified of any Modification or termination of the trading plan and any suspension of
trading under the trading plan.
13. The Company must have authority to require the suspension or cancellation of the trading plan at any time.
14. If the trading plan grants discretion to a stockbroker or other person with respect to the execution of trades under the
trading plan:
-4-
trades made under the trading plan must be executed by someone other than the stockbroker or other person that
executes trades in other securities for the person adopting the trading plan;
the person adopting the trading plan may not confer with the person administering the trading plan regarding
the Company or its securities; and
the person administering the trading plan must provide prompt notice to the Company of the execution of a
transaction pursuant to the plan.
15. All transactions under the trading plan must be in accordance with applicable law.
16. The trading plan (including any Modification) must meet such other requirements as the Compliance Officer may
determine.
17. Any trading plans adopted or modified prior to February 27, 2023 (the “Effective Date”) are permitted to continue in
place until all trades are executed thereunder or they expire by their terms (“Pre-effective Plans”). If the person
undertakes a Modification of a Pre-effective Plan on or after the Effective Date, then the Modification must meet all of
the requirements set forth herein.
-5-
SOLENO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
GUIDELINES FOR PREPARING TRADING PLANS
Please consider the following important guidelines in connection with preparing a trading plan. These guidelines should
not serve as a substitute for obtaining professional advice and assistance in connection with preparing a plan.
Learn the rules applicable to trading plans
The SEC has enacted rules that provide an affirmative defense against alleged violations of U.S. federal insider trading
laws for transactions pursuant to trading plans that meet certain requirements. In general, these rules, as set forth in Rule 10b5‑1
under the Exchange Act, provide for an affirmative defense if you enter into a contract, provide instructions or adopt a written
plan for trading securities when you are not aware of material nonpublic information. The contract, instructions or plan must (i)
specify the amount, price and date of the transaction(s), (ii) specify an objective method for determining the amount, price and
date of the transaction(s) and/or (iii) place any subsequent discretion for determining the amount, price and date of the
transaction(s) in another person who is not, at the time of any transaction, aware of material nonpublic information.
The discussion above provides only a summary of the relevant rules. You are responsible for understanding the rules
applicable to trading plans and ensuring that your trading plan complies with the requirements of Rule 10b5‑1.
Hire legal and other advisors to assist in preparing the plan
You should hire your own advisors, including your own legal counsel, in connection with adopting a trading plan.
Neither the Company nor its legal counsel assumes responsibility for determining whether your trading plan complies with Rule
10b5‑1.
Assess whether a trading plan is suitable for you
Trading plans may not be appropriate for many people. You should therefore carefully consider whether it is advisable
for you to adopt a trading plan.
There are several potential benefits to adopting a trading plan:
Affirmative defense to insider trading actions by the SEC. Trading plans enable insiders to obtain liquidity and
portfolio diversification while limiting exposure to insider trading liability. Trades pursuant to a compliant trading
plan are subject to an affirmative defense in actions by the SEC. Trading pursuant to trading plans may also help to
limit the Company’s exposure to liability under securities laws.
More trading opportunities. Trades under a Company-approved Rule 10b5‑1 trading plan are not subject to the
blackout restrictions and pre-clearance requirements in the Company’s insider trading policy.
-6-
Reduced adverse perceptions. Sales pursuant to a trading plan may be better received by investors and the media.
Open market sales by corporate insiders may attract unwanted attention due to the perception of many investors that
such sales may reflect a lack of confidence in the Company. These trades may come under even more scrutiny if
they are concentrated during the relatively brief trading windows mandated by the Company’s insider trading policy.
With appropriate disclosure, trading pursuant to a plan may help to limit the perception that the trades were based on
undisclosed information. Moreover, since trades under Company-approved trading plans are not subject to the
Company’s trading blackout periods, trading plans may enable insiders to make smaller, periodic trades, which may
attract less public attention.
Administrative benefits. Use of a plan may enable you to reduce the time spent on executing trades (including
obtaining any required pre-clearance of trades) and managing your portfolio of Company stock.
Before adopting a trading plan, however, you should assess the risks and limitations of trading plans, including the
following:
Reduced flexibility. Use of a trading plan requires you to plan your trades and finances in advance. The Company
requires that, during the duration of a plan, all trades be conducted through the plan. Sales outside of a plan are not
subject to the affirmative defense, and may create a presumption that other sales under the plan were not made
pursuant to a bona fide plan. Careful advanced planning is also critical because deviation from or cancellation of an
established trading plan (e.g., to account for changes in market condition or personal finances) may jeopardize the
availability of the affirmative defense. Plans are therefore advisable for only those individuals who are able to bear
significant risk on their stock.
Exposure to private claims. Rule 10b5‑1 provides an affirmative defense to federal insider trading liability, but does
not apply to private securities class action lawsuits.
Affirmative defense must be proved. An insider that trades based on a trading plan will have the burden of proving
that the trading plan satisfies the requirements set forth in Rule 10b5‑1. Moreover, a trading plan will not necessarily
prevent someone from bringing a lawsuit and will not necessarily avoid adverse media coverage.
Time required to prepare a plan. The preparation of a trading plan requires careful attention to ensure compliance
with Rule 10b5‑1 and any Company-imposed requirements.
SEC concerns over potential abuse of trading plans. The SEC may give trading plans a skeptical reading given
concerns over the potential abuse of trading plans by insiders.
-7-
Allocate sufficient time to prepare a plan
The process of preparing a plan and the related documentation may take some time, and you should plan accordingly.
Ensure that the trading plan complies with all applicable law
In preparing a plan, your primary objective should be to ensure that all elements of the Rule 10b5‑1 trading plan defense
are adequately addressed.
You should also be sure that the trading plan complies with other applicable law. For example:
You should consider any Rule 144 volume limitations when devising trading instructions or formulas.
You should consider any burdens created by Rule 144 and Section 16 filing requirements when devising trading
instructions or formulas.
In developing trading instructions or formulas, you should account for potential “short-swing” trading liability
under Section 16(b).
Ensure that the trading plan complies with Company-imposed requirements
You should ensure that the trading plan complies with any Company-imposed requirements, which may be in addition to
the requirements under Rule 10b5‑1. Please contact the Compliance Officer under the insider trading policy for further
information.
Develop trading instructions
Rule 10b5‑1 allows significant flexibility in designing trading instructions or formulas. For example, you can:
construct a matrix with different sale amounts at different price targets;
base trading decisions on the performance of the Company’s stock against various market or industry indices, price
gaps or personal financial milestones;
tie transactions to independent events, such as the timing of tuition or mortgage payments or other financial
obligations;
prioritize the sale (or exercise and sale) of particular securities based on factors such as tax treatment, tax basis,
expiration dates and exercise prices; and
establish a trading plan for a single transaction.
Various types of transactions may be structured to fit the affirmative defense under Rule 10b5‑1. For example, a trading
plan can cover pre-scheduled stock option exercises and sales. This may be helpful in avoiding a situation where a blackout
period may effectively block exercise of an in-the-money option that is about to expire because a same-day sale is necessary to
fund payment of the exercise price and/or taxes. If properly
-8-
structured, employee stock purchase plan transactions and 401(k) plan transactions can also qualify for the affirmative defense.
You may find it helpful to discuss trading strategies with a broker or another market professional prior to adopting a
trading plan, particularly if the trading plan covers large amounts of stock.
You should also carefully consider the guidance below when designing trading instructions or formulas.
Avoid unnecessarily complicated instructions
You should be careful to avoid unnecessarily complicated instructions or formulas. Complicated instructions or formulas
may result in mistakes in execution by the person administering the plan (e.g., due to a misunderstanding or misapplication of an
instruction or formula or the failure to complete a calculation in time to exploit a market opportunity). In addition, while an
elaborate trading plan may reduce the inference of insider trading in some instances, elaborate trading plans may look suspicious
in other instances.
In general, instructions and formulas should be carefully and explicitly drafted to avoid potential misunderstandings. You
should try to provide as much detail as possible to facilitate the proper execution of the trading plan. For example, if you have
shares in more than one brokerage account, the plan should specify which shares are subject to the plan. Likewise, if you possess
several series of options, the plan should specify which options to exercise. It may also be helpful to include examples of different
scenarios in the instructions, and/or to review the trading instructions in advance with the person administering the plan, to help
ensure that you are in agreement as to how the instructions or formulas are to operate. If you plan to adopt particularly
complicated instructions, you may want to consider hiring a money manager to assist in implementing your plan.
Exercise caution when adopting plans based on specific prices, floors or ceilings
Although Rule 10b5‑1(c) permits plans based on “the market price on a particular date or a limit price, or a particular
dollar price”, you should be careful when adopting plans that contain instructions that set specific prices, floors or ceilings (e.g.,
limit orders or stop orders). These types of plans are riskier than plans that set specific numbers of shares to be sold, since it may
be inferred from price-based instructions that, for example, you had a motive to inflate stock prices or had knowledge of events
that would change prices. In addition, these types of plans may produce an irregular pattern of trades instead of a more regular
trading pattern (which is more defensible). You may want to give some consideration, however, to including floors to avoid sales
at prices that are unacceptably low (or to avoid a subsequent modification or termination of the trading plan to avoid such sales).
If you intend to adopt a plan with specific prices, floors or ceilings, you should consider carefully the prices at which
trades are to be executed. A plan with specific prices, floors or ceilings may result in periods of no stock sales, which may run
counter to the reasons for adopting a plan (i.e., cash flow and portfolio diversification). If your price
-9-
targets are high relative to then existing prices, you may want to wait on establishing a trading plan until the targets are more
likely reachable. By delaying the adoption of a plan in that instance, you may be able to avoid risks associated with any
subsequent modification or termination of an ineffective plan.
Consider the expected magnitude and timing of trades under the trading plan relative to the adoption of the plan
When preparing a trading plan, you should give some consideration as to the expected timing and magnitude of trades
relative to the adoption of the trading plan. Significant trading activity that occurs shortly after adoption of the plan may raise
suspicion as to whether the trades were based on material nonpublic information.
Consider whether expected trades under the trading plan will coincide with significant future announcements or
developments
When preparing a trading plan, you should give some consideration as to whether trades are expected to occur during
quarterly trading blackout periods established under the Company’s insider trading policy (or around the time other significant
announcements or developments involving the Company are expected). Even though transactions executed in accordance with a
properly designed trading plan are subject to an affirmative defense against insider trading claims (and are exempt from trading
blackout periods under the Company’s insider trading policy), the investing public and media may not understand the nuances of
trading pursuant to a trading plan. Trades that occur at times shortly before a Company announces material news may therefore
result in negative publicity for you and the Company. In addition, trades that occur in the same general time frame as a significant
announcement may raise questions as to whether the timing of the announcement was manipulated to your benefit. If you are
generally indifferent as to the specific timing of a trade, you should try to avoid having trades occur, for example, before quarterly
earnings announcements. An even more conservative approach would involve avoiding trades during the month of the
Company’s earnings release.
Consider the expected magnitude and frequency of trades under the plan generally
When preparing a trading plan, you should give some consideration generally to the expected magnitude and frequency
of trades under the plan. Spreading out trades may decrease exposure to insider trading claims. A regular pattern of small sales
helps to limit any inference that you sought to exploit material nonpublic information in developing your trading plan. A regular
pattern of small sales may also help to negate any argument that the plan was not entered in good faith or that the plan was part of
a scheme to evade the prohibitions of Rule 10b5‑1. In contrast, occasional high-volume sales may send a negative signal to the
investment community and, if any of those sales turn out to precede bad news, may attract attention from the SEC and private
securities class action plaintiffs. Plans that involve a regular pattern of small sales may also be easier to administer. You should
note, however, that frequent trades may give rise to significant Section 16 reporting obligations, to the extent applicable.
