Enveric Biosciences Inc

NOTE 1. BUSINESS AND LIQUIDITY AND OTHER UNCERTAINTIES

Nature of Operations

Enveric Biosciences, Inc. (“Enveric” or the “Company”) is a biotechnology company developing novel neuroplastogenic small-molecule therapeutics for the treatment of depression, anxiety, and addiction disorders. The head office of the Company is located in Naples, Florida. The Company has the following wholly-owned subsidiaries: Jay Pharma Inc. (“Jay Pharma”), 1306432 B.C. Ltd. (“HoldCo”), MagicMed Industries, Inc. (“MagicMed”), Enveric Canada Inc., and Enveric Therapeutics, Pty. Ltd. (“Enveric Therapeutics”).

Leveraging its unique discovery and development platform, the Psybrary™, Enveric has created a robust intellectual property portfolio of new chemical entities for specific mental health indications. Enveric’s lead program, the EVM201 Series, comprises next generation synthetic prodrugs of the active metabolite, psilocin. Enveric is developing the first product from the EVM201 Series – EB-002 (formerly, EB-373) – for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Enveric is also advancing its second program, the EVM301 Series, expected to offer a first-in-class, new approach to the treatment of difficult-to-address mental health disorders, mediated by the promotion of neuroplasticity without also inducing hallucinations in the patient.

Following the Company’s amalgamation with MagicMed completed in September 2021 (the “Amalgamation”), the Company has continued to pursue the development of MagicMed’s proprietary Psychedelic Derivatives library, the Psybrary™ which the Company believes will help to identify and develop the right drug candidates needed to address mental health challenges, including cancer-related distress. The Company synthesizes novel versions of classic psychedelics, such as psilocybin, DMT, mescaline and MDMA, using a mixture of chemistry and synthetic biology, resulting in the expansion of the Psybrary™, which includes 15 patent families with over a million potential variations and hundreds of synthesized molecules. Within the Psybrary™ the Company has three different types of molecules, Generation 1 (classic psychedelics), Generation 2 (pro-drugs), and Generation 3 (new chemical entities). The Company is working to add novel psychedelic molecular compounds and derivatives (“Psychedelic Derivatives”) on a regular basis through its work at the Company’s labs in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where the Company has a team of PhD scientists with expertise in synthetic biology and chemistry. To date the Company has created over 500 molecules that are housed in the Psybrary™.

The Company screens newly synthesized molecules in the Psybrary™ through PsyAI™, a proprietary artificial intelligence (“AI”) tool. Leveraging AI systems is expected to reduce the time and cost of pre-clinical, clinical, and commercial development. The Company believes it streamlines pharmaceutical design by predicting ideal binding structures of molecules, manufacturing capabilities, and pharmacological effects to help determine ideal drug candidates, tailored to each indication. Each of these molecules that the Company believes are patentable can then be further screened to see how changes to its makeup alter its effects in order to synthesize additional new molecules. New compounds of sufficient purity are undergoing pharmacological screening, including non-clinical (receptors/cell lines), preclinical (animal), and ultimately clinical (human) evaluations. The Company intends to utilize the Psybrary™ and the AI tool to categorize and characterize the Psybrary™ substituents to focus on bringing more psychedelics-inspired molecules from discovery to the clinical phase.

Going Concern, Liquidity and Other Uncertainties

The Company has incurred a loss since inception resulting in an accumulated deficit of $98,956,433 as of March 31, 2024 and further losses are anticipated in the development of its business. For the three months ended March 31, 2024, the Company has operating cash outflows of $2,598,347 and had a loss from operations of $2,477,317. Since inception, being a research and development company, the Company has not yet generated revenue and the Company has incurred continuing losses from its operations. The Company’s operations have been funded principally through the issuance of equity. These factors raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of one year from the issuance of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

In assessing the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, the Company monitors and analyzes its cash and its ability to generate sufficient cash flow in the future to support its operating and capital expenditure commitments. At March 31, 2024, the Company had cash of $6,356,036 and working capital of $5,860,884. The Company’s current cash on hand is not sufficient enough to satisfy its operating cash needs for the 12 months from the filing of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. These conditions raise substantial doubt regarding the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of one year after the date the financial statements are issued. Management’s plan to alleviate the conditions that raise substantial doubt include raising additional working capital through public or private equity or debt financings or other sources, the Purchase Agreement with Lincoln Park (see Note 7 and 9), subject to registration, and may include additional collaborations with third parties as well as disciplined cash spending. Adequate additional financing may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all. Should the Company be unable to raise sufficient additional capital, the Company may be required to undertake cost-cutting measures including delaying or discontinuing certain operating activities.

