Bone Biologics Corp

1. The Company

Bone Biologics Corporation (the “Company”) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware on October 18, 2007 as AFH Acquisition X, Inc. Pursuant to a Merger Agreement, dated September 19, 2014, by and among the Company, its wholly-owned subsidiary, Bone Biologics Acquisition Corp., (“Merger Sub”), and Bone Biologics, Inc., Merger Sub merged with and into Bone Biologics Inc., with Bone Biologics Inc. remaining as the surviving corporation. On September 22, 2014, the Company changed its name to “Bone Biologics Corporation” and Bone Biologics, Inc. became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. Bone Biologics, Inc. was incorporated in California on September 9, 2004.

The Company is a medical device company that is currently focused on bone regeneration in spinal fusion using the recombinant human protein known as NELL-1. NELL-1 in combination with DBM, demineralized bone matrix, is an osteopromotive recombinant protein that provides target specific control over bone regeneration. The NELL-1 technology platform, has been licensed exclusively for worldwide applications to the Company through a technology transfer from the UCLA Technology Development Group on behalf of UC Regents (“UCLA TDG”). UCLA TDG and the Company received guidance from the FDA that NELL-1/DBM will be classified as a device/drug combination product with a pre-market approval filing (“PMA”).

The production and marketing of the Company’s products and its ongoing research and development activities will be subject to extensive regulation by numerous governmental authorities in the United States. Prior to marketing in the United States, any combination product developed by the Company must undergo rigorous preclinical (animal) and clinical (human) testing and an extensive regulatory approval process implemented by the FDA under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. There can be no assurance that the Company will not encounter problems in clinical trials that will cause the Company or the FDA to delay or suspend clinical trials.

The Company’s success will depend in part on its ability to obtain patents and product license rights, maintain trade secrets, and operate without infringing on the proprietary rights of others, both in the United States and other countries. There can be no assurance that patents issued to or licensed by the Company will not be challenged, invalidated, or circumvented, or that the rights granted thereunder will provide proprietary protection or competitive advantages to the Company.

Reverse stock splits

On June 5, 2023, the Company filed an amendment to its certificate of incorporation, as amended, with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware to effect a 1-for-30 reverse stock split of its outstanding common stock and warrants. The amendment was authorized by the Company’s stockholders on May 1, 2023, and was effective on June 5, 2023.

On December 14, 2023, the Company filed an amendment to its certificate of incorporation, as amended, with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware to effect a 1-for-8 reverse stock split of its outstanding common stock and warrants. The amendment was authorized by the Company’s stockholders on December 12, 2023, and was effective on December 20, 2023.

All share and per share amounts have been retro-actively restated as if the reverse splits occurred at the beginning of the earliest period presented.

Going Concern and Liquidity

The Company has no significant operating history and since inception to December 31, 2023 has incurred accumulated losses of approximately $80.9 million. The Company will continue to incur significant expenses for development activities for their lead product NELL-1/DBM. Operating expenditures for the next twelve months are estimated at $5.5 million. The accompanying consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern. As reflected in the financial statements, the Company incurred a net loss of $8.9 million, and used net cash in operating activities of $9.6 million during the year ended December 31, 2023. These factors raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments related to the recoverability and classification of recorded asset amounts or the amounts and classification of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern.

At December 31, 2023, the Company had cash of $3.0 million. Available cash is expected to fund the Company’s operations through the second quarter of 2024.

During 2023, the Company completed public offerings generating net proceeds to the Company of $5.0 million.

The Company will continue to attempt to raise additional debt and/or equity financing to fund future operations and to provide additional working capital. However, there is no assurance that such financing will be consummated or obtained in sufficient amounts necessary to meet the Company’s needs. If cash resources are insufficient to satisfy the Company’s on-going cash requirements, the Company will be required to scale back or discontinue its product development programs, or obtain funds if available (although there can be no certainties) through strategic alliances that may require the Company to relinquish rights to its technology, substantially reduce or discontinue its operations entirely. No assurance can be given that any future financing will be available or, if available, that it will be on terms that are satisfactory to the Company. Even if the Company is able to obtain additional financing, it may contain undue restrictions on the Company’s operations, in the case of debt financing, or cause substantial dilution for its stockholders, in the case of equity financing.

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and include the financial statements of Bone Biologics Corporation and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Bone Biologics Inc. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Segment Information

The Company operates and reports in one segment, which focuses on bone regeneration in spinal fusion using the recombinant human protein known as NELL-1. The Company’s operating segment is reported in a manner consistent with the internal reporting provided to the Chief Operating Decision Maker, which is the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and President.

Use of Estimates

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

Significant estimates include the assumptions used in the accrual for potential liabilities, the valuation of the warrant liability, the valuation of debt and equity instruments, the valuation of stock options and warrants issued for services, and deferred tax valuation allowances. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Inflation

Macroeconomic factors such as inflation, rising interest rates, governmental responses there to and possible recession caused thereby also add significant uncertainty to the Company’s operations and possible effects to the amount and type of financing available to the Company in the future.

Cash

Cash primarily consists of bank demand deposits maintained by a major financial institution. The Company’s policy is to maintain its cash balances with financial institutions with high credit ratings and in accounts insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”) and/or by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (the “SIPC”). The Company may periodically have cash balances in financial institutions in excess of the FDIC and SIPC insurance limits of $250,000 and $500,000, respectively. The Company has not experienced any losses to date resulting from this policy.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Accounting standards require certain assets and liabilities be reported at fair value in the financial statements and provide a framework for establishing that fair value. The Company defines fair value as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) 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 is based on three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value, of which the first two are considered observable and the last is considered unobservable:

Level 1: Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2: Inputs other than Level 1 that are observable, either directly or indirectly, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; 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 assets or liabilities.

Level 3 assumptions: Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities including liabilities resulting from embedded derivatives associated with certain warrants to purchase common stock.

The fair value of financial instruments measured on a recurring basis was as follows as of December 31, 2023:

The following table provides a roll-forward of the warrant liability measured at fair value on a recurring basis using unobservable level 3 inputs for the years ended December 31, 2023 as follows:

The Company believes the carrying amount of certain financial instruments, including cash and accounts payable approximate their values based on their short-term nature and are excluded from the fair value tables above.

Prepaid Insurance

Prepaid insurance represents the premiums paid for directors and officers insurance coverage and for general liability insurance coverage in excess of the amortization of the total policy premium charged to operations at each balance sheet date. Such amount is determined by amortizing the total policy premium charged on a straight-line basis over the respective policy period. As the policy premiums incurred are generally amortizable over the ensuing twelve-month period, they are recorded as a current asset in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet at each reporting date and appropriately amortized to the Company’s consolidated statement of operations for each reporting period.

Prepaid Expenses

At December 31, 2023, prepaid expenses consisted of prepaid insurance and prepaid services. Prepaid expenses are amounts paid to secure the use of assets or the receipt of services at a future date or continuously over one or more future periods. When the prepaid expenses are eventually consumed, they are charged to expense. The Company had $711,194 and $956,925 in prepaid expenses December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs include, but are not limited to, payroll and other personnel expenses, consultants, expenses incurred under agreements with contract research and manufacturing organizations and animal clinical investigative sites and the cost to manufacture clinical trial materials. Research and development costs are generally charged to operations ratably over the life of the underlying contracts, unless the achievement of milestones, the completion of contracted work, the termination of an agreement, or other information indicates that a different expensing schedule is more appropriate. However, payments for research and development costs that are contractually defined as non-refundable are charged to operations as incurred.

Payments made pursuant to contracts are initially recorded as advances on research and development contract services in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet and are then charged to research and development costs in the Company’s consolidated statement of operations as those contract services are performed. Expenses incurred under contracts in excess of amounts advanced are recorded as research and development contract liabilities in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet, with a corresponding charge to research and development costs in the Company’s consolidated statement of operations. The Company reviews the status of its various clinical trial and research and development contracts on a quarterly basis.

Research and development costs, including costs associated with clinical trials involving the Company’s lead product candidate, are summarized below based on the respective geographical regions where such costs are incurred.

