Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Commitments and Contingencies

v3.22.2.2
Commitments and Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2022
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies

Note 8 – Commitments and Contingencies

 

Scientific Advisory Board

 

On February 1, 2021, the Company formed the Scientific Advisory Board to (i) provide strategic advice and make recommendations to management regarding current and planned research and development programs, (ii) advise management regarding the scientific merit of technology or products involved in licensing and acquisition opportunities and (iii) provide strategic advice to management regarding emerging science and technology issues and trends. During the three months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, the Company incurred costs of $40,000 and $60,000, respectively. During the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and 2021, the Company incurred costs of $138,000 and $126,000, respectively. These expenses are included in Research and Development Expenses on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Loss. The Scientific Advisory Board was disbanded effective September 30, 2022. 

 

COVID-19

 

In December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, was reported to have surfaced in Wuhan, China and has reached multiple other countries, resulting in government-imposed quarantines, travel restrictions and other public health safety measures, including in the United States and India. On March 12, 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 to be a global pandemic. The various precautionary measures taken by many governmental authorities around the world in order to limit the spread of COVID-19 have had and may continue to have an adverse effect on the global markets and global economy. Such government-imposed precautionary measures may have been relaxed in certain countries or states, but there is no assurance that more strict measures will not be put in place again due to a resurgence in COVID-19 cases.

 

 

The ultimate impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic or a similar health epidemic is highly uncertain and subject to change. We do not yet know the full extent of potential delays or impacts on the Company’s business, vaccine development efforts, healthcare systems or the global economy as a whole. However, the effects have had and will likely continue to have a material impact on the Company’s operations, liquidity and capital resources, and the Company will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely.

 

Severe and/or long-term disruptions in the Company’s operations may negatively impact the Company’s business, operating results and financial condition in other ways as well. Specifically, the Company anticipates that the stress of COVID-19 on healthcare systems generally around the globe may negatively impact regulatory authorities and the third parties that the Company may engage in connection with the development and testing of its product candidates.

 

The anticipated economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have adversely impacted financial markets, resulting in high share price volatility, reduced market liquidity, and substantial declines in the market prices of the shares of most publicly traded companies, including MyMD. Volatile or declining markets for equities could adversely affect the Company’s ability to raise capital when needed through the sale of shares of common stock or other equity securities. Should these market conditions persist when the Company needs to raise capital, and if the Company is able to sell shares of its common stock under then prevailing market conditions, it might have to accept lower prices for its shares and issue a larger number of shares than might have been the case under better market conditions, resulting in significant dilution of the interests of the Company’s shareholders. 

 

Litigation and Settlements

 

Raymond Akers Actions

 

On April 14, 2021, Raymond F. Akers, Jr., Ph.D. filed a lawsuit against MyMD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (p/k/a Akers Biosciences, Inc.) in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Gloucester County (the “First Raymond Akers Action”). Mr. Akers asserts one common law whistleblower retaliation claim against the Company.

 

On September 23, 2021, the Court granted MyMD Pharmaceutical, Inc.’s (“MyMD’s”) Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff’s Amended Complaint and dismissed Plaintiff’s Amended Complaint. The Court indicated that Mr. Akers is “free to file another complaint, however, tort-based ‘Pierce’ allegations, and/or CEPA claims are barred by the statute of limitations.”

 

On March 1, 2022, Mr. Akers filed a second action against MyMD in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Gloucester County (the “Second Raymond Akers Action”) again asserting one common law whistleblower retaliation claim against the Company. The Company believes that the Second Raymond Akers Action is without merit and, moreover, was filed against the Court’s specific admonition that Plaintiff does not attempt to circumvent the statute of limitations.

 

On May 27, 2022, the Court granted-in-part and denied-in-part MyMD’s Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff’s Complaint. The Court reaffirmed the ruling in the First Raymond Akers Action that any tort-based Pierce claims are time-barred. However, the Court denied the Motion as it pertained to Plaintiff’s contract-based Pierce claim and “Repayment of Monies Owed” claim. On July 29, 2022, MyMD filed its Answer, which included affirmative defenses. As of October 31, 2022, the Second Raymond Akers Action is in the discovery phase.

 

All legal fees incurred were expensed as and when incurred.