Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

BUSINESS AND FUNDING

v3.19.1
BUSINESS AND FUNDING
3 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Organization, Consolidation, Basis of Presentation, Business Description and Accounting Policies [Text Block]

1.         BUSINESS AND FUNDING


Description of Business 


As used herein, “we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company” or “Anixa” means Anixa Biosciences, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.  Our primary operations involve research and development of cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.  Our two oncology programs include development of the Cchek™ liquid biopsy for the early detection of cancer and a chimeric antigen receptor T-cell technology based ovarian cancer therapeutic.


In June 2015, the Company announced the formation of a subsidiary, Anixa Diagnostics Corporation (“Anixa Diagnostics”), to develop Cchek™ a platform for non-invasive blood tests for the early detection of cancer.  In July 2015, the Company announced a collaborative research agreement with The Wistar Institute (“Wistar”), the nation’s first independent biomedical research institute and a leading National Cancer Institute designated cancer research center, for the purpose of validating proprietary cancer detection methodologies and establishing protocols for identifying certain biomarkers in the blood which we identified and which are known to be associated with malignancies.


We have demonstrated the efficacy of our Cchek™ early cancer detection platform with 20 different types of cancer, including:  breast, lung, colon, melanoma, ovarian, liver, thyroid, pancreatic, appendiceal, uterine, osteosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, liposarcoma, vulvar, prostate, bladder, cervical, head and neck, gastric and testicular cancers.  Breast, lung, colon and prostate cancers represent the four largest categories of cancer worldwide.


Based on a number of factors, including key scientific, clinical, and commercial considerations, the initial commercial focus for Cchek™ will be on a prostate cancer confirmatory test. 


In November 2017, the Company announced the formation of a subsidiary, Certainty Therapeutics, Inc. (“Certainty”), to develop immuno-therapy drugs against cancer.  Certainty entered into a license agreement with Wistar pursuant to which Certainty was granted an exclusive worldwide, royalty-bearing license to use certain intellectual property owned or controlled by Wistar relating to Wistar’s chimeric endocrine receptor targeted therapy technology (such technology being akin to chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (“CAR-T”) technology).  We have initially focused on the development of a treatment for ovarian cancer, but we also may pursue future applications of the technology for the development of treatments for additional solid tumors.  The license agreement requires Certainty to make certain cash and equity payments to Wistar.  With respect to Certainty’s equity obligations to Wistar, Certainty issued to Wistar shares of its common stock equal to five percent (5%) of the common stock of Certainty.


Following the formation of Certainty and the license agreement with Wistar, Certainty entered into a collaboration agreement with the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Inc. (“Moffitt”) to advance toward human clinical testing the CAR-T technology licensed by Certainty from Wistar aimed initially at treating ovarian cancer.  Certainty is working with researchers at Moffitt to complete studies necessary to submit an Investigational New Drug (“IND”) application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”).


Over the next several quarters, we expect Cchek™ and Certainty’s ovarian cancer treatment to be the primary focus of the Company.  As part of our legacy operations, the Company remains engaged in limited patent licensing activities in the area of encrypted audio/video conference calling.  We do not expect these activities to be a significant part of the Company’s ongoing operations nor do we expect these activities to require material financial resources or attention of senior management.


Over the past several quarters, our revenue was derived from technology licensing and the sale of patented technologies, including revenue from the settlement of litigation.  In addition to Anixa Diagnostics and Certainty, the Company may make investments in and form new companies to develop additional emerging technologies.


Funding and Management’s Plans


During the three months ended January 31, 2019, cash used in operating activities was approximately $1,330,000.  Cash provided by investing activities was approximately $250,000, resulting from the proceeds on maturities of certificates of deposit.  Cash provided by financing activities was approximately $2,176,000, resulting from the sale of 551,603 shares of common stock in an at-the-market equity offering of approximately $2,154,000 and the proceeds from exercise of stock options of approximately $23,000.  As a result, our cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments at January 31, 2019 increased approximately $847,000 to approximately $5,903,000 from approximately $5,056,000 at the end of fiscal year 2018.


 Based on currently available information as of March 13, 2019, we believe that our existing cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments and expected cash flows will be sufficient to fund our activities for the next twelve months.  However, our projections of future cash needs and cash flows may differ from actual results.  If current cash on hand, cash equivalents, short term investments and cash that may be generated from our business operations are insufficient to continue to operate our business (including for the defense of a putative shareholder derivative complaint filed in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, captioned Howland v. Kumar et al.), or if we elect to invest in or acquire a company or companies that are synergistic with or complimentary to our technologies, we may be required to obtain more working capital.  During the three months ended January 31, 2019, we raised approximately $2,154,000 through an at-the-market equity offering of 551,603 shares of common stock which is currently effective (we can sell an additional 924,507 shares under our current at-the-market equity program) and may remain available for us to use in the future.  We may seek to obtain working capital during our fiscal year 2019 or thereafter through sales of our equity securities or through bank credit facilities or public or private debt from various financial institutions where possible.  We cannot be certain that additional funding will be available on acceptable terms, or at all.  If we do identify sources for additional funding, the sale of additional equity securities or convertible debt could result in dilution to our stockholders.  Additionally, the sale of equity securities or issuance of debt securities may be subject to certain security holder approvals or may result in the downward adjustment of the exercise or conversion price of our outstanding securities.  We can give no assurance that we will generate sufficient cash flows in the future to satisfy our liquidity requirements or sustain future operations, or that other sources of funding, such as sales of equity or debt, would be available or would be approved by our security holders, if needed, on favorable terms or at all.  If we fail to obtain additional working capital as and when needed, such failure could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition.  Furthermore, such lack of funds may inhibit our ability to respond to competitive pressures or unanticipated capital needs, or may force us to reduce operating expenses, which would significantly harm the business and development of operations.


Basis of Presentation


The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Rule 8-03 of Regulation S-X.  Accordingly, certain information and disclosures required by generally accepted accounting principles in annual financial statements have been omitted or condensed.  These interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and related disclosures included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 2018.  The accompanying October 31, 2018 consolidated balance sheet data was derived from the audited financial statements but does not include all disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“US GAAP”).  The condensed consolidated financial statements include all adjustments of a normal recurring nature which, in the opinion of management, are necessary for a fair statement of our financial position as of January 31, 2019, and results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods represented.  The results of operations for the three months ended January 31, 2019 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the entire year.


Noncontrolling Interest


Noncontrolling interest represents Wistar’s equity ownership in Certainty and is presented as a component of equity.  The following table sets forth the changes in noncontrolling interest for the three months ended January 31, 2019:


Balance October 31, 2018

$

(251,377)

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest

 

(84,768)

Balance January 31, 2019

$

(336,145)


Revenue Recognition


Since fiscal 2016 our revenue has been derived solely from technology licensing and the sale of patented technologies.  Revenue is recognized upon transfer of control of intellectual property rights and satisfaction of other contractual performance obligations to licensees in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to receive. 


The Company is required to make certain judgments and estimates in connection with the accounting for revenue.  Such areas may include determining the existence of a contract and identifying each party’s rights and obligations to transfer goods and services, identifying the performance obligations in the contract, determining the transaction price and allocating the transaction price to separate performance obligations, estimating the timing of satisfaction of performance obligations, determining whether a promise to grant a license is distinct from other promised goods or services and evaluating whether a license transfers to a customer at a point in time or over time.


Our past revenue arrangements have provided for the payment of contractually determined, one-time, paid-up license fees in settlement of litigation and in consideration for the grant of certain intellectual property rights for patented technologies owned or controlled by the Company.  These arrangements typically include some combination of the following: (i) the grant of a non-exclusive, retroactive and future license to manufacture and/or sell products covered by patented technologies owned or controlled by the Company, (ii) a covenant-not-to-sue, (iii) the release of the licensee from certain claims, and (iv) the dismissal of any pending litigation.  In such instances, the intellectual property rights granted have been perpetual in nature, extending until the expiration of the related patents.  Pursuant to the terms of these agreements, we have no further obligations with respect to the granted intellectual property rights, including no obligation to maintain or upgrade the technology, or provide future support or services.  Licensees obtained control of the intellectual property rights they have acquired upon execution of the agreement.  As such, the earnings process was complete and revenue has been recognized upon the execution of the agreement, when collectability was reasonably assured, and when all other revenue recognition criteria were met.


Cost of Revenues


Cost of revenues include the costs and expenses incurred in connection with our patent licensing and enforcement activities, including inventor royalties paid to original patent owners, contingent legal fees paid to external counsel, other patent-related legal expenses paid to external counsel, licensing and enforcement related research, consulting and other expenses paid to third-parties and the amortization of patent-related investment costs.  These costs are included under the caption “Operating costs and expenses” in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations.


Patents


Our only identifiable intangible assets are patents and patent rights.  We capitalize patent and patent rights acquisition costs and amortize the cost over the estimated economic useful life.  No patent acquisition costs were capitalized during the three months ended January 31, 2019 and 2018.  We recorded patent amortization expense of approximately $251,000 and $81,000 during the three-month periods ended January 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.  In evaluating the carrying amount of capitalized patents at January 31, 2019, we determined that based on estimated undiscounted future cash flows a write-down of the carrying amount of approximately $419,000 should be recorded as of January 31, 2019.  Our estimates of future cash flows are based on our most recent assessment of the market for potential licensees, as well as the status of ongoing negotiations with potential licensees.