Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Related Party Transactions

v3.10.0.1
Related Party Transactions
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]  
Related Party Transactions

Note 8 - Related Party Transactions

 

On June 19, 2012, the Company entered into a 3-year exclusive License & Supply Agreement with ChubeWorkx Guernsey Limited (as successor to SONO International Limited) (“ChubeWorkx”) for the purchase and distribution of Akers’ proprietary breathalyzers outside North America. ChubeWorkx paid a licensing fee of $1,000,000 which was recognized over the term of the agreement through September 30, 2015.

 

On June 13, 2013, the Company announced an expansion of the License and Supply Agreement with ChubeWorkx to include worldwide marketing and distribution of the “Be CHUBE” program using the Company’s breathalyzer.

 

On August 17, 2016, the Company entered into a Settlement Agreement (the “Settlement Agreement”) with ChubeWorkx Guernsey Limited (“ChubeWorkx”), a major shareholder, which settled all pending claims between the Company and ChubeWorkx. Specifically, the Company and ChubeWorkx agreed to voluntarily dismiss (i) the action in the United States Federal Court, District of New Jersey brought by the Company against ChubeWorkx for outstanding amounts due to the Company under a promissory note and (ii) the action in The High Court of Justice, Queen’s Bench Division Commercial Court, Royal Courts of Justice, United Kingdom brought by ChubeWorkx against the Company arising from an exclusive licensing agreement between ChubeWorkx and the Company (“Licensing Agreement”).

 

Under the terms of the Settlement Agreement, the Company would receive the full outstanding principal amount in the year ended December 31, 2016 in the form of $750,000 of BreathScan® Alcohol Detector inventory and the balance of $549,609 as prepaid royalty. Akers established an allowance for this doubtful note in the Company’s financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2015. As a result of the Settlement Agreement, the Company reversed the allowance for doubtful note in the amount of $1,299,609 which was included in the Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Loss for the year ended December 31, 2016.

 

In addition to addressing the promissory note described above, the Settlement Agreement also allows the Company to market and sell all of the Company’s breath technology tests worldwide, unencumbered by any past/future claims by ChubeWorkx under the Licensing Agreement (entered into with ChubeWorkx in 2012 and subsequently amended in 2013). Under the terms of the Settlement Agreement, ChubeWorkx no longer holds any rights pertaining to Akers’ BreathScan® technology, which serves as the basis for several commercialized products including BreathScan® Alcohol Detector.

 

In return for the Company regaining the full rights to sell breath technology products, under the terms of the Settlement Agreement, ChubeWorkx is entitled to receive a royalty of 5% of the Company’s gross revenues (the “ChubeWorkx Royalty”) until ChubeWorkx has earned an aggregate $5,000,000, after which point ChubeWorkx will no longer be entitled to receive any royalties from the Company and the Company shall have no further obligation to ChubeWorkx. The Settlement Agreement further allows the Company to retain 50% of the ChubeWorkx Royalty until the full $549,609 cash component of the monies owed by ChubeWorkx to the Company as described above has been satisfied. The Company recorded royalty expenses of $(17,353) and $34,328 for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively, and $41,418 and $128,108 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively, which are included in sales and marketing expenses – related party on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Loss.

 

Other terms of the Settlement include: 1) the pledge as security of all earned but unpaid royalties by the Company to ChubeWorkx all Company assets, worthy to satisfy its obligations, including all inventory and receivables, with the exception of (i) distribution contracts of the Company or any of its affiliates, (ii) customer lists, (iii) manufacturing processes (including all intellectual property required to use those processes and exploit products made thereby), and (iv) all equipment required to perform said manufacturing processes and other equipment; 2) the pledge as security of the settlement sum which remains unpaid by the Company to ChubeWorkx all Company (i) distribution contracts of the Company or any of its affiliates, (ii) customer lists, (iii) manufacturing processes (including all intellectual property required to use those processes and exploit products made thereby), and (iv) all equipment required to perform said manufacturing processes and other equipment; and 3) the grant of voting proxy by ChubeWorkx to the Company which allows the Company to vote ChubeWorkx’s shares for corporate formalities under certain conditions.

 

The pledged assets are only at risk in the event that the Company cannot satisfy any outstanding royalty payment obligations subject to various cure periods and/or through a restructuring and/or liquidation under the United States Bankruptcy laws of the Company in favor of payment of said obligation.

 

During the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, the Company recognized sales of $- and $-, respectively, for the BreathScan Breath Alcohol products acquired from the Settlement and $20,265 and $- during the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

 

As of September 30, 2018, the Company owed ChubeWorkx Guernsey Limited, previously a major shareholder, royalties of $4,864 which is included in trade and other payables – related party on the condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

The Company began purchasing manufacturing molds, plastic components and the assembled BreathScan Lync™ device through Hainan and its related party during the year ended December 31, 2016. The Company purchased a total of $16,300 and $- during the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively, and $20,936 and $16,774 during the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively. As of September 30, 2018, the Company owed Hainan and its related party $19,460 which is included in trade and other payables – related party on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet.

 

As of September 30, 2018, the Company owed Hainan $670. Senior management at Hainan are actively involved in Shenzhen Savy-Akers Biosciences (“Shenzhen”) which is therefore being included as a related party. The Company owed Shenzhen $18,790 as of September 30, 2018.

 

On January 31, 2018, the Company engaged Medical Horizons, Inc. (“Medical Horizons”), a company owned and operated by the spouse of a member of the Company’s leadership team, to provide engineering and design services. The Company recorded $- and $54,342 during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, respectively, related to the engagement of Medical Horizons which is included in research and development – related party on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Loss. As of September 30, 2018, the Company owed Medical Horizons $-.

 

Product revenue – related party for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 were $-.

 

Effective on October 5, 2018, the Board appointed Howard R. Yeaton, who through FCS served previously as a consultant to the Company, to serve as the Chief Executive Officer and interim Chief Financial Officer of the Company. Mr. Yeaton is the managing principal of FCS and the Company’s relationship with FCS shall continue, with FCS continuing to provide accounting services to the Company. FCS is considered to be a related party. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, the Company expensed $56,425 and $75,342, respectively, to FCS in connection with these services. As of September 30, 2018, the Company owed FCS $22,862 which is included in trade and other payables – related party on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet.