# PULSE BIOSCIENCES, INC. (PLSE) FY 2024 MD&A

Verbatim Item 7 Management's Discussion and Analysis from PULSE BIOSCIENCES, INC.'s 10-K for fiscal year 2024.

SEC filing source: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1625101/000143774925009932/plse20241231_10k.htm
Accession: 0001437749-25-009932
Filing date: 2025-03-31
Report date: 2024-12-31
Extracted structurally from real Item 7 body heading to real Item 7A/8 boundary.
Confidence: high

Company profile: /company/PLSE/
All MD&A years: /company/PLSE/mda/
Previous year: /company/PLSE/mda/fy2023/ (FY 2023)
Next year: /company/PLSE/mda/fy2025/ (FY 2025)

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto included in Item 8 under the heading “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data”. Some of the information contained in this discussion and analysis or set forth elsewhere in this Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding our expected financial results in future periods. The words “anticipates,” “believes,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “plans,” “projects,” “will,” “would,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements that we make. You should read the “Risk Factors” section of this Form 10-K for a discussion of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in the following discussion and analysis. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Overview

We are a novel ablation company committed to health innovation using our patented Nano-pulse Stimulation (“NPS”) technology, a revolutionary energy modality that delivers nanosecond-duration pulses of electrical energy, each less than a millionth of a second long, to nonthermally clear or kill targeted cells. NPS technology, also referred to as Nanosecond Pulsed-Field Ablation (“nsPFA”) technology when used to ablate cellular tissue, can be used to treat a variety of medical conditions for which an optimal solution remains unfulfilled. We developed our proprietary CellFX System, a novel nsPFA delivery platform, and commercialized the initial application of its nsPFA technology to treat benign lesions of the skin. In parallel, we have designed a variety of applicators, or disposables, to explore the potential use of the CellFX platform to treat disorders in other medical specialties, such as cardiology, gastroenterology, gynecology, and ear, nose and throat. These applicators include devices for open surgical procedures, endoscopic or minimally invasive procedures, and endoluminal catheters, and each has been used in preclinical studies. Based on our preclinical experience and the potential to significantly improve outcomes for patients in a large and growing market, we decided in 2022 to focus our primary efforts on the use of nsPFA energy and the CellFX platform in the treatment of atrial fibrillation and in a select few other markets where it could have a profound positive impact on healthcare for both patients and providers, such as surgical soft tissue ablation.

CellFX nsPFA Percutaneous Electrode System

Our first product for soft tissue ablation in a surgical setting, the nsPFA Percutaneous Electrode System, consists of a disposable, percutaneous, needle electrode for use with our proprietary CellFX Console. This novel electrode is designed to harness and deliver the key advantages of nsPFA energy, enabling precise nonthermal removal of cellular tissue without inducing thermal necrosis.

After years of preclinical development and testing, in June 2023, we initiated a first-in-human study using our proprietary nsPFA-enabled percutaneous electrode. This study was conducted by Professor Stefano Spiezia at the Ospedale del Mare in Naples, Italy, to help us better understand and confirm the mechanism of action and tissue response of nsPFA energy in internal organs such as the thyroid. Thirty study subjects were treated, all of whom tolerated the procedure well with no reported serious side effects. Ultrasound images post-procedure showed treated portions of the benign thyroid nodules were mostly resorbed with no sign of scarring or fibrosis by ultrasound, which can be a side effect of other ablation modalities using thermal energies.

In parallel, in November 2023, we filed a premarket notification 510(k) with the FDA for clearance to commercialize our novel nsPFA Percutaneous Electrode System in the United States. In March 2024, we received FDA 510(k) clearance for our nsPFA Percutaneous Electrode System for use in the ablation of soft tissue in percutaneous and intraoperative surgical procedures. More recently, in August 2024, we received FDA 510(k) clearance for a second size of the percutaneous electrode needle, which we believe will provide our customers with an additional treatment option for their patients. 

Having secured 510(k) clearance to market and sell the nsPFA Percutaneous Electrode System in the United States with different sizes of percutaneous electrode needles, we have engaged with experts in the field of soft tissue ablation to gather information that will help shape our future commercial endeavors. To date, we have placed our CellFX System with eight sites in the United States and these sites have been performing initial patient treatments and evaluating the CellFX System under short-term evaluation agreements. To date, the clinicians in our pilot program have completed more than 70 patient procedures. We expect to pursue more clinical evidenced-based milestones throughout 2025 in connection with evaluating the early pilot commercialization of our percutaneous electrodes, and we expect to commence a pivotal clinical trial in mid-2025 to support a specific labeling indication to commercialize the nsPFA Percutaneous Electrode System in the United States as a treatment for benign thyroid nodules.

Our Cardiac Surgical Program

Atrial fibrillation (“AF”) is a type of heart arrythmia, or irregular heartbeat, caused by faulty electrical signals in the heart. AF is a highly prevalent condition and is growing significantly with an ageing population. It is estimated that 43 million people worldwide are affected by AF. Treatment requires the precise and safe ablation of heart tissue to block or otherwise prevent these faulty electrical signals from causing the irregular heartbeat, and we believe nsPFA technology is uniquely suited to perform an integral role for this application and that it will prove to be highly differentiated from standard thermal energy modalities in use today.

The results of preclinical and clinical testing of both our nsPFA cardiac products, namely our surgical ablation clamp and our endocardial ablation catheter, have exceeded our expectations and initial data have been presented at physician and industry conferences. While these devices serve different physicians, the application of the energy to safely and effectively ablate cardiac tissue and the treatment of AF are the same, and we believe there will be important synergies realized through their contemporaneous development. The Company’s cardiac surgical ablation clamp and cardiac endocardial ablation catheter both generate our proprietary nsPFA pulses of electrical energy. We discuss each of these products under development in more detail below.

CellFX nsPFA Cardiac Clamp

Our surgical cardiac ablation clamp is designed for use by cardiac surgeons during the surgical treatment of AF. The standard of care surgical procedure for the treatment of AF is performed by cardiac surgeons and called the Cox-Maze procedure. The Cox-Maze procedure typically uses thermal ablation technologies, such as heat with radiofrequency ablation or cold with cryoablation, to create specific ablation lines in the heart muscle. These ablation lines block the conduction of electrical impulses and can cure patients of their AF.

We believe our nsPFA technology can provide important advantages over today’s thermal modalities in creating these ablation lines. For example, surgeons using the CellFX System should be able to deliver faster ablations and through thicker tissue than thermal modalities because of the nonthermal mechanism of action that nsPFA employs, which is not affected by heatsinks such as blood in the heart. In preclinical studies, our nsPFA Cardiac Clamp has consistently achieved transmural ablations in less than two seconds, independent of tissue type or thickness. Moreover, thermal modalities can cause char formation on electrode surfaces which can cause gaps in the ablation lines that might lead to treatment failure. This should not be an issue with nsPFA ablation given its nonthermal nature. Also, because nsPFA ablation does not impact acellular tissue, such as collagen or cartilage, our technology has the potential to offer significant safety advantages over thermal modalities by allowing surgeons to ablate near and into vessels and valves without concern of permanent damage. And finally, nsPFA ablation has been shown to spare nerves of any permanent damage, even when treated directly, which is another concern for thermal modalities. We believe these advantages will be important to cardiac surgeons, so we are working with leaders in the field to develop this technology quickly.

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Over the last several years, we have been developing the cardiac ablation clamp from proof-of-concept to prototype, and we now have what we believe will be our initial commercial design. The device was designed with the input of key physicians in cardiac surgery, and we believe it will offer a highly differentiated option relative to the standard of care thermal modalities. Since 2023, we have been meeting with the FDA to discuss the regulatory requirements for a potential 510(k) clearance or other approval to market our cardiac clamp in the United States. Today, we plan to pursue a PMA application for FDA approval to market the cardiac clamp specifically as a surgical way to treat AF.  Seeking an AF indication through a PMA application will require pivotal clinical data to support the application. We expect to begin our pivotal clinical trial of the cardiac surgical clamp for AF in mid-2025. With PMA approval, we expect that we would then commercialize the nsPFA Cardiac Surgery System in the United States specifically as a treatment for AF. Separately, we have already enrolled thirty patients in our first-in-human clinical study of the cardiac clamp, a multi-site study of AF in the Netherlands. All of the patients in our first-in-human study have tolerated the procedure well and acute data have been encouraging. We expect data from this study will provide important support for our IDE submission for the pivotal clinical trial as well as initial evidence of the effectiveness and safety of our cardiac surgical ablation clamp as a surgical way to treat AF.

In July 2024, we received Breakthrough Device Designation from the FDA for our nsPFA Cardiac Surgery System for the treatment of AF. The FDA’s Breakthrough Devices Program is a voluntary program for certain medical devices that potentially provide for more effective treatment or diagnosis of a life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating disease or condition. More recently, our Cardiac Surgery System was enrolled in the FDA’s Total Product Life Cycle (TPLC) Advisory Program (TAP). The FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) launched the TAP program to help generate more rapid development of high-quality, safe, effective, and innovative medical devices that are critical to public health. TAP’s primary goal is to expedite patient access to innovative medical devices by providing early, frequent and strategic communications with the FDA and facilitating engagement with other key parties for developers of devices of public health importance. Both programs are designed to expedite the development, assessment, and review of medical devices for premarket approval, 510(k) clearance, or De Novo marketing authorization. Breakthrough Devices, even those enrolled in the FDA’s TAP Program, must still meet the FDA’s rigorous standards for device safety and effectiveness in order to be authorized for marketing, however.

CellFX nsPFA 360° Cardiac Catheter

We believe our cardiac, endocardial, catheter ablation device will have many of the same advantages that the surgical ablation clamp appears to have with respect to both performance and safety compared to standard thermal modalities. Our catheter is uniquely designed to provide a circumferential, or circular, ablation in a single treatment cycle. We believe this will enable faster treatment times compared to what is currently performed with thermal modalities, especially when ablating around the pulmonary veins, a common treatment approach for AF.

In recent years, Pulsed Field Ablation (“PFA”) has gained attention in electrophysiology for the treatment of AF because of its safety profile and speed. Current clinical products employing PFA in AF treatment differ from nsPFA technology in that the pulse widths are longer, typically in the microsecond domain. We believe nsPFA technology, which delivers pulses of electrical energy that are each less than a millionth of a second long, can offer similar safety advantages as PFA and may provide improved efficacy advantages based on the circumferential design of our catheter and because it appears nsPFA technology can create deeper ablations.

Similar to the cardiac ablation clamp, our proprietary catheter has been in development for several years and we have been working with leaders in the electrophysiology field to test the catheter in preclinical studies. After seeing encouraging preclinical results, in December 2023, we initiated a clinical study in Prague, Czech Republic, to test our nsPFA 360° Cardiac Catheter in patients with AF and both acute data and remapping data from this study have been promising. We therefore expanded the initial clinical protocol in 2024 to enroll more than 80 patients, from 30, and to include participation by two additional sites. The study is now almost fully enrolled. Investigators have successfully remapped more than half of the study participants and we have been encouraged by the results seen in the study. Therefore, given the compelling data to date, we expect to commence a U.S. IDE pivotal clinical study of our proprietary 360° cardiac catheter sometime in mid-2025. We continue to believe we will need PMA approval from the FDA in order to market and sell our catheter in the United States.

