16. Debt Financing

2025 Medtronic Loan Agreement

On July 31, 2025, the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Orchestra BioMed, Inc. and BackBeat, entered into a Loan Agreement (the “Medtronic Loan Agreement”) with Medtronic, pursuant to which Medtronic agreed to extend a convertible loan to the Company in the aggregate original principal amount of $20.0 million (the “Medtronic Loan”). The Medtronic Loan is evidenced by a secured subordinated convertible promissory note (the “Medtronic Note”) of the Company. The issuance of the Medtronic Note to Medtronic and the funding of the Medtronic Loan will take place on April 27, 2026 subject to certain customary closing conditions as described in the Medtronic Loan Agreement.

 

The Medtronic Note will accrue simple interest at a rate of 11% per annum provided that no interest payments will be paid or due until maturity. The Medtronic Note does not allow for prepayment without the prior consent of Medtronic. Unless earlier converted, or redeemed, the Medtronic Note will mature on April 27, 2031 (the “Repayment Date”). In addition, the payment or other satisfaction of the obligations set forth in the Medtronic Loan Agreement are subordinate in right of payment to the prior payment in full of the senior obligations. The obligations arising under the Medtronic Loan Agreement and the Medtronic Note are secured by security interests in, and pledges over, the Company’s assets, subject to certain agreed security principles, permitted liens and other customary exceptions and qualifications.

 

The principal balance of the Medtronic Note, together with all accrued and unpaid interest thereon (collectively, the “Balance”) will automatically convert into a revenue share (the “Revenue Share Credit”), if FDA approval of a Medtronic device incorporating AVIM is achieved prior to the Repayment Date. Upon conversion of the then outstanding Balance the Company shall pay to Medtronic the Revenue Share Credit, which shall equal 15% of the revenue share amounts that the Company receives under the Amended Medtronic Agreement, until such time as the total Revenue Share Credit payments equal $40.0 million.

 

The Medtronic Loan Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and affirmative and negative covenants. In addition, the Medtronic Loan Agreement contains customary events of default that entitle Medtronic to cause the Company’s indebtedness under the Note to become immediately due and payable, and to exercise remedies against the Company and the collateral securing the Loan. Upon the occurrence and for the duration of an event of default, an additional default interest rate equal to 2.0% per annum may apply to all obligations owed under the Loan Agreement.

The proceeds from the Medtronic Loan Agreement have not yet been received so they are not included in the principal payments table below nor included in the consolidated balance sheets.

2024 Loan and Security Agreement

On November 6, 2024 (the “LSA Closing Date”), the Company and certain of its subsidiaries (together with the Company, the “Borrower”) entered into a Loan and Security Agreement, by and among the Borrower, the several banks and other financial institutions or entities party thereto, as lenders (collectively, the “Hercules Lenders”), and Hercules Capital, Inc., (“Hercules”), as administrative agent and collateral agent for itself and the Hercules Lenders, as amended by that certain First Amendment to Loan and Security Agreement dated as of December 30, 2024 and Second Amendment (as defined below) dated as of July 31, 2025 (as amended, the “2024 LSA”). Prior to July 31, 2025, the 2024 LSA provided a secured term loan facility of up to $50.0 million available in up to four tranches (collectively, the “Term Loans”), with the first tranche of $15.0 million drawn on the LSA Closing Date, and a second and third tranche of up to an aggregate of $15.0 million available upon achievement of certain performance and financing milestones. Additionally, the Company had access to a fourth tranche of $20.0 million at the discretion of the lender’s investment committee.

On July 31, 2025, the Borrower, the Hercules Lenders and Hercules entered into the Second Amendment to the 2024 LSA (the “Second Amendment”), which, among other things, amended the existing 2024 LSA to (i) delay the initial date upon which the Company has to begin amortizing term loans under the 2024 LSA from (a) December 1, 2026 (with amortization payments delayed to as late as December 1, 2027 if certain conditions were met) to (b) July 1, 2027 (with amortization payments delayed to as late as January 1, 2028 if certain conditions are met); (ii) increase by $15.0 million (from $20.0 million to $35.0 million) the amount that that may be borrowed by the Company in the discretion of the lender’s investment committee and (iii) eliminate the Company’s ability to draw up to $15.0 million if certain milestones are achieved. The Second Amendment became effective on August 4, 2025.

The Term Loans accrue interest at a floating per annum rate equal to the greater of (i) (x) the “prime rate” as reported in The Wall Street Journal plus (y) 2.0%, and (ii) 9.50%. The repayment terms of the Term Loans include monthly payments over a 4-year period, consisting of an interest-only period expiring July 1, 2027, followed by 18 monthly principal payments plus interest, although the interest-only period can be extended for six months under certain circumstances set forth in the 2024 LSA. At the Company’s option, the Company may prepay all or a portion of the outstanding Term Loans, subject to a prepayment premium equal to (a) 3.0% of the Term Loans being prepaid if the prepayment occurs during the twelve months following the LSA Closing Date, (b) 2.0% of the Term Loans being prepaid if the prepayment occurs after 12 months following the LSA Closing Date but on or prior to 24 months following the LSA Closing Date, and (c) 1.0% of the Term Loans being prepaid if the prepayment occurs after 24 months following the LSA Closing Date and prior to the maturity date. In addition, the Company will pay an end of term charge of 6.35% of the principal amount of the Term Loans upon the prepayment or repayment of the Term Loans and a facility charge of 0.75% upon any draws of the Term Loans.

In connection with the entry into the 2024 LSA, on the LSA Closing Date, the Company issued each of the Hercules Lenders a warrant to purchase Company Common Stock, which warrants were amended effective August 4, 2025 in connection with the Second Amendment (as amended, each a “Hercules Warrant” and, collectively, the “Hercules Warrants”). Pursuant to the terms of the Hercules Warrants, each Hercules Lender could purchase that number of shares of Company Common Stock equal to (i)(x) 0.04, multiplied by (y) the aggregate principal amount of all Term Loan Advances (as defined in the 2024 LSA) made to the Company by the applicable Lender, divided by (ii) $3.58, which is the exercise price of the Hercules Warrants. Each Hercules Warrant is exercisable for seven years from the LSA Closing Date.

The 2024 LSA includes customary affirmative and negative covenants and representations and warranties, including a covenant against the occurrence of a “change in control,” financial reporting obligations, and certain limitations on indebtedness, liens, investments, distributions (including dividends), collateral, transfers, mergers or acquisitions, taxes, corporate changes, and bank accounts. The 2024 LSA also includes customary events of default, including payment defaults, breaches of covenants following any applicable cure period, the occurrence of certain events that could reasonably be expected to have a “material adverse effect” as set forth in the 2024 LSA, cross acceleration to third-party indebtedness and certain events relating to bankruptcy or insolvency. Upon the occurrence of an event of default, Hercules may declare all outstanding obligations immediately due and payable and take such other actions as set forth in the Amended 2024 LSA.

The Company must maintain Qualified Cash (as defined in the 2024 LSA), beginning on December 1, 2025, in an amount greater than or equal to (x) the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan Advances, multiplied by (y) the applicable Cash Coverage Percentage (as defined in the Second Amendment), which percentage ranges from a minimum of 60% to a maximum of 100% of Term Loan Advances, depending upon the amount of Qualified Cash.

 The following table shows the amount of principal payments due pursuant to the Term Loans by year:

  ​ ​ ​

Principal 

Payments

Year ending December 31:

(in thousands)

2026

$

2027

 

5,056

2028

 

9,944

2029

 

Total

$

15,000

Total interest expense recorded on these facilities during the year ended December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024 was approximately $1.9 million and $297,000, respectively.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Mar 12, 2026Showing above
2024Mar 31, 2025
2023Mar 27, 2024

About Debt Disclosures

Debt disclosures detail a company's borrowing structure — the types of instruments, interest rates, maturity schedule, and covenant restrictions that define its financial obligations and flexibility. This section is essential for assessing refinancing risk, interest rate exposure, and the margin of safety against financial distress.

Key signals: the maturity schedule reveals concentration risk — large maturities within 1-2 years during tight credit markets can force dilutive refinancing or asset sales. Compare the fair value of debt against carrying amount to gauge whether the market views the company's credit risk differently than the balance sheet suggests. Watch covenant compliance disclosures for tightening cushions, especially leverage and interest coverage ratios. Variable-rate debt exposure quantifies sensitivity to interest rate changes. Secured versus unsecured mix affects recovery rates and future borrowing capacity. Compare net debt-to-EBITDA against industry peers and covenant limits to assess financial health.