-10-
You may want to limit the portion of your holdings that are subject to the trading plan to limit your overall exposure to
situations where your trading instructions or formulas may not account for unexpected market changes. You may also want to cap
or otherwise limit the amount of potential sales for a particular period (e.g., week, month, quarter) to decrease the risk of
unintended large sales (particularly if the trading plan provides for cumulative sales in the event of shortfalls).
Determine an appropriate duration for the trading plan
Although Rule 10b5‑1 does not prescribe any limits on the duration of trading plans, it is advisable to have trading plans
terminate after a certain period. Requiring that trading plans have a set term will force you to re-evaluate your trading instructions
periodically, and allows you to change your trading instructions (in conjunction with adopting a new plan upon the scheduled
expiration of the existing plan) without raising any suspicions about the timing of those changes. It also allows you an
opportunity to revert from a trading plan to normal, discretionary trading without raising questions about the timing of that
switch.
While it is important that you comply with Company-imposed requirements as to the minimum duration for trading
plans, you should also generally try to avoid adopting a plan that has an unnecessarily long duration. The longer the duration, the
greater the risk that circumstances may change such that you will have an incentive to modify or terminate the plan. The
modification or early termination of a plan may create an implication that prior transactions under the plan were not in fact
pursuant to a bona fide plan. In addition, subsequent trading will not be considered as pursuant to the trading plan.
Accommodate for unexpected events that may warrant temporary suspension of trading under the plan
In preparing a plan, you should make allowances for unforeseen events that may warrant automatic suspension of
transactions under the plan (e.g., a proxy contest, tender offer, merger, etc.). In particular, you should note that in the context of
tender offers, you may be subject to liability under Exchange Act Rule 14e‑3 for transactions under a plan.
If the plan provides for purchases of securities, you should also consider whether it is appropriate to suspend trades in
connection with securities offerings by the Company to avoid potential liability under Regulation M requirements.
Account for the potential need to modify or terminate the plan
While modifications are discouraged, there may be situations in which market volatility fundamentally alters the
conditions under which you adopted the trading plan. To anticipate this possibility, it is advisable that a trading plan include
formal provisions for its modification, subject to any Company-imposed requirements with respect to the modification of plans.
Modifications can then be made in a planned and limited manner, which may be helpful in defending against claims that
modification of the trading plan undermines the good faith nature of the existing plan.
-11-
Similarly, it may be helpful to include a provision in the plan that permits you to terminate the plan. Although such a
provision may not shield you from questions of bad faith in connection with terminating a plan, you would at least avoid having
to defend why you acted in a manner that was inconsistent with the express terms of the plan. You may also want your trading
plan to provide for automatic termination upon certain changes in personal circumstances such as death, bankruptcy or insolvency
or divorce.
You should be careful to restrict those circumstances in which the trading plan may be terminated without your consent.
You may be subject to some hardship, for example, if the person administering the plan terminated your trading plan at a time
when you possessed material nonpublic information. In that case, you would be prohibited from trading until you no longer
possessed material nonpublic information (and possibly longer if, for example, the plan was terminated during a trading blackout
period).
Avoid modifying the trading plan
You should try to avoid modifying the trading plan. Rule 10b5‑1 requires that, to be covered by the affirmative defense,
a transaction must occur pursuant to a trading plan. This requirement will not be satisfied if you alter or deviate from the trading
plan (whether by changing the amount, price or timing of a purchase or sale) or if you enter into or alter a corresponding or
hedging transaction or position with respect to transactions under the plan. In addition, modification of a trading plan brings into
question whether the trading plan was entered in good faith and whether any prior transactions under the trading plan were in fact
made pursuant to a plan for purposes of the requirements of Rule 10b5‑1. Deviation from the trading plan also suggests that you
may be modifying trading behavior to take advantage of material nonpublic information.
Although deviations will not be considered part of the existing trading plan for purposes of the affirmative defense, it is
possible for a person acting in good faith to modify a trading plan at a time when the person is not aware of material nonpublic
information. In such a situation, a purchase or sale that complies with the modified trading plan will be deemed to have been
made pursuant to a new trading plan. You should note, however, that you will need to comply with Company-imposed
restrictions with respect to any modification of trading plans.
Consider having an independent party administer the trading plan
Having an independent party administer the trading plan may help to limit your exposure to potential liability for trades
under the plan. Even if your trading plan is based on specific instructions or a specific formula, there is often some discretion in
effecting trades under a plan (e.g., in deciding the specific time during a given trading day when orders will be entered) for which
it may be appropriate to involve an independent decision maker.
In general, when selecting someone to administer your trading plan, you should consider whether that person has a
relationship with you or the Company that could undermine the affirmative defense in the event of litigation. Consequently, it
may be
-12-
helpful to select a person with whom only a professional, arm’s-length relationship exists. You should, however, try to avoid
using the person that regularly executes trades in your securities. Because you may be in frequent contact with that person, there
is an increased likelihood that he or she may be in possession of material nonpublic information concerning the Company when
exercising discretionary authority under the plan (which is prohibited by Rule 10b5‑1). You should also exercise caution if you
are considering using a broker that is directly or indirectly affiliated with the Company. If a broker works for a firm that is also
the Company’s investment banker, for example, there is a significant risk that the firm may have inside information concerning
the Company that may be imputed to the broker.
One possible approach is to have a separate department within a brokerage firm administer the plan. Many brokerage
firms have a special trading desk dedicated to administering trading plans and have implemented related ethical wall procedures.
A dedicated department in a brokerage firm may have more experience following complex instructions, will be more
knowledgeable about the parameters of Rule 10b5‑1 and will be less likely to be subject to influence by you.
If you rely on someone to administer the trading plan, implement procedures to ensure their independence
To help ensure that the person administering your plan is independent, your trading plan could specify that (i) you and
the person administering the plan will only communicate in writing (thereby documenting all communications in case of future
SEC inquiry), (ii) you will not communicate any information concerning the Company or its securities to the person
administering the plan and (iii) if you are using a broker, there must be ethical wall procedures to restrict communications within
the brokerage firm regarding the Company and your trades. To further address concerns as to the availability of the affirmative
defense, it may be helpful to include a provision in your agreement with the third party that provides for the suspension or
termination of trading authority if the third party becomes aware of material nonpublic information.
Protect your rights when working with brokers or other third parties
When working with a broker or another third party in connection with a trading plan, you will typically be expected to
enter into some sort of agreement with that person. Brokers, for example, will often have a standard form of stock sale agreement
for purposes of implementing trading plans. Your trading instructions would typically be included as a section of the stock sale
agreement or attached to the stock sale agreement as an exhibit.
While brokers will often request that you use their form of agreement, brokers will generally be amenable to the use of
an alternative form or to revisions to their standard forms. Trading plans are for your benefit, and you should be proactive in
defining the terms of the trading plan to ensure that your interests are adequately met. In particular, while you should consider
recommendations and advice from the broker as to the trading plan generally, there should be no negotiation over the trading
instructions.
-13-
It is strongly advised that you have an attorney review any proposed form of trading plan for compliance with Rule
10b5‑1 as well as to protect your legal rights generally. You should expect that third parties will request certain rights and
protections (such as indemnification) that may be to your potential detriment.
Provide the person administering the trading plan with some flexibility in executing orders
If a third party is administering the plan, you should try to provide that person with some flexibility in executing orders.
Otherwise, trades may not occur as planned. Factors such as insufficient trading volume and market volatility may prevent trades
from being executed as planned, particularly if the trading plan includes strict instructions with respect to the timing of
transactions or provides for block purchases or sales. You should also consider how to handle any shortfalls that may occur if the
person administering the plan is unable or otherwise fails to effect all transactions specified in the plan.
