NOTE J – INVESTMENT

During the period December 2018 – March 2021, the Company made an aggregate investment of $6,000,000 in ILiAD Biotechnologies, LLC (“ILiAD”), a privately held clinical stage biotechnology company dedicated to the prevention and treatment of human disease caused by Bordetella pertussis. ILiAD is developing key technologies that focus on validating its proprietary intranasal vaccine, BPZE1, for the prevention of pertussis (whooping cough). The aggregate investment of $6,000,000 by the Company includes a $5,000,000 equity investment and a $1,000,000 investment in a convertible note (see below). At March 31, 2022, the Company owned approximately 9.5% of the outstanding units of ILiAD on a non-fully diluted basis and 7.2% of the outstanding units on a fully diluted basis (after giving effect to the exercise of all outstanding options, warrants and convertible notes). In connection with its investment, the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer obtained a seat on ILiAD’s Board of Managers and receives the same compensation for service on the Board of Managers as other non-management Board members.

On March 12, 2021, the Company invested $1,000,000 in ILiAD as part of its private offering of up to $23,500,000 of convertible notes (the “Notes”). The Notes have a maturity of three years with interest accruing at 6% per annum. The Notes are required to be converted into a Qualified Financing (minimum financing of $15 million) at the lesser of (i) 80% of the price paid per unit in such offering or (ii) a price based on an enterprise value of $176,000,000. In addition, the Notes shall convert in the event of a merger at the lower of an enterprise value of $176,000,000 or the stated valuation of ILiAD in the merger transaction. In the event of a change-in-control, noteholders will also have the option to have the Notes repaid except in a Qualified Financing or a stock-for-stock merger.

For the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company recorded a net loss from its equity investment in ILiAD of $433,000 and $210,000, respectively.

The difference between the Company’s share of equity in ILiAD’s net assets and the equity investment carrying value reported on the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet at March 31, 2022 is due to an excess amount paid over the book value of the investment totaling approximately $5,000,000 which is accounted for as equity method goodwill.