2017 Private Placement

On May 26, 2017, the Company completed the 2017 PIPE pursuant to a Securities Purchase Agreement dated May 25, 2017 (the “2017 PIPE Purchase Agreement”) with certain accredited investors (collectively, the “2017 PIPE Investors”) for the private placement of 6,625,000 units (the “2017 PIPE Units”) at a purchase price of $2.00 per unit, with each unit consisting of: (i) one share of the Company’s common stock; and (ii) a warrant to purchase one share of the Company’s common stock (each, a “2017 PIPE Warrant” and collectively, the “2017 PIPE Warrants”).

In connection with the sale of the 2017 PIPE Units, the Company received aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $13.25 million, before deducting placement agents’ fees and offering expenses aggregating approximately $1.3 million. In addition, the placement agents for the 2017 PIPE received, in the aggregate, warrants (“2017 PIPE Placement Agent Warrants”) to purchase up to 509,200 shares of common stock.

Purchase Agreement

The 2017 PIPE Purchase Agreement contains representations and warranties by the Company and the 2017 PIPE Investors and covenants of the Company and the 2017 PIPE Investors (including indemnification from the Company in the event of breaches of its representations and warranties), which the Company believes are customary for transactions of this type.

Warrants

The 2017 PIPE Warrants are exercisable, in full or in part, at any time prior to the fifth anniversary of their issuance, at an exercise price of $2.20 per share, subject to provisions for: (a) adjustments in the case of certain corporate transactions; (b) consideration to be received in lieu of shares of the Company’s common stock in the case of certain fundamental transactions; and (c) a “cashless exercise” feature. The 2017 PIPE Placement Agent Warrants have the same terms and conditions as the 2017 PIPE Warrants.

Issuance of Common Stock in Lieu of Cash Payments

Under the terms of the Amended and Restated Non-Employee Director Compensation Plan, each non-employee member of the Company’s Board of Directors may elect to receive all or part of his or her director fees in shares of the Company’s common stock. Director fees, whether paid in cash or in shares of common stock, are payable quarterly on the last day of each fiscal quarter. The number of shares of common stock issued to directors is determined by dividing the product of: (i)(a) the fees otherwise payable to each director in cash, times (b) the percentage of fees the director elected to receive in shares of common stock, by (ii) the volume weighted average price per share of common stock over the last five trading days of the quarter. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, 15,933 and 38,341 shares, respectively were issued to directors as payment for director fees in lieu of cash. No shares were issued to directors as payment for director fees during the three or nine months ended September 30, 2017.

Stock Incentive Plans

The Company has various share-based compensation plans and share-based compensatory contracts (collectively, the “Plans”) under which it has granted share-based awards, such as stock grants, and incentive and non-qualified stock options, to employees, directors, consultants and advisors. Awards may be subject to a vesting schedule as set forth in individual award agreements. Certain of the Plans also have provided for cash-based performance bonus awards.

Since June 2015, the Company has granted share-based awards under the MRI Interventions, Inc. Amended and Restated 2013 Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2013 Plan”). Under the 2013 Plan, a total of 1,956,250 shares of the Company’s common stock are reserved for issuance. Of this amount, stock grants of 162,393 shares have been awarded and option grants, net of options terminated, expired or forfeited, of 895,645 shares were outstanding as of September 30, 2018. Accordingly, 898,212 shares remained available for grants under the 2013 Plan as of that date.

Stock option activity under all of the Company’s Plans during the nine months ended September 30, 2018 is summarized below:

The Company records share-based compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the related vesting period. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, share-based compensation expense related to options was: 

As of September 30, 2018, there was unrecognized compensation expense of $616,879 related to outstanding stock options, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.64 years.

Warrants

Warrants have generally been issued for terms of up to five years. Common stock warrant activity for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 was as follows: