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Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies

15. Commitments and Contingencies

 

Manufacturing Services Agreement

 

On August 21, 2020, the Company entered into a Manufacturing Services Agreement (MSA) for the manufacture and supply of the Company’s IB-STIM device based upon the Company’s product specifications as set forth in the MSA. This agreement terminated any prior manufacturing agreements.

 

The Company provides the necessary equipment to the manufacturer and retains ownership. The manufacturer bears the risk of loss of and damage to the equipment and consigned materials. Performance under the MSA is initiated by orders issued by the Company and accepted by the manufacturer.

 

The term of the MSA is 24 months and shall automatically renew for renewal terms of twelve months unless either party provides a written termination notice to the other party within 180 days prior to the end of the then-current term.

 

Trademark Agreement

 

The Company entered into an agreement for a trademark related to the Company’s name on July 11, 2022. The agreement called for an initial payment of $10,000 upon execution of the agreement. A second and final payment of $40,000 was contingent upon the completion of the Company’s planned initial public offering. The second payment has been accrued and is recorded in accounts payable and intangible assets on the balance sheet. The trademark does not have a determinate life and therefore the cost is not being amortized.

 

Executive Employment Agreements

 

The Company, as authorized by the board of directors, entered into employment agreements with nine key employees to provide incentives to improve shareholder value and to contribute to the growth and financial success of the Company. The agreements had an employment start date of October 1, 2022, with initial terms from 2 to 5 years and optional one-year renewals.

 

The total base salaries for the nine key employees in the agreements are $1,920,000 per year with various provisions for annual increases. In addition to base salaries, eight of the employees have a provision for a special one-time incentive payment to be paid in a lump sum after the start date. The total amount of these special incentive payments is $1,100,000. The special incentive payment amount includes any accrued backpay wages for the employee. The amount for backpay of $417,390 was accrued as of December 31, 2022 and paid in the year ended December 31, 2023.

 

There are seven key employees that have stock options of the Company totaling 1,238,712 shares. These key employees have a provision in their agreements whereas the Company will pay a special bonus equal to the aggregate of the strike price or exercise price of all their stock options plus a tax gross-up payment. The special bonus shall be paid in twenty percent (20%) installments starting January 2, 2024, and the same date each of the next four years. As a condition of the payment, the key employee must exercise at least 20% of their stated number of stock options. There are additional provisions to cover termination and change of control events. None of the key employees exercised the options on January 2, 2024

 

In April 2023, the Company amended the employee agreements to, among other things, clarify that the special one-time incentive payment and the deferred bonus are contingent upon the effective date of the planned initial public offering. The amendment also sets forth a process for executives to exercise the stock options in accordance with the terms of the stock option agreement in effect as of the date of the employment agreement and to clarify that there is no modification to the stock option agreements.

 

 

Neuraxis, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements

 

The Company has recorded the backpay portion of the incentive bonus notes above. The balance of the incentive bonuses of $694,056 and the special options bonuses of $14,821,830 were contingent upon a successful IPO. The incentive bonuses have been paid in full while the special options bonuses will be recorded when paid.

 

Litigation

From time to time, the Company may be involved in litigation relating to claims arising out of operations in the normal course of business. As of the date of issuance, other than those described below, there were no pending or threatened legal proceedings that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the results of the Company’s operations. There are also no proceedings in which any of the Company’s directors, officers or affiliates is an adverse party to the Company or has a material interest adverse to the Company’s interest.

 

On February 6, 2019, plaintiff Ritu Bhambhani, M.D., initiated a lawsuit against Innovative Health Solutions, Inc. and others in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. Plaintiffs Bhambhani and Sudhir Rao subsequently amended the complaint, with the Third Amended Complaint (“Complaint”) containing the most recent set of allegations. The Complaint asserted claims under the RICO Act, as well as of fraudulent misrepresentation, intentional misrepresentation by concealment, and civil conspiracy and sought compensatory damages in excess of $5 million, pre-judgment interest, punitive damages, attorney’s fees, court costs and designation of the case as a class action. The Complaint states that the Company, distributors of the Company’s product, and medical billing and coding consultants allegedly made misrepresentations to the plaintiffs that the Company’s NeuroStim device and related procedures could be billed to, and reimbursed by, Medicare and other insurance payors as a surgically implantable neurostimulator. Plaintiffs claim to have suffered damages when Medicare administrative contractors declined to pay plaintiffs for their use of the device.

 

On February 11, 2022, the Company filed a motion for summary judgment based upon the plaintiffs not being proper parties to assert claims against the Company. On June 14, 2022, the Court granted the Company’s motion for summary judgment and dismissed the Complaint.

 

On July 14, 2022, plaintiffs Ritu Bhambhani and Sudhir Rao filed a notice of appeal with the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Company filed a motion to dismiss. On January 4, 2023, the Court issued an order that stated it was deferring a ruling on the motion to dismiss the appeal and that it would address those arguments at the same time that it addressed the substantive merits of the case. While it is too early to predict the ultimate outcome of this matter, we continue to believe we have meritorious defenses, that the dismissal of the Complaint should be upheld, and intend to continue to defend this matter vigorously.

 

On July 14, 2022, plaintiffs Ritu Bhambhani, LLC; Box Hill Surgery Center, LLC; Pain and Spine Specialists of Maryland, LLC; and SimCare ASC, LLC initiated a lawsuit against the Company and others in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. The plaintiffs in this lawsuit are business entities owned or partially owned by the plaintiffs that initiated the litigation described above. The Complaint asserted claims under the RICO Act, as well as fraudulent misrepresentation, intentional misrepresentation by concealment, and civil conspiracy and seeks compensatory damages in excess of $75,000, pre-judgment interest, punitive damages, attorney’s fees, and court costs. The Complaint states that the Company, distributors of the Company’s product, and medical billing and coding consultants allegedly made misrepresentations to the plaintiffs that the Company’s NeuroStim device and related procedures could be billed to, and reimbursed by, Medicare and other insurance payors as a surgically implantable neurostimulator. Plaintiffs claim to have suffered damages when Medicare administrative contractors declined to pay plaintiffs for their use of the device.

 

On September 28, 2022, the Company filed a motion to dismiss all claims. On May 25, 2023, the Court issued an Order and a Memorandum Opinion which dismissed the plaintiffs’claims related to the RICO Act. The remaining claims are still pending, and no trial date has been set for the case.

 

The Court has vacated its Scheduling Order at the parties’ request so that the parties could try to resolve the disputes in both cases through an independent third-party mediator. No mediation date has been set. While it is too early to predict the ultimate outcome of this matter, we believe the Company has meritorious defenses and intends to defend this matter vigorously.

 

 

Neuraxis, Inc.

Notes to Financial Statements