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Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies

Note 20.  Commitments and Contingencies

Stockholders Litigation

On July 8, 2019 and August 1, 2019, purported stockholders of the Company served putative class action lawsuits in the Superior Court of New Jersey for Somerset County, captioned Paul Kuehl vs. electroCore, Inc., et al., Docket No. SOM-L 000876-19 and Shirley Stone vs. electroCore, Inc., et al., Docket No. SOM-L 001007-19, respectively. In addition to the Company, the defendants include present and past directors and officers, Evercore Group L.L.C., Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., JMP Securities LLC and BTIG, LLC, the underwriters for its IPO; and two of the Company’s stockholders. On August 15, 2019, the Superior Court entered an order consolidating the Kuehl and Stone actions, which are proceeding under Docket No. SOM-L 000876-19. Each plaintiff was appointed a co-lead plaintiff. The plaintiffs filed a consolidated amended complaint, which sought certification of a class of stockholders who purchased common stock in the IPO or whose purchases are traceable to that offering. The consolidated amended complaint alleged that the defendants violated Sections 11, 12(a)(2) and 15 of the Securities Act with respect to the registration statement and related prospectus for the IPO. The complaint sought unspecified compensatory damages, interest, costs and attorneys’ fees. On October 31, 2019, the Company filed a motion to dismiss the complaint or in the alternative to stay the action in favor of the pending federal action (discussed below). On February 21, 2020 the court granted the defendants’ motion to dismiss the consolidated amended complaint with prejudice. On March 2, 2020 the court entered an amended order dismissing the consolidated amended complaint with prejudice. On March 27, 2020, the plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal with the N.J. Superior Court – Appellate Division.

On September 26, 2019 and October 31, 2019, purported stockholders of the Company served putative class action lawsuits in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey captioned Allyn Turnofsky vs. electroCore, Inc., et al., Case 3:19-cv-18400, and Priewe vs. electroCore, Inc., et al., Case 1:19-cv-19653, respectively. In addition to the Company, the defendants include present and past directors and officers, and Evercore Group L.L.C., Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., JMP Securities LLC and BTIG, LLC, the underwriters for the IPO. The plaintiffs each seek to represent a class of stockholders who (i) purchased the Company’s common stock in the IPO or whose purchases are traceable to the IPO, or (ii) who purchased common stock between the IPO and September 25, 2019. The complaints each allege that the defendants violated Sections 11 and 15 of the Securities Act and Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act, with respect to (i) the registration statement and related prospectus for the IPO, and (ii) certain post-IPO disclosures filed with the SEC. The complaints seek unspecified compensatory damages, interest, costs and attorneys’ fees.

In the Turnofsky case, several plaintiffs and their counsel are engaged in motion practice to select a lead plaintiff and lead plaintiff’s counsel. Briefing is complete on the motions, but the court has not yet ruled. On February 19, 2020, the Priewe case was voluntarily dismissed.

The Company intends to continue to vigorously defend itself in these matters. However, in light of, among other things, the preliminary stage of these litigation matters, the Company is unable to determine the reasonable probability of loss or a range of potential loss. Accordingly, the Company has not established an accrual for potential losses, if any, that could result from any unfavorable outcome, and there can be no assurance that these litigation matters will not result in substantial defense costs and/or judgments or settlements that could adversely affect the Company’s financial condition.

The Company expenses associated legal fees in the period they are incurred.

Settlement Agreement

In January 2019, the Company settled a dispute with one of its former advisors, Madison Global Partners, who had filed a complaint against us in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York (Index No. 652329/2018) as previously reported. As part of that settlement, the Company paid Madison Global $325,000 and issued to Madison Global and its representatives warrants to purchase in the aggregate 62,181 shares of Company common stock at prices ranging from $5.68 per share to $12.60 per share. Substantially all such amounts were accrued in prior accounting periods. The warrants issued are shown in the following table:

 

# Warrants

 

 

Exercise Price

 

 

Expiration Date

 

8,576

 

 

$

8.86

 

 

April 1, 2021

 

22,253

 

 

$

5.68

 

 

March 30, 2022

 

17,066

 

 

$

12.60

 

 

June 30, 2022

 

14,286

 

 

$

12.60

 

 

August 31, 2022

 

Claim from Lifehealthcare Pty Ltd.

The Company was party to a joint venture arrangement (“JV Arrangement”) in Australia with Lifehealthcare Pty Ltd (“LHP”). In 2017, the parties agreed to terminate the JV Arrangement. In March 2019, the Company received a letter from LHP alleging certain breaches by the Company under the JV Arrangement, primarily arising out of the Company’s alleged failure to notify LHP of the Company’s IPO. The Company strongly disputes these allegations and notified LHP in writing in April 2019 of its position on this matter and its intent to vigorously defend itself against these claims. The Company has received no further communications from LHP since that time. Although no assurance can be given that LHP will not pursue this matter further, the financial impact, if any, in connection with any potential resolution of this matter is not expected to be material.

Purchase Commitments

The Company enters into contracts in the normal course of business with contract research organizations for its clinical trials, contract manufacturing organizations for the manufacture and supply of its clinical and commercial product needs and other vendors for other research and development and commercial activities, as well as services and products for operating purposes. The Company’s agreements generally provide for termination with notice. Such agreements that are cancelable contracts are not included as purchase commitments. The Company has included as purchase obligations its commitments under agreements to the extent they are quantifiable and are not cancelable.  The Company has purchase obligations of approximately $1.7 million as of December 31, 2019.