1. Organization and Description of Business

Overview

Unicycive Therapeutics, Inc. (“the Company”) was incorporated in the State of Delaware on August 18, 2016. The Company was dormant until July 2017 when it began evaluating a number of drug candidates for in-licensing.

The Company in-licensed the drug candidate UNI 494 from Sphaera Pharma Pte. Ltd, a Singapore-based corporation, (“Sphaera”) (Note 3). UNI 494 is a pro-drug of Nicorandill that is being developed as a treatment for acute kidney injury.

In September 2018, the Company purchased a second drug candidate, Renazorb RZB 012 (“Renazorb”) and its trademark, RENALAN, and various patents from Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Spectrum”) (Note 3). Renazorb is being developed for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia in patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (“CKD”).

The Company continues to evaluate the licensing of additional technologies and drugs, targeting orphan diseases and other renal, liver and other metabolic diseases affecting fibrosis and inflammation.

Liquidity

The Company is subject to risks and uncertainties common to early-stage companies in the biotechnology industry including, but not limited to, development by competitors of new technological innovations, protection of proprietary technology, dependence on key personnel, compliance with governmental regulations and the need to obtain additional financing to fund operations. The Company’s product candidates currently under development will require significant additional research and development efforts prior to commercialization. Future revenue streams may consist of collaboration or licensing revenue as well as product sales. The Company has generated approximately $1.0 million in licensing revenue through December 31, 2022.

The Company has incurred operating losses and negative cash flows from operations since inception and expects to continue to incur negative cash flows from operations in the future. As the Company increases its research and development activities, the operating losses are expected to increase. The Company has historically relied on private equity offerings, debt financings and loans from a stockholder to fund its operations. As of December 31, 2021 and 2022, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $15.9 million and $34.0 million, respectively.

As a result of its initial public offering (“IPO”), on July 13, 2021 the Company began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “UNCY”, and on July 15, 2021 received approximately $22.3 million in net proceeds after deducting the underwriting discounts, commissions and other offering expenses. The Company has used the net proceeds from the IPO to complete pre-clinical and clinical studies, prepare regulatory filings for the FDA, and for general and corporate purposes, including hiring additional management and conducting market research and other commercial planning.

On March 6, 2023, the Company announced it has signed a securities purchase agreement with certain healthcare-focused institutional investors that will provide up to $130.0 million in gross proceeds through a private placement and that includes initial upfront funding of $30.0 million.

The Company expects to continue incurring losses in the future and will be required to raise additional capital in the future to complete its planned clinical trials, pursue product development initiatives and penetrate markets for the sale of its products. Management believes that the Company will continue to have access to capital resources through possible equity offerings, debt financings, corporate collaborations or other means. From January 2021 through May 2021, the Company received an aggregate of $1.1 million upon the issuance of convertible notes. These funds were used primarily to settle outstanding accounts payable as well as to make payments on the loan outstanding from the chief executive officer and principal stockholder. In 2021, the Company received approximately $22.3 million in net proceeds from its IPO, and in March 2023 the Company received approximately $28.1 million in net proceeds from a private placement financing. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to obtain additional financing on terms acceptable to the Company, on a timely basis or at all. If the Company is unable to secure additional capital, it may be required to curtail any clinical trials and development of new or existing products and take additional measures to reduce expenses in order to conserve its cash in amounts sufficient to sustain operations and meet its obligations. Based on the Company’s current level of expenditures, and after receiving the proceeds from the private placement in March 2023, the Company believes that it has sufficient resources such that there is not substantial doubt about the ability to continue operations for at least one year after the date that these financial statements are available to be issued.