5) Commitments and Contingencies

Operating Leases

The Company accounts for its leases under ASC 842. The Company has elected to apply the short-term lease exception to leases of one year or less. Our corporate office is currently located at 480 Neponset Street, Unit 10B, Canton, MA 02021.

We extended our lease for our space in Medford, MA (the “Medford Lease”) from December 30, 2020 to December 30, 2023. The lease required monthly payments of $7,282 subject to annual cost of living increases. The lease shall be automatically extended for additional three years unless either party terminates at least nine months prior to the expiration of the current lease term. The Company did not renew this lease and let it expire on December 30, 2023.

The Company accounted for the lease extension of our Medford Lease as a lease modification under ASC 842. At the effective date of modification, the Company recorded an adjustment to the right-of-use asset and lease liability in the amount of $221,432 based on the net present value of lease payments discounted using an estimated borrowing rate of 12%.”

On February 5, 2024 we moved and entered a new lease for our corporate office (the “Canton Lease”). The Company accounts for the Canton Lease as an operating lease under ASC 842. Payment of rent began on April 1, 2024. The lease terminates on April 30, 2029. Monthly rent begins at $11,651 and escalates over the lease term to $13,678. Upon the commencement of the Canton Lease, the Company recorded a right-of-use asset and lease liability in the amount of $471,155 based on the net present value of lease payments discounted using an estimated borrowing rate of 24%.

On August 9, 2021, we entered into an operating lease agreement for our warehouse space in Sparks, NV (the “Sparks Lease”) for the period from September 1, 2021 through September 30, 2026. The lease contains escalating payments during the lease period. The lease can be extended for an additional three years if the Company provides notice at least six months prior to the expiration of the current lease term.

The Company accounted for the Sparks Lease as an operating lease under ASC 842. Upon the commencement of the lease, the Company recorded a right-of-use asset and lease liability in the amount of $239,327 based on the net present value of lease payments discounted using an estimated borrowing rate of 12%.

Following is a schedule by years of future minimum rental payments required under operating leases with initial or remaining non-cancelable lease terms in excess of one year as of March 31, 2024:

Schedule of Future Minimum Rental Payments 

The operating cash flows from the operating leases were $48,561 for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and $90,279 for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The weighted-average remaining lease term (years) of the above leases is 4.34 years as of March 31, 2024.

Below is a table for the right of use asset and the corresponding lease liability in the consolidated balance sheets:

 Schedule of Right of Use Asset and the Corresponding Lease Liability

The weighted-average discount rate is 22%.

The Company had no financing lease during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023.

The components of lease cost for operating leases for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 are as follows:

 Schedule of Lease Cost for Operating Leases

Target Discovery Inc.

In March 2010, we signed a strategic product licensing, manufacturing, co-marketing, and collaborative research and development agreement with Target Discovery Inc. (“TDI”), a related party. Under the terms of the agreement, we have been licensed by TDI to manufacture and sell an innovative line of chemicals used in the preparation of tissues for scientific analysis (“TDI reagents”). The TDI reagents were designed for use in combination with our pressure cycling technology. The companies believe that the combination of PCT and the TDI reagents can fill an existing need in life science research for an automated method for rapid extraction and recovery of intact, functional proteins associated with cell membranes in tissue samples. We did not incur any royalty obligation under this agreement in 2024 or 2023.

In April 2012, we signed a non-exclusive license agreement with TDI to grant the non-exclusive use of our pressure cycling technology. We executed an amendment to this agreement on October 1, 2016 wherein we agreed to pay a monthly fee of $1,400 for the use of a lab bench, shared space, and other utilities, and $2,000 per day for technical support services as needed. The agreement requires TDI to pay the Company a minimum royalty fee of $60,000 in 2023 and $60,000 in 2024. For the three months ended March 31, 2024 and March 31, 2023, the Company reported $15,450 and $15,450, respectively in TDI fees.

Severance and Change of Control Agreements

Each of Mr. Schumacher, and Drs. Ting, and Lazarev, executive officers of the Company, are entitled to receive a severance payment if terminated by the Company without cause. The severance benefits would include a payment in an amount equal to one year of such executive officer’s annualized base salary compensation plus accrued paid time off. Additionally, the officer will be entitled to receive medical and dental insurance coverage for one year following the date of termination.

Each of these executive officers, other than Mr. Schumacher, is entitled to receive a change of control payment in an amount equal to one year of such executive officer’s annualized base salary compensation, accrued paid time off, and medical and dental coverage, in the event of their termination upon a change of control of the Company. In the case of Mr. Schumacher, this payment would be equal to two years of annualized base salary compensation, accrued paid time off, and two years of medical and dental coverage. The severance payment is meant to induce the aforementioned executives to remain in the employ of the Company, in general, and particularly in the occurrence of a change in control, as a disincentive to the control change.

Pursuant to our equity incentive plans, any unvested stock options held by a named executive officer will become fully vested upon a change in control (as defined in the 2005 Equity Incentive Plan) of our Company.