EVOK Evoke Pharma Inc

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

The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with our financial statements and accompanying notes included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and the financial statements and accompanying notes thereto for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 and the related Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, both of which are contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, on March 15, 2017.  Past operating results are not necessarily indicative of results that may occur in future periods.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act.  All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, business strategy, prospective products, product approvals, research and development costs, timing and likelihood of success, plans and objectives of management for future operations, and future results of current and anticipated products are forward-looking statements.  These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statement.  In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “could,” “intend,” “target,” “project,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions.  Although we believe the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements are inherently subject to risk and we can give no assurances that our expectations will prove to be correct.  Given these risks, uncertainties and other factors, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.  You should read this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q completely.  As a result of many factors, including without limitation those set forth under “Risk Factors” under Item 1A of Part II below, and elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements.  Except as required by applicable law, we undertake no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this report or to reflect actual outcomes.  For all forward-looking statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  

We use our registered trademark, EVOKE PHARMA, and our trademarked product name, Gimoti, in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.  Solely for convenience, trademarks and tradenames referred to in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q appear without the ® and ™ symbols, but those references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or that the applicable owner will not assert its rights, to these trademarks and tradenames.

Unless the context requires otherwise, references in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q to “Evoke,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Evoke Pharma, Inc.

Overview

We are a specialty pharmaceutical company focused primarily on the development of drugs to treat gastrointestinal disorders and diseases.  We are developing Gimoti, an investigational metoclopramide nasal spray for the relief of symptoms associated with acute and recurrent diabetic gastroparesis.  Diabetic gastroparesis is a gastrointestinal disorder afflicting millions of people worldwide and is characterized by slow or delayed gastric emptying and evidence of gastric retention in the absence of mechanical obstruction and can cause various serious digestive system symptoms and other complications.  Metoclopramide tablets and injection are the only products currently approved in the United States to treat the symptoms associated with acute and recurrent diabetic gastroparesis. Gimoti is a novel nasal spray formulation of metoclopramide and designed to provide systemic delivery of the molecule through the nasal mucosa.  

In July 2016, we announced results from a Phase 3 clinical trial of Gimoti in female subjects with symptoms associated with acute and recurrent diabetic gastroparesis.  The trial was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy, safety and population pharmacokinetics, or PK, of Gimoti in adult female subjects with diabetic gastroparesis.  Subjects received either Gimoti or placebo four times daily for 28 days. The primary endpoint was the change in symptoms from the baseline period to Week 4 as measured using a proprietary Patient Reported Outcome, or PRO, instrument. On a daily basis, subjects reported the frequency and severity of their gastroparesis signs and symptoms using a telephone diary. The subjects’ daily symptom scores were the basis for calculating their weekly scores using the PRO instrument. A total of 205 subjects were randomized in this trial. Preliminary results of the trial showed that Gimoti did not achieve its primary endpoint of symptom improvement at Week 4 in the intent to treat, or ITT, population.

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Altho ugh the Phase 3 trial failed to reach its primary endpoint, Gimoti demonstrated efficacy in patients with moderate to severe symptoms at baseline, which included 105 of the 205 patients (51%) enrolled in the study. In these patients with higher symptom sev erity, statistically significant benefits were demonstrated for those treated with Gimoti versus those receiving placebo. These statistically significant benefits were observed at Weeks 1, 2 and 3 in the ITT population and at all four weeks in the per prot ocol population. There were also clinically and statistically significant improvements in nausea and upper abdominal pain, two of the more severe and debilitating symptoms of gastroparesis, at all four weeks.

In December 2016, we announced we had completed a second pre-new drug application, or NDA, meeting with FDA, in which FDA agreed that a comparative exposure PK trial was acceptable as a basis for submission of a Gimoti NDA.  The comparative exposure PK trial will serve as a portion of the 505(b)(2) NDA submission that will include prior efficacy and safety data developed by us along with FDA’s prior findings of safety and efficacy for the Listed Drug, Reglan Tablets.  In March 2017, we met with FDA to discuss the design of the comparative exposure PK trial and certain other chemistry, manufacturing and controls related items associated with the proposed NDA submission.

On October 23, 2017, we announced positive topline results from the comparative exposure PK trial . The objective of the trial was to determine the bioequivalent dose of Gimoti compared to the Reglan Tablets after nasal and oral administration to healthy volunteers under fasted conditions.  Based on these results, we expect to submit the Gimoti NDA to FDA in the first quarter of 2018.  

The comparative exposure PK trial was an open label, 4-way crossover and enrolled 108 male and female healthy volunteers who were each to receive one Reglan Tablet dose and three different doses of Gimoti in a random sequence.  Following discussions at pre-NDA meetings with FDA, we planned to select a Gimoti dose based on criteria that includes a 90% confidence interval for the ratio of area under the plasma concentration curve, or AUC, falling within the bioequivalence range of 80-125% of Reglan Tablets. Though only one dose was needed to meet the dose selection criteria, the comparative exposure PK trial was designed to test three different strengths of Gimoti. Based on results of the study, two of the three doses tested met the dose selection criteria.  The maximum observed plasma concentration, or C _{max ,} for Gimoti was slightly lower than the bioequivalence range, but in line with expectations that had been previously discussed with FDA as a likely outcome given the different route of administration and prior Gimoti PK trial results.  Additionally, data showed the AUC and C _max increased in a dose related manner across all three strengths tested.  Relative to safety, all Gimoti doses were well tolerated with no clinically significant adverse events reported following any of the doses.

We have no products approved for sale, and we have not generated any revenue from product sales or other arrangements.  We have primarily funded our operations through the sale of our convertible preferred stock prior to our initial public offering in September 2013, borrowings under our bank loans and the sale of shares of our common stock on the NASDAQ Capital Market.  We have incurred losses in each year since our inception.  Substantially all of our operating losses resulted from expenses incurred in connection with advancing Gimoti through development activities and general and administrative costs associated with our operations.  We expect to continue to incur significant expenses and increasing operating losses for at least the next several years.  We may never become profitable, or if we do, we may not be able to sustain profitability on a recurring basis.

As of September 30, 2017 we had cash and cash equivalents of approximately $10.4 million.  We believe our existing cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to fund our operations through at least June 2018.  Current funds on hand are intended to fund clinical development, pre-approval and pre-commercialization activities for Gimoti, including the analysis of data from the comparative exposure PK trial, the planned NDA submission, and for working capital and general corporate purposes.  

Technology Acquisition Agreement

In June 2007, we acquired all worldwide rights, data, patents and other related assets associated with Gimoti from Questcor Pharmaceuticals, Inc., or Questcor, pursuant to an asset purchase agreement.  We paid Questcor $650,000 in the form of an upfront payment and $500,000 in May 2014 as a milestone payment based upon the initiation of the first patient dosing in our Phase 3 clinical trial for Gimoti.  In August 2014, Mallinckrodt, plc, or Mallinckrodt, acquired Questcor. As a result of that acquisition, Questcor transferred its rights included in the asset purchase agreement with us to Mallinckrodt.  In addition to the payments we made to Questcor, we may also be required to make additional milestone payments to Mallinckrodt totaling up to $51.5 million.  These milestones include up to $4.5 million in payments if Gimoti achieves the following development targets:

The remaining $47 million in milestone payments depend on Gimoti’s commercial success and will only apply if Gimoti receives regulatory approval.  In addition, we will be required to pay to Mallinckrodt a low single digit royalty on net sales of Gimoti.  Our obligation to pay such royalties will terminate upon the expiration of the last patent right covering Gimoti, which is expected to occur in 2030.  

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Financial Operations Overview

Research and Development Expenses

We expense all research and development expenses as they are incurred.  Research and development expenses primarily include:

All of our research and development expenses to date have been incurred in connection with the development of Gimoti.  For the remainder of 2017 we expect costs related to our clinical development, including the analysis of data from the comparative exposure PK trial, and pre-approval and pre-commercialization activities, including marketing and manufacturing of Gimoti and completion of a planned NDA submission, to continue. The process of conducting clinical trials necessary to obtain regulatory approval is costly and time consuming.  We are unable to estimate with any certainty the costs we will incur in the continued development of Gimoti.  Clinical development timelines, the probability of success and development costs can differ materially from expectations.  We may never succeed in achieving marketing approval for our product candidate.  

The costs of clinical trials may vary significantly over the life of a project owing to, but not limited to, the following:

We do not yet know when Gimoti may be commercially available, if at all.  

General and Administrative Expenses

General and administrative expenses consist primarily of salaries and related benefits, including stock-based compensation. Other general and administrative expenses include professional fees for accounting, tax, patent costs, legal services, insurance, facility costs and costs associated with being a publicly-traded company, including fees associated with investor relations and directors and officers liability insurance premiums.  We expect that general and administrative expenses will increase in the future as we expand our operating activities, prepare for the growth needs associated with commercialization and continue to incur additional costs associated with being a publicly-traded company and maintaining compliance with exchange listing and Securities and Exchange Commission requirements. These increases will likely include higher consulting costs, legal fees, accounting fees, directors’ and officers’ liability insurance premiums and fees associated with investor relations.  

Other Income (Expense)

Other income (expense) consists of changes in the fair value of the warrant liability, which represents the change in the fair value of common stock warrants from reporting period to reporting period.  The warrant liability relates to the warrants issued in the July 2016 Financing and August 2016 Financing, or collectively the 2016 Financings, and will be revalued each reporting period until the

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liability is settled.  We use the Black Scholes pricing model to value the related warrant liability.   O ther expense in 2016 also included interest expense incurred on our former outstanding debt.  

Critical Accounting Policies and Significant Judgments and Estimates

Our management’s discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based on our financial statements, which we have prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, or GAAP. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. We evaluate these estimates and judgments on an ongoing basis. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other factors that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Our actual results may differ materially from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

The critical accounting policies and estimates underlying the accompanying unaudited financial statements are those set forth in Part II, Item 7 included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, which was filed with the SEC on March 15, 2017.

Other Information

JOBS Act

On April 5, 2012, the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act was enacted.  Section 107 of the JOBS Act provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards.  In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies.  We have irrevocably elected not to avail ourselves of this extended transition period and, as a result, we will adopt new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for other public companies.  

Subject to certain conditions set forth in the JOBS Act, as an “emerging growth company,” we intend to rely on certain of these exemptions, including without limitation, (i) providing an auditor’s attestation report on our system of internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and (ii) complying with any requirement that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements, known as the auditor discussion and analysis.  We will remain an “emerging growth company” until the earliest of (a) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenues of $1.07 billion or more, (b) the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the date of the completion of our initial public offering, or IPO, (c) the date on which we have issued more than $1 billion in nonconvertible debt during the previous three years or (d) the date on which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer under the rules of the SEC.  

Research and Development Expenses.   Research and development expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2016 increased by approximately $1.4 million due primarily to our comparative exposure PK trial being conducted during the third quarter of 2017. Our Phase 3 clinical trial was completed during the second quarter of 2016 and the analysis of the trial data occurred during the second half of 2016, so research and development costs were lower during the quarter ended September 30, 2016. Costs incurred in 2017 include approximately $1.8 million of clinical trial costs, approximately $601,000 for wages, taxes and employee insurance, including approximately $201,000 of stock-based compensation expense, and approximately $337,000 related to costs associated with the preparation of an NDA.  Costs incurred in 2016 include approximately $650,000 related

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to the Phase 3 clinical trial for Gimoti , approximately $ 489,000 for wages, taxes and employee insurance, including approximately $ 178,000 of stock-based compensat ion expense , and approximately $ 193,000 related to costs associated with the preparation of an NDA .

General and Administrative Expenses.   General and administrative expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2016 increased by approximately $154,000.  Costs incurred in 2017 primarily included approximately $542,000 for wages, taxes and employee insurance, including approximately $275,000 of stock-based compensation expense and approximately $309,000 for legal, accounting, directors and officers liability insurance and other costs associated with being a public company.  Costs incurred in 2016 primarily included approximately $446,000 for wages, taxes and employee insurance, including approximately $274,000 of stock-based compensation expense, and approximately $319,000 for legal, accounting, directors and officers liability insurance and other costs associated with being a public company.

Other Expenses, net.   Other expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2016 increased by approximately $685,000 due primarily to the increase of approximately $1.5 million in the fair value of the warrant liability, which resulted in a corresponding increase in other expense.  Other expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2016 included approximately $534,000 of costs related to the 2016 Financings, an increase of approximately $199,000 in the fair value of the warrant liability, and approximately $123,000 of interest expense incurred on our former outstanding debt with Square 1 Bank, or Square 1.

Research and Development Expenses.   Research and development expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2016 increased by approximately $56,000. During the first nine months of 2017, we were preparing for and conducting our comparative exposure PK trial, including product development activities and manufacturing Gimoti for such trial. In addition, we also were incurring costs associated with the preparation of an NDA. Costs incurred in 2017 include approximately $2.1 million of clinical trial costs, approximately $1.9 million for wages, taxes and employee insurance, including approximately $627,000 of stock-based compensation expense, approximately $958,000 related to manufacturing costs and approximately $561,000 related to costs associated with the preparation of the NDA. Costs incurred in 2016 include approximately $3.1 million related to the Phase 3 clinical trial for Gimoti, approximately $1.5 million for wages, taxes and employee insurance, including approximately $488,000 of stock-based compensation expense, and approximately $740,000 related to costs associated with the preparation of an NDA.

General and Administrative Expenses.   General and administrative expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2016 increased by approximately $295,000.  Costs incurred in 2017 primarily included approximately $1.6 million for wages, taxes and employee insurance, including approximately $778,000 of stock-based compensation expense and approximately $1.2 million for legal, accounting, directors and officers liability insurance and other costs associated with being a public company.  Costs incurred in 2016 primarily included approximately $1.5 million for wages, taxes and employee insurance, including approximately $811,000 of stock-based compensation expense, and approximately $1.1 million for legal, accounting, directors and officers liability insurance and other costs associated with being a public company.

Other Expenses.   Other expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2016 increased by approximately $2.3 million due primarily to the increase of approximately $3.4 million in the fair value of the warrant liability, which resulted in a corresponding increase in other expense.  Other expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 included approximately $534,000 of costs related to the 2016 Financings, an increase of approximately $199,000 in the fair value of the warrant liability and approximately $268,000 of interest expense incurred on our former outstanding debt with Square 1.

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Liquidity and Capital Resources

In November 2014, we entered into a sales agreement with MLV & Co., LLC, or the MLV Sales Agreement, which was subsequently acquired by FBR Capital Markets & Co., or FBR, pursuant to which we were able to sell from time to time, at our option, up to an aggregate of $6.6 million worth of shares of common stock through MLV, as sales agent.  The sales of shares of our common stock made through this equity program were made in “at-the-market” offerings as defined in Rule 415 of the Securities Act.  During the year ended December 31, 2015, we sold 1,048,507 shares of common stock at a weighted average price per share of $4.78 pursuant to the MLV Sales Agreement and received proceeds of approximately $4.9 million, net of commissions and fees.  We did not sell any shares of common stock through the MLV Sales Agreement during 2016.

On April 15, 2016, we terminated the MLV Sales Agreement and entered into a new At Market Issuance Sales Agreement with FBR, or the FBR Sales Agreement, and filed a prospectus supplement, pursuant to which we may sell from time to time, at our option up to an aggregate of 649,074 shares of our common stock through FBR as the sales agent.  Through December 31, 2016, we sold 56,000 shares of common stock and received net proceeds of approximately $296,000 under the FBR Sales Agreement.  On March 10, 2017, we filed a prospectus supplement, which replaced the prospectus supplement filed on April 15, 2016, permitting us to sell up to an aggregate of $20.0 million of shares of our common stock through FBR as the sales agent.  FBR was subsequently acquired by B. Riley Financial, Inc., or B. Riley.  See Item 5 for additional details regarding FBR Sales Agreement.

Our current Form S-3 shelf registration statement expires on November 25, 2017.  Concurrently with filing this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, we are filing a new shelf registration statement on Form S-3 which extends the effectiveness of the current shelf registration statement until the earlier of the date the SEC declares the new shelf registration statement effective or 6 months from the expiration date of the current shelf registration statement.  The new shelf registration statement includes a prospectus for the at-the-market offering to sell up to an aggregate of $16.0 million of shares of our common stock through B. Riley (as successor by merger to FBR) as a sales agent.  We remain subject to the limitations of the baby shelf rules described below.

Future sales will depend on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, market conditions, the trading price of our common stock and our capital needs. There can be no assurance that FBR will be successful in consummating future sales based on prevailing market conditions or in the quantities or at the prices that we deem appropriate.

We will not be able to make future sales of our common stock pursuant to the FBR Sales Agreement unless certain conditions are met, which include the accuracy of representations and warranties made to FBR under the FBR Sales Agreement.  Furthermore, FBR is permitted to terminate the FBR Sales Agreement in its sole discretion upon ten days’ notice, or at any time in certain circumstances, including the occurrence of an event that would be reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on our assets, business, operations, earnings, properties, condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, stockholders’ equity or results of operations. We have no obligation to sell the remaining shares available for sale pursuant to the FBR Sales Agreement. However, u nder current SEC regulations, at any time during which the aggregate market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates, or public float, is less than $75 million, the amount we can raise through primary public offerings of securities in any twelve-month period using shelf registration statements, including sales under the FBR Sales Agreement, is limited to an aggregate of one-third of our public float.  As of November 3, 2017, our public float was approximately $49.9 million, which means we may only sell shares up to one-third of our public float using shelf registration statements in any twelve-month period.  We had no sales of common stock under the baby shelf rules in the twelve-month period ended November 3, 2017. If our public float decreases, the amount of securities we may sell under our Form S-3 shelf registration statements will also decrease.

In July 2016, we completed an at-the-market offering of 1,804,512 shares of common stock at a purchase price of $2.49375 per share, or the July 2016 Financing.  Concurrently in a private placement, for each share of common stock purchased by an investor, such investor received an unregistered warrant to purchase three-quarters of a share of our common stock, for a total of 1,353,384 shares, or the July Warrants.  The July Warrants have an exercise price of $2.41 per share, are immediately exercisable and will expire on January 25, 2022.  The aggregate gross proceeds from the sale of the common stock and warrants were $4.5 million, and the net proceeds after deduction of commissions and fees were approximately $4.0 million.  

In connection with the July 2016 Financing, we issued to our placement agent, Rodman & Renshaw, a unit of H.C. Wainwright & Co. LLC, or Wainwright, and its designees unregistered warrants to purchase an aggregate of 90,226 share of our common stock, or the July Wainwright Warrants.  The July Wainwright Warrants have substantially the same terms as the July Warrants, except that the July Wainwright Warrants will expire on July 21, 2021 and have an exercise price equal to $3.1172 per share of common stock.

In August 2016, we completed an at-the-market offering of 3,244,120 shares of common stock at a purchase price of $3.0825 per share, the August 2016 Financing.  Concurrently in a private placement, for each share of common stock purchased by an investor, such investor received from an unregistered warrant to purchase one half of a share of our common stock, for a total of 1,622,060 shares, or August Warrants.  The August Warrants have an exercise price of $3.03 per share, are immediately exercisable and will

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expire on February 3, 2022. The aggregate gross proceeds from the sale of the common stock and warrants were $10.0 million, and the net proceeds after deduction of commissions and fees were approximately $9.2 million.

In connection with the August 2016 Financing, we issued to our placement agent, Wainwright, and its designees unregistered warrants to purchase an aggregate of 162,206 shares of our common stock, or the August Wainwright Warrants.  The August Wainwright Warrants have substantially the same terms as the August Warrants, except that the August Wainwright Warrants will expire on July 29, 2021 and have an exercise price equal to $3.853125 per share of common stock.

On February 16, 2017, an institutional investor from our financing which closed in July 2016 converted its warrant to purchase 526,315 shares of our common stock by a “cashless” exercise and received 211,860 shares of the our common stock.  The warrant had an exercise price of $2.41 per share.  The shares were issued, and the warrants were sold, in reliance upon the registration exemption set forth in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.  The value of the exercised warrants were adjusted to their fair value immediately prior to the exercise and approximately $1.4 million was reclassified from warrant liability to Additional Paid-in Capital.  Subsequent to this transaction, warrants to purchase 2,449,129 shares of our common stock remain classified as a liability.

In February and March 2017, we completed the sale of 2,775,861 shares of our common stock in an underwritten public offering led by Laidlaw & Company (UK) Ltd.  The price to the public in this offering was $2.90 per share resulting in gross proceeds to us of approximately $8.0 million.  After deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, the net proceeds to us from this offering was approximately $7.3 million.  

On August 4, 2016, we repaid in full the entire $4.5 million of outstanding principal and interest under the Loan and Security Agreement, or the Loan Agreement, between us and Square 1.  In connection with such repayment, the Loan Agreement was terminated, and all security, liens or other encumbrances on assets of ours were released.  

We incurred $82,685 of loan origination costs related to this credit facility.  The remaining unamortized costs of approximately $38,000 were charged to interest expense upon the payment of the loan in August 2016.  

In connection with the funding of the term loan, we issued to Square 1 a warrant to purchase 22,881 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $5.90 per share, the closing price of our common stock on the day of funding of the credit facility.  During July 2016, Square 1 converted its warrant by a “cashless” conversion and received 9,887 shares of our common stock. The value determined for the warrant at the time of the grant of $108,122 was recorded as a debt discount, as well as to stockholders’ equity.  The remaining unamortized debt discount associated with the warrant of approximately $59,000 was charged to interest expense upon the payment of the loan in August 2016.

Our independent registered public accounting firm included an explanatory paragraph in their report on our financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2016 with respect to our ability to continue as a going concern.  This going concern opinion could materially limit our ability to raise additional funds through the issuance of new debt or equity securities or otherwise.  Future reports on our financial statements may also include an explanatory paragraph with respect to our ability to continue as a going concern.  We have incurred significant losses since our inception and have never been profitable, and it is possible we will never achieve profitability.  We have devoted our resources to developing Gimoti, but it cannot be marketed until regulatory approvals have been obtained.  Based upon our currently expected level of operating expenditures, we expect to be able to fund our operations through at least June 2018.  This period could be shortened if there are any significant increases in planned spending on our Gimoti development program, including the analysis of data from our completed comparative exposure PK trial, pre-approval and pre-commercialization activities, including marketing and manufacturing of Gimoti, completion of a planned NDA submission, including whether or not FDA grants our request to waive the user fees that would otherwise become due upon our filing of an NDA with FDA, and our general and administrative costs to support operations.  There is no assurance that other financing will be available when needed to allow us to continue as a going concern.  The perception that we may not be able to continue as a going concern may cause others to choose not to deal with us due to concerns about our ability to meet our contractual obligations.

We expect to continue to incur expenses and increase operating losses for at least the next several years.  In the near-term, we anticipate incurring costs as we:

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Although our current cash and cash equivalents are expected to be sufficient to fund our operations through at least June 2018, it may not be sufficient to complete any additional development requirements requested by FDA.  Accordingly, we will continue to require substantial additional capital beyond our current cash and cash equivalents to continue our clinical and regulatory development and potential commercialization activities.  The amount and timing of our future funding requirements will depend on many factors further described below, including the analysis of the full results of the comparative exposure PK trial, the costs associated with completing and submitting the Gimoti NDA and the extent of any additional clinical development required by FDA.  We anticipate that we will seek to fund our operations through public or private equity or debt financings or other sources, such as potential collaboration arrangements.  Our failure to raise capital as and when needed would have a negative impact on our financial condition and our ability to pursue our business strategies.

The following table summarizes our cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016:

Operating Activities.   The primary use of our cash has been to fund our clinical research and other general operations.  The cash used in operating activities decreased in 2017 as we have been preparing for and conducting our comparative exposure PK clinical trial and the manufacturing of Gimoti for such trial.  We expect that cash used in operating activities will increase throughout the remainder of 2017 as those projects, as well as the preparation of the NDA and pre-approval and pre-commercialization activities, continue.

Financing Activities.   During the nine months ended September 30, 2017, we received net proceeds of approximately $7.3 million from the sale of 2,775,861 shares of common stock in an underwritten public offering.  In addition, we received proceeds of approximately $135,000 from the sale of 75,529 shares of common stock through our employee stock purchase plan, or ESPP.  During the nine months ended September 30, 2016, we received net proceeds of approximately $13.2 million through the 2016 Financings from the sale of 5,048,632 shares of common stock and 2,975,444 warrants to purchase our common stock. In addition, we received net proceeds of approximately $358,000 from the sale of 56,000 shares of common stock pursuant to the FBR Sales Agreement and the sale of 34,067 shares of common stock through our ESPP.

We believe that our existing cash and cash equivalents as of September 30, 2017, together with interest thereon, will be sufficient to meet our anticipated cash requirements through at least June 2018.  However, our forecast of the period of time through which our financial resources will be adequate to support our operations is a forward-looking statement that involves risks and uncertainties, and actual results could vary materially.  

The amount and timing of our future funding requirements will depend on many factors, including but not limited to:

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Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

Through September 30, 2017, we have not entered into and did not have any relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial collaborations, such as entities often referred to as structured finance or special purpose entities, which would have been established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements or other contractually narrow or limited purpose.

Contractual Obligations and Commitments

In December 2016, we entered into an operating lease for office space in Solana Beach, California. The lease commenced on January 1, 2017 with an expiration date of December 31, 2018. We also pay pass through costs and utility costs, which are expensed as incurred.