SANUWAVE Health (SNWV) 10-K2023 FY Annual report

Regarding the non-contact and non-thermal low frequency ultrasound UltraMIST system, the Company is focused on the following:

The Company is focused on further developing our PACE proprietary technology to activate healing in:

On August 23, 2023, we entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) by and among SEP Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (“SEPA”), SEP Acquisition Holdings Inc., a Nevada corporation, and a wholly owned subsidiary of SEPA (“Merger Sub”). Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, a business combination between the Company and SEPA (the “Merger”) will be affected. More specifically, and as described in greater detail below, at the effective time of the Merger (the “Effective Time”):

Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, the holders of (i) Company common stock, (ii) in the money options to purchase Company common stock, (iii) in the money warrants to purchase Company common stock, and (iv) convertible promissory notes, collectively will be entitled to receive 7,793,000 shares of Class A Common Stock of SEPA. Out-of-the-money options and out-of-the-money warrants will be assumed by SEPA and converted into options or warrants, respectively, exercisable for shares of Class A Common Stock based on the Conversion Ratio; however, such out-of-the-money options and out-of-the-money warrants shall not be reserved for issuance from the Merger Consideration.

The Merger Agreement contains certain conditions to Closing, including the following:

As of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the holders of approximately 95% of our outstanding warrants covered by the preceding covenant and 100% of our outstanding convertible notes covered by the preceding covenant have committed to exchange such warrants and convertible notes for an aggregate of 1,217,222,186 shares and 219,841,980 shares, respectively, of our common stock immediately prior to the Closing.

Additionally, the Company has developed and introduced Profile by SANUWAVE as an immediately available solution for pain management in sports medicine and physical therapy in the U.S. market. Profile by SANUWAVE is a therapeutic massager intended for the relief of minor muscle aches and pains via SANUWAVE’s Diffused Acoustic Pressure (DAP^®) technology. DAP^® delivers the beneficial, therapeutic field of the acoustic pressure waves without the impact and potential pain of a focused pulse. There is a significant need in the U.S. for pain management products and the Company believes the non-invasive delivery of therapeutic shockwaves for its treatment can help to serve this market.

The Company has established a network of scientific advisors that brings expertise in wound healing, orthopedics, cosmetics, clinical and scientific research, and FDA experience. The Company consults our scientific advisors on an as-needed basis on clinical and pre-clinical study design, product development, and clinical indications.

The Company pays consulting fees to certain members of our scientific advisory board for the services they provide to us, in addition to reimbursing them for incurred expenses. The amounts vary depending on the nature of the services.

The Company has developed a network of suppliers, manufacturers, and contract service providers to provide sufficient quantities of our products.

The Company is party to a manufacturing supply agreement with Minnetronix Medical in St. Paul, MN, covering the generator and treatment wand components of our products. Our generators and treatment wands are manufactured in accordance with applicable quality standards and applicable industry and regulatory standards. In addition, the Company performs the final product testing for generators and treatment wands internally.

The Company is party to a manufacturing supply agreement with Dynamic Group in Ramsey, MN, covering the applicator component of our products. Our applicators are manufactured in accordance with applicable quality standards and applicable industry and regulatory standards. Dynamic Group produces the applicators and applicator kits for our products.

The Company is party to a manufacturing supply agreement with Swisstronics Contract Manufacturing AG in Switzerland, a division of Cicor Technologies Ltd., covering the generator box component of our products. Our generator boxes are manufactured in accordance with applicable quality standards and applicable industry and regulatory standards. Swisstronics produces the applicators and applicator kits for our products. In addition, the Company programs and loads software for both the generator boxes and applicators and performs the final product testing and certifications internally.

Our facility in Eden Prairie, MN consists of 8,199 square feet and provides office, product development, quality control, and warehouse space. It is an FDA registered facility and is International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 13485:2016 certified.

Our success depends in part on our ability to obtain and maintain proprietary protection for our products,  technology, and know-how, to operate without infringing on the proprietary rights of others and to prevent others from infringing upon our proprietary rights. The Company seeks to protect our proprietary position by, among other methods, filing United States and selected foreign patent applications and United States and selected foreign trademark applications related to our proprietary technology, inventions, products, and improvements that are important to the development of our business. Effective trademark, service mark, copyright, patent, and trade secret protection may not be available in every country in which our products are made available. The protection of our intellectual property may require the expenditure of significant financial and managerial resources.

The Company considers the protection afforded by patents important to our business. The Company intends to seek and maintain patent protection in the United States and select foreign countries, where deemed appropriate for products that the Company develops. In general, our patents are effective, ranging from 6 months to 16 years.  There are no assurances that any patents will result from our patent applications, or that any patents that may be issued will protect our intellectual property, or that any issued patents or pending applications will not be successfully challenged, including as to ownership and/or validity, by third parties. In addition, if the Company does not avoid infringement of the intellectual property rights of others, the Company may have to seek a license to sell our products, defend an infringement action or challenge the validity of intellectual property in court. Any current or future challenges to our patent rights, or challenges by us to the patent rights of others, could be expensive and time consuming.

The Company believes that our owned and licensed patent rights provide a competitive advantage with respect to others that might seek to utilize certain of our apparatuses and methods incorporating extracorporeal acoustic pressure shockwave technologies that the Company has patented. However, the Company does not hold patent rights that cover all of our products, product components, or methods that utilize our products. The Company also has not conducted a competitive analysis or valuation with respect to our issued and pending patent portfolio in relation to our current products and/or competitor products.

In August 2005, we entered into a license agreement with HealthTronics Inc. (“HealthTronics”) in connection with our acquisition of certain assets and intellectual property relating to orthopedic, tendinopathy, skin wounds, cardiac, dental, neural medical conditions and to all conditions in animals (the “Ortho Field”) from HealthTronics. The majority of the intellectual property licensed from HealthTronics was associated with the construction of shockwave devices, indications for orthopedic treatments, and wound care. These patents and patent applications have either expired or were not pursued in our portfolio.

Under our license to HealthTronics, Inc., we reserved exclusive rights in our purchased portfolio as to the Ortho Field. HealthTronics received field-exclusive and sublicensable rights under the purchased portfolio as to (1) certain HealthTronics lithotripsy devices in all fields other than the Ortho Field, and (2) all products in the treatment of renal, ureteral, gall stones and other urological conditions (the “Litho Field”). HealthTronics also received non-exclusive and non-sublicensable rights in the purchased portfolio as to any products in all fields other than the Ortho Field and Litho Field.

Pursuant to mutual amendment and other assignment-back rights under the patent license agreement with HealthTronics, we are also a licensee of certain patents and patent applications that have been assigned to HealthTronics. We received a perpetual, non-exclusive and royalty-free license to nine issued foreign patents. Our non-exclusive license is subject to HealthTronics’ sole discretion to further maintain any of the patents and pending applications assigned back to HealthTronics.

In August 2020, we entered into an asset purchase agreement with Celularity Inc. (“Celularity”), pursuant to which we acquired all of Celularity’s assets related to the MIST Therapy System and UltraMIST System, including all intellectual property and trademarks related to MIST and UltraMIST. These assets are for use in low frequency and non-contact ultrasound to treat wounds.

In August 2020, we entered into a License and Marketing Agreement with Celularity, pursuant to which we were granted an exclusive, royalty-bearing license to commercialize Biovance, a minimally processed human amniotic membrane, and Interfyl, a human connective tissue matrix, for the care and treatment of acute and chronic wounds performed in an operating room setting for worldwide commercialization, excluding the Asia Pacific region.

Under the terms of the agreement, Celularity was to provide Biovance and Interfyl product to us for commercialization in exchange for a quarterly license fee payment. In May 2021, we received notification of non-compliance with the terms of the agreement due to alleged non-payment of the quarterly license fee. Pursuant to the notification, we ceased commercialization of the licensed products and have not resumed commercialization.

The Company operates in an industry characterized by extensive patent litigation. If the Company becomes involved in future litigation or any other adverse intellectual property proceeding, for example, as a result of an alleged infringement, or a third party alleging an earlier date of invention, the Company may have to spend significant amounts of money and time and, in the event of an adverse ruling, the Company could be subject to liability for damages, including treble damages, invalidation of our intellectual property and injunctive relief that could prevent us from using technologies or developing products, any of which could have a significant adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operation. In addition, any claims relating to the infringement of third-party proprietary rights, or earlier date of invention, even if not meritorious, could result in costly litigation or lengthy governmental proceedings and could divert management’s attention and resources and require us to enter into royalty or license agreements which are not advantageous, if available at all.

Our patents directed to our material technologies and products are detailed in the tables below:

Since other products on the market compete with our products, the Company believes that our product brand names are an important factor in establishing and maintaining brand recognition.

The Company has the following trademark registrations: SANUWAVE^® (United States, European Community, Canada, Japan, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Taiwan and under the Madrid Protocol), dermaPACE^® (United States, European Community, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Canada, China, Brazil, Mexico, and under the Madrid Protocol), angioPACE^® (European Community and United Kingdom), PACE^® - Pulsed Acoustic Cellular Expression (United States, European Community, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Canada), orthoPACE^® (United States, United Kingdom, and European Community), DAP^® - Diffused Acoustic Pressure (United States and European Community), Profile^® (United States, European Community, and United Kingdom) Energy First^® (United States), Healing Today, Curing Tomorrow^® (United States), and UltraMIST^® (United States).

Through the acquisition of UltraMIST®/MIST assets from Celularity Inc., the Company is the owner of the Celleration^® (United States, Australia, Europe Community, and Japan), Proven Healing^® (Madrid Protocol, European Community, and United Kingdom), MIST Ultrasound Healing Therapy & Design^® (United States), MIST^® (United States), MIST Therapy^® (United States), and MIST & Design^® (United States) registered trademarks.

The Company also maintains trademark registrations for: OssaTron^® (United States), OSWT^® (Switzerland) Evotron^® (United States, Germany and Switzerland), Evotrode^® (United States, Germany and Switzerland), Orthotripsy^® (United States). The Company phased out the OssaTrode^® (United States, Germany and Switzerland), Equitron^® (United States and Switzerland). Reflectron^® (Germany and Switzerland) and Reflectrode^® (Germany and Switzerland), evoPACE^® (Canada, Australia, European Community and Switzerland) trademarks, due to the fact that OssaTrode^®, Equitron^®, Reflectron^® and Reflectrode^® products are no longer available for sale in any market and evoPACE^® is a product that was never commercialized.

The Company believes the advanced wound care market can benefit from our technology which up-regulates the biological factors that promote wound healing. Current medical technologies developed by Acelity L.P. Inc, (formerly Kinetic Concepts, Inc.) now owned by 3M, Organogenesis, Inc., Smith & Nephew plc, Derma Sciences, Inc., MiMedx Group, Inc., Osiris Therapeutics, Inc., Molnlycke Health Care, and Systagenix Wound Management (US), Inc. (now owned by Acelity) and Softwave Tissue Regeneration Technologies, manage wounds, but, in our opinion, do not provide the value proposition to the patients and care givers like our PACE technology has the potential to do. The leading medical device serving this market is the Vacuum Assisted Closure (“V.A.C.”) System marketed by KCI. The V.A.C. is a negative pressure wound therapy device that applies suction to debride and manage wounds.

There are also several companies that market extracorporeal shockwave device products targeting lithotripsy and orthopedic markets, including Dornier MedTech, Storz Medical AG, Electro Medical Systems (EMS) S.A., Softwave Tissue Regneration Technologies, and CellSonic Medical which could ultimately pursue the wound care market. Nevertheless, the Company believes that the PACE systems have a competitive advantage over all of these existing technologies by achieving wound closure by means of a minimally invasive process through innate biological response to PACE technology.

Regarding the companies that use low frequency ultrasound that creates a pressure wave producing micro-strains due to mechanical forces that deform cell membrane and therefore promote healing, there are technologies developed by Arobella Medical LLC, NanoVibronix, Chattanooga, and EDAP TMS to manage wound care.  However, these treatment devices or medical systems are different in design and mode of application of the ultrasound when compared to SANUWAVE’s UltraMIST.  The Company believes that UltraMIST has a competitive advantage over all of these existing technologies, due to broad medical indications, simplicity of use, wound healing results and the tolerability of the treatment by the patients, especially for painful wounds.

Developing and commercializing new products is highly competitive. The market is characterized by extensive research and clinical efforts and rapid technological change. The Company faces intense competition worldwide from medical device, biomedical technology and medical products and combination products companies, including major pharmaceutical companies. The Company may be unable to respond to technological advances through the development and introduction of new products. Most of our existing and potential competitors have substantially greater financial, marketing, sales, distribution, manufacturing and technological resources. These competitors may also be in the process of seeking FDA or other regulatory approvals, or patent protection, for new products. Our competitors may commercialize new products in advance of our products. Our products also face competition from numerous existing products and procedures, which currently are considered part of the standard of care. To compete effectively, our products will have to achieve widespread market acceptance.

Each of our products must be approved or cleared by the FDA before it is marketed in the United States. Before and after approval or clearance in the United States, our products are subject to extensive regulation by the FDA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and/or the Public Health Service Act, as well as by other regulatory bodies. FDA regulations govern, among other things, the development, testing, manufacturing, labeling, safety, storage, record-keeping, market clearance or approval, advertising and promotion, import and export, marketing and sales, and distribution of medical devices and pharmaceutical products.

In the United States, the FDA subjects medical products to rigorous review. If the Company does not comply with applicable requirements, the Company may be fined, the government may refuse to approve our marketing applications or to allow us to manufacture or market our products, and the Company may be criminally prosecuted. Failure to comply with the law could result in, among other things, warning letters, civil penalties, delays in approving or refusal to approve a product candidate, product recall, product seizure, interruption of production, operating restrictions, suspension or withdrawal of product approval, injunctions, or criminal prosecution.

The FDA has determined that our technology and products constitute “medical devices.” The FDA determines what center or centers within the FDA will review the product and its indication for use and determines under what legal authority the product will be reviewed. For the current indications, our products are being reviewed by the Center for Devices and Radiological Health. However, the Company cannot be sure that the FDA will not select a different center and/or legal authority for one or more of our other product candidates, in which case the governmental review requirements could vary in some respects.

In the United States, medical devices are subject to varying degrees of regulatory control and are classified in one of three classes depending on the extent of controls the FDA determines are necessary to reasonably ensure their safety and efficacy:

Each of our products require FDA authorization prior to marketing, by means of either a 510(k) clearance or a PMA approval. To request marketing authorization by means of a 510(k) clearance, the Company must submit a pre-market notification demonstrating that the proposed device is substantially equivalent to another legally marketed medical device, has the same intended use, and is as safe and effective as a legally marketed device and does not raise different questions of safety and effectiveness than does a legally marketed device. 510(k) submissions generally include, among other things, a description of the device and its manufacturing, device labeling, medical devices to which the device is substantially equivalent, safety and biocompatibility information, and the results of performance testing. In some cases, a 510(k) submission must include data from human clinical studies. Marketing may commence only when the FDA issues a clearance letter finding substantial equivalence. After a device receives 510(k) clearance, any product modification that could significantly affect the safety or effectiveness of the product, or that would constitute a significant change in intended use, requires a new 510(k) clearance or, if the device would no longer be substantially equivalent, would require a PMA. If the FDA determines that the product does not qualify for 510(k) clearance, then a company must submit, and the FDA must approve, a PMA before marketing can begin.

A PMA application must provide a demonstration of safety and effectiveness, which generally requires extensive pre-clinical and clinical trial data. Information about the device and its components, device design, manufacturing, and labeling, among other information, must also be included in the PMA. As part of the PMA review, the FDA will inspect the manufacturer’s facilities for compliance with quality system regulation requirements, which govern testing, control, documentation, and other aspects of quality assurance with respect to manufacturing. The PMA approval can include post-approval conditions, including, among other things, restrictions on labeling, promotion, sale and distribution, or requirements to do additional clinical studies post-approval. Even after approval of a PMA, a new PMA or PMA supplement is required to authorize certain modifications to the device, its labeling, or its manufacturing process. Supplements to a PMA often require the submission of the same type of information required for an original PMA, except that the supplement is generally limited to that information needed to support the proposed change from the product covered by the original PMA.

Obtaining medical device clearance, approval, or licensing in the United States or abroad can be an expensive process. International fee structures vary from minimal to substantial, depending on the country. In addition, the Company is subject to annual establishment registration fees in the United States and abroad. Device licenses require periodic renewal with associated fees as well. In the United States, there is an annual requirement for submitting device reports for Class III/PMA devices, along with an associated fee. Currently, the Company is registered as a Small Business Manufacturer with the FDA and as such are subject to reduced fees. If, in the future, our revenues exceed a certain annual threshold limit, the Company may not qualify for the Small Business Manufacturer reduced fee amounts and will be required to pay full fee amounts.

After a device is cleared or approved for marketing, numerous and pervasive regulatory requirements continue to apply. These include:

The Company continues to be subject to inspection by the FDA to determine our compliance with regulatory requirements, as are our suppliers, contract manufacturers, and contract testing laboratories.

International sales of medical devices manufactured in the United States that are not approved or cleared by the FDA are subject to FDA export requirements. Exported devices are subject to the regulatory requirements of each country to which the device is exported. Exported devices may also fall under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Commerce/Bureau of Industry and Security and compliance with export regulations may be required for certain countries.

Manufacturers of medical devices are required to comply with FDA manufacturing requirements contained in the FDA’s current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) set forth in the quality system regulations promulgated under section 520 of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. cGMP regulations require, among other things, quality control and quality assurance as well as the corresponding maintenance of records and documentation. The manufacturing facility for our products must meet cGMP requirements to the satisfaction of the FDA pursuant to a pre-PMA approval inspection before the Company can use it. The Company and some of our third-party service providers are also subject to periodic inspections of facilities by the FDA and other authorities, including procedures and operations used in the testing and manufacture of our products to assess our compliance with applicable regulations. Failure to comply with statutory and regulatory requirements subjects a manufacturer to possible legal or regulatory action, including the seizure or recall of products, injunctions, consent decrees placing significant restrictions on or suspending manufacturing operations, and civil and criminal penalties. Adverse experiences with the product must be reported to the FDA and could result in the imposition of marketing restrictions through labeling changes or in product withdrawal. Product approvals may be withdrawn if compliance with regulatory requirements is not maintained or if problems concerning safety or efficacy of the product occur following the approval.

We are subject to regulations and product registration requirements in many foreign countries in which we may sell our products, including in the areas of product standards, packaging requirements, labeling requirements, import and export restrictions and tariff regulations, duties and tax requirements. The time required to obtain clearance required by foreign countries may be longer or shorter than that required for FDA clearance, and requirements for licensing a product in a foreign country may differ significantly from FDA requirements.

In the United States, there are Federal and state anti-kickback laws that prohibit the payment or receipt of kickbacks, bribes or other remuneration intended to induce the purchase or recommendation of healthcare products and services. Violations of these laws can lead to civil and criminal penalties, including exclusion from participation in Federal healthcare programs. These laws are potentially applicable to manufacturers of products regulated by the FDA as medical devices, such as us, and hospitals, physicians, and other potential purchasers of such products. Other provisions of Federal and state laws provide civil and criminal penalties for presenting, or causing to be presented, to third-party payers for reimbursement, claims that are false or fraudulent, or which are for items or services that were not provided as claimed. In addition, certain states have implemented regulations requiring medical device and pharmaceutical companies to report all gifts and payments over $50 to medical practitioners. This does not apply to instances involving clinical trials. Although we intend to structure our future business relationships with clinical investigators and purchasers of our products to comply with these and other applicable laws, it is possible that some of our business practices in the future could be subject to scrutiny and challenge by Federal or state enforcement officials under these laws.

We anticipate that sales volumes and prices of the products we commercialize will depend in large part on the availability of coverage and reimbursement from third party payers. Third party payers include governmental programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, private insurance plans, and workers’ compensation plans. Even though a new product may have been approved or cleared by the FDA for commercial distribution, we may find limited demand for the device until adequate history of reimbursement has been obtained from governmental and private third-party payers.

In international markets, reimbursement and healthcare payment systems vary significantly by country, and many countries have instituted price ceilings on specific product lines and procedures. There can be no assurance that procedures using our products will be considered medically reasonable and necessary for a specific indication, that our products will be considered cost-effective by third party payers, that an adequate level of reimbursement will be available or that the third-party payers’ reimbursement policies will not adversely affect our ability to sell our products profitably.

We believe that the overall escalating costs of medical products and services has led to, and will continue to lead to, increased pressures on the healthcare industry to reduce the costs of products and services. In addition, recent healthcare reform measures, as well as legislative and regulatory initiatives at the Federal and state levels, create significant additional uncertainties. There can be no assurance that third party coverage and reimbursement will be available or adequate, or that future legislation, regulation, or reimbursement policies of third-party payers will not adversely affect the demand for our products or our ability to sell these products on a profitable basis. The unavailability or inadequacy of third-party payer coverage or reimbursement would have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended (HIPAA), contains provisions that protect individually identifiable health information from unauthorized use or disclosure by covered entities and their business associates. The Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the agency responsible for enforcing HIPAA, has published regulations to address the privacy (the “Privacy Rule”) and security (the “Security Rule”) of protected health information (PHI). HIPAA also requires that all providers who transmit claims for health care goods or services electronically utilize standard transaction and data sets and to standardize national provider identification codes. In addition, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act enacted the HITECH Act, which extends the scope of HIPAA to permit enforcement against business associates for a violation, establishes new requirements to notify the Office for Civil Rights of HHS of a breach of HIPAA, and allows the Attorneys General of the states to bring actions to enforce violations of HIPAA.

We anticipate that, as we expand our PACE business, we may in the future be a covered entity under HIPAA. We have adopted policies and procedures to comply with the Privacy Rule, the Security Rule and the HIPAA statute as such regulations become applicable to our business.  We currently don’t capture patient data through our PACE system.

In addition to the HIPAA Privacy Rule and Security Rule described above, we may become subject to state laws regarding the handling and disclosure of patient records and patient health information. These laws vary widely. Penalties for violation include sanctions against a laboratory’s licensure as well as civil or criminal penalties. Additionally, private individuals may have a right of action against us for a violation of a state’s privacy laws. We intend to adopt policies and procedures to ensure material compliance with state laws regarding the confidentiality of health information as such laws become applicable to us and to monitor and comply with new or changing state laws on an ongoing basis.

Our operations are subject to extensive Federal, state, provincial and municipal environmental statutes, regulations and policies, including those promulgated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Environment Canada, Alberta Environment, the Department of Health Services, and the Air Quality Management District, that govern activities and operations that may have adverse environmental effects such as discharges into air and water, as well as handling and disposal practices for solid and hazardous wastes. Some of these statutes and regulations impose strict liability for the costs of cleaning up, and for damages resulting from, sites of spills, disposals, or other releases of contaminants, hazardous substances and other materials and for the investigation and remediation of environmental contamination at properties leased or operated by us and at off-site locations where we have arranged for the disposal of hazardous substances. In addition, we may be subject to claims and lawsuits brought by private parties seeking damages and other remedies with respect to similar matters. We have not to date needed to make material expenditures to comply with current environmental statutes, regulations and policies. However, we cannot predict the impact and costs those possible future statutes, regulations and policies will have on our business.

As of December 31, 2023, we had a total of 31 full time employees in the United States. Of these, five were engaged in research and development which includes clinical, regulatory, and quality. None of our employees are represented by a labor union or covered by a collective bargaining agreement. We believe our relationship with our employees is good.

We were formed as a Nevada corporation in 2004. Our corporate headquarters address 11495 Valleyview Road, Eden Prairie, MN 55344, and our main telephone number is (800) 545-8810 or (952) 656-1029.

