EXICURE INC

Previous wording

Given the Company’s current focus to explore growth through strategic transactions with potential partners, the Company’s ability to execute its current business plan depends on its ability to obtain additional funding via a strategic transaction or a series of strategic transactions, or to obtain funding to support such a transaction. We currently have no source of revenues or committed financing, and our financial resources are limited to our cash and cash equivalents. Substantial additional funding is needed in the very near term. With respect to our efforts to maximize value from historical assets, while those efforts are continuing, based on the interest we have received to date we do not think it is likely they will generate significant value.

Current wording

Given the Company’s current focus to explore growth through strategic transactions with potential partners, the Company’s ability to execute its current business plan depends on its ability to obtain additional funding via a strategic transaction or a series of strategic transactions, or to obtain funding to support such a transaction. We currently have no source of significant, ongoing revenues or committed financing, and our financial resources are limited to our cash and cash equivalents. Substantial additional funding is needed in the very near term.

Previous wording

We require significant capital resources in order to continue to operate our business and conduct our exploration of strategic alternatives, and our very limited liquidity could materially and adversely affect our business operations. Because we have no current source of revenue or committed financing, our current available cash and cash equivalents provide us with very limited liquidity. Our existing cash and cash equivalents are not sufficient for us to continue to fund our business operations. Substantial additional funding is needed in the very near term. Any such required additional capital may not be available on reasonable terms, if at all, due to a variety of factors, including uncertainty about the future direction of the Company and investor reaction to our new controlling stockholders and board and management composition, as well as broader conditions in the economy and capital markets, including recent volatility caused by inflation, questions about bank stability and other factors. The Company has already engaged in significant cost reductions, so our ability to further cut costs and extend our operating runway is limited. Without sufficient additional capital funding in the very near term, we may be required, among other things, to seek bankruptcy protection and/or cease operations.

Current wording

We require significant capital resources in order to continue to operate our business and conduct our exploration of strategic alternatives, and our very limited liquidity could materially and adversely affect our business operations. Because we have no current source of significant, ongoing revenue or committed financing, our current available cash and cash equivalents provide us with very limited liquidity. Our existing cash and cash equivalents are not sufficient for us to continue to fund our business operations. Substantial additional funding is needed in the very near term. Any such required additional capital may not be available on reasonable terms, if at all, due to a variety of factors, including uncertainty about the future direction of the Company and investor reaction to our controlling stockholders and board and management composition, as well as broader conditions in the economy and capital markets, including recent volatility caused by inflation and other factors. The Company has already engaged in significant cost reductions, so our ability to further cut costs and extend our operating runway is limited. Without sufficient additional capital funding in the very near term, we may be required, among other things, to seek bankruptcy protection and/or cease operations.

Previous wording

We may not be able to redeem the investment in convertible notes receivable.

Current wording

We do not expect to be able to redeem the investment in convertible Notes Receivable.

Previous wording

The investment in convertible notes receivable indicate that the Company may request redemption on the first anniversary of the issue date. However, the investment in convertible notes receivable contain schedules for dates of redemption notices and redemption prices that do not contemplate a first redemption date until three months after the first anniversary of the issue dates. Although the Company believes this was a clear error and is inconsistent with the plain language that the investment in convertible notes receivable are redeemable on the first anniversary of their issue dates, the issuer has taken the position that the investment in convertible notes receivable are not redeemable until August 3, 2024 and August 16, 2024.

Current wording

In response, thee issuer took the position that the investment in convertible Notes Receivable were not redeemable until August 3, 2024 and August 16, 2024.

Previous wording

•Compliance with Nasdaq’s minimum bid price rule due to the Company’s stock trading below $1.00 for a sustained period of time. The Company effected a one-for-thirty reverse stock split on June 29, 2022 in order to attempt to raise the stock price. On September 13, 2023, the Company received a delinquency notification that the closing bid price of the Company’s stock traded below $1.00 for the previous 30 consecutive business days. The Company’s stock price has remained below $1.00 since receipt of the notification, which must be cured by September 9, 2024, per the March 12, 2024 extension letter received from Nasdaq.

Current wording

•Compliance with Nasdaq’s minimum bid price rule due to the Company’s stock trading below $1.00 for a sustained period of time. The Company effected a one-for-thirty reverse stock split on June 29, 2022 in order to attempt to raise the stock price. On September 13, 2023, the Company received a delinquency notification that the closing bid price of the Company’s stock traded below $1.00 for the previous 30 consecutive business days. The Company’s stock price has remained below $1.00 since receipt of the notification, which must be cured by September 9, 2024, per the March 12, 2024 extension letter received from Nasdaq. As described below, the Company now has until September 16, 2024 to cure all outstanding deficiencies pursuant to the decision of the Nasdaq Hearings Panel. The Company intends to attempt to cure the bid price deficiency by effecting another reverse stock split, subject to stockholder approval. A special meeting of stockholders has been called for August 15, 2024, at which stockholders will vote on a proposal to approve a reverse stock split at a ratio in the range of 1-for-2 to 1-for-15, with such ratio to be determined at the discretion of the Board of Directors.

Previous wording

•Compliance with Nasdaq’s requirement to hold an annual meeting. On January 11, 2024, Nasdaq notified the Company that it did not comply with listing requirements by not holding an annual meeting in 2023. The Company received an extension letter on March 12, 2024 from Nasdaq noting it must hold its annual meeting by June 28, 2024

Current wording

•Compliance with Nasdaq’s requirement to hold an annual meeting. On January 11, 2024, Nasdaq notified the Company that it did not comply with listing requirements by not holding an annual meeting in 2023. The Company held its combined 2023 and 2024 annual meeting on June 28, 2024

Previous wording

•On April 17, 2024, the Company received a delinquency notification as it had not filed its Annual Report Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023. The extended deadline for compliance was established by Nasdaq at May 20, 2024, the same deadline for our Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2023, which had yet to be filed at the time.

