As Filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February
23, 2021
Registration No. 333-252454
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
AMENDMENT NO. 1
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
CANNABICS PHARMACEUTICALS
LTD.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Nevada |
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20-3373669 |
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
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(I.R.S. Employer Identification
Number) |
# 3 Bethesda Metro Center, Suite 700
Bethesda, MD 20814
(877) 424-2429
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including
area code,
of registrant’s principal executive offices)
Law Offices of David E. Price
# 3 Bethesda Metro Center, Suite 700
Bethesda, MD 20814
(202) 536-5191
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including
area code, of agent for service)
Copies to:
SRK Law Offices
7 Oppenheimer St.
Rabin Science Park
Rehovot, Israel
Telephone No.: (011) (972) 8-936-0999
Facsimile No.: (011) (972) 8-936-6000
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the
public: As soon as practicable
after this Registration Statement becomes effective.
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be
offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415
under the Securities Act of 1933 check the following box.
o
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an
offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act,
please check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration statement number of the earlier effective registration
statement for the same offering. o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to
Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box
and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the
earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.
o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule
462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list
the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering.
o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large
accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or
a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large
accelerated filer”, “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting
company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large
accelerated filer o |
Accelerated filer o |
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|
Non-accelerated
filer o |
Smaller
reporting company x |
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|
Emerging growth company o |
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION
FEE
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Title of each class
of securities to be
registered
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Amount to be
registered (1)
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Proposed
maximum offering
price per share (2)
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Proposed
maximum
aggregate offering
price (2)
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Amount of
registration fee
|
|
Common stock, par value $0.0001 per
share |
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20,777,779 |
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$0.395 |
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$8,207,223 |
|
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$895.41 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
|
(1) |
The amount is comprised of (i)
15,277,779 shares of the registrant’s common stock which
represent 300% of the shares issuable upon the conversion of
convertible notes in the aggregate amount of $1,375,000 at an
exercise price of $0.27, and (ii) 5,500,000 shares of the
registrant’s common stock issuable upon the exercise of a warrant.
The convertible notes and warrant are held by the selling
stockholder named in the prospectus contained herein and any
supplements thereto. The registrant is not selling any shares of
common stock in this offering and therefore will not receive any
proceeds from this offering. Pursuant to Rule 416 under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), there is
also being registered hereby such indeterminate number of shares of
the registrant’s common stock as may be issued or issuable with
respect to the shares being registered hereunder to prevent
dilution by reason of any stock dividend, stock split,
recapitalization, or other similar transaction. |
(2) |
Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the amount of the
registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) of the
Securities Act. The proposed maximum offering price per share and
proposed maximum aggregate offering price are based upon the
average of the high ($0.45) and low ($0.34) sales prices of the
registrant’s common stock on February 12, 2021, as reported on the
OTCQB. It is not known how many shares will be sold under this
registration statement nor at what price or prices such shares will
be sold.
|
(3) |
Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(o) based on an
estimate of the proposed maximum aggregate offering
price. |
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such
date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until
the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically
states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become
effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities
Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become
effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission
acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this preliminary
prospectus is not complete and may be changed. The selling
stockholder may not sell these securities until the registration
statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is
effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell
these securities and we and the selling stockholder are not
soliciting offers to buy these securities in any state where the
offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED _________________,
2021
PROSPECTUS
CANNABICS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
20,777,779 SHARES
COMMON STOCK
This prospectus relates to the resale by the selling stockholder
named in this prospectus of up to (i) 15,279,779 shares of our
common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (“Common Stock”) which
represent 300% of the shares issuable upon the conversion of
convertible notes in the aggregate amount of $1,375,000 (the
“Notes”) at an exercise price of $0.27, and (ii) 5,500,000
shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of a warrant
(“Warrant”), acquired by the selling stockholder in a private
placement transaction (the shares issuable upon conversion of the
Notes and upon exercise of the Warrant, together with the
Pre-Delivery Shares, the “Shares”).
The selling stockholder is the holder named in the table under the
section entitled “Selling
Stockholder” beginning on page 37 of this prospectus or named
in a supplement to this prospectus. The description of the
issuances of the securities to the Selling Stockholder is set forth
below in the section entitled “Prospectus Summary” beginning on
page 1 of this prospectus, where the private placement is
described.
The selling stockholder may sell the Shares directly, or through
underwriters, agents, brokers, or dealers designated from time to
time, on terms to be determined at the time of sale. Underwriters,
agents, brokers or dealers may receive discounts, commissions, or
concessions from the selling stockholders, from the purchasers in
connection with sales of the Shares, or from both. The prices at
which the selling stockholder may sell the Shares will be
determined by the prevailing market price for the Shares or in
negotiated transactions. Additional information relating to the
distribution of the Shares by the selling stockholder is set forth
below in the section entitled “Plan of Distribution.” If
underwriters or dealers are involved in the sale of any securities
offered by this prospectus, their names, and any applicable
purchase price, fee, commission or discount arrangement between or
among them, will be set forth, or will be calculable from the
information set forth, in a supplement to this prospectus.
We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares
by the selling stockholder, although we may receive proceeds from
the exercise of the Warrant for shares of our Common Stock. We are
registering the Shares on behalf of the selling stockholder, and we
will bear the cost of the registration of these Shares.
Our Common Stock is quoted on the OTC Markets OTCQB (“OTCQB”) under
the symbol “CNBX.” On February 12, 2021, the last sale of our
Common Stock as reported on the OTCQB was $0.38 per share.
Investing in our common stock involves substantial risks. See
the section entitled “Risk
Factors” beginning on page 10 for a discussion of information
and factors that should be considered before investing in our
securities.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) nor
any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these
securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this
prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal
offense.
The date of this prospectus is __________, 2021.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated
by reference in this prospectus and in any prospectus supplement
hereto. We have not authorized, and the selling stockholder may not
authorize, any other person to provide you with different
information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent
information, you should not rely on it. We are not, and the selling
stockholder is not, making an offer to sell these securities in any
jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should
assume that the information appearing in this prospectus is
accurate only as of the date on the front cover of this prospectus.
Our business, financial condition, results of operations and
prospectus may have changed since that date.
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-1
that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC,
on behalf of the selling stockholder, who is named in the table
under the section entitled “Selling Stockholder” beginning on
page 37 of this prospectus.
This prospectus provides you with a general description of the
securities that the selling stockholder may offer. To the extent
required, the number of shares of our Common Stock to be sold, the
purchase price, the public offering price, the names of any agent
or dealer, and any applicable commission or discount with respect
to a particular offering by the selling stockholder may be set
forth in an accompanying prospectus supplement. A prospectus
supplement may also add, update, or change information contained in
this prospectus. You should read both this prospectus and any
prospectus supplement together with the additional information
described in the section below entitled “Where You Can Find More
Information.”
To the extent permitted by applicable law, rules, or regulations,
we may add, update, or change the information contained in this
prospectus by means of a prospectus supplement or post-effective
amendments to the registration statement of which this prospectus
forms a part, through filings we make with the SEC that are
incorporated by reference into this prospectus or by another method
as may then be permitted under applicable law, rules or
regulations.
You should rely only on the information contained in this
prospectus or any related prospectus supplement, including the
content of all documents now or in the future incorporated by
reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus
forms a part.
PRIOR TO MAKING A DECISION ABOUT INVESTING IN OUR COMMON STOCK,
YOU SHOULD CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE SPECIFIC RISKS CONTAINED IN THE
SECTION ENTITLED “RISK
FACTORS” IN THIS PROSPECTUS, AND ANY APPLICABLE PROSPECTUS
SUPPLEMENT, TOGETHER WITH ALL OF THE OTHER INFORMATION CONTAINED IN
THIS PROSPECTUS AND ANY PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT OR APPEARING IN THE
REGISTRATION STATEMENT OF WHICH THIS PROSPECTUS FORMS A
PART.
In this prospectus, we refer to Cannabics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. as
“we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company” or “Cannabics.” References to
“selling stockholder” refer to the holder of our Common Stock
listed herein under “Selling Stockholder,” who may sell Shares from
time to time as described in this prospectus. All trade names used
in this prospectus are either our registered trademarks or
trademarks of their respective holders.
CAUTIONARY NOTE TO INVESTORS
This prospectus relates to the distribution of securities of an
entity that is involved in the cannabis industry. Cannabis is
classified as an illegal Schedule 1 drug and illegal under the
Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. § 811 (hereafter referred to
as the “CSA”). On December 20, 2018, President Donald J. Trump
signed into law the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, otherwise
known as the “Farm Bill.” Prior to its passage, hemp, a member of
the cannabis family, was classified as a Schedule 1 controlled
substance and also was illegal under the CSA.
The Federal Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (the “2018 Farm
Bill”) legalized hemp and cannabinoids extracted from hemp in the
U.S., but such extracts remain subject to state laws and the
regulation by other U.S. federal agencies, such as the Food and
Drug Administration (“FDA”) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(“USDA”). With the passage of the Farm Bill, hemp cultivation is
broadly permitted. The Farm Bill explicitly allows the transfer of
hemp-derived products across state lines for commercial or other
purposes. It also puts no restrictions on the sale, transport, or
possession of hemp-derived products, so long as those items are
produced in a manner consistent with the law. The hemp plant and
the marijuana plant are both part of the
same cannabis genus of plant, except that hemp has
not more than 0.3% dry weight content of
delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”). The same plant, with a higher
THC content, is marijuana, which is legal under certain state laws,
but which is currently not legal under U.S. federal law. Despite
the passage of the Farm Bill, many aspects of the cannabis
industry, particularly those not defined as hemp within the Farm
Bill, remain illegal under U.S. federal Law.
At this time, we do not manufacture, distribute, dispense, or
possess any controlled substances, including cannabis or
cannabis-based preparations, in the United States, and we are not
engaged in any business that falls outside of what is permissible
under the Farm Bill.
In the future, we may become involved in business activities that
would fall outside of the Farm Bill, such as the research and
development, growth, cultivation and/or processing of cannabis that
are not covered under the Farm Bill. Currently, 33 states plus the
District of Columbia and Guam, have laws and/or regulations that
recognize, in one form or another, legitimate medical and adult
uses for cannabis and consumer use of cannabis in connection with
medical treatment or for recreational use. Many other states are
considering similar legislation. Conversely, under the CSA, the
policies and regulations of the federal government and its agencies
are that cannabis has no medical benefit and a range of activities
including cultivation and the personal use of cannabis is
prohibited. Unless and until Congress amends the CSA with respect
to cannabis, there is a risk that federal authorities may enforce
current federal law against our licensees and distributors, who may
be deemed to be producing, cultivating, dispensing and/or aiding or
abetting the possession and distribution of cannabis in violation
of federal law. Active enforcement of the current CSA on cannabis
may thus directly and adversely affect our potential revenues and
profits. The risk of strict enforcement of the CSA in light of
Congressional activity, judicial holdings, and stated federal
policy remains uncertain. See the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “U.S. Government Regulation of
Cannabis.”
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
This summary highlights, and is qualified in its entirety by,
the more detailed information and financial statements included
elsewhere in this prospectus. This summary does not contain all of
the information that may be important to you in making your
investment decision. You should read this entire prospectus
carefully, especially the “Risk
Factors” section beginning on page 10 and our financial
statements and the related notes appearing at the end of this
prospectus, before deciding to invest in our common stock.
As used in this prospectus, unless the context otherwise
requires, references to “we,” “us,” “our” the “Company” and
“Cannabics” refer to Cannabics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Overview
The Company is a biopharmaceutical corporation specializing in the
discovery, development and commercialization of novel
cannabinoid-based products and innovative technologies for the
treatment of cancer. We combine the power of our proprietary
technologies with the expertise of our leading scientists to unlock
the medicinal properties of cannabis and its diversity of bioactive
compounds. We have conducted thousands of tests on biopsies and
cell lines in order to identify the physiologic impact of
cannabinoids on cell cycle and cell death. This scientific workflow
has generated an ongoing stream of biological data through which we
have accumulated in-depth knowledge of the various therapeutic
effects of cannabinoids and identified cannabinoid ratios
demonstrating anti-tumor potential. We believe that our cannabinoid
research coupled with our proprietary technologies and intellectual
property positions the Company to play an important role in the
rapidly growing medical cannabis marketplace.
Our core technology is a
continuously evolving bioinformatics platform that utilizes
high-throughput screening technology, advanced data analytics,
and proprietary methodologies
to rapidly examine the physiologic impact of multiple
cannabinoid compounds on tumor cells. This technology enables us to
screen thousands of cannabinoid combinations weekly, generating
multiple datasets on the anti-tumor properties of different
cannabis cultivars, formulations and ratios. We conduct a broad
range of preclinical research on cannabinoids through our
bioinformatics platform, which informs the development of our
product candidates.
Through our research and development activities, we are building a
portfolio of intellectual property assets comprised of patents,
proprietary technologies, and bioinformatics that have a variety of
research, analytic and therapeutic applications.
Our business model is based on technology development and the
out-licensing of our intellectual property to strategic partners
and to global pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, but
always in accordance with the law of each applicable jurisdiction.
Cannabics does not itself manufacture, distribute, dispense, or
possess any controlled substances, including cannabis or
cannabis-based preparations, in the United States.
U.S. Government Regulation of
Cannabis
The United States federal government regulates drugs through the
Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. § 811), which places
controlled substances, including cannabis, in a schedule. Cannabis
is classified as a Schedule I drug, which is viewed as highly
addictive and having no medical value. The United States Federal
Drug Administration has not approved the sale of cannabis for any
medical application. Doctors may not prescribe cannabis for medical
use under federal law; however, they can recommend its use under
the First Amendment. In 2010, the United States Veterans Affairs
Department clarified that veterans using medicinal cannabis will
not be denied services or other medications that are denied to
those using illegal drugs.
As of October 23, 2019, 33 states, the District of Columbia and
Guam have laws legalized cannabis in some form for either medicinal
or recreational use governed by state specific laws and
regulations.
These state laws are in conflict with the federal Controlled
Substances Act, which makes cannabis use and possession illegal on
a national level. However, on August 29, 2013, the U.S. Department
of Justice issued a memorandum providing that where states and
local governments enact laws authorizing cannabis-related use, and
implement strong and effective regulatory and enforcement systems,
the federal government will rely upon states and local enforcement
agencies to address cannabis activity through the enforcement of
their own state and local narcotics laws. The memorandum further
stated that the U.S Justice Department’s limited investigative and
prosecutorial resources will be focused on eight priorities to
prevent unintended consequences of the state laws, including
distribution of cannabis to minors, preventing the distribution of
cannabis from states where it is legal to states where it is not,
and preventing money laundering, violence and drugged driving.
On December 11, 2014, the U.S. Department of Justice issued another
memorandum with regard to its position and enforcement protocol
with regard to Indian Country, stating that the eight priorities in
the previous federal memo would guide the United States Attorneys'
cannabis enforcement efforts in Indian Country. On December 16,
2014, as a component of the federal spending bill, the Obama
administration enacted regulations that prohibits the Department of
Justice from using funds to prosecute state-based legal medical
cannabis programs.
On January 4, 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a
memorandum for all United States Attorneys concerning cannabis
enforcement. Mr. Sessions rescinded all previous prosecutorial
guidance issued by the Department of Justice regarding cannabis,
including the August 29, 2013 memorandum. Mr. Sessions stated that
U.S. Attorneys must decide whether or not to pursue prosecution of
cannabis activity based upon factors including: the seriousness of
the crime, the deterrent effect of criminal prosecution, and the
cumulative impact of particular crimes on the community. Mr.
Sessions reiterated that the cultivation, distribution and
possession of cannabis continues to be a crime under the U.S.
Controlled Substances Act.
U.S. Government Regulation of Hemp
On December 20, 2018, President Donald J. Trump signed into law the
Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, otherwise known as the “Farm
Bill”. Prior to its passage, hemp, a member of the cannabis family,
was classified as a Schedule 1 controlled substance, and so illegal
under the Controlled Substances Act. The hemp plant and the
marijuana plant are both part of the
same cannabis genus of plant, except that hemp has
not more than 0.3% dry weight content of
delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”). The same plant, with a higher
THC content, is marijuana, which is legal under certain state laws,
but which is currently not legal under U.S. federal law.
With the passage of the Farm Bill, hemp cultivation is broadly
permitted. The Farm Bill explicitly allows the transfer of
hemp-derived products across state lines for commercial or other
purposes. It also puts no restrictions on the sale, transport, or
possession of hemp-derived products, so long as those items are
produced in a manner consistent with the law.
Additionally, there will be significant, shared state-federal
regulatory power over hemp cultivation and production. Under
Section 10113 of the Farm Bill, state departments of agriculture
must consult with the state’s governor and chief law enforcement
officer to devise a plan that must be submitted to the United
States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”). A state’s plan to
license and regulate hemp can only commence once the USDA approves
that state’s plan. In states opting not to devise a hemp regulatory
program, USDA will construct a regulatory program under which hemp
cultivators in those states must apply for licenses and comply with
a federally run program. This system of shared regulatory
programming is similar to options states had in other policy areas
such as health insurance marketplaces under Affordable Care Act, or
workplace safety plans under Occupational Health and Safety
Act—both of which had federally-run systems for states opting not
to set up their own systems.
The Farm Bill outlines actions that are considered violations of
federal hemp law (including such activities as cultivating without
a license or producing hemp with more than 0.3 percent THC, the
psychoactive agent in cannabis).
The 2018 Farm Bill extends the protections for hemp research and
the conditions under which such research can and should be
conducted. Further, Section 7501 of the Farm Bill extends hemp
research by including hemp under the Critical Agricultural
Materials Act. This provision recognizes the importance, diversity,
and opportunity of the plant and the products that can be derived
from it, but also recognizes that there is a still a lot to learn
about hemp and its products from commercial and market
perspectives.
About this Prospectus
This prospectus relates to the resale by the selling stockholder of
up to 20,777,779 Shares, which are comprised of 15,277,779 shares
of our Common Stock which represent 300% of the shares issuable
upon the conversion of the Notes and 5,500,000 shares of our Common
Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Warrant. An initial Note in
the amount of $825,000 (the “Initial Note”) and the Warrant were
issued at the initial closing of a private placement transaction
held on December 21, 2020, pursuant to a Securities Purchase
Agreement entered into with us on December 16, 2020 (the “Private
Placement”). A second Note in the amount of $550,000 was issued on
February 22, 2021 (the “Second Note”). The number of Shares being
registered pursuant to this registration statement is based on a
good faith estimate of the number of shares issuable to the selling
stockholder predicated on the following facts and assumptions:
Face
value of the Initial Note and the Second Note: |
$1,375,000 |
Per
share market price as of February 12, 2021: |
$0.38 |
Per
share conversion price as of February 12, 2021: |
$0.27 |
Total
number of shares underlying the Initial Note and the Second
Note: |
5,092,593 |
300%
of the number of shares issuable upon conversion: |
15,277,779 |
Number
of shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrant: |
5,500,000 |
Total
number of shares being registered: |
20,777,779 |
The conversion price for the Notes is equal to the lower of (a)
$0.35 per share or (b) eighty percent (80%) of the average of the
two lowest daily volume-weighted average price for the Company’s
Common Stock during the ten (10) consecutive trading days preceding
the conversion date.
The Private Placement
On December 16, 2020, we entered into a securities purchase
agreement with an institutional investor to sell a new series of
senior secured convertible notes in a three tranche private
placement to the investor, with an aggregate principal amount of
$2,750,000 having an aggregate original issue discount of 10%, and
ranking senior to all outstanding and future indebtedness. Pursuant
to the securities purchase agreement, one note (the “Initial Note”)
in an aggregate original principal amount of $825,000 was issued to
the investor in the first tranche closing on December 21, 2020. On
February 22, 2021, we entered into an amendment and restated
securities purchase agreement pursuant to which a second Note in an
aggregate principal amount of $550,000 was issued (the “Second
Note”). Both Notes were issued in reliance upon the exemption from
securities registration afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the
Securities Act of 1933, and Rule 506(b) of Regulation D as
promulgated by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission
under the Securities Act of 1933, together with the issuance of the
warrant to acquire our common stock, as described below. The
Initial Note has a face amount of $825,000 for which we received
cash proceeds of $750,000. The Second Note has a face amount of
$550,000 for which we received cash proceeds of $500,000. Subject
to the satisfaction of customary closing and equity conditions, at
any time prior to December 31, 2021 (or such later date as the
parties shall mutually agree), we have the right to require an
additional closing of an additional note in the aggregate principal
amount of $1,375,000 (the “Additional Note”, and together with the
Initial Note and the Second Note, the “Notes”) on the twentieth
trading day after the date this registration statement is declared
effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The
Convertible Notes are being sold with an original issue discount of
10% and do not bear interest except upon the occurrence of an event
of default.
Our Business
We are a biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery,
development, and commercialization of innovative cannabinoid-based
products and services for the treatment of cancer. We have
developed a proprietary cannabinoid bioinformatics platform that we
believe enables us to unlock the medicinal properties of cannabis
and its diverse bioactive compounds to create personalized natural
therapeutics that may be tailored to specific cancers and the
genetics of individual patients for improved clinical outcomes.
The Company’s main focus is the development and marketing of
various new and innovative anti-cancer and palliative products,
therapies, and biotechnological tools aimed at treating cancer and
providing relief from diverse ailments that respond to the active
ingredients sourced from the cannabis plant. These advanced tools
include innovative delivery systems for cannabinoids, personalized
medicine therapies and procedures based on cannabis originated
compounds, and bioinformatics tools.
Our core technology is a
continuously evolving bioinformatics platform utilizing high
throughput screening technology, advanced data analytics,
and proprietary methodologies
to rapidly examine the physiologic impact of multiple
cannabinoid compounds on tumor cells. This technology enables us to
screen thousands of compounds simultaneously to measure their
therapeutic effects, generating mega-data with respect to the
anti-tumor properties of different cannabis chemovars,
formulations, and ratios. The data produced by our platform informs
our development of novel cannabinoid preparations, drug candidates,
and related technologies that may be optimized to treat cancers for
which current treatment options are ineffective, costly, or cause
unwanted side effects.
Our lead product candidate is RCC-33, an oral capsule for the
treatment of colorectal cancer, or CRC. RCC-33 contains high
concentrations of the cannabinoids CBDV and CBGA, which have
demonstrated in our laboratory testing complex synergistic
anti-tumor activity in vitro with minimal psychoactive
effects. We are currently in the early planning stage of a clinical
development pathway for RCC-33. We plan to conduct further
preclinical studies to establish the safety and efficacy of RCC-33
in an in vivo murine model of colorectal cancer.
Cannabics SR is a
lipid-based capsule containing a standardized formulation of
cannabinoids that we are developing as a product candidate for the
treatment of cancer anorexia-cachexia syndrome, or CACS.
With a rapid onset of action and sustained effects for up to 6-8
hours, we believe that the convenience of once or twice daily oral
dosing of Cannabics SR may improve quality of life and
increase patient compliance with treatment regimens, leading to
better health outcomes. A two-year pilot study of Cannabics SR
led by Dr. Gil Bar-Sela of the Rambam Hospital Health Care Campus,
Division of Oncology, in Haifa, Israel, demonstrated a clinically
significant weight increase in CACS patients treated with
Cannabics SR capsules (Source:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6785913/). In the
second half of 2021, we intend to commence an additional pilot
study in Israel to assess the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
of Cannabics SR in humans. Data from the study will inform our
clinical development plan for Cannabics SR.
Another product candidate we
are developing is Cannabics CDx, a drug sensitivity
test designed to provide innovative decision support to healthcare
providers interested in personalizing cannabinoid-based cancer
therapies. Cannabics CDx applies data analytics and
high-content drug sensitivity screening integrated with our
proprietary database to measure the effectiveness of cannabinoid
compounds on a patient’s biopsy, suggest preferred alternatives,
and alert healthcare providers to cannabinoids that may be
contraindicated. We believe that Cannabics CDx will meet a
significant unmet need of the growing population of cancer patients
being treated with cannabis by enabling healthcare providers to
more precisely tailor cannabinoid treatments to a patient’s cancer
and clinical profile. We are currently seeking strategic partners
for a clinical validation study expected to commence in 2022 to
assess the sensitivity and specificity of Cannabics CDx with a view
towards commercializing Cannabics CDx in Europe, the United
States, and other territories.
Business Strategy
Our goal is to capitalize on our pioneering work in the field of
plant-derived cannabinoid therapeutics to become a leading
developer of personalized cannabinoid-based medicines and
diagnostics. Our business model focuses on the research and
development of anti-cancer drugs by leveraging the expertise of our
multiplex database to provide innovative biopharmaceutical products
that offer the potential for superior efficacy and safety over
existing therapies. To achieve this goal, the key elements of our
strategy include:
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· |
Leveraging Our Bioinformatics Platform. |
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· |
In-House Pre-Clinical Research. |
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· |
Commercialization Partnerships. |
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· |
Strategic Out-Licensing. |
Corporate Information
The Company was originally incorporated as Thrust Energy Corp. on
September 15, 2004, under the laws of the State of Nevada, for the
purpose of acquiring oil and gas exploration properties and
non-operating interests. In April 2011, the Company expanded its
business to include the acquisition of mineral exploration rights.
On May 5, 2011, the name of the Company was changed to American
Mining Corporation. On April 25, 2014, Cannabics Inc., a Delaware
corporation, acquired 99.1% voting control of the Company. On June
19, 2014, the Company changed its name to Cannabics Pharmaceuticals
Inc., and redirected its business focus towards its current
operations.
All of our research and development in Israel is conducted by our
wholly-owned subsidiary, G.R.I.N. Ultra Ltd., which was
incorporated under the laws of Israel on August 25, 2014.
On November 15, 2020, we established a majority-owned subsidiary,
Digestix Bioscience, Inc., incorporated under the laws of Delaware,
to engage in the development of medical devices and pharmaceutical
compositions for the treatment of precancerous and early-stage
neoplastic local tumors, and in particular, adenomatous colorectal
polyps. The other shareholders of Digestix are Professor Eitan
Scapa, Dr. Erez Scapa, and Gabriel Yariv. Mr. Yariv, who currently
serves as Director and COO of Cannabics, also serves as interim
Chairman and CEO of Digestix. We do not have any other
subsidiaries.
Our principal executive offices are located at #3 Bethesda Metro
Center, Suite 700, Bethesda, Maryland, 20814, and our telephone
number is (877) 424-2429. Our website address is
http://www.cannabics.com. The information on, or that can be
accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference into
this prospectus and should not be considered to be a part of this
prospectus. We have included our website address as an inactive
textual reference only. Any website references (URL’s) in this
Registration Statement are inactive textual references only and are
not active hyperlinks.
The Offering
The following is a brief summary of some of the terms of the
offering and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the more
detailed information appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. For a
more complete description of the terms of our common stock, see
“Description of Our
Capital Stock – Common Stock” on page 91.
Issuer |
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Cannabics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. |
|
|
|
Common Stock outstanding prior to
offering |
|
135,237,584 shares of Common Stock
(1) |
|
|
|
Common Stock to be outstanding after the
offering |
|
156,015,363 shares of Common Stock (2) |
|
|
|
Securities offered by us |
|
Shares issuable upon the conversion of up to
$1,375,000 in original principal amount of Notes, and upon exercise
of the Warrant (3) |
|
|
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Maturity of Notes |
|
Unless earlier converted or redeemed, the Notes
will mature on the one year anniversary of the date on which they
are issued. |
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|
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Original Issue Discount; Default
Interest |
|
The Notes will be issued with a 10% original
issue discount. The Notes shall not bear interest except upon the
occurrence (and during the continuance) of an event of default.
After the occurrence and during the continuance of an event of
default, the notes will accrue interest at the rate of 18.0% per
annum. |
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|
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Conversion Rights |
|
All amounts due under the Notes are convertible
at any time, in whole or in part, at the option of the holders into
shares of our common stock at a conversion price equal to the lower
of (i) an initial conversion price of $0.35 per share, which
conversion price is subject to adjustment pursuant to the terms of
the Notes, or (ii) eighty percent (80%) of the average of the two
lowest daily volume-weighted average price for the Company’s Common
Stock during the ten (10) consecutive trading days preceding the
conversion date. The conversion price is subject to customary
adjustments upon an event of default or upon any stock dividend,
stock split, stock combination, reclassification, or similar
transaction that proportionately decreases or increases the price
of our shares of common stock. |
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|
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Events of Default |
|
The Notes include standard customary events of default, subject to
any cure periods set forth in the Notes, where applicable.
If an event of default occurs, a holder may force us to redeem,
within a specified time as further described in the Notes
(regardless of whether such event of default has been timely
cured), all or any portion of its note at a price equal to 125% of
the greater of (i) the conversion amount being redeemed and (ii)
the market value of the shares of our common stock underlying such
conversion amount being redeemed, as determined in accordance with
the Notes. See “Description of Notes” for additional
information.
|
Use of proceeds |
|
We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of
the Shares offered by the selling stockholder under this
prospectus. However, we will receive up to $2,750,000 in the
aggregate from the selling stockholder if it exercises in full, on
a cash basis, all of its unexercised Warrant. We will use such
proceeds from the exercise of the Warrant for working capital and
other corporate purposes. |
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|
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Risk
Factors |
|
You should carefully
read the “Risk Factors”
beginning on page 10 and the other information included in this
prospectus for a discussion of factors you should consider
carefully before deciding to invest in our common
stock. |
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|
|
No
Listing of Notes |
|
We do not intend to
apply for listing of the notes on any securities
exchange. |
|
|
|
OTCQB
Symbol |
|
“CNBX” |
_______________
(1) As of
February 21, 2021. Does not include the Pre-Delivery Shares.
(2) Assumes the
full conversion of the Notes held by the selling stockholder to
acquire 15,277,779 shares of our Common Stock, the full exercise of
the unexercised Warrant held by the selling stockholder to acquire
5,500,000 shares of our Common Stock, and that all other
outstanding warrants and options are not exercised. We
pre-delivered 3,913,663 shares of our Common Stock of the
conversion shares under the Notes on the issuance date of the
Initial Note (the “Pre-Delivery Shares”).
(3) The Initial
Note in the amount of $825,000 was issued on December 21, 2020, and
the Second Note in the amount of $550,000 was issued on February
22, 2021.
The selling stockholder may sell the Shares subject to this
prospectus from time to time and may also decide not to sell all
the Shares they are allowed to sell under this prospectus. The
selling stockholder will act independently of us in making
decisions with respect to the timing, manner, and size of each
sale. Furthermore, the selling stockholder may effectuate such
transactions by selling the securities to or through
broker-dealers, and such broker-dealers may receive compensation in
the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the selling
stockholder and/or the purchasers of the securities for whom such
broker-dealers may act as agent or to whom they sell as principal,
or both. The selling stockholder may be deemed to be an
“underwriter,” as defined in the Securities Act. If any
broker-dealers are used by the selling stockholder, any commissions
paid to broker-dealers and, if broker-dealers purchase the selling
stockholder’s securities as principals, any profits received by
such broker-dealers on the resale of the selling stockholder’s
securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts or
commissions under the Securities Act. In addition, any profits
realized by the selling stockholder may be deemed to be
underwriting commissions.
All costs, expenses and fees in connection with the registration of
the selling stockholder’s securities offered by selling stockholder
will be borne by us. Brokerage commission, if any, attributable to
the sale of the selling stockholders’ securities will be borne by
the selling stockholder. Based on information provided to us by the
selling stockholder, to our knowledge, the selling stockholders
does not have an existing short position in our common stock as of
the date of this prospectus.
See the section entitled “Plan
of Distribution” beginning on page 38.
Our common stock is quoted on the OTCQB under the symbol
“CNBX.”
Summary Financial Data
The following tables set forth a summary of our financial data as
of, and for the periods ended on, the dates indicated. We have
derived the summary statement of operations data for the years
ended August 31, 2020 and 2019, and balance sheet data as of
August 31, 2020 and August 31, 2019, from our audited financial
statements appearing at the end of this prospectus. We have derived
the summary statement of operations data for the quarter ended
November 30, 2020, and balance sheet data as of November 30, 2020,
from our unaudited financial statements appearing at the end of
this prospectus. Our historical results are not necessarily
indicative of the results that should be expected in the future.
You should read the following summary financial data together with
our financial statements and the related notes appearing at the end
of this prospectus and the “Selected Financial Data”
and “Management’s Discussion
and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”
sections of this prospectus.
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November 30, |
|
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August 31, |
|
|
August 31, |
|
|
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2020 |
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2019 |
|
|
|
Unaudited |
|
|
Audited |
|
|
Audited |
|
ASSETS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
and cash equivalents |
|
$ |
184,031 |
|
|
$ |
777,611 |
|
|
$ |
265,982 |
|
Prepaid expenses
and other receivables |
|
|
168,574 |
|
|
|
152,299 |
|
|
|
284,496 |
|
Held for trading
Investments |
|
|
– |
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
3,256,456 |
|
Current
royalties |
|
|
– |
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
500,000 |
|
Total
current assets |
|
|
352,605 |
|
|
|
929,910 |
|
|
|
4,306,934 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Available for sale Investment |
|
|
539,609 |
|
|
|
426,522 |
|
|
|
6,010,946 |
|
Long term
royalties |
|
|
– |
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
3,863,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equipment,
net |
|
|
806,317 |
|
|
|
862,879 |
|
|
|
1,002,286 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
assets |
|
$ |
1,698,531 |
|
|
$ |
2,219,311 |
|
|
$ |
15,183,166 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS'
EQUITY |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable
and accrued liabilities |
|
$ |
219,042 |
|
|
$ |
231,141 |
|
|
$ |
215,229 |
|
Due to a
related party |
|
|
223,645 |
|
|
|
223,645 |
|
|
|
223,645 |
|
Total
current liabilities |
|
|
442,687 |
|
|
|
454,786 |
|
|
|
438,874 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stockholders' equity (deficit): |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Preferred
stock, $.0001 par value, 5,000,000 shares authorized no shares
issued and outstanding. |
|
|
– |
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
– |
|
Common
stock, $.0001 par value, 900,000,000 shares authorized,
135,237,584, 135,080,441 and 134,498,775 shares issued and
outstanding at November 30, 2020, August 31, 2020 and August 31,
2019 respectively. |
|
|
13,524 |
|
|
|
13,508 |
|
|
|
13,450 |
|
Additional paid-in capital |
|
|
15,405,295 |
|
|
|
15,372,311 |
|
|
|
15,300,250 |
|
issuance of
warrants |
|
|
2,784,387 |
|
|
|
2,784,387 |
|
|
|
2,784,387 |
|
Other
comprehensive income |
|
|
(2,661,324 |
) |
|
|
(2,774,411 |
) |
|
|
2,810,013 |
|
Accumulated deficit |
|
|
(14,286,038 |
) |
|
|
(13,631,271 |
) |
|
|
(6,163,807 |
) |
Total
stockholders' equity (deficit) |
|
|
1,255,844 |
|
|
|
1,764,524 |
|
|
|
14,744,292 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
liabilities and stockholders' equity |
|
$ |
1,698,531 |
|
|
$ |
2,219,311 |
|
|
$ |
15,183,166 |
|
Balance Sheet Data
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Quarter Ended November
30,
2020
|
|
|
Year Ended
August 31,
2020
|
|
|
Year Ended
August 31,
2019
|
|
|
|
Unaudited |
|
|
Audited |
|
|
Audited |
|
Cash and cash
equivalents |
|
$ |
184,031 |
|
|
$ |
777,611 |
|
|
$ |
265,982 |
|
Working capital (deficit) |
|
$ |
(90,082 |
) |
|
$ |
475,123 |
|
|
$ |
3,868,060 |
|
Total assets |
|
$ |
1,698,531 |
|
|
$ |
2,219,311 |
|
|
$ |
15,183,166 |
|
Total current liabilities |
|
$ |
442,687 |
|
|
$ |
454,787 |
|
|
$ |
438,874 |
|
Total long-term liabilities |
|
$ |
– |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
Shareholders’ equity |
|
$ |
1,255,844 |
|
|
$ |
1,764,524 |
|
|
$ |
14,744,292 |
|
Number of Ordinary Shares outstanding |
|
|
135,237,584 |
|
|
|
135,080,441 |
|
|
|
134,498,775 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RISK FACTORS
An investment in our common stock involves a high degree of
risk. Before investing in our common stock, you should consider
carefully the specific risks and uncertainties detailed in this
“Risk Factors” section,
together with all of the other information contained in this
prospectus. If any of these risks occurs, our business, results of
operations and financial condition could be harmed, the price of
our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of
your investment. This
prospectus also contains forward-looking statements that involve
risks and uncertainties. See “Cautionary Statement Regarding
Forward-Looking Statements.” Our actual results could differ
materially and adversely from those anticipated in these
forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors,
including those set forth below.
Risks Related to Our Company and Business
1. Our independent
auditors have expressed substantial doubt about our ability to
continue operating as a going concern, which could prevent us from
obtaining new financing on reasonable terms or at all.
Our independent registered public accountants have expressed
substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.
This opinion could materially limit our ability to raise additional
funds by issuing new debt or equity securities or otherwise. If we
fail to raise sufficient capital when needed, we will not be able
to complete our proposed business. As a result we may have to
liquidate our business and investors may lose their investments.
Our ability to continue as a going concern is dependent upon our
ability to successfully accomplish our plan of operations described
in this prospectus, obtain financing and eventually attain
profitable operations. Investors should consider our independent
registered public accountant’s comments when deciding whether to
invest in the Company.
2. We have not
generated any significant revenue since our inception and we may
never achieve profitability.
We are an early stage biotechnology company and have not generated
any significant revenue since we commenced our present operations
in April 2014. At the present time, Cannabics SR is the only
product that we have commercialized. To date, we have financed our
operations primarily through private placements of common stock,
warrants, and direct equity investments. As we continue our
research and development of cannabinoid-based treatments, our
expenses are expected to increase significantly. Accordingly, we
will need to generate significant revenue to achieve profitability.
Even as we begin to commercialize our technologies, we expect our
losses to continue as a result of ongoing research and development
expenses. These losses, among other things, have had and will
continue to have an adverse effect on our working capital, total
assets and stockholders’ equity. Because of the numerous risks and
uncertainties associated with product development and
commercialization efforts, we are unable to predict at what stage
the Company will become profitable. We may never become profitable.
Even if we do achieve profitability, we may not be able to sustain
or increase profitability on a quarterly or annual basis. If we are
unable to achieve and then maintain profitability, our business,
financial condition and results of operations will be negatively
affected and the market value of our common stock will decline.
3. Since we have a
limited operating history in our business, it is difficult for
potential investors to evaluate our business.
We commenced operations as a biotechnology company in April 2014,
and therefore have a relatively short operating history upon which
an evaluation of our future success or failure can objectively be
made. Our business is a highly speculative undertaking and involves
a substantial degree of risk. We have not demonstrated an ability
to successfully overcome many of the risks and uncertainties
frequently encountered by early-stage companies in new and rapidly
evolving competitive fields, including under-capitalization, cash
shortages, limitations with respect to personnel, financial, and
other resources and lack of revenue. The likelihood of our success
must be considered in light of the early stage of our operations.
There is no assurance that our business will ever be successful or
that we will be able to attain profitability. Any failure by the
Company to report profits may adversely affect the price of our
common stock.
4. We will need to
raise additional capital to meet our business requirements in the
future, which may be costly or difficult to obtain and could dilute
our stockholders’ ownership interests.
The Company has not yet generated significant revenue and will
require additional capital to continue its research and development
activities, conduct clinical trials, commercialize its products and
otherwise fund its operations. Our ability to secure required
financing will depend in part upon investor perception of our
ability to create a successful business. Capital market conditions
and other factors beyond our control may also play important roles
in our ability to raise capital. There can be no assurance that
debt or equity financing will be available or sufficient for our
requirements or for other corporate purposes, or if debt or equity
financing is available, that it will be on terms acceptable to us.
Moreover, future activities may require us to alter our
capitalization significantly. Our inability to access sufficient
capital for our operations could have a material adverse effect on
our financial condition, results of operations and prospects. If we
are unable to obtain additional funding as needed, we may be
required to reduce the scope of our research and development
activities, which could harm our business plan, financial condition
and operating results, or we may be required to cease our
operations entirely, in which case, our investors will lose all of
their investment.
Any additional capital raised through the sale of equity or
equity-backed securities may dilute our stockholders’ ownership
percentages and could also result in a decrease in the market value
of our equity securities. The terms of any securities issued by us
in future capital transactions may be more favorable to new
investors, and may include preferences, superior voting rights and
the issuance of warrants or other derivative securities, which may
have a further dilutive effect on the holders of our securities
then outstanding. Any debt financing secured in the future could
involve restrictive covenants relating to capital raising
activities and other financial and operational matters, which may
make it more difficult for us to obtain additional capital and to
pursue business opportunities.
In addition, we may incur substantial costs in pursuing future
capital financing, including investment banking fees, legal fees,
accounting fees, securities law compliance fees, printing and
distribution expenses and other costs. We may also be required to
recognize non-cash expenses in connection with certain securities
we issue, such as convertible notes and warrants, which may have an
adverse impact on our financial condition.
5. We are highly
dependent on the success of cannabinoid technology, and we may not
be able to develop the technology, successfully obtain regulatory
or marketing approval for, or successfully commercialize, our
products or product candidates.
Our business is focused entirely upon the research, development and
commercialization of cannabinoid-based technologies and products
for the treatment of cancer. Our success is dependent upon the
viability of this technology and the development of cancer
therapies.
Neither we nor any other company has received regulatory approval
from the United States Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”) to
market any therapeutics based on botanical cannabinoids, though the
FDA has approved two drugs that contain a synthetic substance that
acts similarly to cannabis compounds but is not present in the
cannabis plant.
The scientific evidence underlying the feasibility of developing
cannabinoid-based technologies for the treatment of cancer is both
preliminary and limited. In 2017, an ad
hoc committee of the National Academies of Sciences,
Engineering, and Medicine determined that while there is conclusive
or substantial evidence that oral cannabinoids are effective
antiemetics in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and
vomiting, there was insufficient evidence to make any statement
about the efficacy of cannabinoids as a treatment for cancer.
The ad hoc committee went on to state that further
clinical research into the anti-cancer effects of cannabinoids
needs to be conducted.
If our cannabinoid technology is found to be ineffective or unsafe
in humans, or if it never receives regulatory approval for
commercialization, we may never be able bring our product
candidates to market and may never become profitable. Further, our
current business strategy, including all of our research and
development, is focused on utilizing cannabinoid technology to
treat cancer. This lack of diversification increases the risk
associated with the ownership of our common stock. If we are
unsuccessful in developing and commercializing our
cannabinoid-based technology and its application to the treatment
of cancer, we may be required to alter our scope and direction and
steer away from the intellectual property we have developed as well
as the core capabilities of our management team and advisory board.
Without successful commercialization of our products and product
candidates, we may never become profitable, which would have a
material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and
financial condition.
6. Our success
depends upon our ability to retain our senior management and our
ability to attract, retain and motivate other qualified
personnel.
We are an early stage biopharmaceutical company. As of the date of
this prospectus, we had nine employees and several consultants. Our
success materially depends upon the efforts of our management and
other key personnel, including but not limited to Dr. Eyal Ballan,
our Chief Technology Officer. If we lose the services of Dr. Ballan
or any other executive officers or significant employees, our
business would likely be materially and adversely affected. At this
time, we do not currently have “key man” life insurance for Dr.
Ballan or any other executive officer.
Because of the specialized scientific and managerial nature of our
business, we rely heavily on our ability to attract and retain
qualified scientific, technical and managerial personnel. The
competition for qualified personnel in the biotechnology industry
is intense. Due to this intense competition, we may be unable to
continue to attract and retain qualified personnel necessary for
the development of our business or to recruit suitable replacement
personnel. Any difficulties in obtaining and retaining qualified
officers, employees and consultants could have a material adverse
effect on our operations.
7. The relative lack
of public company experience by our management team may put us at a
competitive disadvantage.
As a company with a class of securities registered under the United
States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange
Act”), we are subject to reporting and other legal, accounting,
corporate governance, and regulatory requirements imposed by the
Exchange Act and rules and regulations promulgated under the
Exchange Act. With the exception of our CFO, Uri Ben-Or, our
management team lacks significant public company experience, which
could impair our ability to comply with these legal, accounting,
and regulatory requirements. Such responsibilities include
complying with federal securities laws and making required
disclosures on a timely basis. Our senior management may not be
able to implement and effect programs and policies in an effective
and timely manner that adequately respond to such increased legal
and regulatory compliance and reporting requirements. Our failure
to do so could lead to the imposition of fines and penalties and
further result in the deterioration of our business.
8. If we are unable
to enter into acceptable sales, marketing and distribution
arrangements with third parties or establish sales, marketing and
distribution capabilities, we may not be successful in
commercializing any product candidate that we develop if and when a
product candidate is approved.
We do not have any sales, marketing or distribution infrastructure
and have no experience in the commercialization of biotechnology.
To achieve commercial success for any product, we must develop a
sales and marketing organization, outsource these functions to
third parties or license our products to others.
In the United States, we intend to commercialize our products
solely by licensing the right to produce and distribute them to
organizations having greater resources and experience than we do.
There can be no assurance that our licensing efforts will be
successful, or that we will be able to license any future products
on satisfactory terms, or at all. We do not presently have any
other agreement or arrangement for the commercialization of our
products in the United States or elsewhere.
While we generally intend to adopt a licensing model for the
commercialization of our products, we may also seek one or more
strategic partners for commercialization of our products outside
the United States. As a result of entering into arrangements with
third parties to perform sales, marketing and distribution
services, our product revenue or the profitability of our product
revenue may be lower, perhaps substantially lower, than if we were
to directly market and sell products in those markets. Furthermore,
we may be unsuccessful in entering into the necessary arrangements
with third parties or may be unable to do so on terms that are
favorable to us. In addition, we may have little or no control over
such third parties and any of them may fail to devote the necessary
resources and attention to sell and market our product candidates
effectively.
If we do not license our products or outsource our
commercialization efforts, we will be required to develop our own
sales, marketing and distribution capabilities, which will require
substantial resources and will be time-consuming, and could delay
any product launch. Moreover, we may not be able to hire or retain
a sales force that is sufficient in size or has adequate expertise
in the consumer health markets that we plan to target. If we are
unable to establish or retain a sales force and marketing and
distribution capabilities, our operating results may be adversely
affected.
If we do not successfully license our products or establish sales
and marketing capabilities, either on our own or in collaboration
with third parties, it is likely that we will be unable to
commercialize any of our products.
9. We face intense
competition, often from companies with greater resources and
experience than we have, which may result in others developing or
commercializing competing products before us or more
successfully.
The market for cancer therapies is intensely competitive, subject
to rapid change and significantly affected by new product
introductions and other market activities of industry participants.
Our competitors include large multinational corporations and their
operating units, including GW Pharms, Abbott Laboratories Inc.,
Cepheid Inc., Philips, GE Healthcare, Siemens, Gen-Probe
Incorporated, MDxHealth SA, EpiGenomics AG, Roche Diagnostics,
Exact Sciences Corporation, Sequenom, Inc. and several others. We
also compete against pharmaceutical companies, specialty
pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology companies worldwide, as
well as smaller and other early-stage companies. Other potential
competitors include academic institutions, government agencies and
other public and private research organizations that conduct
research, seek patent protection and establish collaborative
arrangements for research, development, manufacturing and
commercialization.
Many of our competitors and potential competitors have or will have
substantially greater financial, technological, managerial and
research and development resources and experience than we have, and
many have been engaged in the biotechnology industry for a much
longer time than we have. Many of our competitors spend
significantly more funds on research, development, promotion and
sale of new and existing products than we do, and may therefore be
able to react more quickly to new or emerging technologies,
shifting market conditions and regulatory changes.
There can be no assurance that any of our current or future
products and technologies will have a competitive advantage in the
marketplace, or that they will remain competitive following the
introduction of competing products or technologies. Our commercial
opportunity could be reduced or eliminated if our competitors
develop and commercialize products that are safer, more effective,
more convenient or less expensive. There can be no assurance that
we will be successful in the face of increasing competition from
new technologies or products introduced by existing companies in
the industry or by new companies entering the market.
If we are unable to compete successfully, there may be a material
and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results
of operations.
10. If the
marketplace does not accept the products in our development
pipeline or any other products we might develop, we may be unable
to generate sufficient revenue to sustain and grow our
business.
Even if we are able to successfully develop and obtain regulatory
approval of a product candidate, our ability to generate
significant revenue will depend on the acceptance of our products
by physicians and patients. Physicians, hospitals, clinical
laboratories, researchers or others in the healthcare industry may
not use our current or future product candidates unless they are
determined to be an effective and cost-efficient means of treating
cancer. Market acceptance of our current or future therapeutic
products will depend on a number of factors, including the
indication statement and warnings approved by regulatory
authorities in the product label, continued demonstration of
efficacy and safety in commercial use, physicians’ willingness to
prescribe the product, reimbursement from third-party payers such
as government healthcare systems and insurance companies, the price
of the product, the nature of any post-approval risk management
plans mandated by regulatory authorities, competition, marketing
and distribution support. In addition, we will need to expend a
significant amount of resources on marketing and educational
efforts to create awareness of our products and to encourage their
acceptance and adoption. If the market for our products does not
develop sufficiently or the products are not accepted, our revenue
potential will be harmed.
11. We do not
presently have any product liability insurance coverage and there
is no assurance that we will be able to obtain such insurance at an
affordable price or that it will be sufficient to cover all
liabilities that we may incur.
We are exposed to potential product liability risks that are
inherent in the testing, manufacturing and marketing of cancer
treatments, pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements. While we do
not presently carry any product liability insurance coverage, we
intend to obtain such insurance in amounts we believe to be
commercially reasonable for our current level of activity and
exposure. There is no assurance, however, that we will be able to
obtain or maintain insurance coverage that will be adequate to
cover our potential liabilities, or that premiums will be
commercially justifiable. Furthermore, insurance that might
otherwise be readily available, may be more difficult for us to
find and more expensive because we work with medicinal cannabis. If
we are the subject of a successful product liability claim that
exceeds the limits of, or is not otherwise covered by our
insurance, or if we incur such liability at a time when we are not
able to obtain liability insurance, we may incur substantial
charges that adversely affect our earnings and require the
commitment of capital resources that might otherwise be available
for the development and commercial launch of our product
programs.
12. If we fail to
protect our intellectual property rights, our ability to pursue the
development of our technologies and products would be negatively
affected.
Our success will depend in part on our ability to protect our
intellectual property. This is done, in part, by obtaining patents
and trademarks and then maintaining adequate protection of our
technologies, tradenames and products. If we do not adequately
protect our intellectual property, competitors may be able to use
our technologies to produce and market products in direct
competition with us and erode our competitive advantage. Some
foreign countries lack rules and methods for defending intellectual
property rights and do not protect proprietary rights to the same
extent as the United States. Many companies have had difficulty
protecting their proprietary rights in these foreign countries. We
may not be able to prevent misappropriation of our proprietary
rights.
We are currently seeking patent protection for several processes
and finished products. However, the patent process is subject to
numerous risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance
that we will be successful in protecting our products by obtaining
and defending patents. These risks and uncertainties include the
following:
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patents that may be issued or licensed may be challenged,
invalidated, or circumvented, or otherwise may not provide any
competitive advantage;
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our competitors, many of which have substantially greater resources
than us and many of which have made significant investments in
competing technologies, may seek, or may already have obtained,
patents that will limit, interfere with, or eliminate our ability
to make, use, and sell our products and product candidates either
in the United States or in international markets;
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there may be significant pressure on the United States government
and other international governmental bodies to limit the scope of
patent protection both inside and outside the United States for
treatments that prove successful as a matter of public policy
regarding worldwide health concerns;
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countries other than the United States may have less restrictive
patent laws than those upheld by United States courts, allowing
foreign competitors the ability to exploit these laws to create,
develop, and market competing products.
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Any patents issued to us may not provide us with meaningful
protection, and third parties may challenge, circumvent or narrow
them. Third parties may also independently develop products similar
to our products or product candidates, duplicate our unpatented
product or product candidates, and design around any patents on
product candidates we may develop.
Additionally, extensive time is required for development, testing
and regulatory review of product candidates. While extension of a
patent term due to regulatory delays may be available, it is
possible that before any of our product candidates can be
commercialized, any related patent, even with an extension, may
expire or remain in force for only a short period following
commercialization, thereby reducing any advantages of the
patent.
In addition, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (the
“USPTO”), and patent offices in other jurisdictions have often
required that patent applications concerning biotechnology-related
inventions be limited or narrowed substantially to cover only the
specific innovations exemplified in the patent application, thereby
limiting the scope of protection against competitive challenges.
Thus, even if we or our licensors are able to obtain patents, the
patents may be substantially narrower than anticipated.
In addition to patents, we rely on a combination of trade secrets,
confidentiality, nondisclosure and other contractual provisions,
and security measures to protect our confidential and proprietary
information. These measures may not adequately protect our trade
secrets or other proprietary information. If they do not adequately
protect our rights, third parties could use our technology, and we
could lose any competitive advantage we may have. In addition,
others may independently develop similar proprietary information or
techniques or otherwise gain access to our trade secrets, which
could impair any competitive advantage we may have.
13. Costly
litigation may be necessary to protect our intellectual property
rights and we may be subject to claims alleging the violation of
the intellectual property rights of others.
We may face significant expense and liability as a result of
litigation or other proceedings relating to patents and other
intellectual property rights of others. If another party has also
filed a patent application or been issued a patent relating to an
invention or technology claimed by us in pending applications, we
may be required to participate in an interference proceeding
declared by the USPTO to determine priority of invention, which
could result in substantial uncertainties and costs, even if the
eventual outcome were favorable to us. We could also be required to
participate in interference proceedings involving issued patents
and pending applications of another entity. An adverse outcome in
an interference proceeding could require us to cease using the
technology or to license rights from prevailing third parties.
The cost to us of any patent litigation or other proceeding
relating to our patents or patent applications, even if resolved in
our favor, could be substantial. Our ability to enforce our patent
protection could be limited by our financial resources, and may be
subject to lengthy delays.
A third party might claim that we are using inventions claimed by
their patents and might go to court to stop us from engaging in our
normal operations and activities, such as research, development and
the sale of any future products. Such lawsuits are expensive and
would consume time and other resources. There is a risk that the
court will decide that we are infringing the third party’s patents
and will order us to stop the activities claimed by the patents,
redesign our products or processes to avoid infringement or obtain
licenses (which may not be available on commercially reasonable
terms). In addition, there is a risk that a court will order us to
pay the other party damages for having infringed their patents.
There is no guarantee that any prevailing patent owner would offer
us a license so that we could continue to engage in activities
claimed by the patent, or that such a license, if made available to
us, could be acquired on commercially acceptable terms. In
addition, third parties may, in the future, assert other
intellectual property infringement claims against us with respect
to our products, technologies or other matters.
14. Failure in our
information technology or storage systems could significantly
disrupt our operations and our research and development efforts,
which could adversely impact our revenues, as well as our research,
development and commercialization efforts.
Our ability to execute our business strategy depends, in part, on
the continued and uninterrupted performance of our information
technology (“IT”), systems, which support our operations and our
research and development efforts, as well as our storage systems.
Due to the sophisticated nature of the technology we use in our
products and service offerings, we are substantially dependent on
our IT systems. IT systems are vulnerable to damage from a variety
of sources, including telecommunications or network failures,
malicious human acts and natural disasters. Moreover, despite
network security and back-up measures, some of our servers are
potentially vulnerable to physical or electronic break-ins,
computer viruses and similar disruptive problems. Despite the
precautionary measures we have taken to prevent unanticipated
problems that could affect our IT systems, sustained or repeated
system failures that interrupt our ability to generate and maintain
data, could adversely affect our ability to operate our
business.
15. We will need to
grow the size of our organization, and we may experience
difficulties in managing any growth we may achieve.
As of the date of this prospectus, we have nine full-time
employees. As our development and commercialization plans and
strategies progress, we expect to need additional research,
development, managerial, operational, sales, marketing, financial,
accounting, legal and other resources. Future growth would impose
significant added responsibilities on our management, which may not
be able to accommodate those added responsibilities. If we fail to
effectively manage our future growth, it could delay the execution
of our business plan and disrupt our operations.
16. We are subject
to financial reporting and other requirements that place
significant demands on our resources.
We are subject to reporting and other obligations under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including the
requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
Section 404 requires us to conduct an annual management assessment
of the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial
reporting. These reporting and other obligations place significant
demands on our management, administrative, operational, internal
audit and accounting resources. The costs of preparing and filing
annual and quarterly reports, proxy statements and other
information with the SEC and furnishing audit reports to
stockholders causes our expenses to be higher than they would be if
we had remained a privately-held company. The increased costs
associated with operating as a public company may decrease our net
income or increase our net loss, and may cause us to reduce costs
in other areas of our business or increase the prices of our
product to offset the effect of such increased costs. Additionally,
if these requirements divert our management’s attention from other
business concerns, they could have a material adverse effect on our
business, financial condition and results of operations.
17. Our disclosure
controls and procedures and internal controls over financial
reporting were determined not to be effective for the prior fiscal
year ended August 31, 2020, and may not be effective in future
periods.
Effective internal controls are necessary for us to provide
reasonable assurance with respect to our financial reports and to
effectively prevent fraud. If we cannot provide reasonable
assurance with respect to our financial reports and effectively
prevent fraud, our reputation and operating results could be
harmed. Pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, we are required
to furnish a report by management on internal control over
financial reporting, including management’s assessment of the
effectiveness of such control. Internal control over financial
reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements because of its
inherent limitations, including the possibility of human error, the
circumvention or overriding of controls, or fraud. Therefore, even
effective internal controls can provide only reasonable assurance
with respect to the preparation and fair presentation of financial
statements. In addition, projections of any evaluation of
effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting to
future periods are subject to the risk that the control may become
inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of
compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. If we
fail to maintain the adequacy of our internal controls, including
any failure to implement required new or improved controls, or if
we experience difficulties in their implementation, our business
and operating results could be adversely impacted, we could fail to
meet our reporting obligations, and our business and stock price
could be adversely affected.
At August 31, 2020, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial
Officer evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation of
our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules
13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) and concluded that,
subject to the inherent limitations identified in Item 9A of Part
II of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
August 31, 2019, our disclosure controls and procedures were not
effective due to the existence of material weaknesses in our
internal control over financial reporting arising from inadequate
segregation of duties over authorization, review and recording of
transactions, as well as the financial reporting of such
transactions, the lack of an audit committee, insufficient
documentation of review procedures and insufficient information
technology procedures.
We believe we have taken appropriate and reasonable steps to make
the necessary improvements to remediate these deficiencies, however
we cannot be certain that our remediation efforts will ensure that
our management designs, implements and maintains adequate controls
over our financial processes and reporting in the future or that
the changes made will be sufficient to address and eliminate the
material weaknesses previously identified. Our inability to remedy
any additional deficiencies or material weaknesses that may be
identified in the future could, among other things, have a material
adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial
condition, as well as impair our ability to meet our quarterly,
annual and other reporting requirements under the Exchange Act in a
timely manner, and require us to incur additional costs or to
divert management resources.
18. An
occurrence of an uncontrollable event such as the COVID-19 pandemic
is likely to negatively affect, and has to date negatively
affected, our operations.
The occurrence of an uncontrollable event such as the COVID-19
pandemic has negatively affected our operations. A pandemic
typically results in social distancing, travel bans and quarantine,
and the effects of, and response to, the COVID-19 pandemic has
limited access to our facilities, management, support staff and
professional advisors. These, in turn, have negatively impacted our
operations, financial condition, and ability to advance our
business. The full effect on our business and operations is
currently unknown.
Risks Related to Cannabis
19. Our failure to
comply with controlled substance legislation could restrict or harm
our ability to develop and commercialize our products.
Our business is, and will be, subject to wide-ranging laws and
regulations of Israel, the United States (federal and state), the
European Community and other governments in each of the countries
where we may develop and market our products. We must comply with
all regulatory requirements in each jurisdiction if we expect to be
successful.
Most countries are parties to the Single Convention on Narcotic
Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol, which governs
international trade and domestic control of narcotic substances,
including cannabis extracts. Countries may interpret and implement
their treaty obligations in a way that creates a legal obstacle to
us obtaining marketing approval in those countries for any
cannabinoid-based products we develop. These countries may not be
willing or able to amend or otherwise modify their laws and
regulations to permit our products to be marketed, or achieving
such amendments to the laws and regulations may take a prolonged
period of time. In the case of countries with similar obstacles, we
would be unable to market our product candidates in countries in
the near future or perhaps at all if the laws and regulations in
those countries do not change.
Any cannabinoid-based product candidate that we may develop for use
in the United States, will be subject to U.S. controlled substance
laws and regulations that will require us, along with our
collaborators and licensees, to expend time, money and effort in
all areas of regulatory compliance, including, if applicable,
manufacturing, production, quality control and assurance and
clinical trials. Any failure to comply with these laws and
regulations, or the cost of compliance with these laws and
regulations, could adversely affect the results of our business
operations and our financial condition.
The constant evolution of laws and regulations affecting the
research and development of cannabis-based therapies could
detrimentally affect our business. Laws and regulations related to
the therapeutic uses of cannabis are subject to changing
interpretations. These changes may require us to incur substantial
costs associated with legal and compliance fees and ultimately
require us to alter our business plan. Furthermore, violations or
alleged violation of these laws could disrupt our business and
result in a material adverse effect on our operations, including
our ability to conduct clinical trials that are prerequisite to our
ability to commercialize our cannabis-based medical products and
therapies. We cannot predict the nature of any future laws,
regulations, interpretations or applications of laws and
regulations and it is possible that new laws and regulations may be
enacted in the future that will be directly applicable to our
business.
20. Cannabis remains
illegal under U.S. federal law, and any change in the enforcement
priorities of the federal government could render our current and
planned future operations in the U.S. unprofitable or even prohibit
such operations.
We are a biopharmaceutical company focused on the research and
development of cannabinoid-based treatments and palliative
therapies. The commercial viability of our products and
technologies in the United States depends, in part, on state laws
and regulations; however, Cannabis remains illegal under federal
law.
The United States federal government regulates drugs through the
Controlled Substances Act, which places controlled substances,
including cannabis, on one of five schedules. Cannabis is currently
classified as a Schedule I controlled substance, which is viewed as
having a high potential for abuse and no currently accepted medical
use in treatment in the United States. No prescriptions may be
written for Schedule I substances, and such substances are subject
to production quotas imposed by the United States Drug Enforcement
Administration (the “DEA”). Because of this, doctors may not
prescribe cannabis for medical use under federal law, although they
can recommend its use under the First Amendment.
Currently, thirty-three U.S. states and the District of Columbia
allow the use of medical cannabis. Eight states and the District of
Columbia also allow its recreational use. Because cannabis is a
Schedule I controlled substance, however, the development of a
legal cannabis industry under the laws of these states is in
conflict with the Federal Controlled Substances Act, which makes
cannabis use and possession illegal on a national level. The United
States Supreme Court has confirmed that the federal government has
the right to regulate and criminalize cannabis, including for
medical purposes, and that federal law criminalizing the use of
cannabis pre-empts state laws that legalize its use.
In 2014, the United States House of Representatives passed an
amendment (the “Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment”) to the Commerce,
Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, which
funds the United States Department of Justice (the “DOJ”). The
Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment prohibits the DOJ from using funds to
prevent states with medical cannabis laws from implementing such
laws. In August 2016, a Ninth Circuit federal appeals court ruled
in United States v. McIntosh that the
Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment bars the DOJ from spending funds on the
prosecution of conduct that is allowed by state medical cannabis
laws, provided that such conduct is in strict compliance with
applicable state law. In March 2015, bipartisan legislation titled
the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion, and Respect States
Act (the “CARERS Act”) was introduced, proposing to allow states to
regulate the medical use of cannabis by changing applicable federal
law, including by reclassifying cannabis under the Controlled
Substances Act to a Schedule II controlled substance and thereby
changing the plant from a federally-criminalized substance to one
that has recognized medical uses.
Although these developments have been met with a certain amount of
optimism in the scientific community, the CARERS Act has not yet
been adopted, and the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment, being an
amendment to an appropriations bill, must be renewed annually. The
currently enacted Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
Act, which includes the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment, is effective,
by passage of a short-term continuing resolution, through April 28,
2017. The federal government could at any time change its
enforcement priorities against the cannabis industry. We do not
grow or distribute cannabis, but our current and planned business
operations involve licensing cannabinoid-based products and
technology. Any change in enforcement priorities could render such
operations unprofitable or even prohibit such operations.
21. Our ability to
earn revenue through licensing our product in the United States is
dependent on additional states legalizing medical
marijuana.
We are engaged in the business developing and commercializing
cannabinoid-based products for the treatment of cancer. Our ability
to commercialize our products in the United States is dependent
upon the continued progress of legislative authorization of
cannabis at the state level for medical purposes and, in certain
states, based on the specifics of the legislation passed in that
state. Any number of factors could slow or halt the progress.
Furthermore, progress, while encouraging, is not assured. The
legislative process normally encounters setbacks before achieving
success. While there may be ample public support for legislative
proposals, there must be political will in the legislative
committee or a bill may never advance to a vote. Numerous factors
impact the legislative process. Any one of these factors could slow
or halt the progress and adoption of cannabis for medical purposes,
which would limit the market for our products and negatively impact
our business and revenues.
22. Changes in
consumer preferences and acceptance of medical cannabis, or any
negative trends, will adversely affect our business.
Our business is substantially dependent on market acceptance of
medical cannabis. Market perception of medical cannabis can be
significantly influenced by a number of social, political and
economic factors that are beyond our control, including scientific
research or findings, regulatory investigations, litigation, media
attention and other publicity regarding such products and
treatments. There can be no assurance that future scientific
research, findings, regulatory proceedings, litigation, media
attention or other research findings or publicity will be favorable
to the market for any of our current or future cannabinoid-based
therapies. Future research reports, findings, regulatory
proceedings, litigation, media attention or other publicity that
are perceived as less favorable than, or that question, earlier
research reports, findings or publicity could have a material
adverse effect on the demand for our products, as well as our
business, results of operations, financial condition and cash
flows.
We believe that as cannabis-based biotechnology becomes more widely
accepted by the U.S. medical community and the public at large, the
stigma associated with medical cannabis will moderate and, as a
result, consumer demand will likely continue to grow. There is,
however, no assurance that such increase in demand will occur, that
we will benefit from any demand increase or that our business will
ever become profitable. We cannot predict the future growth rate
and size of the market, assuming that the regulatory climate
permits, of which there can be no assurance. Any negative outlook
on medical cannabis will adversely affect our business
prospects.
We also believe that large, well-funded pharmaceutical and other
related businesses and industries may have economic reasons to
oppose cannabinoid-based therapies. The pharmaceutical industry is
well-funded with a strong and experienced lobby presence at both
the federal and state levels, as well as internationally, that
surpasses financial resources of the current group of medical
cannabis research and development companies. Any effort by the
pharmaceutical lobby to halt or delay cannabinoid-based medical
products and therapies could have a detrimental impact on our
business.
Risks Related to Product Development
23. If we fail to
successfully develop and commercialize pharmaceutical or therapies,
we may be unable to execute our plan of operations.
Our current business strategy focuses on discovering, developing
and commercializing cannabinoid-based cancer treatments and
palliative therapies. To date, we have commercialized only
Cannabics SR, our non-pharmaceutical sustained release capsules for
palliative therapy. The success of our business will depend upon
our ability to fully develop and commercialize the product
candidates in our current development pipeline as well as to
continue the discovery and development of other products and
technology.
Prior to commercializing our product candidates, we will be
required to undertake time-consuming and costly development
activities with uncertain outcomes, including conducting clinical
studies and obtaining regulatory clearance or approval in Israel,
the United States, the European Union and other countries where we
may develop and market our product candidates. Delays in obtaining
approvals and clearances could have material adverse effects on us
and our ability to fully carry out our plan of operations. We have
limited experience in taking products through these processes and
there are considerable risks involved in these activities. The
science and methods that we are employing are innovative and
complex, and it is possible that our development programs will
ultimately not yield products suitable for commercialization or
government approval. Product candidates that appear promising in
early development may fail to be validated in subsequent studies,
and even if we achieve positive results, we may still fail to
obtain the necessary regulatory clearances or approvals. Few
research and development projects result in commercial products,
and perceived viability in early clinical studies often is not
replicated in later studies. At any point, we may abandon
development of a product candidate, or we may be required to expend
considerable resources obtaining additional clinical and
nonclinical data, which would adversely impact the timing for
generating potential revenue from those products. Further, our
ability to develop and launch product candidates is dependent on
our receipt of substantial additional funding. If our discovery and
development programs yield fewer commercial product candidates than
we expect, we may be unable to execute our business plan, and our
business, financial condition and results of operations may be
adversely affected.
If we fail to maintain or establish satisfactory arrangements for
the supply of raw materials or the manufacture of our product
candidates for preclinical or clinical trials, or if we experience
an interruption of supply, we might not have sufficient quantities
of our product candidates at an acceptable cost, which could delay,
prevent or impair our development or commercialization efforts
We do not ourselves produce medical cannabis, and therefore our
ability to research, develop and commercialize our
cannabinoid-based product candidates is dependent upon a sufficient
supply of medical cannabis strains. Any significant interruption or
negative change in the availability or economics of the supply
chain for medical cannabis could materially impact our business,
financial condition and operating results. Some strains of medical
cannabis may only be available from a single supplier or a limited
group of suppliers. If a sole source supplier were to go out of
business, we might be unable to find a replacement source in a
timely manner or at all. If a sole source supplier were to be
acquired by a competitor, that competitor might elect not to supply
us. Any inability to secure required supplies of medical cannabis
or to do so on appropriate terms could have a materially adverse
impact on our business, financial condition and operating
results.
24. Our clinical
claims may never be validated.
The FDA regulates the sale and distribution, in interstate
commerce, of in vitro test and treatment kits,
reagents and instruments used to perform testing and treatment. To
the extent that any product we develop is regarded as an in
vitro test rather than as a Laboratory Developed Test
(“LDT”), we will be subject to increased FDA regulation that will
delay and add to the cost of commercialization of our product
candidates, which will have a material adverse effect on our
business, results of operations and financial condition.
We are also subject to the United States Clinical Laboratory
Improvement Amendments of 1988 (“CLIA”), federal regulatory
standards that apply to all clinical laboratories that perform
testing on specimens derived from humans in the United States for
the purpose of providing information for the diagnosis, prevention
or treatment of disease. CLIA is intended to ensure the quality and
reliability of clinical laboratories in the United States by
mandating specific standards in the areas of personnel
qualifications, administration, and participation in proficiency
testing, patient test management, quality control, quality
assurance and inspections. Accreditation by the College of American
Pathologists (“CAP”), one of six CLIA-approved accreditation
organizations, is sufficient to satisfy the requirements of
CLIA.
The validation for CLIA or CAP is a two-step process. The first
step is optimization of all of the steps of the test protocol to
show that the test is able to produce repeatable and consistent
results. The second step is the clinical validation, in which
statistically significant sensitivity and specificity of the test
on the appropriate human samples are determined. Overall, the
purpose of the validation process is to determine the accuracy,
precision, sensitivity and specificity of the test. The time and
cost to complete the validation process can vary widely, and it is
possible that we would be unable to complete the validation process
along the timeline and within the budget as planned.
As of the date of this prospectus, our clinical claims have not yet
been validated for commercialization in a CLIA or CAP laboratory,
and we have not yet begun the validation process. We may be unable
to enter into an agreement with a CLIA or CAP laboratory on
favorable terms, or at all. Although we may be able to validate the
tests, they might have sensitivity and specificity that is
insufficient to bring the product to market. Any delays or
incurrence of greater costs than budgeted in validating these tests
may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of
operations and financial condition.
25. The Federal Food
and Drug Administration may impose additional regulatory
obligations and costs upon the development of our
products.
On October 3, 2014, the FDA issued draft guidance regarding
oversight of LDTs, titled “Framework for Regulatory Oversight of
Laboratory Developed Tests (LDTs).” According to this guidance, the
FDA plans to take a phased-in risk-based approach to regulating
LDTs. The FDA plans to phase in enforcement of LTD premarket
review, quality system oversight and adverse event reporting over a
number of years. The FDA would require that laboratories providing
LDTs, subject to certain limited exemptions, within six months
after the guidance documents are finalized to comply with (i)
either a new notification procedure in which the laboratory must
provide the FDA with certain basic information about each LDT
offered by their laboratory or the FDA’s device registration and
listing requirements, and (ii) the medical device reporting, or
MDR, requirements for LDTs offered by that laboratory. Under this
new risk-based approach, it is possible that some level of
pre-market review may be required for our LDTs, which may require
us to obtain additional clinical data.
The FDA draft guidance was subject to public comment until February
2, 2015. On January 13, 2017, the FDA issued a discussion paper on
LDTs that does not represent the formal position of FDA and is not
enforceable, but is intended to advance public discussion on future
LDT oversight. At the present time, we cannot assess what the
additional costs and regulatory burdens of any FDA final guidance
or FDA enforcement will be, or the impact it may have on our
business and operations.
If the FDA requires us to seek clearance or approval for any of our
products (as opposed to simply licensing our technology to a CLIA
lab), we may not be able to obtain such approvals on a timely
basis, or at all. The cost of conducting clinical trials and
otherwise developing data and information to support any
applications may be significant. Failure to comply with applicable
regulatory requirements of the FDA could result in enforcement
action, including receiving untitled or warning letters, fines,
injunctions, or civil or criminal penalties. In addition, we could
be subject to a recall or seizure of products, operating
restrictions, partial suspension or total shutdown of production.
Any such enforcement action would have a material adverse effect on
our business, financial condition and operations.
26. Changes in laws
and regulations concerning clinical tests may adversely affect our
business, financial condition and results of
operations.
The clinical laboratory testing industry is highly regulated, and
failure to comply with applicable regulatory, supervisory or
licensing requirements may adversely affect our business, financial
condition and results of operations. In particular, the laws and
regulations governing the marketing and research of clinical
testing are extremely complex, and in many instances there are no
clear regulatory or judicial interpretations of these laws and
regulations, which increase the risk that we may be found to be in
violation of these laws.
The regulatory environment in which we operate may change
significantly and adversely in the future. The molecular
therapeutics industry as a whole is a growing industry and
regulatory agencies such as the FDA may also apply heightened
scrutiny to new developments in the field of molecular
therapeutics. Should we be deemed to not be in compliance with
regulatory requirements or any changes thereto, we may be subject
to sanctions which could include required changes to our
operations, adverse publicity, substantial financial penalties and
criminal proceedings. Any change in the laws and the regulations
relating to our business, whether in the form of new or amended
laws or regulations or regulatory policies, or the application of
any of the above, may adversely affect our business, financial
condition and results of operations by increasing our costs to
comply with the new laws or constraining our ability to develop,
market and commercialize our products.
For example, a development affecting our industry is the increased
enforcement of the federal False Claims Act and, in particular,
actions brought pursuant to the False Claims Act's "whistleblower"
or " qui tam " provisions. The False Claims Act
imposes liability on any person or entity that, among other things,
knowingly presents, or causes to be presented, a false or
fraudulent claim for payment by a federal governmental payer
program. The qui tam provisions of the False
Claims Act allow a private individual to bring civil actions on
behalf of the federal government for violations of the False Claims
Act and permit such individuals to share in any amounts paid by the
defendant to the government in fines or settlement. When an entity
is determined to have violated the False Claims Act, it is subject
to mandatory damages of three times the actual damages sustained by
the government, plus mandatory civil penalties ranging from $5,500
to $11,000 for each false claim. In addition, various states have
enacted false claim laws analogous to the federal False Claims Act,
and in some cases go even further because many of these state laws
apply where a claim is submitted to any third-party payer and not
merely a governmental payer program.
In addition, there has been a recent trend of increased U.S.
federal and state regulation of payments made to physicians, which
are governed by laws and regulations including the Stark Law. Among
other requirements, the Stark Law requires laboratories to track,
and places a cap on, non-monetary compensation provided to
referring physicians. While we have a compliance plan to address
compliance with applicable fraud and abuse laws and regulations,
the evolving commercial compliance environment and the need to
build and maintain robust and expandable systems to comply with
multiple jurisdictions with different compliance and reporting
requirements increases the possibility that we could violate one or
more of these requirements.
27. All of our
product candidates are in clinical and preclinical development, the
validation of which may not be successful and may be subject to
delays, which would have a material adverse effect on our business,
results of operation and financial condition.
To date, we have devoted our resources towards developing the
technology upon which we are building our clinical product
candidates. Our clinical claims have yet to be validated and our
clinical product candidates are currently in a preclinical
development phase. As of the date of this prospectus, only
Cannabics SR, our non-pharmaceutical palliative therapy, has been
commercialized.
We may be unable to successfully complete the clinical validation
process for our product candidates due to several factors,
including our ability to acquire enough samples for full validation
and the procurement of materials necessary to conduct testing.
We may not be able to successfully complete the preclinical testing
necessary to advance our therapeutic product candidates into
clinical development, including animal pharmacology and toxicity
studies. The results of any preclinical work may indicate that our
product candidates do not have the safety or efficacy necessary to
file an Investigational New Drug (“IND”) application with the FDA
in order to move our product on to the clinical development
process.
Once we initiate the clinical development of our product
candidates, it may be difficult to identify and qualify patients to
participate in future clinical trials for our product candidates,
and the timing of our clinical trials depends on the speed at which
we can recruit patients to participate in testing as well as
completion of required follow-up periods. If patients are unwilling
to participate in our clinical trials due to concerns over the
safety of the product candidate or for other reasons, the timeline
for conducting the trials and obtaining regulatory approval may be
delayed. Furthermore, we may also compete for patients with other
companies conducting similar clinical trials. Any delays in our
future clinical trials could result in increased costs, delays in
product development or termination of the clinical trials
altogether.
Any of these events could have a material adverse effect on our
business, results of operations and financial condition.
28. We may fail to
demonstrate the safety and efficacy of our product candidates in
accordance with regulatory standards and may incur delays and
substantial costs in our clinical trials.
In order to commercialize our product candidates, we must conduct
extensive clinical trials demonstrating the safety and efficacy of
our product candidates in humans. The clinical testing process is
expensive, difficult to design and implement, takes many years to
complete and is unpredictable in both its duration and outcome. A
failure of one or more clinical trials can occur at any stage of
testing. There is a high failure rate for drugs and biological
products proceeding through clinical trials. The research, testing,
manufacturing, labeling, packaging, storage, approval, sale,
marketing, advertising and promotion, pricing, export, import and
distribution of drug products are subject to extensive regulation
by the FDA and other regulatory authorities in the United States
and other countries, which regulations differ from country to
country. We are not permitted to market our product candidates as a
prescription pharmaceutical product in the United States until we
receive approval of a New Drug Application (“NDA”), from the FDA,
or in any foreign countries until we receive the requisite approval
from such countries. In the United States, the FDA generally
requires the completion of pre-clinical testing and clinical trials
of each drug to establish its safety and efficacy and extensive
pharmaceutical development to ensure its quality before an NDA is
approved. Regulatory authorities in other jurisdictions impose
similar requirements. Of the large number of drugs in development,
only a small percentage result in the submission of an NDA to the
FDA and even fewer are eventually approved for commercialization.
We have not submitted an NDA to the FDA or comparable applications
to other regulatory authorities. Preclinical and clinical data is
often susceptible to varying interpretations and types of analyses
and regulatory authorities may fail to approve our product. In
addition, even if we successfully complete early clinical trials,
such results may not be indicative of the success or results of our
later clinical trials.
Our successful completion of clinical trials may be materially
adversely affected by many factors, including:
|
· |
ineffective trial design and disagreement with
the FDA on final trial design; |
|
· |
imposition of a clinical hold following an inspection of our
clinical trial operations by the FDA or other
regulatory authorities;
|
|
· |
difficulties or delays in reaching an agreement with a contract
research organization, and clinical trial
sites;
|
|
· |
delays in obtaining required institutional review
board approval for each trial site; |
|
· |
data collected from clinical trials may not be sufficient to
support the submission of a NDA or other
submission or to obtain regulatory approval in the United States or
elsewhere;
|
|
· |
delays or difficulties in recruiting suitable
patients to participate in clinical trials; |
|
· |
delays in manufacturing or delivering products
and materials to clinical trial sites; |
|
· |
delays or difficulties caused by lack of patient
adherence to treatment or post-treatment follow-up; |
|
· |
delays caused by patients dropping out of a trial
and the need for recruiting additional patients; and |
|
· |
delays caused by clinical sites dropping out of
the trial and the time required to recruit a new site. |
Any of these delays or difficulties could cause us to be delayed in
obtaining marketing approval from regulatory authorities, if at
all, or allow us to obtain approval for specific indications or
patient populations that are not as broad as currently targeted. In
addition, such delays or difficulties may cause our development
costs or our time to bring our product candidates to market to
increase, may weaken our competitive positioning in the market and
may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of
operations and financial condition.
29. We cannot
predict if or when we will receive regulatory approval to
commercialize a product candidate.
We cannot commercialize a product candidate until the appropriate
regulatory authorities, such as the FDA or a state regulating
authority, have reviewed and approved the product candidate. Even
if our product candidates demonstrate safety and efficacy in
clinical trials, regulatory agencies may not complete their review
processes in a timely manner, and we may not be able to obtain
timely regulatory approval. We may never be able to receive
regulatory approval for our product candidates at all. Additional
delays may result if an FDA advisory committee or other regulatory
authority recommends non-approval or restrictions on approval. In
addition, we may experience delays or rejections based upon
additional government regulation from future legislation or
administrative action, or changes in regulatory agency policy
during the period of product development, clinical trials and the
review process. Regulatory agencies may also approve a product
candidate for fewer or more limited indications than requested or
may grant approval subject to the performance of post-marketing
studies. In addition, regulatory agencies may not approve the
labeling claims that are necessary or desirable for the successful
commercialization of our product candidates. Delays or failure to
obtain necessary regulatory approvals could have a material adverse
effect on our business, results of operations and financial
condition.
30. Even if we
obtain regulatory approval for a product candidate, we will remain
subject to extensive regulatory scrutiny.
Even if we obtain regulatory approval in the United States for our
product candidates, the FDA and other appropriate regulatory
agencies may still impose significant restrictions or delays,
including restriction of patient population or indications or
additional costly studies. Any changes to the approved product or
its labeling or manufacturing process would require FDA approval.
Any advertisements or promotions must comply with FDA regulations
and are subject to FDA review as well as state and federal laws.
Drug product manufacturers are subject to continual review and
inspection by the FDA and other regulatory authorities to comply
with Current Good Manufacturing Practice standards. If the FDA or
other regulatory authority finds previously undiscovered compliance
issues with products, such as unanticipated adverse effects or
issues with the manufacturing facility, the FDA or other regulatory
authority may:
|
· |
issue a warning letter asserting that we are in
violation of law; |
|
· |
impose civil or criminal penalties or monetary
fines; |
|
· |
suspend or withdraw regulatory
approval; |
|
· |
suspend currently ongoing clinical
trials; |
|
· |
refuse any pending applications; |
|
· |
prohibit us from entering into beneficial or
necessary contracts such as supply or government
contracts. |
Any government investigation of alleged violations of law could
require us to expend significant time and resources in response,
could result in litigation and litigation-related expense and could
generate negative publicity. The occurrence of any event or penalty
described above may inhibit our ability to commercialize our
product candidates and generate revenue, which would have a
material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and
financial condition.
In addition, even if we obtain regulatory approvals, the timing or
scope of any approvals may prohibit or reduce our ability to
commercialize our product candidates successfully. For example, if
the approval process takes too long, we may miss market
opportunities and give other companies the ability to develop
competing products or establish market dominance. Any regulatory
approval that we ultimately obtain may be limited or subject to
restrictions or post-approval commitments that render our products
not commercially viable. For example, regulatory authorities may
approve our product candidates for fewer or more limited
indications than we request, may not approve the price we intend to
charge for our product candidates, may grant approval contingent on
the performance of costly post-marketing clinical trials, or may
approve our product candidates with a label that does not include
the labeling claims necessary or desirable for the successful
commercialization of that indication. Further, the FDA may place
conditions on approvals including potential requirements or risk
management plans and the requirement for a Risk Evaluation and
Mitigation Strategy (“REMS”) to assure the safe use of the drug. If
the FDA concludes a REMS is needed, the sponsor of the NDA must
submit a proposed REMS; the FDA will not approve the NDA without an
approved REMS, if required. A REMS could include medication guides,
physician communication plans, or elements to assure safe use, such
as restricted distribution methods, patient registries and other
risk minimization tools. Any of these limitations on approval or
marketing could restrict the commercial promotion, distribution,
prescription or dispensing of our product candidates. Moreover,
product approvals may be withdrawn for non-compliance with
regulatory standards or if problems occur following the initial
marketing of the product. Any of the foregoing scenarios could
materially harm the commercial success of our product candidates
and have a material adverse effect on our business, results of
operations and financial condition.
31. We may fail to
obtain orphan drug status for our product candidates.
We intend to seek orphan drug status from the FDA for those
anti-cancer product candidates we are presently developing to the
extent such product candidates are eligible for orphan drug status
under the Orphan Drug Act of 1983. Orphan drug status gives the
manufacturer specific financial incentives to develop a
pharmacological agent. If a product that has an orphan drug
designation receives the first FDA approval for the disease for
which it has such designation, the product is entitled to orphan
drug exclusivity, which means that the FDA may not approve any
other applications to market the same medication for the same
indication, except in very limited circumstances, for seven years.
Failure to obtain an orphan drug designation for our product
candidates may have a material adverse effect on our business,
results of operations and financial condition.
32. Any of our
product candidates may cause adverse effects or have properties
that could delay or prevent their regulatory approval or limit the
scope of any specific indications or market acceptance.
Adverse events caused by our product candidates could cause
interruptions, delays or the halting of our clinical trials. If
adverse effects are observed in any clinical trials for our product
candidates, we may be unable to obtain timely, or any, regulatory
approval of our product candidates. Adverse effects caused by our
product candidates could also subject us to litigation and
liability, which could have a material adverse effect on our
business, results of operations and financial condition.
In addition, if any of our product candidates are approved for
commercialization and are found to cause serious or unpredicted
side effects, serious consequences may result, including but not
limited to, the withdrawal of marketing approval by regulatory
authorities, restrictions on distribution by regulatory
authorities, the need to conduct additional clinical trials,
litigation and potential liability for personal injury to patients
and damage to our reputation. Furthermore, our ability to achieve
and maintain profitability may be permanently impaired. Any of
these events could have a material adverse effect on our business,
results of operations and financial condition.
33. Our products are
subject to government regulation, both in the United States and
internationally, which could increase our costs significantly and
limit or prevent the sale of our dietary supplements.
The manufacture, packaging, labeling, advertising, promotion,
distribution and sale of Cannabics SR, and any other
cannabinoid-based products that we may develop and commercialize,
are subject to regulation by numerous national and local
governmental agencies in the United States and other countries,
including the FDA and Federal Trade Commission in the United
States, and the Ministry of Health in Israel. Failure to comply
with these regulatory requirements may result in various types of
penalties or fines. These include injunctions, product withdrawals,
recalls, product seizures, fines and criminal prosecutions.
Individual states also regulate dietary supplements. A U.S. state
may interpret claims or products presumptively valid under federal
law as illegal under that state’s regulations. In markets outside
the United States, we will likely be required to obtain approvals,
licenses, or certifications from a country’s ministry of health or
comparable agency, as well as labeling and packaging regulations,
all of which vary from country to country. Approvals or licensing
may be conditioned on reformulation of products or may be
unavailable with respect to certain products or product
ingredients. Any of these government agencies, as well as
legislative bodies, can change existing regulations, or impose new
ones, or could take aggressive measures, causing or contributing to
a variety of negative consequences, including:
|
· |
requirements for the reformulation of certain or
all products to meet new standards; |
|
· |
the recall or discontinuance of certain or all
products; |
|
· |
additional record keeping; |
|
· |
expanded documentation of the properties of
certain or all products; |
|
· |
expanded or different labeling; |
|
· |
adverse event tracking and reporting;
and |
|
· |
additional scientific substantiation. |
Any or all of these requirements could have a material adverse
effect on us. There can be no assurance that the regulatory
environment in which we operate will not change or that such
regulatory environment, or any specific action taken against us,
will not result in a material adverse effect on us.
34. Changes in
legislation or regulation in the health care systems in the United
States and foreign jurisdictions may affect us.
Our ability to successfully commercialize our cannabinoid-based
products may depend on how the healthcare systems of the United
States, the European Union and other governments provide coverage
or reimbursement. Reimbursement and healthcare payment systems in
international markets 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
products to other available therapies. We may not obtain
international reimbursement or pricing approvals in a timely
manner, if at all. Our failure to receive international
reimbursement or pricing approvals would negatively impact market
acceptance of our products in the international markets in which
those approvals are sought.
We believe that future reimbursement may be subject to increased
restrictions in the United States, the European Union and in other
international markets. There is increasing pressure by governments
worldwide to contain health care costs by limiting both the
coverage and the level of reimbursement for therapeutic products
and by refusing, in some cases, to provide any coverage for
products that have not been approved by the relevant regulatory
agency. Future legislation, regulation or reimbursement policies of
third party payers may adversely affect the demand for our product
candidates currently under development and limit our ability to
sell our product candidates 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. If reimbursement for our products
is unavailable or limited in scope or amount or if pricing is set
at unsatisfactory levels, market acceptance of our products
candidates will be impaired and future revenues, if any, will be
adversely affected.
Risks Related to Our Dependence on Third Parties
35. We rely and
expect to continue to rely heavily on third parties to conduct our
preclinical studies and clinical trials, and those third parties
may not perform satisfactorily, including failing to meet deadlines
for the completion of such studies and trials.
Although we have in-house research facilities, we do not have the
resources to conduct clinical trial and must rely on third parties
to conduct our clinical trials. We expect to continue to rely
heavily on third parties, such as contract research organizations,
clinical data management organizations, medical institutions,
clinical investigators and others to conduct our clinical trials.
Our agreements with these third parties generally allow the third
party to terminate our agreement with them at any time. If we are
required to enter into alternative arrangements because of any such
termination, the introduction of our product candidates to market
could be delayed.
Our reliance on third parties for research and development will
reduce our control over such activities but will not relieve us of
our responsibilities. Likewise, our reliance on third parties whom
we do not control does not relieve us of our responsibility to
comply with regulatory requirements to use current Good Clinical
Practice (“GCP”) standards when conducting, recording and reporting
the results of clinical trials in order to ensure that data and
reported results are credible and accurate and that the rights,
integrity and confidentiality of trial participants are protected.
We are also required to register ongoing clinical trials and post
the results of completed clinical trials on a government-sponsored
database of regulatory agencies within specified timeframes.
Failure to do so can result in fines, adverse publicity and civil
and criminal sanctions.
The third parties on whom we rely may also have relationships with
other entities, some of whom may be our competitors. If these third
parties do not successfully carry out their contractual duties,
meet expected deadlines or conduct our clinical trials in
accordance with the requirements of a regulatory agency or our
stated protocols, we will not be able to obtain, or may be delayed
in obtaining, marketing approvals for our product candidates and
will not be able to, or may be delayed in our efforts to,
successfully commercialize our product candidates.
36. Collaboration
agreements that we may enter into in the future may not be
successful, which could adversely affect our ability to develop and
commercialize our product candidates.
We may enter into collaboration agreements with pharmaceutical
companies and biotechnology institutions and laboratories for the
development or commercialization of our cannabinoid-based product
candidates, which agreements may contain provisions based upon,
among other things, the merits of retaining certain rights. We will
face significant competition in seeking appropriate collaborators
and in negotiating agreements at acceptable terms, if at all. We
may not be successful in our efforts to enter, implement and
maintain collaboration agreements. Disagreements stemming from
collaboration agreements concerning development, intellectual
property, regulatory or commercialization matters can lead to
delays and, in some cases, termination of our collaboration
agreements or otherwise result in the potentially significant costs
and fees in seeking to enforce or protect our rights, if any. Any
such disagreements can be difficult if, in fact, neither of the
parties has final decision-making authority. The resulting outcome
of any disputes or disagreements would in all likelihood adversely
affect our business.
37. Data provided by
collaborators and others upon which we rely that has not been
independently verified could turn out to be false, misleading, or
incomplete.
We rely on third-party vendors, scientists, and collaborators to
provide us with significant data and other information related to
our projects, clinical trials, and our business. If such third
parties provide inaccurate, misleading, or incomplete data, our
business, prospects, and results of operations could be materially
adversely affected.
38. Our business
model is substantially dependent on third party licensees to market
and sell our products, which will subject us to a number of
risks.
We depend on third party licensees to sell, market, and service our
products and current and future products in our intended markets.
We are subject to a number of risks associated with reliance upon
third party licensees, including:
|
· |
lack of day-to-day control over the activities of
licensees; |
|
· |
third party licensees may not commit the necessary resources to
market and sell our current and future
products to our level of expectations;
|
|
· |
third party licensees may terminate their arrangements with us on
limited or no notice or may change the
terms of these arrangements in a manner unfavorable to us; and
|
|
· |
disagreements with our future licensees could result in costly and
time-consuming litigation or arbitration
which we could be required to conduct in jurisdictions with which
we are not familiar.
|
If we fail to establish and maintain satisfactory relationships
with our future third party licensees, our revenue and market share
may not grow as anticipated, and we could be subject to unexpected
costs which could harm our results of operations and financial
condition.
Risks Related To Operating In Israel
39. Failure to
secure the necessary Israeli licenses to use cannabis for medical
research could limit our ability to execute our research and
development activities, delay the launch of our products and
adversely affect the results of our business
operations.
To date, we have conducted our research only in Israel, and, in
fact, have limited our operations to Israel. The biotechnologies
that we are developing contain cannabis, a “controlled substance”
as defined in the Israeli Dangerous Drugs Ordinance [New Version],
5733 - 1973. In Israel, licenses to cultivate, possess and to use
cannabis for medical research are granted by the Ministry of
Health, Israel Medical Cannabis Unit (“IMCU”), on an ad
hoc basis. We have obtained all IMCU licenses that are
necessary for us to carry out our research. Even though we have an
established track record of successfully obtaining the requisite
licenses as required, there can be no assurance that we will
continue to be able to secure licenses in the future. If we fail to
comply with Israeli rules and regulations related to the licensing
of cannabis, we may not be able to research and develop our product
candidates as we intend or at all.
40. We may become
subject to claims for remuneration or royalties for assigned
service invention rights by our employees, which could result in
litigation and adversely affect our business.
A significant portion of our intellectual property has been
developed by our Israeli employees in the course of their
employment for us. Under the Israeli Patent Law, 5727-1967 (the
“Israeli Patent Law”), inventions conceived of by an employee
during the term and as part of the scope of his or her employment
with a company are regarded as “service inventions,” which belong
to the employer, absent a specific agreement between the employee
and employer giving the employee service invention rights. The
Israeli Patent Law also provides that if there is no such agreement
between an employer and an employee, the Israeli Compensation and
Royalties Committee (the “C&R Committee”), a body constituted
under the Israeli Patent Law, shall determine whether the employee
is entitled to remuneration for his or her inventions. The C&R
Committee (decisions of which have been upheld by the Israeli
Supreme Court) has held that employees may be entitled to
remuneration for their service inventions despite having
specifically waived any such rights. Further, the C&R Committee
has not yet set specific guidelines regarding the method for
calculating this remuneration or the criteria or circumstances
under which an employee’s waiver of his or her right to
remuneration will be disregarded. We generally enter into
intellectual property assignment agreements with our employees
pursuant to which such employees assign to us all rights to any
inventions created in the scope of their employment or engagement
with us. Although our employees have agreed to assign to us service
invention rights and have specifically waived their right to
receive any special remuneration for such assignment beyond their
regular salary and benefits, we may face claims demanding
remuneration in consideration for assigned inventions. As a
consequence of such claims, we could be required to pay additional
remuneration or royalties to our current or former employees, or be
forced to litigate such claims, which could negatively affect our
business.
41. We expect that
our results of operations will be subject to fluctuations in
currency exchange rates because a substantial portion of our
anticipated revenue will be generated in U.S. dollars and Euros
while a significant portion of our expenses will be incurred in New
Israeli Shekels.
We expect a substantial portion of our revenue will be generated in
U.S. dollars and Euros, while a significant portion of our
expenses, principally salaries and related personnel expenses, is
paid in New Israeli Shekels, or NIS. As a result, we are exposed to
the risk that the rate of inflation in Israel will exceed the rate
of devaluation of the NIS in relation to the Euro or the U.S.
dollar, or that the timing of this devaluation will lag behind
inflation in Israel. Because inflation has the effect of increasing
the U.S. dollar and Euro costs of our operations, it would
therefore have an adverse effect on our dollar-measured results of
operations. The value of the NIS, against the Euro, the U.S.
dollar, and other currencies may fluctuate and is affected by,
among other things, changes in Israel’s political and economic
conditions. Any significant revaluation of the NIS may materially
and adversely affect our cash flows, revenues and financial
condition. Fluctuations in the NIS exchange rate, or even the
appearance of instability in such exchange rate, could adversely
affect our ability to operate our business.
42. We may not be
able to enforce covenants not-to-compete under current Israeli
law.
We have non-competition agreements with most of our employees, all
of which are governed by Israeli law. These agreements generally
prohibit our employees from competing with us or working for our
competitors for a specified period following termination of their
employment. However, Israeli courts are reluctant to enforce
non-compete undertakings of former employees and tend, if at all,
to enforce those provisions for relatively brief periods of time in
restricted geographical areas and only when the employee has unique
value specific to that employer’s business and not just regarding
the professional development of the employee. Any such inability to
enforce non-compete covenants may cause us to lose any competitive
advantage arising from confidential information known to such
former employees.
43. It may be
difficult for investors in the United States to enforce any
judgments obtained against us or some of our directors or
officers.
The majority of our assets are located outside the United States.
In addition, certain of our officers are nationals 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. officers, including judgments predicated upon the
civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United
States or any state thereof. It may also be difficult to assert
claims under United States securities law in actions originally
instituted outside of the United States. Moreover, Israeli courts
may refuse to hear a United States 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 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 Israeli
law. Consequently, our investors 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.
44. If there are
significant shifts in the political, economic and military
conditions in Israel and its neighbors, it could have a material
adverse effect on our business relationships and
profitability.
All of our research facilities and certain of our key personnel are
located in Israel. Our business is directly affected by the
political, economic and military conditions in Israel and its
neighbors. Since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948,
a number of armed conflicts have occurred between Israel and its
Arab neighbors. A state of hostility, varying in degree and
intensity, has caused security and economic problems in Israel.
Although Israel has entered into peace treaties with Egypt and
Jordan, and various agreements with the Palestinian Authority,
there has been a marked increase in violence, civil unrest and
hostility, including armed clashes, between the State of Israel and
the Palestinians since September 2000. The establishment in 2006 of
a government in the Gaza Strip by representatives of the Hamas
militant group has created heightened unrest and uncertainty in the
region. In mid-2006, Israel engaged in an armed conflict with
Hezbollah, a Shiite Islamist militia group based in Lebanon, and in
June 2007, there was an escalation in violence in the Gaza Strip.
From December 2008 through January 2009 and again in November and
December 2012, Israel engaged in an armed conflict with Hamas,
which involved missile strikes against civilian targets in various
parts of Israel and negatively affected business conditions in
Israel. In July 2014, Israel launched an additional operation
against Hamas operatives in the Gaza strip in response to
Palestinian groups launching rockets at Israel. Recent political
uprisings and social unrest in Syria are affecting its political
stability, which has led to the deterioration of the political
relationship between Syria and Israel and have raised new concerns
regarding security in the region and the potential for armed
conflict. Similar civil unrest and political turbulence is
currently ongoing in many countries in the region. The continued
political instability and hostilities between Israel and its
neighbors and any future armed conflict, terrorist activity or
political instability in the region could adversely affect our
operations in Israel and adversely affect the market price of our
shares of common stock. In addition, several countries restrict
doing business with Israel and Israeli companies have been and are
today subjected to economic boycotts. The interruption or
curtailment of trade between Israel and its present trading
partners could adversely affect our business, financial condition
and results of operations.
Risks Related to Our Stock
45. There can be no
assurance of an active, liquid and orderly trading market for our
common stock or that investors will be able to sell their shares of
common stock.
At present, our common stock is quoted on the OTCQB tier of the
marketplace maintained by OTC Markets Group Inc., under the symbol
“CNBX.” There is only a limited, liquid public trading market for
our common stock. There can be no assurance that a liquid market
for our common stock will continue. Market liquidity will depend on
the perception of our business and any steps that our management
might take to bring public awareness of our business to the
investing public within the parameters of the federal securities
laws. There is no assurance that any such awareness will be
generated or sustained. Therefore, investors may not be able to
liquidate their investment or liquidate it at a price paid by
investors equal to or greater than their initial investment in our
common stock. Moreover, holders of our common stock may not find
purchasers for their shares should they to decide to sell the
common stock held by them at any particular time if ever. Our
common stock should be purchased only by investors who have no
immediate need for liquidity in their investment and who can hold
our common stock, possibly for a prolonged period of time.
46. The price of our
common stock is volatile, and the value of your investment could
decline.
The market price of our common stock has been highly volatile.
Between September 1, 2019, and August 31, 2020, the sales price of
our stock on the OTCQB ranged from a low of $0.08 per share to a
high of $0.57 per share. Accordingly, it is difficult to forecast
the future performance of our common stock. The market price of our
common stock may be higher or lower than the price you pay,
depending on many factors, some of which are beyond our control and
may not be related to our operating performance. These fluctuations
could cause you to lose all or part of your investment in our
common stock. Factors that could cause fluctuations in the trading
price of our common stock include the following:
|
· |
technological
innovations or new products and services by us or our
competitors; |
|
· |
regulatory
developments at the federal, state or local level; |
|
· |
additions or
departures of key personnel; |
|
· |
our ability to
execute our business plan; |
|
· |
operating
results that fall below expectations; |
|
· |
loss of any
strategic relationship; |
|
· |
economic,
political and other external factors; and |
|
· |
period-to-period fluctuations in our financial
results. |
The stock market generally and in particular, the market for stocks
of biotechnology companies with lower market capitalizations, like
us, have from time to time experienced, and likely will again
experience significant price and volume fluctuations that are
unrelated to the operating performance of a particular company. The
trading price of our common stock might decline in reaction to
events that affect other companies in our industry, even if these
events do not directly affect us.
Periods of volatility in the market price of a company’s securities
have often been followed by securities class action litigation
against that company. If our stock price continues to be volatile,
we may become the target of securities litigation, which could
result in substantial costs and divert our management’s attention
and resources from our business. This could have a material adverse
effect on our business, operating results and financial
condition.
47. If we continue
to experience losses, we could experience difficulty meeting our
business plan and our stock price could be negatively
affected.
If we are unable to earn revenues from our products, we will
experience continuing operating losses and negative cash flow from
our operations. Any failure to achieve or maintain profitability
could negatively impact the market price of our common stock. We
anticipate that we will continue to incur product development,
sales and marketing and administrative expenses. As a result, we
will need to generate significant quarterly revenues if we are to
achieve and maintain profitability. A substantial failure to
achieve profitability could make it difficult or impossible for us
to grow our business. Our business strategy may not be successful,
and we may not generate significant revenues or achieve
profitability. Any failure to significantly increase revenues would
also harm our ability to achieve and maintain profitability. If we
do achieve profitability in the future, we may not be able to
sustain or increase profitability on a quarterly or annual
basis.
48. We may never pay
any dividends to our shareholders.
We currently intend to retain any future earnings for use in the
operation and expansion of our business. Accordingly, we do not
expect to pay any dividends in the foreseeable future, but will
review this policy as circumstances dictate. The declaration and
payment of all future dividends, if any, will be at the sole
discretion of our board of directors, which retains the right to
change our dividend policy at any time. Consequently, our
stockholders must rely on sales of their common stock after price
appreciation, which may never occur, as the only way to realize any
future gains on their investment.
49. Our principal
stockholders and management own a significant percentage of our
stock and will be able to exert significant control over matters
subject to stockholder approval.
As at December 21, 2020, Cannabics Inc., a Delaware corporation,
owns approximately 65% of our common stock. Both of our Directors
are also holders of shares in Cannabics Inc., and therefore have
influence over it. Accordingly, the Company (and our management)
may be able to control the outcome of stockholder votes, including
votes concerning the election of directors, amendment of our
organizational documents, approval of mergers, sales of assets and
other significant corporate transactions. This concentration of
ownership in Cannabics Inc. (and our management) may have the
effect of delaying or preventing a change in our management and
voting control of Cannabics Inc., including preventing or
discouraging unsolicited acquisition proposals or offers for our
common stock that some of our stockholders may believe is in their
best interest.
50. We may issue
shares of preferred stock with greater rights than our common
stock, which may entrench management and result in dilution of our
stockholders' investment.
Our Articles of Incorporation authorize the issuance of up to 100
million shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share. The
authorized but unissued preferred stock may be issued by our board
of directors from time to time on any number of occasions, without
stockholder approval, as one or more separate series of shares
comprised of any number of the authorized but unissued shares of
preferred stock, designated by resolution of our board of directors
stating the name and number of shares of each series and setting
forth separately for such series the relative rights, privileges
and preferences thereof, including, if any, the: (i) rate of
dividends payable thereon; (ii) price, terms and conditions of
redemption; (iii) voluntary and involuntary liquidation
preferences; (iv) provisions of a sinking fund for redemption or
repurchase; (v) terms of conversion to common stock, including
conversion price, and (vi) voting rights. Such preferred stock may
enable our board of directors to hinder or discourage any attempt
to gain control of the Company by a merger, tender offer at a
control premium price, proxy contest or otherwise. Consequently,
the preferred stock could entrench our management. The market price
of our common stock could be depressed by the existence of the
preferred stock.
51. Nevada law and
certain provisions of our Articles of Incorporation and bylaws may
discourage mergers and other transactions.
Provisions of Nevada law, such as its business combination statute,
and certain provisions of our Articles of Incorporation and by-laws
could make it more difficult for someone to acquire control of the
Company and limit the price that certain investors might be willing
to pay for shares of our common stock. These provisions may make it
more difficult for stockholders to take certain corporate actions
and could delay or prevent someone from acquiring our business. The
provisions could be beneficial to our management and the board of
directors in a hostile tender offer, and could have an adverse
impact on stockholders who might want to participate in such tender
offer, or who might want to replace some or all of the members of
the board of directors.
52. Our common stock
may be subject to penny stock rules, which may make it more
difficult for our investors to sell their common stock.
Our common stock is presently considered to be a "penny stock" and
is subject to SEC rules and regulations that impose limitations
upon the manner in which such shares may be publicly traded, and
regulate broker-dealer practices in connection with transactions in
"penny stocks." Penny stocks generally are equity securities with a
price of less than $5.00 (other than securities registered on
certain national securities exchanges or quoted on the NASDAQ
system, provided that current price and volume information with
respect to transactions in such securities is provided by the
exchange or system). The penny stock rules require a broker-dealer,
prior to a transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from
the rules, to deliver a standardized risk disclosure document that
provides information about penny stocks and the risks in the penny
stock market. The broker-dealer must also provide the customer with
current bid and offer quotations for the penny stock, the
compensation of the broker-dealer and its salesperson in the
transaction, and monthly account statements showing the market
value of each penny stock held in the customer's account. In
addition, the penny stock rules generally require that prior to a
transaction in a penny stock, the broker-dealer make a special
written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment
for the purchaser and receive the purchaser's written agreement to
the transaction. These disclosure requirements may have the effect
of reducing the level of trading activity in the secondary market
for a stock that becomes subject to the penny stock rules which may
increase the difficulty investors may experience in attempting to
liquidate such securities. These requirements could also hamper our
ability to raise funds in the primary market for our shares of
common stock.
53. You may
experience additional dilution upon the exercise of outstanding
warrants.
In addition to the shares underlying the warrants that are being
registered pursuant to this prospectus, as of December 21, 2020, we
have 5,000,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of
outstanding warrants. If the holders of the warrants exercise their
rights, you may experience additional dilution in the net tangible
book value of your Common Stock.
54. You may
experience dilution of your ownership interest due to the issuance
of additional shares of Common Stock upon the conversion of our
convertible debt, especially since our convertible debt has
fluctuating conversion rates that are set at a discount to market
prices of our shares of Common Stock during the period immediately
preceding conversion.
We have raised approximately $1,375,000 in financing through the
issuance of the Initial Note and the Second Note, and intend to
obtain additional convertible debt financing of up to an aggregate
of $2,750,000. The lenders may choose to convert their loans, which
are convertible into shares of Common Stock of the Company at a
conversion price equal to the lower of (i) $0.35 or (ii) 80% of the
average of the two lowest closing bid price of the Company’s shares
of Common Stock in the ten trading days prior to the conversion.
This could result in material dilution to existing shareholders of
the Company. Because the conversion price is based upon the trading
prices of our shares at the time of conversion, the number of
shares into which the convertible debt may be converted may
increase without an upper bound. If the trading prices of our
shares are low when the conversion price of the convertible debt is
determined, we would be required to issue a greater number of
shares to the converting debtholder, which could cause substantial
dilution to our shareholders. In addition, if any or all of the
holders of our convertible debt convert and then sell our common
stock, this could result in an imbalance of supply and demand for
our common stock and reduce our stock price. The further our stock
price declines, the further the adjustment of the conversion price
will fall and the greater the number of shares we will have to
issue upon conversion, resulting in further dilution to our
shareholders. Because a market price-based conversion formula can
lead to dramatic stock price reductions and corresponding negative
effects on both a company and its shareholders, convertible
security financings with market price-based conversion ratios have
colloquially been called “floorless,” “toxic,” “death spiral,” and
“ratchet” convertibles.
55. Future sales of
our common stock by our stockholders could negatively affect our
stock price after this offering.
Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the
public market by our stockholders after this offering, or the
perception that these sales might occur, could depress the market
price of our common stock and could impair our ability to raise
capital through the sale of additional equity securities. All of
the shares of common stock sold in this offering will be freely
tradable without restrictions or further registration under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the “Securities Act”), and
thus the price of our common stock may decline.
56. Future sales of
our common stock by us could adversely affect its price and our
future capital-raising activities could involve the issuance of
equity securities, which would dilute your investment and could
result in a decline in the trading price of our common
stock.
We may in the future sell securities in the public or private
equity markets if and when conditions are favorable, even if we do
not have an immediate need for additional capital at that time.
Sales of substantial amounts of common stock, or the perception
that such sales could occur, could adversely affect the prevailing
market price of our common stock and our ability to raise capital.
We may issue additional common stock in future financing
transactions or as incentive compensation for our executive
management and other key personnel, consultants and advisors.
Issuing any equity securities would be dilutive to the equity
interests represented by our then-outstanding shares of common
stock. The market price for our common stock could decrease as the
market takes into account the dilutive effect of any of these
issuances. Furthermore, we may enter into financing transactions at
prices that represent a substantial discount to the market price of
our common stock. A negative reaction by investors and securities
analysts to any discounted sale of our equity securities could
result in a decline in the trading price of our common stock.
57. We will have
broad discretion in using the net proceeds from the Private
Placement, and the benefits from our use of the proceeds may not
meet investors' expectations.
Our management will have broad discretion over the allocation of
our net proceeds from the Private Placement as well as over the
timing of their use without stockholder approval. We have not yet
determined how the net proceeds will be used, other than for
working capital and other general corporate purposes. As a result,
investors will be relying upon management's judgment with only
limited information about our specific intentions for the use of
our net proceeds from the Private Placement. Our failure to apply
these proceeds effectively could cause our business to suffer.
58. If securities
analysts do not publish research or if securities analysts or other
third parties publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about us,
the price of our common stock could decline.
The trading market for our common stock will rely in part on the
research and reports that securities analysts and other third
parties choose to publish about us. We do not control these
analysts or other third parties. The price of our common stock
could decline if one or more securities analysts downgrade our
common stock or if one or more securities analysts or other third
parties publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about us or
cease publishing reports about us.
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus contains forward-looking statements that can
involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements other
than statements of historical facts contained in this prospectus,
including statements regarding our future results of operations and
financial position, business strategy, prospective products,
product approvals, research and development costs, future revenue,
timing and likelihood of success, plans and objectives of
management for future operations, future results of anticipated
products and prospects, plans and objectives of management 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
statements.
In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms
such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,”
“could,” “intend,” “target,” “project,” “contemplate,” “believe,”
“estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “would” or “continue” or the
negative of these terms or other similar expressions. The
forward-looking statements in this prospectus are only predictions.
We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our
current expectations and projections about future events and
financial trends that we believe may affect our business, financial
condition and results of operations. These forward-looking
statements speak only as of the date of this prospectus and are
subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions
described under the sections in this prospectus entitled “Risk
Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations” and elsewhere in this
prospectus. Because forward-looking statements are inherently
subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be
predicted or quantified and some of which are beyond our control,
you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as
predictions of future events. The events and circumstances
reflected in our forward-looking statements may not be achieved or
occur and actual results could differ materially from those
projected in the forward-looking statements. Moreover, we operate
in an evolving environment. New risk factors and uncertainties may
emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to
predict all risk factors and uncertainties. Except as required by
applicable law, we do not plan to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of
any new information, future events, changed circumstances or
otherwise.
INDUSTRY AND OTHER DATA
We obtained the industry, market and competitive position data in
this prospectus from our own internal estimates and research as
well as from industry and general publications and research,
surveys and studies conducted by third parties. Industry
publications, studies and surveys generally state that they have
been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, although they
do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of such information.
While we believe that each of these studies and publications is
reliable, we have not independently verified market and industry
data from third-party sources. While we believe our internal
company research as to such matters is reliable and the market
definitions are appropriate, neither such research nor these
definitions have been verified by any independent source.
USE OF PROCEEDS
All of the Shares being offered under this prospectus are being
sold by or for the account of the selling stockholder. We will not
receive any proceeds from the sale of Shares offered by this
prospectus. However, with respect to the 5,500,000 shares of Common
Stock underlying the Warrant that is being offered by the selling
stockholder under this prospectus, we will receive up to $2,750,000
in the aggregate from the selling stockholder if it exercises in
full, on a cash basis, all of its unexercised Warrant to purchase
these shares of Common Stock. We will use such proceeds from the
exercise of the Warrant for working capital and other corporate
purposes.
The holder of the Warrant may exercise its Warrant at any time
until its expiration. There can be no assurance that the Warrant
will be exercised. Because the holder of the Warrant may exercise
the Warrant in its own discretion, if at all, we cannot plan on
specific uses of proceeds beyond application of proceeds to general
corporate purposes.
We have agreed to bear the expenses (other than any underwriting
discounts or commissions or agent’s commissions) in connection with
the registration of the Shares being offered hereby by the selling
stockholder.
MARKET PRICE OF OUR COMMON
STOCK
Our common stock has been quoted on the OTCQB under the symbol
“CNBX” since August 10, 2015. On February 12, 2021, the last
reported sales price of our common stock on the OTCQB was $0.38 per
share.
As of February 12, 2021, the Company’s common stock was held by 76
shareholders of record, which does not include shares that are held
in street or nominee name.
The closing share prices presented below represent prices between
broker-dealers and do not include retail mark-ups and mark-downs or
any commission to the dealer.
QUARTER ENDED |
|
HIGH |
|
|
LOW |
|
November 30, 2020 |
|
$ |
0.30 |
|
|
$ |
0.15 |
|
August
31, 2020 |
|
$ |
0.31 |
|
|
$ |
0.19 |
|
May 31,
2020 |
|
$ |
0.36 |
|
|
$ |
0.16 |
|
February
29, 2020 |
|
$ |
0.57 |
|
|
$ |
0.08 |
|
November
30, 2019 |
|
$ |
0.26 |
|
|
$ |
0.12 |
|
August
31, 2019 |
|
$ |
0.34 |
|
|
$ |
0.25 |
|
May 31,
2019 |
|
$ |
0.40 |
|
|
$ |
0.30 |
|
February
28, 2019 |
|
$ |
0.48 |
|
|
$ |
0.28 |
|
November
30, 2018 |
|
$ |
1.23 |
|
|
$ |
0.40 |
|
August
31, 2018 |
|
$ |
1.05 |
|
|
$ |
0.73 |
|
DIVIDEND POLICY
We have never declared or paid dividends on our capital stock. We
do not expect to pay dividends on our common stock for the
foreseeable future. Instead, we anticipate that all of our earnings
will be used for the operation and growth of our business. Any
future determination to declare cash dividends would be subject to
the discretion of our board of directors and would depend upon
various factors, including our results of operations, financial
condition and liquidity requirements, restrictions that may be
imposed by applicable law and our contracts and other factors
deemed relevant by our board of directors.
DETERMINATION OF THE OFFERING
PRICE
The selling stockholder will determine at what price it may sell
the Shares offered by this prospectus, and such sales may be made
at prevailing market prices, or at privately negotiated prices. For
additional information, please see the section entitled "Plan of Distribution" below.
SELLING STOCKHOLDER
The shares of common stock being offered by the selling stockholder
are those issuable to the selling stockholder upon conversion of
the notes and exercise of the warrants. For additional information
regarding the issuance of the notes and the warrants, see
“Private Placement of
Notes and Warrant” below. We are registering the shares
of common stock in order to permit the selling stockholder to offer
the shares for resale from time to time. Except for the ownership
of the notes and the warrants issued pursuant to the Private
Placement, the selling stockholder has not had any material
relationship with us within the past three years.
The table below lists the selling stockholder and other information
regarding the beneficial ownership (as determined under Section
13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the
rules and regulations thereunder) of the shares of common stock
held by the selling stockholder. The second column lists the number
of shares of common stock beneficially owned by the selling
stockholder, based on its ownership of shares of common stock,
notes and warrants, as of February 12, 2021, assuming conversion of
the notes and exercise of the warrants held by the selling
stockholder on that date but taking account of any limitations on
conversion and exercise set forth therein.
The third column lists the shares of common stock being offered by
this prospectus by the selling stockholder and does not take in
account any limitations on (i) conversion of the notes set forth
therein or (ii) exercise of the warrants set forth therein.
In accordance with the terms of a registration rights agreement
with the holders of the notes and the warrants, this prospectus
generally covers the resale of the sum of (i) 300% of the maximum
number of shares of common stock issued or issuable pursuant to the
Notes at an exercise price of $0.27, and (ii) the maximum number of
shares of common stock issued or issuable upon exercise of the
Warrant, in each case, determined as if the outstanding notes and
warrants were converted or exercised (as the case may be) in full
(without regard to any limitations on conversion or exercise
contained therein solely for the purpose of such calculation) at a
conversion price calculated based on the average of the two lowest
closing bid price of the Company’s shares of Common Stock in the
ten trading days prior to February 12, 2021. Because the conversion
price of the notes and the exercise price of the warrants may be
adjusted, the number of shares that will actually be issued may be
more or less than the number of shares being offered by this
prospectus. The fourth column assumes the sale of all of the shares
offered by the selling shareholder pursuant to this prospectus.
Under the terms of the notes and the warrants, the selling
stockholder may not convert the notes or exercise the warrants to
the extent (but only to the extent) the selling stockholder or any
of its affiliates would beneficially own a number of shares of our
common stock which would exceed 4.99% of the outstanding shares of
the Company. The number of shares in the second column reflects
these limitations. The selling stockholders may sell all, some or
none of their shares in this offering. See “Plan of Distribution.”
Name of Selling Stockholder
|
|
Number of Shares of Common Stock
Owned Prior to Offering (1) |
|
|
Maximum Number of Shares of Common
Stock to be Sold Pursuant to this Prospectus
(2) |
|
|
Number of Shares of Common Stock
Owned After Offering (3) |
|
3i, LP (4) |
|
|
7,466,733 |
|
|
|
20,777,779 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
(1) |
This column lists the number of
shares of our common stock beneficially owned by the Selling
Stockholder, as of February 12, 2021, (i) including 3,913,633
Pre-Delivery Shares that were pre-delivered to the Selling
Stockholder on the issuance date of the Initial Note, and (ii)
after giving effect to the 4.99% limitation on conversion of the
Initial Note a nd the Second Note and exercise of the Warrant, as
set forth in the Initial Note and Warrant, respectively, up to an
aggregate additional 3,553,100 shares of our common stock either
issuable upon conversion of the Initial Note and the Second Note
and/or exercise of the Warrant, as applicable. Without regard to
such 4.99% limitation on conversion of the Initial Note and the
Second Note and exercise of the Warrant, respectively, (A) an
additional 1,178,960 shares of our common stock (in addition to the
3,913,633 shares of our common stock that were pre-delivered to the
Selling Stockholder on the issuance date of the Initial Note) are
issuable upon conversion of the Initial Note and the Second Note,
and (B) 5,500,000 shares of our common stock are issuable upon
exercise of the Warrant. |
|
(2) |
In accordance with the terms of a
registration rights agreement with the holder of the Notes and the
Warrant, this prospectus generally covers the resale of (i) 300% of
the maximum number of shares of common stock issuable upon
conversion of the Notes, namely, 15,277,779 shares of our common
stock (includes the 3,913,633 shares of our common stock that were
pre-delivered to the Selling Stockholder on the issuance date of
the Initial Note) issuable upon conversion of the Notes (y)
assuming the full conversion of all the Notes issued and issuable
under the securities purchase agreement and (z) without regard to
any limitations on conversion in the Notes, in each case, solely
for the purpose of such calculation), and (ii) 5,500,000 shares of
our common stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrant ((x)
assuming the exercise in full of the Warrant and (y) without regard
to any limitations on exercise set forth in the Warrant, in each
case, solely for the purpose of such calculation). Because the
conversion price of the Notes is subject to adjustment in
accordance with its terms, the number of shares that will actually
be issued may be more or less than the number of shares being
offered by this prospectus. |
|
(3) |
The ownership of shares after the
offering assumes the issuance of all of the shares underlying the
Notes and the Warrant that are offered for resale hereby, and the
sale by the selling stockholder of all of the shares offered for
resale hereby. |
|
(4) |
The business address of 3i, LP
(referred to herein as the “Selling Stockholder”) is 140 Broadway,
38th Floor, New York, NY 10005. 3i, LP’s principal business is that
of a private investor. Maier Joshua Tarlow is the manager of 3i
Management, LLC, the general partner of 3i LP, and has sole voting
control and investment discretion over securities beneficially
owned directly indirectly by 3i Management, LLC and 3i, LP. We have
been advised that none of Mr. Tarlow, 3i Management, LLC or 3i, LP
is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or
FINRA, or an independent broker-dealer, or an affiliate or
associated person of a FINRA member or independent broker-dealer.
Mr. Tarlow disclaims any beneficial ownership of the securities
beneficially owned directly by 3i, LP and indirectly by 3i
Management, LLC. |
RELATIONSHIP OF SELLING STOCKHOLDER
TO THE COMPANY
The selling stockholder has not had any material transaction or
relationship with us or any of our predecessors or affiliates
within the past three years.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We are registering the shares of common stock issuable upon
conversion of the notes and exercise of the warrants to permit the
resale of these shares of common stock by the holders of the notes
and warrants from time to time after the date of this prospectus.
We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale by the
selling stockholder of the shares of common stock, although we will
receive the exercise price of any Warrants not exercised by the
selling stockholder on a cashless exercise basis. We will bear all
fees and expenses incident to our obligation to register the shares
of common stock.
The selling stockholder may sell all or a portion of the shares of
common stock held by it and offered hereby from time to time
directly or through one or more underwriters, broker-dealers or
agents. If the shares of common stock are sold through underwriters
or broker-dealers, the selling stockholder will be responsible for
underwriting discounts or commissions or agent’s commissions. The
shares of common stock may be sold in one or more transactions at
fixed prices, at prevailing market prices at the time of the sale,
at varying prices determined at the time of sale or at negotiated
prices. These sales may be effected in transactions, which may
involve crosses or block transactions, pursuant to one or more of
the following methods:
|
· |
on any national securities exchange or
quotation service on which the securities may be listed or quoted
at the time of sale; |
|
· |
in the over-the-counter market; |
|
· |
in transactions otherwise than on
these exchanges or systems or in the over-the-counter market; |
|
· |
through the writing or settlement of
options, whether such options are listed on an options exchange or
otherwise; |
|
· |
ordinary brokerage transactions and
transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers; |
|
· |
block trades in which the
broker-dealer will attempt to sell the shares as agent but may
position and resell a portion of the block as principal to
facilitate the transaction; |
|
· |
purchases by a broker-dealer as
principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account; |
|
· |
an exchange distribution in accordance
with the rules of the applicable exchange; |
|
· |
privately negotiated
transactions; |
|
· |
short sales made after the date the
Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC; |
|
· |
broker-dealers may agree with a
selling security holder to sell a specified number of such shares
at a stipulated price per share; |
|
· |
a combination of any such methods of
sale; and |
|
· |
any other method permitted pursuant to
applicable law. |
The selling stockholder may also sell shares of common stock under
Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, if available, rather than under this prospectus. In
addition, the selling stockholder may transfer the shares of common
stock by other means not described in this prospectus. If the
selling stockholder effects such transactions by selling shares of
common stock to or through underwriters, broker-dealers or agents,
such underwriters, broker-dealers or agents may receive commissions
in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the
selling stockholder or commissions from purchasers of the shares of
common stock for whom they may act as agent or to whom they may
sell as principal (which discounts, concessions or commissions as
to particular underwriters, broker-dealers or agents may be in
excess of those customary in the types of transactions involved).
In connection with sales of the shares of common stock or
otherwise, the selling stockholder may enter into hedging
transactions with broker-dealers, which may in turn engage in short
sales of the shares of common stock in the course of hedging in
positions they assume. The selling stockholder may also sell shares
of common stock short and deliver shares of common stock covered by
this prospectus to close out short positions and to return borrowed
shares in connection with such short sales. The selling stockholder
may also loan or pledge shares of common stock to broker-dealers
that in turn may sell such shares.
The selling stockholder may pledge or grant a security interest in
some or all of the notes, warrants or shares of common stock owned
by it and, if it defaults in the performance of its secured
obligations, the pledgees or secured parties may offer and sell the
shares of common stock from time to time pursuant to this
prospectus or any amendment to this prospectus under Rule 424(b)(3)
or other applicable provision of the Securities Act amending, if
necessary, the list of selling stockholders to include the pledgee,
transferee or other successors in interest as selling stockholders
under this prospectus. The selling stockholder also may transfer
and donate the shares of common stock in other circumstances in
which case the transferees, donees, pledgees or other successors in
interest will be the selling beneficial owners for purposes of this
prospectus.
To the extent required by the Securities Act and the rules and
regulations thereunder, the selling stockholder and any
broker-dealer participating in the distribution of the shares of
common stock may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning
of the Securities Act, and any commission paid, or any discounts or
concessions allowed to, any such broker-dealer may be deemed to be
underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. At
the time a particular offering of the shares of common stock is
made, a prospectus supplement, if required, will be distributed,
which will set forth the aggregate amount of shares of common stock
being offered and the terms of the offering, including the name or
names of any broker-dealers or agents, any discounts, commissions
and other terms constituting compensation from the selling
stockholders and any discounts, commissions or concessions allowed
or re-allowed or paid to broker-dealers.
Under the securities laws of some states, the shares of common
stock may be sold in such states only through registered or
licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in some states the shares
of common stock may not be sold unless such shares have been
registered or qualified for sale in such state or an exemption from
registration or qualification is available and is complied
with.
There can be no assurance that the selling stockholder will sell
any or all of the shares of common stock registered pursuant to the
registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part.
The selling stockholder and any other person participating in such
distribution will be subject to applicable provisions of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and
regulations thereunder, including, without limitation, to the
extent applicable, Regulation M of the Exchange Act, which may
limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of the shares of
common stock by the selling stockholder and any other participating
person. To the extent applicable, Regulation M may also restrict
the ability of any person engaged in the distribution of the shares
of common stock to engage in market-making activities with respect
to the shares of common stock. All of the foregoing may affect the
marketability of the shares of common stock and the ability of any
person or entity to engage in market-making activities with respect
to the shares of common stock.
We will pay all expenses of the registration of the shares of
common stock pursuant to the registration rights agreement,
estimated to be approximately $72,000 in total, including, without
limitation, Securities and Exchange Commission filing fees and
expenses of compliance with state securities or “blue sky” laws;
provided, however, a selling stockholder will pay all underwriting
discounts and selling commissions, if any. We will indemnify the
selling stockholder against liabilities, including some liabilities
under the Securities Act in accordance with the registration rights
agreements or the selling stockholder will be entitled to
contribution. We may be indemnified by the selling stockholder
against civil liabilities, including liabilities under the
Securities Act that may arise from any written information
furnished to us by the selling stockholder specifically for use in
this prospectus, in accordance with the related registration rights
agreements or we may be entitled to contribution.
Once sold under the registration statement, of which this
prospectus forms a part, the shares of common stock will be freely
tradable in the hands of persons other than our affiliates.
DESCRIPTION OF Business
History
Cannabics Pharmaceuticals Inc. was incorporated in the State of
Nevada as Thrust Energy Corp. on September 15, 2004, for the
purposes of acquiring oil and gas exploration properties and
non-operating interests. On April 25, 2014, Cannabics Inc., a
Delaware research and development company, acquired a majority
controlling interest in the Company. As a result of the change of
control, we redirected our business focus towards our current
operations and changed the name of the Company to Cannabics
Pharmaceuticals Inc.
On August 25, 2014, the Company incorporated G.R.I.N. Ultra Ltd.
under the laws of the State of Israel as a wholly owned subsidiary
to conduct our research and development activities.
On October 26, 2014, G.R.I.N. Ultra was licensed by the Israeli
Ministry of Health to possess and use cannabis for medical
research. Cannabis is a controlled substance under Israeli law.
On July 24, 2017, we completed development of G.R.I.N. Ultra’s
research laboratory in Rehovot, Israel.
On November 28, 2017, G.R.I.N. Ultra Ltd. was granted a further
license by the Israeli Ministry of Health to conduct research into
the characterization of anti-tumor activity of cannabinoids.
On August 10, 2018, we entered into a convertible loan agreement
with Eroll Grow-Tech Ltd., an Israeli corporation that produces
fully-automated, self-contained hydroponics systems. Under the
terms of the agreement, we obtained the right to acquire up to 20%
of the issued and outstanding common stock of Eroll Grow-Tech in
exchange for an aggregate purchase price of up to $2 million.
Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, the Company provided Eroll
Grow-Tech with a loan in the amount of $2,000,000, and the Company
has converted the loan into 3,580,567 shares of Eroll Grow-Tech. We
are also entitled to receive aggregate royalties from Eroll
Grow-Tech of up to $8 million. In 2019, we received royalties in
the amount of $500,000.
On February 7, 2019, we entered into a joint venture agreement with
Wize Pharma, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with
operations in Israel focused on the treatment of ophthalmic
disorders, for the purpose of researching, developing, and
administering cannabinoid formulations to treat ophthalmic
conditions. Under the terms of the agreement, Wize Pharma issued
900,000 shares of its common stock to the Company and we issued
2,263,944 shares of the Company’s common stock to Wize Pharma.
On November 15, 2020, we established a majority-owned subsidiary,
Digestix Bioscience, Inc., incorporated under the laws of Delaware,
to engage in the development of medical devices and pharmaceutical
compositions for the treatment of precancerous and early-stage
neoplastic local tumors, and in particular, adenomatous colorectal
polyps. The other shareholders of Digestix are Professor Eitan
Scapa, Dr. Erez Scapa, and Gabriel Yariv. Mr. Yariv, who currently
serves as Director and COO of Cannabics, also serves as interim
Chairman and CEO of Digestix.
Overview
The Company is a biopharmaceutical corporation specializing in the
discovery, development and commercialization of novel
cannabinoid-based products and innovative technologies for the
treatment of cancer. We combine the power of our proprietary
technologies with the expertise of our leading scientists to unlock
the medicinal properties of cannabis and its diversity of bioactive
compounds. We have conducted thousands of tests on biopsies and
cell lines in order to identify the physiologic impact of
cannabinoids on cell cycle and cell death. This scientific workflow
has generated an ongoing stream of biological data through which we
have accumulated in-depth knowledge of the various therapeutic
effects of cannabinoids and identified cannabinoid ratios
demonstrating anti-tumor potential. We believe that our cannabinoid
research coupled with our proprietary technologies and intellectual
property positions the Company to play an important role in the
rapidly growing medical cannabis marketplace.
Our core technology is a
continuously evolving bioinformatics platform that utilizes
high-throughput screening technology, advanced data analytics,
and proprietary methodologies
to rapidly examine the physiologic impact of multiple
cannabinoid compounds on tumor cells. This technology enables us to
screen thousands of cannabinoid combinations weekly, generating
multiple datasets on the anti-tumor properties of different
cannabis cultivars, formulations and ratios. We conduct a broad
range of preclinical research on cannabinoids through our
bioinformatics platform, which informs the development of our
product candidates.
Our lead product candidate is RCC-33, an oral capsule for the
treatment of colorectal cancer (“CRC”). RCC-33 contains high
concentrations of the cannabinoids CBDV and CBGA, which have
demonstrated in our laboratory testing complex synergistic
anti-tumor activity in our in vitro studies, with
minimal psychoactive effects. We are currently in the early
planning stage of a clinical development pathway for RCC-33. We
plan to conduct further preclinical studies to establish the safety
and efficacy of RCC-33 in an in vivo murine model of
colorectal cancer. Subject to the results of our preclinical
studies, we intend to proceed with first-in-human clinical testing
in the second half of 2022.
Cannabics SR is a
lipid-based capsule containing a standardized formulation of
cannabinoids that we are developing as a product candidate for the
treatment of cancer anorexia-cachexia syndrome (“CACS”).
With a rapid onset of action and sustained effects for up to 6-8
hours, we believe that the convenience of once or twice daily oral
dosing of Cannabics SR may improve quality of life and
increase patient compliance with treatment regimens, leading to
better health outcomes. A two-year pilot study of Cannabics SR
led by Dr. Gil Bar-Sela of the Rambam Hospital Health Care Campus,
Division of Oncology, in Haifa, Israel, demonstrated a clinically
significant weight increase in CACS patients treated with
Cannabics SR capsules (Source:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6785913/). In the
second half of 2021, we intend to commence an additional pilot
study in Israel to assess the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
of Cannabics SR in humans. Data from the study will inform our
clinical development plan for Cannabics SR. In the meantime,
we anticipate that the results of these studies may enable us to
obtain a permit from the Israeli Ministry of Health to
commercialize Cannabics SR in Israel.
Another product candidate we
are developing is Cannabics CDx, a drug sensitivity
test designed to provide innovative decision support to healthcare
providers interested in personalizing cannabinoid-based cancer
therapies. Cannabics CDx applies data analytics and
high-content drug sensitivity screening integrated with our
proprietary database to measure the effectiveness of cannabinoid
compounds on a patient’s biopsy, suggest preferred alternatives,
and alert healthcare providers to cannabinoids that may be
contraindicated. We believe that Cannabics CDx will meet a
significant unmet need of the growing population of cancer patients
being treated with cannabis by enabling healthcare providers to
more precisely tailor cannabinoid treatments to a patient’s cancer
and clinical profile. We are currently seeking strategic partners
for a clinical validation study expected to commence in 2022 to
assess the sensitivity and specificity of Cannabics CDx with a view
towards commercializing Cannabics CDx in Europe, the United
States, and other territories.
Figure 1: Products currently under development by
Cannabics Pharmaceuticals Inc.

In addition to facilitating the discovery of our technologies and
product candidates, we believe that our bioinformatics platform may
be of benefit to other biopharmaceutical companies across a range
of other applications, representing collaborative opportunities,
market potential, and downstream value-creation for the Company. In
particular, we believe that by identifying susceptible patient
populations in advance of clinical trials, our platform can improve
success rates, shorten trial periods, and reduce development
costs.
As of the date of this prospectus, we have entered into several
research collaborations with cannabis producers around the world,
using our bioinformatics platform to examine the anti-tumor
properties of distinct cannabinoid cultivars on cancer cell lines,
with a view towards expanding our cannabinoid compound library and
developing future cultivars that may be useful in the treatment of
cancer. See “Description of
Business - Strategic Partnerships” elsewhere in this
prospectus.
We are led by a forward-looking management team and board of
directors that have a strong record of innovation and value
creation, with experience in business and product development,
research, commercialization, and finance. Complementing our
management is a distinguished advisory board of experts in the
fields of pharmaceutical development, regulation, clinical
research, and finance. Our scientists are leaders in the fields of
cannabinoid research, oncology, and molecular genetics.
All of our pre-clinical research and development is conducted in
our laboratory in Rehovot, Israel, under license from the Israeli
Ministry of Health. Israel has had a favorable regulatory
environment for clinical studies using cannabis since 1996, and has
become a global leader in medical cannabis research and innovation.
The location of our research facilities in Israel enables us to
expand our expertise in the development of cannabinoid profiles and
therapeutic formulations, establish collaborative arrangements, and
attract leading minds in the field.
We currently conduct all of our preclinical research and discovery
efforts internally, but will collaborate from time to time with a
broad network of leading scientists conducting clinical research
into cancer and the medical application of cannabinoids. We see
great potential in scientific collaborations with like-minded
companies interested in cannabinoid medicines and diagnostics. Past
collaborations have included Rambam Medical Center (Israel), the
Technion (Israel), and Simfo Gmbh (Germany).
Through our research and development activities, we are building a
portfolio of intellectual property assets comprised of patents,
proprietary technologies, and bioinformatics with a variety of
research, analytic, and therapeutic applications. As of the date of
this prospectus, our intellectual property portfolio includes two
issued worldwide patents and 19 pending patent applications
directed to plant extracts, pharmaceutical formulations, drug
delivery, and the therapeutic uses of cannabinoids, together with
know-how and trade secrets. We continue to strengthen our
intellectual property portfolio while actualizing our cannabinoid
technologies in our laboratory facilities and developing the
scientific data to back our achievements. We anticipate that we
will file additional patent applications in conjunction with the
research, testing, and development of our technologies.
We intend to adopt an opportunistic approach towards
commercializing any product we may develop based on optimal returns
to the Company. We plan to advance our drug candidates through
early human trials, at which point we expect to partner with
established pharmaceutical companies to complete clinical
development, obtain regulatory approvals, and commercialize our
products. For our other non-drug product candidates, we may seek
strategic partnerships earlier in the clinical development process.
We may also out-license our product candidates and technologies to
collaborative partners in respect of indications that are outside
our development focus at the time.
Our operations strictly adhere to all applicable laws with respect
to cannabis. Our use and possession of cannabis is strictly limited
to medical research in Israel, in accordance with Israeli law. The
Company does not, and will not possess, manufacture, distribute or
dispense cannabis in the United States or in any other jurisdiction
where such activities are not permitted.
Strategy
Our goal is to capitalize on our work in the field of cannabinoid
therapeutics to become a leading developer of cannabinoid-based
anti-cancer medicines and technologies for global markets with
significant unmet medical needs. The key elements of our strategy
include:
● Leveraging Our Bioinformatics Platform. We believe
that our proprietary bioinformatics platform, together with our
in-house development expertise, generates data and analytical
insights that enable us to discover, develop, and commercialize
novel first-in-class product candidates based on proprietary
cannabinoid formulations. We intend to leverage the power of our
bioinformatics platform in collaborative relationships with
pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, and cannabis
producers that may yield valuable data for the Company along with
potential commercial opportunities of mutual interest and
benefit.
● In-House Pre-Clinical Research. We conduct all of
our pre-clinical research in-house at our laboratory facility in
Israel. As we develop our product candidates, we may supplement our
in-house clinical and regulatory capabilities in the design and
implementation of clinical trials by engaging external consultants,
collaborators, and leading contract research organizations to
investigate the therapeutic effects of cannabis strains, to
identify patterns of cannabinoid ratios that are useful in treating
various indications, and to assess the effectiveness of our novel
treatments and technologies in diverse indications. We may also
enter into collaborations with leading academic and other research
centers to augment our core expertise in specific programs.
● Commercialization Partnerships. We generally intend
to advance our drug candidates through Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical
trials as appropriate to establish their clinical and commercial
potential, at which point we will determine a commercialization
path based on optimal returns to the Company. We expect to enter
into strategic partnerships with established pharmaceutical and
biotechnology companies to continue the development of our drug
candidates beyond Phase 2 clinical trials, seek regulatory
approvals, and ultimately market and sell any products we may
develop. For other product candidates, such as Cannabics CDx, we
may seek strategic partnerships earlier in their clinical
development to accelerate the approval process and facilitate
commercialization. We believe this strategy mitigates the risks
inherent in late-stage clinical development by eliminating the need
for us to raise the significant capital required to perform the
large multi-center trials required for regulatory approval of any
drug or other product we may develop and to build the resources
necessary to market them.
● Strategic Out-Licensing. Our current research
focus is on the development of cannabinoid therapies and other
technologies for the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers. We
intend to out-license our product candidates and technologies to
collaborative partners for the development of therapies of low
strategic interest to the Company. We believe that these
partnerships will enhance the value of our intellectual property
and allow the Company to retain selected interests in such
therapies without having to acquire the resources needed for
in-house development.
● Expanding and Protecting our Intellectual Property
Portfolio. We seek patent protection for the technology,
inventions, and improvements that we consider important for the
development of our business, but only in those cases where we
believe that the costs of obtaining patent protection is justified
by the scientific and commercial potential of the technology, and
typically only in those jurisdictions that we believe present
significant commercial opportunities. We also seek to protect our
know-how and trade secrets through an active program of legal
mechanisms including assignments, confidentiality agreements,
material transfer agreements, research collaborations, and
licenses. See “Description of
Business – Intellectual Property” elsewhere in this
prospectus.
Cancer and Cannabinoids
Cancer is a general term used to describe a group of more than 100
related diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of
abnormal cells, leading to the development of a mass commonly known
as a tumor, followed by invasion of the surrounding tissues and
subsequent spread, or metastasis, to other parts of the body.
Despite enormous investment in research and the introduction of new
treatments, cancer remains a critical area of unmet medical need.
According to the World Health Organization, cancer is the second
leading cause of mortality worldwide, responsible for an estimated
9.6 million deaths in 2018. As of January 1, 2019, there were more
than 16.9 million people with a history of cancer living in the
United States, with 1.8 million new cases and 606,520 cancer deaths
expected in 2020 (Source: American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts
& Figures 2020).
Over the past decade, there has been growing interest in the
therapeutic value of cannabinoid compounds in oncology. Cannabis
has long been suggested as a well-tolerated, safe, and effective
option to help patients cope with cancer related symptoms by
reducing nausea and vomiting, alleviating cancer pain, stimulating
appetite, and improving quality of life. Beyond their palliative
benefits, however, cannabinoids have also been receiving increased
attention for their anti-cancer potential, which we believe may one
day revolutionize cancer therapy.
Cannabinoids are a diverse class of chemical compounds that occur
naturally within cannabis plants and are pharmacologically similar
to cannabinoids produced by the human body, known as
endocannabinoids. Endocannabinoids form part of the human
endocannabinoid system (ECS), a complex biological network that
also includes cannabinoid receptors and enzymes involved in
cannabinoid formation, transport, and degradation. The ECS is
regarded as an important endogenous system implicated in regulation
of the most vital biological processes to maintain homeostasis,
assisting the body to remain stable and balanced despite external,
or environmental, fluctuations (Source: Current Pharmaceutical
Design, 2016;22(12):1756-1766).
Dysregulation of the ECS owing to variation in the expression and
function of cannabinoid receptors or enzymes or the concentration
of endocannabinoids has been associated with several diseases,
including cancer (Source: International Journal of Molecular
Sciences, 2020;21(3):747). Indeed, the mechanisms involved in
the regulation of the ECS as well as the processes that it
regulates include practically every pathway important in cancer
biology. Expression of the ECS is altered in numerous types of
tumors, compared to healthy tissue, and this aberrant expression
has been related to cancer prognosis and disease outcome, depending
on the origin of the cancer (Source: British Journal of
Pharmacology, 2018;175(13):2566-2580). Recent studies suggest
that endocannabinoids contribute to maintaining balance in cell
proliferation and that targeting the ECS can affect cancer growth
(Source: Canadian Urological Association Journal,
2017;11(3-4):E138-E142).
Cannabinoids can interact with the cannabinoid receptors in the
ECS, sometimes with a higher affinity than endocannabinoids. As a
consequence, all the processes regulated by endocannabinoids are
susceptible to interference by cannabinoids. The ability to use
cannabinoids to modulate the ECS encompasses several attractive
pharmacotherapeutic targets for systemic anti-cancer treatment and
has sparked considerable research examining cannabinoid action on
cancer cells (Source: Pharmacological Reviews,
2006;58(3):389-462).
Cannabinoids have demonstrated selective anti-tumor properties in
preclinical studies, exerting anti-proliferative, proapoptotic,
anti-angiogenic, and anti-metastatic and anti-inflammatory effects
depending on tumor type and specific setting (Source: Cancer
Medicine, 2018:7(3):765-775). These effects appear to be more
pronounced when cannabinoids are used together versus being
administered separately, a mechanism known as the entourage
effect. We believe, therefore, that cannabinoid combinations
may hold promise for an improved anti-proliferative strategy for
cancer management.
In addition to their potential role as anti-cancer agents,
cannabinoids have been observed to act synergistically with some
conventional antineoplastic drugs, such as chemotherapeutic agents,
enhancing their effectiveness (Source: Cancer Medicine,
2018;7(3)765-775). This raises the potential for combinational
therapies that may increase the range of chemotherapeutic options
available to patients and enable targeting of tumor progression at
different levels while also permitting dosages of cytotoxic drugs
to be dramatically reduced without compromising efficacy.
Figure 2: Our pre-clinical data showing
synergistic effects of cannabis extracts and chemotherapies on
cancer biopsy after treatment with the same extract and three
different chemotherapy combinations

As of the date of this prospectus, we are not aware of any
cannabinoid-based therapies approved for the treatment of
cancer.
Our Bioinformatics Platform
We have developed a continuously evolving preclinical
bioinformatics platform that enables us to evaluate and classify
the physiological impact of multiple cannabinoid compounds on
various cancer cells. Utilizing state-of-the-art high-throughput
screening and flow cytometry, our platform is capable of testing
thousands of compounds weekly, allowing us to rapidly and
effectively examine their interactions with a growing library of
human cancer cell lines and biopsies. Through the large body of
data generated by our platform, we are accumulating in-depth
knowledge of the various therapeutic effects of cannabinoids and
patterns of cannabinoid ratios that demonstrate meaningful
physiologic impact on cancer.
Our bioinformatics platform includes the following:
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high-throughput screening, high content screening, flow
cytometry, machine learning, robotics, and proprietary
methodologies; |
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a library of human cancer cell lines and thousands of different
combinations and ratios of cannabinoid compounds in a costumed
matrix; |
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Ø |
a growing database of biological response data; |
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in-house extraction, processing methodologies, and analytical
techniques that yield well-characterized and standardized
extracts; |
|
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collaborations with regulated cannabis producers that may
expand our cannabinoid compound library and provide us with access
for future proprietary cultivars; |
|
Ø |
fully integrated in-house research and development; and |
Once a series of potentially active cannabinoids is identified for
a specific cancer type, we then test and confirm their activity
through in vitro and ex-vivo evaluation studies
to determine their potential activity. Through this process, we are
able to assess their therapeutic potential. The results of our
pre-clinical experiments provide starting points for our clinical
development programs.
Biopharmaceutical Collaboration
As medical cannabis becomes increasingly recognized for its
therapeutic potential in the age of personalized medicine and
genomics, we believe that there is a growing global demand by
biopharmaceutical companies for research and diagnostic tools that
both facilitate and accelerate the generation of biological
information for the development of cannabinoid drugs and
formulations. We believe that our bioinformatics platform will be
of benefit to such companies and may therefore represent
collaborative opportunities, market potential and downstream
value-creation for the Company.
Finding novel ways to treat and cure diseases is a fundamental
challenge in biomedical research. Unsuccessful clinical trials are
the most expensive obstacle for drug development because of the
immense costs and the low success rate. Only 1 out of 10 drugs
successfully pass through clinical development, with 80% of drugs
excluded before Phase 3 clinical trials (Source: Biotechnology
Innovation Organization, “Clinical Development Success Rates,
2006-2015). The low clinical target validation success rate
reflects a lack of reliable drug target prediction methods. This is
particularly true in the case of research on cancer, which is
increasingly being understood as not just many but thousands of
different diseases, requiring more well-defined targets and
biomarkers. A 2018 study by MIT found that trials using biomarkers
for patient stratification have higher success rates, especially in
the area of oncology, where clinical trials using biomarkers
exhibited almost twice the overall probability of success compared
to trials without biomarkers (Source: Biostatistics,
2019;20(2):273-286).
We believe that our bioinformatics platform could make the
development of cannabinoid-based drugs more successful by providing
a more accurate and reliable drug target prediction method. Our
proprietary analytics may benefit biopharmaceutical companies
across a range of applications, including patient selection and
recruitment for clinical trials and identification of new targets
for drug development.
Development Pipeline
We are currently developing a portfolio of proprietary technologies
and formulations with a variety of research, analytic, and
therapeutic applications. Our most advanced development programs
include the following:
Product Candidate |
Indication/Description |
Current Development
Status |
Expected Next
Steps |
Partner(s) |
RCC-33 |
Colorectal Cancer |
Pre-clinical |
Pre-IND meeting with FDA in the second half of 2021.
Phase 1/2a clinical trial expected to commence in the second half
of 2022
|
None |
Cannabics SR |
Cancer Anorexia-Cachexia
Syndrome |
Phase 0 |
Additional pilot studies expected to
commence in the second half of 2021 |
None |
Cannabics CDx |
Drug sensitivity test for
cannabinoid-based cancer therapies. |
Pre-clinical |
Clinical validation study to commence
in 2022 |
To be determined |
We continue to conduct research and seek collaborations for new
advances in biotechnology that may lead to the development of
additional product candidates.
RCC-33 for Colorectal Cancer
Overview
Our lead product candidate is RCC-33, which we are developing as a
treatment for CRC. RCC-33 is an oral capsule containing a
proprietary formulation of cannabinoids that have demonstrated
synergistic efficacy in reducing the viability of human colon
cancer cell lines in preclinical studies.
Colorectal Cancer
CRC is one of the more common forms of cancer worldwide,
representing a significant challenge to the global healthcare
system. According to the World Health Organization, CRC is the
third most diagnosed cancer in the world and the second-leading
cause of cancer-related mortality. In the United States, there were
approximately 1,348,087 people living with CRC in 2017 (Source:
National Cancer Institute. “Cancer Stat Facts: Colorectal
Cancer”). It is estimated that 147,950 Americans will be
diagnosed with CRC in 2020, representing 8.2% of all new cancer
cases, and 53,200 Americans will die from the disease (Source:
American Cancer Society. “Cancer Facts & Figures
2020”).
Most CRCs begin as a noncancerous growth called a polyp that
develops on the inner lining of the colon or rectum. The most
common kind of polyp is called an adenomatous polyp or adenoma.
According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated one-third to
one-half of all individuals will eventually develop one or more
adenomas. Although all adenomas have the capacity to become
cancerous, fewer than 10% are estimated to progress to invasive
cancer. The likelihood that an adenoma will evolve into cancer
increases as it becomes larger or when it acquires certain
histopathological characteristics. Adenomas that become cancerous,
called adenocarcinomas, comprise nearly 96% of all CRCs (Source:
American Cancer Society. “Colorectal Cancer Facts & Figures
2017-2019”). Adenocarcinomas may grow into blood vessels or
lymph vessels, increasing the chance of metastasis to other
anatomical sites.
CRC usually develops slowly, over a period of 10 to 20 years. The
complex sequence of events occurring during initiation, development
and propagation of adenocarcinomas is likely the result of a
lifelong accumulation of mutations caused by both genetic and
environmental factors known as the adenoma to carcinoma sequence.
While the specific cause of any particular case of CRC is often
unknown, more than one-half of all cases and deaths are
attributable to lifestyle and environmental factors, such as
smoking, unhealthy diet, high alcohol consumption, physical
inactivity, and excess body weight (Source: American Cancer
Society. “Cancer Facts & Figures 2020”).
CRC does not usually cause symptoms until the disease is advanced,
therefore early detection of adenomas by screening is vital. If not
treated or removed, an adenoma can become a potentially
life-threatening cancer.
Current Standard of Care
Treatment options for CRC patients depend on several factors,
including the type and stage of cancer, possible side effects, and
the patient’s preferences and overall health. Surgical removal of
the tumor is the most common form of treatment, particularly in the
early stages of malignancy. Patients with more advanced stages of
CRC may be given adjuvant chemotherapy to kill any cancer cells
remaining after surgery, though standard chemotherapy is associated
with severe side effects and provides marginal benefit to the
majority of patients. While radiation therapy is often used to
treat rectal cancer, it is not generally recommended for colon
cancer patients except in the later stages of the disease
(Source: American Cancer Society. “Treating Colorectal
Cancer”).
CRC is a heterogeneous disease with distinct clinical, molecular,
and pathophysiological characteristics. As a result, the response
to treatment is variable between patients, even when they are
diagnosed at the same clinical stage. Such heterogeneity remains an
obstacle to the optimization of treatment for each individual.
Researchers are continuing to investigate new treatment options,
such as immunotherapy and targeted therapy, that focus upon the
genes, proteins, and other factors in a particular tumor
(Source: American Cancer Society. “Advances in Colorectal
Research”).
Immunotherapy uses the body’s own immune system to kill cancer
cells. There are already several FDA-approved immunotherapy options
for CRC, such as pembrolizumab (Keytruda®), nivolumab (Opdivo®),
and ipilimumab (Yervoy®). Many immunotherapies that have shown
promise in addressing other types of cancer are also being tested
for CRC. While immunotherapy has had some encouraging results,
significant limitations remain. Its efficacy is often unpredictable
and the treatment can lead to the body becoming resistant or result
in off-target toxicities where the body’s immune system attacks
healthy tissue. Immunotherapy may take longer than other protocols
and it is substantially more expensive than classical treatments
(Source: Pharmacy & Therapeutics,
2017;42(8):514-521).
Targeted therapy uses drugs to target specific molecules inside
cancer cells or on their surface to slow the growth of cancer,
destroy cancer cells, and relieve cancer symptoms. There are
different types of targeted therapy drugs, each working differently
depending on what molecule the drug is targeting. A treatment is
chosen based on the types of molecules expressed on the patient’s
tumor cells, which allows doctors to tailor cancer treatment for
each person. Several targeted therapy drugs, such as bevacizumab
(Avasin®) and cetuximab (Erbitux®), are already used to treat
advanced CRC. Despite showing clinical promise, targeted therapy
has challenges, such as tumor heterogeneity, off-target toxicity,
and acquired resistance (Source: Medical Research Journal,
2019;4(2):99-105). The lack of biomarkers by which to identify
patients having a high probability of response is also a
particularly significant obstacle. As with immunotherapy, the cost
of targeted therapy is substantially higher than classical
treatments.
We believe that there is no “magic bullet” to cure cancer and that
a personalized combination of cancer treatments may be the best
course for long term survival benefits in each case. To that end,
the development of more prevention strategies and novel agents will
be essential.
Cannabinoids and Colorectal Cancer
One area of increasing interest in the treatment of CRC lies in the
development and use of cannabinoid therapeutics. The ECS is
regarded as an important regulatory system in the gastrointestinal
tract, being involved in several important functions such as
motility, secretion, sensation, inflammation, and carcinogenesis.
Recent studies advocate that the ECS plays a critical role in the
development of CRC and should therefore be considered as an
appropriate target for CRC inhibition (Source: Frontiers in
Pharmacology, 2016;7:361). The expression of ECS components in
CRC has been found to be increased and associated with poorer
prognosis and advanced stages of disease (Source: Cannabis and
Cannabinoid Research, 2018, 3(1):272-281). For example,
cannabinoid receptors have been found to be overexpressed in tumor
cells of the colon and this up-regulation has been postulated to be
an indicator of cancer outcome (Source: British Journal of
Pharmacology, 2018; 175(13): 2566-2580).
Research on the effects of cannabinoid compounds on CRC has
demonstrated an ability to reduce the viability of CRC cell lines
in vitro (Source: Cancer Medicine,
2018;7(3):765-775), while there is also convincing scientific
evidence that cannabinoids are able to prevent or reduce
carcinogenesis in different animal models of colon cancer
(Source: Expert Review of Gastroenterology & Hepatology,
11:10, 871-873).
We believe that
cannabinoids are a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of
CRC. We have conducted several in vitro unpublished
studies using our bioinformatics platform to confirm that
cannabinoids cause necrosis in colon cancer cells. While many
cannabinoids demonstrate levels of toxicity on cancer cells, we
have found that certain cannabinoid extracts and combinations show
increased levels of toxicity relative to other isolated or combined
cannabinoids. These findings have spurred the development of
RCC-33, our product candidate for the treatment of CRC.
Figure
3: Our
pre-clinical data showing synergistic effects of different
cannabinoid combinations on viability of a colon cancer cell
line.

RCC-33
We are developing RCC-33 as an oral capsule containing high
concentrations of the cannabinoids CBDV and CBGA in a novel
formulation, which we believe may be effective in the treatment of
adenocarcinomas of the colon. The cannabinoids in RCC-33 have
demonstrated complex synergistic anti-tumor effects in combination,
with no psychoactive effect. In our preclinical
in vitro studies evaluating the influence of 15
different cannabinoids on human colon cancer cell lines
(RKO, HCT116), alone and in
combination, RCC-33 demonstrated clear efficacy in reducing
the viability of colon cancer cells versus alternative cannabinoid
combinations.
Development Plan
We are currently in the early
planning stage of a clinical development pathway for RCC-33. We
plan to conduct further preclinical studies to establish the safety
and efficacy of RCC-33 before proceeding with first-in-human
clinical testing.
Preclinical Studies
We intend to conduct a proof
of concept non-clinical study in a murine model for colon
adenocarcinoma to validate the results obtained in our cell-based
assays. In addition, we plan to conduct non-clinical safety studies
following Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) to evaluate the systemic
and local toxicity of escalating doses of RCC-33 and establish
dosing parameters. The results of these preclinical studies,
which are expected in the fourth quarter of 2020, will guide our
planned Phase 1/2a clinical trial. The non-clinical requirements to
support the development program will be verified with the FDA at a
pre-IND meeting expected to take place in the second half of 2021.
Such studies may include repeated dose toxicity studies, male and
female fertility studies, embryofetal development studies, animal
abuse related studies, pharmacokinetics studies, drug-drug
interaction studies, and others.
Clinical Trials
We plan to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic
properties of RCC-33 in a Phase 1/2A ascending dose clinical trial
in CRC patients, commencing in the second half of 2022. The
clinical trial will examine the tolerability, pharmacokinetics,
pharmacodynamics, and efficacy of multiple doses of RCC-33 in CRC
patients. We are currently identifying potential contract research
organizations and clinical trial centers to conduct the Phase 1/2a
human proof of concept study, which is estimated to cost
$1,000,000. We believe that the Company’s currently available funds
will be sufficient to obtain all regulatory approvals necessary to
conduct the Phase 1/2a trial. As at the date of this prospectus,
however, the Company does not have sufficient funds to complete the
Phase 1/2a study.
Subject to the results from our Phase 1 trials, we plan to submit
an IND to the FDA for RCC-33 with the clinical protocol for a Phase
2 double-blind placebo controlled clinical trial evaluating RCC-33
in patients with CRC at various dosing levels versus placebo. The
outcomes from the planned Phase 2 human proof of concept trial will
inform our decision regarding further steps in the clinical
development of RCC-33.
At this time, we do not expect to independently develop RCC-33 up
to regulatory approval. Instead, we plan to seek a pharmaceutical
partner or partners to continue our commercialization efforts.
However, we may also seek to further advance the RCC-33 program
with additional human clinical trials prior to finding a suitable
pharmaceutical partner or partners. We estimate that it will take
more than five years to bring RCC-33 to market, if at all, at a
cost of more than $10 million.
Cannabics SR for Cancer Anorexia-Cachexia Syndrome (CACS)
Overview
We are developing Cannabics SR as a product candidate for the
treatment of CACS. Cannabics SR is a sustained-release oral
capsule containing a standardized compound of cannabinoids that has
demonstrated a clinically significant weight increase in CACS
patients in a peer-reviewed pilot study conducted by Dr. Gil
Bar-Sela of the Rambam Hospital Health Care Campus, Division of
Oncology, in Haifa, Israel. Our patent-pending technology provides
for a convenient, once or twice daily administration, with rapid
onset and a steady state of therapeutic effect for a 6 to 8-hour
duration.
Cancer Anorexia-Cachexia Syndrome
CACS is a common complication of cancer associated with high
morbidity and mortality. It is a complex metabolic syndrome in
which a persistently elevated basal metabolic rate is not
compensated for by adequate calorie or protein intake, causing
involuntary and progressive weight loss leading to increasing
functional impairment in cancer patients, especially in advanced
stages of the disease. Once established, CACS cannot presently be
reversed using available pharmacological or nutritional support
techniques.
Unlike starvation, body-weight loss in CACS patients arises mainly
from loss of muscle mass, characterized by increased catabolism of
skeletal muscle and decreased protein synthesis. This weight loss
is associated with important clinical outcomes such as increased
morbidity, diminished effectiveness of chemotherapy, muscle
wasting, inflammation, fatigue, and reduced survival expectations.
The impact of CACS on the patient is not, however, limited to the
effect of weight loss. Quality of life, functional abilities,
symptoms, psychological outcomes, and social aspects are all
affected by CACS.
According to the National Cancer Institute, nearly one-third of
cancer deaths can be attributed to the severe weight loss and
“metabolic mutiny” associated with CACS, and more than 50% of
patients with cancer die with cachexia being present. The overall
prevalence of CACS is currently estimated to range from 40% at
cancer diagnosis to 70-80% in advanced phases of the disease
(Source: Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology,
2013;88(3):625-636), while the overall prevalence of weight
loss in cancer patients may be as high as 86% in the last 1-2 weeks
of life (Source: Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
2007;34:94–104).
The cause and subsequent development of CACS is still poorly
understood, but several factors and biological pathways are known
to be involved, including inflammation, decreased secretion of
anabolic hormones, and altered metabolic response. While there have
been important advances in the study of CACS over the past decade,
including progress in understanding its mechanisms and the
development of promising pharmacologic and supportive care
interventions, there is presently no effective pharmacologic
therapy for CACS.
Current treatments for CACS are generally based on nutritional
support and CACS pathophysiology-modulating drugs, with the most
common being the progestogens, megestrol and medroxyprogesterone,
and corticosteroids. Progestogens appear to stimulate appetite and
improvements in body weight by increasing adipose tissue, but have
not been confirmed to augment lean body mass. Megestrol also
carries an increased risk of mortality and thromboembolism.
Nonetheless, megestrol is the only FDA approved treatment option
for CACS and no drug to date has been shown to be superior to it in
efficacy and tolerability. Corticosteroids are also considered
effective in stimulating appetite and reducing fatigue but should
only be used for short periods and in selected cases because of
side effects from longer term use, such as insulin resistance,
fluid retention, steroidal myopathy, skin fragility, adrenal
insufficiency, and sleep and cognitive disorders. Other drugs are
being investigated or are in development. Given the dearth of
approved therapies, we believe that CACS remains a significant area
of unmet medical need.
Cannabinoid Therapies for CACS
Cannabis has long been suggested as a well-tolerated, safe, and
effective option to help patients cope with cancer related symptoms
with fewer serious side effects than most prescription drugs
currently used as anti-emetics, analgesics, and the like. As such,
cannabinoids are finding application in palliative care for
reducing nausea and vomiting, alleviating cancer pain, and
stimulating appetite, as well as improving quality of life in
cancer patients. Dronabinol (Marinol®) and nabilone (Cesamet®), two
drugs based on synthetic cannabinoids, have each been approved by
the FDA for the treatment of chemotherapy-related nausea in
patients who do not respond to conventional antiemetic therapy.
Another drug, nabiximols (Sativex®), a specific cannabis extract,
is approved in Canada and the United Kingdom for symptomatic relief
of pain in advanced cancer patients.
Despite interest in cannabinoid-based therapies as a treatment for
CACS, their use has been limited by impediments beyond the legal
status of cannabis. The most significant obstacle is the lack of
clinical research demonstrating their efficacy. While there is
evidence that cannabinoids improve appetite, body weight, body fat
level, caloric intake, mood, and quality of life in cancer
patients, the few studies on these effects have yielded mixed and
inconclusive findings. In addition, some of these studies have
suffered from methodological constraints that limit any ability to
draw firm conclusions.
The therapeutic use of cannabinoids has also been inhibited by
limitations associated with traditional administration routes that
reduce their effectiveness. Smoking and ingestion of cannabis
suffer from wide variability in potency due to a lack of
standardized and reproducible formulations. The ingestion of
unformulated cannabis has also been associated with poor absorption
and low bioavailability versus other administration routes,
requiring higher doses and a greater risk of negative side effects.
Additionally, the lack of available information on cannabinoid
strains has made it difficult for healthcare providers to establish
dosing rates. In our experience, however, the principal concern of
patients with respect to medical cannabis lies in the undesirable
side effects, such as disorientation and dizziness, which result
from significant variability in peak blood levels of active
cannabinoids soon after administration. We further believe that
these side effects, which are common among immediate release
methods, are a significant factor in the failure of patients to
adhere to recommended treatment regimens and are therefore a
pervasive threat to their health and wellbeing.
Cannabics SR
Cannabics SR is an oral composition in the form of a
hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) capsule containing a
patent-pending formulation of cannabinoid extracts suspended in a
lipid emulsion. It provides a relatively rapid onset of action,
typically within 30-40 minutes, followed by a gradual and sustained
release of active cannabinoids, resulting in a steady state level
of beneficial effects for up to 6 to 8 hours with each capsule.
Cannabics SR provides a consistent, predictable concentration
of cannabinoids with an absorption profile and bioavailability of
active ingredients that we believe to be superior to other oral
cannabinoid administrations. We believe that the multifactorial
benefits of the active pharmaceutical ingredients in
Cannabics SR address an unmet medical need for a safe and
effective treatment of CACS, leading to improved patient adherence
and better health outcomes.
Cannabics SR capsules contain only food grade materials
without any artificial additives. The active ingredients of each
capsule are standardized in composition, formulation, and dose, and
are comprised of only pure, natural extracts of active cannabinoids
from selected strains of medical cannabis. All excipients are
recognized by the FDA as Generally Regarded as Safe.
In addition to the therapeutic potential of Cannabics SR as a
treatment for CACS, we believe that our SR technology may be
formulated to serve the unique needs of patients suffering from
other indications for which a sustained release of a cannabinoid
formulation may be beneficial.
Clinical Development
In 2016, we commenced a two-year pilot study to evaluate the
influence of Cannabics SR capsules on CACS, and, in
particular, on weight loss in advanced cancer patients. The study
was led by Professor Gil Bar-Sela, the former Deputy Director of
the Division of Oncology at Rambam Health Care Campus, Head of the
Palliative and Supportive Oncology Unit, and Head of Service for
Melanoma and Sarcoma Patients.
Patients were administered 2 × 10 mg of Cannabics SR per 24
hours for six months. During the study, after some patients
reported several psychoactive side effects, the dosage of each
capsule was reduced to 5 mg. Almost no side effects were reported
with the 5 mg dosage. Participants were weighed at each physician
visit. The primary objective of the study was a weight gain of ≥10%
from baseline. Of 24 patients who agreed to participate in the
study, 17 started the Cannabics SR treatment, but only 11
received the capsules for more than two weeks. Three of six
patients who completed the study period met the primary end-point.
The remaining three patients had stable weights. In quality of life
questionnaires patients reported less appetite loss after the
Cannabics SR treatment (p=0.05). According to patients’
self-reports, improvement in appetite and mood as well as a
reduction in pain and fatigue was demonstrated.
Despite various limitations, the preliminary study demonstrated a
weight increase of ≥10% in 3 out of 17 (17.6%) of patients with
doses of 5 mg × 1 or 5 mg × 2 capsules daily, without significant
side effects. The remaining patients had stable weights. Also, all
patients who remained in the study for at least 4.5 months reported
an increase in appetite, as did 83% of the patients who completed
the study. For 50% of the patients who completed the study, there
were reports of pain reduction and sleep improvement. Additional
results showed a significant decrease of appetite loss complaints
among 83% of the patients who completed the study. (See
Bar-Sela, Gil et al. “The Effects of Dosage-Controlled Cannabis
Capsules on Cancer-Related Cachexia and Anorexia Syndrome in
Advanced Cancer Patients: Pilot Study.” Integrative Cancer
Therapies vol. 18 (2019): 1534735419881498.
doi:10.1177/1534735419881498.)
Figure 4: Appetite loss among the six patients who
completed Cannabics SR treatment, as reported on European
Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life
Questionnaire (EORTC QLC-C30)

We intend to conduct additional pilot studies in Israel to assess
the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of Cannabics SR in
humans. These studies are expected to commence in 2021 at an
anticipated cost of $250,000. Data from the pilot studies will
guide our decisions regarding
further clinical development and may better inform the design of
our anticipated Phase 1 trials.
Commercialization
The results of our planned pilot studies may permit us to
commercialize Cannabics SR in Israel under license by the
Israeli Ministry of Health. If we are granted such a permit, we
intend to engage a GMP manufacturer in Israel to produce
Cannabics SR capsules for national distribution.
On May 13, 2020, the Israeli Ministry of Economy signed a Free
Export Order, authorizing the export of GMP certified medical
cannabis products from Israel. We are currently evaluating our
export opportunities and optimal commercialization path for
Cannabics SR across all available international markets,
particularly with regard to the European Union, Canada, and
Australia.
In 2019, we signed a letter of intent with NewCanna Hub to
establish a joint venture for the production and marketing of
Cannabics SR capsules in Colombia. NewCanna Hub specializes in
genetic registration, large scale cultivation, research and
development, manufacturing, and distribution. Under the joint
venture, Cannabics SR capsules are expected to be produced in
various formulations at NewCanna's Good Manufacturing Practice
(GMP) certified facility in Columbia. The intention of the joint
venture will be to seek international distribution agreements for
Cannabics SR in relevant regulated territories.
Cannabics CDx Drug Sensitivity Test
Overview
Cannabics CDx is an ex-vivo drug sensitivity test that we
are developing as a product candidate to provide healthcare
providers with clinical decision support data from which they can
identify, for a particular cancer patient undergoing cannabinoid
therapy, which cannabinoids or cannabinoid combinations may have
the most beneficial anti-cancer effects and which cannabinoids may
be contraindicated.
Cancer and Personalized Medicine
The normal behavior of each cell in the human body is controlled by
its genetic material, comprised of chains of deoxyribonucleic acid
(DNA), units arranged in a particular order and packaged into
condensed structures called chromosomes, inside the cell’s nucleus.
The order of the DNA units as well as their three-dimensional
structure dictates which protein and how much of it is made by each
cell. Alterations in the DNA sequence, referred to as mutations,
can disrupt normal protein function and are the leading cause of
cancer development. Each person’s cancer has a unique combination
of mutations, and as a cancer progresses, additional mutations
accumulate. The number of cells within a growing tumor that carry a
given mutation depends on when the mutation was acquired during
tumor growth. Thus, even within the same tumor, different cancer
cells often have different genetic mutations. This variation, or
heterogeneity, within a tumor or between a primary and metastatic
tumor, is a leading cause of resistance to treatment and thereby
disease progression.
Comprehensive analyses of human cancer genomes over the past decade
have revealed numerous genetic mutations that are associated with a
variety of cancers. These discoveries have led to the development
of molecular therapies targeted at rectifying the cellular changes
that arise due to the mutations. While such therapeutics have
improved patient outcomes, tumor heterogeneity among patients has
limited the efficacy of these drugs to specific patient subtypes
and contributed to relapse. In addition, intra-tumor heterogeneity
leads to the emergence of drug resistant sub-populations of cancer
cells, particularly while under sudden selective pharmacological
pressure (such as chemotherapy) and further limits the efficiency
of cancer treatment.
The diversity of cancer patients, including their biological
characteristics and lifestyle factors, as well as the complex
milieu of tumor cells within a single patient, has led to a novel,
more personalized approach toward drug development and diagnosis.
Personalized medicine aims to tailor each person’s health care to
the prevention and treatment strategies most likely to be of
benefit, sparing each person the cost of and potential harms from
interventions and treatments that are unlikely to be of benefit. It
has the potential to transform medical interventions by providing
effective, tailored therapeutic strategies based on the genomic,
epigenomic, and proteomic profile of a patient in the context of
their personal situation. Personalized medicine may also improve
health outcomes by reducing healthcare costs, drug-development
costs, and time.
Cannabinoids and Personalized Medicine
While preclinical research during the last decade has stimulated
interest in the therapeutic potential of cannabinoid compounds in
oncology, one of the challenges facing healthcare providers and
patients in selecting a cannabinoid based therapy has been the
diversity of the cannabis plant, which encompasses thousands of
distinct profiles, each with its own chemical composition and
effects. After decades of highly restrictive regulation, there is
presently a lack of clinically relevant information as to which
cannabinoids are best suited to the unique medical needs of a
patient across multiple lines of therapy. The result has left
healthcare providers and patients at a loss as to which
cannabinoids may be best suited to treat the unique cancer profiles
of individual patients.
Cannabics CDx
We believe that the success of personalized medicine depends on the
development of accurate and reliable diagnostics. Our goal is to
expand the scope of personalized medicine across the cancer care
continuum to include cannabinoid-based therapies and enable
clinicians to make better informed decisions leading to improved
clinical outcomes and lower healthcare costs. To that end, we are
developing Cannabics CDx as a product candidate to provide clinical
decision support data to healthcare providers interested in
personalizing cannabinoid-based cancer therapies. We believe that
by making cannabinoid therapy selection more accurate and
accessible, Cannabics CDx may play a significant role in ushering
medical cannabinoids into the mainstream of oncology.
Cannabics CDx is an innovative drug screening system that measures
the effectiveness of cannabinoid compounds on a patient’s biopsy,
identifies alternatives, and alerts healthcare providers to
cannabinoids that may be contraindicated. Biopsied samples are
delivered by courier to our laboratory, where we perform novel
cannabinoid sensitivity tests on them using our high-content drug
sensitivity screening integrated with our bioinformatics platform.
We then apply advanced analytics to the test results and other
relevant biological and clinical information provided by each
patient’s healthcare provider to derive clinical support data from
which healthcare providers can make better informed treatment
decisions.
Figure 5: Sample personalized patient report
produced by Cannabics CDx

By enabling healthcare providers to more precisely tailor
cannabinoid therapies to a patient’s cancer and clinical profile,
we believe that Cannabics CDx will meet a significant unmet
need of the growing population of cancer patients being treated
with cannabis.
Validation
We are currently planning a clinical validation study expected to
commence in 2022 to assess the sensitivity and specificity of
Cannabics CDx. We are currently seeking strategic partners to
collaborate on the validation and commercialization process.
Commercialization
Upon completion of our planned validation study, we will evaluate
our options for commercializing Cannabics CDx with a view
towards maximizing our return while expanding our collaborative
network and opportunities in the rapidly emerging sector of
pharmaceutical development. Consistent with our policies, we will
not offer Cannabics CDx in any jurisdiction where it is not
permitted or where it might otherwise be construed as a violation
of law. In particular, we will not offer Cannabics CDx in the
United States while cannabis is listed by the DEA as a Schedule I
controlled substance.
Other Research and Development Programs
Our bioinformatics platform enables us to conduct a broad range of
preclinical research and development activities to explore other
uses of cannabinoids in the treatment of human diseases with unmet
medical needs. While our current research focus is on the
development of cannabinoid therapies and other technologies for the
treatment of cancer, particularly cancers of the gastrointestinal
tract, other areas of research include Alzheimer’s disease and auto
immune diseases. These other programs are at various early stages
of development and their continued progress is subject to available
resources and our ability to secure necessary funding. We will
determine which programs to continue based on several strategic
factors, including economic potential and available resources. We
may choose to partner with external parties for some or all of
these programs.
Strategic Partnerships
We continue to explore and establish strategic partnerships with
prominent companies and leading-edge research institutions in areas
where we believe such relationships will benefit the further
development of our product candidates and technologies. We may also
out-license our product candidates and technologies to
collaborative partners for the development of therapies of low
strategic interest to the Company. We believe that these
partnerships will enhance the value of our intellectual property
and allow us to retain selected interests in such therapies without
having to acquire the resources needed for in-house
development.
Maripharm
On September 1, 2020, we entered into a memorandum of understanding
with Maripharm Production B.V., a Dutch company that develops and
grows unique cannabis strains, for a collaboration on a proof of
concept evaluation of certain oil extracts from Maripharm’s
cannabis strains whereby we will perform certain HTS screening to
determine the necrolic and apoptotic effects of these strains upon
cancer cell lines.
NewCanna Hub
On February 24, 2020, we entered into a collaboration agreement
with NewCanna Hub for the purpose of examining the potential
anti-tumor properties of five cannabinoid strains found in
indigenous Colombian landraces on various gastrointestinal cancer
cell lines. NewCanna has amassed one of the world's most extensive
assortments of legally registered landraces and hybrid cannabis
cultivars, including several landraces, unique to Colombia. The
cannabis landraces to be studied as part of the collaboration are
native plant populations that have grown for centuries, adapting to
the environmental conditions of their geographical location,
resulting in the development of unique characteristics over
time.
RCKMC Ltd.
On February 5, 2020, we entered into a memorandum of understanding
with RCKMC Ltd., an Israeli company specializing in the breeding of
tailor-made strains of medical cannabis and the production of
reliably homogeneous cannabis hybrid-seeds. The memorandum
contemplates a research collaboration whereby RCKMC will provide
raw cannabis flowers containing approximately 10-15 separate
cannabinoid profiles to the Company, from which we will extract the
resin and perform high-throughput screening for necrotic and
apoptotic effects of extracts on gastrointestinal cancer cell
lines. Subject to positive results from such research, the
memorandum contemplates that the parties will enter into a joint
venture agreement for the development of specific chemovars of
medical cannabis specifically targeting gastro-intestinal
cancers.
On March 11, 2020, we
announced that our analysis of the cannabinoid profiles provided by
RCKMC identified two specific cultivars demonstrating
increased necrotic effects on gastric adenocarcinoma cells. The
results will be used to further breed the selected cultivars as a
possible source of active pharmaceutical ingredients in the
development of pharmaco product candidates for the treatment of
gastrointestinal and other forms of cancer.
Cannomed Medical Cannabis Industries Ltd.
On June 9, 2020, we entered into a memorandum of understanding with
Cannomed Medical Cannabis Industries Ltd., a publicly traded
Israeli company engaged in the production and distribution of
medical cannabis. The memorandum contemplates a research
collaboration whereby Cannomed Medical Cannabis Industries will
provide the Company with raw cannabis plants representing 17 unique
strains from which we will extract the resin and perform full
high-throughput screening to determine their necrotic and apoptotic
effects on cancer cell lines. If both parties are satisfied with
the screening results, the memorandum further contemplates that
they will enter into a joint venture agreement for the development
of specific strains of medical cannabis with elevated chemovars
specifically targeting cancers.
Commercial Operations
We have not established a sales, marketing, or product distribution
infrastructure. We plan to commercialize any drugs we develop
through licensing arrangements and strategic partnerships with
established companies in the pharmaceutical industry having strong
marketing capabilities and distribution networks. We generally
intend to advance our drug candidates through Phase 1 and Phase 2
clinical trials as appropriate in order to establish their clinical
and commercial potential before negotiating the terms of any
licensing or collaboration. For other product candidates, such as
Cannabics CDx, we may seek strategic partnerships earlier in their
clinical development to accelerate the approval process, facilitate
commercialization and mitigate risk. We believe that this approach
will achieve the fullest marketing and distribution potential of
any drugs or other products that we may develop in the short
term.
Competition
The biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries are characterized
by rapidly advancing technologies, intense competition and a strong
emphasis on proprietary products. We believe that our scientific
knowledge, experience, technology and development capabilities
provide us with competitive advantages, but we face competition
from many different sources, including major pharmaceutical,
specialty pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academic
institutions, governmental agencies and public and private research
institutions. Many of our current and potential competitors have
longer operating histories and substantially greater financial,
scientific, technical, intellectual property, regulatory and human
resources than we have, as well as greater experience in developing
and commercializing products, including obtaining FDA and other
regulatory approvals.
As the medical use of cannabis increasingly receives government
approval worldwide, we face growing competition from many new and
existing companies seeking to develop cannabinoid-based therapies.
Companies currently known to be developing cannabinoid-based human
therapeutics include GW Pharmaceuticals PLC, Cannabis Science Inc.,
InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc., Emerald Bioscience Inc., Corbus
Pharmaceuticals Holdings Inc., Zynerba Pharmaceuticals Inc.,
PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc., Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc., and Cure
Pharmaceutical Holding Corp.
Many of our competitors are conducting research targeting the same
technologies, applications, and markets as we are. Consequently,
they may develop products for the same indications we are pursuing
or may pursue in the future that are more effective, better
tolerated, more widely-prescribed or accepted, more useful, and
less costly. Any products that we successfully develop and
commercialize will compete with existing products, as well as those
currently in development or that may become available in the
future.
In addition to competing for market position, we will also compete
in terms of recruiting and retaining qualified personnel, acquiring
intellectual property, establishing clinical trial sites, and
enrolling patients for clinical trials and in obtaining
funding.
Given the rapid changes affecting the global, national, and
regional economies in general and cannabis-related medical research
and development in particular, we may not be able to create and
maintain a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Time-to-market
is a critical factor in our industry and our success will depend on
our ability to timely develop innovative technologies that will be
accepted by patients. Our competitors may be better able to react
to market changes, respond more rapidly to new regulations, or
allocate greater resources to the development of their products
than we can, which may result in our technologies and products
becoming obsolete before we are able to enter the market, recover
the expenses incurred to develop them, or generate significant
revenue. Our success will depend, in part, upon our ability to
develop our product candidates in a timely manner, keep our future
products current with advancing technologies, achieve market
acceptance of our future products, gain name recognition and a
positive reputation in the healthcare industry, and establish
successful marketing, sales, and distribution efforts. We cannot be
certain that we will be able to compete against current or future
competitors or that competitive pressure will not seriously harm
our business prospects.
Research and Development
During the quarter ended November 30, 2020, we incurred research
and development expenses of $433,730. During the years ended August
31, 2020, and August 31, 2019, we incurred research and development
expenses of $1,682,462, and $1,543,759, respectively. All of our
research and development expenses are directly related to the
activities of our wholly-owned subsidiary, G.R.I.N. Ultra Ltd. See
“Management’s Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”
elsewhere in this prospectus.
Intellectual Property
Patents
The proprietary nature of, and protection for, our technologies,
processes, and know-how are vitally important to our business. Our
success will substantially depend upon our ability to protect the
proprietary nature of our technologies and know-how, to protect our
technologies from infringement, misappropriation, discovery and
duplication, to defend against any challenge or opposition and to
operate without infringing on the proprietary rights of others.
We seek patent protection for the technologies, inventions and
improvements that we consider important to the development of our
business, but only in those cases where we believe that the costs
of obtaining patent protection is justified by the scientific and
commercial potential of the technology, and typically only in those
jurisdictions that we believe present significant commercial
opportunities. We also rely upon unpatented trade secrets,
know-how, and continuing technological innovation to develop and
maintain our competitive position. We seek to protect our ownership
of know-how and trade secrets through an active program of legal
mechanism including assignments, confidentiality agreements,
material transfer agreements, research collaborations, and
licenses.
While we cannot patent the naturally occurring individual
cannabinoids used in our product candidates, there are a number of
other approaches to protect our inventions, such as patenting
cannabinoid combinations that provide novel compositions and
methods for treating diseases, formulations designed specifically
to increase the safety and efficacy of drug treatments, cannabinoid
delivery technology, screening and manufacturing processes. We
intend to design these patent methodologies so as to thoroughly
protect our multi-faceted approach to the development of novel
cannabinoid therapies. We do not intend to file for patent
protection of our bioinformatics platform and data but instead plan
to protect this proprietary asset as internal know-how.
We cannot be sure that any of our pending patent applications will
be granted, or that any of the patents we own or obtain in the
future will fully protect our position. Our patent rights and the
patent rights of biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies in
general, are highly uncertain and include complex legal and factual
issues. We believe that our existing technology and the patents we
hold or for which we have applied do not infringe any other patent
rights. We believe our patent rights will provide meaningful
protection against others duplicating our proprietary technologies.
We cannot be sure of this, however, because of the complexity of
the legal and scientific issues that could arise in litigation over
these issues.
Despite these measures, any of our intellectual property and
proprietary rights could be challenged, invalidated, circumvented,
infringed, or misappropriated, or such intellectual property and
proprietary rights may not be sufficient to permit us to take
advantage of current market trends or otherwise to provide
competitive advantages.
As of the date of this prospectus, our intellectual property
portfolio includes the patent applications described in the
following table, which have been filed with the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office, as well as know-how and trade secrets:
Title |
|
Application Type |
|
Country |
|
Status |
|
Filing Date |
System and Method for
High-throughput Screening of Cancer Cells |
|
Non-provisional Utility patent application
(national Phase)
|
|
United
States |
|
Published, Pending |
|
17/09/2017 |
System and Method for
High-throughput Screening of Cancer Cells |
|
National Phase Patent application |
|
China |
|
Published, Pending |
|
27/11/2017 |
System and Method for
High-throughput Screening of Cancer Cells |
|
National Phase Patent application |
|
Japan |
|
Published, Pending |
|
27/11/2017 |
System and Method for
High-throughput Screening of Cancer Cells |
|
National Phase Patent application |
|
Canada |
|
Pending, (not Published) |
|
13/09/2017 |
System and Method for
High-throughput Screening of Cancer Cells |
|
National Phase Patent application |
|
India |
|
Published, Pending |
|
15/09/2017 |
System and Method for
High-throughput Screening of Cancer Cells |
|
National Phase Patent |
|
Israel |
|
Granted |
|
18/09/2017 |
System and Method for
High-throughput Screening of Cancer Cells |
|
National Phase Patent application |
|
Australia |
|
Pending, (not Published) |
|
19/09/2017 |
System and Method for
High-throughput Screening of Cancer Cells |
|
National Phase Patent application |
|
Europe |
|
Published, Pending |
|
04/10/2017 |
System and Method for
High-throughput Screening of Cancer Cells |
|
National Phase Patent application |
|
Brazil |
|
Published, Pending |
|
10/10/2017 |
System and Method for
High-throughput Screening of Cancer Cells |
|
National Phase Patent application |
|
Mexico |
|
Pending, (not Published) |
|
10/10/2017 |
System and Method for
High-throughput Screening of Cancer Cells |
|
National Phase Patent |
|
South
Africa |
|
Granted |
|
13/10/2017 |
System and Method for
High-throughput Screening of Cancer Cells |
|
National Phase Patent application |
|
Hong
Kong |
|
Pending, (not Published) |
|
11/10/2018 |
Cannabinoid Compositions, Methods
of Manufacture and Use Thereof |
|
National Phase Patent application |
|
Israel |
|
Published, Pending |
|
24/02/2016 |
Cannabinoid Compositions, Methods
of Manufacture and Use Thereof |
|
Patent
Co-operation Treaty, International patent
application |
|
Israel |
|
Published, Pending |
|
23/02/2017 |
Cannabinoid Compositions, Methods
of Manufacture and Use Thereof |
|
Non-provisional Utility patent application
(national Phase)
|
|
United
States |
|
Pending, (not Published) |
|
23/08/2018 |
The Effects of Dosage-Controlled
Cannabis Capsules on Cancer- Related Cachexia and Anorexia Syndrome
Among Advanced Cancer Patients |
|
Provisional patent application |
|
United
States |
|
Filed,
Pending, (not Published) |
|
25/10/2018 |
Method for Sensitivity Testing of
Cannabinoids on Patient-Derived Tumor Biopsies and CTCs |
|
Patent
Co-operation Treaty, International patent
application |
|
Israel |
|
Filed,
Pending, (not Published) |
|
02/01/2018 |
Novel System
and Method for Microbiome Profiling and Modulation by Means of
Cannabis Administration |
|
Non-provisional Utility patent application
(national Phase)
|
|
United States |
|
Pending , (not Published) |
|
07/11/2018 |
A System and Method for Providing
or Growing a Personalized Cannabis Product |
|
Provisional patent application |
|
United
States |
|
Filed,
Pending, (not Published) |
|
17/09/2018 |
A System and Method for Providing
Magnetic Targeting of Cannabinoids to Cancer Patients |
|
Provisional patent application |
|
United
States |
|
Filed,
Pending, (not Published) |
|
28/11/2018 |
Personalized Cannabimetic
Compositions Modeling and Production System and Methods
Thereof |
|
Provisional patent application |
|
United
States |
|
Filed,
Pending, (not Published) |
|
28/11/2018 |
A System and Method for Providing
a Personalized Cannabis Derived Product for an Alcohol Withdrawal
Syndrome (AWS) Patient |
|
Provisional patent application |
|
United
States |
|
Filed,
Pending, (not Published) |
|
27/12/2018 |
A System and Method for Providing a Personalized
Cannabis Derived Product for a Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures
(PNES) Patient |
|
Provisional patent
application |
|
United States |
|
Filed, Pending, (not
Published) |
|
07/01/2019 |
We anticipate that we will file additional patent applications in
conjunction with the research, testing, and development of our
technologies.
Trademark
We have obtained trademark protection for CANNABICS in the United
States. We intend to seek trademark protection in the United States
and outside the United States where available and when appropriate.
We intend to use these registered marks in connection with our
biotechnological research and development, as well as with any
products we may develop.
Licenses
All of our research and development activities are conducted in and
limited to Israel. The product candidates and technologies we are
developing contain or utilize cannabis, which is classified as a
controlled substance under the Israeli Dangerous Drugs Ordinance
[New Version], 5733 - 1973. In Israel, licenses to cultivate,
possess, and use cannabis for medical research are granted by the
Israeli Ministry of Health on an ad hoc basis.
We have been licensed by the Ministry of Health to possess and use
cannabis for medical research since October 26, 2014. On November
28, 2017, we were issued a new research license for the
characterization of anti-tumor activity of cannabinoids, which
enables us to continue development of diagnostic tools and services
for cancer patients that are receiving treatment with cannabis.
While we have thus far been successful in obtaining all the
licenses necessary to carry out our medical research, there can be
no assurance that we will be able to acquire or maintain such
licenses as we require them or at all.
Specialized Skill and Knowledge
The research and development of cannabinoid-based compounds and
technologies requires specialized scientific and medical skill and
knowledge. We believe that our current management offers a good
combination of expertise in drug discovery, development,
pre-clinical and clinical trials, as well as the licensing and
commercialization of new investigative drugs. See “Management” and “Risk Factors”, elsewhere in
this prospectus.
In addition to our management team, we have established an advisory
board consisting of industry experts to supplement our internal
capabilities with their expertise in the areas of finance, business
development, cannabinoid science, formulation development and
clinical practice. Our advisors generally meet twice a year as a
group to assist us in formulating our research, development,
clinical and sales and marketing strategies. Some individual
advisors consult with and meet informally with us on a more
frequent basis. Our advisors are not our employees and may have
commitments to, or consulting or advisory contracts with, other
entities that may limit their availability to us. In addition, our
advisors may have arrangements with other companies to assist those
companies in developing products or technologies that may compete
with ours.
As of the date of this prospectus, the following persons comprise
our advisory board:
Dr. Gil Feiler – Advisory Board Chairman and Business
Development Advisor. Dr. Feiler has served on the boards of
Advanced Vision Technology Ltd. and Safra Bank Mutual Fund
Division, as well as serving as Administrative Advisor for the
government of Ras Al Khaimah, UAE. Dr. Feiler has published
extensively on business opportunities and strategies and was a
frequent speaker in world events, including the World Economic
Forum in Davos.
Dr. Sigalit Ariely-Portnoy - Strategic Regulatory Advisor,
Clinical, Quality and Validation. Dr. Sigalit
Ariely-Portnoy has more than 17 years’ experience in the
pharmaceutical industry. She has managed pharmaceutical and
chemical plants at Taro Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. as Operation
Group Vice President and at Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. as
Kfar-Saba OSD Plant Manager. Dr. Ariely-Portnoy managed Teva's
largest plant worldwide (9 billion tablets per annum and more than
$2B revenues). During her career, she has led more than 50
inspections by the FDA, the European Medicines Agency, the Israeli
Ministry of Health and others. Dr. Ariely-Portnoy spearheaded the
construction of a 200,000 sq. ft. pharmaceutical plant, several
chemical plants and bio-warehouses, as well as many significant
plant expansions for manufacturers of semisolids, liquids and oral
solid dosage forms. Between the years 2003-2006, Dr. Ariely-Portnoy
was the president of the Israel chapter of the Parenteral Drug
Association. For the last five years, Dr. Ariely-Portnoy has
managed Gsap, the leading consulting firm in Israel for providing
professional services to pharmaceutical, medical device,
biotechnology and cell therapy companies. Dr. Ariely-Portnoy
received her B.Sc., M.Sc., and D.Sc. in the fields of chemical
engineering and biomedical engineering from the Technion Institute
of Technology in Haifa, Israel.
Dr. Danna Ben-Ami Shor, MD – Strategic Design
and Implementation of Clinical Validation. Dr. Ben-Ami Shor
is a recognized expert in invasive endoscopy and gastroenterology
in the Sourasky Medical Center in Tel-Aviv, Israel. Dr. Ben-Ami
Shor earned her M.D in 2009, graduating cum laude from the Sackler
Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University. She specialized in
internal medicine and gastroenterology at the Sheba Medical Center,
Israel. She also successfully completed an advanced endoscopy
(ASGE) accredited fellowship within the Center for Interventional
Endoscopy at AdventHealth, in Florida. Additionally, Dr. Ben-Ami
Shor is proficient in both diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic
ultrasound (EUS), and endoscopic retrograde
cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).
Prof. Zamir Halpern - Medical Advisor. Prof.
Halpern, is a senior physician at the Gastroenterology Institute of
the Sourasky Medical Center in Tel-Aviv, Israel, and current
Chairman of the National Gastro Nutrition and Liver Diseases
Council at the Israeli Ministry of Health. He has also served as
Chairman of the Israeli Association of the Study of Liver, Chairman
of the Israeli Gastroenterology Association and Chairman of the
National Council for Food and Agriculture.
Dr. Tal Mofkadi - Financial Advisor. Dr.
Mofkadi holds a Ph.D. in financial economics from Tel Aviv
University. He is a lecturer at Tel Aviv University, the
Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya and universities abroad. He is
the author of The Handbook of Corporate Valuation. Dr.
Mofkadi provides expert opinions in financing, economic, and legal
proceedings, writing valuations and optimal pricing policies as
well as economic analysis of competition and regulatory aspects,
risk assessment and more.
Dr. Erez Scapa, MD - Medical Advisor. Dr.
Scapa earned his M.D. in 2000 at the Technion Institute of
Technology in Haifa, Israel, cum laude. He later held a Research
Fellowship in Hepatology at the Brigham and Women's Hospital,
Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, as well as a fellowship
in Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection at the NTT Medical Center in
Tokyo, Japan. He is an expert in invasive endoscopy and has
extensive experience in preforming colonoscopies and gastroscopies.
He is proficient in both diagnostic as well as invasive endoscopic
ultrasound and has served as the head of the Endoscopic Submucosal
Dissection program in Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center since
2019.
Prof. Amos Toren, MD - Medical Advisor. Prof. Toren
has been the Director of the Pediatric Hemato-Oncology and Bone
Marrow Transplant Department at the Sheba Medical Center since
2001, and is a senior lecturer at the Sackler School of Medicine,
Tel-Aviv University. Prof. Toren is a specialist in pediatrics,
general hematology and pediatric hemato-oncology. He has a Ph.D. in
genetics and is qualified as a Master of Health Administration
(MHA) at the Recannati Business School, Tel-Aviv University.
Professor Toren runs numerous clinical research trials, including
those that are investigator initiated, company initiated, unicenter
and multicenter.
Government Regulation
Regulation of Pharmaceutical Products
Government authorities in the United States, at the federal, state
and local level, and in other countries, extensively regulate,
among other things, the research, development, testing,
manufacture, packaging, storage, recordkeeping, labeling,
advertising, promotion, distribution, marketing, import, and export
of pharmaceutical products such as those we are developing. The
processes for obtaining regulatory approvals in the United States
and in foreign countries, along with subsequent compliance with
applicable statutes and regulations, require the expenditure of
substantial time and financial resources. A failure to comply with
such laws and regulations or prevail in any enforcement action or
litigation related to noncompliance could have a material adverse
impact on our business, financial condition and results of
operations and could cause the market value of our common stock to
decline.
FDA Approval Process
In the United States, pharmaceutical products are subject to
extensive regulation by the FDA. The Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
and other federal and state statutes and regulations, govern, among
other things, the research, development, testing, manufacture,
storage, recordkeeping, approval, labeling, promotion and
marketing, distribution, post-approval monitoring and reporting,
sampling, and import and export of pharmaceutical products. Failure
to comply with applicable U.S. requirements may subject a company
to a variety of administrative or judicial sanctions, such as
imposition of clinical holds, FDA refusal to approve a pending NDA,
warning letters, product recalls, product seizures, total or
partial suspension of production or distribution, injunctions,
fines, refusals of government contracts, restitution, disgorgement,
civil penalties and criminal prosecution.
Pharmaceutical product development in the U.S. typically involves
pre-clinical laboratory and animal tests and submission to the FDA
of an IND, which must become effective before clinical testing may
commence. For commercial approval, the sponsor must submit adequate
tests by all methods reasonably applicable to show that the drug is
safe for use under the conditions prescribed, recommended or
suggested in the proposed labeling. The sponsor must also submit
substantial evidence, generally consisting of adequate,
well-controlled clinical trials to establish that the drug will
have the effect it purports or is represented to have under the
conditions of use prescribed, recommended or suggested in the
proposed labeling. In certain cases, the FDA may determine that a
drug is effective based on one clinical study plus confirmatory
evidence. Satisfaction of FDA regulatory requirements for marketing
approval typically takes many years and the actual time
required may vary substantially based upon the type, complexity and
novelty of the product or disease.
Pre-clinical studies include in vitro and animal studies to assess
the potential safety and efficacy of the product. Chemistry,
manufacturing and controls tests include laboratory evaluation of
product chemistry, formulation, quality attributes and the
relationship between manufacturing process parameters and product
characteristics. The conduct of pre-clinical tests must comply with
federal regulations and requirements, including the FDA’s GLP
regulations and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s regulations
implementing the Animal Welfare Act. The results of pre-clinical
testing are submitted to the FDA as part of an IND along with other
information, including information about product chemistry,
manufacturing and controls, a proposed clinical trial protocol as
well as results of previous clinical studies. Long-term
pre-clinical tests, such as animal tests of reproductive toxicity
and carcinogenicity, may continue after the IND is submitted.
A 30-day waiting period after the submission of each IND is
required prior to the commencement of clinical testing in humans.
If the FDA has not imposed a clinical hold on the IND or otherwise
commented or questioned the IND within this 30-day period, the
clinical trial proposed in the IND may begin.
Clinical trials involve the administration of the investigational
new drug to healthy volunteers or patients under the supervision of
a qualified investigator. Clinical trials must be conducted:
(i) in compliance with federal regulations, (ii) in compliance
with GCP, an international standard meant to protect the rights and
health of patients and to define the roles of clinical trial
sponsors, administrators and monitors, and (iii) under protocols
detailing the objectives of the trial, the parameters to be used in
monitoring safety and the effectiveness criteria to be evaluated.
Each protocol involving testing on U.S. patients and subsequent
protocol amendments must be submitted to the FDA as part of the
IND.
The FDA may order the temporary, or permanent, discontinuation of a
clinical trial at any time or impose other sanctions if it believes
that the clinical trial either is not being conducted in accordance
with FDA requirements or presents an unacceptable risk to the
clinical trial patients. The trial protocol and informed consent
information for patients in clinical trials must also be submitted
to an institutional review board (IRB) for approval. An IRB may
also require the clinical trial at the site to be halted, either
temporarily or permanently, for failure to comply with the IRB’s
requirements or may impose other conditions.
Clinical trials to support NDAs for marketing approval are
typically conducted in three sequential phases, but the phases may
overlap. In Phase 1, the initial introduction of the drug into
healthy human subjects or patients, the drug is tested to assess
metabolism, pharmacokinetics, pharmacological actions, side effects
associated with increasing doses, and, if possible, early evidence
on effectiveness. Phase 2 usually involves trials in a limited
patient population to determine the effectiveness of the drug for a
particular indication, dosage tolerance, and optimum dosage, and to
identify common adverse effects and safety risks. If a compound
demonstrates evidence of effectiveness and an acceptable safety
profile in Phase 2 evaluations, Phase 3 trials are undertaken to
obtain the additional information about clinical efficacy and
safety in a larger number of patients, typically at geographically
dispersed clinical trial sites, to permit the FDA to evaluate the
overall benefit-risk relationship of the drug and to provide
adequate information for the labeling of the drug. In most cases,
the FDA requires two adequate and well-controlled Phase 3 clinical
trials to demonstrate the efficacy of the drug. A single Phase 3
trial with other confirmatory evidence may be sufficient in rare
instances where the study is a large multi-center trial
demonstrating internal consistency and a statistically very
persuasive finding of a clinically meaningful effect on mortality,
irreversible morbidity or prevention of a disease with a
potentially serious outcome and confirmation of the result in a
second trial would be practically or ethically impossible.
Pursuant to the 21st Century Cures Act, the manufacturer
of an investigational drug for a serious or life-threatening
disease is required to make available, such as by posting on its
website, its policy on evaluating and responding to requests for
expanded access.
After completion of the required clinical testing, an NDA is
prepared and submitted to the FDA. FDA approval of the NDA is
required before marketing of the product may begin in the U.S. The
NDA must include the results of all pre-clinical, clinical, and
other testing and a compilation of data relating to the product’s
pharmacology, chemistry, manufacture, and controls. The cost of
preparing and submitting an NDA is substantial.
The FDA has 60 days from its receipt of an NDA to determine whether
the application will be accepted for filing based on the agency’s
threshold determination that it is sufficiently complete to permit
substantive review. Once the submission is accepted for filing, the
FDA begins an in-depth review. The FDA has agreed to certain
performance goals in the review of NDAs. While most such
applications for standard review drug products are reviewed within
ten to twelve months; most applications for priority review drugs
are reviewed in six to eight months. Priority review can be applied
to drugs that the FDA determines offer major advances in treatment,
or provide a treatment where no adequate therapy exists. The review
process for both standard and priority review may be extended by
the FDA for three additional months to consider certain
late-submitted information or information intended to clarify
information already provided in the submission.
The FDA may also refer applications for novel drug products, or
drug products that present difficult questions of safety or
efficacy, to an advisory committee (typically a panel that includes
clinicians and other experts) for review, evaluation, and a
recommendation as to whether the application should be approved.
The FDA is not bound by the recommendation of an advisory
committee, but it generally follows such recommendations. Before
approving an NDA, the FDA will typically inspect one or more
clinical sites to assure compliance with GCP. Additionally, the FDA
will inspect the facility or the facilities at which the drug is
manufactured. The FDA will not approve the product unless
compliance with current good manufacturing practice (cGMP), is
satisfactory and the NDA contains data providing substantial
evidence that the drug is safe and effective in the indication
studied.
After the FDA evaluates the NDA and the manufacturing facilities,
it issues either an approval letter or a complete response letter.
A complete response letter generally outlines the deficiencies in
the submission and may require substantial additional testing, or
information, in order for the FDA to reconsider the application.
If, or when, those deficiencies have been addressed to the FDA’s
satisfaction in a resubmission of the NDA, the FDA will issue an
approval letter. The FDA has committed to reviewing such
resubmissions in two or six months depending on the type of
information included.
An approval letter authorizes commercial marketing of the drug with
specific prescribing information for specific indications. As a
condition of NDA approval, the FDA may require a risk evaluation
and mitigation strategy (REMS) to help ensure that the benefits of
the drug outweigh the potential risks. REMS can include medication
guides, communication plans for healthcare professionals, and
elements to assure safe use (ETASU). ETASU can include, but are not
limited to, special training or certification for prescribing or
dispensing, dispensing only under certain circumstances, special
monitoring, and the use of patient registries. The requirement for
a REMS can materially affect the potential market and profitability
of the drug. Moreover, product approval may require substantial
post-approval testing and surveillance to monitor the drug’s safety
or efficacy. Once granted, product approvals may be withdrawn if
compliance with regulatory standards is not maintained or problems
are identified following initial marketing.
Changes to some of the conditions established in an approved
application, including changes in indications, labeling, or
manufacturing processes or facilities, require submission and FDA
approval of a new NDA or NDA supplement before the change can be
implemented. An NDA supplement for a new indication typically
requires clinical data similar to that in the original application,
and the FDA uses the same procedures and actions in reviewing NDA
supplements as it does in reviewing NDAs.
Orphan Drugs
Under the Orphan Drug Act, the FDA may grant orphan drug
designation to drugs intended to treat a rare disease or
condition - generally a disease or condition that affects fewer
than 200,000 individuals in the U.S (or affects more than 200,000
in the U.S. and for which there is no reasonable expectation that
the cost of developing and making available in the U.S. a drug for
such disease or condition will be recovered from sales in the U.S.
of such drug). Orphan drug designation must be requested before
submitting an NDA. After the FDA grants orphan drug designation,
the generic identity of the drug and its potential orphan use are
disclosed publicly by the FDA. Orphan drug designation does not
convey any advantage in, or shorten the duration of, the regulatory
review and approval process. The first NDA applicant to receive FDA
approval for a particular active ingredient to treat a particular
disease with FDA orphan drug designation is entitled to a
seven-year exclusive marketing period in the U.S. for that product,
for that indication. During the seven-year exclusivity period, the
FDA may not approve any other applications to market the same drug
for the same disease, except in limited circumstances, such as a
showing of clinical superiority to the product with orphan drug
exclusivity. If the FDA designates an orphan drug based on a
finding of clinical superiority, the FDA must provide a written
notification to the sponsor that states the basis for orphan
designation, including “any plausible hypothesis” relied upon by
the FDA. The FDA must also publish a summary of its clinical
superiority findings upon granting orphan drug exclusivity based on
clinical superiority. Orphan drug exclusivity does not prevent the
FDA from approving a different drug for the same disease or
condition, or the same drug for a different disease or condition.
Among the other benefits of orphan drug designation are tax credits
for certain research and a waiver of the NDA application user
fee.
Pediatric Information
Under the Pediatric Research Equity Act (PREA), NDAs or supplements
to NDAs must contain data to assess the safety and effectiveness of
the drug for the claimed indications in all relevant pediatric
subpopulations and to support dosing and administration for each
pediatric subpopulation for which the drug is safe and effective.
The FDA may grant full or partial waivers, or deferrals, for
submission of data. Unless otherwise required by regulation, PREA
generally does not apply to a drug for an indication for which
orphan designation has been granted; however, as of August 18,
2020, PREA will apply to NDAs for orphan-designated drugs if the
drug is molecularly targeted cancer product intended for the
treatment of an adult cancer and is directed at a molecular target
that the FDA has determined is substantially relevant to the growth
or progression of a pediatric cancer.
The Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (BPCA) provides NDA
holders a six-month extension of any exclusivity (patent or
non-patent) for a drug if certain conditions are met. Conditions
for exclusivity include the FDA’s determination that information
relating to the use of a new drug in the pediatric population may
produce health benefits in that population, the FDA making a
written request for pediatric studies, and the applicant agreeing
to perform, and reporting on, the requested studies within the
statutory timeframe. Applications under the BPCA are treated as
priority applications, with all of the benefits that designation
confers.
Fast Track Designation and Accelerated Approval
The FDA is required to facilitate the development and expedite the
review of drugs that are intended for the treatment of a serious or
life-threatening disease or condition for which there is no
effective treatment and which demonstrate the potential to address
unmet medical needs for the condition. Under the fast track
program, the sponsor of a new product candidate may request that
the FDA designate the product candidate for a specific indication
as a fast track drug concurrent with, or after, the filing of the
IND for the product candidate. The FDA must determine if the
product candidate qualifies for fast track designation within 60
days of receipt of the sponsor’s request.
Under the fast track program, the FDA may designate a drug for
fast-track status if it is intended to treat a serious or
life-threatening illness and nonclinical or clinical data
demonstrate the potential to address an unmet medical need.
Similarly, the agency may designate a drug for accelerated approval
if it treats a serious condition and generally provides meaningful
therapeutic benefit to patients over existing treatments based upon
a surrogate endpoint that is reasonably likely to predict clinical
benefit, or on a clinical endpoint that can be measured earlier
than irreversible morbidity or mortality, that is reasonably likely
to predict an effect on irreversible morbidity or mortality or
other clinical benefit, taking into account the severity, rarity,
or prevalence of the condition and the availability or lack of
alternative treatments. In clinical trials, a surrogate endpoint is
a measurement of laboratory or clinical signs of a disease or
condition that substitutes for a direct measurement of how a
patient feels, functions or survives. Surrogate endpoints can often
be measured more easily or more rapidly than clinical endpoints. A
product candidate approved on this basis is subject to rigorous
post-marketing compliance requirements, including the completion of
Phase 4 or post-approval clinical trials to confirm the effect on
the clinical endpoint. Failure to conduct required post-approval
studies, or confirm a clinical benefit during post-marketing
studies, will allow the FDA to withdraw the drug from the market on
an expedited basis. All promotional materials for product
candidates approved under accelerated regulations are subject to
prior review by the FDA.
In addition to other benefits such as the ability to use surrogate
endpoints and engage in more frequent interactions with the FDA,
the FDA may initiate review of sections of a fast track drug’s NDA
before the application is complete. This rolling review is
available if the applicant provides, and the FDA approves, a
schedule for the submission of the remaining information and the
applicant pays applicable user fees. However, the FDA’s time period
goal for reviewing an application does not begin until the last
section of the NDA is submitted. Additionally, the fast track
designation may be withdrawn by the FDA if it believes that the
designation is no longer supported by data emerging in the clinical
trial process.
Special Protocol Assessment
A company may reach an agreement with the FDA under the special
protocol assessment (SPA), process as to the required design and
size of clinical trials intended to form the primary basis of an
efficacy claim. According to its performance goals, the FDA is
supposed to evaluate the protocol within 45 days of the
request to assess whether the proposed trial is adequate, which
evaluation may result in discussions and a request for additional
information. An SPA request must be made before the proposed trial
begins, and all open issues must be resolved before the trial
begins. If a written agreement is reached, it will be documented
and made part of the administrative record. Under the Food, Drug,
and Cosmetic Act and FDA guidance implementing the statutory
requirement, an SPA is generally binding upon the FDA except in
limited circumstances, such as if the FDA identifies a substantial
scientific issue essential to determining safety or efficacy after
the study begins, public health concerns emerge that were
unrecognized at the time of the protocol assessment, the sponsor
and the FDA agree to the change in writing, or if the study sponsor
fails to follow the protocol that was agreed upon with the FDA.
Breakthrough Therapy Designation
The FDA is required to expedite the development and review of an
application for approval of a drug that is intended to treat a
serious or life-threatening disease or condition where preliminary
clinical evidence indicates that the drug may demonstrate
substantial improvement over existing therapies on one or more
clinically significant endpoints. Under the breakthrough therapy
program, the sponsor of a new product candidate may request that
the FDA designate the product candidate for a specific indication
as a breakthrough therapy concurrent with, or after, the filing of
the IND for the product candidate. The FDA must determine if the
product candidate qualifies for breakthrough therapy designation
within 60 days of receipt of the sponsor’s request.
Disclosure of Clinical Trial Information
Sponsors of clinical trials of FDA-regulated products, including
drugs, are required to register and disclose certain clinical trial
information. Information related to the product, patient
population, phase of investigation, trial sites and investigators,
and other aspects of the clinical trial is then made public as part
of the registration. Sponsors are also obligated to discuss the
results of their clinical trials after completion. Disclosure of
the results of these trials can be delayed in certain circumstances
for up to two years after the date of completion of the trial.
Competitors may use this publicly-available information to gain
knowledge regarding the progress of development programs.
Advertising and Promotion
Once an NDA is approved, a product will be subject to certain
post-approval requirements. For instance, the FDA closely regulates
the post-approval marketing and promotion of drugs, including
standards and regulations for direct-to-consumer advertising,
off-label promotion, industry-sponsored scientific and educational
activities and promotional activities involving the internet. Drugs
may be marketed only for the approved indications and in accordance
with the provisions of the approved labeling. Changes to some of
the conditions established in an approved application, including
changes in indications, labeling, or manufacturing processes or
facilities, require submission and FDA approval of a new NDA or NDA
supplement before the change can be implemented. An NDA supplement
for a new indication typically requires clinical data similar to
that in the original application, and the FDA uses the same
procedures and actions in reviewing NDA supplements as it does in
reviewing NDAs.
Adverse Event Reporting and GMP Compliance
Adverse event reporting and submission of periodic reports is
required following FDA approval of an NDA. The FDA also may require
post-marketing testing, known as Phase 4 testing, REMS and
surveillance to monitor the effects of an approved product, or the
FDA may place conditions on an approval that could restrict the
distribution or use of the product. In addition, quality-control,
drug manufacture, packaging and labeling procedures must continue
to conform to cGMPs after approval. Drug manufacturers and certain
of their subcontractors are required to register their
establishments with the FDA and certain state agencies.
Registration with the FDA subjects entities to periodic unannounced
inspections by the FDA, during which the agency inspects
manufacturing facilities to assess compliance with cGMPs.
Accordingly, manufacturers must continue to expend time, money and
effort in the areas of production and quality-control to maintain
compliance with cGMPs. Regulatory authorities may withdraw product
approvals or request product recalls if a company fails to comply
with regulatory standards, if it encounters problems following
initial marketing, or if previously unrecognized problems are
subsequently discovered.
The Hatch-Waxman Act
Orange Book Listing
In seeking approval for a drug through an NDA, applicants are
required to list with the FDA each patent whose claims cover the
applicant’s product. Upon approval of a drug, each of the patents
listed in the application for the drug is then published in the
FDA’s Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence
Evaluations, commonly known as the Orange Book. Drugs listed in the
Orange Book can, in turn, be cited by potential generic competitors
in support of approval of an abbreviated new drug application
(ANDA). An ANDA provides for marketing of a drug product that has
the same active ingredients in the same strengths and dosage form
as the listed drug and has been shown through bioequivalence
testing to be therapeutically equivalent to the listed drug. Other
than the requirement for bioequivalence testing, ANDA applicants
are not required to conduct, or submit results of, pre-clinical or
clinical tests to prove the safety or effectiveness of their drug
product. Drugs approved in this way are commonly referred to as
“generic equivalents” to the listed drug, and can often be
substituted by pharmacists under prescriptions written for the
original listed drug.
The ANDA applicant is required to certify to the FDA concerning any
patents listed for the approved product in the Orange Book.
Specifically, the applicant must certify that (i) the required
patent information has not been filed; (ii) the listed patent has
expired; (iii) the listed patent has not expired, but will expire
on a particular date and approval is sought after patent
expiration; or (iv) the listed patent is invalid or will not be
infringed by the new product. The ANDA applicant may also elect to
submit a Section VIII statement certifying that its proposed ANDA
label does not contain (or carve out) any language regarding the
patented method-of-use rather than certify to a listed
method-of-use patent. If the applicant does not challenge the
listed patents, the ANDA application will not be approved until all
the listed patents claiming the referenced product have expired. A
certification that the new product will not infringe the already
approved product’s listed patents, or that such patents are
invalid, is called a Paragraph IV certification. If the ANDA
applicant has provided a Paragraph IV certification to the FDA, the
applicant must also send notice of the Paragraph IV certification
to the NDA and patent holders once the ANDA has been accepted for
filing by the FDA. The NDA and patent holders may then initiate a
patent infringement lawsuit in response to the notice of the
Paragraph IV certification. The filing of a patent infringement
lawsuit within 45 days of the receipt of a Paragraph IV
certification automatically prevents the FDA from approving the
ANDA until the earlier of 30 months, expiration of the patent,
settlement of the lawsuit, or a decision in the infringement case
that is favorable to the ANDA applicant.
The ANDA application also will not be approved until any applicable
non-patent exclusivity listed in the Orange Book for the referenced
product has expired.
Exclusivity
Upon NDA approval of a new chemical entity (NCE), which is a drug
that contains no active moiety that has been approved by the FDA in
any other NDA, that drug receives five years of marketing
exclusivity during which the FDA cannot receive any ANDA seeking
approval of a generic version of that drug. Certain changes to a
drug, such as the addition of a new indication to the package
insert, are associated with a three-year period of exclusivity
during which the FDA cannot approval an ANDA for a generic drug
that includes the change. An ANDA may be submitted one year before
NCE exclusivity expires if a Paragraph IV certification is filed.
If there is no listed patent in the Orange Book, there may
not be a Paragraph IV certification, and, thus, no ANDA may be
filed before the expiration of the exclusivity period.
Patent Term Extension
After NDA approval, owners of relevant drug patents may apply for
up to a five-year patent extension. The allowable patent term
extension is calculated as half of the drug’s testing phase (the
time between IND application and NDA submission) and all of the
review phase (the time between NDA submission and approval up to a
maximum of five years). The time can be shortened if the FDA
determines that the applicant did not pursue approval with due
diligence. The total patent term after the extension may not exceed
14 years and only one patent may be extended.
For patents that might expire during the application phase, the
patent owner may request an interim patent extension. An interim
patent extension increases the patent term by one year and may be
renewed up to four times. For each interim patent extension
granted, the post-approval patent extension is reduced by one year.
The director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office must
determine that approval of the drug covered by the patent for which
a patent extension is being sought is likely. Interim patent
extensions are not available for a drug for which an NDA has not
been submitted.
International Drug Review and Approval
In addition to regulations in the United States, we will be subject
to a variety of regulations in other jurisdictions governing, among
other things, clinical trials and any commercial sales and
distribution of our products. The approval process varies from
country to country, and the time may be longer or shorter that that
required for FDA approval. If we fail to comply with applicable
foreign regulatory requirements, we may be subject to, among other
things, fines, suspension of clinical trials, suspension or
withdrawal of regulatory approvals, product recalls, seizure of
products, operating restrictions and criminal prosecution.
Whether or not we obtain FDA approval for a product, we must obtain
the requisite approvals from regulatory authorities in foreign
countries prior to the commencement of clinical trials or marketing
of the product in those countries. Some countries outside of the
United States have a similar process that requires the submission
of a clinical trial application (CTA), much like the IND prior to
the commencement of human clinical trials. In the European Union,
for example, a CTA must be submitted to the national health
authority of each European Union (E.U.) Member State in which the
clinical trial is to be conducted and an independent ethics
committee, much like the FDA and IRB, respectively. Once the CTA is
approved in accordance with a country’s requirements, clinical
trial development may proceed.
To obtain regulatory approval to commercialize a new drug under
European Union regulatory systems, we must submit a marketing
authorization application (MAA). In the European Union, marketing
authorization for a medicinal product can be obtained through a
centralized, mutual recognition, decentralized procedure, or the
national procedure of an individual E.U. Member State. In
accordance with the centralized procedure, the applicant can submit
a single application for marketing authorization to the European
Medicines Agency (EMA), to be assessed by the Committee of
Medicinal Products for Human Use. The agency will provide a
positive opinion regarding the application if it meets certain
quality, safety, and efficacy requirements. Following the opinion
of the EMA, the European Commission makes a final decision to grant
a centralized marketing authorization that permits the marketing of
a product in all 27 E.U. Member States and three of the four
European Free Trade Association States, Iceland, Liechtenstein and
Norway. The centralized procedure is mandatory for certain
medicinal products, including orphan medicinal products, medicinal
products derived from certain biotechnological processes, advanced
therapy medicinal products and certain other medicinal products
containing a new active substance for the treatment of certain
diseases. This route is optional for certain other products,
including medicinal products that are a significant therapeutic,
scientific or technical innovation, or whose authorization would be
in the interest of public or animal health.
Unlike the centralized authorization procedure, the decentralized
marketing authorization procedure requires a separate application
to, and leads to separate approval by, the competent authorities of
each E.U. Member State in which the product is to be marketed. This
application process is identical to the application that would be
submitted to the EMA for authorization through the centralized
procedure. The reference E.U. Member State prepares a draft
assessment and drafts of the related materials within 120 days
after receipt of a valid application. The resulting assessment
report is submitted to the concerned E.U. Member States who, within
90 days of receipt, must decide whether to approve the assessment
report and related materials. If a concerned E.U. Member State
cannot approve the assessment report and related materials due to
concerns relating to a potential serious risk to public health,
disputed elements may be referred to the European Commission, whose
decision is binding on all E.U. Member States.
The mutual recognition procedure is similarly based on the
acceptance by the competent authorities of the E.U. Member States
of the marketing authorization of a medicinal product by the
competent authorities of other E.U. Member States. The holder of a
national marketing authorization may submit an application to the
competent authority of an E.U. Member State requesting that this
authority recognize the marketing authorization delivered by the
competent authority of another E.U. Member State.
For other countries outside of the European Union, the requirements
governing the conduct of clinical trials, product licensing,
pricing and reimbursement vary from country to country. In Israel
and internationally, clinical trials are generally required to be
conducted in accordance with GCP, applicable regulatory
requirements of each jurisdiction and the medical ethics principles
that have their origin in the Declaration of Helsinki.
Data Exclusivity
In the European Union, marketing authorization applications for
generic medicinal products are not required to include the results
of pre-clinical and clinical trials, but instead can refer to the
data included in the marketing authorization of a reference product
for which regulatory data exclusivity has expired. If a marketing
authorization is granted for a medicinal product containing a new
active substance, that product benefits from eight years of
data exclusivity, during which generic marketing authorization
applications referring to the data of that product may not be
accepted by the regulatory authorities, and a further
two years of market exclusivity, during which such generic
products may not be placed on the market. The two-year period may
be extended to three years if during the first
eight years a new therapeutic indication with significant
clinical benefit over existing therapies is approved.
Orphan Medicinal Products
The EMA’s Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP), may
recommend orphan medicinal product designation to promote the
development of products that are intended for the diagnosis,
prevention or treatment of life-threatening or chronically
debilitating conditions affecting not more than 5 in 10,000 persons
in the European Union. Additionally, designation is granted for
products intended for the diagnosis, prevention or treatment of a
life-threatening, seriously debilitating or serious and chronic
condition and when, without incentives, it is unlikely that sales
of the product in the European Union would be sufficient to justify
the necessary investment in developing the medicinal product. The
COMP may only recommend orphan medicinal product designation when
the product in question offers a significant clinical benefit over
existing approved products for the relevant indication. Following a
positive opinion by the COMP, the European Commission adopts a
decision granting orphan status. The COMP will reassess orphan
status in parallel with EMA review of a marketing authorization
application and orphan status may be withdrawn at that stage if it
no longer fulfills the orphan criteria (for instance because in the
meantime a new product was approved for the indication and no
convincing data are available to demonstrate a significant benefit
over that product). Orphan medicinal product designation entitles a
party to financial incentives such as reduction of fees or fee
waivers and ten years of market exclusivity is granted
following marketing authorization. During this period, the
competent authorities may not accept or approve any similar
medicinal product, unless it offers a significant clinical benefit.
This period may be reduced to six years if the orphan
medicinal product designation criteria are no longer met, including
where it is shown that the product is sufficiently profitable not
to justify maintenance of market exclusivity.
Pediatric Development
In the European Union, companies developing a new medicinal product
must agree to a Pediatric Investigation Plan (PIP), with the EMA
and must conduct pediatric clinical trials in accordance with that
PIP unless a waiver applies, for example, because the relevant
disease or condition occurs only in adults. The marketing
authorization application for the product must include the results
of pediatric clinical trials conducted in accordance with the PIP,
unless a waiver applies, or a deferral has been granted, in which
case the pediatric clinical trials must be completed at a later
date. Products that are granted a marketing authorization on the
basis of the pediatric clinical trials conducted in accordance with
the PIP are eligible for a six-month extension of the protection
under a supplementary protection certificate (if the product
covered by it qualifies for one at the time of approval). This
pediatric reward is subject to specific conditions and is not
automatically available when data in compliance with the PIP are
developed and submitted.
U.S. Regulation of Controlled Substances
The federal Controlled Substances Act of 1970 (CSA), and its
implementing regulations establish a “closed system” of regulations
for controlled substances. The CSA imposes registration, security,
recordkeeping and reporting, storage, manufacturing, distribution,
importation and other requirements under the oversight of the DEA.
The DEA is the federal agency responsible for regulating controlled
substances, and requires those individuals or entities that
manufacture, import, export, distribute, research, or dispense
controlled substances to comply with the regulatory requirements in
order to prevent the diversion of controlled substances to illicit
channels of commerce.
The DEA categorizes controlled substances into one of five
schedules (Schedule I, II, III, IV or V) with varying
qualifications for listing in each schedule. Schedule I
substances by definition have a high potential for abuse, have no
currently accepted medical use in treatment in the U.S. and lack
accepted safety for use under medical supervision. Pharmaceutical
products having a currently accepted medical use that are otherwise
approved for marketing may be listed as Schedule II, III, IV
or V substances, with Schedule II substances presenting the
highest potential for abuse and physical or psychological
dependence, and Schedule V substances presenting the lowest
relative potential for abuse and dependence.
Facilities that manufacture, distribute, import or export any
controlled substance must register annually with the DEA. The DEA
registration is specific to the particular location, activities and
controlled substance schedules. For example, separate registrations
are required for importation and manufacturing activities, and each
registration authorizes which schedules of controlled substances
the registrant may handle. However, certain coincident activities
are permitted without obtaining a separate DEA registration, such
as distribution of controlled substances by the manufacturer that
produces them.
The DEA inspects all manufacturing facilities to review security,
recordkeeping, reporting and handling prior to issuing a controlled
substance registration. The specific security requirements vary by
the type of business activity and the schedule and quantity of
controlled substances handled. The most stringent requirements
apply to manufacturers of Schedule I and Schedule II
substances. Required security measures commonly include background
checks on employees and physical control of controlled substances
through storage in approved vaults, safes and cages, and through
use of alarm systems and surveillance cameras. An application for a
manufacturing registration as a bulk manufacturer (not a dosage
form manufacturer or a repacker/relabeler) for a Schedule I or
II substance must be published in the Federal Register, and is open
for 60 days to permit interested persons to submit comments,
objections or requests for a hearing. A copy of the notice of the
Federal Register publication is simultaneously forwarded by DEA to
all those registered, or applicants for registration, as bulk
manufacturers of that substance. Once registered, manufacturing
facilities must maintain records documenting the manufacture,
receipt and distribution of all controlled substances.
Manufacturers must submit periodic reports to the DEA of the
distribution of Schedule I and II controlled substances,
Schedule III narcotic substances, and other designated
substances. Registrants must also report any controlled substance
thefts or significant losses, and must obtain authorization to
destroy or dispose of controlled substances. As with applications
for registration as a bulk manufacturer, an application for an
importer registration for a Schedule I or II substance must
also be published in the Federal Register, which remains open for
30 days for comments. Imports of Schedule I and II
controlled substances for commercial purposes are generally
restricted to substances not already available from a domestic
supplier or where there is not adequate competition among domestic
suppliers. In addition to an importer or exporter registration,
importers and exporters must obtain a permit for every import or
export of a Schedule I and II substance or Schedule III,
IV and V narcotic, and submit import or export declarations for
Schedule III, IV and V non-narcotics. In some cases,
Schedule III non-narcotic substances may be subject to the
import and export permit requirements, if necessary to ensure that
the U.S. complies with its obligations under international drug
control treaties.
For drugs manufactured in the U.S., the DEA establishes annually an
aggregate quota for the amount of substances within
Schedules I and II that may be manufactured or produced in the U.S.
based on the DEA’s estimate of the quantity needed to meet
legitimate medical, scientific, research and industrial needs. This
limited aggregate amount of cannabis that the DEA allows to be
produced in the U.S. each year is allocated among individual
companies, which, in turn, must annually apply to the DEA for
individual manufacturing and procurement quotas. The quotas apply
equally to the manufacturing of the active pharmaceutical
ingredient and production of dosage forms. The DEA may adjust
aggregate production quotas a few times per year, and individual
manufacturing or procurement quotas from time to time during the
year, although the DEA has substantial discretion in whether or not
to make such adjustments for individual companies.
The U.S. states also maintain separate controlled substance laws
and regulations, including licensing, recordkeeping, security,
distribution, and dispensing requirements. State authorities,
including Boards of Pharmacy, regulate use of controlled substances
in each state. Failure to maintain compliance with applicable
requirements, particularly as manifested in the loss or diversion
of controlled substances, can result in enforcement action that
could have a material adverse effect on our business, operations
and financial condition. The DEA may seek civil penalties, refuse
to renew necessary registrations, or initiate proceedings to revoke
those registrations. In certain circumstances, violations could
lead to criminal prosecution.
All of our operations are currently conducted in Israel, under
license from the Israeli Ministry of Health. The Company does not
and will not possess, manufacture, distribute or dispense cannabis
in the United States while such activities are not permitted under
U.S. federal law or in any other jurisdiction where such activities
are not permitted. The regulation of cannabis, cannabis extracts
and some cannabinoids may, however, limit our ability and that of
our strategic partners, to conduct clinical trials, market our
product candidates and to become profitable.
The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961
Many countries, including the United States, are parties to the
1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, which governs
international trade and domestic control of narcotic substances,
including cannabis and cannabis extracts. Countries may interpret
and implement their treaty obligations in a way that creates a
legal obstacle to the Company obtaining marketing approval for our
products in those countries. These countries may not be willing or
able to amend or otherwise modify their laws and regulations to
permit our products to be marketed or achieving such amendments to
the laws and regulations may take a prolonged period of time. In
that case, we would be unable to market our products in those
countries in the near future or perhaps at all.
E.U. Regulation of In vitro Diagnostics
We expect that Cannabics CDx will be subject to regulation in
the E.U. as an in vitro medical device. In the E.U.,
in vitro medical devices are currently required to
conform with the essential requirements of the E.U. Directive on
in vitro diagnostic medical devices (Directive No
98/79/EC, as amended). To demonstrate compliance with the essential
requirements, the manufacturer must undergo a conformity assessment
procedure. The conformity assessment varies according to the type
of medical device and its classification. The conformity assessment
of in vitro diagnostic medical devices can require the
intervention of an accredited E.U. Notified Body. If successful,
the conformity assessment concludes with the drawing up by the
manufacturer of an EC Declaration of Conformity entitling the
manufacturer to affix the CE mark to its products and to sell them
throughout the E.U.. On April 5, 2017, the E.U. adopted the new
In vitro Device Regulation (EU) 2017/746 (IVDR), which
repeals and replaces Directive No 98/79/EC. Unlike directives,
which must be implemented into the national laws of the E.U. member
states, a regulation is directly applicable, i.e., without the need
for adoption of E.U. member state laws implementing them, in all
E.U. member states. The IVDR, among other things, is intended to
establish a uniform, transparent, predictable and sustainable
regulatory framework across the E.U. for in vitro
diagnostic medical devices and ensure a high level of safety and
health while supporting innovation. The IVDR will not become fully
applicable until five years following its entry into force. Once
applicable, the IVDR will among other things:
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strengthen the rules on placing devices on the market and
reinforce surveillance once they are available; |
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establish explicit provisions on manufacturers’
responsibilities for the follow-up of the quality, performance and
safety of devices placed on the market; |
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improve the traceability of medical devices throughout the
supply chain to the end-user or patient through a unique
identification number; and |
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· |
set up a central database to provide patients, healthcare
professionals and the public with comprehensive information on
products available in the E.U. |
Healthcare Reform
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the
Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act, or
collectively the Affordable Care Act, was intended to broaden
access to health insurance, reduce or constrain the growth of
healthcare spending, enhance remedies against fraud and abuse, add
transparency requirements for the healthcare and health insurance
industries, impose new taxes and fees on the health industry and
impose additional health policy reforms. Among the provisions of
the Affordable Care Act that have been implemented since enactment
and are of importance to the pharmaceutical industry are the
following:
|
· |
an annual, non-deductible fee on any entity that manufactures
or imports specified branded prescription drugs or biologic
agents; |
|
· |
an increase in the statutory minimum rebates a manufacturer
must pay under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program; |
|
· |
expansion of healthcare fraud and abuse laws, including the
False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute, new government
investigative powers, and enhanced penalties for
noncompliance; |
|
· |
a Medicare Part D coverage gap discount program, in which
manufacturers must agree to offer 50% point-of-sale discounts off
negotiated prices of applicable brand drugs to eligible
beneficiaries during their coverage gap period, as a condition for
a manufacturer’s outpatient drugs to be covered under Medicare Part
D; |
|
· |
extension of manufacturers’ Medicaid rebate liability to
covered drugs dispensed to individuals who are enrolled in Medicaid
managed care organizations; |
|
· |
expansion of eligibility criteria for Medicaid programs; |
|
· |
expansion of the entities eligible for discounts under the
Public Health Service pharmaceutical pricing program; |
|
· |
requirements to report certain financial arrangements with
physicians and teaching hospitals; |
|
· |
a requirement to annually report certain information regarding
drug samples that manufacturers and distributors provide to
physicians; and |
|
· |
a new Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to oversee,
identify priorities in, and conduct comparative clinical
effectiveness research, along with funding for such research. |
In addition, other legislative changes have been proposed and
adopted since passage of the Affordable Care Act. The Budget
Control Act of 2011, among other things, created the Joint Select
Committee on Deficit Reduction to recommend proposals in spending
reductions to Congress. The Joint Select Committee did not achieve
its targeted deficit reduction of an amount greater than $1.2
trillion for the fiscal years 2012 through 2021, triggering the
legislation’s automatic reductions to several government programs.
These reductions included aggregate reductions to Medicare payments
to healthcare providers of up to 2.0% per fiscal year, which went
into effect in April 2013. Subsequent litigation extended the 2%
reduction, on average, to 2025.
There have been significant ongoing efforts to modify or eliminate
the Affordable Care Act. For example, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
enacted on December 22, 2017 repealed the shared responsibility
payment for individuals who fail to maintain minimum essential
coverage under section 5000A of the Internal Revenue Code, commonly
referred to as the individual mandate, beginning in 2019. The Joint
Committee on Taxation estimates that the repeal will result in over
13 million fewer Americans maintaining their health insurance
coverage over the next ten years and is likely to lead to increases
in insurance premiums.
On January 20, 2017, the President signed an executive order
directing federal agencies to exercise existing authorities to
reduce burdens associated with the Affordable Care Act pending
further action by Congress. In April 2018, the Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule and guidance
documents which changed requirements for health plans sold through
the Affordable Care Act marketplaces for 2019. These changes
include, for example, (i) turning over responsibility for
ensuring that marketplace plans have enough health care providers
in their networks to the states that rely on the federal
HealthCare.gov exchange; (ii) allowing states to alter aspects
of the essential health benefits required of health plans sold
through the federal and state insurance marketplaces; (iii)
eliminating certain Small Business Health Options Program
regulatory requirements; and (iv) outlining criteria by which
insurers may reduce the percentage of income allocated to patient
care. The U.S. Department of Labor issued a final rule in June 2018
to expand the availability of association health plans available to
small business owners and self-employed individuals, beginning on
September 1, 2018. These association health plans will not be
required to provide the essential health benefits mandated by the
Affordable Care Act. These and other regulations may impact
coverage of certain health care services.
In 2018, Congress proposed further legislation to repeal or revise
the Affordable Care Act, which if enacted, may have a significant
impact on the health care system. We expect that further changes to
the Affordable Care Act, as well as other healthcare reform
measures that have been and may be adopted in the future, may
result in more rigorous coverage criteria and in additional
downward pressure on the price that we receive for any approved
product, and could seriously harm our future revenue. Any reduction
in reimbursement from Medicare or other government programs may
result in a similar reduction in payments from private payors. The
implementation of cost containment measures or other healthcare
reforms may compromise our ability to generate revenue, attain
profitability or commercialize our product candidates.
Coverage and Reimbursement
Significant uncertainty exists as to the coverage and reimbursement
status of any products for which we obtain regulatory approval. In
the United States and markets in other countries, sales of any
products for which we receive regulatory approval for commercial
sale will depend in part on the availability of reimbursement from
third-party payors. Third-party payors include government health
administrative authorities, managed care providers, private health
insurers and other organizations. The process for determining
whether a payor will provide coverage for a drug product may be
separate from the process for setting the price or reimbursement
rate that the payor will pay for the drug product. Third-party
payors may limit coverage to specific drug products on an approved
list, or formulary, which might not include all of the FDA approved
drugs for a particular indication. Third-party payors are
increasingly challenging the price and examining the medical
necessity and cost-effectiveness of medical products and services,
in addition to their safety and efficacy. We may need to conduct
expensive pharmacoeconomic studies in order to demonstrate the
medical necessity and cost-effectiveness of our products, in
addition to the costs required to obtain FDA approvals. Our product
candidates, if approved, may not be considered medically necessary
or cost-effective. A payor’s decision to provide coverage for a
drug product does not imply that an adequate reimbursement rate
will be approved. Adequate third-party reimbursement may not be
available to enable us to maintain price levels sufficient to
realize an appropriate return on our investment in product
development.
The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act
of 2003 changed the way Medicare covers and pays for pharmaceutical
products, including creating the Medicare Part D prescription
drug benefit, which became effective at the beginning of 2006.
Government payment for some of the costs of prescription drugs may
increase demand for any products for which we receive marketing
approval. However, to obtain payments under this program, we would
be required to sell products to Medicare recipients through
prescription drug plans operating pursuant to this legislation.
These plans will likely negotiate discounted prices for our
products. In addition, we will be subject to the rules and
regulations issued by CMS from time to time for Medicare Part D,
such as the requirement, effective January 1, 2021, to include drug
price increases and lower cost therapeutic alternatives on its Part
D Explanation of Benefits that Medicare Part D sends members to
inform Medicare beneficiaries about possible ways to lower their
out of pocket costs by considering a lower cost medication.
Existing federal law requires pharmaceutical manufacturers to pay
rebates to state governments, based on a statutory formula, on
covered outpatient drugs reimbursed by the Medicaid program as a
condition of having their drugs paid for by Medicaid. Rebate
amounts for a product are determined by a statutory formula that is
based on prices defined in the statute: average manufactured price
(AMP), which must be calculated for all products that are covered
outpatient drugs under the Medicaid program, and best price, which
must be calculated only for those covered outpatient drugs that are
a single source drug or innovator multiple source drug, such as
biologic products. Manufacturers are required to report AMP and
best price for each of their covered outpatient drugs to the
government on a regular basis. Additionally, some state Medicaid
programs have imposed a requirement for supplemental rebates over
and above the formula set forth in federal law, as a condition for
coverage. In addition to the Medicaid rebate program, federal law
also requires that if a pharmaceutical manufacturer wishes to have
its outpatient drugs covered under Medicaid as well as under
Medicare Part B, it must sign a “Master Agreement” obligating
it to provide a formulaic discount of approximately 24% known as
the federal ceiling price for drugs sold to the U.S. Departments of
Defense (including the TRICARE retail pharmacy program), Veterans
Affairs, the Public Health Service and the Coast Guard, and also
provide discounts through a drug pricing agreement meeting the
requirements of Section 340B of the Public Health Service Act,
for outpatient drugs sold to certain specified eligible healthcare
organizations. The formula for determining the discounted purchase
price under the 340B drug pricing program is defined by statute and
is based on the AMP and rebate amount for a particular product as
calculated under the Medicaid drug rebate program, discussed
above.
Different pricing and reimbursement schemes exist in other
countries. In the European Union, each E.U. Member States can
restrict the range of medicinal products for which its national
health insurance system provides reimbursement and can control the
prices of medicinal products for human use marketed on its
territory. As a result, following receipt of marketing
authorization in an E.U. Member State, through any application
route, the applicant is required to engage in pricing discussions
and negotiations with the competent pricing authority in the
individual E.U. Member State. The governments of the E.U. Member
States influence the price of pharmaceutical products through their
pricing and reimbursement rules and control of national healthcare
systems that fund a large part of the cost of those products to
consumers. Some E.U. Member States operate positive and negative
list systems under which products may only be marketed once a
reimbursement price has been agreed upon. To obtain reimbursement
or pricing approval, some of these countries may require the
completion of clinical trials that compare the cost-effectiveness
of a particular product candidate to currently available therapies.
Other E.U. Member States allow companies to fix their own prices
for medicines, but monitor and control company profits. Others
adopt a system of reference pricing, basing the price or
reimbursement level in their territories either on the pricing and
reimbursement levels in other countries or on the pricing and
reimbursement levels of medicinal products intended for the same
therapeutic indication. Further, some E.U. Member States approve a
specific price for the medicinal product or may instead adopt a
system of direct or indirect controls on the profitability of the
company placing the medicinal product on the market. The downward
pressure on healthcare costs in general, particularly prescription
drugs, has become more intense. As a result, increasingly high
barriers are being erected to the entry of new products. In
addition, we may face competition for our product candidates from
lower-priced products in foreign countries that have placed price
controls on pharmaceutical products. In addition, in some
countries, cross-border imports from low-priced markets exert a
commercial pressure on pricing within a country.
Health Technology Assessment (HTA), of medicinal products, however,
is becoming an increasingly common part of the pricing and
reimbursement procedures in some E.U. Member States. These E.U.
Member States include the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland,
Italy and Sweden. HTA is the procedure according to which the
assessment of the public health impact, therapeutic impact and the
economic and societal impact of use of a given medicinal product in
the national healthcare systems of the individual country is
conducted. HTA generally focuses on the clinical efficacy and
effectiveness, safety, cost, and cost-effectiveness of individual
medicinal products as well as their potential implications for the
healthcare system. Those elements of medicinal products are
compared with other treatment options available on the market.
The outcome of HTA regarding specific medicinal products will often
influence the pricing and reimbursement status granted to these
medicinal products by the competent authorities of individual E.U.
Member States. The extent to which pricing and reimbursement
decisions are influenced by the HTA of the specific medicinal
product varies between E.U. Member States.
In addition, pursuant to Directive 2011/24/EU on the application of
patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare, a voluntary network of
national authorities or bodies responsible for HTA in the
individual E.U. Member States was established. The purpose of the
network is to facilitate and support the exchange of scientific
information concerning HTAs. This may lead to harmonization of the
criteria taken into account in the conduct of HTAs between E.U.
Member States and in pricing and reimbursement decisions and may
negatively affect price in at least some E.U. Member States.
The marketability of any products for which we receive regulatory
approval for commercial sale may suffer if the government and
third-party payors fail to provide adequate coverage and
reimbursement. In addition, an increasing emphasis on managed care
in the United States has increased and will continue to increase
the pressure on pharmaceutical pricing. With few exceptions (e.g.,
limitations on Medicare Part D sponsors concerning certain
formulary changes), coverage policies and third-party reimbursement
rates may change at any time.
Even if favorable coverage and reimbursement status is attained for
one or more products for which we receive regulatory approval, less
favorable coverage policies and reimbursement rates may be
implemented in the future.
Other Healthcare Laws and Compliance Requirements
In the U.S., our planned activities are potentially subject to
additional regulation, particularly if third-party reimbursement
becomes available for one or more of any products we may develop,
by various federal, state and local authorities in addition to the
FDA, including CMS, other divisions of the Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS), the DOJ and individual U.S. Attorney offices
within the DOJ, and state and local governments.
A variety of federal and state laws prohibit fraud and abuse. These
laws are interpreted broadly and enforced aggressively by various
state and federal agencies, including CMS, the Department of
Justice, the Office of Inspector General, for HHS, and various
state agencies. In addition, the Medicare and Medicaid programs
increasingly use a variety of contractors to review claims data and
to identify improper payments as well as fraud and abuse. These
contractors include Recovery Audit Contractors, Medicaid Integrity
Contractors and Zone Program Integrity Contractors. In addition,
CMS conducts Comprehensive Error Rate Testing audits, the purpose
of which is to detect improper Medicare payments. Any overpayments
identified must be repaid unless a favorable decision is obtained
on appeal. In some cases, these overpayments can be used as the
basis for an extrapolation, by which the error rate is applied to a
larger universe of claims, and which can result in even higher
repayments.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), as
amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and
Clinical Health Act (HITECH), imposes criminal and civil liability
for executing a scheme to defraud any healthcare benefit program,
including private third-party payors and knowingly and willfully
falsifying, concealing or covering up a material fact or making any
materially false, fictitious or fraudulent statement or
representation, or making or using any false writing or document
knowing the same to contain any materially false, fictitious or
fraudulent statement or entry in connection with the delivery of or
payment for healthcare benefits, items or services. A violation of
this statute is a felony and may result in fines, imprisonment or
exclusion from federal health care programs, such as the Medicare
and Medicaid programs.
The federal False Claims Act prohibits any person from knowingly
presenting, or causing to be presented, a false or fraudulent claim
for payment of government funds or knowingly making, using or
causing to be made or used, a false record or statement material to
an obligation to pay money to the government, or knowingly and
improperly avoiding, decreasing or concealing an obligation to pay
money to the federal government. Pharmaceutical and other
healthcare companies have been investigated and reached substantial
financial settlements under these laws for, among other things,
allegedly providing free product to customers with the expectation
that the customers would bill federal programs for the product.
Other companies have been prosecuted for causing false claims to be
submitted because of the companies’ marketing of the product for
unapproved, and thus non-reimbursable, uses. Pharmaceutical and
other healthcare companies are also subject to other federal false
claims laws, including, among others, federal criminal healthcare
fraud and false statement statutes that extend to non-government
health benefit programs.
The federal Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits, among other things,
knowingly and willfully offering, paying, soliciting, receiving, or
providing remuneration, directly or indirectly, to induce or in
return for either the referral of an individual, or the furnishing,
recommending, or arranging for the purchase, lease or order of any
health care item or service reimbursable, in whole or in part,
under a federal health care program. The definition of
“remuneration” has been broadly interpreted to include anything of
value, including gifts, discounts, credit arrangements, payments of
cash, ownership interests and providing anything at less than its
fair market value. This statute has been interpreted to apply to
arrangements between pharmaceutical manufacturers on one hand and
prescribers, purchasers, and formulary managers on the other.
Although there are a number of statutory exemptions and regulatory
safe harbors protecting some business arrangements from
prosecution, the exemptions and safe harbors are drawn narrowly and
practices that involve remuneration intended to induce prescribing,
purchasing or recommending may be subject to scrutiny if they do
not qualify for an exemption or safe harbor. The reach of the
Anti-Kickback Statute was broadened by the Affordable Care Act,
which, among other things, amends the intent requirement of the
federal Anti-Kickback Statute. Pursuant to the statutory amendment,
a person or entity no longer needs to have actual knowledge of this
statute or specific intent to violate it in order to have committed
a violation. In addition, the Affordable Care Act provides that the
government may assert that a claim including items or services
resulting from a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute
constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the civil
False Claims Act or the Civil Monetary Penalties Law, which imposes
penalties against any person who is determined to have presented or
caused to be presented a claim to a federal health program that the
person knows or should know is for an item or service that was not
provided as claimed or is false or fraudulent.
The federal Physician Payment Sunshine Act, being implemented as
the Open Payments Program, requires certain pharmaceutical and
biological manufacturers to engage in extensive tracking of
payments or transfers of value to physicians and teaching hospitals
and public reporting of the payment data. Pharmaceutical and
biological manufacturers with products for which payment is
available under Medicare, Medicaid or the State Children’s Health
Insurance Program are required to track such payments, and must
submit a report on or before the 90th day of each calendar year
disclosing reportable payments made in the previous calendar
year.
Many states have similar fraud and abuse statutes or regulations
that apply to items and services reimbursed under Medicaid and
other state programs, or, in several states, apply regardless of
the payor. Some state laws also require pharmaceutical companies to
report expenses relating to the marketing and promotion of
pharmaceutical products and to report gifts and payments to certain
health care providers in those states. Some of these states also
prohibit certain marketing-related activities including the
provision of gifts, meals, or other items to certain health care
providers. In addition, California, Connecticut, Nevada and
Massachusetts require pharmaceutical companies to implement
compliance programs or marketing codes of conduct.
Because of the breadth of these laws and the narrowness of
available statutory and regulatory exemptions, it is possible that
some of our business activities could be subject to challenge under
one or more of such laws. If our operations are found to be in
violation of any of the federal and state laws described above or
any other governmental regulations that apply to us, we may be
subject to penalties, including criminal and significant civil
monetary penalties, damages, fines, imprisonment, exclusion from
participation in government programs, injunctions, recall or
seizure of products, total or partial suspension of production,
denial or withdrawal of pre-marketing product approvals, private
“qui tam” actions brought by individual whistleblowers in the name
of the government or refusal to allow us to enter into supply
contracts, including government contracts, and the curtailment or
restructuring of our operations, any of which could adversely
affect our ability to operate our business and our results of
operations. To the extent that any of our products are sold in a
foreign country, we may be subject to similar foreign laws and
regulations, which may include, for instance, applicable
post-marketing requirements, including safety surveillance,
anti-fraud and abuse laws, and implementation of corporate
compliance programs and reporting of payments or transfers of value
to healthcare professionals.
In addition, at the federal level, the Drug Supply Chain Security
Act (DSCA), regulates the distribution and tracing of prescription
drugs. The DSCA imposes requirements to ensure accountability in
prescription drug distribution, for example, it requires
manufacturers to affix a product identifier to each package and
case of a prescription drug product intended for sale. A product
identifier is an electronically-readable graphic that contains
information including the product’s unique numerical identifier,
lot number, and expiration date. The DSCA also requires relevant
parties and to identify and remove illegitimate products from the
market, including products that are counterfeit, stolen,
intentionally contaminated, or otherwise harmful. The Prescription
Drug Marketing Act, its implementing regulations and state laws
also regulate the distribution of prescription drug product
samples.
In order to distribute products commercially, we must also comply
with state law requirements for registration of manufacturers and
wholesale distributors of pharmaceutical products, including, in
some states, manufacturers and distributors who ship products into
the state even if such manufacturers or distributors have no place
of business within the state. Several states, and more recently
some large cities, have enacted legislation requiring
pharmaceutical companies to, among other things, establish
marketing compliance programs, file periodic reports with the
state, register their sales representatives, and/or limit other
specified sales and marketing practices. All of our activities are
potentially subject to federal and state consumer protection and
unfair competition laws.
The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), prohibits any U.S.
individual or business from paying, offering, or authorizing
payment or offering of anything of value, directly or indirectly,
to any foreign official, political party or candidate for the
purpose of influencing any act or decision of the foreign entity in
order to assist the individual or business in obtaining or
retaining business. The FCPA also obligates companies whose
securities are listed in the United States to comply with
accounting provisions requiring such companies to maintain books
and records that accurately and fairly reflect all transactions of
the corporation, including international subsidiaries, and to
devise and maintain an adequate system of internal accounting
controls for international operations.
In Europe, and throughout the world, other countries have enacted
anti-bribery laws and/or regulations similar to the FCPA.
Violations of any of these anti-bribery laws, or allegations of
such violations, could have a negative impact on our business,
results of operations and reputation.
Data Privacy and Security Laws
We expect that the Company may also be subject to data protection
laws and regulations (i.e., laws and regulations that address
privacy and data security). In the U.S., numerous federal and state
laws and regulations, including state data breach notification
laws, state health information privacy laws, and federal and state
consumer protection laws (e.g., Section 5 of the FTC Act), govern
the collection, use, disclosure and protection of health-related
and other personal information. Failure to comply with data
protection laws and regulations could result in government
enforcement actions and create liability for the Company (which
could include civil and/or criminal penalties), private litigation
and/or adverse publicity that could negatively affect our operating
results and business. HIPAA, as amended by HITECH, and its
implementing regulations, among other things, imposes obligations,
including mandatory contractual terms, with respect to safeguarding
the privacy, security and transmission of individually identifiable
health information.
To the extent that we conduct clinical trials or seek to
commercialize our products outside of the United States, we will
also be subject to a variety of foreign data protection laws and
regulations. E.U. member states, Israel and other countries have
adopted data protection laws and regulations that impose
significant compliance obligations. In the European Union, the
collection and use of personal health data is governed by the
provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The
GDPR became effective on May 25, 2018, repealing its predecessor
directive and increasing responsibility and liability of
pharmaceutical companies in relation to the processing of personal
data of E.U. subjects. The GDPR, together with the national
legislation of the E.U. member states governing the processing of
personal data, impose strict obligations and restrictions on the
ability to collect, analyze and transfer personal data, including
health data from clinical trials and adverse event reporting. In
particular, these obligations and restrictions concern the consent
of the individuals to whom the personal data relates, the
information provided to the individuals, the transfer of personal
data out of the European Union, security breach notifications,
security and confidentiality of the personal data and imposition of
substantial potential fines for breaches of the data protection
obligations. Data protection authorities from the different E.U.
member states may interpret the GDPR and national laws differently
and impose additional requirements, which add to the complexity of
processing personal data in the European Union. Guidance on
implementation and compliance practices are often updated or
otherwise revised. For our clinical trials in Israel, to the extent
that the sites for our trials include certain university, company
or government agencies, we may be subject to restrictions and data
protection obligations under the Protection of Privacy Law,
5741-1981, and the Protection of Privacy Regulations (Data
Security), 5777-2017. All of these laws may impact our business.
Our failure to comply with these privacy laws or significant
changes in the laws restricting our ability to obtain required
patient information could significantly impact our business and our
future business plans.
Israel Laboratory Licensing and Regulation
We are required to maintain licensure under the law of Israel for
our laboratory in Rehovot, Israel. The Israeli law includes
standards for the day-to-day operation of a clinical reference
laboratory, including the training and skills required of personnel
and quality control. In addition, Israeli laws mandate proficiency
testing, which involves testing of specimens that have been
specifically prepared for the laboratory. Our research laboratory
was certified by Israel in 2017. If we do not meet the requirements
of Israeli laws, the Israeli Ministry of Health may suspend,
restrict or revoke our license to operate our laboratory, assess
substantial civil money penalties, or impose specific corrective
action plans.
Our laboratory will be subject to Israeli regulations relating to
the handling and disposal of regulated medical waste, hazardous
waste and biohazardous waste, including chemical, biological agents
and compounds, blood samples and other human tissue. Typically, we
will use outside vendors who are contractually obligated to comply
with applicable laws and regulations to dispose of such waste.
These vendors will be licensed or otherwise qualified to handle and
dispose of such waste.
The Israeli Institute for Occupational Safety & Health has
established extensive requirements relating to workplace safety for
health care employers, including requirements to develop and
implement programs to protect workers from exposure to blood-borne
pathogens by preventing or minimizing any exposure through needle
stick or similar penetrating injuries.
Information Systems
Information systems are used extensively in virtually all aspects
of our businesses. In our clinical laboratory services business,
our information systems are critical with respect to laboratory
testing, billing, accounts receivable, customer service, logistics,
and management of medical data. Our success depends, in part, on
the continued and uninterrupted performance of our information
technology systems. Computer systems are vulnerable to damage from
a variety of sources, including telecommunications or network
failures, malicious human acts and natural disasters.
Moreover, despite network security measures, some of our servers
are potentially vulnerable to physical or electronic break-ins,
computer viruses and similar disruptive problems. We have invested
heavily in the upgrade of our information and telecommunications
systems to improve the quality, efficiency and security of our
businesses.
Despite the precautionary measures that we have taken to prevent
unanticipated problems that could affect our information technology
systems, sustained or repeated system failures that interrupt our
ability to process test orders, deliver test results or perform
tests in a timely manner could adversely affect our reputation and
result in a loss of customers and net revenues.
Employees
As at the date of this prospectus, we have nine full-time employees
and three part-time employees on a consolidated basis, of which six
are responsible for oversight of research and development, clinical
trials, and regulatory affairs, and six are responsible for
corporate and business development, administration, investor
relations, information technology, accounting and finance.
Our scientific staff, which includes five individuals with post
graduate degrees, possess a wide range of experience and expertise
in the areas of molecular cell biology, biochemistry, assay
development, endo-cannabinoid biology and high-throughput drug
screening.
In addition to our permanent workforce, we regularly utilize
outside consultants to provide advice on our research and
development, clinical development planning and preclinical research
programs on a project-by-project basis. We also retain, from time
to time, independent contractors and consultants to perform
specialized services.
Our employees and consultants have entered into non-disclosure and
invention assignment agreements with us regarding our intellectual
properties, trade secrets and other confidential information. In
addition, we have entered into non-competition agreements with each
of our key employees and consultants.
We have no collective bargaining agreements with our employees and
none are represented by labor unions. We consider our relationship
with our employees to be good.
We expect to increase the number of our employees and independent
contractors as we expand our operations. See “Risk Factors” elsewhere in this
prospectus.
Insurance
We currently maintain director and officer insurance, as well as
property and general liability insurance. As our needs grow, we
will secure insurance coverage as necessary. We do not have key
person insurance. See “Risk
Factors” elsewhere in this prospectus.
Legal Proceedings
On March 8, 2020, we joined Cannabics Inc., our largest
shareholder, in a suit in Tel Aviv, Israel against Seach Sarid
Ltd., Seach Medical Group Ltd., and Shay Sarid in Tel Aviv, Israel,
claiming that the defendants pursued certain business arrangements
which rightfully inured to Cannabics Inc. and us. The Tel Aviv
court has referred the dispute to arbitration in Tel Aviv. Other
that this arbitration proceeding, we are not currently a party to
any legal proceedings.
Property and Facilities
We do not own any real property. We have no policies with respect
to investments in real estate or interests in real estate.
Our head office is located in a shared office suite at # 3 Bethesda
Metro Center, Suite 700 Bethesda, Maryland.
Our research and development facilities and in-house laboratory are
located in Rehovot, Israel, where we currently occupy approximately
230 square meters at an annual rental rate of NIS 150,480 ($41,294)
under a two-year lease agreement that expires on January 31, 2021.
Lease payments are linked to the Israeli Consumer Price Index, or
CPI, based on the CPI published on February 1, 2018. We have an
option to extend this lease for an additional two years.
The administrative offices for our Israeli operations are located
in Tel Aviv, Israel, where we currently occupy approximately 134
square meters at an annual rental rate of NIS 147,600
(approximately $42,171) under a one-year lease agreement that
expires on January 4, 2021.
We believe that our current facilities will be sufficient to meet
our anticipated needs for the foreseeable future and are suitable
for the conduct of our business. Even so, we believe that suitable
additional or alternative space will be available in the future on
commercially reasonable terms, if required.
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
You should read the
following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and
results of operations together with our financial statements and
related notes appearing at the end of this prospectus. This
discussion and other parts of this prospectus contain
forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties,
such as statements regarding our plans, objectives, expectations,
intentions and projections. Our actual results could differ
materially from those discussed in these forward-looking
statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such
differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed in the
“Risk Factors” section of this prospectus.
Overview
The Company was incorporated in the State of Nevada, on September
15, 2004, as Thrust Energy Corp. On May 5, 2011, the Company
changed its name to American Mining Company. Our principal offices
are in Bethesda, Maryland. On May 21, 2014, the Company changed its
name to its current Cannabics Pharmaceuticals Inc.
The Company was originally engaged in the exploration, development
and production of oil and gas projects within North America but was
unable to operate profitably. In May 2011, the Company suspended
its oil and gas operations and changed its business to toll milling
and refining and mine development. As of April 2014, the Company
has changed its course of business to Biotechnology Pharmaceutical
development. As such, the Company has divested itself of its former
mining properties.
Financing
We will require additional financing to implement our business
plan, which may include joint venture projects and debt or equity
financings. The nature of this enterprise and lack of positive cash
flow places debt financing beyond the credit-worthiness required by
most banks or typical investors of corporate debt until such time
as an economically viable profits and losses can be demonstrated.
Therefore any debt financing of our activities may be costly and
result in substantial dilution to our stockholders.
Future financing through equity investments is likely to be
dilutive to existing stockholders. Also, the terms of securities we
may issue in future capital transactions may be more favorable for
our new investors. Newly issued securities may include preferences,
superior voting rights, and the issuance of warrants or other
derivative securities, which may have additional dilutive effects.
Further, we may incur substantial costs in pursuing future capital
and financing, including investment banking fees, legal fees,
accounting fees, and other costs. We may also be required to
recognize non-cash expenses in connection with certain securities
we may issue, such as convertible notes and warrants, which will
adversely impact our financial condition.
Our ability to obtain needed financing may be impaired by such
factors as the capital markets, both generally and specifically in
the bio-pharma industry, and the fact that we have not been
profitable to date, which could impact the availability or cost of
future financings. If the amount of capital we are able to raise
from financing activities, together with our revenue from
operations, is not sufficient to satisfy our capital needs, even to
the extent that we reduce our operations accordingly, we may be
required to cease operations.
There is no assurance that we will be able to obtain financing on
terms satisfactory to us, or at all. We do not have any
arrangements in place for any future financing. If we are unable to
secure additional funding, we may cease or suspend operations. We
have no plans, arrangements or contingencies in place in the event
that we cease operations.
Results of Operations
Quarter ended November 30, 2020 compared to quarter ended
November 30, 2019
Revenues
We have not received royalties during the three months ended
November 30, 2020 due to the termination of the royalties
agreement, compared to $1,754 for the three months ended November
30, 2019. The reason for the decrease in revenues is due to the
termination of our relationship with the licensee.
Operating Expenses
For the three months ended November 30, 2020 our total operating
expenses were $659,732 compared to $817,610 for the three months
ended November 30, 2019 resulting in a decrease of $157,878. The
decrease is attributable to decrease of $108,009 in general
administration expenses and a total decrease of $49,869 in research
and development expenses, and sales and marketing expenses.
We incurred a financial income of $4,965 for the three months ended
November 30, 2020, compared to financial expense of $4,326,339 for
the three months ended November 30, 2019. The decrease in financial
expense was mainly attributable to revaluation of a financial asset
of $4,363,000. This revaluation relates to our Company’s investment
in Seedo Corp., which is obligated by the afore-mentioned sum in
future royalties. Subsequent to November 30th, 2019, but
prior to the date of this filing, the Company was made aware of a
Petition for Debt Settlement filing by E-Roll Grow Tech Ltd., the
fully owned subsidiary of Seedo Corp. Said filing calls into
question the ability of Seedo Corp. to fulfill its royalty
obligations to us. This accounting treatment does not release Seedo
from its obligations under the agreement. As such, the Company has
removed its anticipated Royalties for accounting purposes from
Seedo at this time. As a result, the net loss was $654,767 for the
three months ended November 30, 2020 compared to $5,141,195 for the
three months ended November 30, 2019.
Net loss
Net loss decreased by $4,487,428 to $654,767 for the three months
ended November 30, 2020, compared to a net loss of $5,142,195 for
the three months ended November 30, 2019.
Year ended August 31, 2020 compared to the year ended August
31, 2019
Revenues
The revenues for the year ended August 31, 2020 totaled to $7,157
compared to $9,843 for the year ended August 31, 2019.
Operating and Other Expenses
For the year ended August 31, 2020, our total operating expenses
were $3,050,609 compared to $3,313,450 for the year ended August
31, 2019. The decrease is attributable mainly to a decrease in
sales and marketing expenses of $228,166, a decrease in general and
administrative expenses of $173,378, and an increase in research
and development expenditures of $138,702. The decrease in the sales
and marketing expenses is attributable mainly to a decrease in
company PR services of $21,665, and the fact that the Company did
not have any travel abroad or conferences expenses for the year
ended August 31, 2020, compared to $125,672 of company PR Services
and $51,817 of travel and conference expenses for the year ended
August 31, 2019.
Net Loss
The net loss for the year ended August 31, 2020 was $7,467,463
compared to net income of $1,132,970 for the year ended August 31,
2019.
Year ended August 31, 2019 compared to the year ended August
31, 2018
Revenues
The revenues for the year ended August 31, 2019 totaled to $9,843
compared to $9,601 for the year ended August 31, 2018.
Operating and Other Expenses
For the year ended August 31, 2019 our total operating expenses
were $3,313,450 compared to $3,818,328 for the year ended August
31, 2018. The decrease is attributable mainly to, general and
administrative of $910,870, decrease in marketing expenses of
$133,852, and increase in research and development expenditures of
$539,843. The decrease in the general and administrative expenses
attributed mainly to the company share based compensation in total
of $247,307 for the year ended August 31, 2019 comparing to
$910,870 for the year ended August 31, 2018.
The net income for the year ended August 31, 2019 was $1,132,970
compared to net loss $3,776,617 for the year ended August 31,
2018.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Overview
For the quarter ended November 30, 2020, the year ended August 31,
2020, as well as for the year ended August 31, 2019, we funded our
operations through the issuance of common stock and advances from
our majority shareholder. Our principal use of funds during the
quarter ended November 30, 2020, the year ended August 31, 2020 has
been for laboratory and clinical research relating to our
proprietary materials and normative corporate operating
expenses.
Quarter ended November 30, 2020 compared to quarter ended
November 30, 2019
As of November 30, 2020, we had $184,031 in cash compared to
$319,344 on November 30, 2019. We expect to incur a minimum of
$1,000,000 in expenses during the next twelve months of operations.
We estimate that these expenses will be comprised primarily of
general expenses including overhead, legal and accounting fees,
research and development expenses, and fees payable to outside
medical centers for clinical studies.
We used cash in operations of $592,637 for the three months ended
November 30, 2020 compared to cash used in operations of $761,687
for the three months ended November 30, 2019. The negative cash
flow from operating activities for the three months ended November
30, 2020 is primarily attributable to the Company's net loss from
operations of $654,767, a decrease in accounts payables and accrued
liabilities of $12,100 and an increase of $16,275 in account
receivables and prepaid expenses. Offset by depreciation of $57,505
and shares issued for services of $33,000.
We had cash flow from investing activities of $943 during the three
months ended November 30, 2020, compared to $815,049 cash flow from
investing activities for the three months ended November 30, 2019.
The reason for the decrease in cash flow from investing activities
is primarily due to the purchase of fixed assets in an aggregate
amount of $934, for the period ended November 30, 2020, and
realization of held for trading shares in the aggregate amount of
$824,849 for the period ended November 30, 2019.
We will have to raise funds to pay for our expenses. We may have to
borrow money from shareholders, issue equity or enter into a
strategic arrangement with a third party. There can be no assurance
that additional capital will be available to us. We currently have
no arrangements or understandings with any person to obtain funds
through bank loans, lines of credit or any other sources. Since we
have no such arrangements or plans currently in effect, our
inability to raise funds for our operations will have a severe
negative impact on our ability to remain a viable company.
Year ended August 31, 2020 compared to the year ended August
31, 2019
As of August 31, 2020, we had $777,611 in cash compared to $265,982
as of August 31, 2019. The Company used cash in operations of
$2,774,954 for the year ended August 31, 2020 compared to cash used
in operations of $3,093,782 for the year ended August 31, 2019.
During the year ended August 31, 2020, the Company's net cash used
for investing activities totaled $3,286,584. This compares to net
cash used for investing activities in the year ended August 31,
2019 in the amount of $5,251,115. The difference reflects
primarily the realization of some held for trading investments and
the purchase of fixed assets.
During the year ended August 31, 2020, the Company had no financing
activities. This compares to net cash earned from financing
activities in the year ended August 31, 2020 in the amount of
$7,217,270.
Year ended August 31, 2019 compared to the year ended August
31, 2018
For the year ended August 31, 2019, as well as the year ended
August 31, 2018, we funded our operations through issuance of
common stock and advances from our majority shareholder. Our
principal use of funds during the year ended August 31, 2019 has
been for laboratory and clinical research relating to our
proprietary materials normative corporate operating expenses.
As of August 31, 2019, we had cash $265,982 compared to $1,393,608
as of August 31, 2018. The Company used cash in operations of
$3,093,782 for the year ended August 31, 2019 compared to cash used
in operations of $1,974,692 for the year ended August 31, 2018.
During the year ended August 31, 2019, the Company's investing
activities totaled $5,251,115. This compares to net cash used for
investing activities in the year ended August 31, 2018 in the
amount of $1,442,394. The difference reflects primarily of
held for trading and available for sale investments and purchase of
fixed assets.
During the year ended August 31, 2019, the Company's financing
activities earned $7,217,270. This compares to net cash earned for
financing activities in the year ended August 31, 2018 in the
amount of $1,443,000. During the year ended August 31,2019.
Cash Flows
The following table summarizes our sources and uses of cash for
each of the periods presented:
|
|
For
the Nine Months ended November 30, |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2019 |
|
|
|
Unaudited |
|
|
Audited |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash provided by (used) in operating activities |
|
$ |
(592,637 |
) |
|
$ |
(2,774,955 |
) |
|
$ |
(3,093,782 |
) |
Cash
from (used) in investing activities |
|
|
(943 |
) |
|
|
3,286,584 |
|
|
|
(5,251,115 |
) |
Cash provided by financing activities |
|
|
– |
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
7,217,270 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |
|
$ |
(593,580 |
) |
|
$ |
511,629 |
|
|
$ |
(1,127,626 |
) |
Going Concern
Due to the uncertainty of our ability to meet our current operating
and capital expenses, our independent auditors included an
explanatory paragraph in their report on the audited financial
statements for the year ended August 31, 2020 regarding concerns
about our ability to continue as a going concern. Our financial
statements contain additional note disclosures describing the
circumstances that lead to this disclosure by our independent
auditors.
Our financial statements have been prepared on a going concern
basis, which assumes the realization of assets and settlement of
liabilities in the normal course of business. Our ability to
continue as a going concern is dependent upon our ability to
generate profitable operations in the future and/ or to obtain the
necessary financing to meet our obligations and repay our
liabilities arising from normal business operations when they
become due. The outcome of these matters cannot be predicted with
any certainty at this time and raise substantial doubt that we will
be able to continue as a going concern. Our financial statements do
not include any adjustments to the amount and classification of
assets and liabilities that may be necessary should we be unable to
continue as a going concern.
There is no assurance that our operations will be profitable. The
Company has conducted private placements of its common stock, which
have generated funds to satisfy the initial cash requirements of
its planned Nevada exploration ventures. Our continued existence
and plans for future growth depend on our ability to obtain the
additional capital necessary to operate either through the
generation of revenue or the issuance of additional debt or
equity.
Contractual Obligations and Commitments
The following table summarizes our contractual obligations as of
November 30, 2020 and August 31, 2020 and the effects that such
obligations are expected to have on our liquidity and cash flows in
future periods:
|
|
Payments Due by Period |
|
As of
August 31, 2020 |
|
Total |
|
|
Less Than
1 Year
|
|
|
1 to 3
Years
|
|
|
4 to 5
Years
|
|
|
More than
5 Years |
|
|
|
|
|
Operating lease commitments (1) |
|
$ |
95,700 |
|
|
$ |
78,000 |
|
|
$ |
17,700 |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
Loan payable (2) |
|
$ |
223,645 |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
|
$ |
223,645 |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
|
$ |
319,345 |
|
|
$ |
78,000 |
|
|
$ |
241,345 |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
|
|
Payments Due by Period |
|
As of
November 30, 2020 |
|
Total |
|
|
Less Than
1 Year
|
|
|
1 to 3
Years
|
|
|
4 to 5
Years
|
|
|
More than
5 Years |
|
|
|
|
|
Operating lease commitments (1) |
|
$ |
58,500 |
|
|
$ |
58,500 |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
Loan payable (2) |
|
$ |
223,645 |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
|
$ |
223,645 |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
|
$ |
282,345 |
|
|
$ |
58,500 |
|
|
$ |
223,645 |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
(1) |
Amounts in the table reflect
payments due for our lease of cars, office space, and laboratory
facilities in Israel. The operating lease for our laboratory
facilities in Israel expires on January 31, 2021, and we intend to
exercise our option to renew the lease. |
(2) |
The balance due to Cannabics Inc.
(our parent company) at November 30, 2020, at August 31, 2020, and
at August 31, 2019 was $223,645. The loan is due on demand and
bears no interest. |
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We currently have no off-balance sheet arrangements that have or
are reasonably likely to have a current or future material effect
on our financial condition, changes in financial condition,
revenues or expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital
expenditures or capital resources.
Recently Issued and Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
We have reviewed all recently issued standards and have determined
that, other than as disclosed in Note 2 to our financial
statements appearing at the end of this prospectus, such standards
are not expected to have a material impact on our financial
statements or do not otherwise apply to our operations.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market
Risk.
We are a smaller reporting company as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the
Exchange Act and are not required to provide the information
required under this item.
MANAGEMENT
Directors and Executive Officers
The following individuals serves as Directors and Executive
Officers of the Company as of the date of this prospectus.
Directors of the Company hold office until the next annual meeting
of our shareholders or until their successors have been elected and
qualified. Executive officers of the Company are appointed by our
board of directors and hold office until their death, resignation
or removal from office.
Name |
|
Position |
|
Age |
|
Held Position Since |
Eyal Barad |
|
Director, CEO |
|
55 |
|
November 13, 2017
(Director) |
Dr. Eyal Ballan |
|
CTO |
|
46 |
|
April 29, 2014 |
Uri Ben-Or |
|
CFO |
|
49 |
|
December 9, 2016 |
Gabriel Yariv |
|
Director, COO |
|
43 |
|
October 2, 2019
(Director) |
Eyal Barad, 55, is a co-founder of Cannabics Inc. He
was named Director & COO on November 13, 2017, and was
appointed CEO on January 29, 2018. Mr. Barad brings over 20 years
of executive managerial experience in successful technology
ventures. He has a BA in Economics & International Relations
from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and an MBA with Honors
from Haifa University.
Dr. Eyal Ballan, 46, is a co-founder of Cannabics
Inc. and is our CTO. Dr. Ballan holds a Ph.D. in Neurophysiology,
EEG, Brain Wave Analysis and Cortical Connectivity from Haifa
University. After obtaining his Ph.D. he was an entrepreneur in the
field of Biofeedback Studies and developed a Resonating
Neuro-Feedback system. Dr. Ballan holds a M.Sc. from Tel-Aviv
University - Magna Cum Laude - in anticancer drug development. Dr.
Ballan was part of the renowned research team which developed
Salirasib (Treatment for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer). He is
an expert in molecular biology, cell cultures and genomics with a
focus towards identification of anticancer compounds and delivery
systems to tumors and a member of the American Neurology
Association.
Uri Ben-Or, 49 CPA, – was appointed CFO on December
9, 2016. He has more than 15 years of experience as CFO of public
and private companies in the life science and Medical Device
Industry. Uri has significant expertise in public Life Science
companies traded on the TASE. In addition, Uri has strong finance,
operation, and business development background in both startups and
public global companies in the US, Europe, and Israel including
developing strategic policy and guidance with respect to corporate
structure and fundraising. Mr. Ben-Or earned a MBA from Bar Ilan
University.
Gabriel Yariv, 43, has been a Director since October
2019 and was appointed COO on November 6, 2019. He
brings over 20
years of successful executive experience in the medical industry.
Mr. Yariv was part of the founding group of BreathID, an
Oridion Medical business unit (now Medtronic) and its subsequent
spinoff company, Exalenz Bioscience, which develops and manufactures advanced
non-invasive diagnostic medical devices for gastrointestinal and
liver conditions. Mr. Yariv also
co-founded SimuTec, a medical simulation and training company
in Brazil that develops and commercializes advanced personalized
Virtual Reality training programs for physicians. Mr. Yariv is
actively engaged in non-profit and philanthropic activities
including ongoing business mentoring of entrepreneurs, founder
of the Yariv Foundation for Leadership, and current member of
the Friends of the Israel Museum society. Mr. Yariv holds
a BA (Cum Laude) in History, Philosophy & Political science
from Boston University, and a Certificate Course
in Cyberlaw from Harvard University.
All directors serve for one-year terms and are subject to
re-election at our annual meeting of shareholders, unless they
earlier resign.
There are no material proceedings to which any of our directors,
officers or affiliates, any owner of record or beneficially of more
than five percent of any class of our voting securities, or any
associate of any such director, officer, affiliate, or security
holder is a party adverse to us or any of our subsidiaries or has a
material interest adverse to us or any of our subsidiaries.
We have attempted and will continue to attempt to ensure that any
transactions between we and our officers, directors, principal
shareholders, or other affiliates have been and will be on terms no
less favorable to us than could be obtained from unaffiliated third
parties on an arm’s length basis.
Director Independence
Our board of directors is not independent, as both of our Directors
are employed by the Company. There are no family relationships among
any of our directors or executive officers.
Involvement in Certain Legal Proceedings
Except as noted herein or below, during the last ten (10) years
none of our directors or officers have:
(1) had any bankruptcy petition filed by or against any business of
which such person was a general partner or executive officer either
at the time of the bankruptcy or within two years prior to that
time;
(2) been convicted in a criminal proceeding or subject to a pending
criminal proceeding;
(3) been subject to any order, judgment, or decree, not
subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any court of
competent jurisdiction, permanently or temporarily enjoining,
barring, suspending or otherwise limiting his involvement in any
type of business, securities or banking activities; or
(4) been found by a court of competent jurisdiction in a civil
action, the Commission or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
to have violated a federal or state securities or commodities law,
and the judgment has not been reversed, suspended, or vacated.
All of these filing requirements were satisfied by the Company’s
officers, directors, and ten-percent holders.
In making these statements, we have relied on the written
representation of our Directors and Officers or copies of the
reports that they have filed with the Commission.
Committees of the Board
All proceedings of the board of directors for the fiscal year ended
August 31, 2020 were conducted by resolutions consented to in
writing by our board of directors and filed with the minutes of the
proceedings of our board of directors. Our Company currently does
not have nominating, compensation or audit committees or committees
performing similar functions nor does our company have a written
nominating, compensation or audit committee charter. Our board of
directors does not believe that it is necessary to have such
committees because it believes that the functions of such
committees can be adequately performed by the board of
directors.
The Company does not have any defined policy or procedure
requirements for shareholders to submit recommendations or
nominations for directors. The Company’s board of directors
believes that, given the stage of our development, a specific
nominating policy would be premature and of little assistance until
our business operations develop to a more advanced level. The
Company does not currently have any specific or minimum criteria
for the election of nominees to the board of directors and we do
not have any specific process or procedure for evaluating such
nominees. The board of directors will assess all candidates,
whether submitted by management or shareholders, and make
recommendations for election or appointment.
A shareholder who wishes to communicate with the Company’s board of
directors may do so by directing a written request addressed to any
of our Directors at the address appearing on the first page of this
registration statement.
Audit Committee Financial Expert
We do not have a standing audit committee. Our directors perform
the functions usually designated to an audit committee. Our board
of directors has determined that we do not have a board member that
qualifies as an "audit committee financial expert" as defined in
Item 407(d)(5) of Regulation S-K, nor do we have a board member
that qualifies as "independent" as the term is used in Item
7(d)(3)(iv)(B) of Schedule 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, and as defined by Rule 4200(a)(14) of the NASD
Rules.
We believe that our board of directors is capable of analyzing and
evaluating our financial statements and understanding internal
controls and procedures for financial reporting. Our board of
directors does not believe that it is necessary to have an audit
committee because management believes that the functions of an
audit committees can be adequately performed by the board of
directors. In addition, we believe that retaining an independent
director who would qualify as an "audit committee financial expert"
would be overly costly and burdensome and is not warranted in our
circumstances given the stage of our development and the fact that
we have not generated positive cash flow to date.
Potential Conflict of Interest
Since we do not have an audit or compensation committee comprised
of independent Directors, the functions that would have been
performed by such committees are performed by our Board of
Directors. Thus, there is a potential conflict of interest in that
our Directors have the authority to determine issues concerning
management compensation, in essence their own, and audit issues
that may affect management decisions. We are not aware of any other
conflicts of interest with any of our executives or Directors.
Board Leadership Structure
We do not have a formal chairman of the board.
Board’s Role in Risk Oversight
The Board assesses on an ongoing basis the risks faced by the
Company. These risks include financial, technological,
competitive, and operational risks. The Board dedicates
time at each of its meetings to review and consider the relevant
risks faced by the Company at that time. In addition,
since the Company does not have an Audit Committee, the Board is
also responsible for the assessment and oversight of the Company’s
financial risk exposures.
Code of Ethics
The Company has adopted a Code of Ethics for Senior Financial
Officers that is applicable to our principal executive officer,
principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or
controller, or persons performing similar functions. Our Code of
Ethics is available on our website at www.cannabics.com.
Indemnification
Under our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, we may indemnify an
officer or director who is made a party to any proceeding,
including a law suit, because of his position, if he acted in good
faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in our best
interest. We may advance expenses incurred in defending a
proceeding. To the extent that the officer or director is
successful on the merits in a proceeding as to which he is to be
indemnified, we must indemnify him against all expenses incurred,
including attorney's fees. With respect to a derivative action,
indemnity may be made only for expenses actually and reasonably
incurred in defending the proceeding, and if the officer or
director is judged liable, only by a court order. The
indemnification is intended to be to the fullest extent permitted
by the laws of the State of Nevada.
Regarding indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933, which may be permitted to directors or
officers under Nevada law, we have been advised that, in the
opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission, indemnification
is against public policy, as expressed in the Securities Act, and
is, therefore, unenforceable.
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
We pay a monthly salary to our two Directors who are also employees
of the Company. We also pay a monthly salary to our CTO and
CFO.
There are no stock option plans, retirement, pension, or
profit-sharing plans for the benefit of our officers or directors.
We do not have any long-term incentive plans that provide
compensation intended to serve as incentive for performance.
Summary Compensation Table
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock |
|
|
All Other |
|
|
|
Name and Principal Position |
|
Year |
|
|
Salary |
|
|
Bonus |
|
|
Awards |
|
|
Compensation |
|
|
Total |
Eyal Ballan, CTO |
|
2020 |
|
|
$ |
222,000 |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
|
$ |
9,347 |
|
|
$ |
231,347 |
|
|
2019 |
|
|
$ |
257,832 |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
|
$ |
6,030 |
|
|
$ |
263,862 |
Eyal Barad, Director, CEO |
|
2020 |
|
|
$ |
222,000 |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
|
$ |
19,120 |
|
|
$ |
241,120 |
|
|
2019 |
|
|
$ |
257,723 |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
|
$ |
– |
|
|
$ |
18,037 |
|
|
$ |
275,760 |
Gabriel Yariv, Director, COO |
|
2020 |
|
|
$ |
151,000 |
|
|
$ |
-- |
|
|
$ |
-- |
|
|
$ |
-- |
|
|
$ |
151,000 |
|
|
2019 |
|
|
$ |
32,300 |
|
|
$ |
-- |
|
|
$ |
-- |
|
|
$ |
-- |
|
|
$ |
32,300 |
Uri Ben-Or, CFO |
|
2020 |
|
|
$ |
75,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
75,000 |
|
|
2019 |
|
|
$ |
55,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
55,000 |
Employment Arrangements
Eyal Ballan and Eyal Barad have entered into employment agreements
with us, but their compensation is paid by our Israeli subsidiary,
Grin Ultra. Gabriel Yariv has entered into an employment agreement
with our Israeli subsidiary, Grin Ultra, and is not formally an
employee of the Company. Uri Ben-Or is not an employee of the
Company and has executed a consulting services agreement with Grin
Ultra. These agreements contain provisions regarding
non-competition, confidentiality of information, and assignment of
inventions. The enforceability of covenants not to compete in
Israel and the United States is subject to limitations. For
example, Israeli courts have recently required employers seeking to
enforce non-compete undertakings of a former employee to
demonstrate that the competitive activities of the former employee
will harm one of a limited number of material interests of the
employer which have been recognized by the courts, such as the
secrecy of a company’s confidential commercial information or its
intellectual property.
The material terms and conditions of these agreements are described
below.
Eyal Ballan:
|
● |
Term: At
will, no fixed term. |
|
● |
Salary:
$250,000 per year |
|
● |
Bonus: 3
months salary, subject to the discretion of the Board |
|
● |
Profit Participation: Two
and one-half percent (2.5%) of the Company’s annual consolidated
profits (after tax) above US1,000,000 (one million US Dollars), but
no more than the sum equaling 4 times the annual base
salary. |
|
|
|
|
●
|
Notice Period: 4
months |
Eyal Barad:
|
● |
Term: At
will, no fixed term. |
|
● |
Salary:
$250,000 per year |
|
● |
Bonus: 3
months salary, subject to the discretion of the Board |
|
● |
Profit Participation: Two
and one-half percent (2.5%) of the Company’s annual consolidated
profits (after tax) above US1,000,000 (one million US Dollars), but
no more than the sum equaling 4 times the annual base
salary. |
|
|
|
|
●
|
Notice Period: 4
months |
Gabriel Yariv:
|
● |
Term: Initial term of 3
years from November 1, 2019, with automatic renewal for an
additional 2 years. |
|
● |
Salary: NIS
50,000 per month |
|
● |
Options: Upon
the adoption of a stock option plan, the Company will grant Gabriel
Yariv options to purchase up to 850,000 shares. |
|
● |
Notice Period: 5
months |
Uri Ben-Or:
|
● |
Term: One
year term from November 1, 2016, with renewal upon mutual agreement
of the parties. |
|
● |
Consulting Fees:
NIS 15,000 per month, plus VAT. |
|
● |
Bonus: 1% of
funds raised in a private or public offering that Mr. Ben-Or
leads. |
Director Compensation
Both of our directors are employees, either of Cannabics or of our
Israeli subsidiary, Grin Ultra, and receive salaries as employees.
They do not receive any compensation for their service as
directors.
Option/SAR Grants
We have not adopted a stock option plan, and we have not granted
any options or any stock appreciation rights (SARs) to any
executive officer or Director No stock options have been granted or
exercised by any of the officers or Directors since we were
founded. Nevertheless, the Company has undertaken to grant Gabriel
Yariv stock options to purchase up to 850,000 shares once it has
formally adopted a stock option plan.
Long-Term Incentive Plans and Awards
We do not have any long-term incentive plans that provide
compensation intended to serve as incentive for performance. No
individual grants or agreements regarding future payouts under
non-stock price-based plans have been made to any executive officer
or any Director or any employee or consultant since our inception;
accordingly, no future payouts under non-stock price-based plans or
agreements have been granted or entered into or exercised by any of
the officers or Directors or employees or consultants since we were
founded.
Employment Contracts, Termination of
Employment, Change-in-Control Arrangements
Other than standard severance payments mandated by Israeli law (one
month’s salary for each year worked), there are no compensation
plans or arrangements, including payments to be made by us, with
respect to our officers, Directors or consultants that would result
from the resignation, retirement or any other termination of such
Directors, officers or consultants from us. There are no
arrangements for Directors, officers, employees or consultants that
would result from a change-in-control.
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN
BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
The following table sets forth, as of February 12, 2021,
information concerning ownership of our securities by (i) each
director, (ii) each executive officer, (iii) all directors and
executive officers as a group; and (iv) each person known to us to
be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of each class.
That table is based on 135,237,584 issued and outstanding shares,
and does not include the Pre-Delivery Shares.
The number and percentage of shares beneficially owned includes any
shares as to which the named person has sole or shared voting power
or investment power and any shares that the named person has the
right to acquire within 60 days.
The mailing address for all directors, executive officers, and
beneficial owners of more than 5% of our common stock is #3
Bethesda Metro Center, Suite 700, Bethesda, Maryland, 20814.
|
|
|
Beneficial
Ownership |
|
Name of
Beneficial Owner |
|
|
Shares of Common
Stock |
|
|
|
Percentage |
|
Cannabics Inc.* |
|
|
88,289,594 |
|
|
|
65.28% |
|
____________________
*Both of our Directors, Eyal Barad and Gabriel Yariv, are
shareholders of Cannabics, Inc.
The shareholders of Cannabics, Inc. who are directors or officers
of the Company, or who hold more than five percent of the shares of
Cannabics, Inc. are listed below:
Shareholder of Cannabics, Inc. |
|
Position in Cannabics
Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
|
|
Common Stock |
|
|
% of Cannabics Inc. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eyal Barad |
|
Director, CEO |
|
|
316 |
|
|
|
26.25% |
|
Eyal Ballan |
|
CTO |
|
|
141 |
|
|
|
11.71% |
|
Gabriel Yariv |
|
Director, COO |
|
|
4 |
|
|
|
0.33% |
|
Shay Avraham Sarid |
|
|
|
|
223 |
|
|
|
18.52% |
|
Itamar Borochov |
|
|
|
|
222 |
|
|
|
18.44% |
|
J Reiger Ltd |
|
|
|
|
128 |
|
|
|
10.63% |
|
Unless otherwise noted, we believe that all persons or entities
named in the table have sole voting and investment power with
respect to all shares of common stock beneficially owned by
them.
We are unaware of any contract or other arrangement the operation
of which may at a subsequent date result in a change in control of
our Company
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED
PARTY TRANSACTIONS
No material related party transactions between the Company and its
officers, directors or control persons occurred during the fiscal
years ended August 31, 2020 and 2019.
Employment Agreements
We have entered into employment agreements with our named executive
officers and a consulting agreement with our CFO. For more
information regarding the arrangements with our named executive
officers, see “Executive
and Director Compensation—Executive Compensation
Arrangements.”
Description of capital
stock
The following summary describes our capital stock and the material
provisions of our amended and restated articles of incorporation
(the “Articles of Incorporation”) and our amended and restated
bylaws (“Bylaws”), and of Chapter 78 of the Nevada Revised Statutes
(“NRS”). Because the following is only a summary, it does not
contain all of the information that may be important to you. For a
complete description, you should refer to our Articles of
Incorporation, and our Bylaws, copies of which are incorporated by
reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this
prospectus is a part.
General
Our authorized capital stock
consists of 900,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001,
and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001. As of
February 12, 2021, there were 135,237,584 shares of our common stock issued and
outstanding (not including the Pre-Delivery Shares), 5,000,000
shares of our common stock subject to outstanding warrants, and no
shares of preferred stock issued or outstanding.
As of February
12,2021, there were 76
holders of record of our common stock. This number does not include
beneficial owners whose shares are held by nominees in street
name.
Common Stock
Voting Rights
Each outstanding share of our common stock entitles the holder
thereof to one vote per share on all matters submitted to a
stockholder vote. Our common stock does not carry any cumulative
voting rights. As a result, holders of a majority of the shares of
our common stock voting for the election of directors can elect all
of our directors. At all meetings of stockholders, except where
otherwise provided by statute or by our Articles of Incorporation
or our Bylaws, the presence in person or by proxy duly authorized
by holders of not less than a majority of the stockholding voting
power shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. A
vote by the holders of a majority of our outstanding shares is
required to effect certain fundamental corporate changes such as
liquidation, merger, or an amendment to our Articles of
Incorporation.
Dividends
Holders of our common stock are entitled to share in all dividends
that our board of directors, in its discretion, declares from
legally available funds.
Liquidation
In the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding up, each
outstanding share entitles its holder to participate pro
rata in all assets that remain after payment of liabilities and
after providing for each class of stock, if any, having preference
over our common stock.
Other Rights and Preferences
Holders of our common stock have no pre-emptive, subscription, or
conversion rights, and there are no redemption or sinking fund
provisions applicable to our common stock. The rights, preferences,
and privileges of holders of common stock are subject to, and may
be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of
any series of preferred stock that we may designate and issue in
the future.
Quotation
Our common stock is quoted on the OTCQB tier of the marketplace
maintained by OTC Markets Group Inc., under the symbol “CNBX.”
Indemnification
Our Articles of Incorporation limits the liability of our directors
and officers to the full extent permitted by the NRS and provides
that we will indemnify each of our directors and officers to the
full extent permitted by the NRS. Insofar as indemnification for
liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to
directors, officers, or persons controlling us under the foregoing
provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the
Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is
ClearTrust, LLC, whose address is 16540 Pointe Village Dr., Suite
210, Lutz, Florida 33558 (telephone: 813-235-4490; e-mail:
inbox@cleartrusttransfer.com).
Preferred Stock
Our board of directors has the authority, without action by the
stockholders, to designate and issue up to an aggregate of
100,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series. The
board of directors can fix the rights, preferences, and privileges
of the shares of each series and any of its qualifications,
limitations, or restrictions. Our board of directors may authorize
the issuance of preferred stock with voting or conversion rights
that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the
holders of common stock. The issuance of preferred stock, while
providing flexibility in connection with possible future financings
and acquisitions and other corporate purposes could, under certain
circumstances, have the effect of delaying or preventing a change
in control of Cannabics. In addition, the issuance of preferred
stock, depending on the rights and preferences associated with such
stock, might harm the market price of our common stock.
We are authorized to issue shares of preferred stock in one or more
series as may be determined by our board of directors, who may
establish, from time to time, the number of shares to be included
in each series, may fix the designation, powers, preferences, and
rights of the shares of each such series, and any qualifications,
limitations, or restrictions thereof without obtaining the
affirmative vote or the written consent of our stockholders. Any
preferred stock so issued by our board of directors may rank senior
to our common stock with respect to the payment of dividends or
amounts upon liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of Cannabics,
or both. Under certain circumstances, the issuance of preferred
stock or the existence of unissued preferred stock might tend to
discourage or render more difficult a merger or other change of
control. No shares of preferred stock are currently
outstanding.
Our board of directors is empowered to authorize and direct the
payment of dividends to the holders of our preferred stock in
shares of any class or series of our capital stock, including
shares of common stock, as it may determine, without obtaining the
affirmative vote or the written consent of our stockholders.
The issuance of shares of preferred stock, while providing
desirable flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions and
other corporate purposes, could have the effect of making it more
difficult for a third party to acquire, or of discouraging a third
party from acquiring, a majority of our outstanding voting
stock.
Registration Rights
We are party to various subscription agreements which grant the
holders of warrants for the purchase of 5,000,000 shares of our
common stock the right to demand that we file a registration
statement for their shares of our common stock issued upon exercise
of these warrants or request that their shares of our common stock
issued upon exercise of these warrants be covered by a registration
statement that we are otherwise filing. In addition, we have
granted the holders of the notes and warrant issued in the Private
Placement registration rights with regard to the shares issuable
upon the conversion of the notes and the exercise of the warrant.
These shares that are subject to registration rights are referred
to in this prospectus as “Registrable Securities.”
Demand Registration Rights
Two holders of the warrants for the purchase of 5,000,000 shares of
our common stock have the right to demand that we file a
registration statement to register all of their Registrable
Securities. The holders of the notes and warrants issued in the
Private Placement have the right to demand that we file a
registration statement to register all of their Registrable
Securities.
Piggyback Registration Rights
If we propose to register any of our securities for sale to the
public under the Securities Act by filing a registration statement,
the holders of all of the Registrable Securities are entitled to
receive notice of such registration and to request that we include
their Registrable Securities for resale in such registration
statement.
Expenses of Registration; Indemnification
We are generally required to bear all registration expenses
incurred in connection with any offerings pursuant to the demand
and piggyback registration rights described above, other than
underwriting commissions and discounts. The relevant subscription
agreements contain customary indemnification provisions with
respect to registration rights.
Anti-takeover Effects of Our Articles of Incorporation and
Bylaws
Our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws contain certain provisions
that may have anti-takeover effects, making it more difficult for
or preventing a third party from acquiring control of Cannabics or
changing our board of directors and management.
According to our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, neither the
holders of our common stock nor the holders of our preferred stock
have cumulative voting rights in the election of our directors. The
present ownership by a single stockholder of a significant portion
of our issued and outstanding common stock and lack of cumulative
voting make it more difficult for other stockholders to replace our
board of directors or for a third party to obtain control of
Cannabics by replacing our board of directors.
The authorization of classes of common stock or preferred stock
with either specified voting rights or rights providing for the
approval of extraordinary corporate action could be used to create
voting impediments or to frustrate persons seeking to effect a
merger or to otherwise gain control of Cannabics by diluting their
stock ownership. In addition, the ability of our directors to
distribute shares of any class or series (within limits imposed by
applicable law) as a dividend in respect of issued shares of
preferred stock could be used to dilute the stock ownership or
voting rights of a person seeking to obtain control of Cannabics
and effectively delay or prevent a change in control without
further action by the stockholders.
Nevada Anti-Takeover laws
Business Combinations
The “business combination” provisions of NRS 78.411 to 78.444,
inclusive, prohibit a Nevada corporation with at least 200
stockholders from engaging in various “combination” transactions
with any interested stockholder for a period of three years after
the date of the transaction in which the person became an
interested stockholder, unless the transaction is approved by the
board of directors prior to the date the interested stockholder
obtained such status; or after the expiration of the three-year
period, unless:
|
· |
the transaction is approved by
the board of directors or a majority of the voting power held by
disinterested stockholders; or |
|
· |
if the consideration to be paid
by the interested stockholder is at least equal to the highest of:
(a) the highest price per share paid by the interested stockholder
within the three years immediately preceding the date of the
announcement of the combination or in the transaction in which it
became an interested stockholder, whichever is higher, (b) the
market value per share of common stock on the date of announcement
of the combination and the date the interested stockholder acquired
the shares, whichever is higher, or (c) for holders of preferred
stock, the highest liquidation value of the preferred stock, if it
is higher. |
A “combination” is defined to include mergers or consolidations or
any sale, lease exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer, or other
disposition, in one transaction or a series of transactions, with
an “interested stockholder” having: (a) an aggregate market value
equal to 5% or more of the aggregate market value of the assets of
the corporation, (b) an aggregate market value equal to 5% or more
of the aggregate market value of all outstanding shares of the
corporation, or (c) 10% or more of the earning power or net income
of the corporation.
In general, an “interested stockholder” is a person who, together
with affiliates and associates, owns (or within three years, did
own) 10% or more of a corporation's voting stock. The statute could
prohibit or delay mergers or other takeover or change in control
attempts and, accordingly, may discourage attempts to acquire
Cannabics even though such a transaction may offer our stockholders
the opportunity to sell their stock at a price above the prevailing
market price.
Control Share Acquisitions
The “control share” provisions of NRS 78.378 to 78.3793, inclusive,
which apply only to Nevada corporations with at least 200
stockholders, including at least 100 stockholders of record who are
Nevada residents, and which conduct business directly or indirectly
in Nevada, prohibit an acquirer, under certain circumstances, from
voting its shares of a target corporation's stock after crossing
certain ownership threshold percentages, unless the acquirer
obtains approval of the target corporation's disinterested
stockholders. The statute specifies three thresholds: one-fifth or
more but less than one-third, one-third but less than a majority,
and a majority or more, of the outstanding voting power. Once an
acquirer crosses one of the above thresholds, those shares in an
offer or acquisition and acquired within 90 days thereof become
“control shares” and such control shares are deprived of the right
to vote until disinterested stockholders restore the right. These
provisions also provide that if control shares are accorded full
voting rights and the acquiring person has acquired a majority or
more of all voting power, all other stockholders who do not vote in
favor of authorizing voting rights to the control shares are
entitled to demand payment for the fair value of their shares in
accordance with statutory procedures established for dissenters’
rights.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIVATE
PLACEMENT, NOTES AND WARRANT
Description of the Private Placement
On December 16, 2020, we entered into a securities purchase
agreement with an institutional investor to sell a new series of
senior secured convertible notes in a four tranche private
placement (the “Private Placement”) to the investor, with an
aggregate principal amount of $2,750,000 having an aggregate
original issue discount of 10%, and ranking senior to all
outstanding and future indebtedness. Pursuant to the securities
purchase agreement, one note (the “Initial Note”) in an aggregate
original principal amount of $825,000 was issued to the investor in
the first tranche closing on December 21, 2020. On February 22,
2021, we entered into an amended and restated securities purchase
agreement pursuant to which a second Note in an aggregate principal
amount of $550,000 was issued (the “Second Note”). Both Notes were
issued in reliance upon the exemption from securities registration
afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, and Rule
506(b) of Regulation D as promulgated by the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of
1933, together with the issuance of the warrant to acquire our
common stock, as described below. The Initial Note has a face
amount of $825,000 for which we received cash proceeds of $750,000.
The Second Note has a face amount of $550,000 for which we received
cash proceeds of $500,000. Subject to the satisfaction of customary
closing and equity conditions, at any time prior to December 31,
2021 (or such later date as the parties shall mutually agree), we
have the right to require an additional closing of an additional
note in the principal amount of $1,375,000 (the “Additional Notes”,
and together with the Initial Note, the “Notes”) on the twentieth
trading day after the date this registration statement is declared
effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The
Convertible Notes are being sold with an original issue discount of
10% and do not bear interest except upon the occurrence of an event
of default.
The following is intended to provide a summary of the terms of the
agreements and securities described above. This summary is
qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the
agreements, each of which is attached as an exhibit to our Current
Report on Form 8-K dated December 21, 2020. The amendment and
restated securities purchase agreement is attached as an exhibit to
this registration statement. Readers should review those agreements
for a complete understanding of the terms and conditions associated
with these transactions.
Notes
Terms not defined in the following description of the particular
terms of the Notes have the meanings given to them or the
Notes.
Maturity and Repayment Dates
Each Note matures on the one year anniversary of the date on which
each respective Note is issued (the “Issuance Date”). The Notes
must be paid in cash and we may not voluntarily prepay except as
described in “Redemptions at Our Election” below.
Interest
The Notes are being sold with an original issue discount and do not
bear interest except upon the occurrence of an Event of Default
(described below), in which event the applicable rate will be
18.00% per annum.
Conversion
The Notes are convertible at any time or times after the Issuance
Date in whole or in part, at the option of the holders thereof,
into shares of our common stock at a rate equal to the amount of
principal, interest (if any) and unpaid late charges (if any),
divided by a conversion price of $0.35 (subject to adjustment as
provided in the Notes, the “Conversion Price”). The Conversion
Price has full ratchet antidilution protection upon any subsequent
placement below the Conversion Price then in effect and is subject
to standard adjustments in the event of any stock split, stock
dividend, stock combination, recapitalization or other similar
transaction. If we enter into any agreement to issue (or issue) any
variable price securities, the holder has the additional right to
substitute such variable price (or formula) for the Conversion
Price.
Alternate Conversion
The holders of the Notes may alternatively convert all or any
portion of the Notes at any time at an alternate conversion price
equal to the lower of (i) the conversion price then in effect, and
(ii) 80% of the price computed as the quotient of (i) the sum of
the VWAP of our common stock for each of the two (2) trading days
with the lowest volume weighted average price (“VWAP”) of our
common stock during the ten (10) consecutive trading day period
ending and including the trading day immediately preceding the
delivery or deemed delivery of the applicable notice of conversion
divided by two (2) (the “Alternate Conversion Price”).
In connection with the occurrence of an Event of Default, the
holders of the Notes will be entitled to convert all or any portion
of the Notes at the Alternate Conversion Price.
Conversion Limitation and Exchange Cap
The holders of the Notes will not have the right to convert any
portion of the Notes, to the extent that, after giving effect to
such conversion, such holder (together with certain related
parties) would beneficially own in excess of 4.99% of the shares of
our common stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to
such conversion. A holder may from time to time increase this limit
to 9.99%, provided that any such increase will not be effective
until the 61st day after delivery of a notice to us of such
increase.
Events of Default
The Notes include certain customary Events of Default as described
in the form of Note attached to our Current Report on Form 8-K
filed with the SEC on December 21,2020. In connection with an Event
of Default, the holders of the Notes may require us to redeem any
portion or all of the Notes. The redemption price will equal the
greater of (i) the product of (A) the Conversion Amount to be
redeemed multiplied by (B) 125% and (ii) the product of (X) the
Conversion Rate with respect to the Conversion Amount in effect at
such time as the holder delivers an Event of Default Redemption
Notice multiplied by (Y) the product of (1) 125% multiplied by (2)
the greatest Closing Sale Price of our common stock on any trading
day during the period commencing on the date immediately preceding
such Event of Default and ending on the date we make the entire
payment required, as determined in accordance with the Notes.
Upon the occurrence of a Bankruptcy Event of Default (as defined in
the Notes), the Notes will automatically become immediately due and
payable in cash in an amount equal to all outstanding principal,
interest, and late charges multiplied by a redemption premium of
125%.
Change of Control
In connection with a Change of Control (as defined in the Notes),
the holders of the Notes may require us to redeem all or any
portion of the Notes. The redemption price per share will equal the
greatest of (i) 125% of the outstanding principal of the Notes to
be redeemed, and accrued and unpaid interest and unpaid late
charges thereon, (ii) 125% of the market value of the shares of our
common stock underlying the Notes, as determined in accordance with
the Notes, and (iii) 125% of the aggregate cash consideration that
would have been payable in respect of the shares of our common
stock underlying the Notes, as determined in accordance with the
Notes.
Other Corporate Events
We cannot enter a Fundamental Transaction (as defined in the
Notes), unless the successor entity assumes all of the obligations
under the Notes pursuant to written agreements satisfactory to the
holder of the Notes, and the successor entity is a publicly traded
corporation whose shares of common stock are quoted or listed on a
national securities exchange. If at any time we grant any Purchase
Rights (as defined in the Notes) or make any distribution of assets
pro rata to all or substantially all of the holders of any class of
our common stock, then the holders of the Notes will be entitled to
acquire the aggregate Purchase Rights or assets which such holder
could have acquired if such holder had held the number of shares of
our common stock acquirable upon complete conversion of the Notes
(without taking into account any limitations on conversion) held by
such holder immediately prior to the date as of which the record
holders are to be determined for such grant of purchase rights or
distributions. To the extent any such grant of rights or
distribution would result in the holders exceeding the maximum
percentage described in first paragraph of “—Conversion Limitation
and Exchange Cap” above, such rights shall be held in abeyance for
up to ninety trading days.
Redemptions at Our Election
At any time after the Issuance Date, we have the right to redeem
all, or any part, of the Conversion Amount then remaining under the
Notes at cash price equal to 115% of the greater of (i) the
Conversion Amount being redeemed and (ii) the product of (1) the
Conversion Rate with respect to the Conversion Amount being
redeemed multiplied by (2) the greatest Closing Sale Price of our
common stock on any trading day during the period commencing on the
date immediately preceding such redemption notice date and ending
on the Trading Day immediately prior to the date the Company makes
the entire payment required to be made for the redemption.
Covenants
The Notes require our compliance with certain customary affirmative
and negative covenants regarding the incurrence of indebtedness,
the existence of liens, the repayment of indebtedness, the payment
of cash in respect of dividends, distributions or redemptions, and
the transfer of assets, among other matters.
Warrant
Pursuant to the terms of the Securities Purchase Agreement, at the
Initial Closing we issued to the selling stockholder a warrant to
acquire up to 5,500,000 shares of our common stock, which we refer
to herein as the “Warrant”.
Terms not defined in the following description of the particular
terms of the Warrant have the meanings given to them in the
Warrant.
Expiration and Exercise
The Warrant, for the purchase of an aggregate of 5,500,000 shares
of our common stock (subject to standard adjustments in the event
of any stock split, stock dividend, stock combination,
recapitalization or other similar transaction), expires on the
third anniversary of the Issuance Date (the “Expiration Date”).
Prior to or on the Expiration Date, the Warrants are exercisable at
any time after the Issuance Date, in whole or in part, at the
option of the holders.
The exercise price for the Warrant is $0.50 (subject to adjustment
as provided in the Warrant, the “Exercise Price”). The Exercise
Price has full ratchet antidilution protection upon any subsequent
placement below the Exercise Price then in effect and is subject to
standard adjustments in the event of any stock split, stock
dividend, stock combination, recapitalization or other similar
transaction. If we enter into any agreement to issue (or issue) any
variable price securities, the holder has the additional right to
substitute such variable price (or formula) for the Exercise
Price.
Cashless exercise is available to the holder of the Warrant.
Exercise Limitation and Exchange Cap
The holder of the Warrant will not have the right to convert any
portion of the Warrant to the extent that, after giving effect to
such conversion, such holder (together with certain related
parties) would beneficially own in excess of 4.99% of the shares of
our common stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to
such exercise. The holder may from time to time increase this limit
to 9.99%, provided that any such increase will not be effective
until the 61st day after delivery of a notice to us of such
increase.
Events of Default
Events of Default are cross-referenced to the definition contained
in the Notes.
At any time after the occurrence of an Event of Default, at the
request of the holder, we or the successor entity (as the case may
be) shall purchase the Warrant from the holder on the date of such
request by paying to the holder cash in an amount equal to the
Event of Default Black Scholes Value (as defined in the
Warrant).
Other Corporate Events
We cannot enter a Fundamental Transaction (as defined in the
Warrant), unless the successor entity assumes all of the
obligations under the Warrant pursuant to written agreements
satisfactory to the holder of the Warrant, and the successor entity
is a publicly traded corporation whose shares of common stock are
quoted or listed on a national securities exchange. If at any time
we grant any Purchase Rights (as defined in the Warrant) or make
any distribution of assets pro rata to all or substantially all of
the holders of any class of its common stock, then the holder of
the Warrant will be entitled to acquire the aggregate Purchase
Rights or assets which such holder could have acquired if such
holder had held the number of shares of the our common stock
acquirable upon complete exercise of the Warrant held by such
holder immediately prior to the date as of which the record holders
are to be determined for such grant of purchase rights or
distributions. To the extent any such grant of rights or
distribution would result in the holders exceeding the maximum
percentage described in first paragraph of “Exercise Limitation and
Exchange Cap” above, such rights shall be held in abeyance for the
benefit of the holders until such time or times, if ever, as such
holders’ rights to participate would not result in the holders
exceeding the maximum percentage.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the request of the holder
delivered at any time commencing on the earliest to occur of (x)
the public disclosure of any Fundamental Transaction, (y) the
consummation of any Fundamental Transaction and (z) the holder
first becoming aware of any Fundamental Transaction through the
date that is ninety (90) days after the public disclosure of the
consummation of such Fundamental Transaction by us pursuant to a
Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC, we or the successor
entity (as the case may be) shall purchase the Warrant from the
holder on the date of such request by paying to the holder cash in
an amount equal to the Black Scholes Value (as defined in the
Warrant). Payment of such amounts shall be made by us (or at our
direction) to the holder on or prior to the later of (x) the second
(2nd) trading day after the date of such request and (y) the date
of consummation of such Fundamental Transaction.
Securities Purchase Agreement
The securities purchase agreement contains certain representations
and warranties, covenants and indemnities customary for similar
transactions. Under the Purchase Agreement, we also agreed that as
long as the Notes remain outstanding, we will not effect or enter
into an agreement to effect any variable rate transaction other
than a bona fide at-the-market offering or equity line of
credit.
Registration Rights Agreement
We entered into a registration rights agreement with the holder as
of the initial closing date of the securities purchase agreement.
Under the registration rights agreement, we have agreed to register
300% of the shares issuable under the notes and 100% of the shares
issuable under the warrant, with filing to occur no later than 30
days of the closing and with effectiveness to occur no later than
90 days of the closing. If we are unable to meet either of these
deadlines, we may be required to pay certain cash damages under the
registration rights agreement or, with the passage of additional
time, an event of default under the notes may occur.
Dollar Value of Underlying Securities and Potential Profits
on Conversion
The following table sets forth the potential profit to be realized
upon conversion by the selling stockholder based on the conversion
price on February 12, 2021 and the closing price of our common
stock on February 12, 2021.
Potential Profit from Conversion of the Notes at the Option
of the Selling Stockholder
Per
share market price as of February 12, 2021 |
|
$ |
0.38 |
|
Per
share conversion price as of February 12, 2021 |
|
$ |
0.27 |
|
Total
number of shares underlying notes based on conversion price
(1) |
|
|
5,092,593 |
|
Aggregate
market value of underlying shares based on per share market price
as of February 12, 2021 |
|
$ |
1,935,185 |
|
Aggregate
gross cash purchase price for the convertible notes |
|
$ |
1,375,000 |
|
Aggregate
original issue discount |
|
$ |
125,000 |
|
Aggregate
net cash purchase price for the convertible notes |
|
$ |
1,250,000 |
|
Total
premium to market price of underlying shares |
|
|
41% |
|
(1) The
aggregate principal amount of the Notes is $1,375,000.
Since the warrant exercise price is greater than the current market
price for the Company’s shares of common stock, the selling
stockholder will not realize any profit if it exercises the Warrant
at this time.
Payments to Selling Stockholder and Affiliates
In connection with the notes, we are or may be required to make the
following payments to the selling stockholder and its
affiliates:
Payee |
|
Maximum Early
Redemption
Premiums (1)
|
|
|
Maximum
Registration
Penalties (2)
|
|
|
Total Maximum
Payments During
First 12 Months (3)
|
Selling Stockholder |
|
$ |
849,063 |
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
|
$1,124,063 |
(1) Represents the cash amount that would be payable by us if we
were required to redeem the notes (assuming all as a result of an
event of default or change of control assuming (a) that the
applicable premium to be applied upon the event of default or
change of control is 125%, (b) that the event of default or change
of control occurs on February 21, 2021, and (c) that the required
payments continue until December 20, 2021. The default interest
rate is 18% per annum upon the occurrence and continuance of an
event of default.
(2) Represents the maximum monetary penalties and interest that
would be payable if we failed to timely file, obtain a declaration
of effectiveness or maintain the effectiveness with respect to the
registration statement required under the below-described
registration rights agreement. Assumes that (a) the monetary
penalties begin to accrue on February 21, 2021, (b) the monetary
penalties continue to accrue until December 20, 2021, and (c) the
monetary penalties will not be paid until December 20, 2021 (which
results in the payment of interest on unpaid amounts at a rate of
2% per month from February 21, 2021 to December 20, 2021).
(3) Represents the maximum amounts payable in cash under the other
columns in this table during the first 12 months after the sale of
the notes.
Net Proceeds from Private Placement of Notes
The following table sets forth the gross proceeds received from the
private placement of the notes and calculates the net proceeds
thereof after deduction of the anticipated payments pursuant to the
notes and related documents. The net proceeds do not include the
payment of any contingent payments, such as liquidated damages or
repayment premiums in the case of default or a change of control.
The net proceeds assumes that all interest and principal will be
paid in cash, notwithstanding that we may pay (and are expected to
pay) interest and principal in shares of its common stock under
specified circumstances, as described above. The table assumes that
none of the notes are converted prior to maturity. Based on the
foregoing assumptions, the net proceeds represent approximately
85.7% of the gross proceeds.
Gross Proceeds |
|
$ |
1,375,000 |
|
Approximate Aggregate Payments
(including Original Issue Discount) |
|
$ |
125,000 |
|
Approximate Transaction Costs
(including Costs and Expenses of this Offering) |
|
$ |
72,000 |
|
Net Proceeds |
|
$ |
1,178,000 |
|
Comparison of Issuer Proceeds to Potential Investor
Profit
As discussed above, we plan to use the proceeds from the sale of
the convertible notes for general corporate purposes. The following
table summarizes the potential proceeds we will receive pursuant to
the securities purchase agreement, the notes and the warrant. For
purposes of this table, we have assumed that the selling
stockholder will exercise all of the warrant on a cash basis. We
have also assumed that the notes will be held by the selling
stockholder through the maturity date thereof.
Total Gross Proceeds
Payable to us (1) |
|
$ |
4,125,000 |
|
Payments that have been made or may be
required to be made by us until maturity (2) |
|
$ |
125,000 |
|
Net proceeds to us assuming maximum
payments made by selling stockholder (3) |
|
$ |
4,000,000 |
|
Total possible profit to the selling
stockholder (4) |
|
$ |
685,185 |
|
Percentage of payments and profit over
net proceeds (5) |
|
|
17% |
|
(1) Includes gross proceeds payable to us on the sale of the notes
in the amount of $1,375,000 and assumes full exercise of the
warrant to yield an aggregate exercise price of $2,750,000.
However, there is no assurance that the warrant will actually be
exercised or if it is exercised, whether it will be exercised for
cash.
(2) Total possible payments (excluding repayment of principal but
including the original issue discount) payable by us to the selling
stockholder or its affiliates assuming the notes remain outstanding
until the maturity date, namely, the original issue discount.
Assumes that no liquidated damages are incurred and that no
redemption premium on the notes will be applicable.
(3) Total net proceeds to us calculated by subtracting the result
in footnote (2) from the result in footnote (1) (but does not
include costs and expenses of this Offering).
(4) This number represents the total possible profit to the selling
stockholder based on the aggregate discount to market price of the
shares underlying the notes and the original issue discount as
indicated in the above table entitled “Potential Profit from
Conversion of the Notes at the Option of the Selling
Stockholder.”
(5) Percentage of the profit calculated in footnote (4) compared to
the net proceeds disclosed in footnote (3).
Comparison of Registered Shares to Outstanding
Shares
The following table compares the number of shares held by persons
other than the selling stockholder, company affiliates, and
affiliates of selling stockholder with the number of shares
registered for resale and sold by such parties in prior
transactions as well as in the current transactions involving the
notes and warrant:
Shares Outstanding Prior
to the Private Placement Held by Persons Other than the Selling
Stockholder, or Affiliates of us or Selling Stockholder |
|
|
48,141,201 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares Registered for Resale by
Selling Stockholder or Affiliates of Selling Stockholder in Prior
Registration Statements |
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares Registered for Resale by
Selling Stockholder or Affiliates of the Selling Stockholder that
Continue to be Held by Such Persons |
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares Sold in Registered Resale
Transactions by the Selling Stockholder or Affiliates Thereof |
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares Registered for Resale on behalf
of the Selling Stockholder or Affiliates Thereof in Connection with
the private placement (including reserves) |
|
|
20,777,779 |
|
Other Information
As of the date of this prospectus, we do not believe that we will
have the financial ability to make all payments on the notes in
cash when due. Accordingly, we do intend, as of the date of this
prospectus, to make such payments in shares of our common stock to
the greatest extent possible.
The selling stockholder has advised us that it may enter into short
sales in the ordinary course of its business of investing and
trading securities. The selling stockholder has advised us that no
short sales were entered into during the period beginning when such
selling stockholder obtained knowledge that we were contemplating a
private placement and ending upon the public announcement of any
such private placement.
We have not had any material relationships or arrangements with the
selling stockholder, its affiliates, or any person with whom the
selling stockholder has a contractual relationship regarding this
private placement (or any predecessors of those persons).
We believe that the closing of the remaining tranches of this
offering will provide sufficient financial resources to fund our
operations, working capital, and capital expenditures through
December 31, 2022.
Subsequent sources of outside funding will be required to fund our
working capital, capital expenditures and rate operations beyond
2022. No assurances can be given that we will be successful in
complying with certain of the terms and conditions in the issuance
of the notes or in arranging further funding, if needed, to
continue the execution of our business plan, or if successful, on
what terms. Failure to obtain such funding will require management
to substantially curtail, if not cease operations, which will
result in a material adverse effect on the financial position and
our results of operations.
SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE
SALE
Upon the completion of this offering, a total of
192,784,269 shares of common stock will be outstanding,
assuming conversion of the Notes and exercise of the Warrant for
the shares being registered in this prospectus. Of these shares,
the shares of common stock of the selling stockholder registered in
this offering will be freely tradable in the public market without
restriction or further registration under the Securities Act.
Rule 144
Of the 135,237,584 shares of our common stock issued and
outstanding as of December 21, 2020 (not including the Pre-Delivery
Shares), a total of 87,708,055 shares are deemed “restricted
securities” within the meaning of Rule 144. The Pre-Delivery Shares
are restricted securities. Restricted securities are eligible for
public sale only if they are registered under the Securities Act or
if they qualify for an exemption from registration under
Rules 144.
In general, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions,
including the availability of current information, Rule 144 permits
a person who presently is not and who has not been an affiliate of
ours for at least three months immediately preceding the sale and
who has beneficially owned the shares of common stock for at least
six months to sell such shares without regard to any of the volume
limitations set forth in Rule 144. This provision may already apply
with respect to the shares issued in connection with the Private
Placement, assuming that at such time the relevant criteria of Rule
144 are satisfied by both the selling stockholder owning the
restricted shares and ourselves.
Under Rule 144, subject to the satisfaction of certain other
conditions, a person deemed to be one of our affiliates, who has
beneficially owned restricted shares of our Common Stock for at
least six months is permitted to sell in a brokerage transaction,
within any three-month period, a number of shares that does not
exceed the greater of 1% of the total number of outstanding shares
of the same class, or, if our common stock is quoted on a stock
exchange, the average weekly trading volume during the four
calendar weeks preceding the sale, if greater.
The possibility that substantial amounts of our common stock may be
sold under Rule 144 into the public market may adversely affect
prevailing market prices for the Common Stock and could impair our
ability to raise capital in the future through the sale of equity
securities.
LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the common stock being offered hereby will be
passed upon for us by SRK Kronengold Law Offices.
EXPERTS
The financial statements of Cannabics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. as of
August 31, 2020 and 2019, and appearing in this prospectus in the
registration statements have been audited by Weinstein
International CPA, independent registered public accounting firm,
given upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and
auditing. The unaudited financial statements of Cannabics
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. as of November 30, 2020 have been reviewed by
Weinstein International CPA.
The audit reports covering the August 31, 2020 and 2019 financial
statements contains an explanatory paragraph that states that the
Company’s recurring losses from operations and negative operating
cash flows raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to
continue as a going concern. The financial statements do not
include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of that
uncertainty.
CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH
ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
Weinstein International CPA is our auditor. There have not been any
changes in or disagreements with our accountants on accounting and
financial disclosure or any other matter.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE
INFORMATION
We electronically file annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy
and information statements and other information with the SEC. The
public may read and copy any materials we file with the SEC at the
SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C.
20549. The public may obtain information on the operation of the
Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC
also maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and
information statements, and other information regarding issuers
that file electronically with the SEC. The address of that site is
http://www.sec.gov. Our website address is www.cannabics.com.
Information contained in, or accessible through, our website is not
a part of this prospectus.
INDEX TO FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS
CANNABICS PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
|
|
November 30, |
|
|
August 31, |
|
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2020 |
|
|
|
Unaudited |
|
|
Audited |
|
ASSETS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents |
|
$ |
184,031 |
|
|
$ |
777,611 |
|
Prepaid expenses and other receivables |
|
|
168,574 |
|
|
|
152,299 |
|
Total current assets |
|
|
352,605 |
|
|
|
929,910 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Available for sale Investment |
|
|
539,609 |
|
|
|
426,522 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equipment, net |
|
|
806,317 |
|
|
|
862,879 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total assets |
|
$ |
1,698,531 |
|
|
$ |
2,219,311 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities |
|
$ |
219,042 |
|
|
$ |
231,142 |
|
Due to a related party |
|
|
223,645 |
|
|
|
223,645 |
|
Total current liabilities |
|
|
442,687 |
|
|
|
454,787 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stockholders' equity (deficit): |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Preferred stock, $.0001 par value, 5,000,000 shares authorized, no
shares issued and outstanding. |
|
|
– |
|
|
|
– |
|
Common stock, $.0001 par value, 900,000,000 shares authorized,
135,237,584 shares issued and outstanding at November 30 2020 And
135,080,441 shares issued and outstanding at August 31, 2020. |
|
|
13,524 |
|
|
|
13,508 |
|
Additional paid-in capital |
|
|
15,405,295 |
|
|
|
15,372,311 |
|
Issuance of warrants |
|
|
2,784,387 |
|
|
|
2,784,387 |
|
Other comprehensive loss |
|
|
(2,661,324 |
) |
|
|
(2,774,411 |
) |
Accumulated deficit |
|
|
(14,286,038 |
) |
|
|
(13,631,271 |
) |
Total stockholders' equity (deficit) |
|
|
1,255,844 |
|
|
|
1,764,524 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity |
|
$ |
1,698,531 |
|
|
$ |
2,219,311 |
|
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
CANNABICS PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Consolidated Statements of
Operations and Comprehensive Loss
(Unaudited)
|
|
For the Three Months Ended |
|
|
|
November 30, |
|
|
November 30, |
|
|
|
2020 |
|
|
2019 |
|
|
|
Unaudited |
|
Net revenue |
|
|
– |
|
|
|
1,754 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating expenses: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Research and development
expense |
|
$ |
433,730 |
|
|
$ |
466,033 |
|
Sales and marketing
expenses |
|
|
7,551 |
|
|
|
24,117 |
|
General and administrative
expenses |
|
|
218,451 |
|
|
|
326,460 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total operating expenses |
|
|
659,732 |
|
|
|
817,610 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss from operations |
|
|
(659,732 |
) |
|
|
(815,856 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other income |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Financial (Loss) Income |
|
|
4,965 |
|
|
|
(4,326,339 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss |
|
|
(654,767 |
) |
|
|
(5,142,195 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (Loss) from available for sale
assets |
|
|
113,087 |
|
|
|
(3,550,813 |
) |
Total comprehensive (income)
loss |
|
$ |
(541,680 |
) |
|
$ |
(8,693,008 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss per share - basic and
diluted: |
|
$ |
(0.005 |
) |
|
$ |
(0.038 |
) |
Weighted average number of
shares outstanding - Basic and
Diluted |
|
|
135,105,839 |
|
|
|
133,653,941 |
|
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
CANNABICS PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Consolidated Statements of
Stockholders' Equity (Deficit)
Unaudited
|
|
Common Stock |
|
|
Additional Paid In |
|
|
|
|
|
Other Comprehensive |
|
|
Accumulated |
|
|
Total Stockholders’ Equity |
|
|
|
Shares |
|
|
Amount |
|
|
Capital |
|
|
Warrants |
|
|
Gain |
|
|
Deficit |
|
|
(Deficit) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance, August 31, 2020 |
|
|
135,080,441 |
|
|
$ |
13,508 |
|
|
$ |
15,372,311 |
|
|
$ |
2,784,387 |
|
|
$ |
(2,774,411 |
) |
|
$ |
(13,631,271 |
) |
|
$ |
1,764,524 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Issuance
of common stock for services. |
|
|
157,143 |
|
|
|
16 |
|
|
|
32,984 |
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
33,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other
comprehensive loss |
|
|
– |
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
113,087 |
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
113,087 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss |
|
|
– |
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
(654,767 |
) |
|
|
(654,767 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance, November 30, 2020 |
|
|
135,237,584 |
|
|
$ |
13,524 |
|
|
$ |
15,405,295 |
|
|
$ |
2,784,387 |
|
|
$ |
(2,661,324 |
) |
|
$ |
(14,286,038 |
) |
|
$ |
1,255,844 |
|
|
|
Common Stock |
|
|
Additional Paid In |
|
|
|
|
|
Other Comprehensive |
|
|
Accumulated |
|
|
Total Stockholders’ Equity |
|
|
|
Shares |
|
|
Amount |
|
|
Capital |
|
|
Warrants |
|
|
Gain |
|
|
Deficit |
|
|
(Deficit) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Balance, August 31, 2019 |
|
|
134,418,775 |
|
|
$ |
13,450 |
|
|
$ |
15,300,250 |
|
|
$ |
2,784,387 |
|
|
$ |
2,810,013 |
|
|
$ |
(6,163,807 |
) |
|
$ |
14,744,292 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Issuance
of common stock for services. |
|
|
80,000 |
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
(30,000 |
) |
|
|
– |
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
(30,000 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other
comprehensive loss |
|
|
– |
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
– |
|
|
|
(3,550,813 |
) |
|
|
– |
|
|
|
(3,550,813 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|