Public companies are required to disclose risks that can affect the business and impact the stock. These disclosures are known as “Risk Factors”. Companies disclose these risks in their yearly (Form 10-K), quarterly earnings (Form 10-Q), or “foreign private issuer” reports (Form 20-F). Risk factors show the challenges a company faces. Investors can consider the worst-case scenarios before making an investment. TipRanks’ Risk Analysis categorizes risks based on proprietary classification algorithms and machine learning.
NanoVibronix disclosed 39 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. NanoVibronix reported the most risks in the “Finance & Corporate” category.
Risk Overview Q3, 2022
Risk Distribution
41% Finance & Corporate
21% Legal & Regulatory
15% Macro & Political
13% Tech & Innovation
5% Production
5% Ability to Sell
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
This chart displays the stock's most recent risk distribution according to category. TipRanks has identified 6 major categories: Finance & corporate, legal & regulatory, macro & political, production, tech & innovation, and ability to sell.
Risk Change Over Time
2020
Q4
S&P500 Average
Sector Average
Risks removed
Risks added
Risks changed
NanoVibronix Risk Factors
New Risk (0)
Risk Changed (0)
Risk Removed (0)
No changes from previous report
The chart shows the number of risks a company has disclosed. You can compare this to the sector average or S&P 500 average.
The quarters shown in the chart are according to the calendar year (January to December). Businesses set their own financial calendar, known as a fiscal year. For example, Walmart ends their financial year at the end of January to accommodate the holiday season.
Risk Highlights Q3, 2022
Main Risk Category
Finance & Corporate
With 16 Risks
Finance & Corporate
With 16 Risks
Number of Disclosed Risks
39
+2
From last report
S&P 500 Average: 31
39
+2
From last report
S&P 500 Average: 31
Recent Changes
3Risks added
0Risks removed
2Risks changed
Since Sep 2022
3Risks added
0Risks removed
2Risks changed
Since Sep 2022
Number of Risk Changed
2
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 3
2
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 3
See the risk highlights of NanoVibronix in the last period.
Risk Word Cloud
The most common phrases about risk factors from the most recent report. Larger texts indicate more widely used phrases.
Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 39
Finance & Corporate
Total Risks: 16/39 (41%)Above Sector Average
Share Price & Shareholder Rights9 | 23.1%
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 1
Changed
If we fail to comply with the continued listing requirements of the NASDAQ Capital Market, our common stock may be delisted and the price of our common stock and our ability to access the capital markets could be negatively impacted.
Our common stock is currently listed for trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market. We must satisfy NASDAQ's continued listing requirements, including, among other things, a minimum stockholders' equity of?$2.5 million and a minimum closing bid price of $1.00 per share or risk delisting, which would have a material adverse effect on our business. A delisting of our common stock from the NASDAQ Capital Market could materially reduce the liquidity of our common stock and result in a corresponding material reduction in the price of our common stock. In addition, delisting could harm our ability to raise capital through alternative financing sources on terms acceptable to us, or at all, and may result in the potential loss of confidence by investors, suppliers, customers and employees and fewer business development opportunities.
On March 2, 2022, the Company received notice from the Listing Qualifications Staff of Nasdaq indicating that, based upon the closing bid price of the Company's common stock for the 30 consecutive business day period between January 14, 2022, through March 1, 2022, we did not meet the minimum bid price of $1.00 per share required for continued listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 555(a)(2). The letter also indicated that the Company will be provided with a compliance period of 180 calendar days, or until August 29, 2022, in which to regain compliance pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A).
On August 30, 2022, the Company received notice from Nasdaq indicating that the Company's securities would be subject to delisting due to the Company's continued non-compliance with the minimum bid price requirement unless the Company timely requests a hearing before the Nasdaq Hearings Panel (the "Panel"). The Company timely requested a hearing before the Panel, which stayed any further action by Nasdaq at least pending the issuance of a decision by the Panel and the expiration of any extension the Panel may grant to the Company following the hearing. On October 17, 2022, the Panel granted the Company's request for continued listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market until December 15, 2022, subject to the Company providing a written update to the Panel on December 15, 2022.
On September 13, 2022 subject to stockholder approval, the Board approved an amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation to, at the discretion of the Board, effect a reverse stock split of our common stock at a ratio of 1-for-2 to 1-for-50, with the exact ratio within such range to be determined by the Board at its discretion, and have submitted this for stockholder vote at the annual meeting to be held on December 15, 2022. The primary goal of the reverse stock split is to increase the per share market price of our common stock to meet the minimum per share bid price requirements for continued listing on Nasdaq. However, even if the market price of our common stock does rise reflecting the applicable reverse stock split ratio immediately following the reverse stock split, we cannot assure you that the market price of our common stock immediately after a reverse stock split will be maintained for any period of time. Moreover, because some investors may view a reverse stock split negatively, we cannot assure you that a reverse stock split will not adversely impact the market price of our common stock. Accordingly, there is no assurance that our common stock will maintain the closing bid price for the required period of time to regain compliance with the minimum bid price requirement following the reverse stock split.
There is no assurance that we can regain compliance with such minimum listing requirements. If our common stock were delisted from NASDAQ, trading of our common stock would most likely take place on an over-the-counter market established for unlisted securities, such as the OTCQB or the Pink Market maintained by OTC Markets Group Inc. An investor would likely find it less convenient to sell, or to obtain accurate quotations in seeking to buy, our common stock on an over-the-counter market, and many investors would likely not buy or sell our common stock due to difficulty in accessing over-the-counter markets, policies preventing them from trading in securities not listed on a national exchange or other reasons. In addition, as a delisted security, our common stock would be subject to SEC rules as a "penny stock," which impose additional disclosure requirements on broker-dealers. The regulations relating to penny stocks, coupled with the typically higher cost per trade to the investor of penny stocks due to factors such as broker commissions generally representing a higher percentage of the price of a penny stock than of a higher-priced stock, would further limit the ability of investors to trade in our common stock. In addition, delisting could harm our ability to raise capital through alternative financing sources on terms acceptable to us, or at all, and may result in the potential loss of confidence by investors, suppliers, customers and employees and fewer business development opportunities. For these reasons and others, delisting would adversely affect the liquidity, trading volume and price of our common stock, causing the value of an investment in us to decrease and having an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations, including our ability to attract and retain qualified employees and to raise capital.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 2
Added
Failure to obtain stockholder authorization to amend our Certificate of Incorporation to authorize the reverse stock split may adversely affect our business.
On September 13, 2022 subject to stockholder approval, the Board approved an amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation to, at the discretion of the Board, effect a reverse stock split of our common stock at a ratio of 1-for-2 to 1-for-50, with the exact ratio within such range to be determined by the Board at its discretion, and have submitted this for stockholder vote at the annual meeting to be held on December 15, 2022.
If the reverse stock split is not approved by our stockholders at our annual meeting on December 15, 2022, our Board will not have the authority to effect the reverse stock split to, among other things, facilitate the continued listing of our common stock on Nasdaq by increasing the per share trading price of our common stock to help ensure a share price high enough to satisfy the $1.00 per share minimum bid price requirement. Any inability of our Board to effect the reverse stock split could expose us to delisting from Nasdaq.
In addition, our financing alternatives will be limited by the lack of any available unissued and unreserved authorized shares of common stock, and stockholder value may be harmed by this limitation. As of October 31, 2022, we had 27,997,793 shares of common stock outstanding and 5,673,633 shares of common stock reserved for issuance or issuable upon exercise of outstanding warrants and equity awards. Accordingly, we had 6,324,574 shares of common stock available for issuance as of October 31, 2022, which is a small percentage and could limit our ability to raise funds in the future to the extent necessary. Moreover, our future success depends upon our ability to attract, retain and motivate highly-skilled employees. If the reverse stock split is not approved by our stockholders, the lack of any available unissued and unreserved authorized shares of common stock to provide future equity incentive opportunities could adversely impact our ability to achieve these goals.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 3
It may be difficult for investors in the United States to enforce any judgments obtained against us or any of our directors or officers.
Almost all of our assets are located outside the United States, although we do maintain a permanent place of business within the United States. In addition, some of our officers and directors are nationals and/or residents of countries other than the United States, and all or a substantial portion of such persons' assets are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to enforce within the United States any judgments obtained against us or any of our non-U.S. directors or officers, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state thereof. Additionally, it may be difficult to assert U.S. securities law claims in actions originally instituted outside of the United States. Israeli courts may refuse to hear a U.S. securities law claim because Israeli courts may not be the most appropriate forums in which to bring such a claim. Even if an Israeli court agrees to hear a claim, it may determine that the Israeli law, and not U.S. law, is applicable to the claim. Further, if U.S. law is found to be applicable, certain content of applicable U.S. law must be proved as a fact, which can be a time-consuming and costly process, and certain matters of procedure would still be governed by the Israeli law. Consequently, you may be effectively prevented from pursuing remedies under U.S. federal and state securities laws against us or any of our non-U.S. directors or officers.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 4
The price of our securities may be volatile, and the market price of our securities may drop below the price you pay.
We expect that the price of our securities will fluctuate significantly. Market prices for securities of early-stage medical device companies have historically been particularly volatile. In addition to the factors discussed in this "Risk Factors" section and elsewhere in this report, these factors include:
- progress, or lack of progress, in developing and commercializing our products; - favorable or unfavorable decisions about our products or intellectual property from government regulators, insurance companies or other third-party payers; - our ability to recruit and retain qualified regulatory and research and development personnel; - changes in investors' and securities analysts' perception of the business risks and conditions of our business; - changes in our relationship with key collaborators; - changes in the market valuation or earnings of our competitors or companies viewed as similar to us; - changes in key personnel; - depth of the trading market in our common stock; - changes in our capital structure, such as future issuances of securities or the incurrence of additional debt; - the granting or exercise of employee stock options or other equity awards; - realization of any of the risks described under this section entitled "Risk Factors"; and - general market and economic conditions.
In recent years, the stock markets, in general, have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations especially in the biotechnology sector. Broad market and industry factors may materially harm the market price of shares of our common stock. In the past, following periods of volatility in the market price of a company's securities, securities class action litigation has often been instituted against that company. If we were involved in any similar litigation, we could incur substantial costs and our management's attention and resources could be diverted. On March 12, 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic, and the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant financial market volatility and uncertainty in recent weeks. In addition, U.S. and global markets are experiencing volatility and disruption following the escalation of geopolitical tensions and the start of the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine. A continuation or worsening of the levels of market disruption and volatility could have an adverse effect on our ability to access capital, on our business, results of operations and financial condition, and on the market price of our common shares.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 5
We have a significant number of warrants and options, and future sales of our common stock upon exercise of these options or warrants, or the perception that future sales may occur, may cause the market price of our common stock to decline, even if our business is doing well.
Sales of a significant number of shares of our common stock in the public market could harm the market price of our common stock and make it more difficult for us to raise funds through future offerings of common stock. Our stockholders and the holders of our outstanding warrants and options, upon exercise of these options or warrants, may sell substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market. The availability of these shares of our common stock for resale in the public market has the potential to cause the supply of our common stock to exceed investor demand, thereby decreasing the price of our common stock.
In addition, the fact that our stockholders and holders of our warrants and options can sell substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market, whether or not sales have occurred or are occurring, could make it more difficult for us to raise additional financing through the sale of equity or equity-related securities in the future at a time and price that we deem reasonable or appropriate.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 6
Although our shares of common stock are listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market, we currently have a limited trading volume, which results in higher price volatility for, and reduced liquidity of, our common stock.
Although our shares of common stock are listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol "NAOV," trading volume in our common stock has been limited and an active trading market for our shares of common stock may never develop or be maintained. The absence of an active trading market increases price volatility and reduces the liquidity of our common stock. As long as this condition continues, the sale of a significant number of shares of common stock at any particular time could be difficult to achieve at the market prices prevailing immediately before such shares are offered.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 7
We are a smaller reporting company and we cannot be certain if the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to our filing status will make our common stock less attractive to investors.
We are a "smaller reporting company" and, thus, have certain decreased disclosure obligations in our SEC filings, including, among other things, simplified executive compensation disclosures and only being required to provide two years of audited financial statements in annual reports. Decreased disclosures in our SEC filings due to our status as a "smaller reporting company" may make it harder for investors to analyze our results of operations and financial prospects and may make our common stock a less attractive investment. If some investors find our common stock less attractive, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our stock price may be more volatile.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 8
Anti-takeover provisions of our certificate of incorporation, our bylaws and Delaware law could make an acquisition of us, which may be beneficial to our stockholders, more difficult and may prevent attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove the current members of our board and management.
Certain provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws could discourage, delay or prevent a merger, acquisition or other change of control that stockholders may consider favorable, including transactions in which you might otherwise receive a premium for your shares. Furthermore, these provisions could prevent or frustrate attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove members of our board of directors. These provisions also could limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for our securities, thereby depressing the market price of our securities. Stockholders who wish to participate in these transactions may not have the opportunity to do so. These provisions, among other things:
- allow the authorized number of directors to be changed only by resolution of our board of directors;- authorize our board of directors to issue, without stockholder approval, preferred stock, the rights of which will be determined at the discretion of the board of directors and that, if issued, could operate as a "poison pill" to dilute the stock ownership of a potential hostile acquirer to prevent an acquisition that our board of directors does not approve; - establish advance notice requirements for stockholder nominations to our board of directors or for stockholder proposals that can be acted on at stockholder meetings; and - limit who may call a stockholder meeting.
In addition, we are governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law that may, unless certain criteria are met, prohibit large stockholders, in particular those owning 15% or more of the voting rights on our common stock, from merging or combining with us for a prescribed period of time.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights - Risk 9
If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports or publish unfavorable research about our business, the price of our securities and their trading volume could decline.
The trading market for our securities will depend in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. Currently there is only one research coverage by a securities and industry analyst. If one or more of the analysts who covers us downgrades our securities, the price of our securities would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts ceases to cover us or fails to publish regular reports on us, interest in the purchase of our securities could decrease, which could cause the price of our securities and their trading volume to decline.
Accounting & Financial Operations5 | 12.8%
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1
Added
The Company's financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, and do not include adjustments that might be necessary if the Company is unable to continue as a going concern. Management has substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern.
The Company's unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. During the three quarters of 2022, the Company's cash used in operations was $5,704 leaving a cash balance of $1,972 as of September 30, 2022. Because the Company does not have sufficient resources to fund our operations for the next twelve months from the date of this filing, management has substantial doubt of the Company's ability to continue as a going concern. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification of asset amounts or the classification of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern.
The Company will need to raise additional capital to finance its losses and negative cash flows from operations and may continue to be dependent on additional capital raising as long as our products do not reach commercial profitability. There are no assurances that the Company would be able to raise additional capital on terms favorable to it. If the Company is unsuccessful in commercializing its products and raising capital, it will need to reduce activities, curtail, or cease operations.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 2
We have a history of losses and we expect to continue to incur losses and may not achieve or maintain profitability.
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 we had a net loss of approximately $14.3 million, with revenues of approximately $1.7 million. As of December 31, 2021, we had an accumulated deficit of approximately $57 million. We expect to incur losses for at least the next year, as we continue to incur expenses related to seeking U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for UroShield, and market acceptance of PainShield, which will require costly additional clinical trials and research, further product development and professional fees associated with regulatory compliance. Even if we succeed in commercializing our new products, we may not be able to generate sufficient revenues to cover our expenses and achieve profitability or be able to maintain profitability.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 3
Changed
If we fail to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting, our business, financial condition or results of operations may be adversely affected.
As a public reporting company, we are required to establish and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting. Failure to establish such internal control, or any failure of such internal control once established, could adversely impact our public disclosures regarding our business, financial condition or results of operations. Any failure of our internal control over financial reporting could also prevent us from maintaining accurate accounting records and discovering accounting errors and financial frauds.
Rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 require annual assessment of our internal control over financial reporting. The standards that must be met for management to assess the internal control over financial reporting as effective are complex, and require significant documentation, testing and possible remediation to meet the detailed standards. We may encounter problems or delays in completing activities necessary to make an assessment of our internal control over financial reporting. If we cannot assess our internal control over financial reporting as effective, investor confidence and share value may be negatively impacted. In addition, management's assessment of internal control over financial reporting may identify weaknesses and conditions that need to be addressed in our internal control over financial reporting or other matters that may raise concerns for investors. Any actual or perceived weaknesses and conditions that need to be addressed in our internal control over financial reporting (including those weaknesses identified in our periodic reports), or disclosure of management's assessment of our internal control over financial reporting may have an adverse impact on the price of our securities.
As disclosed in Part II, Item 9A, "Controls and Procedures," in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal ended December 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on April 15, 2022, as amended on May 2, 2022, we have identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting due to a lack of a full and complete testing of our disclosure controls and procedures. We concluded that our internal control over financial reporting and related disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of December 31, 2021. Our management is in the process of implementing remediation measures with respect to the controls and written policies and procedures as described in Item 4, "Controls and Procedures," and management expects that such measures, once fully implemented, will be sufficient to remediate such material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting that existed as of December 31, 2021.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 4
Because we do not expect to pay cash dividends for the foreseeable future, you must rely on appreciation of our common stock price for any return on your investment. Even if we change that policy, we may be restricted from paying dividends on our common stock.
We do not intend to pay cash dividends on shares of our common stock for the foreseeable future. Any determination to pay dividends in the future will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon results of operations, financial performance, contractual restrictions, restrictions imposed by applicable law and other factors our board of directors deems relevant. Accordingly, you will have to rely on capital appreciation, if any, to earn a return on your investment in our common stock. Investors seeking cash dividends in the foreseeable future should not purchase our common stock.
Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 5
Our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards and certain other tax attributes may be limited.
Our ability to utilize our federal net operating loss, carryforwards and federal tax credit may be limited under Sections 382 and 383 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The limitations apply if an "ownership change," as defined by Section 382, occurs. Generally, an ownership change occurs if the percentage of the value of the stock that is owned by one or more direct or indirect "five percent shareholders" increases by more than 50% over their lowest ownership percentage at any time during the applicable testing period (typically three years). If we have experienced an "ownership change" at any time since our formation, we may already be subject to limitations on our ability to utilize our existing net operating losses and other tax attributes to offset taxable income. In addition, future changes in our stock ownership, which may be outside of our control, may trigger an "ownership change" and, consequently, Section 382 and 383 limitations. As a result, if we earn net taxable income, our ability to use our pre-change net operating loss carryforwards and other tax attributes to offset U.S. federal taxable income may be subject to limitations, which could potentially result in increased future tax liability to us.
Debt & Financing1 | 2.6%
Debt & Financing - Risk 1
If we are unable to raise additional capital, our clinical trials and product development will be limited and our long-term viability will be threatened; however, if we do raise additional capital, your percentage ownership as a stockholder could decrease and constraints could be placed on the operations of our business.
We have experienced negative operating cash flows since our inception and have funded our operations primarily from proceeds of the sale of our securities, with only limited revenue being generated from our product sales. In order to fully realize our business objectives, we may need to raise additional capital. We will seek to raise such additional funds through equity or debt financings, or strategic alliances with third parties, either alone or in combination with equity financings. These financings could result in substantial dilution to the holders of our common stock, or require contractual or other restrictions on our operations or on alternatives that may be available to us. If we raise additional funds by issuing debt securities, these debt securities could impose significant restrictions on our operations through the imposition of restrictive covenants and requiring us to pledge assets in order to secure repayment. In addition, if we raise funds through the sale of equity, we may issue equity securities with rights superior to our common stock, including voting rights, rights to proceeds upon our liquidation or sale, rights to dividends and rights to appoint board members. There can be no assurance that we will be able to complete a required financing on acceptable terms or at all. If such financing is not available on satisfactory terms, or is not available in sufficient amounts, we may be required to delay, limit or eliminate the development of business opportunities. The failure to procure such required financing could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations, or threaten our ability to continue as a going concern.
A variety of factors could impact the timing and amount of any required financings, including, without limitation:
- unforeseen developments during our clinical trials; - delays in our receipt of required regulatory approvals; - delayed market acceptance of our products; - unanticipated expenditures in our acquisition and defense of intellectual property rights, and/or the loss of those rights; - the failure to develop strategic alliances for the marketing of some of our product candidates; - unforeseen changes in healthcare reimbursement for any of our approved products; - lack of financial resources to adequately support our operations; - difficulties in maintaining commercial scale manufacturing capacity and capability; - unanticipated difficulties in operating in international markets; - unanticipated financial resources needed to respond to technological changes and increased competition; - unforeseen problems in attracting and retaining qualified personnel; - enactment of new legislation or administrative regulations; - the application to our business of new regulatory interpretations; - claims that might be brought in excess of our insurance coverage; - the failure to comply with regulatory guidelines; and - the uncertainty in industry demand; - the delisting of our common stock from the NASDAQ Capital Market; and - the geographic, social and economic impact of COVID-19 on the Company's business operations.
Any required financing efforts may divert our management from their day-to-day activities, which may adversely affect its ability to develop and commercialize our products Moreover, if we complete additional financing by issuing equity securities, the percentage ownership of its existing stockholders may be reduced, and accordingly these stockholders may experience substantial dilution. Given our need for cash and that equity issuances are the most common type of fundraising for similarly situated companies, the risk of dilution is particularly significant for our stockholders.
In addition, although we have no present commitments or understandings to do so, we may seek to expand our operations and product lines through acquisitions or joint ventures. Any acquisition or joint venture would likely increase our capital requirements.
Corporate Activity and Growth1 | 2.6%
Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 1
Our need to increase the size of our organization and may not successfully manage our growth.
We are a clinical-stage company with a small number of planned employees, and our management systems currently in place are not likely to be adequate to support our future growth plans. Our ability to grow and to manage our growth effectively will require us to hire, train, retain, manage and motivate additional employees and to implement and improve its operational, financial and management systems. These demands also may require the hiring of additional senior management personnel or the development of additional expertise by our senior management personnel. Hiring a significant number of additional employees, particularly those at the management level, would increase our expenses significantly. Moreover, if we fail to expand and enhance its operational, financial and management systems in conjunction with its potential future growth, such failure could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Legal & Regulatory
Total Risks: 8/39 (21%)Above Sector Average
Regulation5 | 12.8%
Regulation - Risk 1
We are subject to extensive governmental regulation, including the requirement of U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval or clearance before our product candidates may be marketed and after approval or clearance and during the marketing of our products.
The process of obtaining U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval is lengthy, expensive and uncertain, and we cannot be sure that our additional product candidates will be approved in a timely fashion, or at all. If the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not approve or clear our product candidates in a timely fashion, or at all, our business and financial condition would likely be adversely affected.
Both before and after approval or clearance of our product candidates, we, our product candidates, our suppliers and our contract manufacturers are subject to extensive regulation by governmental authorities in the United States and other countries. Failure to comply with applicable requirements could result in, among other things, any of the following actions:
- FDA issuance of Form 483 or Warning Letters, which may be made public and may lead to further regulatory or enforcement actions, or similar letters by other regulatory authorities; - fines and other monetary penalties; - unanticipated expenditures; - delays in U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval and clearance, or U.S. Food and Drug Administration refusal to approve or clear a product candidate; - product recall or seizure; - interruption of manufacturing or clinical trials; - operating restrictions; - injunction or other restrictions imposed on our operations, including closing our facilities or our contract manufacturers' facilities; or - criminal prosecutions.
In addition to the approval and clearance requirements, numerous other regulatory requirements apply, both before and after approval or clearance, to us, our products and product candidates, and our suppliers and contract manufacturers. These include requirements related to the following:
- testing and quality control; - manufacturing; - quality assurance - labeling; - advertising; - promotion (including the prohibition on promoting devices for "off-label"uses); - distribution; - export; - reporting to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration certain adverse experiences associated with the use of the products, as well as our discovery of defects or a product's failure to comply with design specifications or applicable law; and - obtaining additional approvals or clearances for certain modifications to the products or their labeling or claims.
We are also subject to inspection by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to determine our compliance with regulatory requirements, as are our suppliers and contract manufacturers, and we cannot be sure that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will not identify compliance issues that may disrupt production or distribution, or require substantial resources to correct. We also cannot be sure that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will agree with our analysis of, conclusions regarding, or handling of various situations that arise with our products. If it is determined that we failed to comply with any of our regulatory obligations, we could be subject to a wide range of enforcement actions that could limit our ability to continue to successfully commercialize impacted products or otherwise adversely impact us.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's requirements may change and additional government regulations may be promulgated that could affect us, our product candidates, and our suppliers and contract manufacturers. We cannot predict the likelihood, nature or extent of government regulation that may arise from future legislation or administrative action. There can be no assurance that we will not be required to incur significant costs to comply with such laws and regulations in the future, or that such laws or regulations will not have a material adverse effect upon our business.
Regulation - Risk 2
UroShield has not been cleared or approved by the FDA, nor has it undergone the same type of review as an FDA-approved or cleared device.
In September 2020, the FDA exercised its Enforcement Discretion to allow distribution of our UroShield device in the United States. This temporary authorization is limited to use as an extracorporeal acoustic wave generating accessory to urological indwelling catheter for use during the COVID-19 pandemic. The FDA may terminate or revoke this enforcement discretion policy at any time (after which the applicable products may no longer be used). There is no guarantee that our collaborators or customers will purchase or use the UroShield, that any sales of UroShield by us will generate any revenue or profits, or that we will ever be successful in obtaining FDA clearance or approval for the UroShield.
Regulation - Risk 3
Failure to obtain regulatory approval in foreign jurisdictions will prevent us from marketing our products abroad.
International sales of our products and any of our product candidates that we commercialize are subject to the regulatory requirements of each country in which the products are sold. Accordingly, the introduction of our product candidates in markets outside the United States where we do not already possess regulatory approval will be subject to regulatory approvals in those jurisdictions. The regulatory review process varies from country to country. Many countries impose product standards, packaging and labeling requirements, and import restrictions on medical devices. In addition, each country has its own tariff regulations, duties and tax requirements, as well as reimbursement and healthcare payment systems. The approval by foreign government authorities is unpredictable and uncertain, and can be expensive. We may be required to perform additional pre-clinical, clinical or post-approval studies even if U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval has been obtained. Our ability to market our approved products could be substantially limited due to delays in receipt of, or failure to receive, the necessary approvals or clearances.
Regulation - Risk 4
Added
Our PainShield Plus products have not been cleared or approved by the FDA, and we have suspended marketing the device until it has been formally approved by the FDA.
On May 26, 2022, we were notified by the FDA that we should discontinue any new marketing of our PainShield Plus products until we receive formal approval that the devices meet the predicate product category specifications. The Company is working with a qualified third-party laboratory to gain such approval. As a result, the Company has also delayed submitting its application for approval of our PainShield Relief product until this matter is resolved. There is no guarantee that the qualified third-party laboratory will be able re-engineer the product so that it meets the predicate product category specifications, or that we will ever be successful in obtaining FDA clearance or approval for the PainShield Plus and PainShield Relief products.
Regulation - Risk 5
If we fail to comply with the U.S. federal and state fraud and abuse and other health care laws and regulations, we could be subject to criminal and civil penalties and exclusion from the Medicare and Medicaid programs, which would have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
All of our financial relationships with health care providers and others who provide products or services to federal health care program beneficiaries are potentially governed by the federal and state fraud and abuse laws, and other health care laws and regulations may be or become applicable to our business and operations and expose us to risk. For example:
- The federal Anti-Kickback Statute, which prohibits the offer, payment, solicitation or receipt of any form of remuneration in return for referring, ordering, leasing, purchasing or arranging for, or recommending the ordering, purchasing or leasing of, items or services payable by Medicare, Medicaid or any other federal health care program.
- Federal false claims laws and civil monetary penalty laws, including the False Claims Act, that prohibit, among other things, individuals or entities from knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, claims for payment from Medicare, Medicaid or other government health care programs that are false or fraudulent, or making a false statement to avoid, decrease or conceal an obligation to pay money to the federal government. - The federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or HIPAA, which prohibits knowingly and willfully executing, or attempting to execute, a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program or obtain, by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, any of the money or property owned by, or under the custody or control of, any health care benefit program, and for knowingly and willfully falsifying, concealing or covering up a material fact or making any materially false statements in connection with the delivery of or payment for health care benefits, items or services. - HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009, and its implementing regulations, which also impose obligations and requirements on health care providers, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses as well as their respective business associates that perform certain services for them that involve the use or disclosure of individually identifiable health information, with respect to safeguarding the privacy and security of certain individually identifiable health information. - The federal transparency requirements under the Affordable Care Act, including the provision commonly referred to as the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, which requires certain manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologics and medical supplies that are reimbursable under Medicare, Medicaid or Children's Health Insurance Program to report annually to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, information related to payments and other transfers of value to physicians and teaching hospitals, and ownership and investment interests held by physicians and their immediate family members. - Analogous state and foreign laws and regulations, such as state anti-kickback and false claims laws, which may be broader in scope and apply to referrals and items or services reimbursed by both governmental and non-governmental third-party payers, including private insurers, many of which differ from each other in significant ways and often are not preempted by federal law, thus complicating compliance efforts.
Because of the breadth of these laws and the narrowness of the statutory exceptions and safe harbors available, it is possible that some of our business activities could be subject to challenge under one or more of such laws. In addition, recent health care reform legislation has strengthened these laws. Efforts to ensure that our business arrangements with third parties and our operations are compliant with applicable health care laws and regulations will involve the expenditure of appropriate, and possibly significant, resources. If we are found to be in violation of any current or future statutes or regulations involving applicable fraud and abuse or other health care laws and regulations, we may be subject to significant civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, fines, disgorgement, imprisonment, exclusion from government funded health care programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, contractual damages, reputational harm, diminished profits and future earnings, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. If any physicians or other health care providers or entities with whom we expect to do business are found to not be in compliance with applicable laws, they may be subject to criminal, civil or administrative sanctions, including exclusions from government funded health care programs, which could adversely affect our ability to operate our business and our results of operations.
Litigation & Legal Liabilities2 | 5.1%
Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 1
We face the risk of product liability claims and may not be able to obtain insurance.
Our business exposes us to the risk of product liability claims that are inherent in the development of medical devices and products. If the use of one or more of our products harms people, we may be subject to costly and damaging product liability claims brought against us by clinical trial participants, consumers, health care providers, pharmaceutical companies or others selling our products. We currently carry clinical trial and product liability insurance for the products we sell. However, we cannot predict all of the possible harms or side effects that may result and, therefore, the amount of insurance coverage we hold may not be adequate to cover all liabilities we might incur. We intend to expand our insurance coverage to include the sale of additional commercial products as we obtain marketing approval for our product candidates in development and as our sales expand, but we may be unable to obtain commercially reasonable product liability insurance for such products. If we are unable to obtain insurance at an acceptable cost or otherwise protect against potential product liability claims and we continue to make sales, or if our coverages turns out to be insufficient, we may be exposed to significant liabilities, which may materially and adversely affect our business and financial position. If we are sued for any injury allegedly caused by our products and do not have sufficient insurance coverage, our liability could exceed our total assets and our ability to pay the liability. A product liability claim or series of claims brought against us would decrease our cash and could reduce our value or marketability.
Litigation & Legal Liabilities - Risk 2
We face risks associated with litigation and claims.
We may, in the future, be involved in one or more lawsuits, claims or other proceedings. These suits could concern issues including contract disputes, employment actions, employee benefits, taxes, environmental, health and safety, fraud and abuse, personal injury and product liability matters.
Taxation & Government Incentives1 | 2.6%
Taxation & Government Incentives - Risk 1
We may be subject to ongoing restrictions related to grants from the Israeli Office of the Chief Scientist.
Through our Israeli subsidiary, as of December 31, 2017, we received grants of $437,000 from the Office of the Chief Scientist of the Israeli Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor, or the Office of the Chief Scientist, for research and development programs related to products that we are not currently commercializing or marketing. Because we are no longer developing the product to which the grants relate, we do not believe that we are subject to any material conditions with respect to the grants, except for the restrictions on our ability to make certain transfers of the technology or intellectual property related to these grants described below. We could in the future determine to apply for further grants. If we receive any such grants, we would have to comply with specified conditions, including paying royalties with respect to grants received. If we fail to comply with these conditions in the future, sanctions might be imposed on us, such as grants could be cancelled and we could be required to refund any payments previously received under these programs.
Pursuant to the Israeli Encouragement of Industrial Research and Development Law, any products developed with grants from the Office of the Chief Scientist are required to be manufactured in Israel and certain payments may be required in connection with the change of control of the grant recipient and the financing, mortgaging, production, exportation, licensing and transfer or sale of its technology and intellectual property to third parties, which will require the Office of the Chief Scientist's prior consent and, in case such a third party is outside of Israel, extended royalties and/or other fees. This could have a material adverse effect on and significant cash flow consequences to us if, and when, any technologies, intellectual property or manufacturing rights are exported, transferred or licensed to third parties outside Israel. If the Office of the Chief Scientist does not wish to give its consent in any required situation or transaction, we would need to negotiate a resolution with the Office of the Chief Scientist. In any event, such a transaction, assuming it was approved by the Office of the Chief Scientist, would involve monetary payments, such as royalties or fees, of not less than the applicable funding received from the Office of the Chief Scientist plus interest, not to exceed, in aggregate, six times the applicable funding received from the Office of the Chief Scientist.
Macro & Political
Total Risks: 6/39 (15%)Above Sector Average
Economy & Political Environment4 | 10.3%
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 1
Global economic and political instability and conflicts, such as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Our business could be adversely affected by unstable economic and political conditions within the United States and foreign jurisdictions and geopolitical conflicts, such as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. While we do not have any customer or direct supplier relationships in either country at this time, the current military conflict, and related sanctions, as well as export controls or actions that may be initiated by nations including the United States, the European Union or Russia (e.g., potential cyberattacks, disruption of energy flows, etc.) and other potential uncertainties could adversely affect our business and/or our supply chain, business partners, employees or customers, and interrupt our ability to supply products, or otherwise adversely impact our business.
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 2
Increasing inflation could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
Inflation, as well as some of the measures taken by or that may be taken by the governments in countries where we operate in an attempt to curb inflation may have negative effects on the economies of those countries generally. If the United States or other countries where we operate experience substantial inflation in the future, our business may be adversely affected. This could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows. Specifically, our existing distributor agreements limit the amount that we can increase the price that we sell our products to the distributors. Accordingly, an inflationary environment, including factors such as increasing freight and materials prices, could make it less profitable for us to do business.
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 3
Healthcare reform measures could adversely affect our business and financial results.
In the United States, there have been, and we expect there will continue to be, a number of legislative and regulatory changes to the healthcare system in ways that may adversely affect our business and financial results. Federal and state lawmakers regularly propose and, at times, enact legislation that could result in significant changes to the healthcare system, some of which are intended to contain or reduce the costs of medical products and services. Current and future legislative proposals to further reform healthcare or reduce healthcare costs may limit coverage of or lower reimbursement for our products. The cost containment measures that payers and providers are instituting and the effect of any healthcare reform initiative implemented in the future could impact our revenue from the sale of our products. For example, the Patient Protection and Affordable Act of 2010, commonly referred to as the Affordable Care Act, contains a number of provisions, including those governing enrollment in federal healthcare programs, reimbursement changes and fraud and abuse measures, all of which will impact existing government healthcare programs and will result in the development of new programs.
There have been executive, judicial and Congressional challenges to certain aspects of the Affordable Care Act. For example, President Trump signed several Executive Orders and other directives designed to delay the implementation of certain provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Concurrently, Congress considered legislation to repeal or repeal and replace all or part of the Affordable Care Act. While Congress has not passed comprehensive repeal legislation, it has enacted laws that modify certain provisions of the Affordable Care Act such as removing penalties, starting January 1, 2019, for not complying with the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate to carry health insurance and delaying the implementation of certain fees mandated by the Affordable Care Act. On December 14, 2018, a Texas U.S. District Court Judge ruled that the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional in its entirety because the individual mandate was repealed by Congress as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Additionally, on December 18, 2019, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit upheld the District Court ruling that the individual mandate was unconstitutional and remanded the case back to the District Court to determine whether the remaining provisions of the Affordable Care Act are invalid as well. The United States Supreme Court is currently reviewing this case, but it is unknown when a decision will be reached. Although the Supreme Court has not yet ruled on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, on January 28, 2021, President Biden issued an executive order to initiate a special enrollment period from February 15, 2021 through May 15, 2021 for purposes of obtaining health insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. The executive order also instructs certain governmental agencies to review and reconsider their existing policies and rules that limit access to healthcare, including among others, reexamining Medicaid demonstration projects and waiver programs that include work requirements, and policies that create unnecessary barriers to obtaining access to health insurance coverage through Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act. It is unclear how the Supreme Court ruling, other such litigation and the healthcare reform measures of the Biden administration will impact the Affordable Care Act and negatively affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The current presidential administration and Congress may pursue significant changes to the current healthcare laws. We face uncertainties that might result from modifications or repeal of any of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act, including as a result of current and future executive orders and legislative actions. The impact of those changes on us and potential effect on our industry as a whole is currently unknown. Any changes to the Affordable Care Act are likely to have an impact on our results of operations, and may negatively affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. We cannot predict what other healthcare programs and regulations will ultimately be implemented at the federal or state level or the effect of any future legislation or regulation in the United States may negatively affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We expect that additional state and federal healthcare reform measures will be adopted in the future, particularly in light of the new presidential administration. Changes in healthcare policy could increase our costs and subject us to additional regulatory requirements that may interrupt commercialization of our current and future solutions. Changes in healthcare policy could increase our costs, decrease our revenue and impact sales of and reimbursement for our current and future products.
Further, it is possible that additional governmental action is taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Economy & Political Environment - Risk 4
We conduct our operations in Israel and therefore our results may be adversely affected by political, economic and military instability in Israel and its region.
Our principal offices and manufacturing facilities are located in Israel and most of our officers and employees are residents of Israel. Accordingly, political, economic and military conditions in Israel and the surrounding region may directly affect our business. Since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, a number of armed conflicts have taken place between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Any hostilities involving Israel or the interruption or curtailment of trade within Israel or between Israel and its trading partners could adversely affect our operations and results of operations and could make it more difficult for us to raise capital. Civil unrest and political turbulence has occurred in other countries in the region, including Syria which shares a common border with Israel, and is affecting the political stability of those countries. The civil war that has been ongoing in Syria has escalated, and this instability and any intervention may lead to additional conflicts in the region. In addition, Iran has threatened to attack Israel and is widely believed to be developing nuclear weapons. Iran also has a strong influence among extremist groups in the region. These situations may potentially escalate in the future to more violent events which may affect Israel and our operations. Any armed conflicts, terrorist activities or political instability in the region could adversely affect business conditions and could harm our results of operations. For example, any major escalation in hostilities in the region could result in a portion of our employees being called up to perform military duty for an extended period of time. Our operations could be disrupted by the absence of a significant number of our employees. Parties with whom we do business have sometimes declined to travel to Israel during periods of heightened unrest or tension, forcing us to make alternative arrangements when necessary. In addition, the political and security situation in Israel may result in parties with whom we have agreements involving performance in Israel claiming that they are not obligated to perform their commitments under those agreements pursuant to force majeure provisions in such agreements.
Our commercial insurance does not cover losses that may occur as a result of events associated with the security situation in the Middle East. Although the Israeli government currently covers the reinstatement value of direct damages that are caused by terrorist attacks or acts of war, we cannot assure you that this government coverage will be maintained. Any losses or damages incurred by us could have a material adverse effect on our business. Any armed conflicts or political instability in the region would likely negatively affect business conditions and could harm our results of operations.
Further, in the past, the State of Israel and Israeli companies have been subjected to an economic boycott. Several countries still restrict business and trade activity with the State of Israel and with Israeli companies. These restrictive laws and policies may have an adverse impact on our operating results, financial condition or the expansion of our business.
Natural and Human Disruptions1 | 2.6%
Natural and Human Disruptions - Risk 1
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has and may continue to adversely impact our business.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has and may continue to adversely impact our business, as our operations are based in and rely on third parties located in countries affected by the pandemic. Our third-party manufacturer, which is based in China, temporarily shut down for sixty days during 2020 due to the pandemic and became fully operational in April 2020 which led to a significant delay in the production of goods needed to fulfill our sales orders which were scheduled to be fulfilled in our first quarter of 2020. We were able to fulfill these orders in the second quarter of 2020. Additionally, the notified regulatory body we rely on to obtain European CE approval is located in Italy and was shut down for approximately six weeks from March to April 2020, which delayed our submission for CE mark approval for the year 2020. The CE Mark approval was subsequently approved in April 2020. The various precautionary measures taken by many governmental authorities around the world in order to limit the spread of COVID-19 have had and may continue to have an adverse effect on the global markets and global economy, including on the availability and pricing of employees, resources, materials, manufacturing and delivery efforts and other aspects of the global economy. The financial downturn had compelled us to furlough or reduce working hours for much of our operating staff in 2020, and continue to force remaining staff as well as third-party contractors, to work remotely from time to time. In addition, many staff members continue to operate remotely from their homes, which is continuing to result in delays in obtaining certain financial records. We also rely on third-party professionals to provide services such as the preparation of our financial statements and to conduct audits, and many of these parties have been affected by government-imposed precautionary measures, thereby delaying our receipt of these services. Such government-imposed precautionary measures may have been relaxed in certain countries or states, but there is no assurance that more strict measures will be put in place again due to a resurgence in COVID-19 cases. Therefore, the COVID-19 pandemic has and may again disrupt production and cause delays in the development, supply and delivery of our products, our operation, further divert the attention and efforts of the medical community coping with COVID-19 and disrupt the marketplace in which we operate. The extent to which COVID-19 impacts our results will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information which may emerge concerning the severity of COVID-19, its variants and the actions to contain COVID-19 or treat its impact, among others. The COVID-19 pandemic could continue to materially disrupt our business and operations, hamper our ability to raise additional funds or sell or securities, continue to slow down the overall economy, curtail consumer spending, interrupt our sources of supply, and make it hard to adequately staff our operations.
Capital Markets1 | 2.6%
Capital Markets - Risk 1
Because a certain portion of our expenses is incurred in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, our results of operations may be harmed by currency fluctuations and inflation.
We expect our revenues from future licensing agreements to be denominated mainly in U.S. dollars or in Euros. We pay a substantial portion of our expenses in U.S. dollars; however, a portion of our expenses, related to salaries of the employees in Israel and payment to part of the service providers in Israel and other territories, are paid in New Israeli Shekels, or NIS, and in other currencies. In addition, a portion of our financial assets is held in NIS and in other currencies. As a result, we are exposed to the currency fluctuation risks, and we do not attempt to hedge against such risks. For example, if the NIS strengthens against the U.S. dollar, our reported expenses in U.S. dollars may be higher than anticipated. In addition, if the NIS weakens against the U.S. dollar, the U.S. dollar value of our financial assets held in NIS will decline.
Tech & Innovation
Total Risks: 5/39 (13%)Below Sector Average
Innovation / R&D2 | 5.1%
Innovation / R&D - Risk 1
Our product candidates may not be developed or commercialized successfully.
Our product candidates are based on a technology that has not been used previously in the manner we propose and must compete with more established treatments currently accepted as the standards of care. Market acceptance of our products will largely depend on our ability to demonstrate their relative safety, efficacy, cost-effectiveness and ease of use.
We are subject to the risks that:
- the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or a foreign regulatory authority finds our product candidates ineffective or unsafe; - we do not receive necessary regulatory approvals; - the regulatory review and approval process may take much longer than anticipated, requiring additional time, effort and expense to respond to regulatory comments and/or directives; - we are unable to get our product candidates in commercial quantities at reasonable costs; and - the patient and physician community does not accept our product candidates.
In addition, our product development program may be curtailed, redirected, eliminated or delayed at any time for many reasons, including:
- adverse or ambiguous results; - undesirable side effects that delay or extend the trials; - the inability to locate, recruit, qualify and retain a sufficient number of clinical investigators or patients for our trials; and - regulatory delays or other regulatory actions.
Additionally, we currently have limited experience in marketing or selling our products, and we have a limited marketing and sales staff and distribution capabilities. Developing a marketing and sales force is time-consuming and will involve the investment of significant amounts of financial and management resources, and could delay the launch of new products or expansion of existing product sales. In addition, we compete with many companies that currently have extensive and well-funded marketing and sales operations. If we fail to establish successful marketing and sales capabilities or fail to enter into successful marketing arrangements with third parties, our ability to generate revenues will suffer.
Furthermore, even if we enter into marketing and distributing arrangements with third parties, we may have limited or no control over the sales, marketing and distribution activities of these third parties, and these third parties may not be successful or effective in selling and marketing our products. If we fail to create successful and effective marketing and distribution channels, our ability to generate revenue and achieve our anticipated growth could be adversely affected. If these distributors experience financial or other difficulties, sales of our products could be reduced, and our business, financial condition and results of operations could be harmed.
We cannot predict whether we will successfully develop and commercialize our product candidates. If we fail to do so, we will not be able to generate substantial revenues, if any.
Innovation / R&D - Risk 2
We are uncertain regarding the success of our clinical trials for our products in development.
We believe that all of our products in development, which currently consists of only RenooSkin, will require clinical trials to determine their safety and efficacy by regulatory bodies in their target markets, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and various foreign regulators. There can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully complete the U.S. and foreign regulatory approval processes for products in development. In addition, there can be no assurance that we will not encounter additional problems that will cause us to delay, suspend or terminate our clinical trials. In addition, we cannot make any assurance that clinical trials will be deemed sufficient in size and scope to satisfy regulatory approval requirements, or, if completed, will ultimately demonstrate our products to be safe and efficacious.
Trade Secrets2 | 5.1%
Trade Secrets - Risk 1
Our failure to protect our intellectual property rights could diminish the value of our solutions, weaken our competitive position and reduce our revenue.
We regard the protection of our intellectual property, which includes patents and patent applications, trade secrets, trademarks and domain names, as critical to our success. We strive to protect our intellectual property rights by relying on federal, state and common law rights, as well as contractual restrictions. We enter into confidentiality and invention assignment agreements with our employees, consultants and contractors, and confidentiality agreements with parties with whom we conduct business in order to limit access to, and disclosure and use of, our proprietary information. However, these contractual arrangements and the other steps we have taken to protect our intellectual property may not prevent the misappropriation of our proprietary information or deter independent development of similar technologies by others.
We have obtained patents and we have patent applications pending in both the United States and foreign jurisdictions. There can be no assurance that our patent applications will be approved, that any patents issued will adequately protect our intellectual property, or that these patents will not be challenged by third parties or found to be invalid or unenforceable. We have also obtained trademark registration in the United States and in foreign jurisdictions. Effective trade secret, trademark and patent protection is expensive to develop and maintain, both in terms of initial and ongoing registration requirements and the costs of defending our rights. We may be required to protect our intellectual property in an increasing number of jurisdictions, a process that is expensive and may not be successful or which we may not pursue in every location. We may, over time, increase our investment in protecting our intellectual property through additional patent filings that could be expensive and time-consuming.
Monitoring unauthorized use of our intellectual property is difficult and costly. Our efforts to protect our proprietary rights may not be adequate to prevent misappropriation of our intellectual property. We may not be able to detect unauthorized use of, or take appropriate steps to enforce, our intellectual property rights. Further, our competitors may independently develop technologies that are similar to ours but which avoid the scope of our intellectual property rights. Further, the laws in the United States and elsewhere change rapidly, and any future changes could adversely affect us and our intellectual property. Our failure to meaningfully protect our intellectual property could result in competitors offering solutions that incorporate our most technologically advanced features, which could seriously reduce demand for our products. In addition, we may in the future need to initiate infringement claims or litigation. Litigation, whether we are a plaintiff or a defendant, can be expensive, time-consuming and may divert the efforts of our technical staff and managerial personnel, which could harm our business, whether or not the litigation results in a determination that is unfavorable to us. In addition, litigation is inherently uncertain, and thus we may not be able to stop our competitors from infringing our intellectual property rights.
Trade Secrets - Risk 2
We could incur substantial costs and disruption to our business as a result of any dispute related to, or claim of infringement of another party's intellectual property rights, which could harm our business and operating results.
In recent years, there has been significant litigation in the United States over patents and other intellectual property rights. From time to time, we may face allegations that we or customers who use our products have infringed the trademarks, copyrights, patents and other intellectual property rights of third parties, including allegations made by our competitors or by non-practicing entities, or that we or our customers have misappropriated the intellectual property rights of such third parties. We cannot predict whether assertions of third party intellectual property rights or claims arising from these assertions will substantially harm our business and operating results. If we are forced to defend any infringement or misappropriation claims or attacks on the validity of our intellectual property rights, whether they are with or without merit or are ultimately determined in our favor, we may face costly litigation and diversion of technical and management personnel. Most of our competitors have substantially greater resources than we do and are able to sustain the cost of complex intellectual property litigation to a greater extent and for longer periods of time than we could. Furthermore, an adverse outcome of a dispute may require us, among other things: to pay damages, potentially including treble damages and attorneys' fees, if we are found to have willfully infringed a party's patent or other intellectual property rights; to cease making, licensing or using products that are alleged to incorporate or make use of the intellectual property of others; to expend additional development resources to redesign our products; and to enter into potentially unfavorable royalty or license agreements in order to obtain the rights to use necessary technologies. Royalty or licensing agreements, if required, may be unavailable on terms acceptable to us, or at all. In any event, we may need to license intellectual property which would require us to pay royalties or make one-time payments. Even if these matters do not result in litigation or are resolved in our favor or without significant cash settlements, the time and resources necessary to resolve them could harm our business, operating results, financial condition and reputation.
Technology1 | 2.6%
Technology - Risk 1
Our business and operations would suffer in the event of computer system failures, cyber-attacks or deficiencies in our cyber-security.
In the ordinary course of our business, we collect and store sensitive data, including intellectual property, research data, our proprietary business information and that of our suppliers, technical information about our products, clinical trial plans and employee records. Similarly, our third-party providers possess certain of our sensitive data and confidential information. The secure maintenance of this information is critical to our operations and business strategy. Despite the implementation of security measures, our internal computer systems, and those of third parties on which we rely, are vulnerable to damage from computer viruses, malware, ransomware, cyber fraud, natural disasters, terrorism, war, telecommunication and electrical failures, cyber-attacks or cyber-intrusions over the Internet, attachments to emails, persons inside our organization, or persons with access to systems inside our organization. The risk of a security breach or disruption, particularly through cyber-attacks or cyber intrusion, including by computer hackers, foreign governments, and cyber terrorists, has generally increased as the number, intensity and sophistication of attempted attacks and intrusions from around the world have increased. Any such breach could compromise our networks and the information stored there could be accessed, publicly disclosed, encrypted, lost or stolen. Any such access, inappropriate disclosure of confidential or proprietary information or other loss of information, including our data being breached at third-party providers, could result in legal claims or proceedings, liability or financial loss under laws that protect the privacy of personal information, disruption of our operations or our product development programs and damage to our reputation, which could adversely affect our business.
Production
Total Risks: 2/39 (5%)Below Sector Average
Employment / Personnel1 | 2.6%
Employment / Personnel - Risk 1
If we fail to retain our key management, or to attract and keep additional key personnel, we may be unable to successfully execute our business plan.
Our success depends on our ability to attract, retain and motivate highly qualified management and personnel. As a small company with ten full-time employees and four contract employees, our success depends on the continuing contributions of our management team and qualified personnel and on our ability to attract and retain highly qualified personnel. We face intense competition in our hiring efforts from other medical device companies, as well as from universities and nonprofit research organizations, and we may have to pay higher salaries to attract and retain qualified personnel. We are also at a disadvantage in recruiting and retaining key personnel as our small size and limited resources may be viewed as providing a less stable environment, with fewer opportunities than would be the case at one of our larger competitors. The loss of one or more of these individuals, or our inability to attract additional qualified personnel, could substantially impair our ability to implement our business plan. In addition, the replacement of key personnel likely would involve significant time and costs, and may significantly delay or prevent the achievement of our business objectives.
Supply Chain1 | 2.6%
Supply Chain - Risk 1
We depend on Sanuwave for developing and commercializing our WoundShield technology.
In March 2020, we entered into a license agreement with Sanuwave for the manufacture and delivery of our WoundShield technology. Under this agreement, Sanuwave has received the worldwide, exclusive rights to our WoundShield technology. Sanuwave will bear the cost and clinical validation responsibilities associated with obtaining approval for WoundShield from the FDA and other regulatory agencies around the world. Sanuwave is also responsible for manufacturing and commercializing the WoundShield product and technology. Our right to receive a milestone payment under the license agreement depends on the achievement of FDA approval by Sanuwave and our ability to receive royalties under the agreement depends on Sanuwave's successful commercialization of the WoundShield product and technology.
The development and commercialization of the WoundShield product and technology and our ability to receive a potential milestone and royalty payments under the license agreement with Sanuwave, could be adversely affected if Sanuwave:
- lacks or does not devote sufficient time and resources to the development and commercialization of the WoundShield product and technology;- lacks or does not devote sufficient capital to fund the development and commercialization of the WoundShield product and technology;- develops, either alone or with others, products that compete with the WoundShield product and technology;- fails to gain the requisite regulatory approvals for the WoundShield product and technology;- does not successfully commercialize the WoundShield product and technology;- does not conduct its activities in a timely manner;- terminates its license with us; or - does not effectively pursue and enforce intellectual property rights relating to the WoundShield product and technology.
We have limited or no control over the occurrence of any of the foregoing. Furthermore, disagreements with Sanuwave could lead to disputes, which could be time-consuming and expensive. If any of these issues arise, it may delay the development and commercialization milestone and royalties based on further development and sales of the WoundShield product and technology.
Ability to Sell
Total Risks: 2/39 (5%)Below Sector Average
Competition1 | 2.6%
Competition - Risk 1
The medical device and therapeutic product industries are highly competitive and subject to rapid technological change. If our competitors are able to develop and market products that are safer and more effective than any products we may develop, our commercial opportunities will be reduced or eliminated.
