EDGAR 10-K Filing

Company CIK: 1510964
Filing Year: 2025
Filename: 1510964_10-K_2025_0000950170-25-046180.json

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ITEM 1. BUSINESS
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Overview
CV Sciences, Inc. (“CV Sciences,” the “Company,” “we,” “our” or “us”) is a consumer wellness company specializing in nutraceuticals and plant-based foods. Our hemp extracts and other proven, science-backed, natural ingredients and products are sold through a range of sales channels from business-to-business (“B2B”) to business-to-consumer (“B2C”).
Our +PlusCBD™ branded products are sold at select retail locations throughout the U.S. and are the top-selling brands of hemp extracts in the natural products market, according to SPINS, the leading provider of syndicated data and insights for the natural, organic and specialty products industry. With a commitment to science, +PlusCBD™ product benefits in healthy people are supported by human clinical research data, in addition to three published clinical case studies available on PubMed.gov. +PlusCBD™ was the first hemp extract supplement brand to invest in the scientific evidence necessary to receive self-affirmed Generally Recognized as Safe ("GRAS") status.
On December 7, 2023, we entered into a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement, pursuant to which we purchased all of the outstanding equity interests in Cultured Foods Sp. z.o.o. (“Cultured Foods”), resulting in Cultured Foods becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. Cultured Foods is a leading European manufacturer and distributor of plant-based protein products. In January 2025, we launched Lunar Fox™, a brand that is focused on distribution of plant-based products in the U.S. market. Our Cultured Foods™ and Lunar Fox™ brands provide a variety of 100% plant-based food products. Committed to crafting nutritious and flavorful alternatives, Cultured Foods™ and Lunar Fox™ cater to individuals seeking vegan, gluten-free, or flexitarian options for a nutritious and satisfying culinary experience.
In May 2024, we acquired all outstanding membership interests of Elevated Softgels, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Elevated Softgels”). Elevated Softgels is a leading manufacturer of encapsulated softgels and tinctures for the supplement and nutrition industry, based in Colorado.
In August 2024, we engaged Maxim Group, LLC (“Maxim”) as a non-exclusive financial advisor and investment banker to provide strategic financial advisory and investment banking services. Working with Maxim, the Company intends to continue building an efficient and cost effective consumer products platform. We also intend to continue to evaluate inbound and outbound merger, sale, acquisition or other opportunities for the Company.
We also have a dormant drug development program focused on developing and commercializing CBD-based novel therapeutics, which may be pursued further, subject to available capital.
Our primary offices and facilities are located in San Diego, California; Grand Junction, Colorado; and Warsaw, Poland.
Our common stock is traded on the OTC:QB market under the trading symbol CVSI.
Current Operations
We currently manufacture and distribute more than 50 products across our four brands. We continuously evaluate new products to develop, introduce and market, as well as making improvements to our existing products.
We develop, manufacture, market and sell herbal supplements, CBD products and plant-based food products under the following brands: +PlusCBD™, +PlusHLTH™, Cultured Foods™, and Lunar Fox™ in the healthcare market sector, including nutraceutical, beauty care, specialty foods, and pet products.
•+PlusCBD™ - Our award-winning line of products available in softgel, tinctures, topicals, and gummies. It was our first brand to market, released in 2014, and is the top-selling brand of hemp-derived CBD in the natural product retail market. +PlusCBD™ is backed by published research, third party safety testing, and rigorous quality standards.
In addition, products under our +PlusCBD™ Pet brand offer all the hemp extract benefits offered by +PlusCBD™ for human use, but they are formulated just for cats and dogs. +PlusCBD™ Pet provides
physical and emotional support to help address the stress and physical discomfort keeping pets from being their best. Available in easy to use chews and liquids, with several flavor options including beef, chicken, and peanut butter.
•+PlusHLTH™ - During 2024, we launched a new line of cannabinoid-free supplements delivering targeted formulations for optimized health, improved performance and increased vitality. Products under our +PlusHLTH™ brand are currently distributed to select retailers in the U.S. and are available online.
•Cultured Foods™ - Products under our Cultured Foods™ brand are currently being distributed in Europe. Our products are entirely plant-based, natural, gluten-free and shelf-stable.
•Lunar Fox™ - In March 2025, we launched Lunar Fox™, our new brand of plant-based, natural, gluten-free and shelf-stable products tailored for and distributed to select retailers in the U.S. market.
Hemp-based CBD is one of more than 100 cannabinoids found in hemp and is non-psychoactive. Our U.S. based operations oversee our raw material supply chain, raw material processing, product development and manufacturing, and sales and marketing. We will continue to scale operations to accommodate market conditions.
We are also developing cannabinoids intended to treat medical indications. Cannabinoids are compounds derived from the Cannabis sativa plant, which contains two primary cannabinoids, CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”). Clinical and preclinical data suggest that CBD has promising results in treating a range of medical indications. We acquired drug development assets utilizing CBD as the active pharmaceutical ingredient in our CanX acquisition in December 2015.
Our product candidate, CVSI-007, combines CBD and nicotine in treatment of smokeless tobacco use and addiction. There are currently no drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) for treatment of smokeless tobacco use and addiction. The worldwide smokeless tobacco addiction treatment market is estimated at greater than $2 billion. We believe this product candidate will provide treatment options for this significant unmet medical need. CVSI-007 is based on proprietary formulations, processes and technology. In May 2016, we filed a patent application for the technology implemented for CVSI-007 with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”). On May 19, 2020, we received a formal notice of issuance from the USPTO for our patent application 15/426,617. The patent covers methods of treating smokeless tobacco addiction by administering pharmaceutical formulations containing CBD and nicotine. We have similar patent protection in other key markets throughout the world. As of December 31, 2024, our patent has been granted in 10 countries, including the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, Spain, France, Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, and Japan.
Our CVSI-007 program is currently dormant. Subject to available capital, we plan to continue our development efforts as we seek approval from the FDA to commercialize the world's first and only FDA-approved treatment for smokeless tobacco addiction. We have relationships with qualified parties and contract research organizations for our preclinical research and Investigational New Drug application (“IND”) preparation and development. Further development efforts require significant investment and we are looking for strategic partners to further advance our efforts. Commercialization of future specialty pharmaceutical products in the United States and other territories may rely on licensing and co-promotion agreements with strategic partners. If we choose to build a commercial infrastructure to support marketing in the United States, such commercial infrastructure could include a sales organization, internal sales support, an internal marketing group and distribution support. However, we anticipate that building such a commercial infrastructure will require significant investment.
During the year ended December 31, 2024, we continued to make strategic cost reductions, including reductions in employee headcount, vendor spending, and the delaying of certain expenses related to our drug development activities in order to ensure the success of our business.
Description of our Subsidiaries
CV Sciences was incorporated under the name Foreclosure Solutions, Inc. in the State of Texas on December 9, 2010. On July 25, 2013, CannaVest Corp., a Texas corporation (“CannaVest Texas”), merged with CV Sciences, a wholly-owned Delaware subsidiary of CannaVest Texas, to effectuate a change in the Company’s state of incorporation from Texas to Delaware. On January 4, 2016, we filed a Certificate of Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation reflecting
our corporate name change to “CV Sciences, Inc.”, effective on January 5, 2016. In addition, on January 4, 2016, we amended our Bylaws to reflect our corporate name change to “CV Sciences, Inc.”
On December 7, 2023, we acquired Cultured Foods, a limited liability company organized under the laws of Poland. On May 13, 2024, we acquired Elevated Softgels, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
Government Regulation
We are subject to local and federal laws and regulations pertaining to the sale of hemp derived CBD products in our operating jurisdictions. We maintain required licenses for sourcing, manufacturing, and distribution; we also monitor changes in laws, regulations, treaties, and agreements on a continuous basis. We derive our revenue from the manufacture, marketing and distribution of hemp extracts and other proven, science-backed, natural ingredients and products. All applicable legislation is a matter of public record, and we are unable to predict what additional legislation or amendments governments may enact in the future. Changes to government regulation could impact our existing and planned operations or increase our operating expenses, which could have an adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, known as the “2018 Farm Bill”, is United States federal legislation signed into law on December 20, 2018, that provides the legal framework for hemp-based products. The 2018 Farm Bill permanently removed “hemp” from the purview of the Controlled Substances Act, and accordingly, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) no longer has any claim to interfere with the interstate commerce of hemp products. One of the immediate impacts from this legislation included the ability for hemp farmers to access crop insurance and U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) programs for competitive grants.
Notwithstanding the removal of the DEA from enforcement of hemp regulations, the FDA retains authority to regulate ingestible and topical hemp products, including hemp extracts that contain CBD, at the federal level. Moreover, states have retained regulatory authority through their own analogues to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (“FDCA”), and the laws and regulations of certain states diverge from the laws and regulations of other states as well as from the federal treatment of the use of hemp as, or in, food, dietary supplements or cosmetic products. Each state also has a certain level of discretion to develop and implement its own laws and regulations governing the manufacturing, composition, marketing, labeling and sale of hemp products, which has created a patchwork of different regulatory schemes applicable to such products throughout the U.S. We actively monitor federal and state regulations and proposed regulations to ensure compliance.
In conjunction with the enactment of the 2018 Farm Bill, the FDA released a statement about the regulatory status of CBD. The statement noted that the 2018 Farm Bill explicitly preserved the FDA’s authority to regulate products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds under the FDCA and Section 351 of the Public Health Service Act. This authority allows the FDA to continue enforcing the law to protect the public while also providing potential regulatory pathways for products containing cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds. The statement also noted the growing public interest in cannabis and cannabis-derived products, including CBD, and informed the public that the FDA will treat products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds as it does any other FDA-regulated products - meaning the products will be subject to the same authorities and requirements as FDA-regulated products containing any other substance, regardless of the source of the substance, including whether the substance is derived from a plant that is classified as hemp under the 2018 Farm Bill. The FDA’s CBD enforcement discretion and regulatory actions with regards to CBD provide regulatory guidance to the CBD industry.
The FDA has consistently taken the position that CBD is prohibited from use as an ingredient in food and dietary supplements. This stems from its interpretation of the exclusionary clauses in the FDCA because CBD has been approved as a prescription drug and is the subject of substantial clinical investigations as a drug, which have been made public. The exclusionary clauses under the FDCA provide that a substance that has been approved or has been subject to substantial clinical investigations as a drug may not be used in a food or dietary supplement, unless the substance was first marketed in a food or dietary supplement prior to the initiation of substantial clinical investigations of the substance as a drug. The exclusionary clause does not apply to cosmetics. Cosmetics containing CBD could be viewed as drug products by the FDA if disease claims are made, or if the FDA determines the use of CBD in the product has a structure or function effect on the body (i.e., a drug effect).
To date, and to our knowledge based upon publicly available information, the FDA has neither issued regulations elaborating on the exclusionary clauses nor has it taken any enforcement action in the courts asserting a violation of the exclusionary clauses. However, the FDA has issued a number of warning letters to companies unlawfully marketing CBD products. In many of these cases, the manufacturers made unsubstantiated claims about the product being effective for the treatment of medical conditions (e.g., cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, opioid withdrawal, anxiety and COVID-19), despite not having obtained drug approvals. Other warning letters were issued to companies for a variety of reasons, including: marketing CBD products as dietary supplements despite those products which contain CBD not meeting the definition of a dietary supplement; adding CBD to human and animal foods and marketing CBD products for infants and children and other vulnerable populations; selling CBD products that people may confuse for traditional foods or beverages and that may result in unintentional consumption or overconsumption of CBD; and selling unapproved animal drugs containing CBD that are intended for use in food-producing animals. Some of these letters were co-signed by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and cited the companies for making claims about the efficacy of CBD and other ingredients which were not substantiated by competent and reliable scientific evidence. In December 2020, the FTC announced it had entered into settlement agreements with six companies marketing CBD products including oils, gummies, creams, and others with deceptive health claims about serious health conditions. The settlements included monetary penalties ranging from $20,000 to $85,000. The FTC announced another such enforcement action and settlement in May 2021, ordering consumer redress of over $30,000. The FDA has also issued warning letters to dietary supplement manufacturers objecting to the designation of CBD infused products as dietary supplements on the basis that CBD was not a permissible dietary supplement ingredient.
The FDA periodically updates its “Consumer Update” on CBD. Through these Consumer Updates, the FDA has noted that it has approved only one CBD product, a prescription drug product to treat three rare, severe forms of epilepsy. The FDA has also stated that it is illegal to market CBD by adding it to a food or labeling it as a dietary supplement, that the FDA has seen only limited data about CBD safety, which data indicates that there are real risks that need to be considered before taking CBD for any reason and that some CBD products are being marketed with unproven medical claims and are of unknown quality.
The FDA has stated that it recognizes the potential opportunities and significant interest in drug and other consumer products containing CBD, is committed to evaluating the agency’s regulatory policies related to CBD and has established a dedicated internal working group, the Cannabis Product Committee, to explore potential pathways for various types of CBD products to be lawfully marketed. The FDA held a public hearing in May 2019 to obtain scientific data and information about the safety, manufacturing, product quality, marketing, labeling and sale of products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds. The rules and regulations and enforcement in this area continue to evolve and develop. In July 2020, the FDA sent to the White House Office of Management and Budget (the “OMB”) for review a draft guidance, “Cannabidiol Enforcement Policy,” the details of which were not made public. This guidance remained under review at the OMB until January 2021, when it was withdrawn by the FDA as a part of the regulatory moratorium Executive Order issued by former President Biden. On January 26, 2023, the FDA stated its views publicly that a new regulatory pathway for CBD is needed and it is prepared to work with Congress to create such a pathway. The timeline for further CBD policy development remains uncertain while the administration and the FDA face competing regulatory priorities.
On January 26, 2023, the FDA issued a statement denying three citizen petitions that had asked the agency to conduct rule making to allow the marketing of CBD products as dietary supplements, and further stated a new regulatory pathway would benefit consumers by providing safeguards and oversight to manage and minimize risks related to CBD products. The agency suggested that Congress create a new regulatory pathway that balances individuals' access to CBD products with the necessary oversight to manage risks, adding it is prepared to work with Congress on this matter.
Currently, the timing for legislation that may include a new potential regulatory pathway for CBD developed by the FDA is uncertain. While authorizing legislation could be introduced in 2025, the FDA's development and implementation of a new pathway would likely take several years. As such, it is possible Congress may move forward with H.R. 1629, the “Hemp and Hemp-Derived CBD Consumer Protection and Market Stabilization Act of 2023” or similar legislation that would authorize a pathway for hemp-derived CBD in a more efficient manner, and would permit the use of CBD in dietary supplements and/or food.
In October 2021, Assembly Bill 45 passed in California, permitting the retail sale of products containing hemp-derived CBD including dietary supplements, topicals, over-the-counter and pet products. Pursuant to Assembly Bill 45, manufacturers of hemp-derived CBD dietary supplements must comply with certain testing and labeling requirements, and must register with the State Department of Public Health.
The regulations applicable to the sale of products containing hemp-derived CBD vary from state to state. As of December 31, 2024, several states, including, but not limited to, Alaska, California, Florida, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Utah, and Virginia, have adopted new regulations that will impact our ability to sell certain products as currently formulated or packaged in these states. Many of these states have also implemented new THC/CBD limits, age verification, labeling and packaging requirements. We continue to assess the business and financial impact of the new regulations, including steps that can be taken to address the new product formulation and labeling requirements, as well as costs and potential revenue impact and anticipated timing for such impact to us in these states.
We are subject to federal and state consumer protection laws, including laws protecting the privacy of customer non-public information; the handling of customer complaints; the requirement to provide warnings about exposures to chemicals with adverse health effects; and regulations prohibiting unfair and deceptive trade practices.
The growth and demand for online commerce has resulted in more stringent consumer protection laws, at both state and federal levels, that impose additional compliance burdens on online companies. These laws cover issues such as user privacy, spyware and the tracking of consumer activities, marketing e-mails and communications, other advertising and promotional practices, money transfers, pricing, product safety, content and quality of products and services, taxation, electronic contracts and other communications and information security.
We are subject to numerous similar and other laws and regulations outside the U.S. for the sale of our plant-based food products, including but not limited to laws and regulations governing food safety, occupational health and safety, anti-corruption and data privacy, including the European Union General Data Protection Regulation. Certain jurisdictions have either imposed, or are considering imposing, product labeling requirements or other limitations on the marketing or sale of certain of our products.
There is uncertainty over whether or how existing laws governing issues such as sales and other taxes, auctions, libel, and personal privacy apply to the internet and commercial online services. These issues are predicted to take years to resolve. For example, tax authorities in some states, as well as a Congressional advisory commission, are currently reviewing the appropriate tax treatment of companies engaged in online commerce. Furthermore, new state tax regulations may subject CV Sciences to additional state sales and income taxes. Other areas that may result in significant additional taxes or regulatory restrictions include, without limitation, new legislation or regulation; the application of laws and regulations from jurisdictions whose laws do not currently apply, or the application of existing laws and regulations to the internet and commercial online services. These taxes or restrictions could have an adverse effect on our cash flow, output, and overall financial condition. Furthermore, there is a possibility that we may be financially responsible for past failures to comply with requirements.
Sales and Distribution
Our products are currently sold online through our websites (www.pluscbdoil.com and www.cvsciences.com), select distributors, brick and mortar retailers, and select e-tailers. We have relationships with wholesalers, distributors and retailers across the natural product, specialty, and professional market industries. We utilize our knowledgeable partners to display and present our products to customers in their brick and mortar stores. These relationships are important to ensure consumers across a variety of sales channels have access to our products. These partnerships and our expansive distribution allow us to build consumer trust in our brand and products. We have additional partners in the natural product channel to service our retail customers by stocking and displaying products and explaining product attributes and health benefits. For the year ended December 31, 2024, we sold products into more than 2,500 brick and mortar stores. We also utilize e-commerce platforms to reach consumers and guide them through the CBD buying process as we believe consumers rely heavily on digital research.
28% of our net revenue for the year ended December 31, 2024 was from new products launched since January 1, 2023. During this time period, we launched 24 new hemp-based products.
Our plant-based food products are predominantly sold in Europe and primarily in the retail space. Typically, we sell our plant-based food products to distributors for a specific territory within Europe.
Markets, Geography, Seasonality, and Major Customers
Our hemp-based products are predominantly sold in North America and primarily in the retail space. Based on our current and historical consolidated balance sheets and statement of operations, it does not appear that our business or operations experience any seasonality with respect to our sales, as any such seasonality appears to be unpredictable. Although we believe our customers’ historical buying patterns and budgetary cycles may be a factor that impacts our annual and quarterly sales results, we are not able to reliably predict our sales based on seasonality because outside factors (timing of orders, introduction of new products, and other economic factors impacting our industry) can also substantially impact our sales patterns during the year.
Furthermore, because the majority of our sales are spread amongst various retailers, distributors, and direct consumers, our three largest customers accounted for an aggregate of approximately 9% and 7% of our total sales for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. As a result, we do not believe our financial condition and results of operations is dependent on any one particular major customer.
Our plant-based food products are predominantly sold in Europe and primarily in the retail space. The plant-based food market has been growing in Europe and is well developed in the certain parts of Europe. Northern and western parts of Europe are more developed than the southern and south-eastern regions, such as Italy, Spain, Greece, Balkans, Romania, and Bulgaria. Typically, we sell our plant-based food products to distributors for a specific territory within Europe.
We are also a manufacturer of encapsulated softgels and tinctures for the supplement and nutrition industry. We are allowing low to large minimum order quantity (“MOQ”) production runs for our mostly US-based customers.
Working Capital Items
We believe that our inventory levels are currently adequate for our short-term needs based upon present level of demand. We consider our products to be generally available and current suppliers to be reliable and capable of satisfying anticipated needs.
Competition
The CBD-based consumer product industry is highly competitive and fragmented with numerous companies, consisting of publicly- and privately-owned companies, such as Charlotte's Web Holdings Inc., cbdMD, Inc., Medterra CBD, Inc., and many others. There are also large, well-funded companies that have indicated their intention to compete in the hemp-based product category in the U.S. We routinely evaluate internal and external opportunities to optimize value for shareholders through new product development or by asset acquisitions or sales and believe we are well-positioned to capitalize in the growing CBD product category.
The plant-based food market in Europe is competitive and very fragmented. There are currently very few brands with a product portfolio similar to ours. Most of our competitors offer refrigerated products.
Most of our manufacturing competitors are larger companies requiring larger MOQ for softgels. We offer unique capabilities as we can handle small and large manufacturing orders.
There are several companies developing cannabinoid therapeutics for a range of medical indications. The cannabinoid therapeutic area currently includes formulated extracts of the Cannabis plant and synthetic formulations. These formulations include CBD or THC, or a combination of CBD and THC as the active pharmaceutical ingredient. Certain companies such as GW Pharmaceuticals plc have focused on plant-based CBD formulations, while other companies such as Harmony Biosciences Holdings, Inc. have focused on synthetic CBD formulations.
Intellectual Property
We have filed trademark applications on our brands, logos and marks in the U.S. and internationally. In May 2016, we filed a patent application for our product candidate CVSI-007 with the USPTO. On May 19, 2020, we received formal notice of issuance from the USPTO for our patent application 15/426,617. The patent covers methods of treating smokeless tobacco addiction by administering pharmaceutical formulations containing CBD and nicotine. We are pursuing similar patent protection in other key markets throughout the world. As of December 31, 2024, our patent has been granted in 10 countries, including the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, Spain, France, Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, and Japan.
We review our intellectual property portfolio on a periodic basis, and we will continue to broaden our portfolio in a fiscally prudent manner. In addition to our trademarks (both registered and unregistered) and patents, we rely on a combination of trade secret laws and restrictions on disclosure to protect our intellectual property rights.
Research and Development
Our research and development costs have consisted primarily of salaries and related personnel expense, facilities and equipment expense and other costs. We charge all research and development expenses to operations as incurred in the ongoing development of new consumer products and in development of our drug candidate CVSI-007. Our new product development activities include ideation and feasibility, product development, scaleup and validation, and product launch. We incurred research and development expenses of $0.1 million and $0.2 million, respectively, for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.
Raw Materials and Product Manufacturing
We have invested significant capital to develop and maintain relationships with growers on a global scale to ensure access to raw materials to support anticipated revenue growth. We have historically sourced our raw materials from well-established and well-recognized hemp growers in Europe. In addition, we have developed relationships with hemp growers in the United States and purchase raw materials domestically as well. We have maintained access to these growers for their raw material supply and continue to explore and develop other relationships to ensure that we can meet the expected demand for hemp-based consumer products well into the future.
We are committed to producing quality products and testing transparency. Our goals include the optimization of our product manufacturing processes and the sourcing of reliable, high-quality raw materials. Our testing procedures are robust and comprehensive, starting with a supply chain built through our supplier verification program. All incoming cannabinoid ingredients are required to be first tested by the supplier at an independent, ISO accredited, third-party laboratory before they reach our production facilities and a Certificate of Analysis provided with each delivery. We then have the cannabinoid ingredients re-tested by an independent, ISO accredited, third-party laboratory to verify the supplier results before they are released into our production process. Final verification is performed by an independent ISO accredited third-party laboratory to ensure the finished products meet our high standards.
We are dedicated to providing the highest quality CBD consumer products on the market. We strive to meet or exceed the FDAs Good Manufacturing Practices (“GMP”) guidelines. These guidelines provide a system of processes, procedures and documentation to assure a product has the identity, strength, composition, quality and purity that appear on its label. We follow all guidelines for GMP and our products are processed, produced, and tested throughout the manufacturing process to confirm strict compliance with company and regulatory standards and specifications. Our third party manufacturers use FDA-registered facilities, which are independently GMP certified and subject to continuing independent audit and certification.
Our plant-based products are manufactured at our facility in Warsaw, Poland. We use only high-quality raw materials from selected suppliers to make our plant-based products.
We also manufacture encapsulated softgels and tinctures for our customers. Our setup is flexible to allow runs of very small to larger orders. Our customers can use their formulations or our in-house offerings. We can also provide formulation help. All products are tested by a third-party lab for purity and potency.
Environmental Matters
No significant pollution or other types of hazardous emission result from the Company's operations, and it is not anticipated that our operations will be materially affected by federal, state or local provisions concerning environmental controls. Our costs of complying with environmental health and safety requirements have not been material.
Furthermore, compliance with federal, state and local requirements regulating the discharge of materials into the environment, or otherwise relating to the protection of the environment, have not had, nor are they expected to have, any material effect on the capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position of the Company. However, we will continue to monitor emerging developments in this area.
Employees
We believe that our future success will depend, in part, on our ability to continue to attract, hire, and retain qualified personnel. As of December 31, 2024, we had a total of 49 employees, which included 41 full-time and 1 part-time employee in the U.S. and 6 full-time and 1 part-time employee in Poland. As of December 31, 2023, we had a total of 43 employees, which included 37 full-time and 1 part-time employee in the U.S. and 5 full-time employees in Poland. As discussed elsewhere in this Annual Report, during the year ended December 31, 2024, we continued to reduce our U.S. employee headcount in connection with our efforts to decrease our costs. In addition to our full-time employees, we contract with third-parties for the conduct of certain marketing, sales and manufacturing efforts. Employee health and safety in the workplace is one of our core values. We have no collective bargaining agreements with our employees, and none are represented by labor unions. Management believes the Company has good relationships with its employees.
Company Websites
We maintain a corporate Internet website at: www.cvsciences.com. We also sell our hemp-based products online at: www.pluscbdoil.com and provide additional information on our plant-based food products at: www.culturedfoods.eu. The contents of these websites are not incorporated in or otherwise to be regarded as part of this Annual Report.
We file reports with the SEC, which are available on our website free of charge. These reports include annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, “Section 16” filings on Form 3, Form 4, and Form 5, and other related filings, each of which is provided on our website as soon as reasonably practical after we electronically file such materials with or furnish them to the SEC. In addition, the SEC maintains a website (www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC, including the Company.

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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
Not required for “smaller reporting companies” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K.

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ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.

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ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
As of December 31, 2024, our primary facility consists of approximately 6,000 square feet of leased office and warehouse space located in San Diego, California. The lease term is three years through May 31, 2025 with a total lease obligation of approximately $0.4 million.
In addition, we lease a small manufacturing and office space for our plant-based food products located in Poland. We entered into a new two year lease on October 1, 2024.
When we acquired Elevated Softgels in 2024, we had a lease in-place for manufacturing space in Grand Junction, Colorado with an expiration date of March 31, 2025. Subsequent to December 31, 2024, Elevated Softgels entered into a new lease for such manufacturing space. Please see Note 17, Subsequent Events, to our consolidated financial statements included in Part IV in this Annual Report for more information.
We believe that our existing facilities are sufficient to accommodate our current business operations.

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ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
For a description of our material pending legal proceedings, please see Note 13, Commitments and Contingencies, to our consolidated financial statements included in Part IV in this Annual Report.

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ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not applicable.
PART II

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ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
Our common stock is traded on the OTC:QB under the symbol “CVSI.” Trading of securities on the OTC:QB is often sporadic and investors may have difficulty buying and selling or obtaining market quotations. Any OTC:QB market quotations reflect inter-dealer quotations, without adjustment for retail mark-up, mark-down, or commission and may not necessarily represent actual transactions.
Holders of Common Stock
As of March 24, 2025, there were 41 registered holders of our common stock. The actual number of holders of our common stock is greater than the number of registered holders, and includes holders who are beneficial owners, but whose securities are held in "nominee" or "street name" by brokers or other nominees.
Dividend Policy
No cash dividends were paid on our common stock in the 2024 and 2023 fiscal years and the Board of Directors has not considered any change in this practice, nor does it expect to consider any such change in this practice in the foreseeable future.
The payment of cash dividends in the future, if ever, will be determined by our Board of Directors, in light of conditions then existing, including our earnings, financial requirements, and opportunities for reinvesting earnings, business conditions, and other factors. There are otherwise no restrictions on the payment of dividends.
Equity Compensation Plan Information
See Part III, Item 12. “Securities Ownership of Certain Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters” of this Annual Report for information regarding securities authorized for issuance under equity compensation plans.
Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities
The Company did not sell any unregistered equity securities during the period covered by this Annual Report that were not otherwise disclosed in a Current Report on Form 8-K or our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.
Issuer Repurchases of Equity Securities
We did not repurchase any shares of our common stock during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year covered by this Annual Report.

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ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
ITEM 6. [RESERVED]

