COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2024

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

NOTE 8. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

The Company is periodically involved in legal proceedings, legal actions and claims arising in the normal course of business. Management believes that the outcome of such legal proceedings, legal actions and claims will not have a significant adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Australian Subsidiary Research and Development

On March 23, 2023, the Company issued a press release announcing the selection of Australian CRO, Avance Clinical, in preparation for Phase 1 Study of EB-002, the Company’s lead candidate targeting the treatment of anxiety disorders. Under the agreement, Avance Clinical will manage the Phase 1 clinical trial of EB-002 in coordination with the Company’s newly established Australian subsidiary, Enveric Therapeutics Pty, Ltd. The Phase 1 clinical trial is designed as a multi-cohort, dose-ascending study to measure the safety and tolerability of EB-002. EB-373, a next-generation proprietary psilocin prodrug, has been recognized as a New Chemical Entity (NCE) by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and is currently in preclinical development targeting the treatment of anxiety disorder. The total cost of the Avance Clinical contract is approximately 3,400,000 AUD, which translates to approximately $2,221,000 USD as of March 31, 2024. As of March 31, 2024, the Company has paid approximately $1,036,940 of the Avance Clinical contract costs and has $164,798 recorded as prepaid assets within prepaid and other current assets, accrued $52,235 recorded as accrued liabilities and $1,333,641 as accounts payable on the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet. For the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company has expensed $398,744 and $0 in research and development expenses within the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated statement of operations.

ENVERIC BIOSCIENCES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

According to Australian tax law, the Company is allowed an R&D tax credit that reduces a company’s tax bill in Australia for expenses incurred in R&D subject to certain requirements. The Company’s Australian subsidiary submits R&D tax credit requests annually for research and development expenses incurred. At March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company had a research and development tax credit receivable of $397,022 and $145,349, respectively, for R&D expenses incurred in Australia, included in prepaid and other current assets within the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated statement of operations.

Purchase agreement with Prof. Zvi Vogel and Dr. Ilana Nathan

On December 26, 2017, Jay Pharma entered into a purchase agreement with Prof. Zvi Vogel and Dr. Ilana Nathan (the “Vogel-Nathan Purchase Agreement”), pursuant to which Jay Pharma was assigned ownership rights to certain patents, which were filed and unissued as of the date of the Vogel-Nathan Purchase Agreement. The Vogel-Nathan Purchase Agreement includes a commitment to pay a one-time milestone totaling $200,000 upon the issuance of a utility patent in the United States or by the European Patent Office, as defined in the agreement. The Company has accrued such amount as of December 31, 2021, as a result of the milestone criteria being achieved. Payment was made during January 2022. In addition, a milestone payment totaling $300,000 is due upon initiation of a Phase II(b) study. Research activities related to the relevant patents are still in pre-clinical stage, and accordingly, this milestone has not been achieved. The Vogel-Nathan Purchase Agreement contains a commitment for payment of royalties equaling 2% of the first $20 million in net sales derived from the commercialization of products utilizing the relevant patent. As these products are still in the preclinical phase of development, no royalties have been earned.

Other Consulting and Vendor Agreements

The Company has entered into a number of agreements and work orders for future consulting, clinical trial support, and testing services, with terms ranging between 1 and 12 months. These agreements, in aggregate, commit the Company to approximately $1.5 million in future cash payments, inclusive of amounts in accounts payable.

Reduction in Force/Restructuring

In May 2023, the Company entered into a cost reduction plan, including a reduction in force (“RIF”) of approximately 35% of its full-time employees to streamline its operations and conserve cash resources. Additionally, contracts with seven consultants that were focused on the Akos cannabinoid spin-out were terminated. The plan included a focus on progressing the Company’s existing non-cannabinoid pipeline while reducing the rate of spend and managing cash flow. In June 2023, the Company completed the reduction in force, with such severance expenses recorded in general and administrative accounts.

In June 2023, the Company entered into a separation agreement with Avani Kanubaddi, the Company’s President and Chief Operating Officer (the “Kanubaddi Separation Agreement”). In accordance with the Kanubaddi Separation Agreement, Mr. Kanubaddi received salary and benefits that is paid out in twelve monthly installments beginning in July 2023, was eligible for his 2023 performance bonus, which was not achieved, and any outstanding restricted stock units retained their vesting conditions.

The following table summarizes the Reduction in Force/Restructuring activity and ending balance at March 31, 2024 for the remaining severance payments included in accrued expenses in the consolidated balance sheet:

	Accrued Restructuring Costs
January 1, 2024 beginning balance	$	301,645
Restructuring costs paid		(188,113	)
March 31, 2024 ending balance	$	113,532