The CellFX Console

The CellFX Console is a tunable, software-enabled, console-based platform, designed to accommodate the clinical workflow preferred by physicians. The CellFX System is configured to accept a variety of disposable applicators or electrodes across a range of clinical applications. In February 2021, we received 510(k) clearance from the FDA for the CellFX System for dermatologic procedures requiring ablation and resurfacing of the skin. In January 2021, we received Conformité Européene (“CE”) marking approval for the CellFX System, which allows for marketing of the system in the European Union (“EU”). Shortly after these regulatory clearances, we began commercializing the CellFX System in dermatology for the treatment of benign skin lesions. However, in September 2022, we announced a shift in our focus from dermatology to cardiology and soft tissue ablation. We have ceased all commercial sales and marketing operations in dermatology. At the present time, we continue to support our remaining commercial users and remain open to a potential commercial partnership. The CellFX System is being used for our current efforts in the treatment of AF and as part of the nsPFA Percutaneous Electrode System.

We continue to believe nsPFA ablation, as well as NPS technology more broadly, has the potential to provide superior outcomes across a variety of medical disciplines and we may seek partnership opportunities to develop additional applications.    

Financing Our Business

Over the past few years, Robert Duggan, our majority stockholder and Co-Chairman, has made significant investments in our Company to fund its operations. In June 2022, we completed a common stock rights offering to our existing stockholders, which raised $15 million in aggregate. Mr. Duggan purchased approximately 56% of the shares offered through this offering. Then, in September 2022, we entered into a loan agreement with Mr. Duggan pursuant to which he lent us $65 million to fund our product development operations. In April 2023, this loan agreement was terminated when Mr. Duggan and the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement whereby the shares were paid for through the cancellation of both the principal sum of $65.0 million and all accrued and unpaid interest owed at the time under the 2022 Loan Agreement, which totaled approximately $0.2 million. In June 2024, we completed a rights offering of units (each unit comprising a share of our common stock and two warrants, each to purchase a one-half share of our common stock) to our existing stockholders, which raised $60 million in aggregate. Mr. Duggan purchased approximately 88% of the shares offered through this offering. Mr. Duggan may or may not elect to participate in any number of future fundraisings by the Company, whether similar to those described above or otherwise, and he may choose to invest more than his current pro rata share in any of these fundraisings, or alternatively he may offer to provide additional debt financing as may be needed in order to maintain the Company as a going concern.

The source, timing and availability of any future financing will depend largely upon market conditions and perceived progress in the Company’s on-going product development initiatives, as well as future clinical and regulatory developments concerning the CellFX System and our other NPS-based technologies. Funding may not be available when needed, at all or on terms acceptable to us. Lack of necessary funds may require us to, among other things, delay, scale back or eliminate some or all of our commercial activities, reduce headcount, trim research and product development programs, discontinue clinical trials, stop all or some of our manufacturing operations, defer capital expenditures, deregister from being a publicly traded company and delist from Nasdaq, or license our potential products or technologies to third parties, possibly on terms that cannot sustain our current business. In addition, economic instability caused by the armed conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine and high interest rates, together with other market factors, could have an adverse impact on potential sources of future financing.

We have incurred substantial operating losses and have used cash in our operating activities since inception. To fund our business, we may utilize some combination of public or private equity offerings, debt financings, or potential new collaborations in the future. There can be no assurance, however, that any additional financing or any revenue-generating collaboration will be available when needed or that we will be able to obtain financing or enter into a collaboration on terms acceptable to us.

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Critical Accounting Policies and Significant Judgments

The discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations is based upon our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. Certain accounting policies and estimates are particularly important to the understanding of our financial position and results of operations and require the application of significant judgment by management or can be materially affected by changes from period to period in economic factors or conditions that are outside of the Company’s control. As a result, these issues are subject to an inherent degree of uncertainty. In applying these policies, management uses its judgment to determine the appropriate assumptions to be used in the determination of certain estimates. Those estimates are based on our historical operations, future business plans and the projected financial results, the terms of existing contracts, trends in the industry and information available from other outside sources. We continually evaluate the accounting policies and estimates used in preparing our consolidated financial statements.

Stock-Based Compensation

Our stock-based compensation programs include stock options and an employee stock purchase program. We periodically issue stock options to officers, directors, employees, and consultants for their services to the Company. Such issuances vest and expire according to terms established at the issuance date. Stock-based payments to officers, directors and employees, including grants of employee stock options, are recognized in the financial statements based on their grant date fair values, which are estimated using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. Stock-based compensation expense is charged to operations on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period. We have granted stock options with time-based, performance-based, and market-based vesting conditions. In October 2024, our Board approved changes to the vesting conditions of certain outstanding common stock option awards so that the performance-based vesting criteria of those particular awards were modified to either time-based or market-based vesting criteria.

For stock options with performance-based vesting conditions, we do not recognize compensation expense until it is probable that the performance-based vesting condition will be achieved. The analysis to determine such probability involves estimates and judgements from management. The estimate of expense may be revised periodically based on the probability of achieving the required performance targets. 

During 2024, we issued certain stock options with market-based vesting conditions and modified certain performance-based stock option awards to market-based options. The vesting conditions related to market-based options relate to the achievement of certain market capitalization targets of the Company. Using a Monte Carlo simulation model, we estimate the fair value of the market-based options on the grant date or modification date, with the associated stock-based compensation expense recognized over the requisite service period. The requisite service period is the service period derived from the Monte Carlo simulation model. If the market capitalization targets are met sooner than the derived service period, we will accelerate the recognition of stock-based compensation expense to reflect the cumulative expense associated with the vested shares. The Monte Carlo simulation model requires us to make assumptions and judgements about the variables used in the calculation including the expected volatility, the risk-free interest rate, cost of equity, and the expected term.

Income Taxes

We account for income taxes using the asset and liability method, whereby deferred tax assets and liability account balances are determined based on differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities, and are measured using the enacted rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse.

We provide a valuation allowance to reduce its deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be realized. If we determine that we would be able to realize deferred tax assets in the future in excess of the recorded amount, an adjustment to the deferred tax assets would be credited to operations in the period such determination was made. Likewise, should we determine that we would not be able to realize all or part of its deferred tax assets in the future, an adjustment to the deferred tax assets would be charged to operations in the period such determination was made.

We account for uncertainties in income tax law under a comprehensive model for the financial statement recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in income tax returns as prescribed by Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 740-10- Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes. The tax effects of a position are recognized only if it is “more-likely-than-not” to be sustained by the taxing authority as of the reporting date. If the tax position is not considered “more-likely-than-not” to be sustained, then no benefits of the position are recognized.

We are subject to U.S. federal income taxes and income taxes in California and various states. As our net operating losses have yet to be utilized, previous tax years remain open to examination by federal authorities and other jurisdictions in which we currently operate or have operated in the past. We are not currently under examination by any tax authority.

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Results of Operations

Comparison of the Years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023

Our consolidated statements of operations as discussed herein are presented below:

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Revenues

There were no revenues for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.

Research and Development

Research and development expenses consist of compensation and other employee-related expenses for research and development personnel, clinical trials and consulting costs related to the design, development and enhancement of our potential future products, prototype material and devices. Research and development expenses increased by $4.5 million to $32.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to $27.8 million during the same period in 2023, primarily due to increases of $2.8 million in stock-based compensation, $1.6 million in compensation and other employee-related expenses, and $0.7 million in supplies; partially offset by a decrease of $0.6 million in paid services.

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General and Administrative

General and administrative expenses consist of compensation and other employee-related expenses for executives, finance, legal, human resources, information technology, and administrative personnel, professional fees, patent fees and costs, insurance costs and other general corporate expenses. General and administrative expenses increased by $8.1 million to $23.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to $15.8 million during the same period in 2023, primarily due to increases of $3.6 million in stock-based compensation, $1.2 million in legal settlement, $1.5 million in compensation and other employee-related expenses, $0.9 million in paid services and administrative costs, $0.7 million in severance cost, and $0.3 million in supplies and facilities and IT cost allocations.

Other Income, net

Interest income increased by $0.2 million to $2.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to $2.5 million during the same period in 2023, driven by increased returns on higher cash balances. Interest expense decreased by $1.1 million to zero for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to $1.1 million during the same period in 2023, driven by interest on the 2022 Loan Agreement, which was terminated in 2023.  

Liquidity and Capital Resources

To date, we have not generated significant revenues from product sales. Since inception, we have funded our business primarily through the issuance of equity securities and debt. Over the next few years, we intend to invest heavily in research and development to make our existing products ready for commercial launch and complete their clinical testing and to assess the feasibility of potential future products.

On June 9, 2022, we completed the 2022 Rights Offering resulting in the sale of 7,317,072 Units, at a price of $2.05 per Unit, with each Unit consisting of one share of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and one warrant to purchase one share of common stock at $2.05 per share. 7,317,072 shares of common stock and warrants to acquire up to an additional 7,317,072 shares of common stock were issued in the 2022 Rights Offering. The Company received aggregate gross proceeds from the 2022 Rights Offering of $15 million. In May 2023, the Company delivered an irrevocable notice of redemption to warrant holders and, on June 16, 2023, it redeemed the last of the outstanding 2022 Rights Offering Warrants at a price of $0.01 per warrant share.  Prior to the redemption date, warrants to purchase 7,250,897 shares were exercised, generating approximately $14.9 million of total gross proceeds to the Company. Robert W. Duggan, the Company’s majority stockholder and Co-Chairman, purchased approximately 56% of the shares offered through the 2022 Rights Offering. As of December 31, 2024, there were no 2022 Rights Offering Warrants outstanding.

In September 2022, we entered into the 2022 Loan Agreement with Robert W. Duggan, our majority stockholder and Co-Chairman, in connection with Mr. Duggan lending the principal sum of $65.0 million to the Company. The 2022 Loan Agreement had a maturity date of March 20, 2024. Under the 2022 Loan Agreement, Mr. Duggan provided us, subject to certain conditions, an unsecured term loan facility in an original aggregate principal amount of $65.0 million. The 2022 Loan Agreement bore interest at a rate per annum equal to 5.0%, payable quarterly, commencing on January 1, 2023. On March 17, 2023, the Company and Mr. Duggan amended certain terms of the Loan Agreement. There were no changes to the interest rate, but the principal sum repayment date was changed to September 30, 2024. However, on April 30, 2023, we entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement with Mr. Duggan, pursuant to which we agreed to issue and sell to Mr. Duggan 10,022,937 shares of our common stock, par value $0.001 per share, in a Private Placement, at a price per share of $6.51. These shares were paid for through the cancellation of the amounts then owed by the Company under the 2022 Loan Agreement, the principal sum of $65.0 million and all accrued and unpaid interest outstanding, which totaled approximately $0.2 million as of April 30, 2023. The parties completed the Private Placement on May 9, 2023 and, upon closing and satisfaction of the outstanding debt, the 2022 Loan Agreement terminated, without early termination fees or penalties being owed by the Company. At December 31, 2024 and 2023, there were no remaining amounts owed to Mr. Duggan under the 2022 Loan Agreement.

On July 3, 2024, we announced the closing of our 2024 Rights Offering. The 2024 Rights Offering resulted in the sale of six million 2024 Units, at a price of $10.00 per 2024 Unit. Each 2024 Unit consisted of one share of our common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and two warrants, each being a warrant to purchase one-half of one share of common stock. The common stock and warrants comprising the 2024 Units separated upon the closing of the 2024 Rights Offering and were issued individually. Upon the closing of the offering, we issued a total of 5,999,998 shares of common stock and warrants to acquire up to approximately an additional six million shares of common stock, at an exercise price of $11 per whole share, and we received aggregate gross proceeds of $60 million. Robert W. Duggan, the Company’s majority stockholder and Co-Chairman, purchased approximately 88% of the units offered through the 2024 Rights Offering. Half of the warrants issued in the rights offering were redeemable by us if our volume-weighted average price ("VWAP") exceeded 150% of the exercise price, or $16.50, for twenty consecutive trading days. In December 2024, we delivered an irrevocable notice of redemption to redeem this first tranche of common stock warrants because the VWAP of our common stock over the twenty consecutive trading days before the notice was $18.85. Then, in February 2025, we redeemed 18,221 warrants, specifically the ones subject to the 150% redemption feature, on the announced redemption date. The other half of the warrants issued in the 2024 Rights Offering are redeemable by us if our VWAP exceeds 200% of the exercise price, or $22.00, for twenty consecutive trading days. As of December 31, 2024, there were 253,246 2024 Rights Offering Warrants outstanding which were subject to the 150% redemption feature and there were 1,245,237 2024 Rights Offering Warrants outstanding which were subject to the 200% redemption feature. As of December 31, 2024, we have received $49.4 million in gross proceeds from exercises of the 2024 Rights Offering Warrants.