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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following discussion of our consolidated financial condition and results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the notes to those statements that are included elsewhere in this Annual Report. Our discussion includes forward-looking statements based upon current expectations that involve risks and uncertainties, such as our plans, objectives, expectations and intentions. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a number of various factors, many of which are out of our control. We use words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “continuing,” “ongoing,” “expect,” “believe,” “intend,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements.
OVERVIEW
We are a consumer wellness company specializing in nutraceuticals and plant-based foods. Our hemp extracts and other proven, science-backed, natural ingredients and products are sold through a range of sales channels from B2B to B2C.
Our +PlusCBD™ branded products are sold at select retail locations throughout the U.S. and are the top-selling brands of hemp extracts in the natural products market, according to SPINS, the leading provider of syndicated data and insights for the natural, organic and specialty products industry. With a commitment to science, +PlusCBD™ product benefits in healthy people are supported by human clinical research data, in addition to three published clinical case studies available on PubMed.gov. +PlusCBD™ was the first hemp extract supplement brand to invest in the scientific evidence necessary to receive self-affirmed GRAS status.
On December 7, 2023, we entered into a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement, pursuant to which we purchased all of the outstanding equity interests in Cultured Foods Sp. z.o.o., resulting in Cultured Foods becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. Cultured Foods is a leading European manufacturer and distributor of plant-based protein products. In January 2025, we launched Lunar Fox™, a brand that is focused on distribution of plant-based products in the U.S. market. Our Cultured Foods™ and Lunar Fox™ brands provide a variety of 100% plant-based food products. Committed to crafting nutritious and flavorful alternatives, Cultured Foods™ and Lunar Fox™ cater to individuals seeking vegan, gluten-free, or flexitarian options for a nutritious and satisfying culinary experience.
In May 2024, we acquired all outstanding membership interests of Elevated Softgels, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company. Elevated Softgels is a leading manufacturer of encapsulated softgels and tinctures for the supplement and nutrition industry, based in Colorado.
In August 2024, we engaged Maxim Group, LLC as a non-exclusive financial advisor and investment banker to provide strategic financial advisory and investment banking services. Working with Maxim, the Company intends to continue building an efficient and cost effective consumer products platform. We intend to continue to evaluate inbound and outbound merger, sale, acquisition or other opportunities for the Company.
We also have a dormant drug development program focused on developing and commercializing CBD-based novel therapeutics, which may be pursued further, subject to available capital.
Our primary offices and facilities are located in San Diego, California; Grand Junction, Colorado; and Warsaw, Poland.
Our common stock is traded on the OTC:QB market under the trading symbol CVSI.
Results of Operations
Comparison of the Years ended December 31, 2024 vs. December 31, 2023
Revenues and gross profit
Year ended December 31,
Change
Amount
%
(in thousands)
Product sales, net
$
15,705
$
16,004
$
(299
)
(1.9
)%
Cost of goods sold
8,537
8,919
(382
)
(4.3
)%
Gross profit
$
7,168
$
7,085
$
1.2
%
Gross margin
45.6
%
44.3
%
Revenue by channel
Year ended December 31, 2024
Year Ended December 31, 2023
Amount
% of product
sales, net
Amount
% of product
sales, net
(in thousands)
(in thousands)
Business-to-business ("B2B") sales
$
8,768
55.8
%
$
9,178
57.3
%
Business-to-consumer ("B2C") sales
6,937
44.2
%
6,826
42.7
%
Product sales, net
$
15,705
100.0
%
$
16,004
100.0
%
We had product sales of $15.7 million and gross profit of $7.2 million, representing a gross margin of 45.6%, in 2024 compared to product sales of $16.0 million and gross profit of $7.1 million, representing a gross margin of 44.3%, in 2023. Our net product sales decreased by $0.3 million, or 1.9%, in 2024 when compared to 2023. The decline is primarily due to lower B2B sales in 2024. The total number of units sold during the year ended December 31, 2024 decreased by 9.2% compared to the year ended December 31, 2023, partially offset by higher sales prices of 5.7%. In addition, 28% of our net revenue for the year ended December 31, 2024 was from new products launched since January 1, 2023. During this time period, we launched 24 new products. B2C sales increased in 2024 compared to 2023, despite lower digital marketing advertisement. The overall market continues to be fragmented and highly competitive, which we believe is largely due to the lack of a clear regulatory framework and a patchwork of state regulation.
Cost of goods sold consists primarily of raw materials, packaging, manufacturing overhead (including payroll, employee benefits, stock-based compensation, facilities, depreciation, supplies and quality assurance costs), merchant card fees and shipping. We were able to reduce our cost of goods sold in 2024 compared to 2023 by $0.4 million or 4.3%. The reduction is partially due to the lower number of units sold in 2024. In addition, cost of goods sold in 2024 decreased as a percentage of revenue compared to 2023, mostly due to lower shipping and fulfillment cost, lower payroll, lower inventory losses and other production cost savings. Our gross profit improved by $0.1 million, or 1.2%, to $7.2 million in 2024 and gross margins improved from 44.3% in 2023 to 45.6% in 2024. The improvement in our gross margin is primarily due to reduced discounts, product and channel mix, lower shipping and fulfillment cost, lower payroll, lower inventory losses and other production cost savings.
Research and development expense
Year Ended December 31,
Change
Amount
%
(in thousands)
Research and development expense
$
$
$
(33
)
(21.9
)%
Percentage of product sales, net
0.8
%
0.9
%
Research and development (“R&D”) expense decreased to $0.1 million in 2024 compared to $0.2 million in 2023. The decrease is mostly related to reduced new product development activities for our consumer products.
Selling, general and administrative expense
Year ended December 31, 2024
Year ended December 31, 2023
Change
Amount
% of product
sales, net
Amount
% of product
sales, net
Amount
%
(in thousands)
(in thousands)
(in thousands)
Sales expense
$
3,166
20.2
%
$
3,065
19.2
%
$
3.3
%
Marketing expense
2,088
13.3
%
2,940
18.4
%
(852
)
(29.0
)%
General and administrative expense
3,986
25.4
%
3,740
23.4
%
6.6
%
Selling, general and administrative expense
$
9,240
58.8
%
$
9,745
60.9
%
$
(505
)
(5.2
)%
Selling, general and administrative (“SG&A”) expenses decreased by $0.5 million, or 5.2%, to $9.2 million in 2024, from $9.7 million in 2023. Additionally, SG&A expense as percentage of product sales, net decreased from 60.9% in 2023 to 58.8% in 2024.
•Sales expense increased by $0.1 million, or 3.3%, due to higher payroll and employee benefits, partially offset by lower stock-based compensation, commission and other sales related expenses. Payroll and related benefits increased as we reallocated certain of our employees from marketing to sales.
•Marketing expense decreased by $0.9 million, or 29.0%, due to reduced digital marketing activities as well as lower payroll, employee benefits, stock-based compensation, and outside services. Payroll decreased as we reallocated certain employees to sales.
•General and administrative (“G&A”) expense increased by $0.2 million, or 6.6%, The increase is mostly due to additional legal and professional fees during the year ended December 31, 2024. The current year included professional fees of $0.8 million associated with the legal dispute with the Company's founder. For more information on the Company's legal proceedings, please refer to Note 13, Commitments and Contingencies, to our consolidated financial statements included in Part IV in this Annual Report. In addition, stock-based compensation and other G&A expenses increased slightly, partially offset by reduced insurance expense and intangible asset impairment charge of $0.3 million in 2023.
Benefit from reversal of accrued payroll taxes
We previously recorded a contingent liability for payroll taxes associated with the RSU release to our founder in 2019 of $6.7 million. On April 15, 2023, the statute of limitations for federal payroll tax withholding expired. In addition, the statute of limitations for the state tax withholding expired during the year ended December 31, 2023. As a result of the expiration of the relevant statutes of limitations, the Company believes that neither the IRS nor the State of California have the rights to assess and collect the $6.2 million of income taxes from CV Sciences and we made a change in accounting estimate and no longer expect to incur a loss with respect to this matter. As a result, we derecognized the contingent liability of $6.2 million during the year ended December 31, 2023. For more information, please see Note 12, Related Parties, to our consolidated financial statements included in Part IV in this Annual Report.
Other expenses, net
Other expense, net consists of interest expense, interest income and fair value adjustments to our financial instruments. Other expense decreased by $0.1 million compared to the year ended December 31, 2023. Other expenses, net included fair value increases for our financial instruments of $0.2 million during 2023 and interest expense for the amortization of the original issuance discount for the new Streeterville note payable of $0.2 million in 2024.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
We use Adjusted EBITDA internally to evaluate our performance and make financial and operational decisions that are presented in a manner that adjusts from their equivalent generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”)
measures or that supplement the information provided by our GAAP measures. Adjusted EBITDA is defined by us as EBITDA (net income (loss) plus depreciation and amortization expense, and interest expense, minus income tax benefit), further adjusted to exclude certain non-cash expenses and other adjustments as set forth below. We use Adjusted EBITDA because we believe it helps to provide insights in trends in our business in addition to GAAP financial measures, since Adjusted EBITDA eliminates from our results specific financial items that have less bearing on our core operating performance.
We use Adjusted EBITDA in communicating certain aspects of our results and performance, including in this Annual Report, and believe that Adjusted EBITDA, when viewed in conjunction with our GAAP results and the accompanying reconciliation, can provide investors with additional understanding of factors affecting our financial condition and results of operations than GAAP measures alone. In addition, we believe the presentation of Adjusted EBITDA is useful to investors in making period-to-period comparison of results because the adjustments to GAAP are not reflective of our core business performance.
Adjusted EBITDA is not presented in accordance with, or as an alternative to, GAAP financial measures and may be different from non-GAAP measures used by other companies. We encourage investors to review the GAAP financial measures included in this Annual Report, including our consolidated financial statements, to aid in their analysis and understanding of our performance and in making comparisons.
A reconciliation from our net income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure, for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 is detailed below:
Year ended December 31,
(in thousands)
Net income (loss)
$
(2,394
)
$
3,102
Depreciation expense
Amortization expense
-
Interest expense
Income tax benefit
(8
)
(6
)
EBITDA
(1,856
)
3,391
Stock-based compensation (1)
Professional fees associated with legal dispute (2)
-
Intangible asset impairment (3)
-
Benefit for reversal of accrued payroll tax (4)
-
(6,171
)
Adjusted EBITDA
$
(770
)
$
(2,311
)
(1)Represents stock-based compensation expense related to stock options awarded to employees, consultants and non-executive directors based on the grant date fair value using the Black-Scholes valuation model. For more information, please see Note 10, Stock-Based Compensation, to our consolidated financial statements included in Part IV in this Annual Report.
(2)Represents legal and other professional expenses incurred during 2024 associated with the legal dispute with founder. For more information on the Company's legal proceedings, please see Note 13, Commitments and Contingencies, to our consolidated financial statements included in Part IV in this Annual Report.
(3)Represents intangible asset impairment charge during 2023. For more information, please see Note 6, Goodwill and Intangible Assets, to our consolidated financial statements included in Part IV in this Annual Report.
(4)Represents benefit for reversal of accrued payroll tax associated with the RSU release to founder in 2019. For more information, please see Note 12, Related Party, to our consolidated financial statements included in Part IV in this Annual Report.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
During the year ended December 31, 2024, our primary sources of capital came from (i) cash generated from our operations, (ii) existing cash, (iii) proceeds from note payable financings, and (iv) funds received from the IRS related
to employee retention credits during the year ended December 31, 2023. As of December 31, 2024, we had approximately $0.5 million of cash and working capital of approximately $0.1 million.
For the year ended December 31, 2024, we generated negative cash flows from operations of $0.9 million, and we had an accumulated deficit of $87.0 million as of December 31, 2024. Excluding the funds for employee retention tax credits, we generated negative cash flows from operations of $0.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. In February 2025, the Company entered into a securities purchase agreement with an institutional investor (the “Investor”), pursuant to which the Company issued and sold to the Investor a secured promissory note and received net proceeds of $1,200,000 - please see Note 17, Subsequent Events, to our consolidated financial statements included in Part IV in this Annual Report for more information. Management anticipates that we will be dependent, for the near future, on additional investment capital to fund operations, growth initiatives, and will continue to make and implement strategic cost reductions, including reductions in employee headcount, vendor spending, and delaying expenses related to its drug development activities. We intend to position ourselves so that we will be able to raise additional funds through the capital markets, issuance of debt, and/or securing lines of credit.
We believe that a combination of factors have adversely impacted our business operations for the year ended December 31, 2024. Due to a low barrier entry market with a lack of a clear regulatory framework, we face intense competition from both licensed and illicit market operators that may also sell herbal supplements and hemp-based CBD consumer products. Because we operate in a market that is rapidly evolving and expanding globally, our customers may choose to obtain CBD products from our competitors, and our success depends on our ability to attract and retain our customers from purchasing CBD products elsewhere. To remain competitive, we intend to continue to innovate new products, build brand awareness, and make significant investments in our business strategy by introducing new products into the markets in which we operate, adopt quality assurance protocols and procedures, build our market presence, and undertake further research and development. In addition, we intend to evaluate and pursue additional acquisitions to further diversify our product offerings.
Management implemented, and continues to make and implement, strategic cost reductions, including reductions in employee headcount, vendor spending, and the delaying of certain expenses related to our drug development activities. To the extent that we feel it is necessary and in the best interest of the Company and our shareholders, we may also take further actions that alter our operations in order to ensure the success of our business.
Elevated Softgels Acquisition
On May 8, 2024, the Company entered into a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement (the “Softgels Purchase Agreement”), by and among the Company, Elevated Softgels, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Elevated Softgels”), Clayton J. Montgomery (the “Softgels Member”), Chris Fagan, Andrew Kester, and Timothy McGreer, pursuant to which the Company purchased all of the outstanding equity interests in Elevated Softgels, resulting in Elevated Softgels becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Softgels Acquisition”). Elevated Softgels is a leading manufacturer of softgels. The Elevated Softgels Acquisition closed on May 13, 2024.
In consideration for the Softgels Acquisition, at closing, the Company (i) made a cash payment of $100,000 to the Softgels Member, less certain transaction expenses and certain other adjustments provided for in the Softgels Purchase Agreement (the “Softgels Closing Payment”), (ii) issued an aggregate of 15,854,185 restricted shares of Company common stock to the Softgels Member valued at $637,000, and (iii) issued an aggregate of 1,567,996 restricted shares of Company common stock to the selling broker of Elevated Softgels valued at $63,000. The Company common stock was valued based on the thirty-day volume weighted average price of the Company’s common stock on the thirty trading days prior to the date of the Softgels Purchase Agreement (the “Softgels Closing Shares,” and together with the Softgels Closing Payment, the “Softgels Closing Consideration”). The Softgels Closing Payment is subject to adjustment, upward or downward, based on post-closing adjustments to the net working capital of Elevated Softgels within 120 days of closing, as reflected in the Final Working Capital Statement (as defined in the Softgels Purchase Agreement). Additionally, within 90 days following the final determination of the Final Working Capital Statement (the “Softgels Receivables Date”), the Company shall be entitled to recover from the Softgels Member an amount equal to the unpaid balance, as of the Softgels Receivables Date, of all accounts receivable which were included in as assets in the Final Working Capital Statement. The closing working capital has been settled and the Company received a payment of $30,000 from the Softgels Member.
In addition to the Softgels Closing Consideration, the Company has agreed to issue additional consideration for the Softgels Acquisition, in the form of an earn-out (the “Softgels Earnout Amount”), which shall be based on Elevated
Softgels’ Net Revenue (as defined in the Softgels Purchase Agreement) generated during the 12-month period following the closing date and will be calculated as follows:
•If the Elevated Softgels’ Net Revenue is at least $700,000, then the Softgels Earnout Amount will be $200,000.
•If the Elevated Softgels’ Net Revenue is at least $650,000 but less than $700,000, then the Softgels Earnout Amount will be $125,000.
•If the Elevated Softgels’ Net Revenue is at least $600,000 but less than $650,000, then the Softgels Earnout Amount will be $50,000.
•If the Elevated Softgels’ Net Revenue is at least $550,000 but less than $600,000, then the Softgels Earnout Amount will be $25,000.
•If the Elevated Softgels’ Net Revenue is less than $550,000, then the Softgels Earnout Amount will be $0.
The Softgels Earnout Payment shall be paid within 10 business days after the final determination of the Company’s Net Revenue for the 12-month period following the closing date, as determined in accordance with the Softgels Purchase Agreement. 50% of the Softgels Earnout Amount shall be paid in cash and 50% of the Softgels Earnout Amount shall be in the form of restricted common stock of the Company, with the number of shares determined based upon the thirty-day volume weighted average price of the Company's common stock as of the 12-month anniversary of the closing date. Net revenues of Elevated Softgels are currently expected to be insufficient to trigger any earn-out payments.
Pursuant to the Softgels Purchase Agreement, the recipients of the Company's common stock agreed that they will not, on any single trading day sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of any Company common stock, including the Softgels Closing Shares, in an aggregate amount exceeding the greater of (i) 15% of the of the Company’s common stock sold in the aggregate based on the greater of the current or proceeding trading day, and (ii) $3,000 in gross value; provided, however, that in the event that the Company enters into a leak-out agreement with any third party on terms more favorable than the foregoing, the Softgels Member shall be afforded the same more favorable terms offered to such third party.
Additionally, for a period of one year following the closing date, Mr. Montgomery and Mr. Fagan shall be prohibited from engaging in certain competitive and/or solicitation activities within the United States, as more particularly set forth in the Softgels Purchase Agreement.
July 2024 Streeterville Note
On July 3, 2024, we entered into a Note Purchase Agreement (the “Note Purchase Agreement”) with Streeterville Capital, LLC, a Utah limited liability company (“Streeterville”), pursuant to which we issued and sold to Streeterville a Secured Promissory Note in the original principal amount of $1,188,500 (the “Note”). The Note carried an original issuance discount of $283,500 and we agreed to pay $5,000 to Streeterville to cover legal fees, each of which were deducted from the proceeds of the Note received by us, which resulted in a purchase price received by us of $900,000 (the “Purchase Price”).
The unpaid amount of the Note, any interest, fees, charges and late fees accrued was due and payable in twelve months from July 3, 2024 (the “Maturity Date”). We were required to make weekly repayments to Streeterville of $22,856. We were permitted able to pay all or any portion of the outstanding balance earlier than it is due without penalty. In the event we would have repaid the Note in full on or before December 31, 2024, we would have received a $75,000 discount from the outstanding balance. The Note was secured by all of our assets pursuant to a Security Agreement entered into with Streeterville on July 3, 2024. No interest was to accrue on the Note unless and until an occurrence of an Event of Default.
Subsequent to December 31, 2024, the Company repaid the entire amount due under the Note and all obligations thereunder were cancelled and terminated. For more information, please see Note 8, Debt, to our consolidated financial statements included in Part IV in this Annual Report.
2025 Secured Promissory Note
In February 2025, the Company entered into a securities purchase agreement with an institutional investor (the “Investor”), pursuant to which the Company issued and sold to the Investor a secured promissory note in the original principal amount of $1,600,000 (the "2025 Note"). The 2025 Note carries an original issuance discount of $400,000 and the Company agreed to pay $10,000 to the Investor to cover legal fees. The original issuance discount was deducted from the proceeds of the 2025 Note received by the Company which resulted in a purchase price received by the Company of $1,200,000.
The 2025 Note is due and payable on August 12, 2026 and the Company is required to make monthly repayments to the Investor of $106,667 starting on June 12, 2025. The Company can pay all or any portion of the outstanding balance earlier than it is due without penalty. In the event the Company repays the 2025 Note in full on or before August 12, 2025, the Company will receive a $100,000 discount from the outstanding balance. The 2025 Note is secured by all of the Company's assets and the assets of its subsidiaries pursuant to a security agreement and intellectual property security agreement entered into with the Investor on February 12, 2025. The Company's obligation under the 2025 Note are guaranteed by each of the Company's subsidiaries. No interest will accrue on the 2025 Note unless and until an occurrence of an event of default, as defined in the 2025 Note.
First Insurance Funding Agreements
In October 2024, we entered into a new finance agreement with First Insurance Funding in order to fund a portion of our insurance policies for the current policy year. The amount financed is $0.2 million, which incurs interest at an annual rate of 8.42%. We are required to make monthly payments of $20,396 from November 2024 through July 2025. The outstanding balance as of December 31, 2024 was $0.1 million.
In November 2023, we entered into a finance agreement with First Insurance Funding in order to fund a portion of our insurance policies. The amount financed was $0.3 million, which incurred interest at an annual rate of 8.42%. We were required to make monthly payments of $29,781 from November 2023 through July 2024. There was no outstanding balance as of December 31, 2024.
Accrued Payroll Taxes
The Company previously recorded accrued payroll taxes associated with the RSU release to Michael Mona Jr. (“Mona”) in 2019. On April 15, 2023, the statute of limitations for federal payroll tax withholding expired. In addition, the statute of limitations for the state tax withholding expired during the year ended December 31, 2023. As a result of the expiration of the relevant statutes of limitations, the Company believes that neither the IRS nor the State of California have the rights to assess and collect the $6.2 million of income taxes from CV Sciences and we have made a change in accounting estimate and no longer expect to incur a loss with respect to this matter. As a result, we derecognized the accrued payroll taxes of $6.2 million during the year ended December 31, 2023. For more information, please see Note 12, Related Parties, to our consolidated financial statements included in Part IV in this Annual Report.
Going Concern
U.S. GAAP requires management to assess a company's ability to continue as a going concern within one year from the financial statement issuance and to provide related note disclosure in certain circumstances. Our consolidated financial statements and corresponding notes have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern. For the year ended December 31, 2024, we generated negative cash flows from operations of $0.9 million, and we had an accumulated deficit of $87.0 million as of December 31, 2024. Excluding the funds for employee retention tax credits, we generated negative cash flows from operations of $0.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. Management anticipates that the Company will be dependent, for the near future, on additional investment capital to fund our operations and growth initiatives. The Company intends to position itself so that it will be able to raise additional funds through the capital markets, issuance of debt, and/or securing lines of credit in order to continue its operations. However, there can be no assurances that additional working capital will be available to us on favorable terms, or at all, which would be likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company's ability to continue its operations.
The Company's financial operating results and accumulated deficit, besides other factors, raise substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern. The Company will continue to work towards increasing revenue and operating cash flows to meet its future liquidity requirements. However, there can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in generating positive cash flows from operations or any capital-raising efforts that it may
undertake, and the failure of the Company to generate positive cash flows or raise additional capital could adversely affect its future operations and viability.
A summary of our changes in cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 is provided below:
Year ended December 31,
(in thousands)
Net cash flows provided by (used in):
Operating activities
$
(861
)
$
2,253
Investing activities
(28
)
(156
)
Financing activities
(1,391
)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash
(6
)
-
Net increase (decrease) in cash
(863
)
Cash, beginning of year
1,317
Cash, end of year
$
$
1,317
Operating Activities
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities includes net income (loss) adjusted for non-cash items such as depreciation, amortization, bad debt expense, stock-based compensation, benefit of reversal of payroll tax liability and amortization of debt discount related to our promissory notes. Operating assets and liabilities primarily include balances related to funding of inventory purchases and customer accounts receivable. Operating assets and liabilities that arise from the funding of inventory purchases and customer accounts receivable can fluctuate significantly from day to day and period to period depending on the timing of inventory purchases and customer payment behavior.
Cash used by operating activities was $0.9 million in the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to cash provided by operating activities of $2.3 million in the year ended December 31, 2023. The year over year decrease in our cash flow from operating activities by $3.2 million was mostly due to the receipt of Employee Retention Credit (“ERC”) funds of $2.5 million in the prior year and the fact that we did not receive similar funds in 2024. Our net loss for the year ended December 31, 2024, adjusted for non-cash items, resulted in a net loss of $1.3 million, compared to a net loss, adjusted for non-cash items, of $1.7 million in the prior year, an improvement of $0.4 million. Changes in working capital generated $0.5 million during the year of 2024, compared to $4.0 million during the prior year, a decrease of $3.5 million. Our changes in working capital decreased primarily due to the receipt of ERC funds during 2023. Our net income (loss) declined by $5.5 million from a net income of $3.1 million in 2023 to a net loss of $2.4 million in 2024, mostly due to the benefit for the reversal of accrued payroll taxes of $6.2 million in 2023 and our improved operating performance. Non-cash adjustments decreased by $5.9 million, as we recognized a benefit for the reversal of accrued payroll tax of $6.2 million related to the RSUs previously issued to Mona. Recurring non-cash adjustments consists of depreciation, amortization, interest expense and stock-based compensation.
Investing Activities
Cash used in investing activities was $28,000 in the year ended December 31, 2024 related to our acquisition of Elevated Softgels of $10,000 in May 2024 and the purchase of additional manufacturing equipment for Elevated Softgels of $18,000. Cash used in investing activities of $0.2 million in the year ended December 31, 2023 related to our acquisition of Cultured Foods in December 2023.
Financing Activities
Net cash provided by financing activities was $32,000 for 2024 compared to cash used in financing activities of $1.4 million for 2023. Our financing activities for 2024 consisted of proceeds from our note payable financing with Streeterville of $0.9 million, offset by repayments of our insurance financing of $0.2 million, the Streeterville note payable of $0.5 million and the notes payable that we assumed in connection with the Cultured Foods acquisition of $0.1 million. Our financing activities for 2023 consisted of repayments of the Streeterville note payable of $1.1 million and our insurance financing of $0.3 million.
Inflation
We have not been affected materially by inflation during the periods presented. However, rising inflation may adversely impact our business and corresponding financial position and cash flow.
Known Trends or Uncertainties
There can be no assurance that the Company’s business and corresponding financial performance will not be adversely affected by general economic or consumer trends, which may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, inflation has risen, Federal Reserve interest rates remain high after increases during 2023, which may also materially adversely our business and corresponding financial position and cash flows.
Furthermore, such economic conditions have produced downward pressure on share prices and on the availability of credit for financial institutions and corporations. If current levels of market disruption and volatility continue, the Company might experience reductions in business activity, increased funding costs and funding pressures, as applicable, a decrease in the market price of our common stock, a decrease in asset values, additional write-downs and impairment charges and lower profitability. Additionally, it is possible that U.S. policy changes and uncertainty about such changes could increase market volatility.
We have seen some consolidation in our industry during economic downturns. These consolidations have not had a negative effect on our total sales; however, should consolidations and downsizing in the industry continue to occur, those events could adversely impact our revenues and earnings going forward.
Several states have adopted new regulations that will impact the Company's ability to sell certain products as currently formulated or packaged in these states. Many of these states have also implemented new THC/CBD limits, age verification, testing, labeling and packaging requirements. The Company continues to assess the business and financial impact of the new regulations, including steps that can be taken to address the new product formulation and labeling requirements, as well as costs and potential revenue impacts and anticipated timing for such impacts to the Company in these states.
Contractual Obligations
In April 2022, we entered into a lease agreement for our main office facility in San Diego, California. The lease term is three years through May 31, 2025. Our monthly base rent is $11,742 through April 30, 2025 and then increases to $12,153 for the period from May 1, 2025 to May 31, 2025.
In October 2024, we entered into a new lease agreement for our manufacturing facility in Poland. The facility is approximately 2,400 square feet and located outside of Warsaw, Poland. The lease term is for two years and expires on September 30, 2026. Our monthly base rent was $1,963 through December 31, 2024 and increased to $2,208 for the period from January 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026.
On May 13, 2024, we entered into the Softgels Purchase Agreement. For more information, please see the discussion above under - Liquidity and Capital Resources - Elevated Softgels Acquisition.
Subsequent to December 31, 2024, we entered into a new lease agreement for our Elevated Softgels business. For more information, please see Note 17, Subsequent Events, to our consolidated financial statements included in Part IV in this Annual Report.
We enter into contracts in the normal course of business with vendors and customers for product manufacturing, logistics, shipping, marketing, professional services and other services as part of our operations. These contracts generally provide for termination on notice, and therefore are cancelable contracts and not included as contractual commitments.
Critical Accounting Policies
The preparation of these consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the consolidated financial statements, and the reported amounts of
revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. On an ongoing basis management evaluates its critical accounting policies and estimates.
A “critical accounting policy” is one which is both important to the understanding of the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and requires management’s most difficult, subjective, or complex judgments, and often requires management to make estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain. Management believes the following accounting policies fit this definition:
Goodwill and Intangible Assets - We evaluate the carrying value of goodwill and intangible assets annually during the fourth quarter in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 350, Intangibles Goodwill and Other, and between annual evaluations if events occur or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of the reporting unit below its carrying amount. Such circumstances could include, but are not limited to (1) a significant adverse change in legal factors or in business climate, (2) unanticipated competition, or (3) an adverse action or assessment by a regulator.
Goodwill is evaluated for impairment by first performing a qualitative assessment to determine whether a quantitative goodwill test is necessary. If it is determined, based on qualitative factors, that the fair value of the reporting unit may more likely than not be less than carrying amount, or if significant adverse changes in our future financial performance occur that could materially impact fair value, a quantitative goodwill impairment test would be required. Additionally, we can elect to forgo the qualitative assessment and perform the quantitative test. If the qualitative assessment indicates that the quantitative analysis should be performed, or if management elects to bypass a qualitative assessment, we then evaluate goodwill for impairment by comparing the fair value of the reporting unit to its carrying amount, including goodwill. The quantitative assessment for goodwill requires us to estimate the fair value of our reporting units using either an income or market approach or a combination thereof.
Management makes critical assumptions and estimates in completing impairment assessments of goodwill and other intangible assets. Our cash flow projections look several years into the future and include assumptions on variables such as future sales and operating margin growth rates, economic conditions, probability of success, market competition, inflation and discount rates.
During the fourth quarter of 2024 and 2023, we performed our annual goodwill impairment test and determined, after performing a qualitative test of our reporting unit, that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the exceeded its carrying amount. As a result of our goodwill impairment test, we did not record a goodwill impairment charge for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.
We classify intangible assets into three categories: (1) intangible assets with definite lives subject to amortization; (2) intangible assets with indefinite lives not subject to amortization; and (3) goodwill. We determine the useful lives of our identifiable intangible assets after considering the specific facts and circumstances related to each intangible asset. Factors we consider when determining useful lives include the contractual term of any agreement related to the asset, the historical performance of the asset, our long-term strategy for using the asset, any laws or regulations which could impact the useful life of the asset and other economic factors, including competition and specific market conditions. Intangible assets that are deemed to have definite lives are amortized, primarily on a straight-line basis, over their useful lives to their estimated residual values, generally five years.
In-process research & development ("IPR&D") has an indefinite life and is not amortized until completion and development of the project, at which time the IPR&D becomes an amortizable asset. Until such time as the projects are either completed or abandoned, we test those assets for impairment at least annually at year end, or more frequently at interim periods, by evaluating qualitative factors which could be indicative of impairment. Qualitative factors being considered include, but are not limited to, macro-economic conditions, progress on drug development activities, and overall financial performance. If impairment indicators are present as a result of our qualitative assessment, we will test those assets for impairment by comparing the fair value of the assets to their carrying value. Quantitative factors being considered include, but are not limited to, the current project status, forecasted changes in the timing or amounts required to complete the project, forecasted changes in timing or changes in the future cash flows to be generated by the completed products, a probability of success of the ultimate project and changes to other market-based assumptions, such as discount rates, current Company market capitalization and estimates of the fair value of the Company's reporting units. Upon completion or abandonment, the value of the IPR&D assets will be amortized to
expense over the anticipated useful life of the developed products, if completed, or charged to expense when abandoned if no alternative future use exists.
As a result of our intangible asset impairment test, we recorded an intangible asset impairment charge of $0.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. We did not record any impairment charge for the year ended December 31, 2024.
Revenue Recognition - The majority of our revenue contracts represent a single performance obligation related to the fulfillment of customer orders for the purchase of our products, which is primarily related to our Plus CBD™ line of products. Net sales reflect the transaction prices for these contracts based on our selling list price, which is then reduced by estimated costs for trade promotional programs, consumer incentives, and allowances and discounts used to incentivize sales growth and build brand awareness. We recognize revenue at the point in time that control of the ordered product is transferred to the customer, which is typically upon shipment to the customer or other customer-designated delivery point. We accrue for estimated sales returns by customers based on historical sales return results. The computation of the sales return and discount allowances require that management makes certain estimates and assumptions that affect the timing and amounts of revenue and liabilities recorded. Shipping and handling fees charged to customers are included in product sales and were not material for each of the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023. Taxes collected from customers that are remitted to governmental agencies are accounted for on a net basis and not included as revenue.
Stock-Based Compensation - Certain employees, officers, directors, and consultants participate in our 2023 Equity Incentive Plan, which was adopted in June 2023, and prior to the adoption, participated in our Amended and Restated 2013 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, which provide for the granting of stock options, restricted stock awards, restricted stock units, stock bonus awards and performance-based awards. Stock options generally vest in equal increments over a two- to four-year period and expire on the tenth anniversary following the date of grant. Performance-based stock options vest once the applicable performance condition is satisfied.
The risk-free interest rates are based on the implied yield available on U.S. Treasury constant maturities with remaining terms equivalent to the respective expected terms of the options. Expected volatility is based on the historical volatility of our common stock. We estimate the expected term for stock options awarded to employees, officers and directors using the simplified method in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 718, Stock Compensation, because we do not have sufficient relevant historical information to develop reasonable expectations about future exercise patterns. In the future, as we gain historical data for the actual term over which stock options are held, the expected term may change, which could substantially change the grant-date fair value of future stock option awards, and, consequently, compensation of future grants.
We recognize stock-based compensation as compensation and benefits expense in the consolidated statements of operations. The fair value of stock options is estimated using a Black-Scholes valuation model on the date of grant. The fair value of restricted stock awards is equal to the closing price of our stock on the date of grant. Stock-based compensation is recognized over the requisite service period of the individual awards, which generally equals the vesting period. For performance-based stock options, compensation is recognized once the applicable performance condition is probable of being satisfied.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Refer to Note 2 of our consolidated financial statements for a discussion of recent accounting standards and pronouncements.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
None.

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ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Not required for “smaller reporting companies” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K.

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ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
The financial statements required by this item are set forth at the pages indicated in Part IV, Item 15(a)(1) of this Annual Report.

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ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS
ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
None.

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ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
EVALUATION OF DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) or 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the Securities and Exchange Commission and to ensure that information required to be disclosed is accumulated and communicated to management, including our principal executive and financial officers, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure. Our Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") and our Chief Financial Officer ("CFO"), with assistance from other members of management, have reviewed the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2024 and, based on their evaluation, have concluded that the disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of such date.
MANAGEMENT’S ANNUAL REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act. Our internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of consolidated financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. GAAP and includes those policies and procedures that: (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect our transactions and the dispositions of our assets; (2) provide reasonable assurance that our transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and that our receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with appropriate authorizations; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Projections of any evaluation of effectiveness for future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Under the supervision of and with the participation of our management, we assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024, using the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission ("COSO") in Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013). Based on our evaluation under this framework, our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2024.
CHANGES IN INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) or 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that occurred during the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2024 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
ATTESTATION REPORT OF THE REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
This Annual Report does not include an attestation report of our independent registered public accounting firm on the Company’s internal controls as the Company is a non-accelerated filer and is thus not required to provide such a report.

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ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
During the three months ended December 31, 2024, no director or officer (as defined in Rule 16a-1(f) under the Exchange Act) of the Company adopted or terminated any "Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement" or any "non Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement," as each term is defined in Item 408(a) of Regulation S-K.

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ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Information required by this item will be contained in our definitive proxy statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with our 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, or the “Definitive Proxy Statement,” which is expected to be filed not later than 120 days after the end of our fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 and is incorporated herein by reference.
There have been no material changes to the procedures by which security holders may recommend nominees to our Board of Directors since we last described such procedures.
The Company has a Code of Ethics which is posted on our website at: www.cvsciences.com.

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ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Information required by this item will be contained in our Definitive Proxy Statement, which is expected to be filed not later than 120 days after the end of our fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 and is incorporated herein by reference.

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ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS
ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
Information required by this item will be contained in our Definitive Proxy Statement, which is expected to be filed not later than 120 days after the end of our fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 and is incorporated herein by reference.

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ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
Information required by this item will be contained in our Definitive Proxy Statement, which is expected to be filed not later than 120 days after the end of our fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 and is incorporated herein by reference.

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ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
Information required by this item will be contained in our Definitive Proxy Statement, which is expected to be filed not later than 120 days after the end of our fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 and is incorporated herein by reference.
PART IV

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ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
ITEM 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
1.Financial Statements
The following financial statements of the Company are submitted herewith:
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2024 and 2023
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the years ended December 31, 2024 	and 2023
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity for the years ended December 31, 2024 	and		 2023
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
2.Financial Statement Schedules
Schedules are not submitted because they are not applicable or not required under Regulation S-X or because the required information is included in the consolidated financial statements or notes thereto.
3.Exhibits required to be filed by Item 601 of Regulations S-K
A list of exhibits is set forth on the Exhibit Index as included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and are incorporated herein by reference.