COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	10. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES: Employment Agreements On July 30, 2019, CytoSorbents Corporation entered into amended and restated executive employment agreements with its principal executives, Dr. Phillip P. Chan, Chief Executive Officer, Vincent Capponi, President and Chief Operating Officer. Each of the agreements has an initial term of three years and was retroactively effective as of January 1, 2019. On April 12, 2020, CytoSorbents Corporation entered into an executive employment agreement with Dr. Efthymios Deliargyris, who began employment as Chief Medical Officer on May 1, 2020, with an initial term that expired on December 31, 2021. After the expiration of the initial terms, the employment agreements will automatically renew for additional terms of one year unless either party provides written notice of non-renewal at least 60 days prior to a renewal.In January 2023, these employment agreements automatically renewed for an additional one year. The foregoing employment agreements each provide for base salary and other customary benefits which include participation in group insurance plans, paid time off and reimbursement of certain business-related expenses, including travel and continuing educational expenses, as well as bonus and/or equity awards at the discretion of the Board of Directors. In addition, the agreements provide for certain termination benefits in the event of termination without “Cause” or voluntary termination of employment for “Good Reason”, as defined in each agreement. The agreements also provide for certain benefits in the event of a “Change of Control” of the Company, as defined in each agreement. Effective March 31, 2023, Ms. Bloch retired from her role as Chief Financial Officer of the Company. Ms. Bloch’s employment agreement expired on March 31, 2023, upon her retirement from the Company. In connection with Ms. Bloch’s retirement, the Company and Ms. Bloch entered into a Consulting Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2023 (the “Consulting Agreement”), pursuant to which Ms. Bloch will serve as a consultant to the Company and as the Company’s Interim Chief Financial Officer. On September 18, 2023, the Company entered into a new Employment Agreement with Ms. Kathleen P. Bloch pursuant to which Ms. Bloch will continue to serve as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Bloch’s service under the Employment Agreement has replaced and terminated the Consulting Agreement disclosed above. The Employment Agreement provides for base salary and other customary benefits which include participation in group insurance plans, paid time off and reimbursement of certain business-related expenses, including travel and continuing educational expenses, as well as bonus and/or equity awards at the discretion of the Board of Directors. In addition, the agreement provides for certain termination benefits in the event of termination without “Cause” or voluntary termination of employment for “Good Reason”, as defined in each agreement. Unless terminated sooner by either the Company or Ms. Bloch, the Employment Agreement will remain in effect until December 31, 2025, and thereafter, as mutually agreed between the Company and Ms. Bloch. On July 19, 2023, the Company announced the appointment of Alexander D’Amico as Chief Financial Officer effective August 7, 2023. The Company entered into an executive employment agreement with Mr. D’Amico with an initial term commencing on August 7, 2023 and expiring on December 31, 2025. On August 28, 2023, the Company and Mr. D’Amico mutually agreed to terminate Mr. D’Amico’s employment with the Company. Mr. D’Amico and the Company entered into a Mutual Termination and Release Agreement (the “Termination and Release Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company and Mr. D’Amico have mutually agreed to terminate the Employment Agreement in its entirety. In addition, under the Termination and Release Agreement, the Company and Mr. D’Amico have agreed to customary and mutual non-disparagement and release provisions, payment of specific accrued expenses, and no severance payments or vesting of equity. Litigation The Company is, from time to time, subject to claims and litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company intends to defend vigorously against any future claims and litigation. The Company has settled a litigation matter. As part of the settlement agreement, the Company paid a total of $280,000 in November 2023 to settle this matter in return for a release of all claims against the Company. The expense related to this settlement is included in legal financial and other consulting expenses on the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss for the year ended December 31, 2023. On March 5, 2024, Danielle Greene, a former employee, filed a complaint against us in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Mercer County, alleging breach of the New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act ("CEPA"). The complaint specifically alleges that we violated the provisions of the CEPA by allegedly terminating Ms. Greene in retaliation for complaining about certain business practices. We dispute these allegations and intend to vigorously defend against them, but there can be no assurance as to the outcome of the litigation. Royalty Agreement Pursuant to an agreement dated August 11, 2003, an existing investor agreed to make a $4 million equity investment in the Company. These amounts were received by the Company in 2003. In connection with this agreement the Company granted the investor a perpetual royalty of 3% on all gross revenues received by the Company from the sale of its CytoSorb device which such rights were assigned to an existing investor in 2017. For the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, the Company recorded royalty expenses of approximately $923,000, $849,000, and $1,193,000, respectively. These expenses are included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss. On August 1, 2022, the Company entered into the Marketing Agreement with Fresenius, which expands the Company’s strategic partnership with Fresenius by establishing a multi-stage global collaboration to combat life-threatening diseases in critical care. The Marketing Agreement has an initial term of three years, with an automatic renewal for an additional two years at the end of such initial term, subject to earlier termination by either of the parties (the “Term”) To help support the increased marketing and promotional efforts of the expanded collaboration, the Company has agreed to subsidize a portion of the marketing costs through royalty payments to Fresenius. Initially, the Marketing Agreement provides for royalty payments equal to 0.9% of the Company’s net sales of CytoSorb products made during the Term (excluding net sales in the United States). This initial royalty rate was determined based on certain assumptions regarding the percentage of the Company’s sale of CytoSorb products that are used with the Fresenius critical care platforms in the intensive care unit outside of the United States but is subject to adjustment if the Company determines that the underlying assumptions have changed significantly. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company did not record any expense related to this agreement as the launch of this program is expected to occur in 2024. License Agreement In an agreement dated September 1, 2006, the Company entered into a license agreement which provides the Company the exclusive right to use its patented technology and proprietary know-how relating to adsorbent polymers for a period of 18 years. Under the terms of the agreement, the Company has agreed to pay license fees of 2.5% to 5% on the sale of certain of its products if and when those products are sold commercially for a term not greater than 18 years commencing with the date of the agreement. For the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 per the terms of the license agreement, the Company recorded licensing expenses of approximately $1,233,000, $1,416,000 and $1,988,000, respectively. These expenses are included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

10. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES:

Employment Agreements

On July 30, 2019, CytoSorbents Corporation entered into amended and restated executive employment agreements with its principal executives, Dr. Phillip P. Chan, Chief Executive Officer, Vincent Capponi, President and Chief Operating Officer. Each of the agreements has an initial term of three years and was retroactively effective as of January 1, 2019. On April 12, 2020, CytoSorbents Corporation entered into an executive employment agreement with Dr. Efthymios Deliargyris, who began employment as Chief Medical Officer on May 1, 2020, with an initial term that expired on December 31, 2021. After the expiration of the initial terms, the employment agreements will automatically renew for additional terms of one year unless either party provides written notice of non-renewal at least 60 days prior to a renewal.In January 2023, these employment agreements automatically renewed for an additional one year.

The foregoing employment agreements each provide for base salary and other customary benefits which include participation in group insurance plans, paid time off and reimbursement of certain business-related expenses, including travel and continuing educational expenses, as well as bonus and/or equity awards at the discretion of the Board of Directors. In addition, the agreements provide for certain termination benefits in the event of termination without “Cause” or voluntary termination of employment for “Good Reason”, as defined in each agreement. The agreements also provide for certain benefits in the event of a “Change of Control” of the Company, as defined in each agreement.

Effective March 31, 2023, Ms. Bloch retired from her role as Chief Financial Officer of the Company. Ms. Bloch’s employment agreement expired on March 31, 2023, upon her retirement from the Company. In connection with Ms. Bloch’s retirement, the Company and Ms. Bloch entered into a Consulting Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2023 (the “Consulting Agreement”), pursuant to which Ms. Bloch will serve as a consultant to the Company and as the Company’s Interim Chief Financial Officer. On September 18, 2023, the Company entered into a new Employment Agreement with Ms. Kathleen P. Bloch pursuant to which Ms. Bloch will continue to serve as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Bloch’s service under the Employment Agreement has replaced and terminated the Consulting Agreement disclosed above. The Employment Agreement provides for base salary and other customary benefits which include participation in group insurance plans, paid time off and reimbursement of certain business-related expenses, including travel and continuing educational expenses, as well as bonus and/or equity awards at the discretion of the Board of Directors. In addition, the agreement provides for certain termination benefits in the event of termination without “Cause” or voluntary termination of employment for “Good Reason”, as defined in each agreement. Unless terminated sooner by either the Company or Ms. Bloch, the Employment Agreement will remain in effect until December 31, 2025, and thereafter, as mutually agreed between the Company and Ms. Bloch.

On July 19, 2023, the Company announced the appointment of Alexander D’Amico as Chief Financial Officer effective August 7, 2023. The Company entered into an executive employment agreement with Mr. D’Amico with an initial term commencing on August 7, 2023 and expiring on December 31, 2025. On August 28, 2023, the Company and Mr. D’Amico mutually agreed to terminate Mr. D’Amico’s employment with the Company. Mr. D’Amico and the Company entered into a Mutual Termination and Release Agreement (the “Termination and Release Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company and Mr. D’Amico have mutually agreed to terminate the Employment Agreement in its entirety. In addition, under the Termination and Release Agreement, the Company and Mr. D’Amico have agreed to customary and mutual non-disparagement and release provisions, payment of specific accrued expenses, and no severance payments or vesting of equity.

Litigation

The Company is, from time to time, subject to claims and litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company intends to defend vigorously against any future claims and litigation. The Company has settled a litigation matter. As part of the settlement agreement, the Company paid a total of $280,000 in November 2023 to settle this matter in return for a release of all claims against the Company. The expense related to this settlement is included in legal financial and other consulting expenses on the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss for the year ended December 31, 2023.

On March 5, 2024, Danielle Greene, a former employee, filed a complaint against us in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Mercer County, alleging breach of the New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act ("CEPA"). The complaint specifically alleges that we violated the provisions of the CEPA by allegedly terminating Ms. Greene in retaliation for complaining about certain business practices. We dispute these allegations and intend to vigorously defend against them, but there can be no assurance as to the outcome of the litigation.

Royalty Agreement

Pursuant to an agreement dated August 11, 2003, an existing investor agreed to make a $4 million equity investment in the Company. These amounts were received by the Company in 2003. In connection with this agreement the Company granted the investor a perpetual royalty of 3% on all gross revenues received by the Company from the sale of its CytoSorb device which such rights were assigned to an existing investor in 2017. For the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, the Company recorded royalty expenses of approximately $923,000, $849,000, and $1,193,000, respectively. These expenses are included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.

On August 1, 2022, the Company entered into the Marketing Agreement with Fresenius, which expands the Company’s strategic partnership with Fresenius by establishing a multi-stage global collaboration to combat life-threatening diseases in critical care. The Marketing Agreement has an initial term of three years, with an automatic renewal for an additional two years at the end of such initial term, subject to earlier termination by either of the parties (the “Term”) To help support the increased marketing and promotional efforts of the expanded collaboration, the Company has agreed to subsidize a portion of the marketing costs through royalty payments to Fresenius. Initially, the Marketing Agreement provides for royalty payments equal to 0.9% of the Company’s net sales of CytoSorb products made during the Term (excluding net sales in the United States). This initial royalty rate was determined based on certain assumptions regarding the percentage of the Company’s sale of CytoSorb products that are used with the Fresenius critical care platforms in the intensive care unit outside of the United States but is subject to adjustment if the Company determines that the underlying assumptions have changed significantly. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company did not record any expense related to this agreement as the launch of this program is expected to occur in 2024.

License Agreement

In an agreement dated September 1, 2006, the Company entered into a license agreement which provides the Company the exclusive right to use its patented technology and proprietary know-how relating to adsorbent polymers for a period of 18 years. Under the terms of the agreement, the Company has agreed to pay license fees of 2.5% to 5% on the sale of certain of its products if and when those products are sold commercially for a term not greater than 18 years commencing with the date of the agreement. For the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 per the terms of the license agreement, the Company recorded licensing expenses of approximately $1,233,000, $1,416,000 and $1,988,000, respectively. These expenses are included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.