Current wording

•On April 17, 2024, the Company received a delinquency notification as it had not filed its Annual Report Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023. The extended deadline for compliance was established by Nasdaq at May 20, 2024, the same deadline for our Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. The Annual Report Form 10-K was filed on June 6, 2024.

Previous wording

•Although the Company filed its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2023 prior to the extended deadline of May 20, 2024, on May 21, 2024, the Company received a delisting determination from the Nasdaq staff as a result of not filing its Annual Report Form 10-K by the May 20, 2024 deadline and failure to timely file this Form 10-Q. The staff’s delisting determination also noted the failure to hold its 2023 annual meeting as another basis of the delisting determination.

Current wording

•Although the Company filed its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2023 prior to the extended deadline of May 20, 2024, on May 21, 2024, the Company received a delisting determination from the Nasdaq staff as a result of not filing its Annual Report Form 10-K by the May 20, 2024 deadline and failure to timely file its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2024 (which was subsequently filed on June 17, 2024). The staff’s delisting determination also noted the failure to hold its 2023 annual meeting as another basis of the delisting determination.

Previous wording

Between our inception in June 2011 and the Company’s decision to engage in a broader exploration of strategic alternatives, we devoted our resources to the development of SNA technology, and are currently exploring out-licensing opportunities and strategic alternatives to maximize stockholder value. We have had significant operating losses since our inception. As of March 31, 2024, we have generated an accumulated deficit of $209.2 million, including $18,837 of additional paid-in capital reclassed to accumulated deficit upon C-corporation conversion. For the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, our net loss was $0.8 million and $4.4 million, respectively. Substantially all of our losses have resulted from expenses incurred in connection with our research programs and from general and administrative costs associated with our operations.

Current wording

Between our inception in June 2011 and the Company’s decision to engage in a broader exploration of strategic alternatives, we devoted our resources to the development of SNA technology, and are currently exploring out-licensing opportunities and strategic alternatives to maximize stockholder value. We have had significant operating losses since our inception. As of June 30, 2024, we have generated an accumulated deficit of $209.8 million, including $18,837 of additional paid-in capital reclassed to accumulated deficit upon C-corporation conversion. For the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, our net loss was $1.4 million and $10.2 million, respectively. Substantially all of our losses have resulted from expenses incurred in connection with our research programs and from general and administrative costs associated with our operations.

Previous wording

We have not generated, and do not expect to generate, any product revenue for the foreseeable future and currently have no source of revenue or committed financing, and we expect to continue to incur significant operating losses for the foreseeable future. The amount of future losses is uncertain. Our future financial performance and condition are substantially dependent on the results of our ongoing exploration of strategic alternatives, and we cannot predict whether we will be successful.

Current wording

Although we have generated a limited amount of revenues from licensing and sales of supplies, we have not generated, and do not expect to generate, any product revenue for the foreseeable future and currently have no source of significant, ongoing revenue or committed financing, and we expect to continue to incur significant operating losses for the foreseeable future. The amount of future losses is uncertain. Our future financial performance and condition are substantially dependent on the results of our ongoing exploration of strategic alternatives, and we cannot predict whether we will be successful.

Previous wording

We are pursuing asset out-licenses, asset sales and similar strategic transactions with respect to our historical assets. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in executing such a strategic transaction and at this point we do not expect these efforts to generate significant value for our stockholders.

Current wording

We are pursuing asset out-licenses, asset sales and similar strategic transactions with respect to our historical assets. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in executing such a strategic transactions.

Previous wording

We are increasingly dependent on our information technology systems and infrastructure for our business. We collect, store and transmit sensitive information including intellectual property, proprietary business information and personal information in connection with business operations. The secure maintenance of this information is critical to our operations and business strategy. Some of this information could be an attractive target of criminal attack or unauthorized access and use by third parties with a wide range of motives and expertise, including organized criminal groups,

Current wording

We are increasingly dependent on our information technology systems and infrastructure for our business. We collect, store and transmit sensitive information including intellectual property, proprietary business information and personal information in connection with business operations. The secure maintenance of this information is critical to our operations and business strategy. Some of this information could be an attractive target of criminal attack or unauthorized access and use by third parties with a wide range of motives and expertise, including organized criminal groups, “hacktivists,” patient groups, disgruntled current or former employees and others. Cyber-attacks are of ever-increasing levels of sophistication, and despite our security measures, our information technology systems and infrastructure may be vulnerable to such attacks or may be breached, including due to employee error or malfeasance.

Previous wording

CBI USA and DGP collectively own approximately 45% of outstanding Common Stock and exercise significant influence over us. We previously had been a “controlled company” under the corporate governance rules for Nasdaq-listed companies and still do not have a majority independent board based on the phase-in requirements for companies after they lose “controlled company” status. Members of our board and management are directly affiliated with CBI and DGP. Investors may be hesitant to invest in the Company given the influence of CBI and DGP. In addition, should the interest or interests of our controlling stockholders differ from those of other stockholders, the other stockholders may not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance rules for Nasdaq-listed companies.

Current wording

CBI USA and DGP collectively own approximately 45% of outstanding Common Stock and exercise significant influence over us. We previously had been a “controlled company” under the corporate governance rules for Nasdaq-listed companies and still do not have a majority independent board. Members of our board and management are directly affiliated with CBI and DGP. Investors may be hesitant to invest in the Company given the influence of CBI and DGP. In addition, should the interest or interests of our controlling stockholders differ from those of other stockholders, the other stockholders may not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance rules for Nasdaq-listed companies.