Convertible Notes and Notes Payable

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2023

Debt Disclosure [Abstract]

Convertible Notes and Notes Payable

Note 5 – Convertible Notes and Notes Payable

Alto Opportunity Master Fund, SPC

On January 11, 2023, the Company entered into a securities purchase agreement (the “SPA”) with Alto Opportunity Master Fund, SPC – Segregated Master Portfolio B, a Cayman entity (the “Investor”), pursuant to which the Company sold to the Investor a $4,300,000 convertible note (the “Alto Convertible Note”) and warrant (the “Warrant”) to purchase 1,018,079 shares of common stock (See Note 6), exercisable at $2.35 per share, in exchange for gross proceeds of $3,935,000 million (the “Investment Amount”). The Company determined that the warrants had the existence of a net cash settlement feature at inception and categorized the warrants as a liability in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. The Alto Convertible Note matures on Mach 11, 2025, but may be extended at the option of the noteholder. The Alto Convertible Note amortizes on a monthly basis and the Company can make such monthly amortization payments in cash or, subject to certain equity conditions, in registered shares of common stock or a combination thereof. Installments may be deferred by the noteholder, resulting in a variable interest rate. However, the effective interest rate is approximately 294% based on the internal rate of return calculated on a series of cash flow that occur at regular intervals. For equity repayment, the Alto Convertible Note is convertible into shares of common stock at a price per share equal to the lower of (i) $2.35 (ii) 90% of the three lowest daily VWAPs of the 15 trading days prior to the payment date or (iii) 90% of the VWAP of the trading day prior to payment date. The noteholder may convert at any time at a fixed price of $2.35 per share. The noteholder has an acceleration of installment amount conversion option (the “Acceleration Option”), whereby the noteholder, with certain share percentage limitations, can convert to common stock any outstanding installment amount at an amount equal to the installment amount plus five times (5x) the installment amount at any time. The Company has determined the Acceleration Option is an embedded derivative within the host instrument and has bifurcated it from the host instrument and recorded it as a derivative liability valued at $1,442,000, using a Monte Carlo simulation model (Note 7). The Convertible Note is repayable over 26 months and bears interest at the rate of 5% per annum. Additionally, the note contains certain redemption options and “Make Whole” provisions.

In conjunction with entry into the SPA, the Company entered into a series of related agreements, including a security agreement (the “Security Agreement”), an intellectual property security agreement (the “IP Security Agreement”) and a subsidiary guaranty (the “Subsidiary Guaranty”). The security agreements and guaranty allow, among other things, for the Investor to have a security interest in and place a lien on all of the Company’s assets and intellectual property until such time as the Alto Convertible Note is paid off. In addition, the SPA called for the Company to enter into a springing deposit account control agreement (the “Springing DACA”), which, in the event the Company defaults on its repayment of the Alto Convertible Note, would allow the Investor to assume control of the Company’s bank account only with regard to any funds remaining outstanding under the Alto Convertible Note. As such, in conjunction with entry into the SPA, the Company established a separate bank account in which it deposited the Investment Amount and pursuant to which the Company, the Investor and the bank holding the Investment Amount, First Republic Bank, entered into the Springing DACA agreement. As the Investment Amount had been held at First Republic Bank, in light of certain banking crises then affecting smaller banks, on March 12, 2023, the Company and the Investor moved the Investment Amount from First Republic Bank, after which time the Springing DACA was no longer in effect. Further, pursuant to amendments to the SPA entered into in May and June of 2023, the Company and the Investor agreed that all of the Investment Amount would be released to the Company and the relevant provision of the SPA which required the Springing DACA would no longer be deemed applicable. In addition, the Company granted the Investor the option to purchase up to an additional $10 million in convertible notes and warrants on substantially the same terms as the Alto Convertible Note and Warrant, excluding the Springing DACA requirement, with such option to be effective through December 31, 2025.

Boustead Securities, LLC (“Boustead”) served as a placement agent for the Alto Convertible Note and Warrant offering and received $345,000 cash compensation and a warrant to purchase 71,266 shares of common stock, exercisable at $2.35 per share. The Boustead warrant was determined to be an equity instrument valued on a non-recurring basis. The Company used the Black Scholes valuation model using a term of five years, volatility of 110%, a risk-free rate of 3.53% for a value of $99,543.

The Company allocated the finance costs related to the Boustead placement agent fee of $345,000, based on the relative fair market values of the Convertible Note and warrants issued. The allocation of the financing costs applied $232,027 to the debt component as a debt discount that is being amortized to interest expense over the term of the Convertible Note, $104,245 to the warrant derivative liability component, expensed as a finance fee, and $8,727 to the equity warrant as a reduction in additional paid in capital.

The Company allocated to the debt component of the note an original discount of $300,000, legal fees of $65,000, $215,000 for additional interest fees on day one added to note principal, $1,442,000 for the accelerated conversion feature, and $1,288,543 for the fair value of warrants, resulting in an additional $3,310,543 debt discount that is being amortized to interest expense over the term of the Alto Convertible Note.

During the three and six months ended June 30, 2023, the Company recorded interest expense of $729,351 and $1,328,682 respectively, which included amortization of debt discount as interest expense of $549,125 and $1,012,177 respectively. During the three and six months ended June 30, 2023, the Company paid $1,527,750 and $1,593,900 of principal, respectively, and paid $220,689 and $240,831, respectively, of accrued interest, which payments were made in the form of 1,827,911 and 1,878,909 shares of common stock, respectively, during the three and six months ended June 30, 2023.

As of June 30, 2023, the outstanding principal for the convertible note was $2,921,100 and the debt discount remaining was $2,530,394, with a net convertible note carrying value of $390,706, which represents the current and non-current portions of the convertible note as of June 30, 2023.