Research and development expenses increased by 21%, or $1.1 million, to $6.3 million, compared to $5.2 million in the same period in the prior year. Higher costs in the current year are due to increases in salaries and benefits of approximately $1.3 million, stock-based compensation expense of $0.2 million, offset by a decrease in professional fees of $0.2 million, and $0.2 million in lower other development expenses. The increase in salaries and benefits and stock-based compensation expenses is due to the increase in headcount resulting from the deployment of a team of Medical Science Liaisons. The decrease in professional fees is due to the completion of the vitiligo TONE study partially offset by clinical trial costs associated with PermeaDerm and Cohealyx.
Other expense, net increased by $0.7 million to expense of $0.8 million from expense of $0.1 million in the prior period. In the current period, other expense, net consists of a non-cash charge of $0.8 million related to the change in fair value of debt and $0.8 million in debt issuance costs, offset by a non-cash gain of $0.4 million related to the change in fair value of warrants and $0.3 million in income related to our investments and $0.1 million in other gains, net. The prior period expense consisted of non-cash charges of $0.9 million and $0.4 million related to the changes in fair value of warrant liability and debt, respectively, offset by $0.9 million related to our investments and $0.3 million in other gains, net.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Overview
We expect to utilize cash reserves until U.S. sales of our products reach a level sufficient to fund ongoing operations. We have funded our research and development activities, and more recently our substantial investment in sales and marketing activities, through the issuance of debt. We had approximately $14.9 million in cash and cash equivalents and $10.9 million in marketable securities as of March 31, 2025. As of the date of these financial statements, we believe we have sufficient cash reserves to fund operations for the next 12 months.
On October 18, 2023 (the “Closing Date”), the Company entered into a Credit Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”), by and between the Company, as borrower, and an affiliate of OrbiMed Advisors, LLC, as the lender and administrative agent (the “Lender”). The Credit Agreement provides for a five-year senior secured credit facility in an aggregate principal amount of up to $90.0 million (the “Loan Facility”), of which $40.0 million was borrowed on the Closing Date, less certain fees and expenses payable to or on behalf of the Lender. On November 7, 2024, the Lender and the Company mutually agreed to a third amendment (the “Third Amendment”) to the Credit Agreement. Under the terms of the Third Amendment and subject to the payment by the Company of a consent fee to the Lender, the Company and the Lender mutually agreed to (1) terminate two additional tranches of available debt in the aggregate amount of $50.0 million and (2) remove the trailing 12-month revenue covenant for the fourth quarter of 2024, which was set at $67.5 million. All revenue covenants for subsequent quarters remained in effect. The indebtedness under the Credit Agreement is secured by substantially all of our assets and will accrue interest at a rate equal to the greater of (a) forward-looking one-month term SOFR rate and (b) four percent (4%) per annum, plus eight percent (8%). In the event that the Company does not meet certain 12-month trailing revenue targets at the end of future fiscal quarters, the outstanding balance of the loan must be repaid in equal quarterly installments of 5% of the funded amount through the maturity date. In addition, if we don’t maintain a minimum cash and cash equivalents balance at the end of each reporting period, we may have to repay amounts outstanding in full as a result of an event of default. The Credit Agreement contains representations, warranties and covenants that are customary for this type of agreement.
On February 13, 2025, we entered into a fourth amendment to the Credit Agreement (the “Fourth Amendment”), which amended the trailing 12-month revenue covenant to $73.0 million for the quarter ending March 31, 2025, to $78.0 million for the quarter ending June 30, 2025, to $84.0 million for the quarter ending September 30, 2025, to $92.0 million for the quarter ending December 31, 2025 and to $103.0 million for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The $115.0 million revenue covenant for all subsequent quarters through the date of debt maturity remains in effect. We were not in compliance with the trailing 12-month net revenue covenant for the first quarter of 2025. On March 31, 2025, we received a waiver related to the trailing 12-month net revenue covenant for the first quarter of 2025, which was set at $73.0 million.
On February 13, 2025, as a condition to the execution of the Fourth Amendment, we issued to the Lender warrants to purchase up to 145,180 shares of our common stock, at an exercise price of $0.01 per share, with a term of 10 years from the issuance date.