6. Stockholders’ Equity

Year Ended December 31, 2017

On September 11, 2017, the Company entered into a share purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with an investor (the “Investor”), pursuant to which the Company offered and sold in a private placement 120,000 shares of its Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) for an aggregate purchase price of $12 million, or $100 per share.

The Series A Preferred Stock ranks senior to the shares of the Company’s common stock, and any other class or series of stock issued by the Company with respect to dividend rights, redemption rights and rights on the distribution of assets on any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Company. Holders of Series A Preferred Stock are entitled to a cumulative dividend at the rate of 2.0% per annum, payable quarterly in arrears, as set forth in the Certificate of Designation of Series A Preferred Stock classifying the Series A Preferred Stock. The Series A Preferred Stock is convertible at the option of the holders at any time into shares of common stock at an initial conversion price of $0.54 per share, subject to certain customary anti-dilution adjustments.

Any conversion of Series A Preferred Stock may be settled by the Company in shares of common stock only.

The holder’s ability to convert the Series A Preferred Stock into common stock is subject to (i) a 19.99% blocker provision to comply with NYSE American Listing Rules, (ii) if so elected by the Investor, a 4.99% blocker provision that will prohibit beneficial ownership of more than 4.99% of the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock or voting power at any time, and (iii) applicable regulatory restrictions.

In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Company, holders of the Series A Preferred Stock are entitled to a preference on liquidation equal to the greater of (i) an amount per share equal to the stated value plus any accrued and unpaid dividends on such share of Series A Preferred Stock (the “Accreted Value”), and (ii) the amount such holders would receive in such liquidation if they converted their shares of Series A Preferred Stock (based on the Accreted Value and without regard to any conversion limitation) into shares of the common stock immediately prior to any such liquidation, dissolution or winding-up (the greater of (i) and (ii), is referred to as the “Liquidation Value”).

Except as otherwise required by law, the holders of Series A Preferred Stock have no voting rights, other than customary protections against adverse amendments and issuance of pari passu or senior preferred stock. Upon certain change of control events involving the Company, the Company will be required to repurchase all of the Series A Preferred Stock at a redemption price equal to the greater of (i) the Accreted Value and (ii) the amount that would be payable upon a change of control (as defined in the Certificate of Designation) in respect of common stock issuable upon conversion of such share of Series A Preferred Stock if all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock were converted into common stock immediately prior to the change of control.

On or at any time after (i) the VWAP (as defined in the Certificate of Designation) for at least 20 trading days in any 30 trading day period is greater than $2.00, subject to adjustment in the case of stock split, stock dividends or the like the Company has the right, after providing notice not less than 6 months prior to the redemption date, to redeem, in whole or in part, on a pro rata basis from all holders thereof based on the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock then held, the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock, for cash, at a redemption price per share of Series A Preferred Stock of $225.00, subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the Series A Convertible Preferred Stock or (ii) the five year anniversary of the issue date, the Company shall have the right to redeem, in whole or in part, on a pro rata basis from all holders thereof based on the number of shares of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock then held, the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock, for cash, at a redemption price per share equal to the Liquidation Value.

The Series A Preferred Stock is classified as temporary equity due to the shares being (i) redeemable based on contingent events outside of the Company’s control, and (ii) convertible immediately and from time to time. Since the effective conversion price of the Series A Preferred Stock is less than the fair value of the underlying common stock at the date of issuance, there is a beneficial conversion feature (“BCF”) at the issuance date. Because the Series A Preferred Stock has no stated maturity or redemption date and is immediately convertible at the option of the holder, the discount created by the BCF is immediately charged to retained earnings as a “deemed dividend” and impacts earnings per share. During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company recorded a discount of $6.9 million. Because the Series A Preferred Stock is not currently redeemable, the discount arising from issuance costs was allocated to temporary equity and will not be accreted until such time that redemption becomes probable. The stated dividend rate of 2% per annum is cumulative and the Company accrues the dividend on a quarterly basis (in effect accreting the dividend regardless of declaration because the dividend is cumulative). During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company accrued dividends of $73,000. Once the dividend is declared, the Company will reclassify the declared amount from temporary equity to a dividends payable liability. When the redemption of the Series A Preferred Stock becomes probable, the temporary equity will be accreted to redemption value as a deemed dividend.

FBR Sales Agreement

For the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company sold through the FBR Sales Agreement an aggregate of 11.0 million shares of the Company’s common stock and received net proceeds of approximately $6.4 million before deducting issuance expenses.

Also, during the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company issued 418,773 shares of common stock in connection with the exercise of stock options for proceeds of approximately $166,190.

Year Ended December 31, 2016

On November 18, 2016, the Company completed a public offering of 25 million shares of common stock in combination with accompanying warrants to purchase an aggregate of 50,000,000 shares of the common stock. The stock and warrants were sold in combination, with two warrants for each share of common stock sold, a Series A warrant and a Series B warrant, each representing the right to purchase one share of common stock. The purchase price for each share of common stock and accompanying warrants was $1.00. The shares of common stock are immediately separable from the warrants and were issued separately. The initial per share exercise price of the Series A warrants was $1.43 and the per share exercise price of the Series B warrants was $1.72, each subject to adjustment as specified in the warrants. The Series A and Series B warrants may be exercised at any time on or after the date of issuance. The Series A warrants are exercisable until the four year anniversary of the issuance date. The Series B warrants were exercisable until December 31, 2017 and none were exercised prior to their expiration. Net proceeds, after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated expenses were approximately $23.3 million.

On August 5, 2016, the Company entered into the FBR Sales Agreement with FBR Capital Markets &; Co., which enables the Company to offer and sell shares of the Company’s common stock, with an aggregate sales price of up to $40.0 million, from time to time through FBR Capital Markets &; Co. as the Company’s sales agent. Sales of common stock under the FBR Sales Agreement are made in sales deemed to be “at-the-market” equity offerings as defined in Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act, as amended. FBR Capital Markets &; Co. is entitled to receive a commission rate of up 3.0% of gross sales in connection with the sale of the Company’s common stock sold on the Company’s behalf. From August 11, 2016 through December 31, 2016, the Company had sold through the FBR Sales Agreement an aggregate of 900,628 shares of the Company’s common stock, and received gross proceeds of approximately $1,550,197, before deducting issuance expenses.

Also, during the year ended December 31, 2016, the Company issued 445,334 shares of common stock, in connection with the exercise of stock options and warrants, for proceeds of approximately $814,000.

Year Ended December 31, 2015

On August 29, 2015, the Company, SYN Biomics, a majority-owned subsidiary, and Mark Pimentel, M.D. entered into an amendment to the Stock Purchase Agreement dated December 3, 2013, which accelerated the date upon which Dr. Pimentel could exchange his shares of common stock in SYN Biomics for shares of the Company’s common stock. On August 29, 2015, Dr. Pimentel notified the Company of his intent to exchange all of the shares of common stock in SYN Biomics owned by him for 1,350,000 shares of the Company’s common stock in accordance with the terms of the Stock Purchase Agreement, as amended. On August 31, 2015, the Company issued 1,350,000 shares of the Company’s common stock to Dr. Pimentel in exchange for all of the shares of common stock of SYN Biomics held by Dr. Pimentel.

On August 10, 2015, the Company expanded its relationship with Intrexon Corporation (“Intrexon”) and entered into an Exclusive Channel Collaboration Agreement with Intrexon that governs a “channel collaboration” arrangement in which the Company will use Intrexon’s technology relating to the development and commercialization of novel biotherapeutics for the treatment of patients with PKU. The Company paid Intrexon a technology access fee by the issuance of 937,500 shares of common stock, having a value equal to $3.0 million, which has been recorded as research and development expense.

In July 2015, the Company completed a public offering of 15,333,333 shares of common stock, including the fully exercised over-allotment option by the underwriters covering 2.0 million shares, at an offering price of $3.00 per share. The total gross proceeds of the offering, including the exercise in full of the over-allotment option, were approximately $46.0 million. Net proceeds to the Company, after deducting the underwriters’ discount and other estimated expenses, were approximately $42.6 million. The Company paid direct offering costs of $3.4 million.

In addition, during the year ended December 31, 2015, the Company issued 655,321 shares of common stock to Prev ABR LLC, with a fair value of $1,350,000 that was recorded as research and development expense, in consideration for achieving the first three milestones as set forth in the Asset Purchase Agreement dated November 28, 2012. In lieu of receiving any cash payment for achieving the first three milestones, Prev ABR LLC exercised its option to receive the milestone payments in shares of the Company’s common stock. The number of shares of common stock issued upon achievement of each milestone was based upon the average of the opening and closing prices of the Company’s stock on the date each milestone was achieved as specified in the Asset Purchase Agreement.

Also, during the year ended December 31, 2015, the Company issued 35,006 shares of common stock, in connection with the exercise of stock options and warrants, for proceeds of approximately $41,000.