Nuwellis, Inc.

Current report

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Current report

Risks Related to Our Business

Current report

Changes to U.S. tariff and import/export regulations may have a negative effect on our suppliers and/or service providers and, in turn, could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition.

Current report

The United States has recently enacted and proposed to enact significant new tariffs. Additionally, President Trump has directed various federal agencies to further evaluate key aspects of U.S. trade policy and there has been ongoing discussion and commentary regarding potential significant changes to U.S. trade policies, treaties and tariffs. There continues to exist significant uncertainty about the future relationship between the United States and other countries with respect to such trade policies, treaties and tariffs. These developments, or the perception that any of them could occur, may have a material adverse effect on global economic conditions and the stability of global financial markets, and may significantly impact the cost of Aquadex System, and other parts and supplies sourced internationally or impact the cost of service providers located outside of the United States, which in turn would negatively impact us. We currently source certain raw materials of the Aquadex System from China and are monitoring possible tariff impacts.

Current report

Changes in U.S. federal government funding for the FDA and other government agencies could hinder their ability to hire and retain key leadership and other personnel, properly administer drug innovation, or prevent new products and services from being developed or commercialized, which could negatively impact our business.

Current report

The ability of the FDA to review and approve new products can be affected by a variety of factors, including budget and funding levels, the ability to hire and retain key personnel, and statutory, regulatory, and policy changes. Average review times at the agency have fluctuated in recent years as a result. In addition, government funding of other government agencies that fund research and development activities is subject to the political process, which is inherently fluid and unpredictable.

Current report

However, any future government proposals to reduce or eliminate budgetary deficits may include reduced allocations to the FDA and other related government agencies. These budgetary pressures may result in a reduced ability by the FDA to perform its respective roles and may have a related impact on academic institutions and research laboratories whose funding is fully or partially dependent on both the level and the timing of funding from government sources. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the current Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA has previously stated his intent to downsize or restructure this agency, including by appointing new directors to the agencies. We cannot anticipate the effect that any such restructuring or new appointments may have on our business.

Current report

In the event of a partial or complete government shutdown, the FDA and certain other science agencies may temporarily cease certain operations. Furthermore, during such shutdown, the FDA may maintain only operations deemed to be essential for public health while suspending the acceptance of new medical product applications and routine regulatory and compliance work related to medical products, certain drugs, and foods.

Current report

Disruptions at the FDA and other agencies, such as those resulting from a restructuring of these agencies, a government shutdown, or uncertainty from stopgap spending bills may slow the time necessary for new drugs and devices to be reviewed and/or approved by necessary government agencies and may affect the ability of the healthcare and drug industries to deliver new products to the market in a timely manner, which would adversely affect our tenants’ operating results and business. Interruptions to the function of the FDA and other government agencies could adversely affect the demand for laboratory space and significantly impact our operating results and our business.

Current report

If we experience an interruption in supply from a material sole source supplier, our business may be harmed.

Current report

We are dependent on sole source suppliers to produce raw materials including our one fully validated third-party sterilizer. If there is any 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 alternative quantities of the raw materials within a reasonable time or at commercially reasonable prices. Our suppliers could discontinue the manufacturing or supply of these components at any time.

Current report

We do not carry a significant inventory of some of these components. Our suppliers may not be able to meet our demand for their products, either because of acts of nature, the nature of our agreements with those suppliers or our relative importance to them as a customer, and our suppliers may decide in the future to discontinue or reduce the level of business they conduct with us. In addition, if these suppliers are unable to deliver components to us, whether due to a labor shortage, slow down or stoppage, or for any other reason, we would be required to seek alternative suppliers. We might not be able to identify and qualify additional or replacement suppliers for any of these components quickly or at all or without incurring significant additional costs.

Current report

We cannot guarantee that we will be able to establish and validate alternative relationships on similar terms, without delay or at all. Finding and validating alternative suppliers may not be feasible or could take a significant amount of time and involve significant expense, and any such delay could significantly harm our business resulting in backorders, production delays and rationing end-user product availability. While we have taken steps to attempt to mitigate the impact of potential supply shortages, a future shortage may have a negative impact on our ability to manufacture our products and harm our business.