Patents and Licenses

Effective April 9, 2019, the Company entered into an Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement dated as of March 21, 2019 and amended through three sets of amendments (as so amended the “Amended License Agreement”) with the UCLA TDG. The Amended License Agreement amends and restates the Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement, dated as of June 19, 2017 (the “2017 Agreement”). The 2017 Agreement amended and restated the Exclusive License Agreement, effective March 15, 2006, between the Company and UCLA TDG, as amended by ten amendments. See Note 7 for commitments related to the Exclusive License Agreement. Patent expenses include costs to acquire the license of NELL-1, which was de minimis, and costs to file patent applications related to NELL-1.

The Company expenses the costs incurred to file patent applications, all costs related to abandoned patent applications and maintenance costs, and these costs are included in general and administrative expenses. Costs associated with licenses acquired to be able to use products from third parties prior to receipt of regulatory approval to market the related products are also expensed. The Company’s licensed technologies may have alternative future uses in that they are enabling (or platform) technologies that can be the basis for multiple products that would each target a specific indication. Costs of acquisition of licenses are expensed.

Stock Based Compensation

ASC 718,Compensation – Stock Compensation, prescribes accounting and reporting standards for all share-based payment transactions to employees and non-employees. Transactions include incurring liabilities, or issuing or offering to issue shares, options, and other equity instruments such as employee stock ownership plans and stock appreciation rights. Share-based payments to employees, including grants of employee stock options, are recognized as compensation expense in the consolidated financial statements based on their fair values. That expense is recognized over the period during which an employee is required to provide services in exchange for the award, known as the requisite service period (usually the vesting period). Recognition of compensation expense for non-employees is in the same period and manner as if the Company had paid cash for the services.

Income Taxes

The Company uses an asset and liability approach for accounting and reporting for income taxes that allows recognition and measurement of deferred tax assets based upon the likelihood of realization of tax benefits in future years. Under the asset and liability approach, deferred taxes are provided for 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. A valuation allowance is provided for deferred tax assets if it is more likely than not these items will either expire before the Company is able to realize their benefits, or that future deductibility is uncertain. The Company’s policy is to recognize interest and/or penalties related to income tax matters in income tax expense. No such amounts were accrued as of December 31, 2023 and 2022.

Loss per Common Share

Basic loss per share is computed by dividing the loss available to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted loss per share is computed similar to basic loss per share except that the denominator is increased to include the number of additional common shares that would have been outstanding if the potential common shares had been issued and if the additional common shares were dilutive. Diluted loss per common share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if options and warrants were to be exercised or converted or otherwise resulted in the issuance of common stock that then shared in the earnings of the entity.

Since the effects of outstanding options, warrants, and the conversion of convertible debt are anti-dilutive for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, shares of common stock underlying these instruments have been excluded from the computation of loss per common share.

The following sets forth the number of shares of common stock underlying outstanding options and warrants as of December 31, 2023 and 2022:

Reclassifications

Certain prior year balances have been reclassified to conform with the current year presentation.

In presenting the Company’s consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2022, the Company presented $579,910 advances on research and development contract services and prepaid insurance of $364,536 as part of prepaid expenses of $956,925. In presenting the Company’s consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2023, the Company has reclassified the balance of $579,910 as a separate line item advances on research and development contract services and the balance of $364,536 as a separate line item prepaid insurance. The balance of $10,000 is presented as prepaid expenses in the accompanying December 31, 2022 financial statements.

In presenting the Company’s consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2022, the Company presented $783,675 research and development contract liabilities as part of accounts payable and accrued expenses of $888,461. In presenting the Company’s consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2023, the Company has reclassified the balance of $783,675 as a separate line item research and development contract liabilities, and the balance of $104,786 is presented as accounts payable and accrued expenses in the accompanying December 31, 2022 financial statements.

New Accounting Standards

The Company’s management has evaluated all the recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards and guidance that have been issued or proposed by the FASB or other standards-setting bodies through the filing date of these financial statements and does not believe the future adoption of any such pronouncements will have a material effect on the Company’s financial position and results of operations.

3. Warrant Liability

In October 2022, the Company completed a public equity offering (see Note 5), which included the issuance of 54,174 warrants. The warrants provide for a Black Scholes value calculation in the event of certain transactions (“Fundamental Transactions,” as defined), which includes a floor on volatility utilized in the value calculation at 100% or greater. The Company has determined that this provision introduces leverage to the holders of the warrants that could result in a value that would be greater than the settlement amount of a fixed-for-fixed option on the Company’s own equity shares. Accordingly, pursuant to ASC 815, the Company has classified the fair value of the warrants as a liability to be re-measured at the end of every reporting period with the change in value reported in the statement of operations.

The warrant liability was valued at the following dates using a Black-Scholes model with the following assumptions:

The risk-free rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant. The Company determines expected volatility based upon the historical volatility of the Company’s common stock. The Company does not believe that the future volatility of its common stock over an option’s expected term is likely to differ significantly from the past. The expected term of the warrants granted are determined based on the duration of time the warrants are expected to be outstanding. The dividend yield on the Company’s warrants is assumed to be zero as the Company has not historically paid dividends.

4. Income Taxes

The provision for income taxes consists of the following:

The components of deferred tax assets and liabilities consist of the following:

The Company’s federal and state net operating loss carryforwards at December 31, 2023 and 2022 were approximately $30,987,000 and $35,757,000, respectively, and will begin to expire in 2027 if not utilized.

The Company reviews its deferred tax assets for realization based upon historical taxable income, prudent and feasible tax planning strategies, the expected timing of the reversals of existing temporary differences and expected future taxable income. The Company has concluded that it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Accordingly, the Company has recorded a valuation allowance against the net deferred tax assets in the amount of $20,411,000 at December 31, 2023. The net change in the valuation allowance for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $59,000.

The effective tax rate differs from the statutory tax rate principally due to the change in valuation allowance, nondeductible permanent differences, credits, and state income taxes.

A reconciliation of the federal income tax rate to the Company’s effective tax rate for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 is as follows:

The Company’s effective tax rate is 0% for income tax for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. Based on the weight of available evidence, including cumulative losses since inception and expected future losses, the Company has determined that it is more likely than not that the deferred tax asset amount will not be realized and therefore a valuation allowance has been provided on net deferred tax assets.

The Company files tax returns for U.S. Federal, State of Massachusetts, and State of California. The Company is not currently subject to any income tax examinations. Since the Company’s inception, the Company had incurred losses from operations, which generally allows all tax years to remain open.

5. Stockholders’ Deficit

Preferred Stock

The Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes the Company to issue a total of 20,000,000 shares of preferred stock. No shares have been issued.

Common Stock

The Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes the Company to issue a total of 100,000,000 shares of common stock. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company had an aggregate of 534,238 and 63,820 shares of common stock outstanding, respectively.

2023

In February 2023,5,837 Series C warrants were exchanged for 5,837 shares of common stock.

In May 2023,4,938 Series C warrants were exchanged for 4,938 shares of common stock.

On June 14, 2023, the Company entered into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with EF Hutton, division of Benchmark Investments, LLC (“EF Hutton”) acting as representatives of the several underwriters in connection with a public offering (the “Offering”) of an aggregate of 317,259 shares of its common stock. The public offering price was $15.76 per share and the underwriters agreed to purchase 317,259 shares at a 7% discount to the public offering price. The Company granted EF Hutton a 45-day option to purchase up to 47,589 additional shares, to cover over-allotments, if any, which was not exercised. The Offering closed on June 16, 2023, resulting in gross proceeds of $5 million, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering expenses. The net proceeds in relation to the Offering were $4,452,163.

On November 20, 2023 the Company sold and issued, in a registered direct offering (the “Registered Direct Offering”),142,384 shares of common stock, at an offering price of $5.12 per share to certain institutional investors (the “Purchasers”) pursuant to a securities purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”). Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, in a concurrent private placement (together with the Registered Direct Offering, the “November Offering”), the Company issued to the Purchasers unregistered warrants (the “November Warrants”) to purchase up to an aggregate of 142,384 shares of common stock, which represent 100% of the shares of common stock issued and sold in the Registered Direct Offering. The November Warrants are exercisable at an exercise price of $4.16 per share, were exercisable immediately upon issuance, and terminate on May 21, 2029. In addition, the Company issued the placement agent o as compensation in connection with the November Offering, warrants (the “November Placement Agent Warrants”) to purchase up to an aggregate of 8,543 shares of common stock (equal to 6.0% of the aggregate number of shares sold in the Registered Direct Offering). The November Placement Agent Warrants have substantially the same terms and conditions as the November Warrants, except that the November Placement Agent Warrants terminate on November 16, 2028 and with an exercise price of $6.40 per share.

2022

On October 12, 2022, the Company completed a public offering of 15,741 units (the “2022 Units”) at a price of $324.00 per unit, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $5,100,000, and net proceeds, after underwriters discounts and expenses, of approximately $4,454,000. Each unit consists of: (i) one share of common stock, par value $0.001 per share; (ii) one Series A warrant to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price equal to $388.80 per share (120% of the per 2022 Unit offering price), exercisable until the fifth anniversary of the issuance date; (iii) one Series B warrant to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price equal to $324.00 per share (100% of the per 2022 Unit offering price), exercisable until the fifth anniversary of the issuance date; and (iv) one Series C warrant to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price equal to $518.40 per share (160% of the per 2022 Unit offering price), exercisable until the fifth anniversary of the issuance date.

The underwriter also received 788 warrants as part of the offering at an exercise price of $324.00 per common share representing 5% of the raise.

In October 2022,4,890 Series C warrants were exchanged for 4,890 shares of common stock.

6. Common Stock Warrants

A summary of warrant activity for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 are presented below:

As of December 31, 2023, the Company had outstanding vested and unexercised Common Stock Warrants as follows:

Based on a fair market value of $4.52 per share on December 31, 2023, there 2,393 exercisable but unexercised in-the-money common stock warrants on that date. Accordingly, the intrinsic value attributed to exercisable but unexercised common stock warrants at December 31, 2023 was $10,816.

7. Stock-based Compensation

2015 Equity Incentive Plan

The Company has 629,489 shares of Common Stock authorized and reserved for issuance under its 2015 Equity Incentive Plan for option awards. This reserve may be increased by the Board each year by up to the number of shares of stock equal to 5% of the number of shares of stock issued and outstanding on the immediately preceding December 31. In September 2023, the Company’s stockholders approved an amendment to the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan that, among other items, increased the number of shares available under the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan by 625,000 shares. Appropriate adjustments will be made in the number of authorized shares and other numerical limits in the Company’s 2015 Equity Incentive Plan and in outstanding awards to prevent dilution or enlargement of participants’ rights in the event of a stock split or other change in the Company’s capital structure. Shares subject to awards granted under the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan which expire, are repurchased or are cancelled or forfeited will again become available for issuance under the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan. The shares available will not be reduced by awards settled in cash. Shares withheld to satisfy tax withholding obligations will not again become available for grant. The gross number of shares issued upon the exercise of stock appreciation rights or options exercised by means of a net exercise or by tender of previously owned shares will be deducted from the shares available under the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan.

Awards may be granted under the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan to the Company’s employees, including officers, director or consultants, and its present or future affiliated entities. While the Company may grant incentive stock options only to employees, it may grant non-statutory stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock purchase rights or bonuses, restricted stock units, performance shares, performance units and cash-based awards or other stock based awards to any eligible participant.

The 2015 Equity Incentive Plan is administered by the Company’s compensation committee. Subject to the provisions of the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan, the compensation committee determines, in its discretion, the persons to whom, and the times at which, awards are granted, as well as the size, terms and conditions of each award. All awards are evidenced by a written agreement between the Company and the holder of the award. The compensation committee has the authority to construe and interpret the terms of the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan and awards granted under the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan.

A summary of stock option activity for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 are presented below:

As of December 31, 2023, the Company had outstanding stock options as follows:

Based on a fair value of $4.52 per share on December 31, 2023, there was no intrinsic value attributed to exercisable but unexercised stock options at December 31, 2023.

There were 32,400 options granted during the year ended December 31, 2023 with a fair value of $161,948. Vesting of options differs based on the terms of each option. During the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company had stock-based compensation expense of $152,599 and $266,633, respectively, related to the vesting of stock options granted to the Company’s employees and directors included in the Company’s reported net loss. The Company’s policy is to account for forfeitures of the unvested portion of option grants when they occur; therefore, these forfeitures are recorded as a reversal to expense, which can result in a credit balance in the statement of operations.

The Company utilized the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The assumptions used for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 are as follows:

The expected volatility is a measure of the amount by which the Company stock price is expected to fluctuate during the expected term of options granted. The Company determines the expected volatility based upon the historical volatility of our common stock since listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market. The Company does not believe that the future volatility of its common stock over an option’s expected term is likely to differ significantly from the past. The risk-free interest rate used in the calculations is based on the implied yield available on U.S. Treasury issues with an equivalent term approximating the expected life of the options as calculated using the simplified method. The expected life of the options used was based on the contractual life of the option granted. Stock-based compensation is a non-cash expense because the Company settles these obligations by issuing shares of its common stock from its authorized shares instead of settling such obligations with cash payments.

As of December 31, 2023, total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested stock options was $64,306. The cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 0.25 years.

8. Commitments and Contingencies

UCLA TDG Exclusive License Agreement

Effective April 9, 2019, the Company entered into an Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement dated as of March 21, 2019 and amended through three sets of amendments (as so amended the “Amended License Agreement”) with the UCLA TDG. The Amended License Agreement amends and restates the Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement, dated as of June 19, 2017 (the “2017 Agreement”). The 2017 Agreement amended and restated the Exclusive License Agreement, effective March 15, 2006, between the Company and UCLA TDG, as amended by ten amendments. Under the terms of the Amended License Agreement, the Regents have continued to grant the Company exclusive rights to develop and commercialize NELL-1 (the “Licensed Product”) for spinal fusion by local administration, osteoporosis and trauma applications. The Licensed Product is a recombinant human protein growth factor that is essential for normal bone development.

The Company has agreed to pay an annual maintenance fee to UCLA TDG of $10,000 as well as pay certain royalties to UCLA TDG under the Amended License Agreement at the rate of 3.0% of net sales of licensed products or licensed methods. The Company must pay the royalties to UCLA TDG on a quarterly basis. Upon a first commercial sale, the Company also must pay a minimum annual royalty between $50,000 and $250,000, depending on the calendar year which is after the first commercial sale. If the Company is required to pay any third party any royalties as a result of it making use of UCLA TDG patents, then it may reduce the royalty owed to UCLA TDG by 0.333% for every percentage point paid to a third party. If the Company grants sublicense rights to a third party to use the UCLA TDG patent, then it will pay UCLA TDG 10% to 20% of the sublicensing income it receives from such sublicense.

The Company is obligated to make the following milestone payments to UCLA TDG for each Licensed Product or Licensed Method:

The Company is also obligated pay to UCLA TDG a fee (the “Diligence Fee”) of $8,000,000 upon the sale of any Licensed Product (the “Triggering Sale Date”) in accordance with the payment schedule below:

The Company’s obligation to pay the Diligence Fee will survive termination or expiration of the agreement and it is prohibited from assigning, selling, or otherwise transferring any of its assets related to any Licensed Product unless its Diligence Fee obligation is assigned, sold, or transferred along with such assets, or unless it pays UCLA TDG the Diligence Fee within ten (10) days of such assignment, sale or other transfer of such rights to any Licensed Product.

The Company is also obligated to pay UCLA TDG a cash milestone payment within thirty (30) days of a Liquidity Event (including a Change of Control Transaction and a payment election by UCLA TDG exercisable after December 22, 2016) such payment to equal the greater of:

As of December 31, 2023, none of the above milestones has been met.

The Company is obligated to diligently proceed with developing and commercializing licensed products under UCLA TDG patents set forth in the Amended License Agreement. UCLA TDG has the right to either terminate the license or reduce the license to a non-exclusive license if it does not meet certain diligence milestone deadlines set forth in the Amended License Agreement.

The Company must reimburse or pre-pay UCLA TDG for patent prosecution and maintenance costs incurred during the term of the Amended License Agreement. The Company has the right to bring infringement actions against third party infringers of the Amended License Agreement, UCLA TDG may join voluntarily, at its own expense, or, at the Company’s expense, be joined involuntarily to the action. The Company is required to indemnify UCLA TDG against any third party claims arising out of its exercise of the rights under the Amended License Agreement or any sublicense.

Payments to UCLA TDG under the Amended License Agreement for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 were $30,845 and $35,623, respectively.

NASDAQ Panel Decision

On September 27, 2023, the Company received a written notice from the Nasdaq notifying the Company that it was not in compliance with the $1.00 per share minimum bid price requirement set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) and that Nasdaq’s staff had determined to delist the Company’s securities On December 11, 2023, a Nasdaq Hearings Panel granted the Company’s request for continued listing on Nasdaq subject to the Company demonstrating compliance with the minimum bid price requirement prior to January 12, 2024. The Company received notice from Nasdaq on January 9, 2024 that it had regained compliance with the minimum bid price requirement. The Company will remain under a Nasdaq discretionary panel monitor until June 28, 2024.

Contingencies

The Company is subject to claims and assessments from time to time in the ordinary course of business. The Company’s management does not believe that any such matters, individually or in the aggregate, will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

Settlement Agreement

In July 2019, Dr. Bessie (Chia) Soo and Dr. Kang (Eric) Ting (“Plaintiffs”) filed a complaint (the “Complaint”) in federal court in Massachusetts against the Company, Bruce Stroever (“Stroever”), John Booth (“Booth”), Stephen LaNeve (“LaNeve”, and together with Stroever and Booth, the “Individual Defendants”), and MTF Biologics (f/k/a The Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation, Inc.) (“MTF”). The Complaint alleges claims for breach of contract against the Company and tortious interference with contract against the Individual Defendants and MTF arising from the termination of the Professional Service Agreements, dated as of January 8, 2016, between the Company and each of the Plaintiffs. The Individual Defendants have been sued for actions taken by them in connection with their service to the Company as directors and/or officers of the Company. As such, the Company has certain indemnification obligations to the Individual Defendants.

On January 10, 2024 the Company entered into a Settlement Agreement and Mutual General Release (the “Agreement”) with Drs. Bessie (Chia) Soo and Kang (Eric) Ting, on the one hand (the “plaintiffs”), and the Company and Stephen LaNeve on the other hand (together with the Company, the “defendants”), in settlement of the claims for breach of contract and tortious interference with contract against the defendants filed in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts (the “Court”). The Agreement was effective as of January 9, 2024. The Company had certain indemnification obligations to Mr. LaNeve arising out of actions taken in connection with his service to the Company.

Under the Agreement, the Company agreed to pay the plaintiffs $750,000, and on February 7, 2024, the Company paid $414,989, and the Company’s insurance carrier paid $335,011 for the total settlement. At December 31, 2023, the $414,989 has been accrued by the Company as legal settlement, net of insurance. The parties to the Agreement have filed a joint stipulation to dismiss the action with prejudice with the Court and the Company expects the action to be dismissed by the Court.

9. Subsequent Events

On January 8, 2024, the Company’s Board of Directors appointed Robert E. Gagnon to the Board of Directors. Erick Lucera resigned from the Board of Directors on December 27, 2023, effective as of the date Mr. Gagnon was appointed. Mr. Gagnon received an initial director grant whereby he is entitled to 9 shares of Common Stock of the Company under the Bone Biologics Corporation 2015 Equity Incentive Plan, that vests and becomes exercisable on the date of the next annual meeting of the stockholders of the Company following the grant date and an annual director grant whereby he is entitled to 8,006 shares of Common Stock of the Company under the Bone Biologics Corporation 2015 Equity Incentive Plan,2,003 options are immediately exercisable with the remaining 6,003 options vesting and becoming exercisable in three equal installments on 3/12/2024, 6/12/2024, and 9/12/2024.

On January 17, 2024, the Company’s CEO, Mr. Frelick, received a stock option grant for 2023 bonus achievements whereby he is entitled to 25,000 shares of Common Stock of the Company as of the date of the grant. Also on January 17, 2024, the Company’s CFO, Ms. Walsh, received a stock option grant for 2023 bonus achievements whereby she is entitled to 12,500 shares of Common Stock of the Company as of the date of the grant.

The grants were made on the condition that i) the exercise price will be the current market price on the date of the grant; and ii) the options will be issued with a two-year maturity. Any portion of this stock option grant that is not exercised on the date of termination shall be forfeited on such date of termination except: (i) in the case of Termination by the Company Without Cause; and (ii) upon a Change in Control (as defined in the Equity Incentive Plan) of the Company. To allow Mr. Frelick or Ms. Walsh to prevent or mitigate dilution of their equity interests in the Company, in connection with each financing, Mr. Frelick or Ms. Walsh shall be provided an opportunity to invest in the Company such that their interest, at their option, remains undiluted or partially diluted.