Nuwellis (NUWE) 10-Q2024 Q1 Quarterly report

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act:

 

Unless otherwise specified or indicated by the context, “Nuwellis,” “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Nuwellis, Inc. and its subsidiary.

We are a medical technology company dedicated to transforming the lives of patients suffering from fluid overload through science, collaboration, and innovation. The Company is focused on commercializing the Aquadex SmartFlow system for ultrafiltration therapy. The Aquadex SmartFlow system is indicated for temporary (up to eight hours) or extended (longer than 8 hours in patients who require hospitalization) use in adult and pediatric patients weighing 20 kg or more whose fluid overload is unresponsive to medical management, including diuretics.

Prior to July 2016, we were focused on developing the C-Pulse System for treatment of Class III and ambulatory Class IV heart failure. In August 2016, we acquired the Aquadex Business from a subsidiary of Baxter, a global leader in the hospital products and dialysis markets. In September 2016, we announced a refocus of our strategy that included halting all clinical evaluations of the C-Pulse System related technology to fully focus our resources on our recently acquired Aquadex Business. On May 23, 2017, we announced that we were changing our name from Sunshine Heart, Inc. to CHF Solutions, Inc. to more appropriately reflect the direction of our business. On April 27, 2021, the Company announced that it was changing its name from CHF Solutions, Inc. to Nuwellis, Inc. to reflect the expansion of its customer base from treating fluid imbalance resulting from congestive heart failure to also include critical care and pediatrics applications.

 

We have adopted various accounting policies to prepare the condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). Our most significant accounting policies are disclosed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

The preparation of the condensed consolidated financial statements, in conformity with U.S. GAAP, requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Our estimates and assumptions, including those related to stock-based compensation, valuation of equity and debt securities, and income tax reserves are updated as appropriate, which in most cases is quarterly. We base our estimates on historical experience, valuations, or various assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. There have been no material changes to our critical accounting policies and estimates from the information provided in Part II, Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Revenue Recognition: We recognize revenue in accordance with ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. Accordingly, we recognize revenue when our customers obtain control of their products or services, in an amount that reflects the consideration that we expect to receive in exchange for those goods and services. See Note 2 – Revenue Recognition, included in Part I, Item 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, for additional disclosures.

Accounts Receivable: Our accounts receivables generally have terms that require payment within 30 days. We did not establish an allowance for doubtful accounts as of March 31, 2024, as we have not incurred any write-offs or experienced a deterioration in the aging of our receivables, and we do not expect to experience write-offs in the future.

Inventories: Inventories consist of finished goods, raw materials and subassemblies and are recorded at the lower of cost or net realizable value using the first-in, first-out method.

Stock-Based Compensation: We recognize all share-based payments to employees, directors, and consultants, including grants of stock options and common stock awards, in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss as an operating expense based on their fair values as established at the grant date. Other equity instruments issued to non-employees consist of warrants to purchase shares of our common stock. These warrants are either fully vested and exercisable at the date of grant or vest over a certain period during which services are provided.

We compute the estimated fair values of stock options and warrants using the Black-Scholes option pricing model and market-based warrants using a Monte Carlo valuation model. Market price at the date of grant is used to calculate the fair value of any restricted stock units and common stock awards.

We expense the fair market value of fully vested awards at the time of grant, and of unvested awards over the period in which the related services are received. Stock-based compensation expense is based on awards ultimately expected to vest and is reduced for estimated forfeitures, except for market-based warrants, which are expensed based on the grant date fair value regardless of whether the award vests. Forfeitures are estimated at the time of grant and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates.

The stock-based compensation expense associated with the DaVita Warrant will be recognized when the Company determines it is probable that the performance-based vesting conditions underlying the warrant are probable of achievement and at that time, expense will be recognized based on the grant-date fair value of the DaVita Warrant.

Accounting for Warrants: We have issued and may continue to issue warrants to purchase shares of common stock through our public and private offerings and in conjunction with the Supply Agreement executed with DaVita in June 2023. We account for such warrants in accordance with ASC 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity, which identifies three categories of freestanding financial instruments that are required to be accounted for as a liability. If determined to be classified as a liability, we will remeasure the fair value of the warrants at each balance sheet date. If determined to be classified as equity, the fair value of the warrants will be measured as of the date of issuance and will not be subject to remeasurement at each subsequent balance sheet date.

The fair value of the warrant liability is estimated using a Monte Carlo simulation model using relevant inputs and assumptions based upon the terms of the warrants.

Loss per Share: Basic loss per share is computed based on the net loss for each period divided by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding. See Note 3 – Stockholders’ Equity below for additional disclosures.

Diluted earnings per share is computed based on the net loss allocable to common stockholders for each period divided by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding, increased by the number of additional shares that would have been outstanding had the potentially dilutive common shares been issued, and reduced by the number of shares the Company could have repurchased from the proceeds from issuance of the potentially dilutive shares. Potentially dilutive shares of common stock include shares underlying outstanding convertible preferred stock, warrants, stock options and other stock-based awards granted under stock-based compensation plans.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets: Long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset or asset group may not be recoverable. If the impairment tests indicate that the carrying value of the asset or asset group is greater than the expected undiscounted cash flows to be generated by such asset or asset group, further analysis is performed to determine the fair value of the asset or asset group. To the extent the fair value of the asset or asset group is less than its carrying value, an impairment loss is recognized equal to the amount the fair value of the asset or asset group is exceeded by its carrying amount. Assets to be disposed of are carried at the lower of their carrying value or fair value less costs to sell. Considerable management judgment is necessary to estimate the fair value of assets or asset groups, and accordingly, actual results could vary significantly from such estimates.

The Company continues to report operating losses and negative cash flows from operations, both of which it considers to be indicators of potential impairment. Therefore, the Company evaluates its long-lived assets for potential impairment at each reporting period. The Company has concluded that its cash flows from the various long-lived assets are highly interrelated and, as a result, the Company consists of a single asset group. As the Company expects to continue incurring losses in the foreseeable future, the undiscounted cash flow step was bypassed, and the Company proceeded to measure fair value of the asset group. The Company has determined the fair value of the asset group associated with its loaner units by using expected cash flows estimating future discounted cash flows expected from the rental of these units. For recently acquired assets within the asset group, primarily equipment, the Company determined the fair value based on the replacement cost. There have been no impairment losses recognized for the three months ended March 31, 2024 or the year ended December 31, 2023.

Going Concern: Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared and presented on a basis assuming we continue as a going concern. During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, and through March 31, 2024, we incurred losses from operations and net cash outflows from operating activities as disclosed in the consolidated statements of operations and cash flows, respectively. As of March 31, 2024, we had an accumulated deficit of $292.0 million, and we expect to incur losses for the foreseeable future. To date, we have been funded by debt and equity financings, and although we believe that we will be able to successfully fund our operations into the future, there can be no assurance that we will be able to do so or that we will ever operate profitably. These factors raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern through at least twelve months from the report date.

We became a revenue-generating company after acquiring the Aquadex Business in August 2016. We expect to incur additional losses in the near-term as we grow the Aquadex Business, including investments in our sales and marketing capabilities, product development, purchasing inventory and manufacturing components, generating additional clinical evidence supporting the efficacy of the Aquadex System, and complying with the requirements related to being a U.S. public company. To become and remain profitable, we must succeed in expanding the adoption and market acceptance of the Aquadex System. This will require us to succeed in training personnel at hospitals and effectively and efficiently manufacturing, marketing, and distributing the Aquadex System and related components. There can be no assurance that we will succeed in these activities, and we may never generate revenues sufficient to achieve profitability.

During 2021 and through March 31, 2024, we closed on underwritten public and other equity offerings for aggregate net proceeds of approximately $41.4 million after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions or placement agents’ fees and offering expenses, as applicable, and other costs associated with the offerings. See Note 4 –Stockholders’ Equity, to the consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The Company will require additional funding to grow its business, which may not be available on terms favorable to the Company, or at all. The Company may receive those funds from the issuance of equity securities or other financing transactions.  Should future capital raising be unsuccessful, the Company may not be able to continue as a going concern.  No adjustments have been made relating to the recoverability and classification of recorded asset amounts and classification of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company not continue as a going concern.

Understanding the near-term need to raise capital, the Company has recently undertaken steps to reduce our monthly cash burn rate by approximately 40%, balanced against our strategic growth initiatives, which will provide more flexibility in anticipation of tougher capital market conditions for microcap companies like Nuwellis. These reductions include, but are not limited to the following: selected job eliminations, a reduction of the salaries for members of senior management, no merit increases to the base salaries of any named executive officer or employee in 2024 for performance provided during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, no cash bonuses to any named executive officer or employee in 2024 for performance provided during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, a reduction in Board of Director and committee fees, temporary suspension of company 401k match, travel reductions, and reductions to select professional services.

We believe that our existing capital resources will be sufficient to support our operating plan through August 31, 2024; however, there can be no assurance of this. We will likely seek to raise additional capital to support our growth or other strategic initiatives through debt, equity, or a combination thereof. There can be no assurance the Company will be successful in raising additional capital.

We are a medical technology company focused on commercializing the Aquadex System for ultrafiltration treatment of patients with fluid overload who have failed diuretic therapy. Activities since inception have consisted principally of raising capital, performing research and development, and conducting pre-clinical and clinical studies. During 2016, we acquired the Aquadex Business and announced that we were halting all clinical evaluations of our prior technology, the C-Pulse System. Since then, our activities have consisted mainly of expanding our sales and marketing capabilities, performing clinical research, and engaging in new product development. As of March 31, 2024, we had an accumulated deficit of $292.0 million, and we expect to incur losses for the foreseeable future. To date, we have been funded by public and private equity financings and debt. Although we believe that we will be able to continue to successfully fund our operations, there can be no assurance that we will be able to do so or that we will ever operate profitably.

Revenue is generated mainly from the sale of disposable blood filters and catheters used in conjunction with the Aquadex System consoles. We sell primarily in the United States to hospitals and clinics through our direct salesforce. We sell outside of the United States to independent specialty distributors, who in turn sell to hospitals and clinics in their geographic regions. The increase in sales in the current year period is due to an 11% increase in circuit sales, reflecting continued increases in the number of patients treated with the Aquadex therapy, and an increase in International sales. The year-over-year circuit and International sales increases were partially offset by a decrease in console sales.

Our costs and expenses were as follows:

The decrease in cost of goods sold for the three months ended March 31, 2024, compared to the three months ended March 31, 2023, was due primarily to higher manufacturing volumes of circuits in the current year period.

The decrease in selling, general and administrative expense was primarily driven by decreased headcount and compensation-related expense and lower corporate administrative expenses.

The decrease in R&D expenses was primarily driven by decreased headcount and compensation-related expense.

On October 18, 2022, the Company closed on an underwritten public offering of 209,940 shares of common stock and 23,157,124 shares of Series I convertible preferred stock, for gross proceeds of approximately $11.0 million (the “October 2022 Offering”). Net proceeds totaled approximately $9.4 million after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other costs associated with the offering and after giving effect to the underwriters’ full exercise of their overallotment option.

In March 2023, the Company filed a Prospectus Supplement to its Registration Statement on Form S-3 with the SEC in connection with a proposed At-the-Market Securities offering (the “At-the-Market Program”). During 2023, the Company issued 657,333 shares of common stock under the At-the-Market Program for gross proceeds of approximately $2.3 million.  Net proceeds totaled approximately $2.1 million after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and other costs associated with the offering.

If any shares of our Series J Convertible Preferred Stock are outstanding at the end of the three-year term, then the Company will promptly redeem all of such outstanding shares of Series J Convertible Preferred Stock on a pro rata basis among all of the holders of Series J Convertible Preferred Stock commencing on the Mandatory Redemption Date in cash, to the extent legally permissible under Delaware law, or, if redemption for cash is not legally permissible in duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable shares of the Company’s common stock equal in number to the quotient obtained by dividing such unpaid amount by the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the Nasdaq on the Mandatory Redemption Date.

The gross proceeds before underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses, were approximately $2.25 million. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for working capital and for general corporate purposes.

As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, cash and cash equivalents were $1.4 million and $3.8 million, respectively. Our business strategy and ability to fund our operations in the future depend in part on our ability to grow the Aquadex Business by expanding our salesforce, selling our products to hospitals and other healthcare facilities, and controlling costs. We will need to seek additional financing in the future, which, to date, has been primarily through offerings of our equity securities.

Net cash used in operating activities was $2.9 million and $6.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, and March 31, 2023, respectively. The net cash used in each of these periods primarily reflects the net loss for those periods, partially offset by non-cash charges for stock-based compensation, depreciation and amortization, and revaluation of the warrant liability, and the effects of changes in operating assets and liabilities, including working capital.

Net cash used in investing activities was $29,000 and $98,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2024, and 2023, respectively. The cash used in investing activities was for legal costs related to new patent applications in the prior year and for the purchase of manufacturing, laboratory, and office equipment, respectively, in those periods.

Net cash provided by and used in financing activities was $500,000 and ($11,000) for the three months ended March 31, 2024, and 2023, respectively. The cash provided by financing activities in the current year period was the result of proceeds received from the exercise of warrants.  The use of cash in the prior year period related to issuance costs from the 2022 common stock offering.

As of March 31, 2024, we did not have any material commitments for capital expenditures.

Certain statements in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”), that are based on management’s beliefs, assumptions and expectations and information currently available to management.  All statements that address future operating performance, events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future are forward-looking statements, including without limitation, our expectations regarding the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business operations, cash flow, business development, and employees, our ability to execute on our strategic realignments, our post-market clinical data collection activities, benefits of our products to patients, our expectations with respect to product development and commercialization efforts, our ability to increase market and physician acceptance of our products, potentially competitive product offerings, the possibility that we may be unable to raise sufficient funds necessary for our anticipated operations, intellectual property protection, and other risks and uncertainties described in our filings with the SEC. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the following words: “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “ongoing,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “will,” “would” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Management believes that these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made. However, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because they speak only as of the date when made. We undertake no obligation to revise any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that might subsequently arise.  Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events to adversely differ from the expectations indicated in these forward-looking statements, including without limitation, the risks and uncertainties described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, in other reports filed thereafter with the SEC, which risk factors may by updated from time to time, and in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. We operate in an evolving environment. New risk factors and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all risk factors and uncertainties. We may not actually achieve the plans, projections or expectations disclosed in forward-looking statements, and actual results, developments or events could differ materially from those disclosed in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, the possibility that regulatory authorities do not accept our application or approve the marketing of our products, the possibility we may be unable to raise the funds necessary for the development and commercialization of our products, and those described in our filings with the SEC.

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Not applicable.

We maintain disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our Exchange Act reports is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC rules and forms and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer (together, the “Certifying Officers”), as appropriate, to allow for timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

In designing and evaluating disclosure controls and procedures, management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance of achieving the desired objectives. Also, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that misstatements due to error or fraud will not occur or that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, have been detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty and that breakdowns can occur because of simple error or mistake. The design of any system of controls is based, in part, upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions.

As of March 31, 2024, the end of the period covered by this report, we conducted an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of management, including the Certifying Officers, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act. Our disclosure controls and procedures are designed to provide reasonable assurance of achieving their stated objectives. Based on their evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective at a reasonable assurance level as of March 31, 2024. The Certifying Officers based their conclusion on the fact that the Company has identified two material weaknesses in controls over financial reporting, as detailed in the 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K. In light of this fact, management expects to perform additional analyses, reconciliations, and remediations.

There was no change in our internal control over financial reporting during our most recently completed fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting. However, as a result of the identified material weaknesses, changes in our internal control over financial reporting will occur.