Unless waived by the parties to the Merger Agreement, and subject to applicable law, the consummation of the Business Combination is subject to several conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement. For more information about conditions for the consummation of the Business Combination, see Part II Item 5 – Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

The Merger Agreement provides that the Company’s obligation to consummate the Business Combination is conditioned on, among other things, that as of the Closing, SEPA has at least $12,000,000 (“Minimum Cash Condition Amount”) resulting from (i) proceeds that have not been redeemed in the Redemption and (ii) proceeds of the private placement in SEPA (the “PIPE Investment").

Because SEPA Stockholders elected to redeem  495,067 shares of Class A Common Stock, in connection with the Business Combination, then SEPA will need to obtain  PIPE Investment in order to satisfy the Minimum Cash Condition.

As of the date of this filing, no commitments have been given for the proposed financing from the PIPE Investment, and there is no assurance that SEPA will enter into subscriptions for the PIPE Investment. The actual amount that SEPA raises in the PIPE Investment, if any, will depend on market conditions and other factors.

This condition is for the sole benefit of the Company. If such condition is not met, and such condition is not or cannot be waived under the terms of the Merger Agreement, then the Merger Agreement could terminate, and the proposed Business Combination may not be consummated.

If such condition is waived and the Business Combination is consummated with less than the Minimum Cash Condition Amount in the Trust Account, the cash held by the Combined Company (including the Company) in the aggregate, after the Closing may not be sufficient to allow the Combined Company to operate and pay Combined Company bills as they become due. Any such event in the future may negatively impact the analysis regarding the Combined Company’s ability to continue as a going concern at such time.

In connection with the Business Combination and as a condition to the Company’s obligations to complete the Business Combination, the Combined Company will be required to demonstrate compliance with Nasdaq’s initial listing requirements. The Company and SEPA cannot assure you that the Combined Company will be able to meet those initial listing requirements or qualify to list on another national securities exchange. Even if the Combined Company’s Class A Common Stock is approved for listing on Nasdaq, the Combined Company may not meet the Nasdaq continued listing requirements following the Business Combination.

The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, which is a federal statute, prevents or preempts the states from regulating the sale of certain securities, which are referred to as “covered securities.” Because SEPA’s Units, Class A Common Stock, and warrants are listed on Nasdaq, SEPA’s Units, Class A Common Stock and warrants qualify as covered securities under the statute. Although the states are preempted from regulating the sale of SEPA’s securities, the federal statute does allow the states to investigate companies if there is a suspicion of fraud, and, if there is a finding of fraudulent activity, then the states can regulate or bar the sale of covered securities in a particular case. Certain state securities regulators view blank check companies unfavorably and might use these powers, or threaten to use these powers, to hinder the sale of securities of blank check companies in their states. Further, if SEPA was no longer listed on Nasdaq, SEPA’s securities would not qualify as covered securities under the statute and SEPA would be subject to regulation in each state in which SEPA offers its securities.

Whether or not the Business Combination and related transactions are ultimately consummated, as a result of uncertainty related to the proposed transactions, risks relating to the impact of the announcement of the Business Combination on the Company’s business include the following:

If any of the aforementioned risks were to materialize, they could lead to significant costs which may impact the Company and, in the future, the Combined Company’s results of operations and cash available to fund its business.

The Merger Agreement restricts the Company from making certain expenditures and taking other specified actions without the consent of SEPA until the Business Combination occurs. These restrictions may prevent the Company from pursuing attractive business opportunities that may arise prior to the completion of the Business Combination.

The Company and SEPA have both incurred and expect to incur significant, non-recurring costs in connection with consummating the Business Combination and following the consummation of the Business Combination. The Company and SEPA may also incur additional costs to retain key employees. Certain transaction costs incurred in connection with the Merger Agreement (including the Business Combination), including all legal, accounting, consulting, investment banking and other fees, expenses, and costs, will be paid by the Combined Company following the Closing.

If the Business Combination does not meet the expectations of investors or securities analysts, the market price of SEPA’s securities prior to the Closing may decline. The market values of SEPA’s securities at the time of the Business Combination may vary significantly from their prices on the date the Merger Agreement was executed, or the date the Company’s Stockholders voted on the Business Combination. Because the number of shares to be issued pursuant to the Merger Agreement will not be adjusted to reflect any changes in the market price of SEPA’s Class A Common Stock, the market value of Class A Common Stock issued in connection with the Business Combination may be higher or lower than the values of these shares on earlier dates.

In addition, following the Business Combination, fluctuations in the price of securities of the Combined Company could contribute to the loss of all or part of your investment. The valuation ascribed to the Company in the Business Combination may not be indicative of the price that will prevail in the trading market following the Business Combination. If an active market for SEPA’s securities develops and continues, the trading price of the securities of the Combined Company following the Business Combination could be volatile and subject to wide fluctuations in response to various factors, some of which are beyond the Combined Company’s control. Any of the factors listed below could have a material adverse effect on your investment in the Combined Company’s securities and the Combined Company’s securities may trade at prices significantly below the price you paid for them. In such circumstances, the trading price of the Combined Company’s securities may not recover and may experience a further decline.

Factors affecting the trading price of the securities of the Combined Company after the Closing may include:

Broad market and industry factors may materially harm the market price of securities, irrespective of a company’s operating performance. The stock market in general, and Nasdaq in particular, have experienced price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of the particular companies affected. The trading prices and valuations of these stocks, and of the Combined Company’s securities, may not be predictable. A loss of investor confidence in the market for the stock of other companies that investors perceive to be similar to the Combined Company could depress the Combined Company’s stock price regardless of its business, prospects, financial conditions, or results of operations. A decline in the market price of the Combined Company’s securities also could adversely affect the Combined Company’s ability to issue additional securities and to obtain additional financing in the future.

The Company is currently in default under the Senior Secured Note Payable issued to NH Expansion Credit Fund Holdings L.P. (“North Haven Expansion”) in August 2020 in the total principal amount of $15.0 million (the “Senior Secured Note”), the Convertible Promissory Note issued to Celularity Inc. (“Celularity”) in August 2020 in the total principal amount of $4.0 million (the “Celularity Note”), and the Convertible Promissory Note issued to HealthTronics, Inc. (“HealthTronics”) in August 2020 in the total principal amount of $1.4 million (the “HealthTronics Note”) and, as a result, is accruing interest at the default interest rate of an incremental 5% on the Senior Secured Note and the Celularity Note and an incremental 2% on the HealthTronics Note. The existing defaults under the Celularity Note and the HealthTronics Note relate to SANUWAVE’s failure to make required payments, and the existing defaults under the Senior Secured Note relate to (i) SANUWAVE’s failure to maintain minimum liquidity of $5.0 million and (ii) SANUWAVE’s defaults under the Celularity Note and HealthTronics Note.

While the Celularity Note and the HealthTronics Note have already matured, and thus all amounts thereunder are already due and payable, if the Company does not regain compliance with the terms of the Senior Secured Note by April 30, 2024, North Haven Expansion will have the right to declare all obligations under the Senior Secured Note to be immediately due and payable. We expect to regain compliance with the terms of the Senior Secured Note upon the Closing of the Merger.

On October 31, 2023, the Company entered into a letter agreement with HealthTronics, pursuant to which we agreed to pay HealthTronics the remaining unpaid principal amount of $1.4 million under the HealthTronics Note by the earlier of the Closing or March 31, 2024 in exchange for HealthTronics’ agreement to release all claims against the Company related to the HealthTronics Note.

Management’s plans are to obtain additional capital in early 2024, primarily through closing the Merger Agreement. The Company could also obtain additional capital through the conversion of outstanding warrants, issuance of common or preferred stock, securities convertible into common stock, or secured or unsecured debt. However, because of our private placements in May 2023, December 2023 and January 2024 of Future Advance Convertible Promissory Notes and Common Stock Purchase Warrants, we are currently prohibited from incurring or guaranteeing most kinds of debt issued by public or private investors. These possibilities, to the extent available, may be on terms that result in significant dilution to the Company’s existing stockholders. In addition, there can be no assurances that the Company’s plans to obtain additional capital will be successful on the terms or timeline it expects, or at all. If these efforts are unsuccessful, the Company may be required to significantly curtail or discontinue operations or, if available, obtain funds through financing transactions with unfavorable terms.

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. GAAP, which contemplate continuation of the Company as a going concern and the realization of assets and satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. The carrying amounts of assets and liabilities presented in the consolidated financial statements do not necessarily purport to represent realizable or settlement values. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustment that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. The Company’s consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability of assets and classification of assets and liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern.

We have experienced negative operating cash flows since our inception and have funded our operations primarily from proceeds received from sales of our capital stock, the issuance of promissory notes and convertible promissory notes, the issuance of notes payable to related parties, and product sales. We will seek to obtain additional funds in the future either through equity or debt financings or through strategic alliances with third parties, either alone or in combination with equity financings. These financings could result in substantial dilution to the holders of our common stock or require contractual or other restrictions on our operations or on alternative business opportunities that may be available to us. In addition, because of our private placements in May 2023, December 2023, and January 2024, we are currently prohibited from incurring or guaranteeing most kinds of debt issued by public or private investors, which further constrains our options to raise capital. If we can raise additional funds by issuing debt securities, these debt securities could impose significant additional restrictions on our operations. Any such required financing may not be available in amounts or on terms acceptable to us, and the failure to procure such required financing could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations, or threaten our ability to continue as a going concern.

A variety of factors could impact our need to raise additional capital, the timing of any required financing and the amount of such financings. Factors that may cause our future capital requirements to be greater than anticipated or could accelerate our need for funds include, without limitation:

In addition, although we have no present commitments or understandings to do so, we may seek to expand our operations and product line through acquisitions. Any acquisition would likely increase our capital requirements.

Our success depends, in part, upon our ability to maintain a competitive position in the development of technologies and products. We face competition from established medical device, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as from academic institutions, government agencies, and private and public research institutions in the United States and abroad. Many of our principal competitors have significantly greater financial resources and expertise than we do in research and development, manufacturing, pre-clinical testing, conducting clinical trials, obtaining regulatory approvals and marketing approved products. Smaller or early-stage companies may also prove to be significant competitors, particularly through collaborative arrangements, or mergers with, or acquisitions by, large and established companies, or through the development of novel products and technologies. The industry in which we operate has undergone, and we expect it to continue to undergo rapid and significant technological change, and we expect competition to intensify as technological advances are made.

As a small company with less than 40 employees, our success depends on the continuing contributions of our management team and qualified personnel. Turnover, transitions or other disruptions in our management team and personnel could make it more difficult to successfully operate our business and achieve our business goals and could adversely affect our results of operation and financial condition. Our success depends in large part on our ability to attract and retain highly qualified personnel. We face intense competition in our hiring efforts from other pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies, as well as from universities and nonprofit research organizations, and we may have to pay higher salaries to attract and retain qualified personnel. The loss of one or more of these individuals, or our inability to attract additional qualified personnel, could substantially impair our ability to implement our business plan.

The sale of products may expose us to product liability claims which could result in financial loss. Our clinical and commercial product liability insurance coverage may not be sufficient to cover claims that may be made against us. In addition, we may not be able to maintain insurance coverage at a reasonable cost, or in sufficient amounts or scope, to protect us against losses. Any claims against us, regardless of their merit, could severely harm our financial condition, strain our management team and other resources, and adversely impact or eliminate the prospects for commercialization of the product candidate, or sale of the product, that is the subject of any such claim. Although we do not promote any off-label use, off-label uses of products are common, and the FDA does not regulate a physician’s choice of treatment. Off-label uses of any of our products may subject us to additional liability.

We rely to a large extent upon sophisticated information technology systems to operate our businesses, some of which are managed, hosted, provided and/or used by third parties or their vendors. We collect, store, and transmit large amounts of confidential information, and we deploy and operate an array of technical and procedural controls to maintain the confidentiality and integrity of such confidential information. A significant breakdown, invasion, corruption, destruction or interruption of critical information technology systems or infrastructure, by our workforce, others with authorized access to our systems or unauthorized persons could negatively impact our operations. The ever-increasing use and evolution of technology, including cloud-based computing, creates opportunities for the unintentional dissemination or intentional destruction of confidential information stored in our or our third-party providers’ systems, portable media, or storage devices. We could also experience, and in some cases have experienced in the past, a business interruption, theft of confidential information, financial theft, or reputational damage from industrial espionage attacks, malware, spoofing or other cyber-attacks, which may compromise our system infrastructure, lead to data leakage, either internally or at our third-party providers, or materially adversely impact our financial condition.

We have previously disclosed that we have experienced cybersecurity breaches from email spoofing. While we have invested in the protection of data and information technology, there can be no assurance that our efforts will prevent service interruptions or security breaches. Any such interruption or breach of our systems could adversely affect our business operations and/or result in the loss of critical or sensitive confidential information or intellectual property, and could result in financial, legal, business, and reputational harm to us.

On an annual basis, less than five percent of our revenue comes from international sources. While we have no current plan to materially expand our international operations, there can be no assurance we will not pursue such an expansion in the future. Engaging in international business involves several difficulties and risks, including, but not limited to, the following:

With respect to our international operations, our results of operations and cash flows are subject to fluctuations due to changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Our expenses are generally denominated in the currencies in which our operations are located, which is in the United States. If the value of the U.S. dollar increases relative to foreign currencies in the future, in the absence of a corresponding change in local currency prices, our future revenue could be adversely affected as we convert future revenue from local currencies to U.S. dollars.

Provisions of our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws and applicable provisions of Nevada law may delay or discourage transactions involving an actual or potential change in control or change in our management, including transactions in which stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares, or transactions that our stockholders might otherwise deem to be in their best interests. Some of the following provisions in our Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws that may decrease our attractiveness to be acquired are:

In addition, Section 78.438 of the Nevada Revised Statutes prohibits a publicly-held Nevada corporation from engaging in a business combination with an interested stockholder (generally defined as a person which together with its affiliates owns, or within the last three years has owned, 10% of our voting stock, for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder) unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner. The existence of the foregoing provisions and other potential anti-takeover measures could limit the price that investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock. They could also deter potential acquirers of our Company, thereby reducing the likelihood that you could receive a premium for your common stock in an acquisition.

We and our products, our suppliers, and our contract manufacturers are subject to extensive regulation by governmental authorities in the United States and other countries. Failure to comply with applicable requirements could result in, among other things, any of the following actions:

In addition to the approval and clearance requirements, numerous other regulatory requirements apply to us and our products, our suppliers and contract manufacturers. These include requirements related to the following:

We are also subject to inspection by the FDA and other international regulatory bodies to determine our compliance with regulatory requirements, as are our suppliers and contract manufacturers, and we cannot be sure that the FDA and other international regulatory bodies will not identify compliance issues that may disrupt production or distribution or require substantial resources to correct.

The FDA’s requirements and international regulatory body requirements may change, and additional regulations may be promulgated that could affect us, our products, and our suppliers and contract manufacturers. We cannot predict the likelihood, nature or extent of government regulation that may arise from future legislation or administrative action. There can be no assurance that we will not be required to incur significant costs to comply with such laws and regulations in the future, or that such laws or regulations will not have a material adverse effect upon our business.

The availability and levels of reimbursement by governmental and other third-party payers affect the market for our approved products. The efficacy, safety, performance, and cost-effectiveness of our products, and of any competing products will determine the availability and level of reimbursement. Reimbursement and healthcare payment systems in international markets vary significantly by country and include both government sponsored healthcare and private insurance. To obtain reimbursement or pricing approval in some countries, we may be required to produce clinical data, which may involve one or more clinical trials, that compares the cost-effectiveness of our approved products to other available therapies. We may not obtain international reimbursement or pricing approvals in a timely manner, if at all. Our failure to receive international reimbursement or pricing approvals would negatively impact market acceptance of our approved products in the international markets in which those pricing approvals are sought.

We believe that, in the future, reimbursement for any of our products may be subject to increased restrictions both in the United States and in international markets. Future legislation, regulation or reimbursement policies of third-party payers may adversely affect the demand for our products currently under development and limit our ability to sell our products on a profitable basis. In addition, third-party payers continually attempt to contain or reduce the costs of healthcare by challenging the prices charged for healthcare products and services. If reimbursement for our approved products is unavailable or limited in scope or amount, or if pricing is set at unsatisfactory levels, market acceptance of our approved products would be impaired and our future revenues, if any, would be adversely affected.

International sales of our products that we commercialize are subject to the regulatory requirements of each country in which the products are sold. Accordingly, the introduction of our products in markets outside the United States will be subject to regulatory approvals in those jurisdictions. The regulatory review process varies from country to country. Many countries impose product standards, packaging, and labeling requirements, and import restrictions on medical devices. In addition, each country has its own tariff regulations, duties, and tax requirements. The approval by foreign government authorities is unpredictable and uncertain and can be expensive. Our ability to market our approved products could be substantially limited due to delays in receipt of, or failure to receive, the necessary approvals or clearances.

Prior to marketing our products in any country outside the United States, we must obtain marketing approval in that country. Approval and other regulatory requirements vary by jurisdiction and differ from the United States’ requirements. We may be required to perform additional pre-clinical or clinical studies even if FDA approval has been obtained.

A provision of the Social Security Act, commonly referred to as the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute, prohibits the offer, payment, solicitation, or receipt of any form of remuneration in return for referring, ordering, leasing, purchasing or arranging for, or recommending the ordering, purchasing or leasing of, items or services payable by Medicare, Medicaid or any other Federal healthcare program. The Federal Anti-Kickback Statute is very broad in scope and many of its provisions have not been uniformly or definitively interpreted by existing case law or regulations. In addition, most of the states have adopted laws like the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute, and some of these laws are even broader than the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute in that their prohibitions are not limited to items or services paid for by Federal healthcare programs, but instead apply regardless of the source of payment. Violations of the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute may result in substantial civil or criminal penalties and exclusion from participation in Federal healthcare programs.

Our operations may also implicate the False Claims Act. If we fail to comply with Federal and state documentation, coding, and billing rules, we could be subject to liability under the Federal False Claims Act, including criminal and/or civil penalties, loss of licenses and exclusion from the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The False Claims Act prohibits individuals and companies from knowingly submitting false claims for payments to, or improperly retaining overpayments from, the government.

Our financial relationships with healthcare providers and others who provide products or services to Federal healthcare program beneficiaries are potentially governed by the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute, False Claims Act, and similar state laws. We cannot be certain that we will not be subject to investigations or litigation alleging violations of these laws, which could be time-consuming and costly to us and could divert management’s attention from operating our business, which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our business. In addition, if our arrangements were found to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute, False Claims Act or similar state laws, the consequences of such violations would likely have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

The HIPAA privacy and security regulations establish comprehensive Federal standards with respect to the uses and disclosures of PHI by certain entities, including health plans and health care providers, and set standards to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic PHI. The regulations establish a complex regulatory framework on a variety of subjects, including, for example: the circumstances under which uses and disclosures of PHI are permitted or required without a specific authorization by the patient; a patient’s right to access, amend and receive an accounting of certain disclosures of PHI; the content of notices of privacy practices describing how PHI is used and disclosed and individuals’ rights with respect to their PHI; and implementation of administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect privacy and security of PHI. We anticipate that, as we expand our PACE business, we will in the future be a covered entity under HIPAA. There can be no assurance that our policies and procedures will be adequate or will prevent all incidents of non-compliance with such regulations.

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (“HITECH") Act and its implementing regulations also require healthcare providers to notify affected individuals, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and in some cases, the media, when PHI has been breached as defined under and following the requirements of HIPAA. Many states have similar breach notification laws. In the event of a breach, to the extent such regulations are applicable to our business, we could incur operational and financial costs related to remediation as well as preparation and delivery of the notices, which costs could be substantial. Additionally, HIPAA, the HITECH Act, and their implementing regulations provide for significant civil fines, criminal penalties, and other sanctions for failure to comply with the privacy, security, and breach notification rules, including for wrongful or impermissible use or disclosure of PHI. Although the HIPAA statute and regulations do not expressly provide for a private right of action for damages, private parties may also seek damages under state laws for the wrongful or impermissible use or disclosure of confidential health information or other private personal information. Additionally, amendments to HIPAA provide that the state attorneys general may bring an action against a covered entity for a violation of HIPAA. As we expand our business such that Federal laws regarding PHI and privacy apply to our operations, any noncompliance with such regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

As a result of our participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs, we are subject to various governmental reviews and audits to verify our compliance with these programs and applicable laws and regulations. We also are subject to audits under various government programs in which third-party firms engaged by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services conduct extensive reviews of claims data and medical and other records to identify potential improper payments under the Medicare program. Private pay sources also reserve the right to conduct audits. If billing errors are identified in the sample of reviewed claims, the billing error can be extrapolated to all claims filed, which could result in a larger overpayment than originally identified in the sample of reviewed claims. Our costs to respond to and defend reviews and audits may be significant and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Moreover, an adverse review or audit could result in:

Any one of these results could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

The medical device industry is subject to substantial regulation by the FDA and by comparable international agencies. In addition to requiring clearance or approval to market new or improved devices, we are subject to ongoing regulation as a device manufacturer. Governmental regulations cover many aspects of our operations, including quality systems, marketing and device reporting. As a result, we continually collect and analyze information about our product quality and product performance through field observations, customer feedback and other quality metrics. If we fail to comply with applicable regulations or if post market safety issues arise, we could be subject to enforcement sanctions, our promotional practices may be restricted, and our marketed products could be subject to recall or otherwise impacted. Each of these potential actions could result in a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition.

We conduct research and development and manufacturing operations in our facility. Our research and development process may, at times, involve the controlled use of hazardous materials and chemicals. We may conduct experiments in which we may use small quantities of chemicals, including those that are corrosive, toxic, and flammable. The risk of accidental injury or contamination from these materials cannot be eliminated. We do not maintain a separate insurance policy for these types of risks. In the event of an accident or environmental discharge or contamination, we may be held liable for any resulting damages, and any liability could exceed our resources. We are subject to Federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing the use, storage, handling and disposal of these materials and specified waste products. The cost of compliance with these laws and regulations could be significant.

Our commercial success depends to a significant degree on our ability to:

The degree of intellectual property protection for our technology is uncertain, and only limited intellectual property protection may be available for our products, which may prevent us from gaining or keeping any competitive advantage against our competitors. Although we believe the patents that we own or license, and the patent applications that we own, generally provide us a competitive advantage, the patent positions of biotechnology, biopharmaceutical and medical device companies are generally highly uncertain, involve complex legal and factual questions and have been the subject of much litigation. Neither the United States Patent & Trademark Office nor the courts have a consistent policy regarding the breadth of claims allowed or the degree of protection afforded under many biotechnology patents. Even if issued, patents may be challenged, narrowed, invalidated, or circumvented, which could limit our ability to stop competitors from marketing similar products or limit the length of term of patent protection we may have for our products. Further, a court or other government agency could interpret our patents in a way such that the patents do not adequately cover our current or future products. Changes in either patent laws or in interpretations of patent laws in the United States and other countries may diminish the value of our intellectual property or narrow the scope of our patent protection.

