Reasons for the Reverse Stock Split
To enable repayment of the Notes in shares of common stock. The Notes may be converted at the option of the holders thereof. In addition, we are required to make periodic repayments of the principal amount thereof in either shares of common stock or cash. Any repayment of the Notes in shares of common stock is at a discount to the then current trading price, subject to a minimum price floor of $0.05 per share. Our ability to make repayments in shares of common stock is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions in the terms of the Notes. Despite the 2016 Reverse Stock Split (as defined below), the Company’s ability to issue shares in payment of installments of principal has been dependent upon waivers of certain of such conditions. If the trading price of our common stock is near or below $0.05 per share, we may not satisfy such conditions, the holders of the Notes may have no economic incentive to waive such conditions and the holders of the Notes may require us to repay the Notes in cash. We may not have sufficient funds for such repayment in cash, which could result in the acceleration of the Notes and foreclosure and repossession of the cash proceeds from the original issuance of the Notes held in a restricted account. Any loss of such funds would materially adversely affect our ability to fund our operations.
To provide us with resources and flexibility with respect to our capital sufficient to execute our business plans and strategy. As of September 21, 2017, we had 499,051,932 shares of Common Stock outstanding, and, as a result of requirements under the terms of the Notes that a number of shares determined by reference to the conversion price be reserved for issuance for conversion thereof, all of our remaining authorized shares of Common Stock are reserved for issuance upon conversion thereof. As described above, approval of the proposed reverse stock split is vital to our ability to repay the Notes through the issuance of shares of Common Stock. In turn, our ability to issue additional shares in capital raising transactions is dependent upon the repayment of the Notes in shares of Common Stock, resulting in a reduction in the number of shares of Common Stock required to be reserved for issuance upon future conversions thereof. Nevertheless, such issuances in repayment of the Notes will result in a greater number of shares of Common Stock outstanding and correspondingly fewer shares of Common Stock that are authorized and unissued. The Board of Directors wishes to increase the number of unused authorized common shares by decreasing the outstanding shares through the reverse stock split without a corresponding decrease in the number of authorized shares. This increase in unused authorized common shares will provide us greater flexibility with respect to our capital structure for various purposes as the need may arise from time to time. These purposes may include: raising capital, establishing strategic relationships with other companies, expanding our business through the acquisition of other businesses or products and providing equity incentives to employees, officers or directors. As we expect that we will seek to raise significant additional capital in future years to fund our clinical trials, we may need to issue a substantial number of shares in connection therewith.
The Board of Directors also believes that the increased market price of the Common Stock expected as a result of implementing a reverse stock split could improve the marketability and liquidity of the Common Stock and will encourage interest and trading in the Common Stock. A reverse stock split could allow a broader range of institutions to invest in our stock (namely, funds that are prohibited from buying stocks whose price is below a certain threshold), potentially increasing trading volume and liquidity of our Common Stock. A reverse stock split could help increase analyst and broker interest in our stock as their policies can discourage them from following or recommending companies with low stock prices. Because of the trading volatility often associated with low-priced stocks, many brokerage houses and institutional investors have internal policies and practices that either prohibit them from investing in low-priced stocks or tend to discourage individual brokers from recommending low-priced stocks to their customers. Some of those policies and practices may make the processing of trades in low-priced stocks economically unattractive to brokers. Additionally, because brokers’ commissions on low-priced stocks generally represent a higher percentage of the stock price than commissions on higher-priced stocks, a low average price per share of Common Stock can result in individual stockholders paying transaction costs representing a higher percentage of their total share value than would be the case if the share price were higher.
The Board of Directors does not intend for this transaction to be the first step in a series of plans or Actions of a “going private transaction” within the meaning of Rule 13e-3 of the Securities Exchange Act.
Risks of the Proposed Reverse Stock Split