As a result of these factors, management has concluded that there is substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of one year after the date of the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements are issued. The Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

Inflation Risks

The Company considers the current inflationary trend existing in the North American economic environment reasonably likely to have a material unfavorable impact on results of continuing operations. Higher rates of price inflation, as compared to recent prior levels of price inflation, have caused a general increase in the cost of labor and materials. In addition, there is an increased risk of the Company experiencing labor shortages due to a potential inability to attract and retain human resources due to increased labor costs resulting from the current inflationary environment.

Nasdaq Notice

On November 21, 2023, the Company received a letter from the Listing Qualifications Department of the Nasdaq Stock Market stating that as of September 30, 2023, the Company did not meet the minimum of $2,500,000 in stockholders’ equity required for continued listing pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(b)(1). On February 6, 2024, the Company received a letter from Nasdaq, granting the Company an extension to regain compliance with the minimum stockholders’ equity requirement by May 20, 2024. As of March 31, 2024, the Company is reporting stockholders’ equity of $6,481,856. Thus the Company believes that in filing this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2024, it will have regained and evidenced compliance with the Stockholders’ Equity Requirement by the required deadline. However, the Company’s compliance remains subject to review and analysis by Nasdaq.

NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Presentation and Principal of Consolidation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and Article 8 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. Management’s opinion is that all adjustments (consisting of normal accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2024 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2024. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023, and related notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 26, 2024.

The Company’s significant accounting policies and recent accounting standards are summarized in Note 2 of the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023. There were no significant changes to these accounting policies during the three months ended March 31, 2024.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and expenses during the periods reported. By their nature, these estimates are subject to measurement uncertainty and the effects on the financial statements of changes in such estimates in future periods could be significant. Significant areas requiring management’s estimates and assumptions include determining the fair value of transactions involving common stock, the valuation of warrants and preferred investment options, and the valuation of stock-based compensation and accruals associated with third party providers supporting research and development efforts. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Reclassification

Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior period’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in order to conform to the current year presentation. In the prior year, the Company included certain investor related expenses were included within research and development on the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations. These expenses were reclassified to general and administrative expenses in the current year. This reclassification had no effect on the Company’s previously reported results of operations, changes in equity, or cash flows.

Foreign Currency Translation

From inception through March 31, 2024, the reporting currency of the Company was the United States dollar while the functional currency of certain of the Company’s subsidiaries was the Canadian dollar and Australian dollar. For the reporting periods ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company engaged in a number of transactions denominated in Canadian dollars and Australian dollars. As a result, the Company is subject to exposure from changes in the exchange rates of the Canadian dollar and Australian dollar against the United States dollar.

The Company translates the assets and liabilities of its Canadian subsidiaries and Australian subsidiary into the United States dollar at the exchange rate in effect on the balance sheet date. Revenues and expenses are translated at the average exchange rate in effect during each monthly period. Unrealized translation gains and losses are recorded as foreign currency translation gain (loss), which is included in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of shareholders’ equity as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss.

The Company has not entered into any financial derivative instruments that expose it to material market risk, including any instruments designed to hedge the impact of foreign currency exposures. The Company may, however, hedge such exposure to foreign currency exchange fluctuations in the future.

Adjustments that arise from exchange rate changes on transactions denominated in a currency other than the local currency are included in other comprehensive loss in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss as incurred.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash accounts in a financial institution, which at times, may exceed the federal depository insurance coverage of $250,000 in the United States and Australia and $100,000 in Canada. The Company has not experienced losses on these accounts, and management believes the Company is not exposed to significant risks on such accounts. As of March 31, 2024, the Company had greater than $250,000 at United States financial institutions, greater than $250,000 at Australian financial institutions, and greater than $100,000 at Canadian financial institutions.

Research and Development

Research and development expenses are charged to operations as incurred. Research and development expenses include, among other things, internal and external costs associated with preclinical development, pre-commercialization manufacturing expenses, and clinical trials. The Company accrues for costs incurred as the services are being provided by monitoring the status of the trial or services provided and the invoices received from its external service providers. In the case of clinical trials, a portion of the estimated cost normally relates to the projected cost to treat a patient in the trials, and this cost is recognized based on the number of patients enrolled in the trial. As actual costs become known, the Company adjusts its accruals accordingly.

