In February 2015, Fortress closed a private placement of a promissory note for $10.0 million in favor of NSC Biotech Venture Fund I, LLC. Fortress used the proceeds from this promissory note to acquire medical technologies and products. The note matures in 36 months, provided that during the first 24 months Fortress can extend the maturity date by six months. No principal amount will be due for the first 24 months (or the first 30 months if the maturity date is extended). Thereafter, the note will be repaid at the rate of 1/12 of the principal amount per month for a period of 12 months. Interest on the note is 8% payable quarterly during the first 24 months (or the first 30 months if the note is extended) and monthly during the last 12 months. NSC acted as the sole placement agent for the this note. The NSC Note, was amended and restated on July 29, 2015, to provide that any time a Fortress Company receives from Fortress any proceeds from this note, Fortress may, in its sole discretion, cause the Fortress Company to issue to NSC Biotech Venture Fund I, LLC a new promissory note (the NSC Note) on identical terms as the original note (giving effect to the passage of time with respect to maturity). The NSC Note will equal the dollar amount of the Fortress Company’s share of the original note and reduce the Fortress’ obligations under the original note by such amount.

 

Fortress will guarantee the NSC Note until the Company either completes an initial public offering of its securities or raises sufficient equity capital so that it has cash equal to five times the NSC Note. If the Company has an initial public offering and raises sufficient equity capital so that it has cash equal to five times the amount of the portion of the proceeds of the NSC Note transferred to it, then NSC will receive a Contingently Issuable Warrant to purchase the Company’s stock equal to 25% of the outstanding note divided by the lowest price the Company sells its equity in its first third party financing. The warrants were issued on June 26, 2017 and have a term of 10 years and an exercise price equal to the par value of the Company’s common stock.

 

In January 2017, the Company notified NSC Biotech Venture Fund I, LLC, of its election to extend the maturity date to September 30, 2018.

 

As of December 31, 2016, the Company’s NSC Note totaled $3.0 million, with a debt discount related to the Company’s pro rata share of Fortress’ debt issuance costs of approximately $0.2 million. The effective interest rate of the NSC Note approximates 13.1%. The original fair value of the Contingently Issuable Warrants in connection with the NSC Note in the amount of approximately $0.1 million was recorded as a debt discount based on its fair value (see Note 9). The Contingently Issuable Warrants were recorded at fair value at each reporting period (see Note 10).

 

On June 26, 2017, pursuant to the terms of the Company’s $3.0 million NSC Note, upon the closing of the Company’s IPO, the Company issued to National warrants for 125,000 common shares at par with a fair value of $0.8 million, relating to its aggregate gross proceeds from its third-party offerings exceeding five times the value of the debt. Upon the issuance of the warrant, Fortress was removed as the guarantor on the note.

 

On July 5, 2017, the Company repaid the outstanding NSC Note of approximately $3.0 million and accrued interest of approximately $2,000. At December 31, 2017, the Company had $0 outstanding under its NSC Note.

 

For the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 and the period from February 9, 2015 (Inception) to December 31, 2015, the Company recorded interest expense of approximately $0.3 million, $0.4 million and $0.2 million, respectively.

 

The following table summarizes NSC Note activities as of December 31, 2017 (in thousands):

 

		Note Payable			Discount			Note Payable, Net
January 1, 2016 balance		$	3,000		$	(297)		$	2,703
Amortization of debt discount			-			123			123
December 31, 2016 balance		$	3,000		$	(174)		$	2,826
Repayments			(3,000)			-			(3,000)
Amortization of debt discount			-			174			174
December 31, 2017 balance		$	-		$	-		$	-

 

Westpark Convertible Note

 

On December 30, 2016, Avenue held a closing of the sale of convertible promissory notes. Avenue sold three convertible promissory notes to investors for an aggregate of $0.2 million. The notes have an initial term of 18 months, which can be extended at the option of the holder, on one or more occasions, for up to 180 days and accrue simple interest at the rate of 5% per annum for the first 12 months and 8% per annum simple interest thereafter. The notes are guaranteed by Fortress. The outstanding principal and interest of the notes automatically converts into the type of equity securities sold by Avenue in the next sale of equity securities in which Avenue realizes aggregate gross cash proceeds of at least $10.0 million (before commissions or other expenses and excluding conversion of the notes) at a conversion price equal to the lesser of (a) the lowest price per share at which equity securities of Avenue are sold in such sale less a 33% discount and (b) a per share price based on a pre-offering valuation of $30.0 million divided by the number of common shares outstanding on a fully-diluted basis. The outstanding principal and interest of the notes may be converted at the option of the holder in any sale of equity securities that does not meet the $10.0 million threshold for automatic conversion using the same methodology. The notes also automatically convert upon a “Sale” of Avenue, defined as (a) a transaction or series of related transactions where one or more non-affiliates acquires (i) capital stock of Avenue or any surviving successor entity possessing the voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or (ii) a majority of the outstanding capital stock of Avenue or the surviving successor entity (b) the sale, lease or other disposition of all or substantially all of Avenue’s assets or any other transaction resulting in substantially all of Avenue’s assets being converted into securities of another entity or cash. Upon a Sale of Avenue, the outstanding principal and interest of the notes automatically converts into common shares at a price equal to the lesser of (a) a discount to the price per share being paid in the Sale of Avenue equal to 33% or (b) the quotient resulting from dividing (x) $30.0 million by (y) the fully-diluted common stock of Avenue outstanding immediately prior to the Sale of Avenue (excluding the notes).

 

In the closing, Avenue realized net proceeds of $0.1 million after paying WestPark Capital, Inc., the placement agent, placement agent fees of $30,000 and escrow fees of $4,000 and paying approximately $14,000 in legal fees. Additionally, WestPark received a warrant (“Avenue Warrant”) to purchase the number of shares of Avenue’s common stock equal to $10,000 divided by the price per share at which any note sold to investors first converts into Avenue’s common stock. The Avenue Warrant has a ten-year term and has a per share exercise price equal to the price per share at which any note sold to investors first converts into Avenue’s common stock.

 

The fair value of these convertible notes amounted to $0.2 million.

 

Due to the complexity and number of embedded features within each convertible note, and as permitted under accounting guidance, the Company elected to account for the convertible notes and all the embedded features (collectively, the “hybrid instrument”) under the fair value option.

 

On June 26, 2017, in connection with the closing of the Company’s IPO, these convertible notes were converted into 49,748 shares of Avenue’s common stock.