UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 10-Q

 

(Mark One)

xQUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

FOR THE QUARTERLY PERIOD ENDED MARCH 31, 2013

 

¨TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM                      TO                     

 

Commission File Number: 001-34058

 

 

NILE THERAPEUTICS, INC.

(Exact Name Of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)

 

 

Delaware 88-0363465
(State of Incorporation) (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

 

63 Bovet Rd., Suite 421, San Mateo, CA 94402

(Address of principal executive offices)(Zip Code)

 

(650) 918-7489

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

Not Applicable

(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.  Yes   x  No   ¨

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).    x  Yes    ¨  No

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer   ¨ Accelerated filer ¨
   
Non-accelerated filer     ¨ (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) Smaller reporting company x

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes  ¨    No  x

 

As of June 19, 2013, there were 43,062,231 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of Nile Therapeutics, Inc. issued and outstanding.

 

 

 

 
 

 

Index

 

    Page
     
PART I FINANCIAL INFORMATION  
     
Item 1. Financial Statements  
     
  Condensed Balance Sheets (unaudited) 4
     
  Condensed Statements of Operations (unaudited) 5
     
  Condensed Statement of Stockholders’ Equity (unaudited) 6
     
  Condensed Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited) 7
     
  Notes to Condensed Financial Statements (unaudited) 8
     
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations 18
     
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk 26
     
Item 4. Controls and Procedures 26
     
PART II OTHER INFORMATION  
     
Item 1. Legal Proceedings 27
     
Item 1A. Risk Factors 27
     
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds 28
     
Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities 28
     
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures 28
     
Item 5. Other Information 28
     
Item 6. Exhibits 28
     
  Signatures 29
     
  Exhibit Index  

 

2
 

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

This Quarterly Report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. Any statements about our expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not historical facts and may be forward-looking. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about:

 

  our ability to obtain adequate financing;
     
  our ability to find collaborative partners for research, development and commercialization of potential products;
     
  the development of our product candidates;

 

  the regulatory approval of our product candidates;

 

  our use of clinical research centers and other contractors;

 

  acceptance of our products by doctors, patients or payors;

 

  our ability to market any of our product candidates;

 

  our history of operating losses;

 

  our ability to compete against other companies and research institutions;

 

  our ability to secure adequate protection for our intellectual property;

 

  our ability to attract and retain key personnel;

 

  availability of reimbursement for our product candidates;

 

  the effect of potential strategic transactions on our business; and

 

  the volatility of our stock price.

 

These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “continuing,” “ongoing,” “expect,” “believe,” “intend” and similar words or phrases. For such statements, we claim the protection of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Readers of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the time this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC. These forward-looking statements are based largely on our expectations and projections about future events and future trends affecting our business, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Discussions containing these forward-looking statements may be found throughout this report, including Part I, the section entitled “Item 2: Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including the risks discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 (“Form 10-K”), that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly revise our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the filing of this report or documents incorporated by reference herein that include forward-looking statements. The risks discussed in our Form 10-K and in this report should be considered in evaluating our prospects and future financial performance.

 

In addition, past financial or operating performance is not necessarily a reliable indicator of future performance and you should not use our historical performance to anticipate results or future period trends. We can give no assurances that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if any of them do, what impact they will have on our results of operations and financial condition.

 

References to the “Company,” “Nile,” the “Registrant,” “we,” “us,” or “our” in this report refer to Nile Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation, unless the context indicates otherwise.

 

3
 

 

PART I — FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1.Financial Statements.

NILE THERAPEUTICS, INC.

(A DEVELOPMENT STAGE COMPANY)

CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS

 

   March 31, 2013   December 31, 2012 
   (unaudited)     
ASSETS        
Current assets          
Cash and cash equivalents  $285,032   $46,716 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets   112,743    124,912 
Deferred financing fees   6,506    - 
           
Total current assets   404,281    171,628 
           
Property and equipment, net   1,159    3,488 
Other noncurrent assets   9,868    51,938 
           
Total assets  $415,308   $227,054 
           
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY          
Current liabilities          
Accounts payable  $249,351   $182,916 
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities   202,203    131,928 
Notes payable, net of unamortized discount of $259,026   190,974    - 
Due to related party   6,600    16,139 
           
Total current liabilities   649,128    330,983 
           
Warrant liability   408,842    63,384 
           
Total liabilities   1,057,970    394,367 
           
Commitments and contingencies          
           
Stockholders' (deficit) equity          
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value, 10,000,000 shares authorized,          
none issued and outstanding   -    - 
Common stock, $0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized,          
43,062,231 shares issued and outstanding   43,062    43,062 
Additional paid-in capital   46,505,056    46,497,642 
Deficit accumulated during the development stage   (47,190,780)   (46,708,017)
           
Total stockholders' (deficit) equity   (642,662)   (167,313)
           
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity  $415,308   $227,054 

 

See accompanying notes to the unaudited condensed financial statements.

 

4
 

 

NILE THERAPEUTICS, INC.

(A DEVELOPMENT STAGE COMPANY)

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(unaudited)

 

   Three months ended March 31,   Period from August 1, 
           2005 (inception) through 
   2013   2012   March 31, 2013 
Income:            
Grant income  $-   $-   $482,235 
Collaboration income   -    195,500    1,550,000 
                
Total income   -    195,500    2,032,235 
                
Operating expenses:               
Research and development   62,605    465,353    31,082,425 
General and administrative   262,475    500,020    18,200,346 
                
Total operating expenses   325,080    965,373    49,282,771 
                
Loss from operations   (325,080)   (769,873)   (47,250,536)
                
Other income (expense):               
Interest income   40    244    795,232 
Interest expense   (13,018)   -    (1,286,752)
Other income (expense)   (144,705)   (2,250)   551,276 
                
Total other income (expense)   (157,683)   (2,006)   59,756 
                
Net loss  $(482,763)  $(771,879)  $(47,190,780)
                
Basic and diluted loss per share  $(0.01)  $(0.02)     
                
Weighted-average common shares outstanding   43,062,231    39,712,231      

 

See accompanying notes to the unaudited condensed financial statements.

 

5
 

 

NILE THERAPEUTICS, INC.

(A DEVELOPMENT STAGE COMPANY)

CONDENSED STATEMENT OF STOCKHOLDERS’ (DEFICIT) EQUITY

PERIOD FROM AUGUST 1, 2005 (INCEPTION) TO MARCH 31, 2013

(unaudited)  

 

   COMMON STOCK       DEFICIT     
               ACCUMULATED     
           ADDITIONAL   DURING THE   TOTAL 
           PAID-IN   DEVELOPMENT   STOCKHOLDERS' 
   SHARES   AMOUNT   CAPITAL   STAGE   (DEFICIT) EQUITY 
Issuance of common shares to found\ers   13,794,132   $13,794   $(8,794)  $-   $5,000 
                          
Founders shares returned to treasury   (1,379,419)   -    -    -    - 
                          
Net loss   -    -    -    (10,043)   (10,043)
                          
Balance at December 31, 2005   12,414,713    13,794    (8,794)   (10,043)   (5,043)
                          
Issuance of common shares pursuant to licensing agreement   1,379,419    -    500    -    500 
                          
Issuance of stock options for services   -    -    10,000    -    10,000 
                          
Net loss   -    -    -    (2,581,972)   (2,581,972)
                          
Balance at December 31, 2006   13,794,132    13,794    1,706    (2,592,015)   (2,576,515)
                          
Issuance of common shares pursuant to licensing agreement   63,478    64    182,172    -    182,236 
                          
Issuance of common shares pursuant to licensing agreement   350,107    350    999,650    -    1,000,000 
                          
Common shares sold in private placement, net of                         
issuance costs of $102,000   6,957,914    6,958    19,865,789    -    19,872,747 
                          
Warrants issued in connection with note conversion   -    -    288,000    -    288,000 
                          
Conversion of notes payable upon event of merger   1,684,085    1,684    4,349,481    -    4,351,165 
                          
Note discount arising from beneficial conversion feature   -    -    483,463    -    483,463 
                          
Reverse merger transaction                         
                          
Elimination of accumulated deficit   -    -    (234,218)   -    (234,218)
                          
Previously issued SMI stock   1,250,000    1,250    232,968    -    234,218 
                          
Employee stock-based compensation   -    -    1,902,298    -    1,902,298 
                          
Non-employee stock-based compensation   -    -    (667)   -    (667)
                          
Net loss   -    -    -    (10,302,795)   (10,302,795)
                          
Balance at December 31, 2007   24,099,716    24,100    28,070,642    (12,894,810)   15,199,932 
                          
Warrants issued in satisfaction of accrued liabilities   -    -    334,992    -    334,992 
                          
Employee stock-based compensation   -    -    2,436,603    -    2,436,603 
                          
Non-employee stock-based compensation   -    -    13,687    -    13,687 
                          
Issuance of common shares pursuant to licensing agreement   49,689    50    249,950    -    250,000 
                          
Net loss   -    -    -    (13,131,596)   (13,131,596)
                          
Balance at December 31, 2008   24,149,405    24,150    31,105,874    (26,026,406)  $5,103,618 
                          
Employee stock-based compensation   -    -    1,772,597    -    1,772,597 
                          
Non-employee stock-based compensation   -    -    473,584    -    473,584 
                          
Units sold in private placement, net of issuance costs of $282,773   2,691,394    2,691    3,284,484    -    3,287,175 
                          
Stock option and warrant exercises   245,025    245    217,228    -    217,473 
                          
Net loss   -    -    -    (7,872,297)   (7,872,297)
                          
Balance at December 31, 2009   27,085,824    27,086    36,853,767    (33,898,703)   2,982,150 
                          
Employee stock-based compensation   -    -    1,142,552    -    1,142,552 
                          
Non-employee stock-based compensation   -    -    (19,249)   -    (19,249)
                          
Units sold in private placement, net of issuance costs of $715,801   7,475,000    7,475    4,509,224    -    4,516,699 
                          
Stock option and warrant exercises   68,970    69    6,138    -    6,207 
                          
Net loss   -    -    -    (6,031,491)   (6,031,491)
                          
Balance at December 31, 2010   34,629,794    34,630    42,492,432    (39,930,194)   2,596,868 
                          
Employee stock-based compensation   -    -    785,587    -    785,587 
                          
Non-employee stock-based compensation   -    -    20,740    -    20,740 
                          
Stock option and warrant exercises   82,437    82    13,666    -    13,748 
                          
Units sold in private placement, net of issuance costs of $201,434   5,000,000    5,000    2,293,566    -    2,298,566 
                          
Net loss   -    -    -    (4,884,786)   (4,884,786)
                          
Balance at December 31, 2011   39,712,231    39,712    45,605,991    (44,814,980)   830,723 
                          
Employee stock-based compensation   -    -    312,690    -    312,690 
                          
Units sold in private placement, net of issuance costs of $145,793   3,350,000    3,350    1,190,857    -    1,194,207 
                          
Warrants issued in connection with offering   -    -    (611,896)   -    (611,896)
                          
Net loss   -    -    -    (1,893,037)   (1,893,037)
                          
Balance at December 31, 2012   43,062,231    43,062    46,497,642    (46,708,017)   (167,313)
                          
Employee stock-based compensation   -    -    7,414    -    7,414 
                          
Net loss   -    -    -    (482,763)   (482,763)
                          
Balance at March 31, 2013   43,062,231   $43,062   $46,505,056   $(47,190,780)  $(642,662)

 

See accompanying notes to the unaudited condensed financial statements.

 

6
 

 

NILE THERAPEUTICS, INC.

(A DEVELOPMENT STAGE COMPANY)

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(unaudited)

 

   Three months ended March 31,   Period from August 1, 2005 (inception) 
           through 
   2013   2012   March 31, 2013 
Cash flows from operating activities            
Net loss  $(482,763)  $(771,879)   (47,190,780)
                
Adjustment to reconcile net loss to net cash used               
in operating activities               
Depreciation and amortization   1,022    1,793    327,926 
Stock-based compensation   7,414    171,815    10,625,564 
Warrant liability   142,058    -    (406,454)
Write-off of intangible assets   -    -    106,830 
Warrants issued in connection with note conversion   -    -    288,000 
Note discount arising from beneficial conversion feature   -    -    483,463 
Loss on disposal of assets   1,307    -    38,031 
Noncash interest expense   13,018    -    364,183 
                
Changes in operating assets and liabilities               
Prepaid expenses and other current assets   4,519    50,911    (120,393)
Other non-current assets   42,070    -    (9,868)
Accounts payable   66,435    (110,683)   249,351 
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities   70,275    (4,816)   202,203 
Due to related party   (9,539)   59,399    6,600 
                
Net cash used in operating activities   (144,184)   (603,460)   (35,035,344)
                
Cash flows from investing activities               
Purchase of property and equipment   -    -    (130,855)
Proceeds from sale of assets   -    -    2,500 
Cash paid for intangible assets   -    -    (345,591)
Net cash used in investing activities   -    -    (473,946)
                
Cash flows from financing activities               
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable   382,500    -    5,882,500 
Repayment of notes payable   -    -    (1,500,000)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options and warrants   -    -    237,428 
Proceeds from sale of common stock to founders   -    -    5,000 
Proceeds from sale of common stock in private placement, net   -    -    31,169,394 
                
Net cash provided by financing activities   382,500    -    35,794,322 
                
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents   238,316    (603,460)   285,032 
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period   46,716    1,039,190    - 
                
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period  $285,032   $435,730   $285,032 
                
Supplemental schedule of cash flows information:               
                
Cash paid for interest  $-   $-   $150,000 
                
Supplemental schedule of non-cash investing and financing activities:               
                
Warrants issued in satisfaction of accrued liability  $-   $-   $334,992 
Warrants issued to placement agent and investors
in connection with private placements
       $-   $5,721,000 
Warrants issued to investors in connection with
registered direct offering
  $-   $-   $611,896 
Conversion of notes payable and interest to common stock  $-   $-   $4,351,165 
Common shares of SMI issued in reverse merger transaction  $-   $-   $1,250 

 

See accompanying notes to the unaudited condensed financial statements.

 

7
 

 

Nile Therapeutics, Inc

(A Development Stage Company)

Notes to Financial Statements

 

1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

 

Nile Therapeutics, Inc. (“Nile” or the “Company”) engages in research and development of innovative products for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Nile’s lead compound is cenderitide, a chimeric natriuretic peptide currently in development for the treatment of heart failure patients in the post-acute period. The Company is also developing CU-NP, a pre-clinical rationally designed natriuretic peptide that consists of amino acid chains identical to those produced by the human body, specifically the ring structure of C-type Natriuretic Peptide (“CNP”) and the N- and C-termini of Urodilatin (“URO”).

 

The Company was incorporated in the State of Nevada on June 17, 1996 and reincorporated in Delaware on February 9, 2007, at which time its name was SMI Products, Inc. (“SMI”). On September 17, 2007, the Company completed a merger transaction whereby Nile Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of SMI, merged with and into Nile Therapeutics, Inc., a privately held Delaware corporation (“Old Nile”), with Old Nile becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of SMI. Immediately following the merger described above, Old Nile was merged with and into the Company, with the Company remaining as the surviving corporation to that merger. In connection with that short-form merger, the Company changed its name to “Nile Therapeutics, Inc.” These two merger transactions are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Merger.” All costs incurred in connection with the Merger have been expensed. Upon completion of the Merger, the Company adopted Old Nile’s business plan.

 

2. BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

The Company is a development stage enterprise since it has not yet generated any revenue from the sale of products and, through March 31, 2013, its efforts have been principally devoted to developing its licensed technologies, and raising capital. Accordingly, the accompanying condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions of Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 915, “Development Stage Entities.”

 

The accompanying unaudited Condensed Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q adopted under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for complete financial statements. In the opinion of Nile’s management, the accompanying Condensed Financial Statements contain all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals and adjustments) necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Company at the dates and for the periods indicated. The interim results for the period ended March 31, 2013 are not necessarily indicative of results for the full 2013 fiscal year or any other future interim periods. Because the Merger was accounted for as a reverse acquisition under generally accepted accounting principles, the financial statements for periods prior to September 17, 2007 reflect only the operations of Old Nile.

 

These unaudited Condensed Financial Statements have been prepared by management and should be read in conjunction with the Financial Statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires that management make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of income and expenses during the reporting periods. Estimates and assumptions principally relate to services performed by third parties but not yet invoiced, estimates of the fair value and forfeiture rates of stock options issued to employees and consultants, and estimates of the probability and potential magnitude of contingent liabilities. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

Collaboration Income

 

In February 2011, the Company entered into a collaboration agreement whereby the Company was reimbursed for work performed on behalf of the collaborator upon the achievement of certain milestones. The Company recorded all of these expenses as research and development expenses and the reimbursements upon the achievement of the milestones as income (Note 5).

 

The Company recognizes milestone payments as income upon achievement of the milestone only if (1) the milestone payment is non-refundable, (2) substantive effort is involved in achieving the milestone, (3) the amount of the milestone is reasonable in relation to the effort expended or the risk associated with achievement of the milestone and (4) the milestone is at risk for both parties. If any of these conditions are not met, the Company defers the milestone payment and recognizes it as income over the remaining estimated period of performance under the contract as the Company completes its performance obligations.

8
 

 

Nile Therapeutics, Inc

(A Development Stage Company)

Notes to Financial Statements

 

Research and Development

 

Research and development costs are charged to expense as incurred. Research and development includes employee costs, fees associated with operational consultants, contract clinical research organizations, contract manufacturing organizations, clinical site fees, contract laboratory research organizations, contract central testing laboratories, licensing activities, and allocated office, insurance, depreciation, and facilities expenses. The Company accrues for costs incurred as the services are being provided by monitoring the status of the trial and the invoices received from its external service providers. The Company adjusts its accruals in the period when actual costs become known. Costs related to the acquisition of technology rights for which development work is still in process are charged to operations as incurred and considered a component of research and development costs.

 

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

 

The Company measures fair value in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Fair value measurements are applied under other accounting pronouncements that require or permit fair value measurements. Financial instruments included in the Company’s balance sheets consist of cash and cash equivalents, accounts payable, accrued expenses due to related parties, and warrant liability. The carrying amounts of these instruments reasonably approximate their fair values due to their short-term maturities.

 

Warrant Liability

 

The Company accounts for the warrants issued in connection with the March 2013 convertible note issuance (Note 6) and the April 2012 financing (Note 8) in accordance with the guidance on Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of both Liabilities and Equity, which provides that the Company classifies the warrant instrument as a liability at its fair value and adjust the instrument to fair value at each reporting period. This liability is subject to re-measurement at each balance sheet date until exercised, and any change in fair value is recognized as a component of other income or expense. The fair value of warrants issued by the Company, in connection with the April 2012 financing, have been estimated by management using a binomial options pricing model. The binomial option pricing model is a generally accepted valuation model used to generate a defined number of stock price paths in order to develop a reasonable estimate of the range of the Company’s future expected stock prices, and their resulting probabilistic valuation. In connection with the March 2013 convertible note issuance, the Company estimated the fair value of the embedded derivative warrant liability by using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model.

 

3. LIQUIDITY, CAPITAL RESOURCES AND MANAGEMENT’S PLANS

 

The Company has experienced net losses since its inception and has an accumulated deficit of approximately $47.2 million at March 31, 2013. Cash resources as of March 31, 2013 were approximately $0.3 million, compared to $0.05 million as of December 31, 2012. Based on its currently available cash resources, the Company believes that it only has sufficient capital to fund its minimal operating expenses until the end of the second quarter of 2013. The Company will need to raise additional capital to fund any clinical development and to otherwise continue operations beyond the second quarter of 2013. Additionally, the Company will need substantial additional financing in the future until it can achieve profitability, if ever. The Company’s continued operations will depend on its ability to raise additional funds through various potential sources, such as equity and debt financing, or to license its product candidates to another pharmaceutical company. The Company will continue to fund operations from cash on hand and through sources of capital similar to those previously described. The Company cannot assure that it will be able to secure such additional financing, or if available, that it will be sufficient to meet its needs.

 

The success of the Company depends on its ability to develop new products to the point of FDA approval and subsequent revenue generation and, accordingly, to raise enough capital to finance these developmental efforts. Management plans to raise additional equity capital or license rights to one or more of its products to finance the continued operating and capital requirements of the Company. Amounts raised will be used to further develop the Company’s product candidates, acquire additional product licenses and for other working capital purposes. While the Company will extend its best efforts to raise additional capital to fund all operations for the next 12 to 24 months, management can provide no assurances that the Company will be able to raise sufficient funds and avoid the need to cease operations.

 

In addition, to the extent that the Company raises additional funds by issuing shares of its common stock or other securities convertible or exchangeable for shares of common stock, stockholders may experience significant additional dilution. In the event the Company raises additional capital through debt financings, the Company may incur significant interest expense and become subject to covenants in the related transaction documentation that may affect the manner in which the Company conducts its business. To the extent that the Company obtains additional funds through collaboration and licensing arrangements, it may be necessary to relinquish some rights to its technologies or product candidates, or grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to the Company.

 

These factors raise substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern. The Company’s Condensed Financial Statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, which contemplates the realization of assets and the settlement of liabilities and commitments in the normal course of business. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the inability of the Company to continue as a going concern.

 

9
 

 

Nile Therapeutics, Inc

(A Development Stage Company)

Notes to Financial Statements

 

4. BASIC AND DILUTED LOSS PER SHARE

 

Basic loss per share is computed by dividing the loss available to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted loss per share is computed similarly to basic loss per share except that the denominator is increased to include the number of additional common shares that would have been outstanding if the potential common shares had been issued and if the additional common shares were dilutive.

