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COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES, AND CONCENTRATIONS

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES, AND CONCENTRATIONS [Abstract]

COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES, AND CONCENTRATIONS

NOTE 6 — COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES, AND CONCENTRATIONS:

Concentrations:

The following table discloses product sales the Company had to each customer that purchased in excess of 10% of the Company’s net product sales for the periods indicated:

	For the three months ended									Accounts Receivable as of
	March 31, 2022					March 31, 2021				March 31, 2022		December 31, 2021
	Product Sales		% of Product Sales			Product Sales		% of Product Sales
Customer 1	$	11,856,024		64	%	$	*		*	$	5,930,162	$	7,672,845

Revenue includes product sales only, while accounts receivable reflects the total due from the customer, including freight.

The following table discloses purchases the Company had to each vendor that purchased in excess of 10% of the Company’s net purchases for the periods indicated:

	For the three months ended										Accounts Payable as of
	March 31, 2022					March 31, 2021					March 31, 2022		December 31, 2021
	Purchases		% of Purchases			Purchases		% of Purchases
Vendor 1	$	2,323,605		34	%	$	*		*		$	224,500	$	*
Vendor 2		1,088,251		16	%		469,635		11	%		164,983		353,097

In the tables above, an asterisk (*) indicates that indicates that sales, accounts receivable, purchases or accounts payable, as applicable to the tabular column, did not exceed 10% for the period indicated.

The Company purchases materials pursuant to intellectual property rights agreements that are important components in its products. Management believes that other suppliers could provide similar materials on comparable terms. A change in suppliers, however, could cause a delay in manufacturing and a possible loss of sales, which could adversely affect operating results.

Employment Contracts:

The Company has multi-year contracts with three key employees. The contracts call for salaries presently aggregating $1,178,000 per year. The contracts expire in December 2022 and December 31, 2024. The following table is a schedule of future minimum salary commitments:

2022	$	883,500
2023		383,000
2024		383,000

Benefit Plan:

Chembio has a 401(k) plan established for the Company’s employees whereby it matches 40% of the first 5% of salary (or up to 2% of salary) that an employee contributes to the plan. Matching contribution expenses totaled approximately $67,135 and $35,456 for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Leases:

The Company leases facilities in New York, Germany, Malaysia, and Brazil, and certain equipment.

The Company’s facility leases generally include optional renewal periods. Upon entering into a new facility lease, the Company evaluates the leasehold improvements and regulatory requirements related to its operations in that location. To the extent that the initial lease term of the related facility lease is less than the useful life of the leasehold improvements and potential regulatory costs associated with moving the facility, the Company concludes that it is reasonably certain that a renewal option will be exercised, and thus that renewal period is included in the lease term and the related payments are reflected in the right-of-use asset and lease liability.

The Company’s leases generally include fixed rental payments with defined annual increases. While certain of the Company’s leases are gross leases, the majority of the Company’s leases are net leases in which the Company makes separate payments to the lessor based on the lessor’s property and casualty insurance costs, the property taxes assessed on the property, and a portion of the common area maintenance where applicable. The Company has elected the practical expedient not to separate lease and non-lease components for all of the Company’s facility leases.

The components of lease expense were as follows:

	Three Months Ended March 31
	2022		2021
Operating lease expense	$	403,385	$	408,466

Finance lease cost
Amortization of right-of-use assets	$	17,579	$	15,758
Interest on lease liabilities		4,686		4,944
Total finance lease expense	$	22,265	$	20,702

Supplemental cash flow information related to leases was as follows.

	Three Months Ended March 31
	2022		2021
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities:
Operating cash flows for operating leases	$	360,878	$	347,871
Operating cash flows for finance leases		4,686		4,944
Financing cash flows for finance leases		16,930		14,282
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations:
Finance leases		16,234		-

Supplemental balance sheet information related to leases was as follows:

	March 31, 2022			March 31, 2021
Finance Leases
Finance lease right of use asset	$	356,997		$	315,153
Accumulated depreciation		(166,471	)		(97,777	)
Finance lease right of use asset, net	$	190,526		$	217,376

Weighted Average Remaining Lease Term
Operating leases	7.4 years			8.6 years
Finance leases	2.8 years			3.5 years

Weighted Average Discount Rate
Operating leases		9.32	%		9.30	%
Finance leases		8.56	%		8.18	%

Maturities of lease liabilities were as follows.

	March 31, 2022				March 31, 2021
	Operating Leases		Finance Leases		Operating Leases		Finance Leases
2022	$	1,086,370	$	65,913	$	861,916	$	57,678
2023		1,221,017		87,884		1,057,757		76,904
2024		1,018,875		60,116		1,026,272		76,904
2025		1,049,442		16,731		1,018,875		49,136
2026		1,080,925		5,940		1,049,442		5,751
Thereafter		3,643,521		355		4,724,446		-
Total lease payments	$	9,100,150	$	236,939	$	9,738,708	$	266,373
Less: imputed interest		2,450,412		29,781		2,968,703		36,544
Total	$	6,649,738	$	207,158	$	6,770,005	$	229,829

Litigation:

SEC Investigation

The SEC is conducting a non-public, fact-finding investigation relating to the public offering of common stock that Chembio completed in May 2020 (the “May 2020 Offering”) and to the FDA’s revocation in June 2020 of an emergency use authorization for the DPP COVID-19 IgM/IgG system that was issued by the FDA in April 2020. Chembio received subpoenas from the SEC in July 2020 and April 2021 seeking the production of documents in connection with this investigation. In addition, the SEC delivered subpoenas in April 2021 to five of Chembio’s employees (including its three executive officers, who consist of its Chief Executive Officer and President, its former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and its Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific and Technology Officer). An additional subpoena was issued in June 2021 to Chembio’s former Interim Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chair. Each subpoena requested the production of documents relating to the same matters as are the subject of the subpoenas Chembio received. Chembio and the six individuals are cooperating fully in the SEC’s investigation and expect to continue to do so.

The SEC’s letters transmitting the subpoenas expressly provide that the inquiry does not mean that the SEC or its staff have concluded that anyone has violated the federal securities laws or have a negative opinion of any person, entity or security. The Company cannot predict the scope, duration or outcome of the investigation or the impact, if any, of the investigation on its results of operations.

Legal Proceedings

Stockholder Litigation

Putative Stockholder Securities Class-Action Litigation

In 2020 four purported securities class-action lawsuits were filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York by alleged stockholders of Chembio:

•	Sergey Chernysh v. Chembio Diagnostics, Inc., Richard L. Eberly, and Gail S. Page, filed on June 18, 2020;

•	James Gowen v. Chembio Diagnostics, Inc., Richard L. Eberly, and Gail S. Page, filed on June 22, 2020;

•	Anthony Bailey v. Chembio Diagnostics, Inc. Richard J. Eberly, Gail S. Page, and Neil A. Goldman, filed on July 3, 2020; and;

•	Special Situations Fund III QP, L.P., Special Situations Cayman Fund, L.P., and Special Situations Private Equity Fund, L.P. v. Chembio Diagnostics, Inc., Richard Eberly, Gail S. Page, Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc. and Dougherty & Company LLC, filed August 17, 2020.

The plaintiffs in each of the above cases alleged claims under Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), Rule 10b-5 thereunder and Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act. Special Situations Fund III QP, L.P., Special Situations Cayman Fund, L.P. and Special Situations Private Equity Fund, L.P. (collectively, the “Special Situations Funds”) also asserted claims under Sections 11, 12(a)(2) and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) relating to the May 2020 Offering.

Chembio and the plaintiffs entered into Court-approved stipulations relieving Chembio and the other defendants of the obligation to respond to the complaints in these cases pending the designation of a lead plaintiff pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Eight motions for appointment as lead plaintiff were filed by various prospective lead plaintiffs. However, all but two of these motions were withdrawn or otherwise abandoned, leaving before the Court two motions for appointment as lead plaintiff - one filed by the Special Situations Funds and one by Municipal Employees’ Retirement System of Michigan. By order entered December 29, 2020, Magistrate Judge Lindsay consolidated the cases and appointed the Special Situations Funds and Municipal Employees’ Retirement System of Michigan (together, the “Lead Plaintiffs”), as co-lead plaintiffs and their respective counsel as co-lead counsel. The consolidated cases are now pending under the caption “In re Chembio Diagnostics, Inc. Securities Litigation.”

The Lead Plaintiffs filed their Consolidated Amended Complaint (the “CAC”) on February 12, 2021. In summary, the CAC purported to allege claims based on assertedly false and misleading statements and omissions concerning the performance of the DPP COVID-19 IgM/IgG System, as well as an asserted failure to timely disclose that the emergency use authorization that had been granted by the FDA with respect to the DPP COVID-19 IgM/IgG System “was - or was at an increased risk of - being revoked.” The CAC named as defendants Chembio, Richard L. Eberly, Gail S. Page, Neil A. Goldman, Javan Esfandiari, Katherine L. Davis, Mary Lake Polan, John Potthoff (together, the “Chembio Defendants”) and the underwriters for the May 2020 Offering, Robert W. Baird & Co., Inc. and Dougherty & Company LLC (the “Underwriter Defendants”).

The CAC purported to assert five counts under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act. Counts I through III were brought under the Securities Act, allegedly on behalf of a purported class consisting of all persons who purchased Chembio common stock directly in or traceable to the May 2020 Offering pursuant to Chembio’s shelf registration statement on Form S 3 (File No. 333-227398) and the related prospectus, as supplemented by a prospectus supplement dated May 7, 2020 (the “Securities Act Class”). Count I purported to allege a claim for violation of Section 11 of the Securities Act against all defendants other than Messrs. Eberly and Esfandiari. Count II purported to allege a claim for violation of Section 12 of the Securities Act against all defendants other than Messrs. Eberly and Esfandiari. Count III purported to allege a claim under Section 15 of the Securities Act against Ms. Davis, Dr. Polan, Dr. Potthoff, Ms. Page and Mr. Goldman.

Counts IV and V alleged claims under the Exchange Act on behalf of a purported class consisting of all persons who purchased Chembio common stock on the open market from March 12, 2020 through June 16, 2020 (the “Exchange Act Class”). Count IV purported to allege a claim for violation of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder against Chembio, Mr. Eberly, Ms. Page, Mr. Goldman and Mr. Esfandiari. Count V purported to allege a claim under Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act against Mr. Eberly, Ms. Page, Mr. Goldman and Mr. Esfandiari.

In their CAC, the Lead Plaintiffs sought, on behalf of the Securities Act Class and the Exchange Act Class, among other things, an award of damages in an amount to be proven at trial, as well as an award of reasonable costs, including attorneys’ fees and expenses, expert fees, pre-judgment and post-judgment interest, and such other relief as the Court deems just and proper. The Lead Plaintiffs also sought rescission “or a rescissory measure of damages” on behalf of the Securities Act Class as to Count II.

Pursuant to an order entered by the Court on January 29, 2021, any defendant wishing to move against the amended complaint was required to file, by February 18, 2021, a letter requesting a pre-motion conference. On that date, the defendants submitted letters to the Court requesting a pre-motion conference regarding anticipated motions to dismiss the CAC, and the Lead Plaintiffs responded on February 24, 2021. In its January 29, 2021 order, the Court indicated that it would consider a briefing schedule on motions to dismiss after it had received and reviewed the parties’ correspondence.

On March 5, 2021, the Court entered an order in which it advised the parties that it had determined a pre motion conference was not necessary and established a briefing schedule on the defendants’ anticipated motions to dismiss. However, the defendants subsequently agreed with the Lead Plaintiffs’ counsel to a modification of the schedule, which was then approved by the Court. Pursuant to that schedule, defendants’ motions and supporting papers were filed on March 26, 2021, the Lead Plaintiffs’ opposition papers were filed on April 16, 2021, and the defendants’ reply papers were filed on April 30, 2021.

The Court issued its Opinion and Order (the “Order”) on the defendants’ motions to dismiss on February 23, 2022. In its Order, the Court: (i) dismissed Counts I and II without prejudice as to all defendants named in those Counts except the Underwriter Defendants as to which Counts I and II were not dismissed; (ii) dismissed Count III without prejudice as to all defendants named in that Count; and (iii) dismissed Counts IV and V with prejudice as to all defendants named in those Counts. The Court gave Lead Plaintiffs fourteen days within which to attempt to replead their claims under the Securities Act against Chembio, Ms. Page, Mr. Goldman, Ms. Davis, Ms. Polan and Mr. Potthoff.

On March 4, 2022, Lead Plaintiffs filed a letter motion in which they advised the Court that they intended to file an amended complaint, but that they wished to first seek reconsideration of the Court’s February 23 order. They accordingly requested, and the Court granted, an adjournment of the deadline for filing an amended complaint until three business days after the Court’s ruling on Lead Plaintiffs’ anticipated motion for reconsideration. The Court also granted a request by the Underwriter Defendants to extend the time for them to file their answer to the CAC, and set May 2, 2022 as the date for the filing of that answer.

On March 7, 2022, Magistrate Judge John Wicks entered an order requiring that the parties meet and confer regarding the scheduling of discovery in the case, requiring that the parties submit a Proposed Scheduling Order by March 23, and setting a hearing (via zoom) on March 30. The Chembio Defendants filed a letter motion requesting that the Court adjourn the initial conference and suspend the other requirements in the March 7, 2022 order. Magistrate Judge Wicks granted the letter motion on March 14, and further ordered that the initial conference would be rescheduled “following the resolution of all preliminary dispositive issues.”

On March 9, 2022, Lead Plaintiffs filed a motion for partial reconsideration of the Court’s February 23 Order. In their motion, Lead Plaintiffs requested that the Court reconsider and reverse its dismissal of Counts IV and V with prejudice, and its dismissal of Counts I, II and III without prejudice. The Chembio Defendants filed their memorandum in opposition to this motion on March 23, 2022; Lead Plaintiffs filed their reply memorandum in support of the motion on March 30, 2022. The Court has not yet ruled upon the motion for partial reconsideration.

On April 26, 2022, the Court entered an order canceling the previously-set May 2 date by which the Underwriter Defendants were required to file their answer to the CAC, and providing that the Underwriter Defendants’ answer to an amended complaint shall be due within three weeks after such amended complaint has been served.

Putative Stockholder Derivative Litigation

On September 11, 2020, a putative stockholder derivative action captioned Karen Wong, derivatively on behalf of Chembio Diagnostics, Inc., Plaintiff v. Richard L. Eberly, Gail S. Page, Neil A. Goldman, Javan Esfandiari, Katherine L. Davis, Mary Lake Polan and John G. Potthoff, Defendants, and Chembio Diagnostics, Inc., Nominal Defendant (the “Wong complaint”) was filed purportedly on Chembio’s behalf in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. The Wong complaint purports to assert a claim for violation of Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act and Rule 14a-9 thereunder based on ostensibly false and misleading statements and omissions concerning the Company’s rapid COVID-19 antibody test in the proxy statement disseminated in advance of Chembio’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on July 28, 2020. The Wong complaint also asserts claims against the individual defendants for purported breaches of fiduciary duties owed to Chembio, as well as unjust enrichment.

The Wong complaint requests a declaration that the individual defendants have breached or aided and abetted the breach of their fiduciary duties to Chembio, an award of damages to us, restitution, and an award of the plaintiff’s costs and disbursements in the action, including reasonable attorneys’ and experts’ fees, costs and expenses, and improvements to Chembio’s corporate governance and internal procedures regarding compliance with laws. Pursuant to a stipulation by which the individual defendants named in the Wong complaint agreed to waive service of process, the Court ordered that the time for defendants to answer or otherwise respond to the complaint be extended to November 19, 2020. The parties subsequently entered into a stipulation for a stay of proceedings in the action relating to the Wong complaint pending final disposition of motions to dismiss the pending putative class-action litigation, subject to certain conditions. The Court entered an order granting the requested stay on November 3, 2020. At this stage of the litigation, the Company is not able to predict the probability of a favorable or unfavorable outcome.

On March 31, 2022, a second putative stockholder derivative action captioned Michelle Chen, derivatively on behalf of Chembio Diagnostics, Inc., Plaintiff v. Richard L. Eberly, Gail S. Page, Neil A. Goldman, Javan Esfandiari, Katherine L. Davis, Mary Lake Polan and John G. Potthoff, Defendants, and Chembio Diagnostics, Inc., Nominal Defendant (the “Chen complaint”) was filed purportedly on behalf of Chembio in the Supreme Court for the State of New York, County of Suffolk. The Chen complaint purports to assert a claim for breach of fiduciary duty against the defendants based on ostensibly false and misleading statements and omissions concerning the Company’s rapid COVID-19 antibody test. The Chen complaint goes on to allege that the misconduct asserted in the complaint gave rise to the filing of the consolidated securities litigation described above.

Counsel for the defendants in the Chen action are engaged in discussions with counsel for Chen concerning a possible stay of the Chen action.

Employee Litigation

On March 19, 2021, John J. Sperzel III, Chembio’s former chief executive officer, filed a fifteen-count complaint in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. The complaint was filed following the dismissal of an action previously filed by Mr. Sperzel in the United States District Court in Maine, which was dismissed for lack of personal jurisdiction over Chembio. In summary, the complaint filed in the Eastern District of New York alleges that Chembio wrongfully refused to allow Mr. Sperzel to exercise certain options to purchase, for an aggregate exercise price of $943,126, a total of 266,666 shares of common stock that were allegedly vested as of the date of his separation from Chembio, on January 3, 2020. The complaint alleges that under the terms of the applicable stock incentive plans, Mr. Sperzel had thirty days after the date on which he ceased to qualify as an “Eligible Person” under the plans within which to exercise the options, and asserts that by reason of his alleged continued service to us, he remained an “Eligible Person” and ostensibly retained the right to exercise the options. The Compensation Committee of the Board determined that the options expired on February 3, 2020, thirty days after Mr. Sperzel’s separation from Chembio, and that a purported attempt by Mr. Sperzel to exercise the options after that date was not valid.

Count I of the complaint purports to allege that Chembio breached Mr. Sperzel’s separation agreement by refusing to allow him to exercise the stock options. Counts II through XI of the complaint purport to allege claims for breach of each of ten separate stock option agreements, collectively asserting damages of “at least” $3,190,198. Count XII of the complaint alleges a breach of Mr. Sperzel’s separation agreement based on Chembio’s purported failure to pay Mr. Sperzel consulting fees to which he claims to be entitled for consulting services allegedly performed following his separation. Count XIII of the complaint alleges a claim for breach of an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing under Nevada common law based on the allegation that Chembio prevented Mr. Sperzel from obtaining the benefits of the stock option agreements and separation agreement. Mr. Sperzel alleges that he suffered damages in excess of $3 million as a result of the purported breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing. Count XIV of the complaint purports to assert a claim for quantum meruit, alleging that “it is reasonable for Sperzel to expect payment in exchange for ... services” he allegedly provided to us and, based on allegations that upon his separation Mr. Sperzel was not informed as to the pending expiration of the stock options he later sought to exercise, that Chembio has been unjustly enriched. Finally, Count XV of the complaint seeks a declaratory judgment that Mr. Sperzel is relieved from performance under his separation agreement due to asserted material breaches of the agreement based on the allegations summarized above. The complaint seeks compensatory damages in an unspecified amount, a declaration, as described above, and an award of Mr. Sperzel’s costs and expenses in the litigation, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, expert costs and disbursements. The complaint requests a trial by jury. In his initial disclosures served in discovery, Mr. Sperzel claims entitlement to recover damages in a total amount not less than $10 million, together with prejudgment interest at the rate of 9% per annum.

On May 20, 2021, Chembio filed its answer and affirmative defenses denying the material allegations of Mr. Sperzel’s complaint. Chembio and Mr. Sperzel are presently engaged in discovery. Under the present case schedule, all fact discovery was completed on April 28, 2022, and the parties are currently in the midst of an additional period of expert witness discovery, concluding on June 28, 2022. At this stage of the litigation, the Company is not able to predict the probability of a favorable or unfavorable outcome.

Other

From time to time the Company may become involved in legal proceedings or may be subject to claims arising in the ordinary course of its business. Although the results of litigation and claims cannot be predicted with certainty, the Company currently believes that the final outcome of these ordinary course matters will not have a material adverse effect on its business, operating results, financial condition or cash flows. Regardless of the outcome, litigation can have an adverse impact on the Company because of defense and settlement costs, diversion of management resources, and other factors.