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Commitments and contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and contingencies

13. Commitments and contingencies

Contingencies policy

The Company records accruals for certain outstanding legal proceedings, investigations, or claims when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. The Company evaluates developments in legal proceedings, investigations, and claims that could affect the amount of any accrual, as well as any developments that would make a loss contingency both probable and reasonably estimable on a quarterly basis. When a loss contingency is not both probable and reasonably estimable, the Company does not accrue the loss. However, if the loss (or an additional loss in excess of the accrual) is at least a reasonable possibility and material, then the Company discloses a reasonable estimate of the possible loss or range of loss, if such reasonable estimate can be made. If the Company cannot make a reasonable estimate of the possible loss, or range of loss, then that is disclosed. In addition, legal fees and other directly related costs are expensed as incurred.

In addition to the matters described in the paragraphs below, in the normal course of its business, the Company is involved in various lawsuits from time to time and may be subject to certain other contingencies. The Company believes any losses related to these matters are individually and collectively immaterial as to a possible loss and range of loss.

Arbitration claims with former executives

In September 2023, the Company’s Board of Directors terminated the employment of Keith Valentine, John Bostjancic and Patrick Keran, who had served respectively as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Legal Officer. The Board’s decision followed an investigation conducted by independent outside legal counsel and directed and overseen by the Company’s independent directors. As a result of the investigation, the Board determined that each of these executives engaged in repeated inappropriate and offensive conduct that violated multiple code of conduct requirements and was inconsistent with the Company’s values and culture. The Company notified each of Messrs. Valentine, Bostjancic and Keran that their respective terminations were being made for “Cause,” as defined in applicable employment-related agreements (including each executive’s respective Change in Control and Severance Agreement, dated June 19, 2023). The Company also notified each of Messrs. Valentine, Bostjancic and Keran that it did not believe it was required to make any further payments to them, other than payment of salary through September 12, 2023. The Board also requested that Mr. Valentine resign as a director, which he did in October 2023.

In January 2024, the Company received written notices of arbitration claims from counsel to Messrs. Valentine, Bostjancic and Keran. Each of the arbitration claims asserts that the respective former executive was wrongfully terminated for “Cause” because the former executive’s conduct did not meet the contractually applicable definition of “Cause.” The claims seek relief for, among other things, alleged breach of contract, defamation, false light invasion of privacy, deceit, as well as indemnification and advancement for attorneys’ fees. The three former executives seek severance payments, as well as the value of forfeited equity grants, under applicable change in control and severance agreements and further damages as a result of purported defamatory statements. The Company disagrees with many of the assertions contained in the written notices of arbitration claims and intends to

vigorously defend the asserted claims. Due in part to the preliminary nature of this matter, the Company currently cannot reasonably estimate a possible loss, or range of loss, that may arise from the arbitration claims.

Italian Medical Device Payback (“IMDP”)

In 2015, the Italian Parliament introduced rules for entities that supply goods and services to the Italian National Healthcare System. A key provision of the law is a ‘payback’ measure, requiring medical device companies in Italy to make payments to the Italian government if medical device expenditures exceed regional maximum ceilings. Companies are required to make payments equal to a percentage of expenditures exceeding maximum regional caps.

In the third quarter of 2022, the Italian Ministry of Health provided guidelines to the Italian regions and provinces on seeking payback of expenditure overruns relating to the years ended December 31, 2015, through December 31, 2018. Since receiving the guidelines, several regions and provinces have requested payment from affected medical device companies, including the Company. The Company has taken legal action to dispute the legality of such measures.

The Company accounts for the estimated cost of the IMDP as sales and marketing expense and periodically reassesses the liability based upon current facts and circumstances. As a result, the Company recorded expense of $1.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, expense of $1.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, and a benefit of $1.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, as a result of certain temporary relief provided by the Italian National Healthcare System in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As of December 31, 2023, the Company has accrued $7.6 million related to the IMDP, which it has classified within other long-term liabilities; however, the actual liability could be higher or lower than the amount accrued once all legal proceedings are resolved and upon further clarification of the IMDP by the Italian authorities for more recent fiscal years.

Commitments

The Company is party to certain agreements with distributor partners that provide the Company with an option to purchase, and/or an option for those partners to require the Company to purchase, the distribution business of those partners at specified future dates. At such time, the Company or distributor may (in certain cases, subject to satisfying certain conditions) submit written notice to the other of its intention to exercise its rights and initiate or require the purchase. Upon the receipt of the written notice, the Company and the distributor will work in good faith to consummate the purchase. Under certain of these agreements, the purchase price would be paid in shares of the Company's common stock whereas for others, the purchase price can be paid in cash or shares at the Company’s option. Based on the closing price of the Company's common stock as of December 31, 2023, assuming all criteria are met and that the options under all the relevant agreements were exercised, the estimated total number of shares the Company would issue under these agreements was approximately 1.6 million shares for agreements that must be settled in shares of the Company’s stock. The Company has received notification from one such distributor, who has notified the Company of its decision to exercise its buyout option. The Company is currently in negotiations with this distributor in regard to the consummation of the potential acquisition.