Income Taxes

The Company files U.S. federal and state returns. The Company’s foreign subsidiary also files a local tax return in their local jurisdiction. From a U.S. federal, state, and Canadian perspective, the years that remain open to examination are consistent with each jurisdiction’s statute of limitations.

Research and Development Tax Incentive Receivable

The Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary in Australia, participates in the Australian research and development tax incentive program, such that a percentage of the Company’s qualifying research and development expenditures are reimbursed by the Australian government, and such incentives are reflected as a reduction of research and development expense. The Australian research and development tax incentive is recognized when there is reasonable assurance that the incentive will be received, the relevant expenditure has been incurred and the amount of the consideration can be reliably measured. At each period end, management estimates the reimbursement available to the Company based on available information at the time.

Net Loss per Share

Basic net loss per share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share is computed using the weighted average number of common shares and, if dilutive, potential common shares outstanding during the period. Potential common shares consist of the incremental common shares issuable upon the exercise of stock options and warrants (using the treasury stock method). The computation of basic net loss per share for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 excludes potentially dilutive securities. The computations of net loss per share for each period presented is the same for both basic and fully diluted. In accordance with ASC 260 “Earnings per Share” (“ASC 260”), penny warrants were included in the calculation of weighted average shares outstanding for the purposes of calculating basic and diluted earnings per share.

Potentially dilutive securities outlined in the table below have been excluded from the computation of diluted net loss per share the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 because the effect of their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-07,Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures. ASU 2023-07 updates reportable segment disclosure requirements primarily through enhanced disclosures about significant segment expenses. ASU 2023-07 is effective for all entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and for interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. Early adoption is permitted. The amendments should be applied retrospectively to all prior periods presented in the financial statements. The Company adopted ASU 2023-07 effective January 1, 2024, and has determined that the adoption of this guidance had no impact on its unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09,Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures, which amends the disclosure to address investor requests for more transparency about income tax information through improvements to income tax disclosures primarily related to the rate reconciliation and income taxes paid information and includes certain other amendments to improve the effectiveness of income tax disclosures. The ASU is effective on a prospective basis for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024, and early adoption and retrospective application are permitted. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently assessing potential impacts of ASU 2023-09 and does not expect the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on its unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

NOTE 3. PREPAID EXPENSES AND OTHER CURRENT ASSETS

As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the prepaid expenses and other current assets of the Company consisted of the following:

NOTE 4. INTANGIBLE ASSETS

As of March 31, 2024, the Company’s intangible assets consisted of:

For identified definite lived intangible assets, there wasno impairment expense during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023. For identified definite lived intangible assets, amortization expense amounted to $42,188 during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

NOTE 5. PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT

Property and equipment consists of the following assets which are located in Calgary, Canada, with all amounts converted into U.S. dollars:

Depreciation expense was $43,221 and $44,298 for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

NOTE 6. ACCRUED LIABILITIES

As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the accrued liabilities of the Company consisted of the following:

NOTE 7. SHARE CAPITAL AND OTHER EQUITY INSTRUMENTS

Equity Distribution Agreement

On September 1, 2023, the Company entered into the Equity Distribution Agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”), with Canaccord Genuity LLC (“Canaccord”), pursuant to which the Company may offer and sell from time to time, through Canaccord as sales agent and/or principal, shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share having an aggregate offering price of up to $10.0 million. Due to the offering limitations applicable to the Company and in accordance with the terms of the Distribution Agreement, the Company may offer Common Stock having an aggregate gross sales price of up to $2,392,514 pursuant to the prospectus supplement dated September 1, 2023 (the “Prospectus Supplement”). Subject to the terms and conditions of the Distribution Agreement, Canaccord may sell the Common Stock by any method permitted by law deemed to be an “at-the-market offering”. The Company will pay Canaccord a commission equal to 3.0% of the gross sales price of the Common Stock sold through Canaccord under the Distribution Agreement and has also agreed to reimburse Canaccord for certain expenses. The Company may also sell Common Stock to Canaccord as principal for Canaccord’s own account at a price agreed upon at the time of sale. Any sale of Common Stock to Canaccord as principal would be pursuant to the terms of a separate terms agreement between the Company and Canaccord.

During the three months ended March 31, 2024, the Company issued 1,668,000 shares of common stock for gross proceeds of $2,392,502 under the Distribution Agreement, and charged offering costs of $583,713 to additional paid in capital on the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet. As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, there were deferred offering costs related to the Distribution Agreement of $0 and $171,944, respectively. As of March 31, 2024, there is $0 available under the Distribution Agreement.

On December 28, 2023, the Company entered into warrant exercise inducement offer letters (the “Inducement Letters”) with certain holders (the “Holders”) of the February 2022 Post-Modification Warrants and RD and PIPE preferred investment options to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Existing Warrants and Investment Options”) pursuant to which the Holders agreed to exercise for cash their Existing Warrants and Investment Options to purchase 1,122,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, in the aggregate, at a reduced exercised price of $1.37 per share (from an original exercise price of $7.78 per share), in exchange for the Company’s agreement to issue new warrants (the “Inducement Warrants”) to purchase up to 2,244,000 shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Inducement Warrant Shares”), and the Holders to make a cash payment of $0.125 per Inducement Warrant share for total proceeds of $280,500. In January 2024, the Company received aggregate gross proceeds of $1,817,640 from the exercise of the Existing Warrants and Investment Options by the Holders and the sale of the Inducement Warrants. Because the Existing Warrants and Investment Options by the Holders and the sale of the Inducement Warrants that exercised on December 28, 2023 and unsettled until January 2024, the proceeds are included in the condensed consolidated balance sheet as a subscription receivable as of December 31, 2023. As of December 31, 2023,418,000 shares of the Existing Warrants and Investment Options exercised were considered issued as the Company had the enforceable right to the obtain the cash proceeds, which were in-transit, and the Holders were no longer able to rescind the exercise election. Due to the beneficial ownership limitation provisions,704,000 shares of the Existing Warrants and Investment Options exercised were initially unissued and held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until notice is received from the Holder that the shares may be issued in compliance with such limitation. During the three months ended March 31, 2024, the Company issued all 704,000 shares of common stock of the 704,000 shares of Existing Warrants and Investment Options exercised that were held in abeyance due to the beneficial ownership limitation provisions.

On December 28, 2023, the Company entered into warrant exercise inducement offer letters (the “Inducement Letters”) with certain holders of warrants and preferred investment options. The Inducement Letters prohibit the Company from entering into any variable rate transaction as defined in the Inducement Letters, including the issuance of (1) any variable priced debt or equity securities or (2) transactions whereby the Company may issue securities at a future determined price, such as through an at-the-market offering or an equity line of credit. The variable rate transaction restriction expires after six-month from the closing date of December 28, 2023 for the Inducement Letters for an issuance through an at-the-market offering, and one-year for the remaining variable rate transactions.

On March 8, 2024, the Company entered into a series of common stock purchase agreements for the issuance in a registered direct offering of 228,690 shares of the Company’s common stock to the Holders of the Inducement Warrants. The issuance was made in exchange for the permanent and irrevocable waiver of the variable rate transaction limitation solely with respect to the entry into and/or issuance of shares of common stock in an at the market offering contained in the Inducement Letters. The fair value of the shares issued for consideration of waiving the variable rate transaction limitation was $322,453 and was charged to additional paid in capital on the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet as an offering cost related to the Distribution Agreement.

Lincoln Park Equity Line

On November 3, 2023, the Company entered into a Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) and a registration rights agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), with Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC (“Lincoln Park”), pursuant to which Lincoln Park has committed to purchase up to $10.0 million of the Company’s common stock subject to certain limitations and satisfaction of the conditions set forth in the Purchase Agreement.

Under the terms and subject to the conditions of the Purchase Agreement, the Company has the right, but not the obligation, to sell to Lincoln Park, and Lincoln Park is obligated to purchase up to $10.0 million of the Company’s Common Stock (the “Purchase Shares”). However, such sales of Common Stock by the Company, if any, will be subject to important limitations set forth in the Purchase Agreement, including limitations on number of shares that may be sold. Sales may occur from time to time, at the Company’s sole discretion, over the 24-month period commencing on the date that the conditions to Lincoln Park’s purchase obligation set forth in the Purchase Agreement are satisfied, including that a registration statement on Form S-1 covering the resale of the shares of the Company’s Common Stock that have been and may be issued to Lincoln Park under the Purchase Agreement, which the Company has filed with the SEC pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, is declared effective by the SEC and a final prospectus relating thereto is filed with the SEC.

Because the purchase price per share to be paid by Lincoln Park for the shares of Common Stock that the Company may elect to sell to Lincoln Park under the Purchase Agreement, if any, will fluctuate based on the market prices of the Company’s Common Stock at the time the Company elects to sell shares to Lincoln Park pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, if any, it is not possible for us to predict the number of shares of Common Stock that the Company will sell to Lincoln Park under the Purchase Agreement, the purchase price per share that Lincoln Park will pay for shares purchased from us under the Purchase Agreement, or the aggregate gross proceeds that the Company will receive from those purchases by Lincoln Park under the Purchase Agreement.

As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company had issued no shares of common stock through the Equity Line and capitalized deferred offering costs of $395,660 related to establishing the Purchase Agreement with Lincoln Park and no reductions to additional paid in capital. Of this amount, $255,107 represents the fair value of 139,403 shares of common stock issued to Lincoln Park as consideration for its commitment under the Purchase Agreement in November 2023.

Subsequent to March 31, 2024, the variable rate transaction limitation on the equity line of credit from the Inducement Warrants (as defined in theEquity Distribution Agreement section) was waived. See Note 9.

Stock Options

Amendment to 2020 Long-Term Incentive Plan

On November 2, 2023, the stockholders approved the amendments to the 2020 Long-Term Incentive Plan, which was approved by the Board on August 8, 2023 (the “Amended Incentive Plan”). The Amended Incentive Plan (i) increased the number of authorized shares reserved for issuance under the Amended Incentive Plan to a maximum of 350,000, subject to adjustment, and (ii) removed the Evergreen Provision implemented in the Plan Amendment. During the first quarter of 2024, the Board approved an equitable adjustment to increase the number of shares available under the Plan by 134,779 shares. As of March 31, 2024, the total number of shares available for grant under the Incentive Plan was 3,482.

A summary of the stock option activity under the Company’s incentive plan for the three months ended March 31, 2024 is presented below:

The Company’s stock based compensation expense, recorded within general and administrative expense in the unaudited condensed consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss, related to stock options for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 was $(6,682) and $48,086, respectively.

As of March 31, 2024, the Company had $3,174 in unamortized stock option expense, which will be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.90 years.

Issuance of Restricted Stock Units

The Company’s activity in restricted stock units was as follows for the three months ended March 31, 2024:

For the three months ended March 31, 2024 and March 31, 2023, the Company recorded $358,170 and $484,749, respectively, in stock-based compensation expense related to restricted stock units, which is a component of both general and administrative and research and development expenses in the unaudited condensed consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss. As of March 31, 2024, the Company had unamortized stock-based compensation costs related to restricted stock units of $1,847,926 which will be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.9 years. As of March 31, 2024,46,971 restricted stock units are vested without shares of common stock being issued, with all of these shares due as of March 31, 2024.

The following table summarizes the Company’s recognition of stock-based compensation for restricted stock units for the following periods:

Warrants and Preferred Investment Options

The following table summarizes information about shares issuable under warrants outstanding at March 31, 2024:

The following table summarizes information about investment options outstanding at March 31, 2024:

NOTE 8. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

The Company is periodically involved in legal proceedings, legal actions and claims arising in the normal course of business. Management believes that the outcome of such legal proceedings, legal actions and claims will not have a significant adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Australian Subsidiary Research and Development

On March 23, 2023, the Company issued a press release announcing the selection of Australian CRO, Avance Clinical, in preparation for Phase 1 Study of EB-002, the Company’s lead candidate targeting the treatment of anxiety disorders. Under the agreement, Avance Clinical will manage the Phase 1 clinical trial of EB-002 in coordination with the Company’s newly established Australian subsidiary, Enveric Therapeutics Pty, Ltd. The Phase 1 clinical trial is designed as a multi-cohort, dose-ascending study to measure the safety and tolerability of EB-002. EB-373, a next-generation proprietary psilocin prodrug, has been recognized as a New Chemical Entity (NCE) by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and is currently in preclinical development targeting the treatment of anxiety disorder. The total cost of the Avance Clinical contract is approximately 3,400,000 AUD, which translates to approximately $2,221,000 USD as of March 31, 2024. As of March 31, 2024, the Company has paid approximately $1,036,940 of the Avance Clinical contract costs and has $164,798 recorded as prepaid assets within prepaid and other current assets, accrued $52,235 recorded as accrued liabilities and $1,333,641 as accounts payable on the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet. For the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company has expensed $398,744 and $0 in research and development expenses within the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated statement of operations.

According to Australian tax law, the Company is allowed an R&D tax credit that reduces a company’s tax bill in Australia for expenses incurred in R&D subject to certain requirements. The Company’s Australian subsidiary submits R&D tax credit requests annually for research and development expenses incurred. At March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company had a research and development tax credit receivable of $397,022 and $145,349, respectively, for R&D expenses incurred in Australia, included in prepaid and other current assets within the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated statement of operations.

Purchase agreement with Prof. Zvi Vogel and Dr. Ilana Nathan

On December 26, 2017, Jay Pharma entered into a purchase agreement with Prof. Zvi Vogel and Dr. Ilana Nathan (the “Vogel-Nathan Purchase Agreement”), pursuant to which Jay Pharma was assigned ownership rights to certain patents, which were filed and unissued as of the date of the Vogel-Nathan Purchase Agreement. The Vogel-Nathan Purchase Agreement includes a commitment to pay a one-time milestone totaling $200,000 upon the issuance of a utility patent in the United States or by the European Patent Office, as defined in the agreement. The Company has accrued such amount as of December 31, 2021, as a result of the milestone criteria being achieved. Payment was made during January 2022. In addition, a milestone payment totaling $300,000 is due upon initiation of a Phase II(b) study. Research activities related to the relevant patents are still in pre-clinical stage, and accordingly, this milestone has not been achieved. The Vogel-Nathan Purchase Agreement contains a commitment for payment of royalties equaling 2% of the first $20 million in net sales derived from the commercialization of products utilizing the relevant patent. As these products are still in the preclinical phase of development, no royalties have been earned.

Other Consulting and Vendor Agreements

The Company has entered into a number of agreements and work orders for future consulting, clinical trial support, and testing services, with terms ranging between 1 and 12 months. These agreements, in aggregate, commit the Company to approximately $1.5 million in future cash payments, inclusive of amounts in accounts payable.

Reduction in Force/Restructuring

In May 2023, the Company entered into a cost reduction plan, including a reduction in force (“RIF”) of approximately 35% of its full-time employees to streamline its operations and conserve cash resources. Additionally, contracts with seven consultants that were focused on the Akos cannabinoid spin-out were terminated. The plan included a focus on progressing the Company’s existing non-cannabinoid pipeline while reducing the rate of spend and managing cash flow. In June 2023, the Company completed the reduction in force, with such severance expenses recorded in general and administrative accounts.

In June 2023, the Company entered into a separation agreement with Avani Kanubaddi, the Company’s President and Chief Operating Officer (the “Kanubaddi Separation Agreement”). In accordance with the Kanubaddi Separation Agreement, Mr. Kanubaddi received salary and benefits that is paid out in twelve monthly installments beginning in July 2023, was eligible for his 2023 performance bonus, which was not achieved, and any outstanding restricted stock units retained their vesting conditions.

The following table summarizes the Reduction in Force/Restructuring activity and ending balance at March 31, 2024 for the remaining severance payments included in accrued expenses in the consolidated balance sheet:

NOTE 9. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

On May 3, 2024, the Company entered into a series of common stock purchase agreements (the “Purchase Agreements”) for the issuance in a registered direct offering of an aggregate of 458,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, to certain institutional investors. The issuance was made in exchange for the permanent and irrevocable waiver of the variable rate transaction limitation with respect to any existing or future agreement by the Company to effect any issuance of shares and issue such shares thereunder, as contained in those certain Inducement Offer Letters, dated December 28, 2023, between the Company and those certain institutional investors. The Company did not receive any net proceeds in connection with the offering.

The Purchase Agreements contain customary representations and warranties and certain indemnification obligations of the Company. The Purchase Agreements also restrict the Company from issuing, entering into any agreement to issue, or announcing the issuance of the Company’s common stock from the date of the Purchase Agreements until the earlier of 30 days after entering into the agreements or at such time as 15,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock have traded in the open market. The closing of the issuance of the Shares pursuant to the Purchase Agreements closed on May 3, 2024. On May 8, 2024, over 15,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock were traded in the open market.

On May 13, 2024, the Company issued 25,000 shares and received $21,438 in gross proceeds pursuant to a draw on the Lincoln Park equity line.