Consider delegating the precise timing of trades to a third party
Where appropriate, to minimize the risk of allegations that you (i) selected the precise timing of trades based on your
knowledge of material nonpublic information or (ii) affected the timing of disclosure to manipulate the stock price to your
benefit, you should consider delegating discretion regarding the exact timing of trades, within a specified period (e.g., five trading
days), to a stockbroker or other third party administering the plan. This may also be beneficial since that other person may be able
to maximize proceeds from sales by taking into account publicly available information and general market trend information
when determining the precise timing of trades. In contrast, the use of a pre-designated date and/or time may lock you into a trade
at an inopportune time (e.g., when prices are unusually low).
Exhibit 21.1
Subsidiaries of Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.
Subsidiary
Jurisdiction
Soleno Therapeutics U.K. Ltd.
United Kingdom
Soleno Therapeutics Europe Ltd.
Ireland
Essentialis, Inc.
Delaware
Exhibit 23.1
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM’S CONSENT
We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement of Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. on Form S-8 (File No.’s 333-200175, 333-210563,
333-220056, 333-224070, 333-230402, 333-235999, 333-239496, 333-252014, 333-264035, 333-270285, 333-273816, 333-276548, 333-276785 and 333-
281339) and Form S-3 (File No.'s 333-275120 and 333-276344) of our report dated February 28, 2025, with respect to our audits of the consolidated
financial statements of Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. as of December 31, 2024 and 2023 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2024
and our report dated February 28, 2025 with respect to our audit of internal control over financial reporting of Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. as of December 31,
2024, which reports are included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K of Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2024.
Our report on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024 expressed an adverse opinion because of the existence
of a material weakness.
/s/ Marcum LLP
Marcum LLP
San Francisco, CA
February 28, 2025
Exhibit 31.1
CERTIFICATION OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
PURSUANT TO
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT RULES 13A-14(A) AND 15D-14(A)
I, Anish Bhatnagar, M.D., certify that:
1.
I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.;
2.
Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this
report;
3.
Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the
financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4.
The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in
Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-
15(f)) for the registrant and have:
(a)
Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to
ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those
entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
(b)
Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our
supervision, 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;
(c)
Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the
effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
(d)
Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent
fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to
materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5.
The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to
the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
(a)
All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are
reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
(b)
Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal
control over financial reporting.
Date: February 28, 2025
/S/ ANISH BHATNAGAR
Anish Bhatnagar
President, Chief Executive Officer
(principal executive officer)
Exhibit 31.2
CERTIFICATION OF THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
PURSUANT TO
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT RULES 13A-14(A) AND 15D-14(A)
I, James Mackaness, certify that:
1.
I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Soleno Therapeutics, Inc.;
2.
Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this
report;
3.
Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the
financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4.
The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in
Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-
15(f)) for the registrant and have:
(a)
Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to
ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those
entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
(b)
Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our
supervision, 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;
(c)
Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the
effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
(d)
Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent
fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to
materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5.
The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to
the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
(a)
All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are
reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
(b)
Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal
control over financial reporting.
Date: February 28, 2025
/S/ JAMES MACKANESS
James Mackaness
Chief Financial Officer
(principal financial and accounting officer)
Exhibit 32.1
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
In connection with the Annual Report of Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, as filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Report”), Anish Bhatnagar, President, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, do hereby certify,
pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:
•
The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and
•
The information in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.
Date: February 28, 2025
/S/ ANISH BHATNAGAR
Anish Bhatnagar
President, Chief Executive Officer
(principal executive officer)
Exhibit 32.2
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
In connection with the Annual Report of Soleno Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, as filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Report”), James Mackaness, Chief Financial Officer of the Company, do hereby certify, pursuant to 18
U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:
•
The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and
•
The information in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.
Date: February 28, 2025
/S/ JAMES MACKANESS
James Mackaness
Chief Financial Officer
(principal financial and accounting officer)