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Our consolidated statements of cash flows as discussed herein are presented below:

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To date, we have generated limited revenue and used cash in our operating activities. As a result, we have incurred significant operating losses in each year since our inception and we may continue to incur additional losses for the next several years. As of December 31, 2024, we had cash and cash equivalents of $118.0 million. Additionally, subsequent to December 31, 2024, we have received $14.1 million in gross proceeds from additional exercises of 2024 Rights Offering Warrants. See Note 13 for further details. We believe that our existing cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to fund our projected operating requirements for at least the next twelve months from the filing date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. However, we plan to raise additional capital in the future. We can give no assurance, at this time, that additional financing or a collaboration will be available when needed on terms acceptable to us, however.

These expectations are based on our current operating and financing plans which are subject to change. Until we are able to generate sustainable product revenues at profitable levels, we expect to finance our future cash needs through public or private equity offerings, debt financings, and/or potential new collaborations. Such additional funds may not be available on terms acceptable to us or at all. If we raise funds by issuing equity or equity-linked securities, the ownership of some or all of our stockholders may be diluted, and the holders of new equity securities may have priority rights over our existing stockholders. If adequate funds are not available, we may be required to curtail operations significantly or obtain funds by entering into agreements on unattractive terms. Our inability to raise capital could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. For example, lack of necessary funds may require us to, among other things, reduce headcount, trim research and product development programs, discontinue clinical trials, defer capital expenditures, deregister from being a publicly traded company and delist from Nasdaq, or license our potential products or technologies to third parties, possibly on terms that cannot sustain our current business. In addition, the recent decline in economic activity caused by the armed conflicts in Ukraine and Israel, together with the deterioration of the credit, banking and capital markets, could have an adverse impact on potential sources of future financing.

Operating Activities

During 2024, we used cash of $36.3 million in operating activities. The difference between cash used in operating activities and net loss consisted primarily of stock-based compensation and depreciation and amortization, with a decrease in accounts payable, partially offset by increases in prepaid expenses and accrued expenses.

During 2023, we used cash of $33.0 million in operating activities. The difference between cash used in operating activities and net loss consisted primarily of stock-based compensation, depreciation and amortization, accrued interest, and right-of-use assets, partially offset by increases in accounts payable and accrued expenses.

Investing Activities

Our investing activities consist primarily of capital expenditures.

During 2024, cash used in investing activities was $0.1 million, which was for the purchase of property and equipment.

During 2023, cash used in investing activities was $0.1 million, which was for the purchase of property and equipment.

Financing Activities

During 2024, cash provided from financing activities was $110.1 million, primarily due to $59.6 million of net proceeds from the 2024 Rights Offering, $49.4 million of proceeds from the exercise of common stock warrants, $0.9 million of proceeds from the exercise of stock options, and $0.5 million from the sale of stock under our employee stock purchase plan, offset by $0.3 million of deferred issuance costs in relation to a future at-the-market equity offering.  

During 2023, cash provided from financing activities was $16.3 million, primarily due to $14.8 million of proceeds from the exercise of common stock warrants, $1.2 million of proceeds from the exercise of stock options, and $0.4 million from the sale of stock under our employee stock purchase plan.

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Contractual Obligations

Operating Leases

We currently lease approximately 50,300 square feet of premises located in Hayward, California, which is used for our principal operating facility. The term of the original lease included approximately 15,700 square feet for 62 months and commenced on July 1, 2017. In May 2019, we entered into an amendment which enabled us to expand the lease by approximately 34,600 additional square feet, for a total of approximately 50,300 square feet. The amendment also included an option to extend the term of the lease. Approximately 13,300 square feet of the additional space was occupied in November 2019 as part of the first phase, and the remaining approximately 21,300 square feet was occupied in May 2020 as part of the second phase. The term of the total lease was extended through October 2029.

In November 2024, we leased approximately 2,000 square feet of premises located in Miami, Florida, which is used for our corporate headquarters. The term of the lease is 65 months and it commenced on November 8, 2024.

The following table summarizes our contractual obligations as of December 31, 2024 (in thousands):

[[GREPCENT_TABLE]]
[["","","Payments Due by Period"],["(in thousands)","","Total","","","Less Than 1 Year","","","1 to 3 Years","","","3 to 5 Years","","","More Than 5 Years"],["Operating leases","","$","11,212","","","$","2,151","","","$","4,527","","","$","4,461","","","$","73"]]
[[/GREPCENT_TABLE]]

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

At December 31, 2024, we did not have any transactions, obligations or relationships that constitute off-balance sheet arrangements.

In the ordinary course of business, we enter into standard indemnification arrangements. Pursuant to these arrangements, we indemnify, hold harmless, and agree to reimburse the indemnified parties for losses suffered or incurred by the indemnified party in connection with any trade secret, copyright, patent or other intellectual property infringement claim by any third party with respect to its technology, or from claims relating to our performance or non-performance under a contract. The maximum potential amount of future payments we could be required to make under these agreements is not determinable because it involves claims that may be made against us in future periods, but have not yet been made. To date, we have not incurred costs to defend lawsuits or settle claims related to these indemnification agreements.

We also enter and have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and officers that may require us to indemnify them against liabilities that arise by reason of their status or service as directors or officers, except as prohibited by applicable law. In addition, we may have obligations to hold harmless and indemnify third parties involved with our fundraising efforts and their respective affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents or other representatives against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities related to claims arising against such parties pursuant to the terms of agreements entered into between us and such third parties in connection with such fundraising efforts. No liability associated with such indemnification agreements has been recorded as of December 31, 2024.

Trends, Events and Uncertainties

Research and development of new technologies are, by their nature, unpredictable. Although we undertake development efforts with commercially reasonable diligence, there can be no assurance that the net proceeds from our financings will be sufficient to enable us to develop our technology to the extent needed to generate future sales to sustain our operations. If we do not continue to have enough funds to sustain our operations, we will consider other options to continue the research and development of our technology, including, but not limited to, additional financing through follow-on stock offerings, debt financings, or co-development agreements and /or other alternatives.

We cannot assure investors that our technology will be adopted or that we will ever achieve sustainable revenues sufficient to support our operations. Even if we are able to generate revenues, there can be no assurances that we will be able to achieve profitability or positive operating cash flows. There can be no assurances that we will be able to secure additional financing in the future on acceptable terms or at all. If our technology cannot be used to successfully treat AF, tumors and nodules, or if our cash resources are insufficient to satisfy our ongoing cash needs, we would be required to, among other things, delay, scale back or eliminate some or all of our activities, reduce headcount, trim research and product development programs, discontinue clinical trials, stop all or some of our manufacturing operations, defer capital expenditures, deregister from being a publicly traded company and delist from Nasdaq, license our potential products or technologies to third parties, possibly on terms that cannot sustain our current business, or curtail, suspend or discontinue our operations entirely.

Other than as discussed above and elsewhere in this Annual Report, we are not currently aware of any trends, events or uncertainties that are likely to have a material effect on our financial condition in the near term, although it is possible that new trends or events may develop in the future that could have a material effect on our financial condition.

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