Sources of Liquidity
The Company’s primary sources of liquidity are its cash and cash equivalents, with additional liquidity accessible from the capital markets, including under its ATM Facility. Such additional liquidity is subject to market conditions and other factors, including limitations that may apply to the Company under applicable SEC and Nasdaq regulations and challenges associated with raising sufficient capital to meet the Company’s financing needs in light of the Company’s current stock price and related constraints.
On October 3, 2022, the Company entered into an amendment to the Open Market Sale Agreement with Jefferies for the ATM Facility that enables it, subject to the applicable baby shelf rules, to offer and sell up to 15,661,000 shares of its common stock. At its discretion, the Company determines the timing and number of shares to be issued under the ATM Facility. During the nine months ended September 30, 2022 and in the subsequent period through October 3, 2022, the Company did not issue any shares under the ATM Facility. From October 3, 2022, through the date of this report, the Company has issued approximately 2.0 million shares of common stock under the ATM Facility for proceeds of $0.1 million net of commissions and payments for other share issuance costs.
In the Follow-On Offering, on February 23, 2022, the Company issued 3,880,000 shares of its common stock, 3,880,000 Pre-Funded Warrants, and 7,760,000 Common Warrants. In the aggregate, the Company received net proceeds of $10.0 million, after deducting approximately $0.9 million of underwriting discounts and estimated other offering expenses.
Over the longer term and until the Company can generate cash flows sufficient to support its operating capital requirements, it expects to finance a portion of future cash needs through (i) cash on hand, (ii) commercialization activities, which may result in various types of revenue streams from (a) future product development agreements and technology licenses, including upfront and milestone payments, annual license fees, and royalties; and (b) product sales from its proprietary BioFactory production system; (iii) government or other third-party funding, (iv) public or private equity or debt financings, (v) the execution of an alternative strategic transaction pursuant to the board of directors’ ongoing evaluation process or (vi) a combination of the foregoing. However, capital generated by commercialization activities, if any, is expected to be received over a period of time and near-term additional capital may not be available on reasonable terms, if at all.
The Company faces uncertainty regarding the adequacy of its liquidity and presently has limited access to additional financing. In the near term, additional capital may not be available on reasonable terms, if at all. For example, although the Company has access to the ATM Facility, based on the Company’s public float, as of the date of the filing of its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, the Company is only permitted to utilize a “shelf” registration statement for primary offerings, including the registration statement under which the Company’s ATM Facility is operated, subject to Instruction I.B.6 to Form S-3, which is referred to as the “baby shelf” rules. For so long as the Company’s public float is less than $75,000,000, it may not sell more than the equivalent of one-third of its public float during any twelve consecutive months pursuant to the baby shelf rules.
While alternative public and private transaction structures may be available, these may require additional time and cost, may result in fixed payment obligations, may result in substantial dilution to existing stockholders, particularly in light of the Company’s current stock price, may impose operational restrictions on the Company, may grant holders rights senior to those of the Company’s shares of common stock, and may not be available on attractive terms. Accordingly, the Company continuously assesses market conditions and available financing alternatives. However, in light of the Company’s current stock price, any potential financing transaction would result in substantial dilution to existing stockholders and there can be no assurance that such a transaction, if available, would be sufficient for the Company’s financing needs.
Further, on September 22, 2022, the Company announced that its board of directors is evaluating a full range of potential strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value, including financing alternatives, merger, reverse merger, other business combinations, sale of assets, licensing, or other transactions. Certain of these potential strategic transaction alternatives could result in substantial dilution to existing stockholders and have a material adverse effect on the market price of Calyxt’s common stock.
Operating Capital Requirements
The Company has incurred losses since its inception and anticipates that it will continue to generate losses for the next several years. The Company’s net loss was $14.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2022, and it used $15.6 million of cash for operating activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2022.
The Company’s liquidity funds its non-discretionary cash requirements and its discretionary spending. The Company has contractual obligations related to recurring business operations, primarily related to lease payments for its headquarters and laboratory facilities. The Company’s principal discretionary cash spending is for capital expenditures, short-term working capital payments, and professional and other transaction-related expenses incurred as the Company pursues additional financing and evaluates potential alternative transactions.
In light of the Company’s current liquidity challenges, management has implemented cost reduction and other cash-focused measures to manage liquidity, including reduction of capital expenditures, headcount reductions, and renegotiation or termination of professional services agreements. To conserve cash, the Company has also strategically evaluated its arrangements with suppliers and service providers and has, in several instances, transitioned such relationships to lower cost alternative providers. If the Company is unable to raise additional capital in a sufficient amount or on acceptable terms or to consummate an alternative strategic transaction, the Company may have to implement increasingly stringent cost saving measures and significantly delay, scale back, or cease operations, in part or in full. If the Company decided to cease operations and dissolve and liquidate its assets, it is unclear to what extent the Company would be able to pay its existing obligations. In such a circumstance and in light of the Company’s current liquidity position, it is unlikely that substantial resources would be available for distributions to stockholders.
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