Current report

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities AND Use of Proceeds

Current report

None

Current report

DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES

Current report

MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Previous report

Risk Related to our Common Stock

Previous report

Nasdaq may delist our common stock from its exchange which could limit your ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions.

Previous report

Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “NUWE”. In order to maintain that listing, we must satisfy minimum financial and other requirements including, without limitation, the minimum stockholders’ equity requirement and the minimum bid price requirement. There can be no assurances that we will be successful in maintaining, or if we fall out of compliance, in regaining compliance with the continued listing requirements and maintaining the listing of our common stock on the NASDAQ Capital Market. On December 7, 2023, we received a notice from Nasdaq (the “Notice”) informing us that because the closing bid price for our Common Stock was below $1.00 for 30 consecutive trading days, we were not in compliance with the minimum bid price requirement for continued listing on Nasdaq, as set forth in Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5550(a)(2) (the “Minimum Bid Price Requirement”).

Previous report

In accordance with Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5810(c)(3)(A), we were granted a period of 180 calendar days from December 7, 2023, or until June 4, 2024, to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement. Subsequently, on May 23, 2024, we received a letter from the Listing Qualifications Staff (the “Staff”) informing the Company that it was not in compliance with the minimum stockholders’ equity requirement for continued listing on Nasdaq, under Listing Rule 5550(b)(1) (the “Stockholder’s Equity Requirement”), because the Company’s stockholders’ equity of $885,000, as reported in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2024, was below the required minimum of $2.5 million, and because, as of May 23, 2024, the Company did not meet the alternative compliance standards, relating to the market value of listed securities of $35 million or net income from continuing operations of $500,000 in the most recently completed fiscal year or in two of the last three most recently completed fiscal years.

Previous report

As a result, on June 5, 2024, we received a letter from Nasdaq indicating the Company’s continued non-compliance with Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5550(a)(2) (the “Letter”). The Letter further informed the Company that the Common Stock would be delisted from Nasdaq unless the Company appeals the Staff's delisting determination by requesting a hearing before the Nasdaq Hearings Panel (the “Panel”). The Company's requested a hearing to request additional time to meet the Stockholder Equity Requirement which stayed any further delisting action by the Staff pending the ultimate outcome of the hearing. The Common Stock will remain listed and eligible for trading on Nasdaq at least pending the ultimate conclusion of the hearing process.

Previous report

On June 27, 2024, we effected a 1-for-35 reverse stock split of our outstanding Common Stock. Additionally, in 2020, the SEC approved a Nasdaq rule change to expedite delisting of securities of companies that have had one or more reverse stock splits with a cumulative ratio of one for 250 or more shares over the prior two-year period. Under the new rules, if a company falls out of compliance with the $1.00 minimum bid price after completing reverse stock splits over the immediately preceding two years that cumulatively result in a ratio one for 250 shares, the company will not be able to avail itself of any compliance periods and Nasdaq will instead require the issuance of a Staff delisting determination, which is appealable to a hearings panel. Our ability to remain listed on Nasdaq may be negatively impacted by this Nasdaq rule.

Previous report

On July 18, 2024, the Company received a letter from the Staff informing the Company that it had regained compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement, but that because it was still non-compliant with the Stockholder’s Equity Requirement the hearing would continue as scheduled as to the matter of the Stockholder’s Equity Requirement.

Previous report

On July 23, 2024, the Company addressed the Panel and presented its plan of compliance for the Stockholder’s Equity Requirement.

Previous report

On August 8, 2024, the Company was notified by Nasdaq that the Panel had granted the Company’s request for continued listing, subject to, among other things, the Company’s filing of its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ending September 30, 2024, evidencing compliance with the Stockholder’s Equity Requirement.

Previous report

There can be no assurance the Panel will grant any request for continued listing or that the Company will be able to regain compliance with the applicable listing criteria within the period of time that may be granted by the Panel.

