Rationalization Activities and Developments
As of December 31, 2023, we had 9 employees, which increased to 15 employees in March 2024 following the IMGX Merger. In connection with certain cost reduction measures we have taken, on July 16, 2024, we reduced our headcount to 11 employees, and Dr. Syage agreed to reduce his annual base salary to $66,560, effective July 1, 2024. On August 1, 2024, in order to further reduce costs and conserve resources, we approved the termination of all non-essential employees and are considering vacating the Boca Raton office.
On August 2, 2024, in connection with the reduction in workforce, the Board approve the termination of (i) the employment agreement with our Chief Executive Officer, James Sapirstein (the “Sapirstein Employment Agreement”), and (ii) the offer letter between us and our President, Jack Syage. In connection with the termination of the Sapirstein Employment Agreement, on August 2, 2024, we entered into a consulting agreement with Mr. Sapirstein (the “Sapirstein Consulting Agreement”), whereby he will continue to serve as our Chief Executive Officer, and pursuant to which Mr. Sapirstein will be paid $400 an hour monthly for services rendered to us. The Sapirstein Consulting Agreement has an initial term of six months, subject to early termination by either party for any reason at any time, and may be extended on a month-to-month basis upon mutual agreement after the expiration of the initial six-month term.
Additionally, on August 2, 2024, as part of the reduction in workforce described above, the Board approved the payout of unused vacation time for all employees accrued through August 1, 2024, including Mr. Sapirstein, Dr. Syage, and our Chief Financial Officer, Sarah Romano. We paid Mr. Sapirstein, Dr. Syage, and Ms. Romano $69,230, $1,920, and $45,590, respectively, to compensate for their unused vacation time accrued through August 1, 2024.
As a result of the rationalization, we have paused development of Latiglutenase, Adrulipase, Niclosamide, Capeserod, and any other non-essential research and development activities. We are exploring strategic alternatives, including a sale or wind-down of the IMGX entity, as well as other potential strategic options, including a merger, reverse merger, sale, wind-down, liquidation and dissolution or other strategic transaction, however our board of directors has not yet approved any strategic transactions. We are dependent on obtaining, and are continuing to pursue, the necessary funding from outside sources, including obtaining additional funding from the sale of securities in order to continue our operations. We have no committed source of additional capital and if we are unable to raise additional capital in sufficient amounts or on terms acceptable to us, we may be forced to delay, reduce or terminate our business activities.
Notice of Default and Acceleration
As previously disclosed in our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 14, 2024, we acquired ImmunogenX in a merger transaction, the terms of which included, among other things, our wholly owned subsidiary, IMGX, assuming the debt of ImmunogenX. On August 2, 2024, IMGX received a Notice of Default and Acceleration (the “Notice”) relating to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of October 3, 2022 (as amended, modified, supplemented or restated from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”) by and among Mattress Liquidators, Inc. (the “Lender”) and ImmunogenX.
The Notice informed IMGX that one or more events of default under the Credit Agreement (“Event of Defaults”) were existing and continuing. Such outstanding Events of Default include, among others, IMGX suffering an adverse change in its financial condition which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Credit Agreement).
The Notice indicated that, as a result of the outstanding Events of Default, pursuant to the terms of Section 8.3 of the Credit Agreement, (a) the outstanding principal balance of the loan made under the Credit Agreement, all interest and fees related thereto, and all other outstanding obligations are accelerated and declared immediately due and payable, and that the Lender demands immediate payment of all obligations, and (b) the Lender is increasing the effective interest rate to the Default Rate (as defined in the Credit Agreement). The Credit Agreement affords IMGX thirty (30) days to cure Events of Default (the “Cure Period”), with a possible extension of an additional thirty (30) days, provided that in no event shall the Cure Period be greater than sixty (60) days in the aggregate. If IMGX is not able to cure the Events of Default within the Cure Period, IMGX may also be deemed to be in default of the stockholder notes ImmunogenX entered into with Jack Syage and Peter Felker as part of the acquisition of ImmunogenX by us (the “Stockholder Notes”), the entry into such notes having been previously disclosed by us on our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 14, 2024. If IMGX is deemed to have defaulted under the Stockholder Notes, the holders of the Stockholder Notes may, at their option and upon notice to IMGX, declare the outstanding principal of, and all accrued interest on, the Stockholder Notes immediately due and payable.