Our success depends, in part, upon our ability to maintain a competitive position in the development of technologies and products. We face competition from established medical device companies, such as Neurometrix Inc., Zetrox, Kinetic Concepts, Inc., (a subsidiary of the 3M Company) and Smith & Nephew plc, manufacturers of certain portable ultrasound devices capable of self-administered use, as well as from academic institutions, government agencies, and private and public research institutions in the United States and abroad. Most, if not all, of our principal competitors have significantly greater financial resources and expertise than we do in research and development, manufacturing, pre-clinical testing, conducting clinical trials, obtaining regulatory approvals, marketing approved products, protecting and defending their intellectual property rights and designing around the intellectual property rights of others. Other small or early-stage companies may also prove to be significant competitors, particularly through collaborative arrangements, or mergers with, or acquisitions by, large and established companies, or through the development of novel products and technologies.
The industry in which we operate has undergone, and we expect it to continue to undergo, rapid and significant technological change, and we expect competition to intensify as technological advances are made. Our competitors may be able to respond to changes in technology or the marketplace faster than us. Our competitors may develop and commercialize medical devices that are safer or more effective or are less expensive than any products that we may develop. We also compete with our competitors in recruiting and retaining qualified scientific and management personnel, in establishing clinical trial sites and patient registration for clinical trials, and in acquiring technologies complementary to our programs or advantageous to our business. Given our small size and lack of resources, we are often at a disadvantage with our competitors in all of these areas, which could limit or eliminate our commercial opportunities.
Sales & Marketing1 | 2.6%
Sales & Marketing - Risk 1
If we fail to obtain an adequate level of reimbursement for our approved products by third party payers, there may be no commercially viable markets for our approved products or the markets may be much smaller than expected.
The availability and levels of reimbursement by governmental and other third party payers affect the market for our approved products. The efficacy, safety, performance and cost-effectiveness of our product and product candidates, and of any competing products, will determine the availability and level of reimbursement. Reimbursement and healthcare payment systems vary significantly by country, and include both government sponsored healthcare and private insurance. To obtain reimbursement or pricing approval in some countries, we may be required to produce clinical data, which may involve one or more clinical trials, that compares the cost-effectiveness of our approved products to other available therapies. We may not obtain reimbursement or pricing approvals in markets we seek to enter in a timely manner, if at all. Our failure to receive reimbursement or pricing approvals in target markets would negatively impact market acceptance of our products in these jurisdictions, placing us at a material cost disadvantage to our competitors.
Even if we obtain reimbursement approvals for our products, we believe that, in the future, reimbursement for any of our products or product candidates may be subject to increased restrictions both in the United States and in international markets. Future legislation, regulation or policies of third party payers that limit reimbursement may adversely affect the demand for our products currently under development and our ability to sell our products on a profitable basis. In addition, third party payers continually attempt to contain or reduce the costs of healthcare by challenging the prices charged for healthcare products and services.
In the United States, specifically, health care providers, such as hospitals and clinics, and individual patients, generally rely on third-party payers. Third-party reimbursement is dependent upon decisions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, contracted Medicare carriers or intermediaries, individual managed care organizations, private insurers, other governmental health programs and other payers of health care costs. Failure to receive or maintain favorable coding, coverage and reimbursement determinations for our products by these organizations could discourage medical practitioners from using or prescribing our products due to their costs. In addition, with recent federal and state government initiatives directed at lowering the total cost of health care, the U.S. Congress and state legislatures will likely continue to focus on health care reform including the reform of the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and on the cost of medical products and services, which could limit reimbursement. Additionally, third-party payers are increasingly challenging the prices charged for medical products and services, and imposing conditions on payment. We may be unable to sell our products on a profitable basis if third-party payers deny coverage, provide low reimbursement rates or reduce their current levels of reimbursement.
See a full breakdown of risk according to category and subcategory. The list starts with the category with the most risk. Click on subcategories to read relevant extracts from the most recent report.
FAQ
What are “Risk Factors”?
Risk factors are any situations or occurrences that could make investing in a company risky.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires that publicly traded companies disclose their most significant risk factors. This is so that potential investors can consider any risks before they make an investment.
They also offer companies protection, as a company can use risk factors as liability protection. This could happen if a company underperforms and investors take legal action as a result.
It is worth noting that smaller companies, that is those with a public float of under $75 million on the last business day, do not have to include risk factors in their 10-K and 10-Q forms, although some may choose to do so.
How do companies disclose their risk factors?
Publicly traded companies initially disclose their risk factors to the SEC through their S-1 filings as part of the IPO process.
Additionally, companies must provide a complete list of risk factors in their Annual Reports (Form 10-K) or (Form 20-F) for “foreign private issuers”.
Quarterly Reports also include a section on risk factors (Form 10-Q) where companies are only required to update any changes since the previous report.
According to the SEC, risk factors should be reported concisely, logically and in “plain English” so investors can understand them.
How can I use TipRanks risk factors in my stock research?
Use the Risk Factors tab to get data about the risk factors of any company in which you are considering investing.
You can easily see the most significant risks a company is facing. Additionally, you can find out which risk factors a company has added, removed or adjusted since its previous disclosure. You can also see how a company’s risk factors compare to others in its sector.
Without reading company reports or participating in conference calls, you would most likely not have access to this sort of information, which is usually not included in press releases or other public announcements.
A simplified analysis of risk factors is unique to TipRanks.
What are all the risk factor categories?
TipRanks has identified 6 major categories of risk factors and a number of subcategories for each. You can see how these categories are broken down in the list below.
1. Financial & Corporate
Accounting & Financial Operations - risks related to accounting loss, value of intangible assets, financial statements, value of intangible assets, financial reporting, estimates, guidance, company profitability, dividends, fluctuating results.
Share Price & Shareholder Rights – risks related to things that impact share prices and the rights of shareholders, including analyst ratings, major shareholder activity, trade volatility, liquidity of shares, anti-takeover provisions, international listing, dual listing.
Debt & Financing – risks related to debt, funding, financing and interest rates, financial investments.
Corporate Activity and Growth – risks related to restructuring, M&As, joint ventures, execution of corporate strategy, strategic alliances.
2. Legal & Regulatory
Litigation and Legal Liabilities – risks related to litigation/ lawsuits against the company.
Regulation – risks related to compliance, GDPR, and new legislation.
Environmental / Social – risks related to environmental regulation and to data privacy.
Taxation & Government Incentives – risks related to taxation and changes in government incentives.
3. Production
Costs – risks related to costs of production including commodity prices, future contracts, inventory.
Supply Chain – risks related to the company’s suppliers.
Manufacturing – risks related to the company’s manufacturing process including product quality and product recalls.
Human Capital – risks related to recruitment, training and retention of key employees, employee relationships & unions labor disputes, pension, and post retirement benefits, medical, health and welfare benefits, employee misconduct, employee litigation.
4. Technology & Innovation
Innovation / R&D – risks related to innovation and new product development.
Technology – risks related to the company’s reliance on technology.
Cyber Security – risks related to securing the company’s digital assets and from cyber attacks.
Trade Secrets & Patents – risks related to the company’s ability to protect its intellectual property and to infringement claims against the company as well as piracy and unlicensed copying.
5. Ability to Sell
Demand – risks related to the demand of the company’s goods and services including seasonality, reliance on key customers.
Competition – risks related to the company’s competition including substitutes.
Sales & Marketing – risks related to sales, marketing, and distribution channels, pricing, and market penetration.
Brand & Reputation – risks related to the company’s brand and reputation.
6. Macro & Political
Economy & Political Environment – risks related to changes in economic and political conditions.
Natural and Human Disruptions – risks related to catastrophes, floods, storms, terror, earthquakes, coronavirus pandemic/COVID-19.
International Operations – risks related to the global nature of the company.
Capital Markets – risks related to exchange rates and trade, cryptocurrency.