Previous report

If our Common Stock is delisted, our Common Stock would likely then trade only in the over-the-counter market. If our Common Stock were to trade on the over-the-counter market, selling our Common Stock could be more difficult because smaller quantities of shares would likely be bought and sold, transactions could be delayed, and we could face significant material adverse consequences, including: a limited availability of market quotations for our securities; reduced liquidity with respect to our securities; a determination that our shares are a “penny stock,” which will require brokers trading in our securities to adhere to more stringent rules, possibly resulting in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our securities; a reduced amount of news and analyst coverage for us; and a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future. These factors could result in lower prices and larger spreads in the bid and ask prices for our Common Stock and would substantially impair our ability to raise additional funds and could result in a loss of institutional investor interest and fewer development opportunities for us.

Previous report

In addition to the foregoing, if our Common Stock is delisted from Nasdaq and it trades on the over-the-counter market, the application of the “penny stock” rules could adversely affect the market price of our Common Stock and increase the transaction costs to sell those shares. The SEC has adopted regulations which generally define a “penny stock” as an equity security that has a market price of less than $5.00 per share, subject to specific exemptions. If our Common Stock is delisted from Nasdaq and it trades on the over-the-counter market at a price of less than $5.00 per share, our Common Stock would be considered a penny stock. The SEC’s penny stock rules require a broker-dealer, before a transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from the rules, to deliver a standardized risk disclosure document that provides information about penny stocks and the risks in the penny stock market. The broker-dealer must also provide the customer with current bid and offer quotations for the penny stock, the compensation of the broker-dealer and the salesperson in the transaction, and monthly account statements showing the market value of each penny stock held in the customer’s account. In addition, the penny stock rules generally require that before a transaction in a penny stock occurs, the broker-dealer must make a special written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for the purchaser and receive the purchaser’s agreement to the transaction. If applicable in the future, these rules may restrict the ability of brokers-dealers to sell our Common Stock and may affect the ability of investors to sell their shares, until our Common Stock no longer is considered a penny stock.

Previous report

We continue to actively monitor our performance with respect to the listing standards and will consider available options to resolve any deficiency and maintain compliance with the Nasdaq rules. There can be no assurance that we will be able to maintain complianceor, if we fall out of compliance, regain compliance with any deficiency, or if we implement an option that regains our compliance, maintain compliance thereafter.

Previous report

On August 23, 2024, the Company entered into a placement agency agreement with Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. and a securities purchase agreement with certain purchasers pursuant to which the Company agreed to sell, in a registered direct offering, an aggregate of 483,351 shares of the Company’s common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, at a purchase price of $1.8450 per Share and accompanying Common Warrant.

Previous report

The Shares were sold pursuant to the Company’s effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-280647), including a base prospectus contained therein, which was originally filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on July 1, 2024, and was declared effective by the SEC on July 9, 2024, and a related prospectus supplement, dated August 23, 2024, related to the Registered Offering.

Previous report

Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, in a concurrent private placement the Company also agreed to sell and issue to the Purchasers, warrants to purchase up to 483,351 shares of Common Stock. The Common Warrants have an exercise price of $1.72 per share, are immediately exercisable and expire on the fifth anniversary on the effective date of the registration statement to be filed for the purpose of registering the Common Warrant Shares.

Previous report

The gross proceeds of the Offering, before deducting the Placement Agent’s fees and expenses and other offering expenses payable by the Company and excluding the net proceeds, if any, from the exercise of the Common Warrants or Placement Agent Warrants, were approximately $892,000. The Offering closed on August 26, 2024. The Company also issued to the Placement Agent, or its designees, warrants to purchase up to 14,501 shares of our Common Stock as part of the compensation payable to the Placement Agent in connection with this offering. The Placement Agent Warrants are not registered pursuant to the prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. The Placement Agent Warrants have substantially the same terms as the Common Warrants described above, except that the Placement Agent Warrants will have an exercise price of $3.04425 per share and will expire August 23, 2029.