m
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
(Mark One)
For the fiscal year ended
or
For the transition period from to .
Commission File Number
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
|
||
(State or other jurisdiction of |
|
(I.R.S. Employer |
|
||
(Address of principal executive offices) |
|
(Zip Code) |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (
Securities registered under Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class |
Trading Symbol(s) |
Name of each exchange on which registered |
Securities registered under Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes: ☐
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes: ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company, in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer |
|
☐ |
|
Accelerated filer |
|
☐ |
|
|
|
|
|||
|
☒ |
|
Smaller reporting company |
|
||
|
|
|
|
|||
Emerging growth company |
|
|
|
|
|
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes Oxley Act (15 U.S.C.7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements.
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule12b-2 of the Act). Yes:
The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant, based on the last sale price for such stock on June 30, 2023 was $
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Part III of this Form 10-K incorporates information by reference from the registrant’s definitive proxy statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after the close of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.
Auditor Firm Id: |
Auditor Name: |
Auditor Location: |
MYOMO, INC
2023 FORM 10-K ANNUAL REPORT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
|
|
|||
|
|
|
||
Item 1. |
|
|
3 |
|
Item 1A. |
|
|
15 |
|
Item 1B. |
|
|
40 |
|
Item 1C. |
|
|
40 |
|
Item 2. |
|
|
42 |
|
Item 3. |
|
|
42 |
|
Item 4. |
|
|
42 |
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|||
40 |
|
|
||
Item 5. |
|
|
43 |
|
Item 6. |
|
|
43 |
|
Item 7. |
|
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations |
|
44 |
Item 7A. |
|
|
54 |
|
Item 8. |
|
|
54 |
|
Item 9. |
|
Changes In and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure |
|
54 |
Item 9A. |
|
|
54 |
|
Item 9B. |
|
|
55 |
|
Item 9C. |
|
Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdiction That Prevents Inspections |
|
55 |
|
|
|
||
|
|
|||
|
|
|
||
Item 10. |
|
|
56 |
|
Item 11. |
|
|
56 |
|
Item 12. |
|
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters |
|
56 |
Item 13. |
|
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence |
|
56 |
Item 14. |
|
|
56 |
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|||
|
|
|
||
Item 15. |
|
|
57 |
|
Item 16. |
|
|
60 |
|
|
61 |
PART I
SUMMARY OF RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH OUR BUSINESS
Our business involves significant risks, some of which are described below. The summary risk factors listed below should be read together with the text of the full risk factors that follow this summary. You should carefully consider the risks described below, as well as the other information in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including our financial statements and the related notes, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” as well as in other documents that we file with the SEC. The occurrence of any of the events or developments described in this report could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, growth prospects and stock price. In such an event, the market price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations and the market price of our common stock.
1
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the federal securities law) that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K regarding our strategy, future operations, future financial position, future net sales, gross margin expectations, projected costs, projected expenses, prospects and plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “projects,” “will,” “would,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events. Although we believe that the expectations underlying any of our forward-looking statements are reasonable, these expectations may prove to be incorrect, and all of these statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions, projections, or expectations prove incorrect, our actual results, performance, or financial condition may vary materially and adversely from those anticipated, estimated, or expected. We have included important factors in the cautionary statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, particularly in the section entitled “Risk Factors,” that we believe could cause actual results or events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements that we make. Our forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures, investments or terminations of distribution arrangements that we may make. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.
The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our financial statements and the related notes contained elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and in our other Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
Unless the context requires otherwise, references to “Myomo,” “we,” “our,” and “us” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K refer to Myomo, Inc.
We own various U.S. federal trademark registrations, certain foreign trademark registrations and applications, and unregistered trademarks, including the following registered marks referred to in this Annual Report on Form 10-K: “MyoPro ® ”, “MYOMO” ®, “MyoPal” ® and “MyoCare” ®. All other trademarks or trade names referred to in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, the trademarks and trade names in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are referred to without the symbols ® and , but such references should not be construed as any indicator that their respective owners will not assert, to the fullest extent possible under applicable law, their rights thereto.
2
Item 1. Business
Overview
We are a wearable medical robotics company that offers functional improvement for those with neuromuscular disorders and upper limb paralysis. We develop and market the MyoPro product line. A MyoPro is a myoelectric-controlled upper limb brace, or orthosis. The orthosis is a rigid brace used for the purpose of supporting a patient’s weak or paralyzed arm to enable and help improve functional activities of daily living, or ADLs, in the home and community. It is custom-fabricated by trained professionals during a custom fabrication process for each individual user to meet their specific needs. Our products are designed to help improve function in adults and adolescents with neuromuscular conditions due to brachial plexus injury, stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury and other neurological disorders. We primarily provide devices directly to patients and bill their insurance companies directly, a sales channel we refer to as direct billing. Under direct billing, we evaluate, measure and fit the MyoPro devices using our own clinical staff or as circumstances dictate, utilize the clinical consulting services of orthotics and prosthetics, or O&P, professionals, for which they are paid a fee. We also sell our products through various other sales channels, including through O&P providers, the Veterans Administration, or VA, and to our distributors in certain accounts and geographic markets outside the United States. We operate as one business segment.
Our goal is to address the need to help regain function to individuals who have suffered partial paralysis and can no longer support or move their arm or hand despite the best efforts of surgeons and rehabilitation therapists.
Our solution, the MyoPro custom fabricated limb orthosis, is for the upper limbs. The concept was originally pioneered in the 1960s, refined in the labs of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT, and made commercially feasible through our efforts. Partial paralysis is severe muscle weakness or loss of voluntary movement in one or more parts of the body. The MyoPro is listed in the United States with the FDA as a Class II (510(k)-exempt) device (Biofeedback Device). We believe it is the only device commercially available in the United States that is able to help neuromuscular-impaired people who have been through therapy and have been left with partial paralysis regain function in weak arms and hands using their own muscle signals. The device consists of a portable arm brace made of a lightweight metal and includes advanced signal processing software, non-invasive sensors, small motors, a lightweight battery unit, and 3D printed materials which are unique for each patient's arm and hand measurements. The product is worn to support the arm and hand and as a functional aid for reaching and grasping and has also been shown to have therapeutic benefits for some users to increase motor control.
The MyoPro’s control technology utilizes an advanced human-machine interface based on non-invasive, patented electromyography, or EMG, control technology that continuously monitors and senses, but does not stimulate, the affected muscles. The patient self-initiates movement through his or her weakened muscle signals that indicate the intention to move. In addition to supporting the weakened limb, the MyoPro functions as a neuro-muscular orthotic by helping regain function to the impaired limb similarly to a myoelectric prosthetic for an amputee. It is prescribed by physicians and provided by trained clinical professionals as a custom-fabricated myoelectric elbow-wrist-hand orthosis.
In addition to stroke patients, we believe our technology may be used on medically appropriate patients to improve upper extremity movement in patients with peripheral nerve injury, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, and other neurological disorders, depending on the individual patient’s condition.
Our strategy is to establish ourselves as the market leader in myoelectric limb orthotics, and to build a set of products, software applications, and value-added services based upon our patented technology platform, sized for adults, adolescents and children. We expect to introduce the MyoPro3, which will include further improvements over the MyoPro2+, and our MyoPal device for pediatric use at a future date.
The addressable market in the United States for products directed at all individuals with upper extremity paralysis, such as our MyoPro, is based on an estimated prevalence population of 3 million existing cases of upper extremity paralysis and our estimate that up to 20% of such individuals may be medically qualified candidates for a MyoPro whose insurance may reimburse for the device, which now includes Medicare Part B beneficiaries. In addition, approximately 250,000 new patients are added to the prevalence population each year in the United States as a result of strokes, brachial plexus injuries and other afflictions. Though not all these new chronic patients are suitable for a
3
MyoPro, we believe that between 25,000-50,000 of these patients per year could be. According to the National Institutes of Health, it is estimated that nearly 75% of all strokes occur in people aged 65 and over. With Medicare Part B poised to begin reimbursing on a lump sum basis for the MyoPro and Medicare Advantage plans obligated to follow suit, assuming medical necessity is demonstrated, we believe our market opportunity is substantial.
To assess whether an individual is a medically-qualified candidate for a MyoPro, we and our distribution partners utilize a variety of techniques to evaluate patients, including tele-health video conference sessions, in-person evaluations, screening days at various locations, and evaluations at clinical facilities where therapists and physicians refer patients for a MyoPro, which requires a physician’s prescription to be reimbursed by insurance. We use various media to educate individuals about the MyoPro solution for their impaired limbs, and we receive referrals from O&P providers and healthcare facilities such as VA Medical Centers.
In most cases, private health insurance companies reimburse providers for the MyoPro device. If we are serving the patient directly, then we bill the payer as the provider. If an O&P provider is responsible for working with and delivering the MyoPro to the patient, then we sell the custom-fabricated MyoPro device to the O&P provider at a wholesale price, to which they add their clinical services. In November 2018, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, issued two billing codes for the MyoPro, L8701 and L8702. In November 2023, CMS reclassified the MyoPro into the brace benefit category, effective January 1, 2024. Previously, CMS had classified the MyoPro as durable medical equipment, reimbursed on a rental basis. With the classification as a brace, the MyoPro is eligible to be reimbursed on a lump sum basis by CMS similar to other commercial insurance payers. Finally, on February 29, 2024, CMS published final payment determinations for the MyoPro Motion W (L8701) of approximately $33,500 and for the MyoPro Motion G (L8702) of approximately $65,900, effective April 1, 2024.
We hold 24 patents in the United States and various countries, which expire at various times from 2027 through 2039, and we have 14 pending patent applications in the United States and international markets. Our intellectual property also consists of trade secrets related to myoelectric control software and mechanical designs from over ten years of R&D and product development activity.
We are headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.
Market Opportunity: Common Causes of Arm Paralysis
Stroke
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the CDC, stroke is one of the leading causes of disability in the United States affecting approximately 800,000 people per year. We have working relationships with rehabilitation facilities in the United States, including the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Kennedy Krieger Institute, and numerous VA Medical Centers, and we have developed an appropriate set of inclusion criteria to determine which persons that are affected by stroke would be medically qualified for the intervention.
Many stroke survivors are left with hemiparesis, a partial paralysis of one side of the body, which impacts the ability to use their arm and/or hand. Occupational therapy is the common treatment recommended to regain native function for these individuals, and some do recover some movement of the upper limb. However, after a period of therapy, many patients plateau and continued therapy does not tend to result in significant further improvement. These chronic patients then enter the prevalence population and become potential candidates for the MyoPro, which we believe is the most effective alternative for regaining function for these individuals.
Vehicular and Workplace Accidents
One application for the MyoPro is to support the weak arm and help regain arm function to individuals who have suffered peripheral nerve injuries. A common outcome of vehicular and workplace accidents is damage to the nerves in the shoulder known as the brachial plexus. Many individuals recover from their related trauma with the exception of the ability to control their elbow and/or hand. Nerve transfer surgery is often a solution; however, these procedures are not always restorative. In some cases, patients undergo amputation and receive myoelectric prosthetics rather than deal with a paralyzed arm. One of the leading medical facilities in the United States for treating brachial plexus injuries is
4
the Mayo Clinic. We have been working with surgeons at the Mayo Clinic who have incorporated the MyoPro into their surgical post-operative treatment protocol to help improve function in upper limbs.
Spinal Cord Injuries
According to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, spinal cord injuries are second only to strokes as a cause of paralysis, resulting in 27% of cases of paralysis. The level of paralysis depends on where the injury occurs. Currently, medically qualified individuals for a MyoPro include those with incomplete spinal cord injuries having sufficient remaining EMG signal strength to initiate movement of the devices, as determined by the clinician using a MyoPro demonstration unit.
Cerebral Palsy
Based on data provided by the CDC, the prevalence of cerebral palsy, or CP, in the United States is approximately 73,000 for children ages 6-11 years old. CP is caused by brain injury or brain malformation that occurs before, during, or immediately after birth while the infant’s brain is under development.
Birth Brachial Plexus Injuries
During birth, some newborns suffer an injury to the brachial plexus nerve, which can result in arm paralysis. According to Boston Children’s Hospital, one to three births out of 1,000 involve a brachial plexus injury, with roughly 20-30% resulting in arm paralysis. We have been testing our planned pediatric device on children who have suffered this nerve damage to assess its ability to improve function in upper limbs, and this new version of the MyoPro, which we refer to as MyoPal, is expected to be available to these patients during calendar year 2025.
Progressive Conditions
The MyoPro has been prescribed in a few cases for individuals with progressive conditions such as multiple sclerosis and ALS. For individuals with these conditions, the MyoPro is used for functional improvement that may help provide strength conservation and help to extend the time they can maintain independence. As users continue to progress with their condition, settings can be adjusted to provide increasing amounts of assistance.
Arm Paralysis Solutions & Treatments
The standard of care for treating paralysis varies by diagnosis. In the case of neurological injuries such as stroke, occupational / physical therapy is the standard of care. Each year, stroke and other survivors undergo months of rehabilitation. Unfortunately, many are left with long term hemiparesis, which is weakness on one side of the body. Interventions such as electrical stimulation, static braces, and continued therapy are available, and yet the prevalence of chronic upper limb paralysis is in the millions.
Our Solutions
Although commercial products for powered prosthetics have been available since the 1970s, we believe that powered orthotics have been held back by issues related to weight, comfort, and the technological capability of microprocessors and software. The MyoPro is a custom fabricated limb orthosis. It is created individually for each patient, which is done by using 3D printing techniques for the orthotic components, where the measurements can be obtained either in-person or remotely. Using remote measurement for the orthotic components can reduce the number of in-person visits by our clinical field staff.
Orthotic devices are provided by clinical professionals who fit these devices. According to the American Orthotics and Prosthetics Association, there are more than 2,000 member O&P facilities located in the United States. Additionally, the VA has been a pioneer in O&P. In fact, the design of the MyoPro Motion G powered grasp product is rooted in research conducted at the Boston-area VA in the 1990s. This research demonstrated that it is technically feasible to design a myoelectric elbow-hand orthosis; however, we believe that the product was not commercially practical until we were able to incorporate recent technological developments such as improved microprocessors and software, lightweight materials and motors, and smaller batteries to create an acceptable orthosis for users.
5
The MyoPro can enable individuals to self-initiate and control movements of a partially paralyzed or weakened limb using their own muscle signals. When the user tries to move, our patented EMG control system uses sensors to detect the weak muscle signal and to activate a motor to move the limb in the desired direction. The user is in control of their own limb; the brace amplifies their weak muscle signal to regain function to the affected joint. Importantly, the EMG-driven device requires that users are actively engaged throughout the movement; if they stop trying to move, the device stops. With our product, someone who has upper extremity paralysis from a brachial plexus injury, stroke or other neuromuscular disorder can experience improved function in performing ADLs including feeding, reaching and lifting.
Each MyoPro brace is custom fabricated for each patient for optimum fit, mobility and performance. To qualify for a MyoPro, candidates must meet a comprehensive set of requirements determined by a trained clinical professional during an evaluation. These criteria include long term partial paralysis, detection of a muscle signal sufficient to control the device, demonstrated cognitive abilities, and lack of other conditions that might limit the effectiveness or safety of the device such as use of certain pharmaceuticals, high levels of pain, or limits to range of motion, as well as falling within measurement limitations for the arm and hand to be able to fit into the device. Finally, candidates must have meaningful and achievable functional goals that can realistically be accomplished with the device that cannot otherwise be achieved with other interventions.
Should the individual qualify, we (in the case of direct billing) or the O&P provider will determine whether the device may be covered by the individual’s health insurance. If reimbursement is approved and the individual is a suitable candidate for a MyoPro, then the fabrication and fitting process is undertaken:
We believe that the use of the MyoPro is compelling since it enables functional improvement that can help users improve their ability to perform ADLs, which may allow them to return to work or improve their ability to be independent and remain at home. According to the CDC, 7% of adults aged 65 and over in the United States require daily help with ADLs, with such long term support services consuming more than 13% of all healthcare spending. With approximately 70 million baby boomers now in or headed into their retirement years, we believe that it is vital to keep beneficiaries in the lowest cost of care setting — the home.
Research and Development
We are committed to investing in a robust product development program and to supporting a variety of clinical research studies to enhance our products, increase the body of evidence to support prescribing and reimbursing our devices, and to grow our range of product offerings. Our R&D team is comprised of engineers with a mix of BS and MS degrees in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, robotics engineering and computer science and augmented by outside resources as needed. The R&D team seeks to combine innovative research conducted over the last 50 years with cutting edge innovations in robotics, machine learning, and material science to continue to enhance our products and product offerings. Our regulatory, clinical, and customer service personnel work closely with our suppliers and providers to promote compliance with quality standards and good manufacturing processes, which we believe result in a high-quality product and limited customer issues.
6
We have continually enhanced our product offerings by increasing functionality for users by the addition of a multi-articulated wrist and introducing a powered grasp for the hand. Our flagship product is the MyoPro 2, introduced in June 2017, which features improvements in control technology, new configuration software and user interface, and a longer-lasting, pop-out battery for extended use of the brace and convenient replacement. In January 2022, we introduced the MyoPro2+, which is a lighter and more advanced version of the device, which includes 3D printed orthotics capability, software enhancements and a new design that facilitates easier donning and doffing of the device.
We plan, depending on available resources, to continually improve our system architecture and develop new product innovations based on our product roadmap and clinician feedback to increase the value and breadth of our product offerings.
Clinical Research Studies
Evidence of effectiveness involving myoelectric orthotics dates back to 1967. We have partnered with leading researchers to study the impact of the technology to regain function to a paralyzed joint as well as the real-world benefit that comes from being able to independently perform ADLs in the home, vocational tasks at work, and community activities such as shopping. In 2023, a study was published based on data obtained from our internal outcomes patient registry that compared functional task performance while wearing a MyoPro. The results showed that the MyoPro provides stabilizing support to the weak warm of individuals after a stroke and enables individuals to use their impaired arm to complete functional tasks independently in the home environment. An additional study has been completed and accepted for publication that used a validated outcome measure called Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand, or DASH, to study improvements in the arms of patients that wear a MyoPro. The results showed statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in DASH scores. In addition to this research, several institutions have active funded research programs. In February 2022, researchers with the Cleveland VA published a study showing clinically significant gains in motor function in individuals with chronic moderate-to-sever arm weakness. Currently funded studies include a randomized control trial by the Kessler Foundation, using the MyoPro to study the restoration of upper extremity motor function in people with spinal cord injury, and a recently initiated randomized control trial at the Cleveland VA using the MyoPro for stroke patients using motor learning in therapy and home use. In non-clinical based research, the University of Utah has been awarded grant funding to study and improve the control systems that communicate muscle intention for better control of the motors on the MyoPro brace. This could lead to future collaboration between Myomo and the University of Utah if new intellectual property is developed.
Sales and Marketing
Our strategic goal is to develop and commercialize products that become the standard of care for individuals with paralysis who cannot be successfully treated with conventional interventions such as rehabilitation therapy. Our strategy is to establish ourselves as a market leader in myoelectric-controlled orthotics by building a set of products, software applications, and value-added services based upon our patented technology platform. In addition to our recent geographic expansion to serve more areas in the United States, we are entering international markets via local partnerships and distribution arrangements to meet the large global need that we believe exists for individuals with upper limb paralysis.
To generate awareness and interest in our products, we perform in-services for therapists and physicians, and we directly educate and inform those individuals who are potential candidates for our products. In addition, we utilize digital ads on various platforms as well as television ads. Once the prospective patient contacts us or is referred to us, either our trained clinical staff or a trained O&P provider evaluates the patient for their suitability as a candidate. In instances where we are the provider, the initial clinical screening is often conducted using a telehealth platform. Prior to obtaining authorizations from commercial insurance companies, the patient’s medical records are collected and reviewed to make sure the device is appropriate for their condition and a prescription is typically obtained from the patient’s physician. Once these documents are obtained, our patient advocacy team submits a pre-authorization request to the patient’s insurer. If we receive a pre-authorization, we will proceed to measure the patient’s arm, create the orthotic parts, then fabricate the MyoPro and deliver it to the patient. This process is what we refer to as direct billing. We also call on hospitals and O&P practices that provide our products to their patients as well as indirect sales through distributors in Europe and Australia. The MyoPro product line has been approved by the VA system for impaired veterans, and nearly 100 VA facilities have already ordered devices for their patients.
7
Since we began marketing our products directly to patients in 2019, our business development efforts have focused on developing a pipeline of patients in our reimbursement process and expanding the number of payers reimbursing for our products. Beginning in 2023, our business development efforts focused only on those payers that have previously reimbursed for the MyoPro. As of December 31, 2023, 1,042 patients were in our reimbursement pipeline, an 18% increase compared to 883 patients in the pipeline at December 31, 2022. As of December 31, 2023, 230 MyoPro units were in backlog, which we define as patients for whom we received insurance authorization, or in the case of Medicare Part B patients, those who have been qualified for delivery through receipt of required medical documentation, but revenue has not been recognized. This represents a 40% increase over 164 patients in backlog at December 31, 2022. The estimated maximum potential revenue value of the backlog is approximately $9.9 million.
To bring the MyoPro to what we believe is the large number of potential patients outside of the United States. In July 2017 we met the criteria to apply the CE mark under the European Union (EU) Medical Devices Directive (93/42/EEC), or EU MDD, which is a manufacturer’s declaration that the product complies with the essential requirements of such legislation, so that the MyoPro can be marketed in the EU. The EU Medical Devices Regulation (EU) No. 2017/745, or the EU MDR, repealed and replaced the EU MDD on May 26, 2021 and we therefore worked with our EU-Authorized Representative to ensure all EU MDR requirements were met, which enables us to establish a new declaration of conformity under the EU MDR to allow continued CE mark application. In October 2017, we obtained our medical device license for Canada, enabling us to provide the MyoPro to patients in that country. We have entered into distribution agreements with O&P providers in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Germany, Italy and Australia, and have received a number of MyoPro orders from providers outside the United States in 2023, primarily from Germany.
Competition
An individual with difficulty walking has a wide range of technological alternatives from canes and crutches to powered wheelchairs and exoskeleton suits. However, those with paralysis of the arm, wrist, and hand, whose physical challenges that we seek to address, have few options to regain function.
Rehabilitation Therapy
Rehabilitation therapy is the standard of care for upper extremity paralysis and a prerequisite to qualifying for a myoelectric orthosis such as the MyoPro. After a stroke or other traumatic injury, a large portion of survivors regain much or all of their function. However, every year there are many survivors whose upper extremities remain paralyzed despite best efforts of rehabilitation therapists.
Non-Powered Braces
Some individuals are able to accomplish their functional goals with braces that are non-powered or use springs to offset forces of gravity or muscle tightness, referred to as spasticity. Medical professionals who evaluate patients for myoelectric orthotics screen out individuals who could accomplish their goals with a simpler, less costly intervention such as these braces.
Experimental Surgery: Battelle and Thomas Jefferson University — Brain Implants
An array of experimental interventions currently is being researched at universities and non-profit research facilities around the world. One such innovation recently announced by Battelle Memorial Institute in Ohio and Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia involves a craniotomy, which is a surgical opening into the skull performed to implant a sensor chip in the brain. An electrical cable is connected to the top of the head connecting to a system that sends pulses of electrical stimulation to activate muscles in the forearm or to control the MyoPro brace. The procedure is experimental, invasive, and costly, but may be offered as an alternative to a myoelectric orthosis.
Exoskeleton Suits
During the last few years, a number of companies have emerged to provide exoskeleton suits that enable those with lower extremity paralysis to stand and walk again. Companies in this space include ReWalk, Ekso Bionics, and Cyberdyne. It is possible that companies may begin to compete with solutions such as ours for the upper extremity. Ekso Bionics has recently announced a product to be used only for rehab therapy at a hospital, and we can provide no assurance that these or other companies are not currently developing competing products for the home market.
8
Potential New Products from O&P Manufacturers
If our business grows, interest may develop among new or existing manufacturers of other O&P devices that compete with the MyoPro, which may or may not challenge the validity of our intellectual property. Some new products have been introduced that compete with the MyoPro from companies such as Vincent Systems and HKK in Germany.
Intellectual Property
Our intellectual property efforts have focused on improvements to the patents that we licensed from MIT, which expired in 2023. Myomo has 24 of its own issued patents. These additional patents cover our MyoPro Motion G product. The Motion G product, which allows for the movement of multiple joints as compared to a single joint, which is the technology that underlies the patents previously licensed from MIT. The Motion G generated 96% of our product revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023. In January 2013, Myomo’s patent entitled Powered Orthotic Device was granted in Europe (European Patent No. 2079361), which is validated (currently in force) in six European countries. In June 2014, a substantially similar patent was granted in Japan (Japanese Patent No. 5557529). In November 2013 and January 2015, Myomo’s two U.S. patents issued entitled Powered Orthotic Device and Method of Using Same (U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,585,620 and 8,926,534, respectively). On July 26, 2016, Myomo’s third U.S. patent was issued (U.S. Pat. No. 9,398,994). In September 2020, Myomo’s fourth U.S. patent was issued entitled Powered Orthotic Device and Method of Using the Same (U.S. Pat No. 10758394B2). Similar patents have been issued in China, Hong Kong, and Japan and is validated (currently in force) in six European countries (European Patent No. 3307225). We also have 3 pending U.S. patent applications and 8 foreign applications under examination. We plan to continue to file additional patent applications over time. The longest term of our patents extends intellectual property rights until 2039.
In terms of trademarks, the terms Myomo, MyoPro, MyoPal and MyoCare are registered as trademarks with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Our trademarks were initially registered in 2013 and 2014, and we have been making the required filings to maintain our trademarks.
Government Regulation
The MyoPro device and our operations including our supply chain and distribution channels are subject to regulation by the FDA and various other U.S. federal and state agencies. Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or FFDCA, medical devices are classified as Class I, Class II or Class III, depending on the degree of risk associated with the device, what is known about the type of device, and the extent of control needed to provide reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness. Classification of a device is important because the class to which a device is assigned determines, among other things, the necessity and type of FDA premarket review. We have elected to list the MyoPro Family of products under a Class II device classification regulation for biofeedback devices. Under the classification regulation, we believe our device remains 510(k)-exempt as a battery powered, external limb orthosis device that is indicated for muscle relaxation or muscle re-education are generally 510(k)-exempt under the classification regulation. While we believe our device to be exempt from FDA premarket review, our device is subject to FDA’s post-market requirements, which include compliance with the applicable portions of the FDA’s Quality System Regulation, or QSR, facility registration and product listing, reporting of adverse medical events, and appropriate, truthful and non-misleading labeling, advertising, and promotional materials.
We are also subject to regulation by foreign governmental agencies in connection with international sales. These agencies enforce laws and regulations that govern the development, testing, manufacturing, labeling, advertising, marketing and distribution, and market surveillance of our medical device products. In the EU, medical devices are regulated under the Medical Devices Regulation (EU) No. 2017/745, or the EU MDR, which repealed and replaced the previous Medical Devices Directive 93/42/EEC, or EU MDD, on May 26, 2021.
The EU MDR, among other things:
strengthens the rules on placing devices on the market (e.g., reclassification of certain devices and
wider scope than the EU MDD) and reinforces surveillance once they are available;
establishes explicit provisions on manufacturers’ responsibilities for the follow up of the quality,
performance and safety of devices placed on the market;
9
establishes explicit provisions on importers’ and distributors’ obligations and responsibilities;
imposes an obligation to identify a responsible person who is ultimately responsible for all aspects
of compliance with the requirements of the new regulation;
improves the traceability of medical devices throughout the supply chain to the end user or patient
through the introduction of a unique identification number, to increase the ability of
manufacturers and regulatory authorities to trace specific devices through the supply chain and to
facilitate the prompt and efficient recall of medical devices that have been found to present a safety
risk; and
sets up a central database (EUDAMED) to provide patients, healthcare professionals and the
public with comprehensive information on products available in the EU.
Under the EU MDR, all medical devices placed on the market in the EU must meet the relevant general safety and performance requirements laid down in Annex I to the EU MDR, including the requirement that a medical device must be designed and manufactured in such a way that, during normal conditions of use, it is suitable for its intended purpose. In addition, a medical device must be safe and effective and must not compromise the clinical condition or the safety of patients. To demonstrate compliance with such general safety and performance requirements, medical device manufacturers must undergo a conformity assessment procedure, which varies according to the type of medical device and its (risk) classification. Demonstration of conformity with the general safety and performance requirements includes a clinical evaluation. Specifically, a manufacturer must demonstrate that the device achieves its intended performance during normal conditions of use, that the known and foreseeable risks, and any adverse events, are minimized and acceptable when weighed against the benefits of its intended performance, and that any claims made about the performance and safety of the device are supported by suitable evidence. Except for low-risk medical devices (Class I non-sterile, non-measuring devices), where the manufacturer can self-declare the conformity of its products with the general safety and performance requirements (except for any parts which relate to sterility or metrology), a conformity assessment procedure requires the intervention of a notified body. Notified bodies are independent organizations designated by EU member states to assess the conformity of devices before being placed on the market. A notified body would typically audit and examine a product’s technical dossiers and the manufacturers’ quality system. If satisfied that the relevant product conforms to the relevant essential requirements, the notified body issues a certificate of conformity, which the manufacturer uses as a basis for its own declaration of conformity. The manufacturer may then apply the CE mark to the device, which allows the device to be placed on the market throughout the EU.
All manufacturers placing medical devices on the market in the EU must comply with the EU medical device vigilance system which has been reinforced by the EU MDR. Under this system, serious incidents and field safety corrective actions , or FSCAs must be reported to the relevant authorities of the EU member states. These reports will have to be submitted through EUDAMED – once functional – and aim to ensure that, in addition to reporting to the relevant authorities of the EU member states, other actors such as the economic operators in the supply chain will also be informed. Until EUDAMED is fully functional, the corresponding provisions of the EU MDD continue to apply. A serious incident is defined as any incident, which, directly or indirectly, led, might have led or might lead to the death of a patient or user or other person, or to a temporary or permanent serious deterioration of a patient’s, user’s or other person’s state of health, or a serious public health threat. In addition, among the new requirements of the EU MDR, manufacturers (and authorized representatives) must have available within their organization at least one person responsible for regulatory compliance, or PRRC, who possesses the requisite expertise in the field of medical devices. The PRRC is notably responsible for compliance with post-market surveillance and vigilance requirements. The European Commission has adopted various standards applicable to medical devices and there are additionally harmonized standards relating to the design and manufacture of medical devices (such as the ISO13485 standard) which are not mandatory however, if complied with, indicate that the device satisfies the applicable element of the general safety and performance requirements.
The aforementioned EU rules are generally applicable in the European Economic Area, or EEA, which consists of the EU member states plus Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland.
We, together with Cogmedix, our primary contract manufacturer, actively maintain FDA 21 CFR Part 820 QSR and ISO 13485 Quality Management Systems for product design and development, manufacturing, distribution, and customer feedback processes. Following the introduction of a product, the FDA and comparable foreign agencies may engage in periodic audits of our quality management system, the product performance, and our advertising and promotional materials. These regulatory controls, as well as any changes in the policies of the FDA or comparable
10
foreign agencies, can affect the time and cost associated with the development, introduction and continued availability of new products. We work to anticipate these factors in our product development processes.
In addition to our EU authorization as outlined above, we have a Medical Device License for Canada. In addition, Myomo has obtained certification of our Quality System, or QS, to the Medical-Device-Single-Audit-Program, or MDSAP. This certifies compliance of the QS for sales in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Australia, and Japan. If we enter into other jurisdictions with additional international partners, we will need to seek the appropriate government approval to supply the devices in these countries. If we fail to comply with applicable foreign regulatory requirements, we may be subject to various administrative and legal actions against us, such as product recalls, product seizures and other civil and criminal sanctions.
Healthcare and Privacy Laws and Regulation
As an accredited Medicare provider, we are subject to broadly applicable fraud and abuse and other healthcare laws and regulations. Manufacturing, sales, promotion and other activities following product approval are also subject to regulation by numerous regulatory authorities in the United States in addition to the FDA, CMS, other divisions of the Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS, such as the Office for Civil Rights or the Office of Inspector General, the Department of Justice, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency and state and local governments.
Additionally, healthcare providers and third-party payers play a primary role in the recommendation of medical devices and other medical items and services. Arrangements with providers, consultants, third-party payers and customers are subject to broadly applicable fraud and abuse, anti-kickback, false claims laws, reporting of payments to physicians and teaching hospitals, patient privacy laws and regulations and other healthcare laws and regulations that may constrain our business and/or financial arrangements. Restrictions under applicable federal and state healthcare and privacy laws and regulations, include the following:
11
Because of the breadth of these laws and the narrowness of the statutory exceptions and regulatory safe harbors available, it is possible that some of our business activities could, despite efforts to comply, be subject to challenge under one or more of such laws. Moreover, efforts to ensure that our business arrangements comply with applicable healthcare laws may involve substantial costs. It is possible that governmental and enforcement authorities will conclude that our business practices may not comply with current or future statutes, regulations or case law interpreting applicable fraud and abuse or other healthcare laws and regulations. If any such actions are instituted against us, and we are not successful in defending ourselves or asserting our rights, those actions could have a
12
significant impact on our business, including the imposition of significant civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, disgorgement, monetary fines, exclusion from participation in Medicare, Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs, integrity and oversight agreements to resolve allegations of non-compliance, contractual damages, reputational harm, diminished profits and future earnings, and curtailment or restructuring of our operations, any of which could adversely affect our ability to operate our business and our results of operations. In addition, the commercialization of any of our products outside the United States will also likely subject us to foreign equivalents of the healthcare laws mentioned above, among other foreign laws.
Health Insurance Reimbursement
In the United States and markets in other countries, patients who are prescribed medical devices for their conditions and providers delivering the prescribed devices generally rely on third-party payers to reimburse all or part of the associated healthcare costs. MyoPro devices are typically reimbursed by the patient’s health insurance plan, which include government health programs in the United States such as Medicare and Medicaid, commercial health insurers and managed care organizations. To obtain approval for reimbursement, payers require various items which may include a physician’s written order, a history of the patient’s medical condition and past treatment, and demonstration of medical necessity. Factors payers consider in determining reimbursement are based on whether the product is: a covered benefit under its health plan; safe, effective, and medically necessary; appropriate for the specific patient; cost effective, and neither experimental nor investigational.
Our Patient Advocacy Team assists patients in developing and submitting this documentation for coverage of the prescribed MyoPro. Since the MyoPro is a relatively new device, payers may not be familiar with the device, and in some cases, payers may deem it to be experimental or investigational and establish non-coverage policies for the device. National and regional commercial plans, worker’s compensation programs, auto insurance carriers, Medicare Advantage plans, and some state Medicaid plans have paid for the MyoPro orthosis on a lump sum basis. CMS has reimbursed a number of Medicare Part B beneficiaries for a MyoPro on a rental basis. Beginning January 1, 2024, CMS is able to reimburse for the MyoPro on a lump sum basis. For payers other than CMS, the reimbursement process usually requires obtaining a pre-authorization for the MyoPro from the patient's insurer, and if the authorization request is initially denied by the payer, we may provide support to the patient, or the O&P provider as the case may be, in appealing the decision. We have been successful in obtaining coverage for the MyoPro on a case by case basis and we continue to follow up on other cases in our reimbursement pipeline which are pending an insurance decision.
As of January 1, 2019, two HCPCS codes for the MyoPro, L8701 and L8702, issued by CMS, went into effect. CMS elected to classify the MyoPro for Medicare beneficiaries as DME to be provided to patients under a capped rental payment system. In November 2023, CMS reclassified the MyoPro billing codes (L8701 and L8702) into the brace benefit category, which makes the MyoPro eligible to be reimbursed on a lump sum, rather than a rental basis. We have submitted, and been paid for, a number of claims on both a rental basis and now on a lump sum basis, since we first started submitting claims in the first quarter of 2023. These claims are being reviewed by CMS’s administrative contractors referred to as the DME MACs, on the basis of individual consideration. This means claims are being individually reviewed for medical necessity as a condition for reimbursement. We expect that claims will continue be reviewed in this manner for the near term. At some point in the future, the DME MACs will reimburse claims upon submission and conduct post-reimbursement audits to determine if the patient met CMS' reimbursement criteria.
In conjunction with our reclassification into the brace benefit category, on February 29, 2024, CMS published final average payment determinations for the MyoPro Motion W (L8701) of approximately $33,500 and for the MyoPro Motion G (L8702) of approximately $65,900, effective April 1, 2024. Once the final fees are effective, Medicare Advantage insurance plans are obligated to reimburse for the MyoPro, so long as the device is deemed to be medically necessary for their beneficiaries, which will continue to be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Based on the final published fees, our O&P partners, as well as others whom we do not work with today, may find the fees sufficient to cover the cost of the MyoPro device, the clinical services to evaluate and fit patients, and the other support services associated with provisioning of products to patients, which may result in higher sales volume from that channel.
Current and Future Legislation
13
The United States and many foreign jurisdictions have enacted or proposed legislative and regulatory changes affecting the healthcare system that could affect our ability to profitably sell MyoPro. Changes in regulations, statutes or the interpretation of existing regulations could impact our business in the future by requiring, for example: (i) changes to our manufacturing arrangements; (ii) additions or modifications to product labeling; (iii) the recall or discontinuation of our products; or (iv) additional record-keeping requirements. If any such changes were to be imposed, they could adversely affect the operation of our business.
In the United States, there have been and continue to be a number of legislative initiatives and legal challenges to contain healthcare costs. For example, in March 2010, the ACA was passed, which substantially changed the way healthcare is financed by both governmental and private insurers, and significantly impacted the United States medical device industry to which we sell our products. Among other things, the ACA:
Since its enactment, there have been numerous judicial, administrative, executive, and legislative challenges to certain aspects of the ACA, and we expect there will be additional challenges and amendments to the ACA in the future. On June 17, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed the most recent judicial challenge to the ACA brought by several states without specifically ruling on the constitutionality of the ACA. It is unclear how other healthcare reform measures in Congress or through executive orders, if any, to challenge repeal or replace the ACA, will impact our business.
In addition, other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted in the United States since the ACA was enacted. In August 2011, the Budget Control Act of 2011, among other things, resulted in aggregate reductions of Medicare payments to providers of 2% per fiscal year, which went into effect in 2013, and, due to subsequent legislative amendments, will remain in effect until 2032. The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 further reduced Medicare payments to several types of providers, including hospitals and cancer treatment centers, and increased the statute of limitations period for the government to recover overpayments to providers from three to five years.
In response to perceived increases in healthcare costs in recent years, there have been and continue to be proposals by the Presidential administrations, members of Congress, state governments, regulators and third-party payers to control these costs and, more generally, to reform the United States healthcare system, including by repealing or replacing the ACA. Many elements of health care reform such as comparative effectiveness research, payment system reforms including shared savings pilots and other provisions could meaningfully change the way healthcare is developed and delivered, and may materially adversely impact numerous aspects of our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Manufacturing
Myomo’s custom fabricated orthosis is comprised of two elements. The first is the electromechanical kit. The kit consists of the motor units, processor, sensors, and battery. Manufacturing for the electromechanical kit is provided by our supplier Cogmedix, a wholly owned subsidiary of Coughlin Companies in Worcester, MA. The second element is the custom fabrication of the orthosis itself from measurements obtained either in person or remotely. A third-party, AB Corp, creates the orthotic parts from these measurements and the fabrication of the device is done in our facility in Boston, Massachusetts.
14
Coverage for the MyoPro from CMS is expected to increase sales volumes for the MyoPro. We have the ability to increase capacity at our facility in Boston to approximately 100 units per month, which is approximately double our current capacity, by adding additional labor and running a second shift. If the volume and geographic reach of our sales expand further, we may seek additional sources for manufacturing and custom fabrication of the devices as our needs may require, or expand our manufacturing space and capacity.
Employees and Human Capital
As of December 31, 2023, we employed a total of 101 full time employees and 5 part time employees. All employees are subject to contractual agreements that specify requirements for confidentiality, ownership of newly developed intellectual property and restrictions on working for competitors as well as other matters. None of our employees are represented by labor unions or covered by collective bargaining agreements, and we have experienced no work stoppages. We consider our relationship with our employees to be good.
We believe that our future success largely depends upon our continued ability to attract and retain highly skilled employees and personnel. Our plan to increase clinical, reimbursement and manufacturing capacity in 2024 involves the hiring of more than 50 employees by the end of the second quarter of 2024. Our human capital resources objectives include identifying, recruiting, retaining, incentivizing and integrating our existing and new employees, advisors and consultants. The principal purposes of our equity and cash incentive plans are to attract, retain and reward personnel through the granting of stock-based and cash-based compensation awards, in order to increase stockholder value and the success of our company by motivating such individuals to perform to the best of their abilities and achieve our objectives. We provide our employees with competitive salaries and bonuses, opportunities for equity ownership, support for programs that enable continued learning and growth and an employment package that promotes well-being across all aspects of their lives, including health care, retirement planning and paid time off. We value diversity at all levels and seek to make our workforce as diverse and inclusive as we can and offer advancement opportunities based on merit and performance.
Corporate Information
We were incorporated in the state of Delaware on September 1, 2004. On June 9, 2017, we executed our initial public offering, and our common stock trades under the symbol “MYO.” Our principal executive offices are located at 137 Portland St., 4th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, and our telephone number is (617) 996-9058.
Where You Can Find More Information
Our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 are available through the investor relations portion of our website (www.myomo.com) free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC. Information on our investor relations page and on our website is not part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K or any of our other securities filings unless specifically incorporated herein or therein by reference. In addition, our filings with the SEC may be accessed through the SEC's Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval (EDGAR) system at www.sec.gov. All statements made in any of our securities filings, including all forward-looking statements or information, are made as of the date of the document in which the statement is included, and we do not assume or undertake any obligation to update any of those statements or documents unless we are required to do so by law. In addition, our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and Charters of our Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, Technology, Quality, and Regulatory Committee, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and Lead Independent Director are available on our website and are available in print to any stockholder who requests such information.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
The following important factors, among others, could cause our actual operating results to differ materially from those indicated or suggested by forward-looking statements made in this Form 10-K or presented elsewhere by management from time to time. Investors should carefully consider the risks described below before making an investment decision. The risks described below are not the only ones we face. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently believe are not material may also significantly impair our business operations. Our business
15
could be harmed by any of these risks. The trading price of our common stock could decline due to any of these risks, and investors may lose all or part of their investment.
Risks Associated with Our Business
Risks Related to Our Operating and Financial Results
We have a history of operating losses. Factors both within and outside of our control could result in a delay in our ability to achieve cash flow breakeven on a quarterly basis.
We have a history of losses since inception. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, we incurred net losses of $8.1 million and $10.7 million, respectively. At December 31, 2023, we had an accumulated deficit of approximately $96.9 million. The extent and duration of future operating and net losses will depend on our ability to hire at least 50 to 60 additional employees in 2024 as we have planned to increase our clinical, reimbursement and manufacturing capacity and the ability of our supply chain to meet our volume requirements without disruption. We believe it is achievable to be cash flow breakeven on a quarterly basis by the fourth quarter of 2024. However, there can be no assurance that we can cost effectively grow our revenues without requiring additional capital.
Our cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments at December 31, 2023 was approximately $8.9 million. On January 19, 2024, we completed a registered direct offering of our common stock and pre-funded warrants, generating net proceeds of approximately $5.4 million. We believe that our existing cash at December 31, 2023, together with the net proceeds from our January 2024 financing will be sufficient to fund our operations for the twelve months from the date of this report. If we encounter obstacles such as have been referred to above, the timing of our ability to achieve cash flow breakeven could extend beyond the fourth quarter of 2024 and additional capital may be required.
Our strategy to maximize revenues by focusing our efforts on patients whose insurance has reimbursed for the MyoPro in the past has resulted in a concentration of revenues with patients covered by a single insurer. Adverse changes in that insurer’s reimbursement policy regarding the MyoPro could have an adverse effect on our business.
In order to maximize revenues and minimize cash used for operations, we focus our lead generation efforts in geographical areas of the country where insurers who have previously reimbursed for the MyoPro operate their businesses. Beginning in September 2021, a large insurer that has historically reimbursed for the MyoPro began denying claims after having granted a pre-authorization and after we delivered the devices to patients, and these post-service denials currently continue. Revenues from patients insured by this payer represented 38% of total product revenues during the year ended December 31, 2023. With a small number of exceptions, appeals filed with the payer have been successful and these claims have ultimately been paid. This payer also continues to provide us with pre-authorizations to serve new patients. If this payer were to start regularly denying appeals on filed claims, reduce the number of MyoPro’s that it will authorize for its insured patients, or delays payments pending resolution of the denial and appeals process, our revenues and cash flows would be negatively impacted, which would have an adverse effect on our business.
We may experience significant fluctuations in our quarterly and annual results.
Fluctuations in our quarterly and annual financial results have resulted and will continue to result from numerous factors, including:
16
These factors, some of which are not within our control, may cause the price of our common stock to fluctuate substantially. If our quarterly operating results fail to meet or exceed the expectations of securities analysts or investors, our stock price could drop suddenly and significantly. We believe quarterly comparisons of our financial results are not always meaningful and should not be relied upon as an indication of our future performance.
If CMS amends or retracts coverage requirements, insurers offering Medicare Advantage insurance plans may no longer reimburse for the MyoPro, which would have an adverse effect on our business.
Revenues from patients who are covered by Medicare Advantage insurance plans have become a significant portion of our overall revenues. For the year ended December 31, 2023, approximately 57% of our product revenues were derived from patients with Medicare Advantage insurance plans. If CMS amends or retracts its November 2023 rule classifying MyoPro as a brace or amends or retracts any published fees, insurers offering Medicare Advantage insurance plans may no longer cover or adequately reimburse for the MyoPro. As a result, our revenues and cash flows would be negatively impacted, which could have an adverse effect on our business. See “-Risks Related to our Reliance on Third Parties—We may not be able to obtain third-party payer reimbursement, including reimbursement by Medicare, for our products” for additional information about CMS coverage decisions.
We currently rely, and in the future will rely, on sales of our MyoPro products for our revenue, and we may not be able to achieve or maintain market acceptance.
We currently rely, and in the future will rely, on sales of our MyoPro products for our revenue. MyoPro products are relatively new products, and market acceptance and adoption depend on educating people with limited upper extremity mobility and healthcare providers as to the distinct features, ease-of-use, improved quality of life and other benefits of MyoPro systems compared to alternative technologies and treatments. MyoPro products may not be perceived to have sufficient potential benefits compared with these alternatives, which include rehabilitation therapy or amputation with a prosthetic replacement. Also, we believe that healthcare providers tend to be slow to change their medical treatment practices because of perceived liability risks arising from the use of new products and the uncertainty of third-party reimbursement. Accordingly, healthcare providers may not recommend the MyoPro until there is sufficient evidence to convince them to alter the treatment methods they typically recommend. This evidence may include prominent healthcare providers or other key opinion leaders in the upper extremity paralysis community recommending the MyoPro as effective in providing identifiable immediate and long-term health benefits, and the publication of additional peer-reviewed clinical studies demonstrating its value. Additionally, because the MyoPro is a prescription
17
device, patients require the prescription of a healthcare provider to access our products and to have the device reimbursed by insurance.
Achieving and maintaining market acceptance of MyoPro products could be negatively impacted by many other factors, including, but not limited to:
Any factors that negatively impact sales of MyoPro would adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results.
Risks Related to our Reliance on Third Parties
We may not be able to obtain third-party payer reimbursement, including reimbursement by Medicare, for our products.
Sales of our device depend, in part, on the extent to which our products will be covered by third-party payers, such as government health programs, commercial insurance and managed healthcare organizations. See section titled “Business Section – Government Regulation – Health Insurance Reimbursement.” Third-party payers are increasingly challenging the prices charged, examining the medical necessity, and reviewing the cost-effectiveness of medical products and services and imposing controls to manage costs. Third-party payers may limit coverage to specific products on an approved list, also known as a formulary, which might not include all of the approved products for a particular indication. As a result, the coverage determination process is often a time-consuming and costly process that will require us to provide scientific and clinical support for the use of our products to each payer separately, with no assurance that coverage and adequate reimbursement will be obtained. Currently, we are almost entirely dependent on third parties to cover the cost of our products to patients and rely on our distributors’ ability to obtain reimbursement for the cost of our products. If the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, or the VA, health insurance companies and other third-party payers do not provide adequate coverage or reimbursement for our products, then our sales will be limited to clinical facilities and individuals who can pay for our devices without reimbursement. To our knowledge, through the year ended December 31, 2023, fewer than 50 units have been self-paid or funded by non-profit foundations. Some commercial health insurance plans have published statements that they will not cover the cost of the MyoPro for their members. Starting in 2023, we no longer pursue sales to patients whose insurance payers have not previously reimbursed for the MyoPro. In the event we are unsuccessful in obtaining coverage and adequate reimbursement for our products from third-party payers, our sales will be significantly constrained. Currently, reimbursement for the cost of our products is obtained primarily on a case-by-case basis until such time, if any, we obtain broad coverage policies with Medicare and third-party payers. There can be no assurance that we will be able to
18
obtain these broad coverage policies. See section titled “Business Section – Government Regulation – Health Insurance Reimbursement.”
We began submitting claims to the DME MACs on behalf of Medicare Part B beneficiaries in March 2023. A total of 40 claims have been submitted and payments have been received for 21 patients either as rentals or as purchases as of the filing date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, covering all four of the DME MAC billing regions. The other claims remain under review. There is no guarantee that we will receive payment for any unapproved claims. In addition, decisions by CMS or other governmental payers on whether and to what extent they would cover our products, as well as decisions on what basis they would cover our products, may impact similar coverage decisions by private payers that may follow the decisions by governmental payers.
In connection with Medicare reimbursement, in November 2023 CMS reclassified the MyoPro from the durable medical equipment benefit to the brace benefit category effective January 1, 2024, thereby allowing for lump sum reimbursement. If CMS's Medicare administrative contractors, referred to as the DME MAC's, agree to reimburse for submitted claims, such reimbursements are expected to be on a lump sum basis for claims submitted after January 1, 2024. In addition, on February 29, 2024, CMS published final average payment determinations for the MyoPro Motion W (L8701) of approximately $33,500 and the MyoPro Motion G (L8702) of approximately $65,900, effective April 1, 2024. We believe that despite the publication of a final fee, our claims are expected to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis during most of 2024.
There can be no assurance that the final fees will be sufficient to permit us to generate gross margin required to allow us to operate on a profitable basis. Third-party payers also may continue to deny coverage, limit reimbursement or reduce their levels of payment, or our costs of production may increase faster than increases in reimbursement levels. In addition, we may not obtain coverage and reimbursement approvals in a timely manner. Our failure to operate profitably could negatively impact market acceptance of MyoPro.
We depend on a single third-party to manufacture key subassemblies for the MyoPro and a limited number of third-party suppliers for certain components of the MyoPro.
While we are the manufacturer of record with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or the FDA, for the MyoPro device we sell, we have contracted with Cogmedix, Inc., or Cogmedix, a contract manufacturer with expertise in the medical device industry, for the contract manufacture of all of our products and the sourcing of all of our components and raw materials. Pursuant to this contract, Cogmedix manufactures the MyoPro pursuant to our specifications at its facility in West Boylston, Massachusetts. As the manufacturer of the MyoPro, we ultimately remain responsible to the FDA for overseeing Cogmedix’s manufacturing activities to ensure that they conform with product specifications and applicable laws and regulations, including FDA’s good manufacturing practice requirements for medical devices. Any failure to effectively oversee the regulatory compliance of the product and contract manufacturing activities by Cogmedix can lead to potential enforcement actions, including civil or criminal liabilities, as well as recalls with the FDA. We may terminate our relationship with Cogmedix at any time upon sixty (60) days’ written notice. For our business strategy to be successful, Cogmedix must be able to manufacture our products in sufficient quantities, and to source raw materials and components, in compliance with regulatory requirements and quality control standards, in accordance with agreed upon specifications, at acceptable costs and on a timely basis. Increases in our product sales, whether forecasted or unanticipated, or supply chain constraints that may arise for any number of reasons, could strain the ability of Cogmedix to manufacture an increasingly large supply of our current or future products in a manner that meets these various requirements. In addition, although we are not restricted from engaging an alternative manufacturer, the process of moving our manufacturing activities would be time consuming and costly, and may limit our ability to meet our sales commitments, which could harm our reputation and could have a material adverse effect on our business. Further, any new contract manufacturer would need to be compliant with FDA regulations and International Organization for Standardization, or ISO, standard 13485.
We also rely on third-party suppliers, including AB Corp, for 3D printed orthotic components. Some third-party suppliers contract directly with Cogmedix, to supply certain components of the MyoPro products. Cogmedix does not have long-term supply agreements with most of their suppliers and, in many cases, makes purchases on a purchase order basis. We do not have any long-term supply agreements directly with Cogmedix’s suppliers. Our ability and Cogmedix’s ability to secure adequate quantities of such products may be limited. Suppliers may encounter problems that limit their ability to manufacture components for our products, including financial difficulties or damage to their
19
manufacturing equipment or facilities. If we, or Cogmedix, fail to obtain sufficient quantities of high-quality components to meet demand on a timely basis, or fail to effectively oversee the regulatory compliance of the supply chain, we could face regulatory enforcement, have to conduct recalls, lose customer orders, our reputation may be harmed, and our business could suffer.
Cogmedix generally uses a small number of suppliers for the MyoPro products. Depending on a limited number of suppliers exposes us to risks, including limited control over pricing, availability, quality and delivery schedules. If any one or more of our suppliers ceases to provide sufficient quantities of components in a timely manner or on acceptable terms, Cogmedix would have to seek alternative sources of supply. It may be difficult to engage additional or replacement suppliers in a timely manner. Failure of these suppliers to deliver products at the level our business requires would limit our ability to meet our sales commitments, which could harm our reputation and could have a material adverse effect on our business. Cogmedix also may have difficulty obtaining similar components from other suppliers that are acceptable to the FDA or other regulatory agencies, and the failure of Cogmedix’s suppliers to comply with strictly enforced regulatory requirements could expose us to regulatory action including warning letters, product recalls, termination of distribution, product seizures or civil penalties. It could also require Cogmedix to cease using the components, seek alternative components or technologies and we could be forced to modify our products to incorporate alternative components or technologies, which could result in a requirement to seek additional regulatory approvals. Any disruption of this nature or increased expenses could harm our commercialization efforts and adversely affect our operating results.
We also rely on a limited number of suppliers for the batteries used by the MyoPro and do not maintain any long-term supply agreement with respect to batteries. If we fail to obtain sufficient quantities of batteries in a timely manner, our reputation may be harmed and our business could suffer.
While we currently believe we have sufficient inventory in our supply chain in the near term, if we, or any third parties in our supply chain for materials which are used in either the manufacture of our products are adversely impacted by infections or restrictions from public heath crises, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, or other factors, our supply chain may be disrupted and our ability to manufacture and ship our products may be limited. While many companies continue to experience shortages of certain electronic components, so far we and our contract manufacturing partners have been able to procure the electronic components necessary for the manufacture of our products, but we are dealing with longer lead times and delivery delays for certain critical components. There can be no assurance that such supplies will become less constrained in the future.
Risks Related to Limited Operating History and Capital Requirements
Our limited operating history makes it difficult for us to evaluate our future business prospects and make decisions based on those estimates of our future performance.
Since inception through December 31, 2023, we have delivered more than 2,400 units for use by patients at home and at clinical facilities. Our latest product line, the MyoPro, was introduced to the market in fiscal year 2012 and we have delivered more than 2,000 units since such time. As a result, we have a limited operating history. It is difficult to forecast our future results based upon our historical data. Because of the uncertainties related to our limited historical operations, we may be hindered in our ability to anticipate and timely adapt to increases or decreases in revenues or expenses.
We may not have sufficient funds to meet our future capital requirements.
Our cash, cash equivalents, and short term investments at December 31, 2023 was approximately $8.9 million. On January 19, 2024, we completed a registered direct offering of our common stock and pre-funded warrants, generating net proceeds of approximately $5.4 million.
Our ability to grow our business is dependent on our ability to generate sufficient cash flows from operations or to raise additional capital to meet our obligations, if necessary. We believe that our existing cash and proceeds from our registered direct offering in January 2024 will be sufficient to enable us to achieve cash flow breakeven on a quarterly basis, which we believe is achievable by the fourth quarter of 2024, assuming that we are able to hire at least 50 additional employees during the first half of 2024 as we have planned to increase our clinical, reimbursement and
20
manufacturing capacity, and our supply chain is able to meet our volume requirements without disruption. If additional capital is required to achieve cash flow breakeven, we may be unable to obtain additional funds on reasonable terms, or at all. Our ability to secure financing and the cost of raising such capital are dependent on numerous factors, including general economic and capital markets conditions, credit availability from lenders, investor confidence and the existence of regulatory and tax incentives that are conducive to raising capital. Uncertainty in the financial markets has caused banks and financial institutions to decrease the amount of capital available for lending and has significantly increased the risk premium of such borrowings. In addition, such turmoil and uncertainty has significantly limited the ability of companies to raise funds through the sale of equity or debt securities. If we are unable to raise additional funds, we may need to delay, modify or abandon some or all of our business plans or cease operations. If we raise funds through the issuance of debt, the amount of any indebtedness that we may raise in the future may be substantial, and we may be required to secure such indebtedness with our assets and may have substantial interest expenses. If we default on any future indebtedness, our lenders could declare all outstanding principal and interest to be due and payable and our secured lenders may foreclose on the facilities securing such indebtedness. The incurrence of indebtedness could require us to meet financial and operating covenants, which could place limits on our operations and ability to raise additional capital, decrease our liquidity and increase the amount of cash flow required to service our debt. If we raise funds through the issuance of equity securities, such issuance could result in dilution to our stockholders and the newly issued securities may have rights senior to those of the holders of our common stock.
Persistent inflation may materially impact our financial operations or results of operations.
Inflation has remained persistent during the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and is expected to remain elevated for the near future. Inflationary factors, such as increases in the cost of our raw materials, manufacturing, interest rates and overhead costs may adversely affect our operating results. The price and availability of key components used to manufacture our products has been increasing and may continue to fluctuate significantly. In addition, the cost of labor internally or at our third-party manufacturers could increase significantly due to regulation or inflationary pressures. Additionally, the cost of logistics and transportation fluctuates in large part due to the price of oil, and availability can be limited due to political and economic issues. Although we do not believe that inflation has had a material impact on our financial position or results of operations to date, we may experience some effect in the near future, especially if inflation rates continue to rise.
Risks Related to Competitors and Our Market
The industries in which we operate are highly competitive and subject to rapid technological change. If our competitors are better able to develop and market products that are safer, more effective, less costly, easier to use, or are otherwise more attractive, we may be unable to compete effectively with other companies.
Industrial and medical robotics is characterized by intense competition and rapid technological change, and we will face competition on the basis of product features, clinical outcomes, price, services and other factors. Competitors may include large medical device and other companies, some of which have significantly greater financial and marketing resources than we do, and firms that are more specialized than we are with respect to particular markets. Our competition may respond more quickly to new or emerging technologies, undertake more extensive marketing campaigns, and have greater financial, marketing and other resources than we do or may be more successful in attracting potential customers, employees and strategic partners.
Our competitive position will depend on multiple complex factors, including our ability to achieve market acceptance for our products, develop new products, implement production and marketing plans, secure regulatory clearances or approvals, if necessary, for products under development and protect our intellectual property. In some instances, competitors may also offer, or may attempt to develop, alternative therapies for disease states that may be delivered without a medical device. The development of new or improved products, processes or technologies by other companies may render our products or proposed products obsolete or less competitive. The entry into the market of manufacturers located in low-cost manufacturing locations may also create pricing pressure, particularly in developing markets. Our future success depends, among other things, upon our ability to compete effectively against current technology, as well as to respond effectively to technological advances, and upon our ability to successfully implement our marketing strategies and execute our research and development plans.
21
We sell to O&P providers and distributors who are free to market products that compete with the MyoPro, and we rely on these parties to market and promote our products in accordance with their FDA listings, select appropriate patients and provide adequate follow-on care.
We rely on our relationships with qualified O&P providers and our distribution arrangements to market and sell our products. We believe that a meaningful percentage of our sales will continue to be generated through these channels in the future. However, none of these partners are required to sell or provide our products exclusively. If a key independent O&P provider were to cease to distribute our products, our sales could be adversely affected. In such a situation, we may need to seek alternative independent providers or increase our reliance on our other independent providers or our direct field representatives, which may not prevent our sales from being adversely affected. Additionally, to the extent that we enter into additional arrangements with independent distributors to perform sales, marketing, or distribution services, the terms of the arrangements could cause our profit margins to be lower than if we directly marketed and sold our products.
If these independent O&P providers or distributors do not follow our inclusion/exclusion criteria for patient selection or do not provide adequate follow-on care, then our reputation may be harmed by patient dissatisfaction. This could also lead to product returns and adversely affect our financial condition. When issues with distributors have arisen in the past, we have supplied additional training and documentation and/or ended the distributor relationship.
The sales and marketing of medical devices is under increased scrutiny by the FDA and other enforcement bodies. If our sales and marketing activities fail to comply with FDA regulations, such as regulations for the labeling and advertising of our products, or other applicable laws, we may be subject to warnings or enforcement actions from the FDA or other enforcement bodies. For example, we are restricted from promoting our products for any use that is beyond the scope of their applicable FDA classification regulation. Such promotion could result in enforcement action by the FDA, which may include, but is not limited to untitled letters or warning letters, injunctions, recall or seizure of our products, and imposition of FDA’s premarket clearance or approval requirements.
The market for myoelectric braces is new and the rate of adoption is uncertain, and important assumptions about the potential market for our products may be inaccurate.
The market for myoelectric braces, or orthotics, is new and the rate of adoption is uncertain. Our estimates of market size are derived from statistics regarding the number of individuals with paralysis, but not necessarily limited to their upper extremities. Accordingly, it is difficult to predict the future size and rate of growth of the market. We cannot be certain whether the market will continue to develop or if orthotics will achieve and sustain a level of market acceptance and demand sufficient for us to continue to generate revenue and achieve profitability.
Limited sources exist to obtain reliable market data with respect to the number of mobility-impaired individuals and the occurrence of upper extremity paralysis in our target markets. In addition, there are no third-party reports or studies regarding what percentage of those with upper extremity paralysis would be able to use orthotics in general, or our current or planned future products in particular. In order to use our current products marketed to those with upper extremity paralysis, users must meet a set of inclusion criteria and not have a medical condition which disqualifies them from being an appropriate candidate. Future products for those with upper extremity paralysis may have the same or other restrictions. Our business strategy is based, in part, on our estimates of the number of upper extremity impaired individuals and the incidence of upper extremity injuries in our target markets and the percentage of those groups that would be able to use our current and future products. Our assumptions and estimates may be inaccurate and may change.
If the upper extremity orthotics market fails to develop or develops more slowly than we expect, or if we have relied on sources or made assumptions or estimates that are not accurate, our business could be adversely affected.
In addition, because we operate in a new market, the actions of our competitors could adversely affect our business. Adverse events such as product defects or legal claims with respect to competing or similar products could cause
22
reputational harm to the market on the whole. Further, adverse regulatory findings or reimbursement-related decisions with respect to other products could negatively impact the entire market and, accordingly, our business.
Risks Related to Our Products
We may receive a significant number of warranty claims or our MyoPro may require significant amounts of service after sale.
Sales of MyoPro products generally include a three-year warranty for parts and labor, other than for normal wear and tear. As the number and complexity of the features and functionalities of our products increase, we may experience a higher level of warranty claims. If product returns or warranty claims are significant or exceed our expectations, we could incur unanticipated expenditures for parts and services, which could have a material adverse effect on our operating results.
Defects in our products or the software that drives them could adversely affect the results of our operations.
The design, manufacture and marketing of the MyoPro products involve certain inherent risks. Manufacturing or design defects, unanticipated use of the MyoPro, or inadequate disclosure of risks relating to the use of MyoPro products can lead to injury or other adverse events. In addition, because the manufacturing of our products is outsourced to Cogmedix, we may not always be aware of manufacturing defects that could occur and corrective or preventive actions implemented by Cogmedix may not be effective at resolving such defects. Such adverse events could lead to recalls or safety alerts relating to MyoPro products (either voluntary or required by the FDA or similar governmental authorities in other countries), and could result, in certain cases, in the removal of MyoPro products from the market. A recall could result in significant costs. To the extent any manufacturing defect occurs, our agreement with Cogmedix contains a limitation on Cogmedix’s liability, and therefore we could be required to incur the majority of related costs. A defect in connection with the fabrication of our products may result in significant costs in connection with lawsuits or refunds. Product defects or recalls could also result in negative publicity, damage to our reputation or, in some circumstances, delays in new product approvals.
MyoPro users may not use MyoPro products in accordance with safety protocols and training, which could enhance the risk of injury. Any such occurrence could cause delay in market acceptance of MyoPro products, damage to our reputation, additional regulatory filings, product recalls, increased service and warranty costs, product liability claims and loss of revenue relating to such hardware or software defects.
The medical device industry has historically been subject to extensive litigation over product liability claims. We have not been subject to such claims to date, but we may become subject to product liability claims alleging defects in the design, manufacture or labeling of our products in the future. A product liability claim, regardless of its merit or eventual outcome, could result in significant legal defense costs and high punitive damage payments. Although we maintain product liability insurance, the coverage is subject to deductibles and limitations, and may not be adequate to cover future claims. Additionally, we may be unable to maintain our existing product liability insurance in the future at satisfactory rates or in adequate amounts.
While there is long-term clinical data supporting the safety of our existing MyoPro products, updates to our products inherently have uncertain safety risks as they enter the market.
While clinical data have established the safety of MyoPro products, our products undergo periodic updates for various reasons, including performance and reliability improvements and cost reductions. For example, in January 2022, we announced the availability of MyoPro2+. Because MyoPro users generally do not have feeling in their upper extremities, they may not immediately notice adverse effects from updates to the MyoPro, which could exacerbate their impact. If MyoPro products are shown to present new risks or to be unsafe or cause such unforeseen effects in the future, our business and reputation could be harmed, including through field corrections, withdrawals, removals, mandatory product recalls, suspension or withdrawal of FDA registration, significant legal liability or harm to our business reputation.
23
Risks Related to Collaborations and Licensing Agreements
We may enter into collaborations, licensing arrangements, joint ventures, strategic alliances or partnerships with third parties that may not result in the development of commercially viable products or the generation of significant future revenues.
In the ordinary course of our business, in the future we may enter into collaborations, in-licensing arrangements, joint ventures, strategic alliances or partnerships to develop the MyoPro and to pursue new markets. We are selling the MyoPro in several European countries, as well as Australia. In January 2021, we announced that we had entered into a joint venture (the “JV") with Beijing Ryzur Medical Investment Co., Ltd. (“Ryzur Medical”), to manufacture and sell the products containing our technology in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau. The company is named Jiangxi Myomo Medical Assistive Appliance Co., Ltd. (the “JV Company”). In December 2021, we entered into a technology license agreement and a trademark license agreement with the JV Company, under which we were entitled to receive a license fee of $2.7 million and the JV Company will commit to purchase a minimum of $10.75 million of MyoPro control units over the next ten years. As of December 31, 2023, we received full payment of the $2.7 million license fee and have received payment for MyoPro control units of $50,000. This and any other of these relationships may require us to incur non-recurring and other charges, increase our near and long-term expenditures, issue securities that dilute our existing stockholders or disrupt our management and business. In addition, proposing, negotiating and implementing collaborations, licensing arrangements, joint ventures, strategic alliances or partnerships may be a lengthy and complex process. We may not identify, secure, or complete any such transactions or arrangements in a timely manner, on a cost-effective basis, on acceptable terms or at all. We have limited institutional knowledge and experience with respect to these business development activities, and we may also not realize the anticipated benefits of any such transaction or arrangement. In particular, these collaborations may not result in the development of products that achieve commercial success or result in significant revenues and could be terminated prior to developing any products. Any delays in entering into new strategic partnership agreements related to our products could delay the development and commercialization of our products in certain geographies, which would harm our business prospects, financial condition and results of operations.
If we pursue collaborations, additional licensing arrangements and joint ventures, strategic alliances or partnerships, we may not be able to consummate them, or we may not be in a position to exercise sole decision decision-making authority regarding the transaction or arrangement, which could create the potential risk of creating impasses on decisions, and our collaborators may have economic or business interests or goals that are, or that may become, inconsistent with our business interests or goals. It is possible that conflicts may arise with our collaborators. Our collaborators may act in their self-interest, which may be adverse to our best interest, and they may breach their obligations to us. Any such disputes could result in litigation or arbitration which would increase our expenses and divert the attention of our management. Further, these transactions and arrangements are contractual in nature and may be terminated or dissolved under the terms of the applicable agreements.
Risks Related to Our Business Operations and Management
If we fail to properly manage our anticipated growth, including in international markets, our business could suffer.
As we expand the number of locations which provide the MyoPro products, including future planned international distribution, we expect that it will place significant strain on our management team and on our financial resources. Failure to manage our growth effectively could cause us to misallocate management or financial resources and result in losses or weaknesses in our infrastructure, systems, processes and controls, which could materially adversely affect our business. Additionally, our anticipated growth will increase the demands placed on our suppliers, resulting in an increased need for us to manage our suppliers and monitor for quality assurance.
Moreover, there are significant costs and risks inherent in selling our products in international markets, including: (a) time and difficulty in building a widespread network of distribution partners; (b) increased shipping and distribution costs, which could increase our expenses and reduce our margins; (c) potentially lower margins in some regions; (d) longer collection cycles in some regions; (e) compliance with foreign laws and regulations; (f) compliance with anti-bribery, anti-corruption, and anti-money laundering laws, such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the Office of Foreign Assets Control regulations, by us, our employees, and our business partners; (g) currency exchange rate
24
fluctuations and related effects on our results of operations; (h) economic weakness, including inflation, or political instability in foreign economies and markets; (i) compliance with tax, employment, immigration, and labor laws for employees living or traveling abroad; (j) workforce uncertainty in countries where labor unrest is more common than in the United States; (k) business interruptions resulting from geopolitical actions, including war and terrorism, or natural disasters, including earthquakes, typhoons, floods and fires; and (l) other costs and risks of doing business internationally, such as new tariffs which may be imposed. For example, we have entered into a joint venture with Beijing Ryzur Medical Investment Co., Ltd., to manufacture and sell the products containing the Company’s technology in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau. In connection with this joint venture, we may encounter challenges in working with our joint venture partners, including with respect to compliance with local laws and domestic laws related to foreign operations.
These and other factors could harm our ability to implement planned international operations and, consequently, harm our business, results of operations, and financial condition. Further, we may incur significant operating expenses as a result of our planned international expansion, and it may not be successful. We have limited experience with regulatory environments and market practices internationally, and we may not be able to penetrate or successfully operate in new markets. We may also encounter difficulty expanding into international markets because of limited brand recognition, leading to delayed or limited acceptance of our products by patients in these markets. Accordingly, if we are unable to expand internationally or manage our international operations successfully, we may not achieve the expected benefits of this expansion and our financial condition and results of operations could be harmed.
We depend on the knowledge and skills of our senior management.
We have benefited substantially from the leadership and performance of our senior management and other key employees. We do not carry key person insurance. Our success will depend on our ability to retain our current management and key employees. Competition for these key persons in our industry is intense and we cannot guarantee that we will be able to retain our personnel. The loss of the services of certain members of our senior management or key employees could prevent or delay the implementation and completion of our strategic objectives or divert management’s attention to seeking qualified replacements.
We may seek to grow our business through acquisitions of complementary products or technologies, and the failure to manage acquisitions, or the failure to integrate them with our existing business, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and operating results.
From time to time, we may consider opportunities to acquire other products or technologies that may enhance our products or technology or advance our business strategies. Potential acquisitions involve numerous risks, including:
We have no current commitments with respect to any acquisition and no current plans to seek acquisitions; however, depending on industry and market conditions, we may consider acquisitions in the future. If we do proceed with acquisitions, we do not know if we will be able to identify acquisitions we deem suitable, whether we will be able to successfully complete any such acquisitions on favorable terms or at all, or whether we will be able to successfully integrate any acquired products or technologies. Our potential inability to integrate any acquired products or technologies effectively may adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition.
25
Risks Related to Government Regulation
Risks Related to Healthcare Industry
We are subject to extensive governmental regulations relating to the design, development, manufacturing, labeling and marketing, delivery and billing of our products, and a failure to comply with such regulations could lead to withdrawal or recall of our products from the market.
Our products are regulated as medical devices in the United States under the FFDCA, as implemented and enforced by the FDA. Under the FFDCA, medical devices are classified into one of three classes–Class I, Class II or Class III–depending on the degree of risk associated with the medical device, what is known about the type of device, and the extent of control needed to provide reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness. Classification of a device is important because the class to which a device is assigned determines, among other things, the necessity and type of FDA pre-market review. This determination is required prior to marketing the device. See section titled “Business — Government Regulation.”
In 2012, we listed the MyoPro device as a Class I, 510(k)-exempt, limb orthosis with the FDA. From time to time, the FDA may disagree with the classification regulation under which a registrant lists their device. For example, the FDA may disagree with a registrant’s determination to classify their device as a Class I medical device. Instead, the FDA may determine the device to be a Class II or Class III device requiring the submission of a premarket notification, or 510(k), or a premarket approval, or PMA, application for premarket clearance or approval. As the FDA is now giving more attention to the differentiated performance of myoelectric controlled orthotics, we elected to change our device listing to be under a Class II classification regulation for biofeedback devices. Under the classification regulation, we believe our device remains 510(k)-exempt as a prescription battery powered external limb orthosis that is indicated for functional improvement, a device which is generally 510(k)-exempt under the classification regulation. In the event that the FDA determines that our devices, whether by functionality or marketing claims, exceed the limitations on 510(k)-exemption such that premarket clearance or approval is required (i.e., that our device is intended for a use different from the intended use of a legally marketed device in the generic type of device under the applicable classification regulation or that our modified device operates using a different fundamental scientific technology than such a legally marketed device), should be classified as Class II devices or Class III devices requiring premarket clearance or approval, or should FDA decide to reclassify our device as a Class II or Class III device requiring premarket clearance or approval, we could be precluded from marketing our devices for clinical use within the United States for months or longer depending on the requirements of the classification. Obtaining premarket clearance or approval could significantly increase our regulatory costs, including expense associated with required pre-clinical (animal) and clinical (human) trials, more extensive mechanical and electrical testing and other costs.
We are registered with the FDA as a manufacturer for medical devices. We are also subject to regulation by foreign governmental agencies in connection with international sales. The agencies enforce laws and regulations that govern the development, testing, manufacturing, labeling, advertising, marketing and distribution, and market surveillance of our medical device products. Following the introduction of a product, the governmental agencies will periodically review our product development methodology, quality management systems, and product performance. We are under a continuing obligation to ensure that all applicable regulatory requirements, such as the FDA’s medical device good manufacturing practice / Quality System Regulation, or QSR, requirements and the FDA’s medical device reporting requirements for certain device-related adverse events and malfunction, continue to be met. Our facilities are subject to periodic and unannounced inspection by U.S. and foreign regulatory agencies to audit compliance with the QSR, and comparable foreign regulations.
The process of complying with the applicable QSR, medical device reporting, and other requirements can be costly and time consuming, and could delay or prevent the production, manufacturing or sale of the MyoPro. If the FDA determines that we fail to comply with applicable regulatory requirements, they may issue an inquiry or an untitled or warning letter with one or more citations of non-compliance. These inquiries or letters, if not closed promptly, can result in fines, delays or suspensions of regulatory clearances, closure of manufacturing sites, seizures or recalls of products and damage to our reputation. Similarly, if we fail to comply with applicable foreign regulatory requirements, we may be subject to, among other things, fines, suspension or withdrawal of regulatory approvals, product recalls, seizure of products, operating restrictions and criminal prosecution. Recent changes in enforcement practice by the
26
FDA and other agencies have resulted in increased enforcement activity, which increases the compliance risk that we and other companies in our industry are facing.
In addition, governmental agencies of the United States or other countries may impose new requirements regarding registration, labeling or prohibited materials that may require us to modify or re-register the MyoPro once it is already on the market or otherwise impact our ability to market the MyoPro in the United States or other countries. For example, on February 2, 2024, the FDA published a final rule to amend its QSR requirements to align more closely with the international consensus standards for medical devices by converging with quality management system, or QMS, requirements used by other regulatory authorities from other countries. Specifically, the final rule does so primarily by incorporating by reference the 2016 edition of the ISO 13485 standard. The amended regulation is referred to as the Quality Management System Regulation, or QMSR, and is effective February 2, 2026. If we are slow or unable to adapt to changes in existing requirements or the adoption of new requirements or policies, or if we are not able to maintain regulatory compliance, we may lose any marketing authorization that we may have obtained, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, results of operations, financial condition and our ability to achieve or sustain profitability. The process of complying with these governmental regulations can be costly and time consuming, and could delay or prevent the production, manufacturing or sale of the MyoPro. For instance, the FDA may issue mandates, known as 522 orders, requiring us to conduct post-market surveillance studies of our devices. Failure to comply could result in enforcement of the FFDCA against us or our products including an agency request that we recall our MyoPro products.
Our relationships with healthcare providers and physicians and third-party payers will be subject to applicable anti-kickback, fraud and abuse and other healthcare laws and regulations, which could expose us to criminal sanctions, civil penalties, contractual damages, reputational harm and diminished profits and future earnings.
We are subject to broadly applicable fraud and abuse and other healthcare laws and regulations, including, without limitation, the federal Anti-Kickback Statute and the federal False Claims Act, which may constrain the business or financial arrangements and relationships through which we sell, market and distribute our products. In particular, the promotion, sales and marketing of healthcare items and services, as well as certain business arrangements in the healthcare industry (e.g., healthcare providers, physicians and third-party payers), are subject to extensive laws designed to prevent fraud, kickbacks, self-dealing and other abusive practices. These laws and regulations may restrict or prohibit a wide range of pricing, discounting, marketing and promotion, structuring and commission(s), certain customer incentive programs and other business arrangements generally. We are also subject to patient information and privacy and security regulation by both the federal government and the states and foreign jurisdictions in which we conduct business. See section titled “Business – Government Regulation – Healthcare Privacy Laws and Regulations.”.
The scope and enforcement of each of these laws is uncertain and subject to rapid change in the current environment of healthcare reform. Federal and state enforcement bodies often scrutinize interactions between healthcare companies and healthcare providers, which has led to a number of investigations, prosecutions, convictions and settlements in the healthcare industry. Ensuring business arrangements comply with applicable healthcare laws, as well as responding to possible investigations by government authorities, can be time- and resource-consuming and can divert a company’s attention from the business.
The failure to comply with any of these laws or regulatory requirements subject entities to possible legal or regulatory action. Because of the breadth of these laws and the narrowness of the statutory exceptions and regulatory safe harbors available, it is possible that some of our business activities, could, despite efforts to comply, be subject to challenge under one or more of such laws. It is possible that governmental and enforcement authorities will conclude that our business practices may not comply with current or future statutes, regulations or case law interpreting applicable fraud and abuse or other healthcare laws and regulations. Depending on the circumstances, failure to meet applicable regulatory requirements can result in civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, fines, disgorgement, individual imprisonment, exclusion from participation in federal and state funded healthcare programs, contractual damages, reputational harm and the curtailment or restricting of our operations, as well as additional reporting obligations and oversight if we become subject to a corporate integrity agreement or other agreement to resolve allegations of non-compliance with these laws. Any action for violation of these laws, even if successfully defended, could cause us to incur significant legal expenses and divert management’s attention from the operation of the business. Prohibitions or restrictions on sales or withdrawal of future marketed products could materially affect
27
business in an adverse way. Efforts to ensure that our business arrangements will comply with applicable healthcare laws may involve substantial costs. In addition, the commercialization of any of our products outside the United States will also likely subject us to foreign equivalents of the healthcare laws mentioned above, among other foreign laws.
If we or our third-party manufacturers or key suppliers fail to comply with the FDA’s Quality System Regulation, our manufacturing operations could be interrupted.
We and our third-party manufacturers and key suppliers are also required to comply with the FDA’s QSR which covers the methods and documentation of the production, control, quality assurance, labeling, packaging, storage and shipping of our products. We, Cogmedix, our electromechanical kit manufacturer, and other key suppliers are also subject to the regulations of foreign jurisdictions regarding the manufacturing process with respect to the market for our products abroad.
We continue to monitor our quality management, as well as that of our third-party manufacturers and suppliers to improve our overall level of compliance. Our facilities and those of our third-party manufacturers and key suppliers are subject to periodic and unannounced inspection by U.S. and foreign regulatory agencies to audit compliance with the QSR and comparable foreign regulations. If our facilities or the facilities of our third-party manufacturers and suppliers are found to be in violation of applicable laws and regulations, or if we or our third-party manufacturers and suppliers fail to take satisfactory corrective action in response to an adverse inspection, the regulatory authority could take enforcement action, including any of the following sanctions:
Any of these sanctions could impair our ability to produce the MyoPro in a cost-effective and timely manner in order to meet our customers’ demands and could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business, results of operations and financial condition. We may also be required to bear other costs or take other actions that may have a negative impact on our future sales and our ability to generate profits.
Our employees, principal investigators, consultants and commercial partners may engage in misconduct or other improper activities, including non-compliance with regulatory standards and requirements and insider trading.
It is not always possible to identify and deter misconduct by employees and other third parties, and the precautions we take to detect and prevent this activity may not be effective in controlling unknown or unmanaged risks or losses or in protecting us from governmental investigations or other actions or lawsuits stemming from a failure to comply with these laws or regulations. If any such actions are instituted against us, and we are not successful in defending ourselves or asserting our rights, those actions could have a significant impact on our business, including the imposition of civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, monetary fines, imprisonment, possible exclusion from participation in Medicare, Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs, additional reporting requirements and oversight if we become subject to a corporate integrity agreement or similar agreement to resolve allegations of noncompliance with these laws, contractual damages, reputational harm, diminished profits and future earnings, and curtailment of our operations, any of which could adversely affect our ability to operate our business, financial condition and results of operations.
28
We face risks in connection with the Affordable Care Act or its possible replacement or modifications and other ongoing healthcare legislative and regulatory reform measures.
The United States and many foreign jurisdictions have enacted or proposed legislative and regulatory changes affecting the healthcare system that could affect our ability to profitably sell our products. Changes in regulations, statutes or the interpretation of existing regulations could impact our business in the future by requiring, for example: (i) changes to our manufacturing arrangements; (ii) additions or modifications to product labeling; (iii) the recall or discontinuation of our products; or (iv) additional record-keeping requirements. If any such changes were to be imposed, they could adversely affect the operation of our business.
Payers, whether domestic or foreign, or governmental or private, are developing increasingly sophisticated methods of controlling healthcare costs and those methods are not always specifically adapted for new technologies. In the United States, there have been and continue to be a number of legislative and regulatory initiatives and judicial challenges to contain healthcare costs. See section titled “Business – Government Regulations – Current and Future Legislation.”
We expect that the ACA, as well as other healthcare reform measures that may be adopted in the future, may result in additional reductions in Medicare and other healthcare funding, more rigorous coverage criteria, lower reimbursement, and new payment methodologies. This could lower the price that we receive for our products. Any denial in coverage or reduction in reimbursement from Medicare or other government-funded programs may result in a similar denial or reduction in payments from private payers, including Medicare Advantage plans, which may prevent us from being able to generate sufficient revenue, attain profitability or commercialize our products. Litigation and legislative efforts to change or repeal the ACA are likely to continue, with unpredictable and uncertain results. It is not clear how these developments, or other future potential changes to the ACA, will change the reimbursement model and market outlook for O&P devices such as the MyoPro. We intend to monitor industry trends relative to the ACA to assist in our determination of how the MyoPro can fit into patient care protocols with providers such as rehabilitation hospitals and surgery centers. If reimbursement policies change significantly, the demand for MyoPro products may be impacted.
Risks Related to Cybersecurity and Data Protection
Our internal computer systems and infrastructure, or those of our customers, collaborators, contractors, or other third parties, may be subject to cyber-attacks or security compromises or breaches, which could result in a material disruption of our product development programs, damage to our reputation or financial condition.
Despite the implementation of security measures, our internal computer systems and infrastructures and those of our customers, collaborators, contractors, or other third parties are vulnerable to damage, compromise or interruption from computer viruses, unauthorized access, misuse, or other security compromises or breaches. Cyber-attacks are increasing in their frequency, sophistication and intensity, and have become increasingly difficult to detect. Cyber-attacks could include the deployment of harmful malware, ransomware, denial-of-service attacks, wrongful conduct by employees, vendors, or other third parties, hostile foreign governments, industrial espionage, social engineering and business email compromises, and other means to affect service reliability and threaten or compromise the security, confidentiality, integrity and availability of systems and information. Cyber-attacks also could include phishing attempts or e-mail fraud to cause payments or information to be transmitted to an unintended recipient. A cyber-attack or security compromise or breach could cause interruptions in our operations and could result in a material disruption of our business operations, damage to our reputation or a loss of revenues.
In the ordinary course of our business, we collect and store confidential and/or proprietary information or other sensitive information, including, among other things, personal information about our employees and patients, intellectual property, and proprietary business information. Any cyber-attack or security compromise or breach that leads to unauthorized access, use, disclosure, loss, corruption or other compromise of confidential and/or proprietary information or other sensitive information could harm our reputation, cause us not to comply with federal and/or state breach notification laws and foreign law equivalents and otherwise subject us to liability under laws and regulations, including those that protect the privacy and security of personal information. In addition, we could be subject to risks caused by misappropriation, misuse, leakage, falsification or intentional or accidental release or loss of information maintained in the information technology systems, infrastructure, and networks of our company and our vendors, including personal information of our employees, and patients, and company and vendor confidential data. In addition,
29
outside parties may attempt to penetrate our systems and infrastructure or those of our vendors or fraudulently induce our personnel or the personnel of our vendors to disclose sensitive information in order to gain access to our data and/or systems. If a breach or compromise of our information technology systems or infrastructure or those of our vendors occurs, the market perception of the effectiveness of our security measures could be harmed and our reputation and credibility could be damaged.
We could be required to expend significant amounts of money and other resources to detect, mitigate and respond to these threats, compromises, or breaches and to repair or replace information technology systems infrastructure or networks and could suffer financial loss or the loss of valuable confidential and/or proprietary information. In addition, we could be subject to regulatory actions, inquiries, investigations, orders, penalties, fines, and/or claims made by individuals and groups in private litigation, including those involving privacy and security issues related to data collection and use practices and other data privacy and security laws and regulations, including claims for misuse or inappropriate disclosure of data, as well as unfair or deceptive practices. Although we develop and maintain systems and controls designed to prevent these events from occurring, and we have a process designed to identify and mitigate threats, the development and maintenance of these systems, controls and processes is costly and requires ongoing monitoring and updating as technologies change and efforts to overcome security measures become increasingly sophisticated. Moreover, despite our efforts, the possibility of these events occurring cannot be eliminated entirely and there can be no assurance that any measures we take will prevent or adequately address cyber-attacks or security compromises or breaches that could adversely affect our business.
We, our collaborators and our service providers may be subject to a variety of privacy and data protection laws, regulations and contractual obligations, which may require us to incur substantial compliance costs, and any failure or perceived failure by us to comply with them could expose us to fines or other penalties and otherwise harm our business and operations.
In the United States, several layers of federal and state data protection laws and regulations may apply to our business, including HIPAA, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Act and state consumer privacy and health data privacy laws. For example, the California Consumer Privacy Act, or CCPA, is a comprehensive law that creates new individual privacy rights for California consumers (as defined in the law) and places increased privacy and security obligations on entities handling personal data of consumers or households. The CCPA requires covered companies to provide certain disclosures to consumers about its data collection, use and sharing practices, and to provide affected California residents with ways to opt-out of certain sales or transfers of personal information. The CCPA went into effect on January 1, 2020 and the California State Attorney General became empowered to commence enforcement actions against violators as of July 1, 2020. Further, as of January 1, 2023, the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), created additional obligations with respect to processing and storing personal information.
Similar consumer privacy laws have passed or come into force in more than a dozen U.S. states. Like the CPRA, these laws grant consumers rights in relation to their personal information and impose new obligations on regulated businesses, including, in some instances, broader data security requirements. In addition, federal and state legislators and regulators have signaled their intention to further regulate health and other sensitive information, and new and strengthened requirements relating to this information could impact our business. At the state level, some states have passed or proposed laws to specifically regulate health information. For example, Washington’s My Health My Data Act, which comes into force in March 2024, requires regulated entities to obtain consent to collect health information, grants consumers certain rights, including to request deletion, and provides for robust enforcement mechanisms, including enforcement by the Washington state attorney-general and a private right of action for consumer claims. At the federal level, the FTC has used its authority over “unfair or deceptive acts or practices” to impose stringent requirements on the collection and disclosure of sensitive categories of personal information, including health information. Moreover, the FTC’s expanded interpretation of a “breach” under its Health Breach Notification Rule could impose new disclosure obligations that would apply in the event of a qualifying breach.
European data collection is governed by restrictive regulations governing the use, processing, and cross-border transfer of personal information.
The collection and use of personal data, including personal health data in the European Economic Area, or the EEA and the UK is governed by the provisions of the EU General Data Protection Regulation, or EU GDPR (with
30
regards to the EEA) and the UK General Data Protection Regulation, or UK GDPR, or UK GDPR (with regards to the UK), as well as applicable data protection laws in effect in the member states of the EEA and in the UK (including the UK Data Protection Act 2018). In this Annual Report on Form 10-K, “GDPR” refers to both the EU GDPR and the UK GDPR, unless specified otherwise. The GDPR applies to the processing of personal data by any company established in the EEA/UK and to companies established outside the EEA/UK to the extent they process personal data in connection with the offering of goods or services to data subjects in the EEA/UK or the monitoring of the behavior of data subjects in the EEA/UK. The GDPR imposes a broad range of strict requirements on companies subject to the GDPR, such as including requirements relating to having legal bases for processing personal data relating to identifiable individuals and transferring such information outside the EEA/UK , including to the U.S., providing details to those individuals regarding the processing of their personal data, implementing safeguards to keep personal data secure, having data processing agreements with third parties who process personal data, providing information to individuals regarding data processing activities, responding to individuals’ requests to exercise their rights in respect of their personal data, obtaining consent of the individuals to whom the personal data relates, reporting security and privacy breaches involving personal data to the competent national data protection authority and affected individuals, appointing data protection officers, conducting data protection impact assessments, and record-keeping. In the event of any non-compliance with the GDPR and any supplemental EEA Member State or UK national data protection laws, we could be subject to warning letters, mandatory audits, orders to cease/change the use of data, and financial penalties, including fines of up to €20,000,000 (£17.5 million for the UK GDPR) or 4% of total annual global revenue, whichever is greater. The GDPR also confers a private right of action on data subjects and consumer associations to lodge complaints with supervisory authorities, seek judicial remedies, and obtain compensation for damages resulting from violations of the GDPR.
The GDPR imposes strict rules on the transfer of personal data outside of the EEA or the UK to countries that do not ensure an adequate level of protection, like the United States in certain circumstances unless adequate safeguards (such as the European Commission approved standard contractual clauses , or SCCs, or the UK International Data Transfer Agreement/Addendum or IDTA and transfer impact assessments carried out when relying on the SCCs and UK IDTA. The international transfer obligations under the European data protection laws will require significant effort and cost and may result in us needing to make strategic considerations around where EEA and UK personal data is transferred and which service providers we can utilize for the processing of EEA and UK personal data. Any inability to transfer personal data from the EEA and UK to the United States in compliance with data protection laws may impede our ability to conduct trials and may adversely affect our business and financial position. Although the UK is regarded as a third country under the EU’s GDPR, the European Commission (“EC”) has now issued a decision recognizing the UK as providing adequate protection under the EU GDPR and, therefore, transfers of personal data originating in the EEA to the UK remain unrestricted. Like the EU GDPR, the UK GDPR restricts personal data transfers outside the UK to countries not regarded by the UK as providing adequate protection. The UK government has confirmed that personal data transfers from the UK to the EEA remain free flowing.
The UK’s data protection regime is independent from but aligned to the EU’s data protection regime. However following the UK’s exit from the EU, or Brexit, there will be increasing scope for divergence in application, interpretation and enforcement of the data protection laws between these territories. For example, the UK Government has introduced a Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, or Data Reform Bill into the UK legislative process to reform the UK’s data protection regime following Brexit. If passed, the final version of the Digital Information Bill may have the effect of further altering the similarities between the UK and EEA data protection regimes and threaten the UK adequacy decision from the EU Commission, which may lead to additional compliance costs and could increase our overall risk. The respective provisions and enforcement of the EU GDPR and UK GDPR may further diverge in the future and create additional regulatory challenges and uncertainties. This lack of clarity on future UK laws and regulations and their interaction with EU laws and regulations could add legal risk, complexity and cost to our handling of European personal data and our privacy and data security compliance programs, and could require us to implement different compliance measures for the UK and the EEA.
Compliance with the GDPR will be a rigorous and time-intensive process that may increase our cost of doing business or require us to change our business practices, and despite those efforts, there is a risk that we may be subject to fines and penalties, litigation, and reputational harm in connection with any European and UK-based activities.
31
Risks Related to Our Intellectual Property
Our success depends in part on our ability to obtain and maintain protection for the intellectual property relating to or incorporated into our products.
Our success depends in part on our ability to obtain and maintain protection for the intellectual property relating to or incorporated into our products. We seek to protect our intellectual property through a combination of patents, trademarks, confidentiality and assignment agreements with our employees and certain of our contractors and confidentiality agreements with certain of our consultants, scientific advisors and other vendors and contractors. We licensed two core patents from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT, which expired in November 2023. While we have enhanced our patent portfolio since we entered into the license agreement with MIT in 2006, including patents which cover the movement of multiple joints, the expiration of the original MIT patents may result in new entrants to the market in the United States. In addition, we rely on trade secrets law to protect our proprietary software and product candidates or products in development.
The patent position of myoelectric orthotic inventions can be highly uncertain and involves many new and evolving complex legal, factual and technical issues. Patent laws and interpretations of those laws are subject to change and any such changes may diminish the value of our patents or narrow the scope of protection. In addition, we may fail to apply for or be unable to obtain patents necessary to protect our technology or products or enforce our patents due to lack of information about the exact use of technology or processes by third parties. Also, we cannot be sure that any patents will be granted in a timely manner or at all with respect to any of our patent pending applications or that any patents that are granted will be adequate to protect our intellectual property for any significant period of time or at all.
Litigation to establish or challenge the validity of patents, or to defend against or assert against others infringement, unauthorized use, enforceability or invalidity claims, can be lengthy and expensive and may result in our patents being invalidated or interpreted narrowly and our not being granted new patents related to our pending patent applications. Even if we prevail, litigation may be time consuming and force us to incur significant costs, and any damages or other remedies awarded to us may not be valuable and management’s attention could be diverted from managing our business. In addition, U.S. patents and patent applications may be subject to interference proceedings, and U.S. patents may be subject to re-examination and review in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Foreign patents may also be subject to opposition or comparable proceedings in the corresponding foreign patent offices. Any of these proceedings may be expensive and could result in the loss of a patent or denial of a patent application, or the loss or reduction in the scope of one or more of the claims of a patent or patent application.
In addition, we seek to protect our trade secrets, know-how and confidential information that is not patentable by entering into confidentiality and assignment agreements with our employees and certain of our contractors and confidentiality agreements with certain of our consultants, scientific advisors and other vendors and contractors. However, we may fail to enter into the necessary agreements, and even if entered into, these agreements may be breached or otherwise fail to prevent disclosure, third-party infringement or misappropriation of our proprietary information, may be limited as to their term and may not provide an adequate remedy in the event of unauthorized disclosure or use of proprietary information. Enforcing a claim that a third-party illegally obtained and is using our trade secrets is expensive and time consuming, and the outcome is unpredictable. We also have taken precautions to initiate reasonable safeguards to protect our information technology systems. However, these measures may not be adequate to safeguard our proprietary information, which could lead to the loss or impairment thereof or to expensive litigation to defend our rights against competitors who may be better funded and have superior resources. In addition, unauthorized parties may attempt to copy or reverse engineer certain aspects of our products that we consider proprietary or our proprietary information may otherwise become known or may be independently developed by our competitors or other third parties. If other parties are able to use our proprietary technology or information, our ability to compete in the market could be harmed. Further, unauthorized use of our intellectual property may have occurred, or may occur in the future, without our knowledge.
If we are unable to obtain or maintain adequate protection for intellectual property, or if any protection is reduced or eliminated, competitors may be able to use our technologies, resulting in harm to our competitive position.
We are not able to protect our intellectual property rights in all countries.
Filing, prosecuting, maintaining and defending patents on each of our products in all countries throughout the world would be prohibitively expensive, and thus our intellectual property rights outside the United States are currently
32
limited to selected countries in the European Union, or EU, China, Hong Kong, and Japan. In addition, the laws of some foreign countries, especially developing countries, do not protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as federal and state laws in the United States. Also, it may not be possible to effectively enforce intellectual property rights in some countries at all or to the same extent as in the United States and other countries. Consequently, we are unable to prevent third parties from using our inventions in all countries, or from selling or importing products made using our inventions in the jurisdictions in which we do not have (or are unable to effectively enforce) patent protection. Competitors may use our technologies in jurisdictions where we have not obtained patent protection to develop, market or otherwise commercialize their own products, and we may be unable to prevent those competitors from importing those infringing products into territories where we have patent protection, but enforcement is not as strong as in the United States. These products may compete with our products and our patents and other intellectual property rights may not be effective or sufficient to prevent them from competing in those jurisdictions. Moreover, competitors or others in the chain of commerce may raise legal challenges against our intellectual property rights or may infringe upon our intellectual property rights, including through means that may be difficult to prevent or detect.
Many companies have encountered significant problems in protecting and defending intellectual property rights in foreign jurisdictions. Proceedings to enforce our patent rights in the United States or foreign jurisdictions could result in substantial costs and divert our efforts and attention from other aspects of our business, could put our patents at risk of being invalidated or interpreted narrowly and our patent applications at risk of not issuing, and could provoke third parties to assert patent infringement or other claims against us. We may not prevail in any lawsuits that we initiate, and the damages or other remedies awarded, if any, may not be commercially meaningful. Accordingly, our efforts to enforce our intellectual property rights in the United States and around the world may be inadequate to obtain a significant commercial advantage from the intellectual property that we develop or license from third parties.
We may be subject to patent infringement claims, which could result in substantial costs and liability and prevent us from commercializing our current and future products.
The medical device industry is characterized by competing intellectual property and a substantial amount of litigation over patent rights. In particular, our competitors in both the United States and abroad, many of which have substantially greater resources and have made substantial investments in competing technologies, have been issued patents and filed patent applications with respect to their products and processes and may apply for other patents in the future. The large number of patents, the rapid rate of new patent issuances, and the complexities of the technology involved increase the risk of patent litigation.
Determining whether a product infringes a patent involves complex legal and factual issues and the outcome of patent litigation is often uncertain. Even though we have conducted research of issued patents, no assurance can be given that patents containing claims covering our products, technology or methods do not exist, have not been filed or could not be filed or issued. In addition, because patent applications can take years to issue and because publication schedules for pending applications vary by jurisdiction, there may be applications now pending of which we are unaware and may result in issued patents which our current or future products infringe. Also, because the claims of published patent applications can change between publication and patent grant, published applications may issue with claims that potentially cover our products, technology or methods.
Infringement actions and other intellectual property claims brought against us, with or without merit, may cause us to incur substantial costs and could place a significant strain on our financial resources, divert the attention of management and harm our reputation. We cannot be certain that we will successfully defend against any allegations of infringement. If we are found to infringe another party’s patents, we could be required to pay damages. We could also be prevented from selling our products that infringe, unless we could obtain a license to use the technology covered by such patents or could redesign our products so that they do not infringe. A license may be available on commercially reasonable terms or none at all, and we may not be able to redesign our products to avoid infringement. Further, any modification to our products could require us to conduct clinical trials and revise our filings with the FDA and other regulatory bodies, which would be time consuming and expensive. In these circumstances, we may not be able to sell our products at competitive prices or at all, and our business and operating results could be harmed.
We rely on trademark protection to distinguish our products from the products of our competitors.
We rely on trademark protection to distinguish our products from the products of our competitors. We have registered the trademarks “MyoPro” (Registration No. 4,532,331), “MYOMO” (Registration No. 4,451,445), “MyoPal” (Registration No. 6,086,533) and “MyoCare” (Registration No. 6,579,736) in the United States. The MyoPro mark is
33
registered in Canada and in selected EU, countries with pending registration. In jurisdictions where we have not yet registered our trademark and are using it, and as permitted by applicable local law, we seek to rely on common law trademark protection where available. Third parties may oppose our trademark applications, or otherwise challenge our use of the trademarks, and may be able to use our trademarks in jurisdictions where they are not registered or otherwise protected by law. If our trademarks are successfully challenged or if a third-party is using confusingly similar or identical trademarks in particular jurisdictions before we do, we could be forced to rebrand our products, which could result in loss of brand recognition, and could require us to devote additional resources to marketing new brands. If others are able to use our trademarks, our ability to distinguish our products may be impaired, which could adversely affect our business. Further, we cannot assure you that competitors will not infringe upon our trademarks, or that we will have adequate resources to enforce our trademarks.
We may be subject to damages resulting from claims that our employees or we have wrongfully used or disclosed alleged trade secrets of their former employers.
Some of our employees were previously employed at other medical device companies, including our competitors or potential competitors, and we may hire employees in the future that are so employed. We could in the future be subject to claims that these employees, or we, have inadvertently or otherwise used or disclosed trade secrets or other proprietary information of their former employers. If we fail in defending against such claims, a court could order us to pay substantial damages and prohibit us from using technologies or features that are found to incorporate or be derived from the trade secrets or other proprietary information of the former employers. If any of these technologies or features are important to our products, this could prevent us from selling those products and could have a material adverse effect on our business. Even if we are successful in defending against these claims, such litigation could result in substantial costs and divert the attention of management.
Risks Related to our Securities
Risks Related to Ownership of Our Securities
Our stockholders will experience significant dilution upon the issuance of common stock if the shares of our common stock underlying our warrants, are exercised or converted.
We have a significant number of securities convertible into, or allowing the purchase of, our common stock. Investors could be subject to increased dilution upon the conversion or exercise of these securities. For example, in conjunction with equity offerings in January 2024, August 2023 and January 2023, we issued 224,730, 1,920,000 and 6,830,926 pre-funded warrants, respectively. Each pre-funded warrant is exercisable for one share of common stock at the nominal exercise price of $0.0001 per share. As of December 31, 2023, we had 8,271,519 shares issuable upon the exercise of pre-funded warrants with an exercise price of $0.0001 per share, and 668,250 shares issuable upon the exercise of other warrants, with a weighted-average exercise price of $7.50 per share and 1,501,659 unvested restricted stock units outstanding. In addition, we had 24,529 shares issuable upon the exercise of stock options under our equity incentive plans, with a weighted-average exercise price of $41.13 per share.
We may not be able to maintain a listing of our common stock on the NYSE American.
We must meet certain financial and liquidity criteria to maintain such listing. If we fail to meet any of the NYSE American’s listing standards, our common stock may be delisted. In addition, our board may determine that the cost of maintaining our listing on a national securities exchange outweighs the benefits of such listing. A delisting of our common stock from the NYSE American may materially impair our stockholders’ ability to buy and sell our common stock and could have an adverse effect on the market price of, and the efficiency of the trading market for, our common stock. A delisting of our common stock could significantly impair our ability to raise capital.
There is no public market for our warrants or pre-funded warrants to purchase common stock.
There is no established public trading market for our warrants or pre-funded warrants and we do not expect a market to develop. In addition, we do not intend to apply for listing of such warrants on any securities exchange. Without an active market, the liquidity of such warrants will be limited.
34
Holders of our warrants and pre-funded warrants have no rights as a common stockholder until such holders exercise their warrants and acquire our common stock.
Until holders of our warrants and pre-funded warrants exercise such warrants, they will have no rights with respect to the shares of our common stock underlying such warrants. Upon exercise of such warrants, the holders thereof will be entitled to exercise the rights of a common stockholder only as to matters for which the record date occurs after the exercise date.
The market price of our common stock has been and may continue to be volatile.
The stock market in general, and the market price of our common stock in particular will likely be subject to fluctuation, whether due to, or irrespective of, our operating results, financial condition and prospects. For example, from December 31, 2022 to December 31, 2023, the high and low sales price of our common stock on the NYSE American has fluctuated from a low of $0.37 to a high of $5.58 per share. During the period from January 1, 2024 to the date of the filing of this report, our stock price has ranged from $2.69 to $5.04.
Our financial performance, our industry’s overall performance, changing consumer preferences, technologies, government regulatory action, tax laws and market conditions in general could have a significant impact on the future market price of our common stock. Some of the other factors that could negatively affect our share price or result in fluctuations in our share price include:
We do not expect to declare or pay dividends in the foreseeable future.
We do not expect to declare or pay dividends in the foreseeable future, as we anticipate that we will invest future earnings in the development and growth of our business. Therefore, holders of our common stock will not receive any return on their investment unless they sell their securities, and holders may be unable to sell their securities on favorable terms or at all.
If securities industry analysts do not publish research reports on us, or publish unfavorable reports on us, then the market price and market trading volume of our common stock could be negatively affected.
Any trading market for our common stock will be influenced in part by any research reports that securities industry analysts publish about us. We do not have any control over these analysts. We currently have limited research coverage by securities industry analysts and we may be unable to maintain analyst coverage or have analysts initiate coverage on us. If securities industry analysts cease coverage of us, the market price and market trading volume of our common stock could be negatively affected. In the event we are covered by analysts, and one or more of such analysts downgrade our securities, or otherwise reports on us unfavorably, or discontinues coverage on us, the market price and market trading volume of our common stock could be negatively affected.
35
Future issuances of our common stock or equity-related securities could cause the market price of our common stock to decline and would result in the dilution of your holdings.
Future issuances of our common stock or securities convertible into our common stock could cause the market price of our common stock to decline. We cannot predict the effect, if any, of future issuances of our common stock or securities convertible into our common stock on the price of our common stock. In all events, future issuances of our common stock would result in the dilution of your holdings. In addition, the perception that new issuances of our common stock, or other securities convertible into our common stock, could occur, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.
Future issuances of debt securities, which would rank senior to our common stock upon our bankruptcy or liquidation, and future issuances of preferred stock, which could rank senior to our common stock for the purposes of dividends and liquidating distributions, may adversely affect our common stock price.
In the future, we may attempt to increase our capital resources by offering debt securities. Upon bankruptcy or liquidation, holders of our debt securities, and lenders with respect to other borrowings we may make, would receive distributions of our available assets prior to any distributions being made to holders of our common stock. Moreover, if we issue preferred stock, the holders of such preferred stock could be entitled to preferences over holders of common stock in respect of the payment of dividends and the payment of liquidating distributions. Because our decision to issue debt or preferred securities in any future offering, or borrow money from lenders, will depend in part on market conditions and other factors beyond our control, we cannot predict or estimate the amount, timing or nature of any such future offerings or borrowings. Holders of our common stock must bear the risk that any future offerings we conduct or borrowings we make may adversely affect the level of return they may be able to achieve from an investment in our common stock.
If our shares of common stock become subject to the penny stock rules, it would become more difficult to trade our shares.
The SEC has adopted rules that regulate broker-dealer practices in connection with transactions in penny stocks. Penny stocks are generally equity securities with a price of less than $5.00, other than securities registered on certain national securities exchanges or authorized for quotation on certain automated quotation systems, provided that current price and volume information with respect to transactions in such securities is provided by the exchange or system. If we do not retain a listing on the NYSE American or another national securities exchange and if the price of our common stock is less than $5.00, our common stock will be deemed a penny stock. The penny stock rules require a broker-dealer, before a transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from those rules, to deliver a standardized risk disclosure document containing specified information. In addition, the penny stock rules require that before effecting any transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from those rules, a broker-dealer must make a special written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for the purchaser and receive (i) the purchaser’s written acknowledgment of the receipt of a risk disclosure statement; (ii) a written agreement to transactions involving penny stocks; and (iii) a signed and dated copy of a written suitability statement. These disclosure requirements may have the effect of reducing the trading activity in the secondary market for our common stock, and therefore stockholders may have difficulty selling their shares.
Anti-takeover provisions in our charter documents and under Delaware law could make an acquisition of us more difficult, limit attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management and limit the market price of our common stock.
Provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control or changes in our management. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws include provisions that:
36
These provisions may frustrate or prevent any attempts by our stockholders to replace or remove our current management by making it more difficult for stockholders to replace members of our board of directors, which is responsible for appointing the members of our management. In addition, because we are incorporated in Delaware, we are governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or DGCL, which generally prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in any of a broad range of business combinations with any “interested” stockholder for a period of three years following the date on which the stockholder became an “interested” stockholder. Any of the foregoing provisions could limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock, and they could deter potential acquirers of our company, thereby reducing the likelihood that you would receive a premium for your common stock in an acquisition.
Risks Related to Internal Controls
We are a "smaller reporting company” under the reporting rules set forth under the Exchange Act. For so long as we remain a “smaller reporting company,” we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other Exchange Act reporting companies that are not “smaller reporting companies.”
We are a “smaller reporting company.” For as long as we continue to be a smaller reporting company, we may take advantage of exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “smaller reporting companies,” including exemption from compliance with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (so long as we remain a non-accelerated filer) and reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in the Annual Report on Form 10-K and our periodic reports and proxy statements.
We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive because we may rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our stock price may be more volatile.
We are obligated to develop and maintain a system of effective internal control over financial reporting. We may not complete our analysis of our internal control over financial reporting in a timely manner, or these internal controls may not be determined to be effective, which may harm investor confidence in our company and, as a result, the value of our common stock.
We are required, pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, or Section 404, to furnish a report by management on, among other things, the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting in the annual and quarterly reports we file with the SEC. This assessment will need to include disclosure of any material weaknesses identified by our management in our internal control over financial reporting. However, our auditors are not required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404 until we are no longer a “smaller reporting company” as set forth under the Exchange Act.
We will need to continue to dedicate internal resources, engage outside consultants and adopt a detailed work plan to assess and document the adequacy of internal control over financial reporting, continue steps to improve control processes as appropriate, validate through testing that controls are functioning as documented and implement a continuous reporting and improvement process for internal control over financial reporting. As we continue to grow as a public company, we may need to add additional finance staff. We may not be able to remediate any future material
37
weaknesses, or to complete our evaluation, testing and any required remediation in a timely fashion. During the evaluation and testing process, if we identify one or more material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, we will be unable to assert that our internal controls are effective. If we are unable to assert that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, or if our auditors are unable to express an opinion on the effectiveness of our internal controls when they are required to issue such opinion, investors could lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, which could harm our stock price.
The preparation of our financial statements involves the use of estimates, judgments and assumptions, and our financial statements may be materially affected if such estimates, judgments or assumptions prove to be inaccurate.
Financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States typically require the use of estimates, judgments and assumptions that affect the reported amounts. Often, different estimates, judgments and assumptions could reasonably be used that would have a material effect on such financial statements, and changes in these estimates, judgments and assumptions may occur from period to period over time. Significant areas of accounting requiring the application of management’s judgment include, but are not limited to, determining the fair value of assets and the timing and amount of cash flows from assets. These estimates, judgments and assumptions are inherently uncertain and, if our estimates were to prove to be wrong, we would face the risk that charges to income or other financial statement changes or adjustments would be required. Any such charges or changes could harm our business, including our financial condition and results of operations and the price of our securities. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for a discussion of the accounting estimates, judgments and assumptions that we believe are the most critical to an understanding of our financial statements and our business.
We are incurring increased costs as a public company and our management team is required to devote substantial time to new compliance initiatives and corporate governance practices.
As a public company, and particularly after we are no longer a “small reporting company,” we will incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the listing requirements of the NYSE American and other applicable securities rules and regulations impose various requirements on public companies. Our management and other personnel will need to devote a substantial amount of time to compliance with these requirements. Moreover, these rules and regulations will increase our legal and financial compliance costs and will make some activities more time-consuming and costly.
Risks Related to Tax Laws
We may be subject to adverse legislative or regulatory changes in tax laws that could negatively impact our financial condition.
The rules dealing with U.S. federal, state and local income taxation are constantly under review by persons involved in the legislative process and by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, or IRS and the U.S. Treasury Department. Changes to tax laws (which changes may have retroactive application) could adversely affect our stockholders or us. In recent years, many such changes have been made and changes are likely to occur in the future. We cannot predict whether, when, in what form, or with what effective dates, tax laws, regulations and rulings may be enacted, promulgated or decided, which could result in an increase in our, or our stockholders’ tax liability or require changes in the manner in which we operate in order to minimize increases in our tax liability.
Our ability to use net operating losses and research and development credits to offset future taxable income may be subject to certain limitations.
As of December 31, 2023, we had U.S. federal and state net operating loss, or NOL, carryforwards of $77.4 million and $72.7 million, respectively, which begin to expire in the year 2028 and 2024 through 2044, respectively. Additionally, we had U.S. federal and state research and development tax credits, or tax credits, of $0.4 million and $0.2 million, respectively, which begin to expire in the year 2026 and 2033, respectively. These NOL and tax credit carryforwards could expire unused and be unavailable to offset future taxable income or tax liabilities, respectively. In addition, in general, under Sections 382 and 383 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, and corresponding provisions of state law, a corporation that undergoes an “ownership change” is subject to limitations on its ability to utilize its pre-change NOL carry-forwards or tax credits, or NOLs or credits, to offset future taxable
38
income. For these purposes, an ownership change generally occurs where the aggregate stock ownership of one or more stockholders or groups of stockholders who owns at least 5% of a corporation’s stock increases its ownership by more than 50 percentage points over its lowest ownership percentage within a specified testing period. We have determined that such ownership changes have occurred in prior years and as recently as January 2023. The result of these ownership changes is that we have a $64,000 annual limitation on our ability to utilize pre-ownership change NOL’s and that approximately $20.0 million of our federal NOL's and $48.0 million of our state NOL's will expire unutilized. We may undergo an ownership change in connection with future changes in our stock ownership (many of which are outside of our control), whereby our ability to utilize NOLs or credits could be further limited by Sections 382 and 383 of the Code or under corresponding provisions of state law. Furthermore, our ability to utilize our NOLs or tax credits is conditioned upon our attaining profitability and generating U.S. federal and state taxable income. As described above under “Risk factors— Risks Associated with Our Business,” we have incurred net losses since our inception and anticipate that we will continue to incur losses for the foreseeable future; and therefore, we do not know whether or when we will generate the U.S. federal or state taxable income necessary to utilize our NOLs or tax credits that are subject to limitation by Sections 382 and 383 of the Code. Under current law, U.S. federal NOL carryforwards generated in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 will not be subject to expiration, but the amount of such NOL carryforwards that we are permitted to deduct in a taxable year beginning after December 31, 2020 will be limited to 80% of our taxable income in each such year to which the NOL carryforwards are applied.
39
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Some of the statements under “Business,” “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Business” and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends and similar matters that are not historical facts. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “should,” “will” and “would” or the negatives of these terms or other comparable terminology.
You should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. The cautionary statements set forth in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including in “Risk Factors” and elsewhere, identify important factors which you should consider in evaluating our forward-looking statements. These factors include, among other things:
Although the forward-looking statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are based on our beliefs, assumptions and expectations, taking into account all information currently available to us, we cannot guarantee future transactions, results, performance, achievements or outcomes. No assurance can be made to any investor by anyone that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements will be attained, or that deviations from them will not be material and adverse. We undertake no obligation, other than as maybe be required by law, to re-issue this Annual Report on Form 10-K or otherwise make public statements updating our forward-looking statements.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
Not applicable.
Item 1C. Cybersecurity
We utilize a third-party managed security service provider to support our information technology services, which include ongoing support for the management of cyber risks and protection of our information technology infrastructure. Our critical business applications are provided and managed by third party cloud software providers.
40
Our cybersecurity risk management strategy is informed by a recent cyber risk assessment conducted in consultation with our third party managed security service provider. The assessment was informed by industry standards and included an evaluation of our cybersecurity controls. We also leverage our managed security services provider and other third-party consultants, providers, and technologies to support our efforts to monitor, identify, and address cybersecurity risks, including managing our monitoring and alerting tools and conducting periodic assessments of certain system applications. Our efforts to address cybersecurity risks and also include training employees, both from programs provided by our third-party managed security service provider and internal policies and training, which are designed to increase awareness of cybersecurity threats.
We have a process to assess and review the cybersecurity practices of certain third-party vendors and service providers, including through review of applicable certifications and security reports, where available, and contractual requirements, as appropriate.
Although risks from cybersecurity threats have to date not materially affected, and we do not believe they are reasonably likely to materially affect, us, our business strategy, results of operations or financial condition, we could, from time to time, experience threats and communicate security incidents relating to our and our third-party vendors' information systems. For more information please see the section entitled "Risks Related to Cybersecurity and Data Protection" in Item 1A- Risk Factors. We maintain an incident response and a disaster recovery plan, which includes plans around managing cybersecurity incidents, and is intended to serve as a guide for management of such events and to set forth communication procedures regarding potential impacts to our board, investors, and other stakeholders, as appropriate.
Governance Related to Cybersecurity Risks
Our cyber risk management program and related operations and processes are directed by our Chief Financial Officer, in consultation with other members of senior management and our third-party security managed service provider. The Chief Financial Officer is responsible for identifying, evaluation, and implementing risk management control and methodologies to address any identified risks, including risks from cybersecurity threats, with advice from our third-party managed security service provider as appropriate.
The Chief Financial Officer periodically provides reports to the audit committee of the board of directors regarding information technology and cybersecurity matters and associated risks. The audit committee is responsible for reviewing and overseeing the Company's risk management process and strategy, including risks from cybersecurity threats. The audit committee periodically reports on cybersecurity risk management to the full board of directors.
41
Item 2. Properties
Our primary offices are located at 137 Portland St. in Boston, Massachusetts, where we have a lease consisting of 9,094 square feet of office and laboratory space, which has been extended as a result of a lease in the same building for 3,859 square feet of space to be used for manufacturing which expires in January 2025. Additionally, we have offices at 5601 Bridge St. in, Fort Worth, TX, where we have a lease expiring in December 2025 to operate a customer service call center consisting of approximately 2,800 square feet of office space. We believe our facilities are currently adequate for us to conduct our business. A number of our employees work remotely from home across the United States.
Item 3. Legal Proceedings
The Company may be involved in legal proceedings, claims and assessments arising from the ordinary course of business. Such matters are subject to many uncertainties, and outcomes are not predictable with assurance. There is no material litigation against the Company at this time that is required to be disclosed under Item 103 of Regulation S-K.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
Not applicable.
42
PART II
Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
The information required to be disclosed by Item 201(d) of Regulation S-K, “Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans,” is incorporated herein by reference. Refer to Item 12 of Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information.
Market Information
Our common stock has been listed on NYSE American under the symbol “MYO” since June 12, 2017. Prior to that time, there was no public market for our common stock.
Holders of Record
On March 1, 2024, the closing price per share of our common stock was $4.01 as reported on The NYSE American, and we had approximately 124 stockholders of record (not including beneficial owners whose shares are held in street name).
Dividend Policy
We have never paid or declared any cash dividends on our common stock, and we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. In addition, the terms of any future indebtedness that we may incur could preclude us from paying dividends. We intend to retain all available funds and any future earnings to fund the development and expansion of our business. Any future determination to pay dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon a number of factors, including our results of operations, financial condition, future prospects, contractual restrictions, restrictions imposed by applicable law and other factors our board of directors deems relevant.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
Not applicable
Use of Proceeds from Registered Securities
Not applicable
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Not applicable.
Item 6. Reserved
Not applicable.
43
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our financial statements and the related notes contained elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and in our other Securities and Exchange Commission filings. The following discussion may contain predictions, estimates, and other forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including those discussed under “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. These risks could cause our actual results to differ materially from any future performance suggested below.
Overview
We are a wearable medical robotics company, specializing in myoelectric braces, or orthotics, for people with neuromuscular disorders. We develop and market the MyoPro product line, which is a myoelectric-controlled upper limb brace, or orthosis. The orthosis is a rigid brace used for the purpose of supporting a patient’s weak or deformed arm to enable and improve functional activities of daily living, or ADLs, in the home and community. It is custom constructed by a trained professional during a custom fabrication process for each individual user to meet their specific needs. Our products are designed to help regain function in individuals with neuromuscular conditions due to brachial plexus injury, stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury and other neurological disorders.
We utilize digital ads on various platforms as well as television ads to reach patients who are potential candidates for our product. Once the prospective patient contacts us or is referred to us, either our trained clinical staff or a trained O&P provider will evaluate the patient for their suitability as a candidate. Initial evaluations by our trained clinical staff are conducted using telehealth techniques, followed by an in-person clinical evaluation of the candidate. Prior to obtaining authorizations from commercial insurance companies, the patient’s medical records are collected and reviewed to make sure the device is appropriate for their condition and a prescription is always obtained from a physician. Once these documents are obtained, a pre-authorization request is submitted to the patient’s insurer. If we receive a pre-authorization, we proceed to measure the patient’s arm. Beginning in 2022, this is being done in some cases using a remote measurement kit supplied to the patient. We then use those measurements to 3D print orthotic parts, which are used to fabricate the MyoPro, and then deliver it to the patient. Since we are directly providing the device to the patient and then billing insurance ourselves, we refer to this process as direct billing. We also call on hospitals and O&P practices in the United States, Europe and Australia that provide our products to their patients as well as generate indirect sales. The MyoPro product line has been approved by the VA system for impaired veterans, and over 70 VA facilities have ordered devices for their patients.
Our myoelectric orthoses have been clinically shown in peer reviewed published research studies to help regain the ability to complete functional tasks by supporting the affected joint and enabling individuals to self-initiate and control movement of their partially paralyzed limbs by using their own muscle signals.
Our technology was originally developed at MIT in collaboration with medical experts affiliated with Harvard Medical School. Myomo was incorporated in 2004.
Other milestones in our history include:
44
Recent Developments
China Joint Venture
On January 21, 2021, we entered into a definitive agreement with Beijing Ryzur Medical Investment Co., Ltd. (“Ryzur Medical”), a medical device manufacturer based in Beijing, to form a joint venture (the “JV”) to manufacture and sell our current and future products in greater China, including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan (the “JV Agreement”).
Majority ownership in the JV, named Jiangxi Myomo Medical Assistive Appliance Co., Ltd. (the “JV Company”), is held by Ryzur Medical and Wuxi Chinaleaf Medical Investment and Management Fund, a private fund that invests in growth opportunities in new technologies. We own a minimum 19.9% stake in the JV. Ryzur Medical and its partners have committed to invest a minimum of $8 million and up to $20 million in the JV over five years.
The JV Company was established on August 12, 2021. On December 29, 2021, we entered into an amendment to the JV Agreement, as well as a Technology License Agreement and a Trademark License Agreement (collectively, the “Agreements”). Under the Agreements, we and the JV Company have entered into a ten-year agreement to license our intellectual property, including recently issued patents in China and Hong Kong, and purchase MyoPro Control System units from us. Under the Agreements, we were entitled to receive an upfront license fee of $2.7 million, which has been paid as of December 31, 2023. Pursuant to the Agreements, the JV Company has agreed to an escalating purchase commitment for a minimum of $10.75 million in MyoPro Control System Units during the next ten years, subject to receipt of regulatory approvals necessary to permit sales of the product in the greater China territory.
Equity Offerings
On January 19, 2024 we completed a registered direct equity offering, selling 1,354,218 shares of common stock and 224,730 pre-funded warrants at $3.80 per share, or $3,7999 per pre-funded warrant, generating net proceeds after fees and expenses of approximately $5.4 million. Net proceeds from the offering are expected to be used to hire more than 50 people through the second quarter of 2024 in order to increase our clinical, reimbursement and manufacturing capacity to serve Medicare Part B beneficiaries. On August 29, 2023, we completed a public equity offering, selling 5,413,334 shares of common stock and 1,920,000 pre-funded warrants at $0.60 per share, or at $0.5999 per pre-funded warrant, generating net proceeds after fees and expenses of approximately $3.9 million. In January 2023, we completed a public equity offering, whereby we sold 13,169,074 shares of common stock and 6,830,926 pre-funded warrants at $0.325 per share, or $0.3249 per pre-funded warrant. Each pre-funded warrant in the above offerings entitles the holder to one share of common stock upon exercise at a nominal exercise price of $0.0001 per share. See section titled “Liquidity” for further discussion.
CMS Status
45
On November 1, 2023, CMS issued a final rule that results in a change in the benefit category associated with products billed under the HCPCS codes for our products from durable medical equipment rental to a brace, which would permit reimbursement of MyoPro sales on a lump sum basis. The rule became effective on January 1, 2024. On February 29, 2024, CMS published final average payment determinations for the HCPCS codes describing our products of approximately $33,500 for L8701, the MyoPro Motion W, and approximately $65,900 for L8702, the MyoPro Motion G, which are effective April 1, 2024.
Beginning March 2023, we began submitting claims to the Medicare program via CMS' - durable medical equipment administrative contractors, referred to as the DME MACs. A total of 40 claims have been submitted, and 21 claims have been paid, either as a rental fee or a purchase across all of the DME MACs as of the filing date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The remaining patients' claims are under review as part of the process of individual consideration. We cannot provide any assurance as to whether additional claims for reimbursement for our products will be approved and paid by CMS or by a DME MAC nor can we provide any assurance as to the timing of any such future payments.
Results of Operations
We have been growing revenues while incurring net losses and negative cash flows from operations since inception and anticipate this to continue at least through the third quarter of 2024. We believe it is achievable to be cash flow breakeven on a quarterly basis by the fourth quarter of 2024 assuming the final fees published by CMS are not significantly different than the preliminary fees published, that we are able to hire 50 additional employees by the end of the second quarter of 2024 in order to increase our clinical, reimbursement and manufacturing capacity to serve an expected increase in volume from Medicare Part B beneficiaries and there are no unexpected supply chain disruptions.
Comparison of the year ended December 31, 2023 to the year ended December 31, 2022
The following table sets forth our revenue, gross profit and gross margin for each of the years presented.
|
|
Years Ended December 31, |
|
|
Year-to-year change |
|
||||||||||
|
|
2023 |
|
|
2022 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
% |
|
||||
Product revenue |
|
$ |
17,476,238 |
|
|
$ |
14,555,229 |
|
|
$ |
2,921,009 |
|
|
|
20 |
% |
License revenue |
|
|
1,764,920 |
|
|
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
|
764,920 |
|
|
NM |
|
|
Total revenue |
|
|
19,241,158 |
|
|
|
15,555,229 |
|
|
|
3,685,929 |
|
|
|
24 |
|
Cost of revenue |
|
|
6,058,775 |
|
|
|
5,302,133 |
|
|
|
756,642 |
|
|
|
14 |
|
Gross profit |
|
$ |
13,182,383 |
|
|
$ |
10,253,096 |
|
|
$ |
2,929,287 |
|
|
|
29 |
|
Gross margin |
|
|
68.5 |
% |
|
|
65.9 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
2.6 |
% |
Revenues
We derive revenue primarily from providing devices directly to patients and billing insurance companies directly. We also sell our products to O&P providers in the United States. Europe and Australia, to the VA and to rehabilitation hospitals. Though we increasingly provide devices directly to patients, we sometimes utilize the clinical services of O&P providers for which they are paid a fee.
We expect that our revenues will continue to grow, primarily as a result of our expected ability to serve Medicare Part B beneficiaries and through expected higher revenue from O&P practices outside of the United States.
Product revenue in 2023 increased by approximately $2.9 million, or 20%, compared to 2022. The revenue increase was driven primarily by a higher average selling price, as well as a higher number of revenue units. Including the license revenue received from our joint venture partner in China, total revenue increased 24% compared to 2022. Revenues generated through the direct billing channel were approximately $12.3 million, or 71% of product revenue in 2023, compared to approximately $10.7 million, or 74%, of product revenue in 2022.
Gross margin
Cost of revenue consists of direct costs for the manufacturing, casting/printing of orthotic parts, fabrication and fitting of our products, inventory reserves, warranty costs and royalties associated with licensed technologies.
46
Gross margin increased to 68.5% for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to 65.9% in the comparable period of 2022. The increase in gross margin was driven primarily by the increase in license revenue as well as a higher average selling price. Excluding the license fees, gross margin was 65.3% and 63.6% for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The increase in gross margin on product sales, was driven by a higher average selling price, as well as higher revenues in 2023.
We expect our gross margin to vary depending on the mix of channel revenues and timing of reimbursements from certain third-party payers, which impacts revenue recognition.
Operating expenses
The following table sets forth our operating expenses for each of the years presented.
|
|
Years Ended December 31, |
|
|
Year-to-year change |
|
||||||||||
|
|
2023 |
|
|
2022 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
% |
|
||||
Research and development |
|
$ |
2,636,487 |
|
|
$ |
2,482,489 |
|
|
$ |
153,998 |
|
|
|
6 |
% |
Selling, general and administrative |
|
|
18,777,445 |
|
|
|
18,442,811 |
|
|
|
334,634 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
Total operating expenses |
|
$ |
21,413,932 |
|
|
$ |
20,925,300 |
|
|
$ |
488,632 |
|
|
|
2 |
% |
Research and development
Research and development (“R&D”) expenses consist of costs for our R&D personnel, including salaries, benefits, bonuses and stock-based compensation, product development costs, clinical studies and the cost of certain third-party contractors and travel expense. R&D costs are expensed as they are incurred. We intend to enhance our existing products in 2024 and expect R&D costs to increase on an annual basis.
R&D expenses increased by approximately $0.2 million or 6% in 2023 compared to 2022. The increase during 2023 was driven primarily by outside engineering costs incurred in the second half of 2023 in order to accelerate completion of certain product development projects.
Selling, general and administrative
Selling expenses consist of costs for our field clinical staff, clinical training organization, and marketing personnel, including salaries, benefits, bonuses, stock-based compensation and sales commissions, costs of digital advertising, marketing and promotional events, corporate communications, product marketing and travel expenses. Variable compensation for personnel engaged in sales and marketing activities is generally earned and recorded as expense when the product is delivered. We expect sales and marketing expenses to increase in 2024 as we increase our clinical capacity to serve Medicare Part B beneficiaries.
General and administrative expenses consist primarily of costs for administrative, reimbursement, and finance personnel, including salaries, benefits, bonuses and stock-based compensation, professional fees associated with legal matters, consulting expenses, costs for pursuing insurance reimbursements for our products and costs required to comply with the regulatory requirements of the SEC and Medicare accreditation, as well as costs associated with accounting systems, insurance premiums and other corporate expenses. We expect that general and administrative expenses will increase in 2024 as a result of increasing our reimbursement capacity in order to serve Medicare Part B beneficiaries.
Selling, general and administrative expenses increased by approximately $0.3 million or 2% in 2023 compared to 2022. The increase was primarily due stock compensation expense, and professional fees, partially offset by a decrease in wages as well as lower advertising costs in 2023.
47
Other expense (income)
The following table sets forth our interest and other expense (income) for each of the years presented.
|
|
Years Ended December 31, |
|
|
Year-to-year change |
|
||||||||||
|
|
2023 |
|
|
2022 |
|
|
$ |
|
|
% |
|
||||
Interest income, net |
|
$ |
(410,274 |
) |
|
$ |
(88,731 |
) |
|
$ |
(321,543 |
) |
|
|
362 |
% |
Other expense, net |
|
|
785 |
|
|
|
1,101 |
|
|
|
(316 |
) |
|
|
(29 |
) |
Loss on equity investment |
|
|
169,503 |
|
|
|
66,511 |
|
|
|
102,992 |
|
|
|
155 |
|
Total other income |
|
$ |
(239,986 |
) |
|
$ |
(21,119 |
) |
|
$ |
(218,867 |
) |
|
|
1036 |
% |
Interest income increased due to higher interest rates and a higher average investment balances in 2023. Loss on equity investment represents our share of the losses incurred by the JV Company, which began limited operations in 2023.
Income tax expense
Income tax expense recorded during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 represents the provision for income taxes for our wholly-owned subsidiary, Myomo Europe GmbH. The increase in income tax expense relates to increased income from Myomo Europe GmbH in 2023 compared to 2022.
Adjusted EBITDA
We believe that the presentation of Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure, provides investors with additional information about our financial results. Adjusted EBITDA is an important supplemental measure used by our board of directors and management to evaluate our operating performance from period-to-period on a consistent basis and as a measure for planning and forecasting overall expectations and for evaluating actual results against such expectations.
We define Adjusted EBITDA as earnings before interest and other income (expense), taxes, depreciation and amortization, adjusted for stock-based compensation and the loss on equity investment in the JV Company.
Adjusted EBITDA is not in accordance with, or an alternative to, measures prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. In addition, this non-GAAP measure is not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles. As a non-GAAP measure, Adjusted EBITDA has limitations in that it does not reflect all of the amounts associated with our results of operations as determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP. In particular:
Because of these limitations, you should consider Adjusted EBITDA alongside other financial performance measures including net income (loss) and our financial results presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
48
The following table provides a reconciliation of net loss to Adjusted EBITDA for each of the years indicated:
|
|
2023 |
|
|
2022 |
|
||
GAAP net loss |
|
$ |
(8,147,565 |
) |
|
$ |
(10,721,022 |
) |
Adjustments to reconcile to Adjusted EBITDA: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Interest income, net |
|
|
(410,274 |
) |
|
|
(88,731 |
) |
Loss on equity investment |
|
|
169,503 |
|
|
|
66,511 |
|
Income taxes |
|
|
156,002 |
|
|
|
69,937 |
|
Depreciation and amortization expense |
|
|
164,306 |
|
|
|
192,799 |
|
Stock-based compensation |
|
|
1,115,602 |
|
|
|
1,190,494 |
|
Adjusted EBITDA |
|
$ |
(6,952,426 |
) |
|
$ |
(9,290,012 |
) |
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Liquidity
We measure our liquidity in a number of ways, including the following:
|
|
December 31, |
|
|||||
|
|
2023 |
|
|
2022 |
|
||
Cash and cash equivalents |
|
$ |
6,871,306 |
|
|
$ |
5,345,967 |
|
Short-term investments |
|
$ |
1,994,662 |
|
|
|
- |
|
Working capital |
|
|
8,173,925 |
|
|
|
5,613,521 |
|
We had working capital and stockholders’ equity of approximately $8.2 million and $9.0 million respectively, as of December 31, 2023. We used $6.2 million in cash for operating activities during the year ended December 31, 2023.
We have historically funded our operations through financing activities, including raising equity and debt capital. In January 2024, we completed a registered direct equity offering, pursuant to which we sold 1,354,218 shares of common stock and 224,730 pre-funded warrants at $3.80 per share, or $3.7999 per pre-funded warrant, generating net proceeds after fees and expenses of approximately $5.4 million. In August 2023, we completed a public equity offering pursuant to which we sold 5,413,334 shares of common stock and 1,920,000 pre-funded warrants at $0.60 per share or at $0.5999 per warrant, generating proceeds after fees and expenses of approximately $3.9 million. In January 2023, we completed an equity offering under which we sold 13,169,074 shares of common stock and 6,830,926 pre-funded warrants at $0.325 per share, generating proceeds after fees and expenses of approximately $5.7 million. During the fourth quarter of 2022, we sold 692,914 shares of common stock under a Common Stock Purchase Agreement with Keystone Capital Partners, LLC at a weighted average sales price of $0.683 per share, generating proceeds after fees and expenses of approximately $0.4 million. Considering our cash balance as of December 31, 2023, the net proceeds from the equity offering in January 2024 and managements plans to grow our clinical, reimbursement and manufacturing capacity to serve Medicare Part B beneficiaries in 2024, management believes there will be sufficient cash to fund our operations and capital expenditures for the next 12 months from the date of this report.
Our operating plans are primarily focused on increasing our clinical, reimbursement and manufacturing capacity in order to serve a higher volume of Medicare Part B patients in 2024. Based on the final fees published for our products by CMS, we believe that if we are able to hire at least 50 to 60 additional employees during the first half of 2024 as we have planned to increase our clinical, reimbursement and manufacturing capacity, and our supply chain is able to meet our volume requirements without disruption, we believe we can achieve cash flow breakeven on a quarterly basis by the fourth quarter of 2024.
Our business is dependent upon reimbursement of our products by insurance companies and government-controlled health care plans such as Medicare and Medicaid in the United States and by Statutory Health Insurance plans in Germany, which could prevent our revenues from growing to the level necessary to achieve cash flow breakeven. We believe that we have access to capital resources, if necessary, through potential public or private equity offerings, exercises of outstanding warrants, debt financings, or other means. If we are unable to obtain adequate funds on reasonable terms, we may be required to significantly curtail or discontinue operations or obtain funds by entering into financing agreements on unattractive terms. We may also explore strategic alternatives for the purpose of maximizing
49
stockholder value. There can be no assurance we will be successful in implementing our plans to sustain our operations and continue to conduct our business.
Cash Flows
|
|
Year Ended December 31, |
|
|||||
|
|
2023 |
|
|
2022 |
|
||
Net cash used in operating activities |
|
$ |
(6,172,764 |
) |
|
$ |
(10,233,542 |
) |
Net cash used in investing activities |
|
|
(2,029,565 |
) |
|
|
(310,793 |
) |
Net cash provided by financing activities |
|
|
9,713,457 |
|
|
|
376,858 |
|
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash |
|
|
14,211 |
|
|
|
(10,934 |
) |
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |
|
$ |
1,525,339 |
|
|
$ |
(10,178,411 |
) |
Operating Activities. The net cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2023 was primarily used to fund a net loss net approximately $8.1 million, adjusted for non-cash expenses in the aggregate amount of approximately $1.7 million of which approximately $1.1 million is related to non-cash adjustments related to stock-based compensation, and approximately $0.34 million of cash generated from changes in operating assets and liabilities, primarily related to an increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses, offset by increases in inventory and accounts receivable.
Net cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2022 was primarily used to fund a net loss net approximately $10.7 million, adjusted for non-cash expenses in the aggregate amount of approximately $1.9 million of which approximately $1.2 million of non-cash adjustments related to stock-based compensation, and approximately $1.4 million of cash used from changes in operating assets and liabilities, primarily related to a decrease in accounts payable and accrued expenses and an increase in inventory.
Investing Activities. During the year ended December 31, 2023 our cash used in investing activities of $2.0 million was primarily due to our investment in short-term investments and purchases of equipment. Cash used in investing activities in 2022 was primarily for our investment in a joint venture with Ryzur Medical and purchases of equipment.
Financing Activities. During the year ended December 31, 2023 cash provided by financing activities of approximately $9.7 million was due to net proceeds received from the sale of common stock and pre-funded warrants, net of offering costs.
During the year ended December 31, 2022 cash provided by financing activities of approximately $0.4 million was due to net proceeds received from stock issued under our equity line of credit.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements in the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America require management to make estimates and assumptions that affect certain reported amounts and disclosures. These estimates and assumptions are reviewed on an on-going basis and updated as appropriate. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Our significant estimates include the valuation of our deferred tax valuation allowances, valuation of stock-based compensation, warranty obligations, the discount rate on leases and inventory reserves.
50
Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments
We consider all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents consist principally of deposit accounts and money market accounts at December 31, 2023 and 2022.
The Company considers all investments with an original maturity of greater than three months to be short-term investments. Short-term investments primarily consists of commercial paper and U.S. Treasury Bills and are carried on the consolidated balance sheets at fair value. Short-term investments as of December 31,2023 consists of U.S. Treasury Bills, which are classified as held-maturity, and Certificates of Deposit totaling approximately $1,994,700 as of December 31, 2023, there were no Short-term investments as of December 31, 2022. The Company determines the appropriate balance sheet classification of its investments at the time of purchases and evaluates the classification at the date of purchase. Unrealized gains and losses on short-term investments are recorded to accumulated other comprehensive income on the consolidated balance sheets and other gain (loss) on the consolidated statements of comprehensive loss. Once unrealized gains and losses become realized, they are reclassified from other comprehensive gains and losses to cost of goods sold.
Accounts Receivable
We carry accounts receivable at invoiced amounts less credit losses. We evaluate our accounts receivable on a continuous basis, and if necessary, establish an allowance for credit losses based on a number of factors, including current credit conditions and customer payment history. We do not require collateral or accrue interest on accounts receivable and credit terms are generally 30 days.
Joint Venture
On March 28, 2022, we invested cash consideration of $199,000 for a 19.9% ownership stake in the JV Company. The JV Company, once fully operational will manufacture and sell our current and future products in greater China, including Hong Kong, and Taiwan. We account for our investment in the JV Company under the equity method because we exert significant influence over its management. The investment is included in total assets on the consolidated balance sheet, which was fully written off to loss on equity investment in other income (expense), net as of December 31, 2023. In addition, we have receivables from the JV Company. So long as the JV Company generates losses and we have assets from the JV Company, we will continue to record losses and reduce the carrying value of these assets on balance sheet. If cash is received from the JV Company, the difference between the amount paid and the carrying value of the asset will be recorded as an offset to loss on equity investment in the Statement of Operations.
Inventories
Inventories are recorded at the lower of average cost or net realizable value. Cost is determined using average cost, which approximates the first-in, first out (FIFO) method. We reduce the carrying value of inventory for those items that are potentially excess, obsolete or slow-moving based on changes in customer demand, technology developments or other economic factors.
Research and Development Costs
We expense research and development costs as incurred. Research and development costs primarily consist of salaries and benefits, facility and overhead costs, and outsourced research activities.
Revenue Recognition
Accounting for revenues under ASC 606 and all the related amendments (Topic 606) requires revenue be recognized either at a “point in time” or “over time,” depending on the facts and circumstances of the arrangement and are evaluated using a five-step model. Generally, we recognize revenue at a point in time.
We recognize revenue after applying the following five steps:
51
Revenue is recognized when control of these services is transferred to our customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to be entitled to in exchange for those services.
Product Revenue
Increasingly, we derive our revenue from direct billing, and we also derive revenue from the sale of our products to O&P providers in the United States and internationally and the VA. Under direct billing, we recognize revenue when all of the following criteria are met:
For revenue derived from certain insurance companies where we have demonstrated sufficient payment history, we recognize revenue when we receive a pre-authorization from the insurance company and control passes to the patient upon delivery of the device in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to receive in exchange for the device. These insurers represented approximately 66% and 44% of the direct billing channel revenue in 2023 and 2022, respectively. Depending on the timing of product deliveries to customers, which is when cost of revenue must be recorded, and when we meet the criteria to record revenue, there may be fluctuations in gross margin.
For revenues derived from O&P providers, the VA and rehabilitation hospitals, we recognize revenue when control passes to the customer in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to receive in exchange for those services. Revenues may be recognized upon shipment or upon delivery, depending on the terms of the arrangement, provided that persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, there are no uncertainties regarding customer acceptance and collectability is deemed probable. In cases where we are the direct provider and we do not have sufficient collection history with the payer, we are not able to recognize revenue until payment is received, as then all of the revenue recognition criteria have been met.
We have elected to record taxes collected from customers on a net basis and do not include tax amounts in revenue or cost of revenue.
License Revenue
If a license to our intellectual property is determined to be distinct from the other performance obligations identified in the arrangement, we recognize revenue allocated to the license when the license is transferred to the customer, the customer is able to use and benefit from the license, and collectability is deemed probable.
Under the JV Agreements, we were entitled to receive an upfront license fee of $2.7 million, which was paid in full as of December 31, 2023. We are entitled to guaranteed minimum payments for purchases of MyoPro Control Units for a period of 10 years from the effective date of the Technology License Agreement. We will recognize revenue on these amounts when invoiced and collectability is assured.
52
Leases
We account for leases under Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 842, “Leases”. We assess whether a contract is or contains a lease at inception of the contract and recognize right-of-use assets and corresponding lease liabilities at the lease commencement date, except for short-term leases, which are under one year, and leases of low value. For these leases, we recognize the lease payments as an operating expense on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease.
Income Taxes
We account for income taxes under ASC 740, “Income Taxes under ASC 740”, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the difference between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and net operating loss and credit carryforwards using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to impact taxable income. Valuation allowances are established when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to the amounts expected to be realized.
ASC 740 requires that the tax effects of changes in tax laws or rates be recognized in the financial statements in the period in which the law is enacted.
ASC 740 also clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements and prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement process for financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return.
Tax benefits claimed or expected to be claimed on a tax return are recorded in our financial statements. A tax benefit from an uncertain tax position is only recognized if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized in the financial statements from such a position are measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate resolution. We believe there are no uncertain tax positions that could have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
Stock-Based Compensation
We account for stock awards to employees and non-employees by measuring the cost of services received in exchange for the award of equity instruments based upon the fair value of the award on the date of grant. The fair value of that award is then ratably recognized as expense over the period during which the recipient is required to provide services in exchange for that award.
Net Loss per Share
Basic loss per common share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net loss per common share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding, plus potentially dilutive common shares. Convertible debt, preferred stock, restricted stock units, stock options and warrants are excluded from the diluted net loss per share calculation when their impact is antidilutive. We reported a net loss for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, and as a result, all potentially dilutive common shares are considered antidilutive for these years.
Recent Accounting Standards
In September 2022, the FASB issued ASU 2022-04, “Liabilities - Supplier Finance Programs” (Subtopic 405-50): Disclosure of Supplier Finance Program Obligations, that requires entities that use supplier finance programs in connection with the purchase of goods and services to disclose the key terms of the programs and information about obligations outstanding at the end of the reporting period, including a roll-forward of those obligations. The guidance does not affect the recognition, measurement or financial statement presentation of supplier finance program obligations. The new standard’s requirements to disclose the key terms of the programs and information about obligations outstanding are effective for fiscal years, including interim periods, beginning after December 15, 2022, except for the requirement to disclose a roll-forward of obligations outstanding will be effective for fiscal years
53
beginning after December 15, 2023. Early adoption is permitted. We do not believe the effect of this new standard, will have a material impact on our financial position and results of operations.
In October 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-06, “Disclosure Improvements, Codification Amendments in Response to the SECs Disclosure Update and Simplification Initiative”, that adds 14 of the 27 identified disclosure or presentation requirements to the Codification, each amendment in the ASU will only become effective if the SEC removes the related disclosure or presentation from its existing regulations by June 30, 2027. We currently comply with these disclosure requirements as applicable under Regulation S-X or Regulation S-K and will adopt these new standards depending on timing of when they become effective, which is not expected to have a material
impact on our financial position and results of operations.
In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, “Accounting standards update, Income Taxes (Topic 740: Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures”. ASU 2023-09 focuses on income tax disclosures around effective tax rates and cash income taxes paid. This amendment in the ASU will become effective for public companies as of December, 15 2024 and effective to all other companies one year later. We will adopt these new standards when they become effective, which is not expected to have a material impact on its financial position and results of operations.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure about Market Risk
Our unrestricted cash and cash equivalents, totaling approximately $6.9 million as of December 31, 2023, was deposited in bank accounts. The cash in these accounts is held for working capital purposes and invested by the bank in overnight money market funds that invest in short-term government or government backed securities. Our short-term investments are only in high-quality instruments with maturities of nine months or less. Our primary objective is to preserve our capital for purposes of funding our operations.
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
This item is not applicable to us as a smaller reporting company.
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
See the financial statements filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K as listed under Item 15 below.
Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
Not Applicable.
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
The term “disclosure controls and procedures,” as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), refers to controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by a company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to a company’s management, including its principal executive and principal financial officers, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer, our principal executive officer, and our Chief Financial Officer, our principal financial officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2023, the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Based upon such evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of such date, such that the information required to be disclosed by us in our SEC reports is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in SEC rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosures.
54
Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(f). Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Our internal control system was designed to provide reasonable assurance to our management and board of directors regarding the preparation and fair presentation of published financial statements.
Our management assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023. In making this assessment, we used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013). Based on our assessment we believe that as of December 31, 2023, our internal control over financial reporting is effective based on those criteria.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There was no change in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) identified in connection with the evaluation of our internal control that occurred during the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2023 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Inherent Limitations of Internal Controls
Our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, does not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures or our internal controls will prevent all error and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within the company have been detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty, and that breakdowns can occur because of simple error or mistake. Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people, or by management override of the control. The design of any system of controls also is based in part upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions. Over time, control may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. Because of the inherent limitations in a cost-effective control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected.
Item 9B. Other Information
During the quarter ended December 31, 2023, no director or officer (as defined in Rule 16a-1(f) of the Exchange Act) of the Company
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdiction That Prevent Inspections
Not Applicable
55
PART III
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our Proxy Statement relating to our 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The Proxy Statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after our fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.
Our Board of Directors has adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, that applies to all directors, officers, and employees, which is available on our website at www.myomo.com . We intend to satisfy the disclosure requirements of Item 5.05 of Form 8-K by disclosing substantive amendments to or waivers (including implicit waivers) of any provision of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that apply to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer, or controller, or persons performing similar functions, by posting such information on our website available at www.myomo.com.
Item 11. Executive Compensation
The information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference to our Proxy Statement relating to our 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The Proxy Statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after our fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
The information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference to our Proxy Statement relating to our 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The Proxy Statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after our fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.
The information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference to our Proxy Statement relating to our 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The Proxy Statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after our fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.
Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services
The information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference to our Proxy Statement relating to our 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The Proxy Statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after our fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.
56
PART IV
Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
See Index to Financial Statements on page F-1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K
Schedules not listed above have been omitted because they are not required, not applicable, or the required information is otherwise included elsewhere in Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Exhibit No. |
|
Exhibit Description |
|
|
|
3.1 |
|
|
|
|
|
3.2 |
|
|
|
|
|
3.3 |
|
|
|
|
|
3.4 |
|
Second certificate of Amendment to the Eighth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, of Myomo, Inc., filed with the Secretary of the State of Delaware on June 10, 2021 (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 contained in the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed on June 15, 2021) |
|
|
|
4.1 |
|
|
|
|
|
4.2 |
|
|
|
|
|
4.3 |
|
|
|
|
|
4.4 |
|
|
|
|
|
4.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
4.6 |
|
|
|
|
|
10.1+ |
|
|
|
|
|
10.2+ |
|
|
|
|
|
10.3+ |
|
|
|
|
|
10.4+
|
|
57
|
|
|
|
|
|
10.5+ |
|
|
|
|
|
10.6+ |
|
|
|
|
|
10.7+ |
|
|
|
|
|
10.8+* |
|
Employment Agreement dated December 13, 2023 by and between the Company and Paul R Gudonis. |
|
|
|
10.9+ |
|
|
|
|
|
10.10+* |
|
|
|
|
|
10.11+ |
|
|
|
|
|
10.12** |
|
|
|
|
|
10.13** |
|
|
|
|
|
10.14** |
|
|
|
|
|
10.15 |
|
|
|
|
|
10.16 |
|
|
|
|
|
10.17 |
|
|
|
|
|
10.18 |
|
|
|
|
|
10.19 |
|
|
|
|
|
10.20 |
|
|
|
|
|
58
21.1* |
|
|
|
|
|
23.1* |
|
|
|
|
|
31.1* |
|
|
|
|
|
31.2* |
|
|
|
|
|
32.1* |
|
|
|
|
|
32.2* |
|
|
|
|
|
97.1+* |
|
|
|
|
|
101* |
|
The following financial information from the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 formatted in eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL): (i) Balance Sheets, (ii) Statements of Operations, (iii) Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity, (iv) Statements of Cash Flows and (v) Notes to Financial Statements. |
|
|
|
104* |
|
The cover page from the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, formatted in Inline XBRL |
+ Management contract or compensatory arrangement.
* Filed herewith
** Portions of this exhibit filed herewith containing confidential information have been omitted pursuant to a confidential treatment order granted by the SEC pursuant to Rule 406 under the Securities Act. Confidential information has been omitted from the exhibit in places marked “[*]” and has been filed separately with the SEC.
59
Item 16. Form 10-K Summary
Not applicable.
60
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized,
|
|
|
Myomo, Inc., |
Date: March 7, 2024 |
By: |
|
/s/ Paul R. Gudonis |
|
|
|
Paul R. Gudonis Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President (Principal Executive Officer) |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature |
|
Title |
|
Date |
/s/ Paul R. Gudonis Paul R. Gudonis |
|
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board (Principal Executive Officer) |
|
March 7, 2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ David A. Henry David A. Henry |
|
Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
|
March 7, 2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Amy Knapp Amy Knapp |
|
Director |
|
March 7, 2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Thomas A. Crowley, Jr. Thomas A. Crowley, Jr. |
|
Director |
|
March 7, 2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Thomas F. Kirk Thomas F. Kirk |
|
Director |
|
March 7, 2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Milton M. Morris Milton M. Morris |
|
Director |
|
March 7, 2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Yitzchak Jacobovitz |
|
Director |
|
March 7, 2024 |
Yitzchak Jacobovitz |
|
|
|
|
61
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Myomo, Inc.
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Shareholders and Board of Directors of
Myomo, Inc.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Myomo, Inc. and subsidiary (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive loss, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2023, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2023, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB") and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
F-1
Critical Audit Matters
Critical audit matters are matters arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. We determined that there are no critical audit matters.
/s/ Marcum llp
Marcum llp
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2016.
New York, NY
March 7, 2024
F-2
MYOMO, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS