S-1/A: Curative Biotechnology Files S-1/A for $10 Million Public Offering Amidst Going Concern Warning and Extensive Debt Restructuring
Registration Statement Amendment
Curative Biotechnology, Inc. is seeking to raise $10 million through a firm commitment public offering of common stock, coupled with a 1-for-400 reverse stock split and a planned NYSE American listing, as the development-stage biotech company grapples with significant accumulated losses and a going concern qualification from its auditors.
Summary
- Curative Biotechnology, Inc., a development-stage biomedical company, is undertaking a firm commitment public offering of 2,500,000 shares of common stock at an assumed price of $4.00 per share, aiming to raise approximately $8.5 million in net proceeds.
- The company plans to use the net proceeds primarily for the full repayment of a secured convertible promissory note and an unsecured promissory note totaling $2.8 million, allocate $1.8 million for cGMP manufacturing and IND-enabling activities for its lead Metformin eye drop program, and dedicate $60,000 for maintaining intellectual property rights, with the remainder for general corporate purposes.
- A 1-for-400 reverse stock split has been approved by stockholders and filed, to be effected prior to the offering's completion, with the primary purpose of meeting NYSE American minimum stock price requirements for listing.
- The company has applied to list its common stock on the NYSE American under the symbol CUBT, and this listing is a condition to the offering.
- Auditors' reports for the years ended December 31, 2024, and 2023, included a 'Going Concern' emphasis due to a history of net losses, insufficient capital, and a working capital deficit of approximately $7.0 million as of March 31, 2025.
- The company reported a net loss of approximately $3.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, and $4.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, with an accumulated deficit of approximately $42.8 million as of March 31, 2025.
- Curative Biotechnology's lead product candidate is a reformulated Metformin eye drop to treat Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration, licensed from the National Eye Institute (NEI) at NIH, with IND submission targeted for Q1 2026.
- Other licensed preclinical assets include IMT504 for late-stage Rabies (which has FDA Orphan Drug designation) and an anti-CD56 antibody drug conjugate for glioblastoma, though resources are currently focused almost entirely on the degenerative eye disease platform.
- The senior secured convertible promissory note, with a balance of $2,848,010 as of March 31, 2025, has undergone 21 amendments to its maturity date, now set for November 15, 2025.
- The company operates with a small number of employees (three as of June 30, 2025) and relies heavily on outsourced vendors for research, development, and manufacturing.
Sentiment
Score: 2
Explanation: The sentiment is overwhelmingly negative due to the company's severe financial distress, including a 'going concern' qualification, substantial accumulated deficit, and recurring losses. While the public offering provides a temporary lifeline, it is a necessity for survival rather than a sign of strong performance or growth. The early-stage pipeline and reliance on future, uncertain funding for commercialization further contribute to a highly speculative and risky outlook.
Positives
- The company is undertaking a public offering to raise approximately $8.5 million in net proceeds, which is crucial for its immediate operational funding and debt repayment.
- Application has been made to list shares on the NYSE American, which, if successful, could enhance liquidity and attract broader investor interest.
- The lead product candidate, Metformin eye drops for Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration, is being developed in collaboration with the National Eye Institute (NEI) at NIH, with NEI covering the balance of clinical trial costs beyond the company's $115,000 cap.
- IND-enabling toxicology and pharmacokinetics animal studies for the Metformin eye drop program have been successfully completed.
- The Rabies therapeutic (IMT504) has received Orphan Drug designation from the U.S. FDA, which provides certain incentives for development.
- The Board of Directors has been strengthened with the addition of independent directors, including those with financial and medical expertise, and has established key committees in compliance with NYSE American rules.
Negatives
- The company has a significant 'Going Concern' qualification from its auditors, indicating substantial doubt about its ability to continue operations without additional funding.
- A history of recurring net losses, including $3.4 million in 2024 and $4.0 million in 2023, and an accumulated deficit of $42.8 million as of March 31, 2025, highlight severe financial instability.
- The company has no product revenues to date and does not expect to generate revenues for the foreseeable future, relying entirely on external financing.
- New investors in the public offering will experience immediate and substantial dilution of $3.64 per share based on the assumed $4.00 offering price.
- Substantially all of the company's assets are pledged as collateral for a secured convertible promissory note, which has been amended 21 times, reflecting ongoing financial distress and dependence on lender flexibility.
- The Rabies program, despite having Orphan Drug designation, is currently not allocated resources and its development is contingent on substantial additional funding beyond the current offering.
- The company has identified a material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting due to insufficient personnel for adequate segregation of duties.
- Management has limited public company experience, with only one senior manager having prior responsibility for a publicly traded company.
- The company's virtual operating model with only three employees may pose challenges in managing multiple complex clinical programs simultaneously, even with outsourced vendors.
Risks
- The company may not be able to continue as a going concern if it does not obtain additional financing.
- A limited operating history makes it difficult for investors to predict future performance.
- The company is an early-stage entity with no product revenues, is not profitable, and may never achieve profitability.
- Significant additional financing is required to initiate and complete clinical trials and implement the business plan.
- Future losses could materially adversely affect financial condition, ability to pay debts, and cash flows.
- Reliance on third parties for clinical trials, research, preclinical testing, and manufacturing may lead to unsatisfactory performance, delays, or quality issues.
- Failure to comply with licensing agreements or disruptions to licensor relationships could result in the loss of important intellectual property rights.
- Inability to protect the confidentiality of trade secrets could materially adversely affect technology value and business.
- The insurance coverage and reimbursement status of newly-approved products are uncertain, potentially harming business.
- No dividends have been paid, and none are anticipated in the foreseeable future.
- Investors in this offering will experience immediate and substantial dilution in net tangible book value.
- The common stock may become classified as a 'penny stock' again post-offering, resulting in less liquidity.
- A reverse stock split could cause the stock price to decline relative to its value before the split, and there is no assurance of continued compliance with NYSE American minimum trading price requirements.
- The resulting market price of common stock post-split may not attract new investors or satisfy investing requirements, potentially not improving trading liquidity.
- Additional authorized shares of common stock post-split could dilute the percentage ownership of existing stockholders.
- The common stock purchase warrant issued in the March 2022 secured note offering may be adjusted, leading to further dilution.
- Financing documents related to the secured convertible promissory note contain covenants that could restrict the company's ability to implement its business plan.
- The amended and restated Bylaws provide Florida as the sole and exclusive forum for substantially all disputes, which could limit stockholders' ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum.
- The identified material weakness in internal control over financial reporting, if not remediated, may adversely affect business, investor confidence, and financial results.
- Drug development is a highly uncertain undertaking involving substantial risk, with no guarantee of regulatory approval or commercialization.
- Clinical trials may fail to demonstrate substantial evidence of safety and effectiveness, leading to delays or denial of regulatory approval.
- Use of product candidates could be associated with side effects or adverse events, delaying or halting clinical development.
- Failure to obtain regulatory approval outside the United States would limit market potential.
- Orphan drug marketing exclusivity, even if obtained, may not be maintained or prevent competition.
- Ongoing regulatory obligations and review post-approval may result in significant additional expense and penalties for non-compliance.
- Improper promotion of off-label uses, if product candidates are approved, could lead to significant liability.
- Healthcare legislative measures aimed at reducing costs may materially adversely affect business and results of operations.
- Significant competition exists in an environment of rapid technological and scientific change.
Future Outlook
The company expects to incur significant operating losses for the foreseeable future as it continues research, preclinical, and clinical development of its product candidates. It anticipates needing substantial additional capital beyond the current offering to fund operations and achieve FDA approval for its products. The primary focus for resource allocation is the Metformin eye drop program, with a target of Q1 2026 for IND submission. The long-term strategy involves partnering assets with larger companies for commercial launch after reaching key inflection points in development.
Management Comments
- Management has determined that it will still focus nearly all its resources from this raise on the Degenerative Eye Disease platform.
- It is still too early to determine if our product candidate will meet the requirements for IND approval.
- It is our plan after reaching key inflection points in each program to then partner the assets with companies that have the appetite and resources for commercial launch.
- The Company is virtually distributed with a small group of executives managing a worldwide consortium of outsourced vendors in order to mitigate the costs and risks of internal infrastructure.
- We expect these expenses [General and Administrative] to continue to increase as we restart our research and development and operating activities and the support for those activities also increases.
- We expect research and development costs to increase significantly going forward as we continue our development efforts primarily through outsourced vendors.
- Although management believes that such funding sources will be available, there can be no assurance that any such collaborative arrangement will be entered into or that financing will be available to us when needed in order to allow us to continue our operations, or if available, on terms acceptable to us.
Industry Context
The company operates in the highly competitive and speculative biopharmaceutical industry, characterized by lengthy, expensive, and uncertain drug development processes. Its focus on 'Orphan Diseases' is a common strategy to leverage regulatory incentives for smaller patient populations. The lead program targeting Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) aims to address a large market, particularly the dry AMD segment which currently lacks approved drug treatments, potentially offering an advantage with a topical eye drop formulation over existing injectable therapies. The Rabies program targets a critical unmet need for late-stage treatment, where no approved drugs currently exist globally. The company's reliance on third-party contract research and manufacturing organizations is typical for early-stage biotechs, but also introduces dependency risks common in the sector.
Comparison to Industry Standards
- The company's reliance on third-party Contract Research Organizations (CROs) and Contract Manufacturing Organizations (CMOs) for preclinical studies, clinical trials, and manufacturing aligns with common industry practice for early-stage biotech companies, such as those seen with smaller biotechs like 'Xenon Pharmaceuticals' or 'Atea Pharmaceuticals' which also outsource significant portions of their R&D and manufacturing to manage costs and leverage specialized expertise.
- The pursuit of Orphan Drug designation for its Rabies therapeutic (already received from the FDA) is a standard strategic move for companies targeting rare diseases, similar to 'Sarepta Therapeutics' or 'Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical', as it offers potential benefits like market exclusivity, tax credits, and user-fee waivers, though it does not guarantee or shorten the regulatory approval process.
- The stated capital needs of $15 million over three years to reach 'inflection points' for all programs, and $3 million over 18 months for the lead AMD program, are within the typical range for early-stage drug development, comparable to seed or Series A funding rounds for other preclinical/Phase 1 biotechs, but the company's current financial state suggests a higher-than-average struggle to secure this funding.
- The company's history of 21 amendments to its senior secured convertible promissory note is highly unusual and indicative of severe and prolonged financial distress, far exceeding typical debt management practices in the industry, where such frequent modifications are rare for financially stable entities.
- The 'Going Concern' qualification from its auditors is a critical red flag, placing the company in a more precarious financial position compared to most publicly traded biotech firms, which typically aim to demonstrate sufficient liquidity for at least 12 months of operations.
- The company's lean operational structure with only three employees, relying heavily on outsourced vendors, is an extreme example of a 'virtual biotech' model, which while cost-efficient, may present challenges in oversight and strategic execution compared to companies with more robust internal teams like 'Moderna' or 'BioNTech' in their early stages.
Management Changes
| Role | Previous Person | New Person | Effective Date | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Strategy Officer and Director | Dr. Barry Ginsberg | N/A | 2023-09-11 | Resignation, with an agreement to serve as a consultant for one year. |
| Director (Nominee) and Chairman of Clinical Development Oversight Committee | N/A | Dr. Jeffery Liebman | Upon approval by and uplisting to a national exchange | Appointment to the Board and a newly created committee. |
Corporate Governance
| Change Type | Description | Effective Date | Impact Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Committee Reconstitution and Charter Adoption | The Board reconstituted its Audit, Governance and Nominating, and Compensation Committees and adopted new Committee Charters to comply with NYSE American rules. | 2022-08-06 | Aims to enhance corporate governance and align with national exchange listing standards, potentially improving investor confidence. |
| Board Composition Independence | Four out of five current directors (Cary Sucoff, Lawrence Zaslow, Thomas Champ Poss, and Theressa Heah) are determined to be independent, with a one-year grace period to comply with the NYSE American's 50% independent director requirement upon listing. | N/A (as of filing date) | Indicates a move towards stronger independent oversight, a positive for corporate governance, though full compliance is pending. |
| Code of Ethics Adoption | Adopted a Code of Ethics and Business Conduct applicable to all directors, officers, and employees. | N/A (as of filing date) | Establishes a formal framework for ethical conduct, promoting integrity and compliance. |
| Bylaws Amendment Choice of Forum | Amended and restated Bylaws provide that Florida courts are the sole and exclusive forum for substantially all disputes between the company and its stockholders. | N/A (as of filing date) | Could limit stockholders' ability to choose their preferred judicial forum, potentially discouraging certain types of lawsuits against the company or its management. |
| Scientific and Clinical Advisory Board (SAB) Establishment | Established a Scientific and Clinical Advisory Board to advise the Board and management on scientific and intellectual property matters. | N/A (as of filing date) | Provides specialized expertise to guide product development and intellectual property strategy, enhancing scientific rigor. |
Related Party Transactions
- On November 11, 2020, 30,000,000 shares of Series C Preferred Stock were issued to certain employees and service providers, including Paul Michaels (Chairman & President), Barry Ginsberg (former CSO & Director), and Richard Garr (CEO, CFO, GC), for corporate restructuring and in-licensing services. These shares are convertible into 30% of the total issued and outstanding common stock post-conversion.
- On March 30, 2023, Richard Garr converted his 6,000,000 shares of Series C Preferred Stock into 124,130 shares of common stock.
- On January 14, 2022, Paul Michaels received a grant of 2,500 common shares valued at $51,750, and Richard Garr received options to purchase 6,214 common shares at an exercise price of $20.72, valued at $51,750.
- Two related-party loans, totaling $35,000 (a $15,000 loan and a $20,000 loan), extended by an entity owned by two officers of the company, with maturity dates now extended to February 25, 2026.
- On July 23, 2025, the Board approved a plan to settle accrued compensation for two officers (Paul Michaels and I Richard Garr) as of March 31, 2025, totaling $522,500. This settlement involves 50% ($261,250) paid in cash over 24 monthly payments and the other 50% converted into restricted common stock vesting over 24 equal monthly installments.
Stakeholder Impact
- **Shareholders**: Will experience immediate and substantial dilution from the public offering and potential future exercises of warrants and options. Existing shareholders face a high risk of significant or complete loss of investment due to the company's going concern status and recurring losses. Potential for improved liquidity if NYSE American listing is successful.
- **Employees**: Key executives have had salaries deferred and are now subject to a settlement plan involving partial cash payments and restricted stock, indicating financial strain on compensation. The company maintains a very small employee base, relying heavily on outsourced services.
- **Lenders**: The company's ability to repay its secured and unsecured notes has been consistently challenged, leading to numerous maturity date extensions. The current offering aims to repay a significant portion of this debt, which would be positive for these specific creditors.
- **Customers/Patients**: The success of the company's product candidates, particularly the Metformin eye drops for AMD, could offer new therapeutic options for patients with unmet medical needs, but this is contingent on successful, lengthy, and uncertain clinical development and regulatory approval.
- **Suppliers/Vendors**: The company's financial difficulties, including accrued liabilities and settlements with vendors, suggest potential payment delays or renegotiations, impacting supplier relationships.
Next Steps
- Effect the 1-for-400 reverse stock split prior to the completion of the public offering.
- Complete the firm commitment public offering of 2,500,000 shares of common stock.
- Achieve listing of common stock on the NYSE American under the symbol CUBT, as this is a condition to the offering.
- Repay the outstanding secured convertible promissory note and unsecured promissory note totaling approximately $2.8 million using proceeds from the offering.
- Complete necessary cGMP manufacturing and IND-enabling activities for the Metformin eye drop program.
- Submit an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the FDA for the Metformin eye drop program, targeting Q1 2026.
- Upon IND approval, conduct the first-in-human clinical trial for the Metformin eye drop program in collaboration with the NEI.
- Maintain intellectual property rights for other therapeutic programs.
- Continue to seek additional capital through private/public sales of equity/debt, collaborative arrangements, or licensing agreements to fund future operations and development beyond this offering.
- Partner assets with larger companies for commercial launch after reaching key inflection points in product development.
- Remediate the identified material weakness in internal control over financial reporting.
- Adopt a formal policy for remuneration of the Scientific and Clinical Advisory Board.
- Enter into indemnification agreements with officers and directors.
Key Dates
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 2020-09-01 | Original effective date of employment agreements for I Richard Garr and Paul Michaels. |
| 2020-10-15 | Effective date of NIH License L-009-2021-0 for glioblastoma research. |
| 2020-11-11 | Company issued 30,000,000 shares of Series C Preferred Stock to employees and service providers. |
| 2020-11-23 | Company changed its name to Curative Biotechnology, Inc. |
| 2020-12-01 | Company contracted with a third party to develop a new website. |
| 2021-01-01 | Effective date of NIH Patent license #2 for ocular metformin formulation. |
| 2021-02-02 | Effective date of NIH License L-088-2021-0 (Metformin). |
| 2021-08-26 | Board approved the 2021 Equity Incentive Plan. |
| 2021-09-01 | Paul Michaels' annual salary increased to $300,000 and Richard Garr's annual salary increased to $420,000. |
| 2021-09-30 | Effective date of exclusive license for IMT504 (Rabies) from Mid-Atlantic BioTherapeutics, Inc. |
| 2021-10-08 | Shareholders approved the 2021 Equity Incentive Plan. |
| 2022-01-14 | Board granted 2,500 common shares to Paul Michaels and options to purchase 6,214 common shares to Richard Garr. |
| 2022-03-02 | Company issued a secured convertible promissory note with a principal amount of $1,142,857.14. |
| 2022-03-15 | Company entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the NEI for the Metformin license. |
| 2022-05-16 | Cary Sucoff appointed to the Board of Directors. |
| 2022-05-27 | Company issued an unsecured promissory note for $200,000 in cash. |
| 2022-06-16 | Lawrence Zaslow appointed to the Board of Directors. |
| 2022-08-18 | First amendment to the March 2022 secured convertible note transaction documents. |
| 2022-09-26 | Company filed an amendment to its articles of incorporation to effect a 1-for-400 reverse stock split. |
| 2022-10-02 | Second amendment to the March 2022 secured convertible note transaction documents. |
| 2022-10-14 | Third amendment to the March 2022 secured convertible note transaction documents. |
| 2022-11-02 | Fourth amendment to the March 2022 secured convertible note transaction documents. |
| 2022-11-16 | Fifth amendment to the March 2022 secured convertible note transaction documents. |
| 2022-12-16 | Sixth amendment to the March 2022 secured convertible note transaction documents. |
| 2023-01-05 | Company announced the successful completion of IND-enabling study for Metformin eye drops. |
| 2023-01-11 | Seventh amendment to the March 2022 secured convertible note transaction documents. |
| 2023-01-31 | Eighth amendment to the March 2022 secured convertible note transaction documents. |
| 2023-02-17 | Ninth amendment to the March 2022 secured convertible note transaction documents. |
| 2023-03-16 | Tenth amendment to the March 2022 secured convertible note transaction documents. |
| 2023-03-30 | Richard Garr converted 6,000,000 shares of Series C Preferred Stock into 124,130 shares of common stock. |
| 2023-04-05 | Eleventh amendment to the March 2022 secured convertible note transaction documents. |
| 2023-04-26 | Thomas Champ Poss appointed to the Board of Directors. |
| 2023-05-02 | Twelfth amendment to the March 2022 secured convertible note transaction documents. |
| 2023-07-02 | Thirteenth amendment to the March 2022 secured convertible note transaction documents. |
| 2023-09-01 | Richard Garr and Paul Michaels' employment agreements extended for two additional years, with annual salaries reduced to $250,000. |
| 2023-09-11 | Dr. Barry Ginsberg resigned from his position as Chief Strategy Officer and Director. |
| 2023-10-17 | Stockholders approved a reverse stock split within the range of 1-for-2 to 1-for-400. |
| 2023-12-01 | Fourteenth amendment to the March 2022 secured convertible note transaction documents. |
| 2023-12-18 | Fifteenth amendment to the March 2022 secured convertible note transaction documents. |
| 2023-12-25 | Dr. Theressa Heah appointed to the Board of Directors. |
| 2024-01-01 | Number of shares authorized under the 2021 Equity Incentive Plan increased to 229,816. |
| 2024-01-02 | Vesting began for 137,500 common stock purchase options granted to three Board members. |
| 2024-01-29 | Sixteenth amendment to the March 2022 secured convertible note transaction documents. |
| 2024-02-02 | Effective date of the first amendment to NIH License L-088-2021-0 (Metformin), extending the original license term. |
| 2024-02-28 | Paul Michaels' employment agreement extended for an additional three years, making a total extension of five years, expiring September 14, 2028. |
| 2024-03-25 | Company exercised its option to further extend the maturity date of the secured note to May 2, 2024. |
| 2024-04-01 | Seventeenth modification of the March 2022 secured convertible note. |
| 2024-05-01 | Eighteenth modification of the March 2022 secured convertible note. |
| 2024-07-01 | Nineteenth modification of the March 2022 secured convertible note. |
| 2024-09-01 | Twentieth modification of the March 2022 secured convertible note. |
| 2024-11-01 | Twenty-first modification of the March 2022 secured convertible note, resetting maturity to November 15, 2025. |
| 2025-02-01 | Related party short-term notes extended to February 25, 2026. |
| 2025-03-31 | End of the most recent unaudited financial reporting period. |
| 2025-04-01 | NIH License #1 extended to October 2025; NIH License #2 payment extended to April 2026. |
| 2025-06-01 | Vendor agreed to a settlement of an accrued liability of $397,646. |
| 2025-07-23 | Board approved a plan to settle accrued officer compensation (50% cash, 50% restricted stock). |
| 2025-08-01 | Filing date of the S-1/A registration statement. |
| 2026-03-02 | Benchmark to complete Phase 1 Clinical Study or initiate Phase 2 Clinical Study for Metformin eye drops. |
| 2027-02-02 | Benchmark to complete Phase 2 Clinical Study or initiate Phase 3 Clinical Study for Metformin eye drops. |
| 2028-09-14 | Expiration date of Paul Michaels' extended employment agreement. |
| 2030-02-02 | Benchmark for first commercial sale of a Licensed Product to treat a first indicated disease within the Field of Use. |
| 2031-02-02 | Benchmark for first commercial sale of a Licensed Product to treat at least a second indicated disease within the Field of Use. |
Recommendation
strong sellThe company presents an extremely high-risk investment profile. It has a clear 'going concern' qualification from its auditors, indicating substantial doubt about its ability to continue operations. This is supported by a history of significant net losses, a large accumulated deficit, and minimal cash on hand. While the public offering aims to raise capital, a substantial portion is allocated to repay existing, frequently amended debt, rather than solely funding growth. The product pipeline is in early development stages, meaning commercialization and revenue generation are years away and highly uncertain. New investors face immediate and substantial dilution. The company's survival is contingent on continuous, successful capital raises in a challenging and competitive industry, making it a highly speculative venture with a high probability of capital loss.
Keywords
Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, Drug Development, Clinical Trials, Age-Related Macular Degeneration, AMD, Rabies, Glioblastoma, SEC Filing, S-1/A, Public Offering, Reverse Stock Split, Going Concern, Orphan Drug, Metformin, NIH, FDA, NYSE American
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