electroCore, Inc. - 10-K filing on 2022-03-10

Commitments and Contingencies	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	Note 17. Commitments and Contingencies Stockholders Litigation On July 8, 2019 and August 1, 2019, purported stockholders of the Company served putative class action lawsuits in the Superior Court of New Jersey for Somerset County, captioned Paul Kuehl vs. electroCore, Inc., et al., Docket No. SOM-L 000876-19 and Shirley Stone vs. electroCore, Inc., et al., Docket No. SOM-L 001007-19, respectively. In addition to the Company, the defendants included present and past directors and officers, Evercore Group L.L.C., Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., JMP Securities LLC and BTIG, LLC, the underwriters for its IPO; and two of the Company’s stockholders. On August 15, 2019, the Superior Court entered an order consolidating the Kuehl and Stone actions, which proceeded under Docket No. SOM-L 000876-19. Each plaintiff was appointed a co-lead plaintiff. The plaintiffs filed a consolidated amended complaint, which sought certification of a class of stockholders who purchased common stock in the IPO or whose purchases are traceable to that offering. The consolidated amended complaint alleged that the defendants violated Sections 11, 12(a)(2) and 15 of the Securities Act with respect to the registration statement and related prospectus for the IPO. The complaint sought unspecified compensatory damages, interest, costs and attorneys’ fees. On October 31, 2019, the Company and the other defendants filed a motion to dismiss the complaint or in the alternative to stay the action in favor of the pending federal action (discussed below). On February 21, 2020 the court granted the defendants’ motion to dismiss the consolidated amended complaint with prejudice. On March 2, 2020 the court entered an amended order dismissing the consolidated amended complaint with prejudice. On March 27, 2020, the plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal with the N.J. Superior Court – Appellate Division. The appeal was argued on September 27, 2021. On October 8, 2021, the Appellate Division issued an order reversing the decision of the Superior Court. The case was remanded to the Superior Court for oral argument on the motion to dismiss. On November 11, 2021 the defendants filed a supplemental motion to dismiss based on the certificate of incorporation’s forum selection clause. On December 10, 2021, the Superior Court heard argument of the original motion to dismiss and the supplemental motion to dismiss based on the federal forum selection clause. On December 14, 2021, the Superior Court granted both motions in their entirety and dismissed the action without leave to re-plead. On January 27, 2022, the plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal to the Appellate Division. A briefing schedule has been set by the Appellate Division for the appeal but an argument date has not been set. On September 26, 2019 and October 31, 2019, purported stockholders of the Company served putative class action lawsuits in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey captioned Allyn Turnofsky vs. electroCore, Inc., et al., Case 3:19-cv-18400, and Priewe vs. electroCore, Inc., et al., Case 1:19-cv-19653, respectively. In addition to the Company, the defendants include present and past directors and officers, and Evercore Group L.L.C., Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., JMP Securities LLC and BTIG, LLC, the underwriters for the IPO. The plaintiffs each seek to represent a class of stockholders who (i) purchased the Company’s common stock in the IPO or whose purchases are traceable to the IPO, or (ii) who purchased common stock between the IPO and September 25, 2019. The complaints each alleged that the defendants violated Sections 11 and 15 of the Securities Act and Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act, with respect to (i) the registration statement and related prospectus for the IPO, and (ii) certain post-IPO disclosures filed with the SEC. The complaints sought unspecified compensatory damages, interest, costs and attorneys’ fees. In the Turnofsky case, on November 25, 2019 several plaintiffs and their counsel moved to be selected as lead plaintiff and lead plaintiff’s counsel. On April 24, 2020. the Court granted the motion of Carole Tibbs and the firm Bragar, Eagel & Squire, P.C. On July 17, 2020 the plaintiffs filed an amended complaint in Turnofsky. In addition to the prior claims, the amended complaint added an additional director defendant and two investors as defendants and adds a claim against the Company and the underwriters for violating Section 12(a)(2) of the Securities Act. On September 15, 2020, the Company and the other defendants filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint for failure to state a claim. On November 6, 2020, the plaintiffs filed their opposition to the motion to dismiss. The Company and the other defendants filed reply papers in support of the motion on December 7, 2020. Argument of the motion to dismiss occurred on June 18, 2021. On August 13, 2021, the Court dismissed the amended complaint with leave to re-plead. On October 4, 2021, the plaintiffs filed a second amended complaint. On November 17, 2021, the defendants moved to dismiss the new complaint. Briefing on the motion is now complete. Argument of the motion has not yet been scheduled. The Priewe case was voluntarily dismissed on February 19, 2020. On March 4, 2021, purported stockholder Richard Martz brought a purported stockholder derivative action in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. The action is captioned Richard Maltz, derivatively on behalf of electroCore, Inc., vs. Francis R. Amato, et al., Case 3:21-cv-04135. The defendants include present and past directors and officers of the Company. The plaintiff purports to pursue derivative claims on behalf of the Company in connection with the IPO and actions occurring between the IPO and September 25, 2019. The complaint alleges that demand on the board of directors is excused. The complaint purports to allege claims against the defendants for violating Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act, breaching fiduciary duties, unjust enrichment and waste of corporate assets. The complaint also purports to allege claims for contribution in connection with the Turnofsky case described above, pursuant to Section 11(f) of the Securities Act and Sections 10(b) and 21D of the Exchange Act. The complaint seeks unspecified compensatory damages, interest, costs and attorneys’ fees; declaratory relief; and an order requiring changes to corporate governance and internal procedures and a vote on proposed amendments to the Bylaws and Certificate of Incorporation. On March 8, 2021, purported stockholder Ewrin Yuson brought a purported stockholder derivative action in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. The action is captioned Erwin Yuson, derivatively on behalf of electroCore, Inc., vs. Francis R. Amato, et al., Case 3:21-cv-04481. The defendants include present and past directors and officers of the Company. The plaintiff purports to pursue derivative claims on behalf of the Company in connection with a 2019 proxy statement and actions occurring from the IPO through September 25, 2019. The complaint alleges that demand on the board of directors is excused. The complaint purports to allege claims against the defendants for violating Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act and breaching fiduciary duties. The complaint seeks unspecified compensatory damages, interest, costs and attorneys’ fees; declaratory relief; and an order requiring changes to corporate governance and internal procedures and a vote on proposed amendments to the Bylaws and Certificate of Incorporation. The Company intends to continue to vigorously defend itself in these matters. However, in light of, among other things, the preliminary stage of these litigation matters, the Company is unable to determine the reasonable probability of loss or a range of potential loss. Accordingly, the Company has not established an accrual for potential losses, if any, that could result from any unfavorable outcome, and there can be no assurance that these litigation matters will not result in substantial defense costs and/or judgments or settlements that could adversely affect the Company’s financial condition. The Company expenses associated legal fees in the period they are incurred. Purchase Commitments The Company enters into contracts in the normal course of business with contract research organizations for its clinical trials, contract manufacturing organizations for the manufacture and supply of its clinical and commercial product needs and other vendors for other research and development and commercial activities, as well as services and products for operating purposes. The Company’s agreements generally provide for termination with notice. Such agreements that are cancelable contracts are not included as purchase commitments. The Company has included as purchase obligations its commitments under agreements to the extent they are quantifiable and are not cancelable. The Company has purchase obligations of approximately $1.3 million as of December 31, 2021.

Commitments and Contingencies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Note 17. Commitments and Contingencies

Stockholders Litigation

On July 8, 2019 and August 1, 2019, purported stockholders of the Company served putative class action lawsuits in the Superior Court of New Jersey for Somerset County, captioned Paul Kuehl vs. electroCore, Inc., et al., Docket No. SOM-L 000876-19 and Shirley Stone vs. electroCore, Inc., et al., Docket No. SOM-L 001007-19, respectively. In addition to the Company, the defendants included present and past directors and officers, Evercore Group L.L.C., Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., JMP Securities LLC and BTIG, LLC, the underwriters for its IPO; and two of the Company’s stockholders. On August 15, 2019, the Superior Court entered an order consolidating the Kuehl and Stone actions, which proceeded under Docket No. SOM-L 000876-19. Each plaintiff was appointed a co-lead plaintiff. The plaintiffs filed a consolidated amended complaint, which sought certification of a class of stockholders who purchased common stock in the IPO or whose purchases are traceable to that offering. The consolidated amended complaint alleged that the defendants violated Sections 11, 12(a)(2) and 15 of the Securities Act with respect to the registration statement and related prospectus for the IPO. The complaint sought unspecified compensatory damages, interest, costs and attorneys’ fees. On October 31, 2019, the Company and the other defendants filed a motion to dismiss the complaint or in the alternative to stay the action in favor of the pending federal action (discussed below).

On February 21, 2020 the court granted the defendants’ motion to dismiss the consolidated amended complaint with prejudice. On March 2, 2020 the court entered an amended order dismissing the consolidated amended complaint with prejudice. On March 27, 2020, the plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal with the N.J. Superior Court – Appellate Division. The appeal was argued on September 27, 2021. On October 8, 2021, the Appellate Division issued an order reversing the decision of the Superior Court. The case was remanded to the Superior Court for oral argument on the motion to dismiss. On November 11, 2021 the defendants filed a supplemental motion to dismiss based on the certificate of incorporation’s forum selection clause. On December 10, 2021, the Superior Court heard argument of the original motion to dismiss and the supplemental motion to dismiss based on the federal forum selection clause. On December 14, 2021, the Superior Court granted both motions in their entirety and dismissed the action without leave to re-plead. On January 27, 2022, the plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal to the Appellate Division. A briefing schedule has been set by the Appellate Division for the appeal but an argument date has not been set.

On September 26, 2019 and October 31, 2019, purported stockholders of the Company served putative class action lawsuits in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey captioned Allyn Turnofsky vs. electroCore, Inc., et al., Case 3:19-cv-18400, and Priewe vs. electroCore, Inc., et al., Case 1:19-cv-19653, respectively. In addition to the Company, the defendants include present and past directors and officers, and Evercore Group L.L.C., Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., JMP Securities LLC and BTIG, LLC, the underwriters for the IPO. The plaintiffs each seek to represent a class of stockholders who (i) purchased the Company’s common stock in the IPO or whose purchases are traceable to the IPO, or (ii) who purchased common stock between the IPO and September 25, 2019. The complaints each alleged that the defendants violated Sections 11 and 15 of the Securities Act and Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act, with respect to (i) the registration statement and related prospectus for the IPO, and (ii) certain post-IPO disclosures filed with the SEC. The complaints sought unspecified compensatory damages, interest, costs and attorneys’ fees.

In the Turnofsky case, on November 25, 2019 several plaintiffs and their counsel moved to be selected as lead plaintiff and lead plaintiff’s counsel. On April 24, 2020. the Court granted the motion of Carole Tibbs and the firm Bragar, Eagel & Squire, P.C. On July 17, 2020 the plaintiffs filed an amended complaint in Turnofsky. In addition to the prior claims, the amended complaint added an additional director defendant and two investors as defendants and adds a claim against the Company and the underwriters for violating Section 12(a)(2) of the Securities Act. On September 15, 2020, the Company and the other defendants filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint for failure to state a claim. On November 6, 2020, the plaintiffs filed their opposition to the motion to dismiss. The Company and the other defendants filed reply papers in support of the motion on December 7, 2020. Argument of the motion to dismiss occurred on June 18, 2021. On August 13, 2021, the Court dismissed the amended complaint with leave to re-plead. On October 4, 2021, the plaintiffs filed a second amended complaint. On November 17, 2021, the defendants moved to dismiss the new complaint. Briefing on the motion is now complete. Argument of the motion has not yet been scheduled.

The Priewe case was voluntarily dismissed on February 19, 2020.

On March 4, 2021, purported stockholder Richard Martz brought a purported stockholder derivative action in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. The action is captioned Richard Maltz, derivatively on behalf of electroCore, Inc., vs. Francis R. Amato, et al., Case 3:21-cv-04135. The defendants include present and past directors and officers of the Company. The plaintiff purports to pursue derivative claims on behalf of the Company in connection with the IPO and actions occurring between the IPO and September 25, 2019. The complaint alleges that demand on the board of directors is excused. The complaint purports to allege claims against the defendants for violating Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act, breaching fiduciary duties, unjust enrichment and waste of corporate assets. The complaint also purports to allege claims for contribution in connection with the Turnofsky case described above, pursuant to Section 11(f) of the Securities Act and Sections 10(b) and 21D of the Exchange Act. The complaint seeks unspecified compensatory damages, interest, costs and attorneys’ fees; declaratory relief; and an order requiring changes to corporate governance and internal procedures and a vote on proposed amendments to the Bylaws and Certificate of Incorporation.

On March 8, 2021, purported stockholder Ewrin Yuson brought a purported stockholder derivative action in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. The action is captioned Erwin Yuson, derivatively on behalf of electroCore, Inc., vs. Francis R. Amato, et al., Case 3:21-cv-04481. The defendants include present and past directors and officers of the Company. The plaintiff purports to pursue derivative claims on behalf of the Company in connection with a 2019 proxy statement and actions occurring from the IPO through September 25, 2019. The complaint alleges that demand on the board of directors is excused. The complaint purports to allege claims against the defendants for violating Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act and breaching fiduciary duties. The complaint seeks unspecified compensatory damages, interest, costs and attorneys’ fees; declaratory relief; and an order requiring changes to corporate governance and internal procedures and a vote on proposed amendments to the Bylaws and Certificate of Incorporation.

The Company intends to continue to vigorously defend itself in these matters. However, in light of, among other things, the preliminary stage of these litigation matters, the Company is unable to determine the reasonable probability of loss or a range of potential loss. Accordingly, the Company has not established an accrual for potential losses, if any, that could result from any unfavorable outcome, and there can be no assurance that these litigation matters will not result in substantial defense costs and/or judgments or settlements that could adversely affect the Company’s financial condition.

The Company expenses associated legal fees in the period they are incurred.

Purchase Commitments

The Company enters into contracts in the normal course of business with contract research organizations for its clinical trials, contract manufacturing organizations for the manufacture and supply of its clinical and commercial product needs and other vendors for other research and development and commercial activities, as well as services and products for operating purposes. The Company’s agreements generally provide for termination with notice. Such agreements that are cancelable contracts are not included as purchase commitments. The Company has included as purchase obligations its commitments under agreements to the extent they are quantifiable and are not cancelable. The Company has purchase obligations of approximately $1.3 million as of December 31, 2021.