Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Business Overview

v3.19.1
Business Overview
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Business Overview

(1) Business Overview

 

Pressure Biosciences, Inc. (“we”, “our”, “the Company”) is focused on solving the challenging problems inherent in biological sample preparation, a crucial laboratory step performed by scientists worldwide working in biological life sciences research. Sample preparation is a term that refers to a wide range of activities that precede most forms of scientific analysis. Sample preparation is often complex, time-consuming, and in our belief, one of the most error-prone steps of scientific research. It is a widely-used laboratory undertaking, the requirements of which drive what we believe is a large and growing worldwide market. We have developed and patented a novel, enabling technology platform that can control the sample preparation process. It is based on harnessing the unique properties of high hydrostatic pressure. This process, called pressure cycling technology, or PCT, uses alternating cycles of hydrostatic pressure between ambient and ultra-high levels (35,000 psi or greater) to safely, conveniently and reproducibly control the actions of molecules in biological samples, such as cells and tissues from human, animal, plant, and microbial sources.

 

Our pressure cycling technology uses internally developed instrumentation that is capable of cycling pressure between ambient and ultra-high levels - at controlled temperatures and specific time intervals - to rapidly and repeatedly control the interactions of bio-molecules, such as DNA, RNA, proteins, lipids, and small molecules. Our laboratory instrument, the Barocycler®®, and our internally developed consumables product line, including PULSE® (Pressure Used to Lyse Samples for Extraction) Tubes, other processing tubes, and application specific kits (which include consumable products and reagents) together make up our PCT Sample Preparation System, or PCT SPS.

 

In 2015, together with an investment bank, we formed a subsidiary called Pressure BioSciences Europe (“PBI Europe”) in Poland. We have 49% ownership interest with the investment bank retaining 51%. As of now, PBI Europe does not have any operating activities and we cannot reasonably predict when operations will commence. Therefore, we do not have control of the subsidiary and did not consolidate in our financial statements. PBI Europe did not have any operations in 2018 or in 2017.

 

Reverse Stock Split

 

On June 5, 2017, the Company effected a 1-for-30 reverse stock split of its issued and outstanding shares of common stock All common shares, stock options, and per share information presented in the financial statements have been adjusted to reflect the reverse stock split on a retroactive basis for all periods presented. The ratio by which shares of preferred stock are convertible into shares of common stock were adjusted to reflect the effects of the reverse stock split.