We also rely upon trade secrets and unpatented proprietary know-how and continuing technological innovation in developing our products, especially where we do not believe patent protection is appropriate or obtainable. We seek to protect this intellectual property, in part, by generally requiring our employees, consultants, and current and prospective business partners to enter into confidentiality agreements in connection with their employment, consulting or advisory relationships with us, where appropriate. We also require our employees, consultants, researchers, and advisors who we expect to work on our products to agree to disclose and assign to us all inventions conceived during the workday, developed using our property or which relate to our business. We may lack the financial or other resources to successfully monitor and detect, or to enforce our rights in respect of, infringement or breaches of these confidentiality agreements. In the case of any such undetected or unchallenged infringements or breaches, these confidentiality agreements may not provide us with meaningful protection of our trade secrets and unpatented proprietary know-how or adequate remedies. In addition, others may independently develop technology that is similar or equivalent to our trade secrets or know-how. If any of our trade secrets, unpatented know-how or other confidential or proprietary information is divulged to third parties, including our competitors, our competitive position in the marketplace could be harmed and our ability to sell our products successfully could be severely compromised. Enforcing a claim that a party illegally obtained and is using trade secrets that have been licensed to us or that we own is also difficult, expensive and time consuming, and the outcome is unpredictable. In addition, courts outside the United States may be less willing to protect trade secrets. Costly and time-consuming litigation could be necessary to seek to enforce and determine the scope of our proprietary rights, and failure to obtain or maintain trade secret protection could have a material adverse effect on our business. Moreover, some of our academic institution licensees, evaluators, collaborators, and scientific advisors have rights to publish data and information to which we have rights. If we cannot maintain the confidentiality of our technologies and other confidential information in connection with our collaborations, our ability to protect our proprietary information or obtain patent protection in the future may be impaired, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Accordingly, we may fail to secure meaningful patent protection relating to any of our existing or future products or discoveries despite the expenditure of considerable resources. Further, there may be widespread patent infringement in countries in which we may seek patent protection, including countries in Europe and Asia, which may instigate expensive and time-consuming litigation that could adversely affect the scope of our patent protection. In addition, others may attempt to commercialize products similar to our products in countries where we do not have adequate patent protection. Failure to obtain adequate patent protection for our products, or the failure by particular countries to enforce patent laws or allow prosecution for alleged patent infringement, may impair our ability to be competitive. The availability of infringing products in markets where we have patent protection, or the availability of competing products in markets where we do not have adequate patent protection, could erode the market for our products, negatively impact the prices we can charge for our products, and harm our reputation if infringing or competing products are manufactured to inferior standards.

The patent applications that we own and that have been licensed to us, and any future patent applications that we may own or that may be licensed to us, may not result in the issuance of any patents. The standards that the United States Patent & Trademark Office and foreign patent agencies use to grant patents are not always applied predictably or uniformly and can change. Consequently, we cannot be certain as to the type and scope of patent claims to which we may in the future be entitled under our license agreements or that may be issued to us. These applications may not be sufficient to meet the statutory requirements for patentability and, therefore, may not result in enforceable patents covering the products we want to commercialize. Further, patent applications in the United States that are not filed in other countries may not be published or generally are not published until at least 18 months after they are first filed, and patent applications in certain foreign countries generally are not published until many months after they are filed. Scientific and patent publication often occurs long after the date of the scientific developments disclosed in those publications. As a result, we cannot be certain that we will be the first creator of inventions covered by our patents or applications, or the first to file such patent applications. As a result, our issued patents and our patent applications could become subject to challenge by third parties that created such inventions or filed patent applications before us or our licensors, resulting in, among other things, interference proceedings in the United States Patent & Trademark Office to determine priority of discovery or invention. Interference proceedings, if resolved adversely to us, could result in the loss of or significant limitations on patent protection for our products or technologies. Even in the absence of interference proceedings, patent applications now pending or in the future filed by third parties may prevail over the patent applications that may be owned by us or licensed to us or that we may file in the future, or may result in patents that issue alongside patents issued to us or our licensors or that may be issued or licensed to us in the future, leading to uncertainty over the scope of the patents owned by us or licensed to us or that may in the future be owned by us or impede our freedom to practice the claimed inventions.

We cannot assure you that the patents that have been issued or licensed to us would be held valid by a court or administrative body or that we would be able to successfully enforce our patents against infringers, including our competitors. The issuance of a patent is not conclusive as to its validity or enforceability, and the validity and enforceability of a patent is susceptible to challenge on numerous legal grounds, including the possibility of reexamination proceedings brought by third parties in the United States Patent & Trademark Office against issued patents and similar validity challenges under foreign patent laws. Challenges raised in patent infringement litigation brought by us or against us may result in determinations that patents that have been issued to us or licensed to us or any patents that may be issued to us or our licensors in the future are invalid, unenforceable or otherwise subject to limitations. In the event of any such determinations, third parties may be able to use the discoveries or technologies claimed in these patents without paying licensing fees or royalties to us, which could significantly diminish the value of our intellectual property and our competitive advantage. Even if our patents are held to be enforceable, others may be able to design around our patents or develop products similar to our products that are not within the scope of any of our patents.

In addition, enforcing the patents that we own or license and any patents that may be issued to us in the future against third parties may require significant expenditures regardless of the outcome of such efforts. Our inability to enforce our patents against infringers and competitors may impair our ability to be competitive and could have a material adverse effect on our business.

The discoveries or technologies covered by issued patents we own or license may not have any value or provide us with a competitive advantage, and many of these discoveries or technologies may not be applicable to our products at all. We have devoted limited resources to identifying competing technologies that may have a competitive advantage relative to ours, especially those competing technologies that are not perceived as infringing on our intellectual property rights. In addition, the standards that courts use to interpret and enforce patent rights are not always applied predictably or uniformly and can change, particularly as new technologies develop. Consequently, we cannot be certain as to how much protection, if any, will be afforded by these patents with respect to our products if we, our licensees or our licensors attempt to enforce these patent rights and those rights are challenged in court.

The existence of third-party patent applications and patents could significantly limit our ability to obtain meaningful patent protection. If patents containing competitive or conflicting claims are issued to third parties, we may be enjoined from pursuing research, development or commercialization of product candidates or may be required to obtain licenses, if available, to these patents or to develop or obtain alternative technology. If another party controls patents or patent applications covering our product candidates, we may not be able to obtain the rights we need to those patents or patent applications in order to commercialize our product candidates or we may be required to pay royalties, which could be substantial, to obtain licenses to use those patents or patent applications.

In addition, issued patents may not provide commercially meaningful protection against competitors. Other parties may seek and/or be able to duplicate, design around or independently develop products having effects similar or identical to our patented products that are not within the scope of our patents.

Limitations on patent protection in some countries outside the United States, and the differences in what constitutes patentable subject matter in these countries, may limit the protection we have under patents issued outside of the United States. We do not have patent protection for our product candidates in several of our target markets. The failure to obtain adequate patent protection for our products in any country would impair our ability to be commercially competitive in that country.

The biotechnology, biopharmaceutical and medical device industries are characterized by many patents and patent filings and frequent litigation based on allegations of patent infringement. Competitors may have filed patent applications or have been issued patents and may obtain additional patents and proprietary rights related to products or processes that compete with or are similar to ours. We may not be aware of all the patents potentially adverse to our interests that may have been issued to others. Because patent applications can take many years to issue, there may be currently pending applications, unknown to us, which may later result in issued patents that our products or proprietary technologies may infringe. Third parties may claim that our products or related technologies infringe their patents or may claim that the products of our suppliers, manufacturers or contract service providers that produce our devices infringe on their intellectual property. Further, we, our licensees, or our licensors, may need to participate in interference, opposition, protest, reexamination or other potentially adverse proceedings in the United States Patent & Trademark Office or in similar agencies of foreign governments with regards to our patents, patent applications, and intellectual property rights. In addition, we, our licensees, or our licensors may need to initiate suits to protect our intellectual property rights.

The market price of our common stock is volatile and could fluctuate widely in response to various factors, many of which are beyond our control, including the following:

In addition, the securities markets have from time-to-time experienced significant price and volume fluctuations that are unrelated to the operating performance of companies. These market fluctuations may also materially and adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

To date, there has been a limited trading market for our common stock, and we cannot predict how liquid the market for our common stock might become. Until January 30, 2023, our common stock was quoted on the OTC Pink, which is an inter-dealer market that provides significantly less liquidity than the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market. We are currently listed on the OTCQB.

The quotation of our common stock on the OTCQB does not assure that a meaningful, consistent, and liquid trading market exists. The market price for our common stock is subject to volatility and holders of our common stock may be unable to resell their shares at or near their original purchase price, or at any price. In the absence of an active trading market:

We have never paid cash dividends on our common stock and do not anticipate doing so in the foreseeable future.  The payment of dividends on our common stock will depend on earnings, financial condition and other business and economic factors affecting us at such time as our board of directors may consider relevant. If we do not pay dividends, our common stock may be less valuable because a return on your investment will only occur if our stock price appreciates.

Our board of directors has the right, without stockholder approval, to issue preferred stock with voting, dividend, conversion, liquidation, or other rights which could adversely affect the voting power and equity interest of the holders of common stock, which could be issued with the right to more than one vote per share, and could be utilized as a method of discouraging, delaying or preventing a change of control. The possible negative impact on takeover attempts could adversely affect the price of our common stock.

Rule 14a-21 under the Exchange Act requires us to seek a separate stockholder advisory vote at our annual meeting at which directors are elected to approve the compensation of our named executive officers, not less frequently than once every three years (say-on-pay vote), and, at least once every six years, to seek a separate stockholder advisory vote on the frequency with which we will submit advisory say-on-pay votes to our stockholders (say-on-frequency vote). We have not submitted to our stockholders a say-on-pay vote to approve an advisory resolution regarding our compensation program for our named executive officers, or a say-on-frequency vote. Consequently, the board of directors has not considered the outcome of our say-on-pay vote results when determining future compensation policies and pay levels for our named executive officers.

Rule 15c2-11 under the Exchange Act (the “Rule”) governs the publication of quotations in over-the-counter (“OTC”) markets. On September 16, 2020, the SEC adopted amendments to the Rule which prohibits broker-dealers from publishing or submitting for publication a quote for an issuer’s securities unless they are based on current publicly available information about the issuer. The amended Rule also limits the Rule’s “piggyback” exception, which allows broker-dealers to publish quotations for a security in reliance on the quotations of a broker-dealer that initially performed the information review required by the Rule, to issuers with current publicly available information or issuers that are up to date in their Exchange Act reports.

The practical impact of these changes requires us to maintain a level of periodic disclosure. However, we did not timely file with the SEC our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, or our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2021 or June 30, 2021. As a result, our stock was removed from the OTC Bulletin Board on September 28, 2021, which limited the ability of broker-dealers to sell our securities and the ability of stockholders to sell their securities in the secondary market. Upon filing the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2021, we were allowed to return to the OTC Pink and subsequently uplisted to the OTCQB. While trading on the OTCQB, and especially if we are removed from the OTCQB in the future, the market liquidity for our securities could be severely adversely affected by limiting the ability of broker-dealers to sell our securities and the ability of stockholders to sell their securities in the secondary market.

          None.

Our management and Board of Directors (the “Board”) recognize the importance of maintaining the security and resiliency of our cybersecurity environment to deliver on the expectations of our customers, business partners, employees, and investors. The Board is involved in our risk management practices. Overall, the purpose of our information security program is to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of our systems and data, along with the safe operation of our systems.

We deploy technical safeguards that are designed to protect our systems from cybersecurity threats, including firewalls, anti-malware software, and authentication and authorization controls.

We provide ongoing security awareness and training to educate internal users on how to identify and report potential issues. Phishing emails are discussed on a regular basis with employees to ensure proper protocols are followed. We also provide periodic updates to employees on emerging cybersecurity trends and ways to protect themselves and our company.

The Audit Committee of the Board has the primary responsibility for oversight and review of guidelines and policies with respect to risk assessment and risk management, including cybersecurity. The Company’s Chief Executive Officer, President, and Chief Financial Officer are responsible for assessing and managing cybersecurity risks. The Company’s management periodically reports on cybersecurity issues and presents information to our Audit Committee as well as our full Board, as appropriate, on cybersecurity matters.

We have not experienced a material information security breach incident, and we are not aware of any cybersecurity risks that are reasonably likely to materially affect our business. However, future incidents could have a material impact on our business strategy, results of operations or financial condition. For additional discussion of the risks posed by cybersecurity threats, see “Item 1A. Risk Factors— Risks to our Business— We are dependent on information technology and our systems and infrastructure face certain risks, including from cybersecurity breaches and data leakage.”

In the ordinary course of business, the Company from time to time becomes involved in various legal proceedings involving a variety of matters. We do not believe there are any pending legal proceedings that will have a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. However, the outcome of such legal matters is inherently unpredictable and subject to significant uncertainties. The Company expenses legal fees in the period in which they are incurred.

There are no material proceedings known to us to be contemplated by any governmental authority.

There are no material proceedings known to us, pending, or contemplated, in which any of our directors, officers or affiliates or any of our principal security holders, or any associate of any of the foregoing, is a party or has an interest adverse to us.

Acquisition Dispute - In May 2021, the Company received notification alleging that it is not in compliance with the license agreement with Celularity entered into in connection with the acquisition of the UltraMIST assets. The Company has responded and asserted that the Company is not in breach and that the supplier has breached various agreements. Any potential impact to the Company cannot be fully determined at this time.

Not applicable.

The Company’s common stock is quoted on the OTCQB under the symbol “SNWV”. The quotations reflect inter-dealer prices, without retail mark-up, mark-down, or commissions, and may not necessarily represent actual transactions.

As of December 31, 2023, there were 1,140,559,527 shares of common stock outstanding and approximately 238 holders of record of the Company’s common stock.

The Company did not pay a cash dividend in 2023 or 2022. The Company intends to retain future earnings, if any, to finance the expansion of its business. The Company does not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.

On August 23, 2023, we entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) by and among SEP Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (“SEPA”), SEP Acquisition Holdings Inc., a Nevada corporation, and a wholly owned subsidiary of SEPA (“Merger Sub”). Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, a business combination between the Company and SEPA (the “Merger”) will be affected. More specifically, and as described in greater detail below, at the effective time of the Merger (the “Effective Time”):

Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, the holders of (i) Company common stock, (ii) in the money options to purchase Company common stock, (iii) in the money warrants to purchase Company common stock, and (iv) convertible promissory notes, collectively will be entitled to receive 7,793,000 shares of Class A Common Stock of SEPA. Out-of-the-money options and out-of-the-money warrants will be assumed by SEPA and converted into options or warrants, respectively, exercisable for shares of Class A Common Stock based on the Conversion Ratio; however, such out-of-the-money options and out-of-the-money warrants shall not be reserved for issuance from the Merger Consideration.

Throughout this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, we present certain financial measures that facilitate management’s review of the operational performance of the Company and as a basis for strategic planning; however, such financial measures are not presented in our financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (U.S.) (U.S. GAAP). These financial measures are considered “non-GAAP financial measures” and are intended to supplement, and should not be considered as superior to, or a replacement for, financial measures presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

The Company uses Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (“EBITDA”) and Adjusted EBITDA to assess its operating performance. Adjusted EBITDA is Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization adjusted for the change in fair value of derivatives and any significant non-cash or non-recurring one-time charges.  EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as alternatives to net loss as a measure of financial performance or any other performance measure derived in accordance with GAAP, and they should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. These non-GAAP financial measures are presented in a consistent manner for each period, unless otherwise disclosed. The Company uses these measures for the purpose of evaluating its historical and prospective financial performance, as well as its performance relative to competitors. These measures also help the Company to make operational and strategic decisions. The Company believes that providing this information to investors, in addition to GAAP measures, allows them to see the Company’s results through the eyes of Management, and to better understand its historical and future financial performance. These non-GAAP financial measures are also frequently used by analysts, investors, and other interested parties to evaluate companies in our industry, when considered alongside other GAAP measures.

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA have their limitations as analytical tools, and you should not consider them in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Some of these limitations are that EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA:

As presented in the GAAP to Non-GAAP Reconciliations section below, our non-GAAP financial measure excludes the impact of certain charges that contribute to our net loss (Non-GAAP Adjustments).

In August 2023 and November 2023, the Company utilized its election to convert the August and November issued 2022 Convertible Notes Payable into shares of common stock upon the Notes’ maturity.  The August notes totaling $16.2 million in principal and $2.4 million in interest were converted to 464,440,813 shares of common stock. The November notes totaling $4.0 million in principal and $0.6 million in interest were converted to 114,481,063 shares of common stock.