 

For all periods presented, potentially dilutive securities are excluded from the computation of fully diluted loss per share as their effect is anti-dilutive. Potentially dilutive securities include: 

 

   March 31, 2013   March 31, 2012 
Warrants to purchase common stock   -    - 
Options to purchase common stock   -    2,750,000 
Total potentially dilutive securities   -    2,750,000 

 

For the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, warrants and options to purchase 15,080,741 and 14,336,818 shares, respectively, have been excluded from the above computation of potentially dilutive securities, respectively, as their exercise prices are greater than the average market price per common share for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and March 31, 2012, respectively.

 

5. INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

 

License Agreements

 

Cenderitide

 

On January 20, 2006, the Company entered into an exclusive, worldwide, royalty-bearing license agreement, or the Cenderitide License Agreement, with Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (“Mayo”) for the rights to issued patents, patent applications and know-how relating to the use of cenderitide in all therapeutic indications.  The Company was also entitled to rights to improvements to cenderitide that arose out of the laboratory of Dr. John Burnett, the co-inventor of cenderitide, until January 19, 2009.  

 

Under the terms of the Cenderitide License Agreement, the Company paid Mayo an up-front cash payment, reimbursed it for past patent expenses and issued to Mayo 1,379,419 shares of common stock. Additionally, the Company agreed to make contingent cash payments up to an aggregate of $31.9 million upon successful completion of specified clinical and regulatory milestones relating to cenderitide. This aggregate amount is subject to increase upon the receipt of regulatory approval for each additional indication of cenderitide as well as for additional compounds or analogues contained in the intellectual property. In July 2008, the Company made a milestone payment of $400,000 to Mayo upon the dosing of the first patient in a Phase 2 trial.  Based on the current stage of research the Company does not expect to make any milestone payments for the year ending December 31, 2013. Pursuant to the Cenderitide License Agreement, the Company will pay Mayo an annual maintenance fee and a percentage of net sales of licensed products, as well as $50,000 per year for the consulting services of Dr. Burnett while serving as chairman of the Company’s Scientific Advisory Board.

 

In addition to the potential milestone payments discussed above, the Cenderitide License Agreement requires the Company to issue shares of common stock to Mayo for an equivalent dollar amount of grants received in excess of $300,000, but not to exceed $575,000. For the period from August 1, 2005 (inception) through March 31, 2013, the Company received $482,235 in grant income for which it has issued to Mayo 63,478 shares of common stock. No such grant income has been received or shares issued since the year ended December 31, 2008.

 

The Cenderitide License Agreement, unless earlier terminated, will continue in full force and effect until January 20, 2026. However, to the extent any patent covered by the license is issued with an expiration date beyond January 20, 2026, the term of the agreement will continue until such expiration date. Mayo may terminate the agreement earlier (i) for the Company’s material breach of the agreement that remains uncured after 90 days’ written notice, (ii) the Company’s insolvency or bankruptcy, or (iii) if the Company challenges the validity or enforceability of any of the patents in any manner. The Company may terminate the agreement without cause upon 90 days’ written notice.

 

As of March 31, 2013, the Company was not in compliance with several terms of the Cenderitide License Agreement, including, but not limited to, provisions requiring the Company to pay the Mayo Foundation an annual maintenance fee and actively pursue the development of cenderitide. The Company is in discussions with the Mayo Foundation to amend the agreement, but the Company cannot guarantee that it will be able to reach an agreement with Mayo that allows the Company to maintain its rights to cenderitide. The Company currently owes Mayo approximately $154,100 in fees and expense reimbursements related to the Cenderitide License Agreement, all of which is included in accounts payable.

 

10
 

 

Nile Therapeutics, Inc

(A Development Stage Company)

Notes to Financial Statements

 

CU-NP

 

On June 13, 2008, the Company entered into an exclusive, worldwide, royalty-bearing license agreement, or the CU-NP License Agreement, with Mayo for the rights to intellectual property and to develop commercially CU-NP for all therapeutic indications. The Company was also entitled to rights to improvements to CU-NP that arose out of the laboratory of Dr. John Burnett and Dr. Candace Lee, the inventors of CU-NP, until June 12, 2011.

 

Under the terms of the CU-NP License Agreement, the Company made an up-front cash payment to Mayo and agreed to make future contingent cash payments up to an aggregate of $24.3 million upon achievement of specific clinical and regulatory milestones relating to CU-NP, including a milestone payment due in connection with the initiation of the first Phase 2 clinical trial of the licensed product. This aggregate amount of $24.3 million is subject to increase upon the receipt of regulatory approval for each additional indication of CU-NP, as well as for additional compounds or analogues contained in the intellectual property. Based on the current stage of research the Company does not expect to make any milestone payments for the year ending December 31, 2013. Pursuant to the agreement, the Company must also pay Mayo an annual maintenance fee and a percentage of net sales of licensed products.

 

In addition to these cash payments payable with respect to the CU-NP License Agreement, the Company also agreed to issue shares of its common stock and warrants to Mayo. In June 2008, the Company issued 49,689 shares of common stock to Mayo having a fair market value as of June 13, 2008 equal to $250,000. This amount has been recorded in research and development expenses in the accompanying Condensed Statements of Operations.

 

The CU-NP License Agreement, unless earlier terminated, will continue in full force and effect until June 13, 2028. However, to the extent any patent covered by the license is issued with an expiration date beyond June 13, 2028, the term of the agreement will continue until such expiration date. Mayo may terminate the agreement earlier (i) for the Company’s material breach of the agreement that remains uncured after 90 days written notice, (ii) the Company’s insolvency or bankruptcy, (iii) if the Company challenges the validity or enforceability of any of the patents in any manner, or (iv) or upon receipt of notice from the Company that it has terminated all development efforts under the agreement. The Company may terminate the agreement without cause upon 90 days’ written notice.

 

As of March 31, 2013, the Company was not in compliance with several terms of the CU-NP License Agreement, including, but not limited to, provisions requiring the Company to pay the Mayo Foundation an annual maintenance fee and actively pursue the development of CU-NP. The Company is in discussions with the Mayo Foundation to amend the agreement, but the Company cannot guarantee that it will be able to reach an agreement with Mayo that allows the Company to maintain its rights to CU-NP. As of March 31, 2013, the Company owed Mayo approximately $39,300 in fees and expense reimbursements related to the CU-NP License Agreement, all of which is included in accounts payable.

 

Collaboration Agreement

 

In February 2011, the Company entered into a Clinical Trial Funding Agreement with Medtronic, Inc. Pursuant to the agreement, Medtronic provided the funding and equipment necessary for the Company to conduct a Phase 1 clinical trial to assess the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of cenderitide when delivered to heart failure patients through continuous subcutaneous infusion using Medtronic’s diabetes pump technology.

 

Under the agreement, the Company agreed not to enter into an agreement with a third party to develop or commercialize cenderitide or any drug/device combination developed under the agreement until the earlier of: (i) three months following delivery to Medtronic of a final database with respect to the Phase 1 trial; and (ii) 15 months after the date of the agreement. The final database was delivered to Medtronic on November 19, 2011.

 

The agreement also provided that intellectual property conceived in or otherwise resulting from the performance of the Phase 1 clinical trial shall be jointly owned by Nile and Medtronic (the “Joint Intellectual Property”), and that Nile shall pay royalties to Medtronic based on the net sales of any Nile product, the manufacture, use or sale of which is covered or claimed in one or more issued patents constituting Joint Intellectual Property.  The agreement further provided that, if the parties fail to enter into a definitive commercial license agreement with respect to cenderitide, then each party shall have a right of first negotiation to license exclusive rights to any Joint Intellectual Property. As of May 2012, three filed patent applications are considered Joint Intellectual Property.

 

Pursuant to its terms, the agreement expired in February 2012, following the completion of the Phase 1 clinical trial and the delivery of data and reports related to the study. The Company received the final reimbursement of $195,500 in February 2012 and a total of $1,550,000 over the life of the agreement. All amounts are recorded as collaboration income in the Company’s Condensed Statement of Operations.

 

11
 

 

Nile Therapeutics, Inc

(A Development Stage Company)

Notes to Financial Statements

 

6. CONVERTIBLE NOTES PAYABLE

 

On March 15, 2013, the Company entered into a convertible note purchase agreement with certain accredited investors pursuant to which the Company agreed to sell an aggregate principal amount of up to $500,000 of secured convertible promissory notes (the “2013 Notes”) for an aggregate original issue price of $425,000, representing a 15% original issue discount. The closing of the private placement also occurred on March 15, 2013, and resulted in the sale of the 2013 Notes in the aggregate principal amount of $450,000 for an aggregate original issue price of $382,500. The original issue discount is $67,500 and is being amortized to interest expense over the term of the 2013 Notes. As of March 31, 2013, the unamortized balance of this original issue discount is $64,542.

 

The 2013 Notes, which have a maturity date of March 15, 2014, do not bear interest and may be prepaid without penalty upon 30 days’ written notice, on the terms set forth in the Notes. The 2013 Notes are secured by a blanket lien on our assets pursuant to a security agreement dated March 15, 2013.

 

The 2013 Notes contain an optional conversion feature that enables the Holder to convert all outstanding shares into shares of the Company's common stock at a conversion price per share equal to the average daily Closing Price over the ten consecutive trading days preceding the date of such prepayment notice. The optional conversion feature goes into effect only if the Company chooses to prepay the Notes in whole or in part without penalty upon 30 days' prior written notice to the Holder (and conversion must occur within this 30 day period). 

 

Upon a Change of Control (as defined in the 2013 Notes) in which either (i) the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock are exchanged for securities of another corporation, or (ii) the Company issues shares of common stock, with no securities or other consideration paid or payable to holders of our common stock (e.g., a merger transaction in which the Company acquires another corporation in exchange for shares of our common stock), then (A) the entire unpaid principal under the applicable 2013 Note shall automatically convert, as of immediately prior to the effective time of the Change of Control, into shares of the Company’s common stock at a conversion price per share equal to the Closing Price (as defined in the Notes) on the effective date of the Change of Control, and (B) the Company shall also issue to each 2013 Note holder a five-year warrant entitling the holder to purchase, at an exercise price equal to the Closing Price on the effective date of the Change of Control, that number of shares of our common stock obtained by dividing (a) the sum of the outstanding principal under the applicable Note by (b) the Closing Price on the effective date of the Change of Control.

 

The warrants issuable upon a Change of Control are considered an embedded derivative and were bifurcated from the notes and accounted for separately at fair value. The fair value of the warrants was $203,400 on the March 15, 2013, date of issuance and were recorded as additional debt discount (see Note 7). Management used the following assumptions for the Black-Scholes valuation of the 2013 Notes on March 15, 2013:

 

Stock Price : $0.09
Strike Price : $0.09
Risk-free Rate: 0.84%
Volatility 148%
Term 5 years
Probability of issuance: 50%

 

The discount is being amortized to interest expense over the one year term of the 2013 Notes. As of March 31, 2013, the unamortized balance of this note discount is $194,484. The Company will revalue the warrants on a quarterly basis until the warrants are issued or the 2013 Notes are repaid in full. As of March 31, 2013, there was no material change to the fair value of the warrants from the date of issuance.

 

Upon a Change of Control other than as described in the preceding paragraph, the Company shall pay to each 2013 Note holder an amount in cash equal to 175% of the principal amount then outstanding under the applicable Note. Upon payment of such amount to the 2013 Note holders, all of the obligations under the Notes shall be deemed paid and satisfied in full.

 

7. FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

 

The Company defines fair value as the amount at which an asset (or liability) could be bought (or incurred) or sold (or settled) in a current transaction between willing parties, that is, other than in a forced or liquidation sale. The fair value estimates presented in the table below are based on information available to the Company as of March 31, 2013.

 

The accounting standard regarding fair value measurements discusses valuation techniques, such as the market approach (comparable market prices), the income approach (present value of future income or cash flow), and the cost approach (cost to replace the service capacity of an asset or replacement cost). The standard utilizes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three broad levels. The following is a brief description of those three levels:

 

Level 1: Observable inputs such as quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

 

Level 2: Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. These include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets and quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active.

 

Level 3: Unobservable inputs that reflect the reporting entity’s own assumptions.

 

The Company has determined the fair value of certain liabilities using the market approach: the following table presents the Company’s fair value hierarchy for these assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of March 31, 2013:

 

       Quoted Market         
       Prices in Active   Significant Other   Significant 
   Fair Value March   Markets   Observable Inputs   Unobservable Inputs 
   31, 2013   (Level 1)   (Level 2)   (Level 3) 
Liabilities                
Warrant liability - April 2012 issuance  $205,442   $-   $-   $205,442 
Warrant liability - 2013 Notes   203,400    -    -    203,400 
Total  $408,842   $-   $-   $408,842 

 

12
 

 

Nile Therapeutics, Inc

(A Development Stage Company)

Notes to Financial Statements

 

 

The fair value of the warrant liability relating to the 2013 Notes (Note 6) was estimated by management using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The changes in the fair value of the warrant liability are recorded in other income (expense) on the Condensed Statements of Operations.

  

The fair value of the warrant liability relating to the warrants issued in conjunction with the April 2012 financing (Note 8b) was estimated by management using a binomial option pricing model. The binomial option pricing model is a generally accepted valuation model used to generate a defined number of stock price paths in order to develop a reasonable estimate of the range of the Company’s future expected stock prices, and their resulting probabilistic valuation. The changes in the fair value of the warrant liability are recorded in other income (expense) on the Condensed Statements of Operations.

 

The following table provides a summary of changes in fair value of the Company’s liabilities, as well as the portion of losses included in income attributable to unrealized appreciation that relate to those liabilities held at March 31, 2013:

 

   Fair Value Measurements Using 
   Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) 
     
   Warrant Liability 
     
Balance at January 1, 2013  $63,384 
      
Purchases, sales and settlements:    
Derivatives issued   203,400 
      
Total gains or losses     
Unrealized appreciation   142,058 
      
Balance at March 31, 2013  $408,842 

 

8. STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

 

(a) Common Stock

 

On April 4, 2012, the Company closed an offering with certain purchasers pursuant to which it sold an aggregate of 3,350,000 shares of the Company’s common stock to such purchasers for a purchase price of $0.40 per share. In addition, for each share purchased, each purchaser also received three-fourths of a five-year warrant to purchase an additional share of common stock at an exercise price of $0.50 per share, which resulted in the issuance of warrants to purchase an aggregate of 2,512,500 shares of the Company’s common stock. The warrants contain non-standard anti-dilution features (Note 8b) and as result will be classified as a liability on the Company’s Condensed Balance Sheet.

 

The total gross proceeds from the offering were $1.34 million, before deducting selling commissions and other offering expenses of approximately $0.14 million. In connection with the offering, the Company engaged Roth Capital Partners, LLC, or Roth, to serve as placement agent. Pursuant to the terms of the placement agent agreement, the Company paid Roth a cash fee equal to seven percent of the gross proceeds received by the Company, or approximately $0.11 million, plus a non-accountable expense allowance of $35,000. Richard B. Brewer, the Company’s former Executive Chairman, Joshua A. Kazam, the Company’s former President and Chief Executive Officer and a director, Daron Evans, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, and Hsiao Lieu, M.D., the Company’s former Executive VP of Clinical Development, participated in the offering on the same terms as the unaffiliated purchasers, and collectively purchased 275,000 shares of common stock and warrants to purchase 206,250 shares of common stock for an aggregate purchase price of $110,000.

 

(b) Warrants

 

In connection with the April 2012 financing, as discussed above, the Company issued a total of 2,512,500 warrants, each of which has a term of five years and represents the right to purchase one share of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price of $0.50 per share. The warrants contain non-standard anti-dilution features, such that, in the event the Company issues common shares at a price below the current exercise price of the warrants, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted based on the lower issuance price. Because of this anti-dilution provision and the inherent uncertainty as to the probability of future common share issuances, the Black-Scholes option pricing model the Company uses for valuing stock options could not be used. Management used a binomial option pricing model to determine the warrant liability to be approximately $0.6 million on the date of issuance and $0.2 million at March 31, 2013. The binomial option pricing model is a generally accepted valuation model used to generate a defined number of stock price paths in order to develop a reasonable estimate of the range of the Company’s future expected stock prices, and their resulting probabilistic valuation. This valuation will be revised on a quarterly basis until the warrants are exercised or they expire with the changes in fair value recorded in other income (expense) on the Condensed Statements of Operations.

 

13
 

 

Nile Therapeutics, Inc

(A Development Stage Company)

Notes to Financial Statements

 

Significant assumptions used at March 31, 2013 for the warrants included a weighted average term of 4.00 years, volatility of 148%, and a risk-free interest rate of 0.77%.

 

In connection with the 2011 Offering as discussed above, the Company issued a total of 2,500,000 Warrants, each of which has a term of five years and represents the right to purchase one share of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price of $0.60 per share. In addition, the Company issued the Placement Agents a five-year warrant to purchase 250,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price of $0.60 per share.

 

Below is a table that summarizes all outstanding warrants to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock as of March 31, 2013.

 

Grant
Date
  Warrants
Issued
   Exercise
Price
Range
   Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
   Expiration
Date
  Exercised   Warrants Outstanding 
7/15/2009   2,909,695   $1.25-2.28    $1.64   7/14/2014   5,000    2,904,695 
4/21/2010   2,632,500   $0.94   $0.94   4/20/2015   -    2,632,500 
6/20/2011   2,750,000   $0.60   $0.60   6/19/2016   -    2,750,000 
4/4/2012   2,512,500   $0.50   $0.50   4/3/2017   -    2,512,500 
    10,804,695        $0.99       5,000    10,799,695 

 

9. STOCK OPTION PLAN

 

The Company’s Amended and Restated 2005 Stock Option Plan (the “Plan”) was initially adopted by the Board of Directors on August 10, 2005. The Plan authorized a total of 2,000,000 shares of common stock for issuance. On September 17, 2007, pursuant to the Merger, the Plan was amended and each share of common stock then subject to the Plan was substituted with 2.758838 shares of common stock, resulting in an aggregate of 5,517,676 shares available under the Plan. On July 26, 2010, the Company’s stockholders approved an amendment to the Plan increasing the total number of shares authorized for issuance thereunder to 9,500,000. Under the Plan, incentives may be granted to officers, employees, directors, consultants, and advisors. Incentives under the Plan may be granted in any one or a combination of the following forms: (a) incentive stock options and non-statutory stock options, (b) stock appreciation rights, (c) stock awards, (d) restricted stock and (e) performance shares. The Plan is administered by the Board of Directors, or a committee appointed by the Board, which determines the recipients and types of awards to be granted, as well as the number of shares subject to the awards, the exercise price and the vesting schedule. The term of stock options granted under the Plan cannot exceed ten years. Currently, stock options are granted with an exercise price equal to the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant, and generally vest over a period of one to four years.

 

For the three months ended March 31, 2013 and March 31, 2012, the Company did not issue any employee stock options.

 

A summary of the status of the options issued under the Plan at March 31, 2013, and information with respect to the changes in options outstanding is as follows:

 

   Shares   Outstanding   Weighted-   Aggregate 
   Available for   Stock   Average   Intrinsic 
   Grant   Options   Exercise Price   Value 
Balance at January 1, 2013   4,537,522    4,571,046   $1.24      
Options granted under the Plan   -    -   $-      
Options exercised   -    -   $-      
Options forfeited   290,000    (290,000)  $2.33      
                     
Balance at March 31, 2013   4,827,522    4,281,046   $1.25   $- 
                     
Exercisable at March 31, 2013        4,243,546   $1.26   $- 

 

14
 

 

Nile Therapeutics, Inc

(A Development Stage Company)

Notes to Financial Statements

 

The following table summarizes information about stock options outstanding at March 31, 2013:

 

   Outstanding   Exercisable 
         
       Weighted-             
       Average           Weighted- 
Range of      Remaining   Weighted-Average       Average 
Exercise Prices  Shares   Contractual Life   Exercise Price   Total Shares   Exercise Price 
$0.09 to $0.57   1,506,533    5.68   $0.40    1,469,033   $0.40 
$0.68 to $0.93   1,469,820    4.87   $0.82    1,469,820   $0.82 
$1.46 to $2.71   974,693    5.29   $2.12    974,693   $2.12 
$4.45   330,000    4.50   $4.50    330,000   $4.50 
Total   4,281,046    5.20   $1.25    4,243,546   $1.26 

 

 Share-based compensation is recognized only for those awards that are ultimately expected to vest, therefore, the Company has applied an estimated forfeiture rate to unvested awards for the purpose of calculating compensation cost. These estimates will be revised, if necessary, in future periods if actual forfeitures differ from estimates. Changes in forfeiture estimates impact compensation cost in the period in which the change in estimate occurs.

 

Employee stock-based compensation costs for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 and for the cumulative period from August 1, 2005 (inception) through March 31, 2013 are as follows:

 

   Three months ended March 31,   Period from 
           August 1, 2005 (inception) 
   2013   2012   through March 31, 2013 
             
General and administrative  $7,414   $111,717   $6,815,364 
Research and development   -    60,098    1,551,203 
                
Total  $7,414   $171,815   $8,366,567 

 

The fair value of shares vested under the Plan for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 and for the period from August 1, 2005 (inception) through March 31, 2013 were $7,431, $101,009, and $7,633,723 respectively.

 

At March 31, 2013, total unrecognized estimated employee (including directors) compensation cost related to stock options granted prior to that date was $14,810, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average vesting period of 0.25 years.

 

Common stock, stock options or other equity instruments issued to non-employees (including consultants and all members of the Company’s Scientific Advisory Board) as consideration for goods or services received by the Company are accounted for based on the fair value of the equity instruments issued (unless the fair value of the consideration received can be more reliably measured). The fair value of any options issued to non-employees is recorded as expense over the applicable service periods.

 

Stock-based compensation costs incurred for services by non-employees for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, and for the cumulative period from August 1, 2005 (inception) through March 31, 2013 totaled $0, $0, and $498,095, respectively. These amounts were included in research and development and general and administrative expenses in the accompanying Condensed Statements of Operations. As of March 31, 2013 all non-employee based options outstanding were fully vested.

 

15
 

 

Nile Therapeutics, Inc

(A Development Stage Company)

Notes to Financial Statements 

 

 10. RELATED PARTIES

 

On June 24, 2009, the Company entered into a services agreement with Two River Consulting, LLC (“TRC”) to provide various clinical development, operational and administrative services to the Company, including the part-time services of Joshua A. Kazam as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, for a period of one year.  Mr. Kazam and Arie S. Belldegrun are each directors of the Company and partners of TRC.  David M. Tanen, who served as the Company’s Secretary and director until his resignation from both positions on September 24, 2009, is also a partner of TRC. The terms of the services agreement were reviewed and approved by a special committee of the Company’s Board of Directors consisting of independent directors (the “Special Committee”).  None of the members of the Special Committee had any interest in TRC or the services agreement.  As compensation for the services contemplated by the services agreement, the Company agreed to pay to TRC a monthly cash fee of $65,000 and issued stock options to purchase up to an aggregate of 750,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at a price per share equal to $0.89, the closing sale price of the Company’s common stock on June 24, 2009. Twenty-five percent of the stock options vested immediately and the remaining 75% were scheduled to vest pursuant to the achievement of certain milestones relating to the clinical development of cenderitide. On January 5, 2011, the final block of stock options vested. Of the 750,000 original stock options issued, 535,172 stock options vested with a total fair value of $353,976. In August 2010, the Company and TRC amended the services agreement to extend its term on a month-to-month basis and to provide for the issuance of fully-vested and immediately-exercisable stock options to purchase 250,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price of $0.38 per share, which had an estimated fair value of $82,200 that was expensed on the date of grant.  In March 2011, the Company and TRC further amended the services agreement to reduce the level of services to be provided by TRC and to reduce the monthly cash fee payable to TRC to $31,702, which monthly fee was then reduced to $30,082 in July 2011 and to $28,600 in April 2012 when certain services were eliminated. On August 1, 2012, the Company and TRC agreed that, upon the appointment of a full-time President and Chief Executive Officer during August 2012, the monthly fee payable under the services agreement would be reduced to $6,600 to reflect the termination of Mr. Kazam’s services as President and Chief Executive Officer. Additional operational and clinical development services may be provided by TRC, and billed to the Company, on an hourly basis. The Special Committee reviewed and approved the August 2010, March 2011, and August 2012 amendments to the services agreement.

 

On occasion, some of the Company’s expenses are paid by TRC. No interest is charged by TRC on any outstanding balance owed by the Company. For the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 and for the period from August 1, 2005 (inception) through March 31, 2013, total cash services and reimbursed expenses totaled $19,800, $98,291 and $2,126,976, respectively. As of March 31, 2013 the Company had a payable to TRC of $6,600 which was paid in full during May 2013.

 

11. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

 

Compensation of President and CEO.

 

On November 5, 2012, the Company entered into a letter agreement with Darlene Horton, M.D., its President and Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to which Dr. Horton agreed to reduce her monthly salary to $100 effective November 1, 2012, and defer the balance of her $28,314 monthly base salary (the “Deferred Salary”) until such time as the Company completes an Interim Financing Event (defined below). The term “Interim Financing Event” means the consummation on or before December 31, 2013, of one or more transactions pursuant to which the Company shall have received, whether by a financing, strategic transaction or another means (or any combination thereof), an aggregate of at least $1,000,000 in gross proceeds. As of March 31, 2013, the Company has an accrual of $141,070, representing approximately 5 months of Deferred Salary.

 

On March 21, 2013, the Company entered into a letter agreement with Dr. Horton, which letter agreement amends certain compensation terms under her existing letter agreement dated August 3, 2012, as previously amended on November 5, 2012.

 

Dr. Horton’s existing letter agreement provided that if, prior to the date of a “compensation adjustment event,” the Company completed a Change of Control Transaction (as defined in the agreement) and Dr. Horton’s employment was terminated by the Company (or any successor entity) without cause during the period beginning on the effective date of the Change of Control Transaction and ending on the six-month anniversary of such effective date, then she would have been entitled to receive a cash payment equal to 5% of the applicable Change of Control Proceeds (as defined in the agreement). For purposes of the agreement, the term “compensation adjustment event” means the date on which the Company secures sufficient capital, whether by a financing or strategic transaction (or any combination thereof) or another means, in order to enable the Company to initiate and fund to completion a Phase 2 clinical trial of the Company’s cenderitide product candidate.

 

The March 21, 2013 letter agreement amends the payment terms described in the preceding paragraph and provides that if, prior to December 31, 2013, the Company completes a Change of Control Transaction in which either (i) the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock are exchanged for securities of another corporation, or (ii) the Company issues shares of its common stock, with no securities or other consideration paid or payable to holders of the Company’s common stock (e.g., a merger transaction in which the Company acquires another corporation in exchange for shares of the Company’s common stock), then Dr. Horton will be entitled to receive, immediately prior to the effective time of the Change of Control Transaction, a number of shares of the Company’s common stock equal to 5% of the shares of the Company’s common stock then outstanding on a fully-diluted basis.

 

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Nile Therapeutics, Inc

(A Development Stage Company)

Notes to Financial Statements

 

The agreement further provides that if, prior to December 31, 2013, the Company completes a Change of Control Transaction other than as described in the preceding paragraph, then Dr. Horton will be entitled to receive a cash payment, on the date of such Change of Control Transaction, equal to 5% of the applicable Change of Control Proceeds (as defined in the agreement).

 

Compensation of Chief Financial Officer.

 

On March 21, 2013, the Company entered into a letter agreement with Daron Evans, its Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to which Mr. Evans agreed to reduce his monthly salary to $100 effective February 1, 2013, and defer the balance of his $22,917 monthly base salary until such time as the Company completes an Interim Financing Event. The term “Interim Financing Event” means the consummation on or before December 31, 2013, of one or more transactions pursuant to which the Company shall have received, whether by a financing, strategic transaction or another means (or any combination thereof), an aggregate of at least $1,000,000 in gross cash proceeds. As of March 31, 2013, the Company has an accrual of $45,633, representing approximately 2 months of deferred salary for Mr. Evans.

 

In addition, the agreement provides that if, prior to December 31, 2013, the Company completes a Change of Control Transaction (as defined in the agreement) in which either (i) the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock are exchanged for securities of another corporation, or (ii) the Company issues shares of its common stock, with no securities or other consideration paid or payable to holders of the Company’s common stock (e.g., a merger transaction in which the Company acquires another corporation in exchange for shares of the Company’s common stock), then Mr. Evans will be entitled to receive, immediately prior to the effective time of the Change of Control Transaction, a number of shares of the Company’s common stock equal to 4.5% of the shares of the Company’s common stock then outstanding on a fully-diluted basis.

 

The agreement further provides that if, prior to December 31, 2013, the Company completes a Change of Control Transaction other than as described in the preceding paragraph, then Mr. Evans will be entitled to receive a cash payment, on the date of such Change of Control Transaction, equal to 4.5% of the applicable Change of Control Proceeds (as defined in the agreement).

 

In consideration of the foregoing, the agreement provides that the Company shall have no further obligations pursuant to the Severance Benefits Agreement between the Company and Mr. Evans, dated July 24, 2010.

 

Termination of Lease Agreement.

 

On February 28, 2013, the Company terminated its office lease at 4 West 4th, Suite 400, San Mateo, CA. There were no penalties or early termination fees incurred as a result of the lease termination.

 

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Item 2.Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

 

Overview

 

We are a development stage, biopharmaceutical company developing innovative products for the treatment of cardiovascular and renal diseases, with an initial focus on heart failure. We currently have exclusive rights to develop two drug candidates:

 

·Cenderitide (formerly CD-NP), our lead product candidate, is a chimeric natriuretic peptide that we are developing for the treatment of heart failure.  To date, we have developed cenderitide for the treatment of patients for up to 90 days following admission for acutely decompensated heart failure, or ADHF. We refer to this setting as the “post-acute” period. In 2011, we completed a 58-patient Phase 1 clinical trial of cenderitide in the post-acute setting. We conducted this clinical trial in collaboration with Medtronic, Inc., delivering cenderitide through continuous intravenous infusion using Medtronic’s pump technology.  Following that Phase 1 clinical trial, we had planned to initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial of cenderitide, pending availability of capital resources. However, to date we have been unable to raise the capital necessary to conduct the next phase of development of cenderitide. Any further development of cenderitide is subject to our ability to either raise additional capital or enter into a strategic transaction in which an acquirer or strategic partner provides the capital necessary to continue development activities. In addition to treating heart failure, we believe cenderitide may be useful in several other cardiovascular and renal indications.

 

·CU-NP, is a pre-clinical rationally designed natriuretic peptide that consists of amino acid chains identical to those produced by the human body, specifically the ring structure of C-type natriuretic peptide, or CNP, and the N- and C-termini of Urodilatin, or URO. All development of CU-NP is on hold pending the results of our efforts to pursue strategic alternatives.

 

We have no product sales to date and we will not generate any product revenue until we receive approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or the FDA, or equivalent foreign regulatory bodies to begin selling our pharmaceutical product candidates. Developing pharmaceutical products is a lengthy and very expensive process. Even if we obtain the capital necessary for us to continue the development of our product candidates, whether through a strategic transaction or otherwise, we do not expect to complete the development of a product candidate for several years, if ever. To date, most of our development expenses have related to our lead product candidate, cenderitide. As we proceed with the clinical development of cenderitide and as we further develop CU-NP, our second product candidate, our research and development expenses will further increase. To the extent we are successful in acquiring additional product candidates for our development pipeline, our need to finance further research and development activities will continue increasing. Accordingly, our success depends not only on the safety and efficacy of our product candidates, but also on our ability to finance the development of the products. Our major sources of working capital have been proceeds from private and public sales of our common stock, and debt financings.

 

Research and development, or R&D, expenses consist primarily of salaries and related personnel costs, fees paid to consultants and outside service providers for pre-clinical, clinical, and manufacturing development, legal expenses resulting from intellectual property prosecution, contractual review, and other expenses relating to the design, development, testing, and enhancement of our product candidates. We expense our R&D costs as they are incurred.

 

General and administrative, or G&A, expenses consist primarily of salaries and related expenses for executive, finance and other administrative personnel, personnel recruiting fees, accounting, legal and other professional fees, business development expenses, rent, business insurance and other corporate expenses.

 

Our results include non-cash compensation expense as a result of the issuance of stock, stock options, and warrants. We expense the fair value of stock options and warrants over the vesting period. When more precise pricing data is unavailable, we determine the fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The terms and vesting schedules for share-based awards vary by type of grant and the employment status of the grantee. Generally, the awards vest based upon time-based or performance-based conditions. Performance-based conditions generally include the attainment of goals related to our financial performance and product development. Stock-based compensation expense is included in the respective categories of expense in the statements of operations. We expect to record additional non-cash compensation expense in the future, which may be significant.

 

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Results of Operations

 

General and Administrative Expenses. G&A expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 were approximately $0.3 million and $0.5 million, respectively. The decrease in G&A expenses compared to the same period in 2012 is primarily due to a decrease of approximately $0.1 million in stock compensation costs and a decrease of approximately $0.1 million in reduced professional fees due the reduced use outside management consultants during the first quarter of 2013 compared to the same period of 2012.

 

Research and Development Expenses. R&D expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 were approximately $0.1 million and $0.5 million, respectively. This decrease of approximately $0.4 million over the same period of 2011 is primarily due to the fact that during the first quarter of 2012, the Company was still conducting some clinical development activities of cenderitide while during the first quarter of 2013, the Company had almost no development activities as the Company has wound down development of its products. This resulted in a decrease of approximately $0.3 million in development costs. Additionally, we had a reduction of approximately $0.1 million in compensation costs, including stock compensation, compared to first quarter 2013 due to having no R&D employees during the three months ended March 31, 2013, compared to one employee during the same period in 2012.

 

Cenderitide. Since acquiring our rights to cenderitide in 2006, we have incurred approximately $24.4 million in expenses directly relating to the program through March 31, 2013. All development of cenderitide is on hold pending the results of our efforts to pursue strategic alternatives for the Company.

 

CU-NP. Since acquiring our rights to CU-NP in June 2008, we have incurred a total of approximately $0.7 million through March 31, 2013. All development of CU-NP is on hold pending the results of our efforts to pursue strategic alternatives for the Company.

 

Our expenditures on current and future clinical development programs, particularly our cenderitide program, are expected to be substantial, and to increase particularly in relation to our available capital resources. However, these planned expenditures are subject to many uncertainties, including the results of clinical trials and whether we develop any of our drug candidates with a partner or independently. As a result of such uncertainties, we cannot predict with any significant degree of certainty the duration and completion costs of our research and development projects or whether, when and to what extent we will generate revenues from the commercialization and sale of any of our product candidates. The duration and cost of clinical trials may vary significantly over the life of a project as a result of unanticipated events arising during clinical development and a variety of factors, including:

 

·the number of trials and studies in a clinical program;

 

·the number of patients who participate in the trials;

 

·the number of sites included in the trials;

 

·the rates of patient recruitment and enrollment;

 

·the duration of patient treatment and follow-up;

 

·the costs of manufacturing our drug candidates; and

 

·the costs, requirements, timing of, and the ability to secure regulatory approvals.

 

Interest Income. Interest income for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 was approximately $40 and $244, respectively. This decrease in interest income over 2012 is due to lower interest rates earned on cash in bank accounts and lower average cash balances in 2013 than 2012 levels.

 

Collaboration Income.  As a result of our February 2011 collaboration agreement with Medtronic pursuant to which Medtronic reimbursed us for R&D expenditures that we made in connection with our Phase 1 trial of cenderitide, we recognized income of $0 and $0.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The decrease in collaboration income over 2012 is due to the fact that the collaboration with Medtronic occurred was completed by the first quarter of 2012 with no active collaborations during 2013. All amounts due under the agreement were paid as of February 2012 at which time the agreement expired.

 

Interest Expense. Interest expense for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 were approximately $0.01 million and $0, respectively. This increase in interest expense of approximately $0.01 million is due to the convertible notes issued in March 2013. During 2012, there were no interest bearing notes outstanding.

 

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Other Income (Expense). Other expense for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 were approximately $0.1 million and $0.0 million, respectively. This increase in other expense of approximately $0.1 million is primarily due to an approximately $0.1 million noncash adjustment to the warrant liability during the three months ended March 31, 2013, with no such charge during the first quarter of 2012 as the warrants were not issued until April 2012.  

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

The following table summarizes our liquidity and capital resources as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 and our net decrease in cash and cash equivalents for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 (the amounts stated are expressed in thousands):

 

Liquidity and capital resources  March 31, 2013   December 31,2012 
Cash and cash equivalents  $285   $47 
Working Capital  $(245)  $(159)
Stockholders' equity  $(643)  $(167)
           

 

   Three Months Ended March 31, 
Cash flow data  2013   2012 
Cash used in:          
Operating activities  $(144)  $(603)
Investing activities   -    - 
Cash provided by:          
Financing activities   383    - 
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents  $(238)  $(603)

 

Our total cash resources as of March 31, 2013 was $0.3 million compared to $0.05 million as of December 31, 2012. As of March 31, 2013, we had approximately $1.1 million in liabilities, and $0.2 million in net working capital deficit. We incurred a net loss of $0.5 million and had negative cash flow from operating activities of $ 0.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013. Since August 1, 2005 (inception) through March 31, 2013, we have incurred an aggregate net loss of approximately $47.2 million, while negative cash flow from operating activities has amounted to $35.0 million. To the extent we obtain sufficient capital and are able to continue developing our product candidates, we expect to continue to incur substantial and increasing losses, which will continue to generate negative net cash flows from operating activities as we expand our technology portfolio and engage in further research and development activities, particularly the conducting of pre-clinical studies and clinical trials.

 

We need substantial additional capital in order to continue the development of cenderitide, for which the next step is a Phase 2 trial. We estimate that this Phase 2 trial will cost approximately $15 million to $20 million and take approximately 30 months to complete. During the last 12 months, we have attempted, unsuccessfully, to complete a financing transaction that would provide us with the capital necessary to fund the Phase 2 trial, and it is doubtful that we will ever be able to complete such a financing transaction. We have also pursued, and continue to pursue, alternative strategic transactions that would provide for the means to continue development of cenderitide. Such alternatives could include collaborating with another biotechnology or pharmaceutical company to further develop cenderitide, or engaging in a merger or other corporate transaction in which the control of cenderitide’s development would be assumed by a purchaser of our company. However, we do not have any agreement or commitment from any collaboration partner, and there is no assurance we will be able to reach any such agreement. All of further clinical and other development activities for our cenderitide and CU-NP programs are on hold until we obtain the additional capital needed to fund such activities, whether through a financing, strategic transaction or otherwise. If we are not able to obtain such additional capital, we will likely be forced to cease operating altogether and wind down our company.

 

From inception through March 31, 2013, we have financed our operations through public and private sales of our equity and debt securities.  As we have not generated any revenue from operations to date, and we do not expect to generate revenue for several years, if ever, we will need to raise substantial additional capital in order to fund our immediate general corporate activities and, thereafter, to fund our research and development, including our long-term plans for clinical trials and new product development.  We may seek to raise additional funds through various potential sources, such as equity and debt financings, or through strategic collaborations and license agreements.  We can give no assurances that we will be able to secure such additional sources of funds to support our operations, or if such funds are available to us, that such additional financing will be sufficient to meet our needs. Moreover, to the extent that we raise additional funds by issuing equity securities, our stockholders may experience additional significant dilution, and debt financing, if available, may involve restrictive covenants. To the extent that we raise additional funds through collaboration and licensing arrangements, it may be necessary to relinquish some rights to our technologies or our product candidates, or grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us.

 

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On March 15, 2013, we entered into a convertible note purchase agreement with certain purchasers under which we agreed to sell secured convertible promissory notes to such purchasers in consideration for an aggregate purchase price of $382,500. See “—Financing Activities,” below. We believe that the net proceeds from this offering, together with our existing cash resources, only provides us with sufficient capital to fund our minimal operating expenses until the end of the second quarter of 2013. Further, beyond our general corporate activities, we need substantial additional capital to fund our planned Phase 2 clinical trial of cenderitide. If we are unable to obtain the capital necessary for us to continue the development of our product candidates, whether through a financing, strategic or other transaction, we will be forced to cease operations altogether.

 

Our estimates regarding the sufficiency of our financial resources are based on assumptions that may prove to be wrong. We may need to obtain additional funds sooner than planned or in greater amounts than we currently anticipate. The actual amount of funds we will need to operate is subject to many factors, some of which are beyond our control. These factors include the following:

 

·the progress of our research activities;

 

·the number and scope of our research programs;

 

·the progress of our pre-clinical and clinical development activities;

 

·the progress of the development efforts of parties with whom we have entered into research and development agreements;

 

·our ability to maintain current research and development programs and to establish new research and development and licensing arrangements;

 

·the cost involved in prosecuting and enforcing patent claims and other intellectual property rights; and

 

·the cost and timing of regulatory approvals.

 

Financing Activities

 

March 2013 Financing. On March 15, 2013, we entered into a convertible note purchase agreement with certain accredited investors pursuant to which we agreed to sell an aggregate principal amount of up to $500,000 of secured convertible promissory notes (the “Notes”) for an aggregate original issue price of $425,000, representing a 15% original issue discount. The closing of the private placement also occurred on March 15, 2013, and resulted in the sale of Notes in the aggregate principal amount of $450,000 for an aggregate original issue price of $382,500. 

 

The Notes, which have a maturity date of March 15, 2014, do not bear interest and may be prepaid by us without penalty upon 30 days’ written notice, on the terms set forth in the Notes. The Notes are secured by a blanket lien on our assets pursuant to a security agreement dated March 15, 2013.

 

The 2013 Notes contain an optional conversion feature that enables the Holder to convert all outstanding shares into shares of the Company's common stock at a conversion price per share equal to the average daily Closing Price over the ten consecutive trading days preceding the date of such prepayment notice. The optional conversion feature goes into effect only if the Company chooses to prepay the Notes in whole or in part without penalty upon 30 days' prior written notice to the Holder (and conversion must occur within this 30 day period).

 

Upon a Change of Control (as defined in the Notes) in which either (i) the outstanding shares of our common stock are exchanged for securities of another corporation, or (ii) we issue shares of common stock, with no securities or other consideration paid or payable to holders of our common stock (e.g., a merger transaction in which we acquire another corporation in exchange for shares of our common stock), then (A) the entire unpaid principal under the applicable Note shall automatically convert, as of immediately prior to the effective time of the Change of Control, into shares of our common stock at a conversion price per share equal to the Closing Price (as defined in the Notes) on the effective date of the Change of Control, and (B) we shall also issue to each Note holder a five-year warrant entitling the holder to purchase, at an exercise price equal to the Closing Price on the effective date of the Change of Control, that number of shares of our common stock obtained by dividing (a) the sum of the outstanding principal under the applicable Note by (b) the Closing Price on the effective date of the Change of Control.

 

Upon a Change of Control other than as described in the preceding paragraph, we shall pay to each Note holder an amount in cash equal to 175% of the principal amount then outstanding under the applicable Note. Upon payment of such amount to the Note holders, all of the obligations under the Notes shall be deemed paid and satisfied in full.

 

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April 2012 Financing. On April 4, 2012, we closed an offering with certain purchasers pursuant to which we sold an aggregate of 3,350,000 shares of our common stock to such purchasers for a purchase price of $0.40 per share. In addition, for each share purchased, each purchaser also received three-fourths of a five-year warrant to purchase an additional share of common stock at an exercise price of $0.50 per share, which resulted in the issuance of warrants to purchase an aggregate of 2,512,500 shares of our common stock. The total gross proceeds from the offering were $1.34 million, before deducting selling commissions and other offering expenses of approximately $0.2 million. In connection with the offering, we engaged Roth Capital Partners, LLC, or Roth, to serve as placement agent. Pursuant to the terms of the placement agent agreement, we paid Roth a cash fee equal to seven percent of the gross proceeds received by us, or approximately $0.1 million, plus a non-accountable expense allowance of $35,000. Richard B. Brewer, our Executive Chairman, Joshua A. Kazam, our former President and Chief Executive Officer and a director, Daron Evans, our Chief Financial Officer, and Hsiao Lieu, M.D., our former Executive VP of Clinical Development, participated in the offering on the same terms as the unaffiliated purchasers, and collectively purchased 275,000 shares of common stock and warrants to purchase 206,250 shares of common stock for an aggregate purchase price of $110,000.

 

The offer and sale of the shares and warrants was made pursuant to our shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (SEC File No. 333-165167), which became effective on March 12, 2010. Pursuant to the subscription agreements that we entered into with the purchasers in the April 2012 financing, we agreed to file, within 15 business days after the closing of the offering, a registration statement covering the issuance of the shares of our common stock upon exercise of the warrants and the subsequent resale of such shares (the “Additional Registration Statement”), and to cause such registration statement to be declared effective within 90 days following the closing of the offering. In the event the Additional Registration Statement was not declared effective by the SEC within such 90-day period, we agreed to pay liquidated damages to each purchaser in the amount of 1% of such purchaser’s aggregate investment amount for each 30-day period until the Additional Registration Statement is declared effective, subject to an aggregate limit of 12% of such purchaser’s aggregate investment amount. The Additional Registration Statement was filed on April 25, 2012 and was declared effective by the SEC on May 7, 2012.

 

License Agreement Commitments

 

Cenderitide License Agreement

 

Pursuant to our license agreement with the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (“Mayo”) for cenderitide, in July 2008 we made a milestone payment of $400,000 to Mayo upon the dosing of the first patient in a Phase 2 trial. Subsequent milestones achieved will require us to make additional milestone payments to Mayo. We agreed to make contingent cash payments up to an aggregate of $31.9 million upon successful completion of specified clinical and regulatory milestones relating to cenderitide. This aggregate amount is subject to increase upon the receipt of regulatory approval for each additional indication of cenderitide as well as for additional compounds or analogues contained in the intellectual property.

 

The cenderitide license agreement, unless earlier terminated, will continue in full force and effect until January 20, 2026. However, to the extent any patent covered by the license is issued with an expiration date beyond January 20, 2026, the term of the agreement will continue until such expiration date. Mayo may terminate the agreement earlier (i) for our material breach of the agreement that remains uncured after 90 days’ written notice to us, (ii) our insolvency or bankruptcy, or (iii) if we challenge the validity or enforceability of any of the patents in any manner. We may terminate the agreement without cause upon 90 days’ written notice.

 

As of March 31, 2013, we were not in compliance with several terms of the cenderitide license agreement, including, but not limited to, provisions requiring us to pay Mayo an annual maintenance fee and actively pursue the development of cenderitide. We are in discussions with the Mayo Foundation to amend the agreement, but we cannot guarantee that we will be able to reach an agreement with Mayo that allows us to maintain our rights to cenderitide. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors – We are not in compliance with various provisions of our license agreements with the Mayo Foundation. If we are unable to renegotiate these agreements, then we will lose our rights to cenderitide and CU-NP.”

 

CU-NP License Agreement

 

On June 13, 2008, we entered into a second license agreement with Mayo pursuant to which we acquired the rights to CU-NP. Under the terms of the agreement, Mayo granted to us a worldwide, exclusive license for the rights to commercially develop CU-NP for all therapeutic indications. We also had the rights to improvements to CU-NP and know-how that arose out of the laboratory of Dr. John Burnett and Dr. Candace Lee, the inventors of CU-NP and employees of the Mayo Clinic, prior to June 12, 2011.

 

Under the terms of the CU-NP license agreement, we made an up-front cash payment to Mayo and agreed to make future contingent cash payments up to an aggregate of $24.3 million upon achievement of specific clinical and regulatory milestones relating to CU-NP, including a milestone payment due in connection with the initiation of the first Phase 2 clinical trial of the licensed product. This aggregate amount of $24.3 million is subject to increase upon the receipt of regulatory approval for each additional indication of CU-NP, as well as for additional compounds or analogues contained in the intellectual property. Pursuant to the agreement, we must also pay Mayo an annual maintenance fee and a percentage of net sales of licensed products.

 

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The CU-NP License Agreement, unless earlier terminated, will continue in full force and effect until June 13, 2028. However, to the extent any patent covered by the license is issued with an expiration date beyond June 13, 2028, the term of the agreement will continue until such expiration date. Mayo may terminate the agreement earlier (i) for our material breach of the agreement that remains uncured after 90 days’ written notice to us, (ii) our insolvency or bankruptcy, (iii) if we challenge the validity or enforceability of any of the patents in any manner, or (iv) or upon receipt of notice from us that we have terminated all development efforts under the agreement. We may terminate the agreement without cause upon 90 days’ written notice.

 

As of March 31, 2013, we were not in compliance with several terms of the CU-NP license agreement, including, but not limited to, provisions requiring us to pay Mayo an annual maintenance fee and actively pursue the development of CU-NP. We are in discussions with the Mayo Foundation to amend and the agreement, but we cannot guarantee that we will be able to reach an agreement with Mayo that allows us to maintain our rights to cenderitide. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors – We are not in compliance with various provisions of our license agreements with the Mayo Foundation. If we are unable to renegotiate these agreements, then we will lose our rights to cenderitide and CU-NP.”

 

Collaboration Agreement

 

In February 2011, we entered into a Clinical Trial Funding Agreement with Medtronic, Inc. Pursuant to the agreement, Medtronic provided the funding and equipment necessary for us to conduct a Phase 1 clinical trial to assess the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of cenderitide when delivered to heart failure patients through continuous subcutaneous infusion using Medtronic’s diabetes pump technology.

 

Under the agreement, we agreed not to enter into an agreement with a third party to develop or commercialize cenderitide or any drug/device combination developed under the agreement until the earlier of: (i) three months following delivery to Medtronic of a final database with respect to the Phase 1 trial; and (ii) 15 months after the date of the agreement. The final database was delivered to Medtronic on November 19, 2011.

 

The agreement also provided that intellectual property conceived in or otherwise resulting from the performance of the Phase I clinical trial shall be jointly owned by the us and Medtronic (the “Joint Intellectual Property”), and that we shall pay royalties to Medtronic based on the net sales of any Nile product, the manufacture, use or sale of which is covered or claimed in one or more issued patents constituting Joint Intellectual Property.  The agreement further provided that, if the parties fail to enter into a definitive commercial license agreement with respect to cenderitide, then each party shall have a right of first negotiation to license exclusive rights to any Joint Intellectual Property. As of May 2012, three filed patent applications are considered Joint Intellectual Property.

 

Pursuant to its terms, the agreement expired in February 2012, following the completion of the Phase 1 clinical trial and the delivery of data and reports related to such study. We received the final reimbursement of $195,500 in February 2012 and a total of $1,550,000 over the life of the agreement. All amounts are recorded as collaboration income in our Condensed Statement of Operations.

 

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Off -Balance Sheet Arrangements

 

There were no off-balance sheet arrangements as of March 31, 2013. 

 

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

 

Our financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, expenses and related disclosures. We evaluate our estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis, including research and development and clinical trial accruals, and stock-based compensation estimates. Our estimates are based on historical experience and various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Our actual results could differ from these estimates. We believe the following critical accounting policies reflect the more significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of our financial statements and accompanying notes.

 

Collaboration Income

 

In February 2011, we entered into a collaboration agreement whereby we were reimbursed for work performed on behalf of the collaborator upon the achievement of certain milestones. We recorded all of these expenses as research and development expenses and the reimbursements upon the achievement of the milestones as income.

 

We recognize milestone payments as income upon achievement of the milestone only if (1) the milestone payment is non-refundable, (2) substantive effort is involved in achieving the milestone, (3) the amount of the milestone is reasonable in relation to the effort expended or the risk associated with achievement of the milestone and (4) the milestone is at risk for both parties. If any of these conditions are not met, we defer the milestone payment and recognize it as income over the remaining estimated period of performance under the contract as we complete our performance obligations.

 

Research and Development Expenses and Accruals

 

R&D expenses consist primarily of salaries and related personnel costs, fees paid to consultants and outside service providers for pre-clinical, clinical, and manufacturing development, legal expenses resulting from intellectual property prosecution, contractual review, and other expenses relating to the design, development, testing, and enhancement of our product candidates. Except for capitalized patent expenses, R&D costs are expensed as incurred. Amounts due under such arrangements may be either fixed fee or fee for service, and may include upfront payments, monthly payments, and payments upon the completion of milestones or receipt of deliverables.

 

Our cost accruals for clinical trials and other R&D activities are based on estimates of the services received and efforts expended pursuant to contracts with numerous clinical trial centers and CROs, clinical study sites, laboratories, consultants, or other clinical trial vendors that perform the activities. Related contracts vary significantly in length, and may be for a fixed amount, a variable amount based on actual costs incurred, capped at a certain limit, or for a combination of these elements. Activity levels are monitored through close communication with the CROs and other clinical trial vendors, including detailed invoice and task completion review, analysis of expenses against budgeted amounts, analysis of work performed against approved contract budgets and payment schedules, and recognition of any changes in scope of the services to be performed. Certain CRO and significant clinical trial vendors provide an estimate of costs incurred but not invoiced at the end of each quarter for each individual trial. The estimates are reviewed and discussed with the CRO or vendor as necessary, and are included in R&D expenses for the related period. For clinical study sites, which are paid periodically on a per-subject basis to the institutions performing the clinical study, we accrue an estimated amount based on subject screening and enrollment in each quarter. All estimates may differ significantly from the actual amount subsequently invoiced, which may occur several months after the related services were performed.

 

In the normal course of business we contract with third parties to perform various R&D activities in the on-going development of our product candidates. The financial terms of these agreements are subject to negotiation and vary from contract to contract and may result in uneven payment flows. Payments under the contracts depend on factors such as the achievement of certain events, the successful enrollment of patients, and the completion of portions of the clinical trial or similar conditions. The objective of our accrual policy is to match the recording of expenses in our financial statements to the actual services received and efforts expended. As such, expense accruals related to clinical trials and other R&D activities are recognized based on our estimate of the degree of completion of the event or events specified in the specific contract.

 

No adjustments for material changes in estimates have been recognized in any period presented.

 

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Stock-Based Compensation

 

Our results include non-cash compensation expense as a result of the issuance of stock, stock options and warrants. We have issued stock options to employees, directors, consultants and Scientific Advisory Board members under our Amended and Restated 2005 Stock Option Plan.

 

We expense the fair value of stock-based compensation over the vesting period. When more precise pricing data is unavailable, we determine the fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. This valuation model requires us to make assumptions and judgments about the variables used in the calculation. These variables and assumptions include the weighted-average period of time that the options granted are expected to be outstanding, the volatility of our common stock, the risk-free interest rate and the estimated rate of forfeitures of unvested stock options.

 

Stock options or other equity instruments to non-employees (including consultants and all members of our Scientific Advisory Board) issued as consideration for goods or services received by us are accounted for based on the fair value of the equity instruments issued (unless the fair value of the consideration received can be more reliably measured). The fair value of stock options is determined using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model and is periodically remeasured as the underlying options vest. The fair value of any options issued to non-employees is recorded as expense over the applicable service periods.

 

The terms and vesting schedules for share-based awards vary by type of grant and the employment status of the grantee. Generally, the awards vest based upon time-based or performance-based conditions. Performance-based conditions generally include the attainment of goals related to our financial and development performance. Stock-based compensation expense is included in the respective categories of expense in the Statements of Operations. We expect to record additional non-cash compensation expense in the future, which may be significant.

 

Warrant Liability

 

We account for the warrants issued in connection with the April 2012 financing and the embedded derivative warrant liability contained in the 2013 Notes in accordance with the guidance on Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of both Liabilities and Equity, which provides that we classify the warrant instrument as a liability at its fair value and adjust the instrument to fair value at each reporting period. This liability is subject to re-measurement at each balance sheet date until exercised, and any change in fair value is recognized as a component of other income or expense. The fair value of warrants issued in connection with the April 2012 financing has been estimated by management using a binomial options pricing model. The binomial option pricing model is a generally accepted valuation model used to generate a defined number of stock price paths in order to develop a reasonable estimate of the range of our future expected stock prices, and their resulting probabilistic valuation. The fair value of the embedded derivative warrant liability contained in the 2013 Notes was estimated by management using Black-Scholes option-pricing model.

 

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Item 3.Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.

 

Our exposure to market risk for changes in interest rates relates primarily to our cash and cash equivalents. The goal of our investment policy is to place our investments with highly rated credit issuers and limit the amount of credit exposure to any one issuer. We seek to improve the safety and likelihood of preservation of our invested funds by limiting default risk and market risk. Our policy is to mitigate default risk by investing in high credit quality securities and currently do not hedge interest rate exposure. Due to our policy to only make investments with short-term maturities, we do not believe that an increase in market rates would have any material negative impact on the value of our investment portfolio.

 

As of March 31, 2013, our portfolio consisted primarily of bank savings and checking accounts and we did not have any investments with significant exposure to the subprime mortgage market issues. Based on our investment portfolio and interest rates at March 31, 2013, we believe that a decrease in interest rates would not have a significant impact on the fair value of our cash and cash equivalents of approximately $0.3 million.

 

Item 4.Controls and Procedures.

 

We maintain disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our reports under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow for timely decisions regarding required disclosure. In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives, and management is required to apply its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures.

 

As required by Commission Rule 13a-15(b), we carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the quarter covered by this report. Based on the foregoing, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of such date, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective at the reasonable assurance level.

 

There has been no change in our internal control over financial reporting during the most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

 

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PART II — OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1.Legal Proceedings.

 

We are not a party to any material pending legal proceedings.

 

Item 1A.Risk Factors.

 

An investment in our common stock involves significant risk. You should carefully consider the information described in the following risk factor, together with the other information appearing elsewhere in this report, before making an investment decision regarding our common stock. You should also consider the risk factors set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 (“2012 Annual Report”) under the caption “Item 1A. Risk Factors.”  If any of the risks described below or in our 2012 Annual Report actually occur, our business, financial conditions, results of operation and future growth prospects would likely be materially and adversely affected. In these circumstances, the market price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or a part of your investment in our common stock.  Moreover, the risks described below and in our 2012 Annual Report are not the only ones that we face. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business, operating results, prospects or financial condition.

 

We need substantial additional funding in order to continue our business operations and the further development of our product candidates. If we are unable to obtain such additional capital, whether through a strategic transaction or otherwise, we will be forced to cease operations altogether.

 

As of March 31, 2013, we only had approximately $0.3 million in cash and cash resources, and a net working capital deficit of approximately $0.2 million. During the three months ended March 31, 2013, had negative cash flow from operating activities of $0.1 million, and we expect our negative cash flows from operations to continue for the foreseeable future. We believe that our currently available cash resources are only sufficient to fund our minimal operating expenses until the end of the second quarter of 2013. As a result, our financial statements reflect substantial uncertainty about our ability to continue as a going concern.  Accordingly, we are in immediate need of additional capital to fund our general corporate activities.

 

Further, beyond funding our basic corporate activities, we need substantial additional capital in order to continue the development of cenderitide, for which the next step is a Phase 2 trial. We estimate that this Phase 2 trial will cost approximately $15 million to $20 million and take approximately 30 months to complete. During the last 12 months, we have attempted, unsuccessfully, to complete a financing transaction that would provide us with the capital necessary to fund the Phase 2 trial, and it is doubtful that we will ever be able to complete such a financing transaction. We have also pursued, and continue to pursue, alternative strategic transactions that would provide for the means to continue development of cenderitide. Such alternatives could include collaborating with another biotechnology or pharmaceutical company to further develop cenderitide, or engaging in a merger or other corporate transaction in which the control of cenderitide’s development would be assumed by a purchaser of our company. However, we do not have any agreement or commitment from any collaboration partner, and there is no assurance we will be able to reach any such agreement. All of further clinical and other development activities for our cenderitide and CU-NP programs are on hold until we obtain the additional capital needed to fund such activities, whether through a financing, strategic transaction or otherwise. If we are not able to obtain such additional capital, we will likely be forced to cease operating altogether and wind down our company, in which case you will lose your entire investment in our common stock.

 

We are not in compliance with various provisions of our license agreements with the Mayo Foundation. If we are unable to renegotiate these agreements, then we will lose our rights to cenderitide and CU-NP.

 

Our rights to our cenderitide and CU-NP drug candidates are both derived from separate license agreements between us and the Mayo Foundation, an affiliate of Mayo Clinic. While our business depends substantially on these agreements to maintain the intellectual property rights to both our product candidates, we are not in compliance with several terms of these agreements, including, but not limited to, the requirements that we pay the Mayo Foundation an annual maintenance fee and actively pursue the development of cenderitide and CU-NP. We are in discussions with the Mayo Foundation to amend the agreement, but we cannot guarantee that we will be able to reach an agreement with Mayo that allows us to maintain our rights to cenderitide and CU-NP. Under the license agreements, we currently owe the Mayo Foundation an aggregate of approximately $193,400, which we are unable to pay.

 

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If we are unable to renegotiate the license agreements, then we will lose our rights to cenderitide and CU-NP. Even if we are able to renegotiate the license agreements, there is no guarantee that we will be able to obtain the capital necessary for us to continue the development of our product candidates, whether through a strategic transaction or otherwise.

 

Item 2.Unregistered Sales of Securities and Use of Proceeds.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 3.Defaults Upon Senior Securities.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 4.Mine Safety Disclosures.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 5.Other Information.

 

None.

 

Item 6.Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.   Exhibit Description
4.1   Form of Note issued to various accredited investors on March 15, 2013 (includes Form of Warrant as Exhibit A) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed March 22, 2013).
     
10.1   Form of Convertible Note Purchase Agreement entered into among Nile Therapeutics, Inc. and various accredited investors on March 15, 2013 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed March 22, 2013).
     
10.2   Form of Security Agreement entered into among Nile Therapeutics, Inc. and various accredited investors on March 15, 2013 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed March 22, 2013).
     
10.3   Letter Agreement between Nile Therapeutics, Inc. and Darlene Horton, M.D., dated March 21, 2013 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed March 22, 2013).
     
10.4   Letter Agreement between Nile Therapeutics, Inc. and Daron Evans, dated March 21, 2013 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed March 22, 2013).
     
31.1   Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Securities Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e)/15d-15(e) as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
31.2   Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Securities Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e)/15d-15(e) as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
32.1   Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
32.2   Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
101   The following financial information from Nile Therapeutics, Inc.’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2013, formatted in eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL): (i) Condensed Balance Sheets as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, (ii) Condensed Statements of Operations for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and March 31, 2012, and for the period from August 1, 2005 (inception) through March 31, 2013, (iii) Condensed Statement of Stockholders’ Equity for the period from August 1, 2005 (inception) through March 31, 2013, (iv) Condensed Statements of Cash Flows for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and March 31, 2012, and for the period from August 1, 2005 (inception) through March 31, 2013, and (v) Notes to Condensed Financial Statements.*  

 

 

* Pursuant to Rule 406T of Regulation S-T, the Interactive Data Files in Exhibit 101 to this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, and shall not be deemed part of a registration statement, prospectus or other document filed under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filings.

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 

  NILE THERAPEUTICS, INC.
     
Date: June 21, 2013 By: /s/ Darlene Horton, M.D.
    Darlene Horton, M.D.
    Chief Executive Officer
    (Principal Executive Officer)
     
Date: June 21, 2013 By: /s/ Daron Evans
    Daron Evans
    Chief Financial Officer
    (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.   Exhibit Description
31.1   Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Securities Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e)/15d-15(e) as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
31.2   Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Securities Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e)/15d-15(e) as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
32.1   Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
32.2   Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
101   The following financial information from Nile Therapeutics, Inc.’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2013, formatted in eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL): (i) Condensed Balance Sheets as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, (ii) Condensed Statements of Operations for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and March 31, 2012, and for the period from August 1, 2005 (inception) through March 31, 2013, (iii) Condensed Statement of Stockholders’ Equity for the period from August 1, 2005 (inception) through March 31, 2013, (iv) Condensed Statements of Cash Flows for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and March 31, 2012, and for the period from August 1, 2005 (inception) through March 31, 2013, and (v) Notes to Condensed Financial Statements.*  

 

 

 * Pursuant to Rule 406T of Regulation S-T, the Interactive Data Files in Exhibit 101 to this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, and shall not be deemed part of a registration statement, prospectus or other document filed under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filings.