10-Q

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q  

x Quarterly Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2016

or

¨ Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

for the transition period from            to

Commission File Number: 001-34058 

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

(Exact Name Of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter)  

Delaware	88-0363465
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

8840 Wilshire Blvd., 2^nd Floor, Beverly Hills, California 90211

(Address of principal executive offices including zip code)

(310) 358-3200
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.  Yes x  No ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes x  No ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer ¨	Accelerated filer ¨
Non-accelerated filer ¨	Smaller reporting company x

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ¨ No x

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the registrant’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.

As of November 11, 2016, there were 21,399,019 shares of the registrant’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share, issued and outstanding.

INDEX TO QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q

	PAGES
PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. Financial Statements	4
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2016 (unaudited) and December 31, 2015	4
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss (unaudited)	5
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity (Deficit) (unaudited)	6
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited)	7
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited)	8
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations	27
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk	43
Item 4. Controls and Procedures	44
PART II. OTHER INFORMATION	45
Item 1. Legal Proceedings	45
Item 1A. Risk Factors	45
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds	45
Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities	45
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures	45
Item 5. Other Information	45
Item 6. Exhibits	46
Signatures	48
Exhibit Index	49

2

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “intends,” “target,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions that concern our expectations, strategy, plans or intentions. Forward-looking statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q include, but are not limited to, statements about:

· the development of our drug candidates, including when we expect to undertake, initiate and complete clinical trials of our product candidates;

· expectation of or dates for commencement of clinical trials, investigational new drug filings and similar plans or projections;

· the regulatory approval of our drug candidates;

· our use of clinical research centers, third party manufacturers and other contractors;

· our ability to find collaborative partners for research, development and commercialization of potential products;

· our ability to manufacture products for clinical and commercial use;

· our ability to protect our patents and other intellectual property;

· our ability to market any of our products;

· our ability to compete against other companies and research institutions;

· our ability to expand our operations internationally;

· the effect of potential strategic transactions on our business;

· acceptance of our products by doctors, patients or payors and the availability of reimbursement for our product candidates;

· our ability to raise additional financing;

· our ability to attract and retain key personnel; and

· the volatility of our stock price.

We caution you that the forward-looking statements highlighted above do not encompass all of the forward-looking statements made in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. We have based the forward-looking statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q primarily on our current expectations and projections about future events and trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. The outcome of the events described in these forward-looking statements is subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors. Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and challenging environment. New risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all risks and uncertainties that could have an impact on the forward-looking statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. We cannot assure you that the results, events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur, and actual results, events or circumstances could differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Additionally, final data may differ significantly from preliminary data reported in this document.

The forward-looking statements made in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures or investments we may make, if any.

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q also contains statistical data, estimates and forecasts that are based on independent industry publications or other publicly available information, as well as other information based on our internal sources. Although we believe that the third-party sources referred to in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are reliable, we have not independently verified the information provided by these third parties. While we are not aware of any misstatements regarding any third-party information presented in this report, their estimates, in particular, as they relate to projections, involve numerous assumptions, are subject to risks and uncertainties, and are subject to change based on various factors.

3

PART I — FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1. Financial Statements.

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

ASSETS
	September 30, 2016 (unaudited)			December 31, 2015
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$	18,020,875		$	5,568,306
Marketable securities		2,499,975			7,999,010
Restricted cash		602,185			-
Awards receivable		1,163,186			211,938
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		118,225			210,603
TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS		22,404,446			13,989,857
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, net		351,507			318,566
OTHER ASSETS
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $135,241 and $98,679, respectively		154,441			191,003
In-process research and development, net of accumulated amortization of $0		1,500,000			1,500,000
Other assets		61,426			70,146
TOTAL ASSETS	$	24,471,820		$	16,069,572
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	$	3,920,305		$	2,530,500
Accounts payable and accrued expenses, related party		699,182			352,334
Deferred revenue, current		2,050,781			3,645,834
TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES		6,670,268			6,528,668
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES
Deferred revenue, net of current portion		-			911,458
Loan payable		13,905,857			9,155,857
CIRM liability		3,100,000			-
Accrued interest		746,564			505,363
TOTAL LONG-TERM LIABILITIES		17,752,421			10,572,678
TOTAL LIABILITIES		24,422,689			17,101,346
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (NOTE 7)
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value, 5,000,000 shares authorized, none issued and outstanding		-			-
Common stock, $0.001 par value, 50,000,000 shares authorized, 21,399,019
and 16,254,985 shares issued and outstanding, respectively		21,399			16,255
Additional paid-in capital		49,487,877			34,115,052
Accumulated other comprehensive income		923			9,385
Accumulated deficit		(49,461,068	)		(35,172,466	)
TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)		49,131			(1,031,774	)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)	$	24,471,820		$	16,069,572

See accompanying notes to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

4

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS

(unaudited)

	Three months ended September 30,						Nine months ended September 30,
	2016			2015			2016			2015
INCOME
Collaboration income	$	683,595		$	911,458		$	2,506,511		$	2,864,583
Grant income		63,186			403,426			585,177			1,529,669
TOTAL INCOME		746,781			1,314,884			3,091,688			4,394,252
OPERATING EXPENSES
Research and development		4,727,111			3,192,657			13,376,178			10,426,548
General and administrative		1,259,744			972,782			3,778,699			3,294,601
TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES		5,986,855			4,165,439			17,154,877			13,721,149
LOSS FROM OPERATIONS		(5,240,074	)		(2,850,555	)		(14,063,189	)		(9,326,897	)
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)
Investment income		5,410			292			16,347			723
Interest expense		(98,749	)		(61,681	)		(241,760	)		(185,043	)
TOTAL OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)		(93,339	)		(61,389	)		(225,413	)		(184,320	)
NET LOSS		(5,333,413	)		(2,911,944	)		(14,288,602	)		(9,511,217	)
OTHER COMPREHENSIVE GAIN (LOSS)
Net unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities		(3,855	)		5,414			(8,462	)		11,949
COMPREHENSIVE LOSS	$	(5,337,268	)	$	(2,906,530	)	$	(14,297,064	)	$	(9,499,268	)
Net loss per share, basic and diluted	$	(0.29	)	$	(0.18	)	$	(0.81	)	$	(0.60	)
Weighted average number of shares,
basic and diluted		18,286,816			16,242,090			17,594,749			15,783,224

See accompanying notes to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

5

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)

(unaudited)

	COMMON STOCK
	SHARES		AMOUNT		ADDITIONAL PAID- IN CAPITAL		OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)			ACCUMULATED DEFICIT			TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Balance at December 31, 2015		16,254,985	$	16,255	$	34,115,052	$	9,385		$	(35,172,466	)	$	(1,031,774	)
Issuance of common stock, net of fees		5,095,276		5,095		13,859,722		-			-			13,864,817
Stock-based compensation		-		-		1,499,177		-			-			1,499,177
Unrealized loss on marketable securities		-		-		-		(8,462	)		-			(8,462	)
Stock options exercised		48,758		49		13,926		-			-			13,975
Net loss		-		-		-		-			(14,288,602	)		(14,288,602	)
Balance at September 30, 2016		21,399,019	$	21,399	$	49,487,877	$	923		$	(49,461,068	)	$	49,131

See accompanying notes to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

6

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(unaudited)

	Nine months ended September 30,
	2016			2015
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net loss	$	(14,288,602	)	$	(9,511,217	)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization		91,812			79,787
Stock-based compensation		1,499,177			1,181,978
Change in assets - (increase) decrease:
Restricted cash		(602,185	)		2,977,024
Receivables		148,752			(43,192	)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		92,378			143,047
Other assets		8,720			(77,881	)
Change in liabilities - increase (decrease):
Accounts payable and accrued expenses		1,389,805			609,423
Accounts payable and accrued expenses, related party		346,848			145,945
Accrued interest		241,201			185,043
CIRM liability		2,000,000			-
Deferred revenue		(2,506,511	)		(2,864,583	)
NET CASH USED IN OPERATING ACTIVITIES		(11,578,605	)		(7,174,626	)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of marketable securities		(5,009,427	)		(17,987,496	)
Proceeds from sales and maturities of marketable securities		10,500,000			5,000,000
Purchases of property and equipment		(86,422	)		(124,383	)
Payments for leasehold improvements		(1,769	)		(21,530	)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) INVESTING ACTIVITIES		5,402,382			(13,133,409	)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Net proceeds from sale of common stock		13,864,817			16,446,218
Proceeds from loan payable		4,750,000			-
Proceeds from stock awards, warrants, and options		13,975			45,461
NET CASH PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES		18,628,792			16,491,679
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS		12,452,569			(3,816,356	)
Cash and cash equivalents balance at beginning of period		5,568,306			8,034,765
Cash and cash equivalents balance at end of period	$	18,020,875		$	4,218,409
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES:
Interest paid in cash	$	1,343		$	2,685
Income taxes paid in cash	$	-		$	-

See accompanying notes to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

7

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Notes to CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED financial statements

(unaudited)

1. ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Description of Business

The mission of Capricor Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (referred to herein as “Capricor Therapeutics” or the “Company”), is to improve the treatment of diseases by commercializing innovative therapies, focusing on cardiovascular diseases as well as exploring other indications. Capricor, Inc., a privately-held company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Capricor Therapeutics (referred to herein as “Capricor”), was founded in 2005 as a Delaware corporation based on the innovative work of its founder, Eduardo Marbán, M.D., Ph.D. After completion of a merger between Capricor and a subsidiary of Nile Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Nile”), on November 20, 2013, Capricor became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nile and Nile formally changed its name to Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. Capricor Therapeutics, together with its subsidiary, Capricor, currently has six drug candidates in various stages of development.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements for Capricor Therapeutics and its wholly-owned subsidiary have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and, therefore, do not include all disclosures necessary for a complete presentation of financial position, results of operations and cash flows in conformity with U.S. GAAP. In the Company’s opinion, all adjustments, consisting of normal and recurring adjustments, considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. The accompanying financial information should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 30, 2016, from which the December 31, 2015 consolidated balance sheet has been derived. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2016.

Basis of Consolidation

Our condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Liquidity

The Company has historically financed its research and development activities as well as operational expenses from equity financings, government grants, a payment from Janssen Biotech, Inc. (“Janssen”) pursuant to a Collaboration Agreement with Janssen and a loan award from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (“CIRM”).

Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of September 30, 2016 were approximately $20.5 million, compared to $13.6 million as of December 31, 2015. In March 2016, the Company entered into a Subscription Agreement with certain investors pursuant to which the Company issued an aggregate of 1,692,151 shares of its common stock at a price per share of $2.40 for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $4.1 million. Pursuant to the Subscription Agreement, the Company also issued to the investors warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 846,073 shares of its common stock. Each warrant has an exercise price of $4.50 per share, became exercisable on September 17, 2016, and will expire on March 16, 2019. In September 2016, the Company completed an underwritten registered public offering and concurrent registered direct offering in which the Company issued an aggregate of 3,403,125 shares of its common stock at a price per share of $3.20 for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $10.9 million.

8

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Notes to CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED financial statements

(unaudited)

1. ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)

Additionally, under the terms of the Company’s ALLSTAR Loan Award with CIRM (see Note 2 – “Loan Payable”), Capricor received $4.8 million in additional disbursements in the nine months ended September 30, 2016. Also, in June 2016, Capricor entered into a Grant Award with CIRM in the amount of approximately $3.4 million (the “CIRM Award”) to fund, in part, Capricor’s Phase I/II HOPE-Duchenne clinical trial (see Note 6 – “Government Grant Awards”). Pursuant to the terms of the CIRM Award, the disbursements are tied to the achievement of specified operational milestones. In addition, the terms of the CIRM Award include a co-funding requirement pursuant to which Capricor is required to spend a minimum of approximately $2.3 million of its own capital to fund the HOPE-Duchenne clinical trial. In July 2016, Capricor received the first disbursement of $2.0 million under the terms of the CIRM Award. Additionally, in September, the Company was awarded a U.S. Department of Defense (“DoD”) grant award in the amount of approximately $2.4 million (see Note 6 – “Government Grant Awards”).

The Company’s principal uses of cash are for research and development expenses, general and administrative expenses, capital expenditures and other working capital requirements.

The Company’s future expenditures and capital requirements may be substantial and will depend on many factors, including, but not limited to, the following:

· the timing and costs associated with the manufacturing of its product candidates;

· the timing and costs associated with commercialization of its product candidates;

· the timing and costs associated with its clinical trials and preclinical studies;

· the number and scope of its research programs; and

· the costs involved in prosecuting and enforcing patent claims and other intellectual property rights.

The Company’s cash requirements are expected to continue to increase as it advances its research, development and commercialization programs, and the Company expects to seek additional financing primarily from, but not limited to, the sale and issuance of equity or debt securities, the licensing or sale of its technology and from government grants. The Company cannot provide assurances that financing will be available when and as needed or that, if available, financing will be available on favorable or acceptable terms or at all. If the Company is unable to obtain additional financing when and if required, it would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business and results of operations and the Company could be required to reduce expenses and curtail operations. To the extent the Company issues additional equity securities, its existing stockholders could experience substantial dilution.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements. Estimates also affect the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The most sensitive estimates relate to the period over which collaboration revenue is recognized and the assumptions used to estimate stock-based compensation expense. Management uses its historical records and knowledge of its business in making these estimates. Accordingly, actual results may differ from these estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less at the date of purchase to be cash equivalents.

Restricted Cash

The Company has two awards with CIRM designated for specific use, a Loan Agreement (see Note 2 – “Loan Payable”) in connection with the ALLSTAR Phase II clinical trial and the CIRM Award (see Note 6 – “Government Grant Awards”) related to the HOPE Phase I/II clinical trial. Restricted cash represents funds received under these awards which are to be allocated to the research costs as incurred. Generally, a reduction of restricted cash occurs when the Company deems certain costs are attributable to the respective award. As of September 30, 2016, the Company had a restricted cash balance of approximately $0.6 million.

9

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Notes to CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED financial statements

(unaudited)

1. ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)

Marketable Securities

The Company determines the appropriate classification of its marketable securities at the time of purchase and reevaluates such designation at each balance sheet date. All of the Company’s marketable securities are considered as available-for-sale and carried at estimated fair values. Realized gains and losses on the sale of debt and equity securities are determined using the specific identification method. Unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities are excluded from net income and reported in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) as a separate component of stockholders’ equity.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost. Repairs and maintenance costs are expensed in the period incurred. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the related estimated useful life of the asset, which such estimated useful lives range from five to seven years. Leasehold improvements are depreciated on a straight-line basis over the shorter of the useful life of the asset or the lease term. Depreciation was approximately $63,218 and $43,225 for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Property and equipment consisted of the following as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015:

	September 30,			December 31,
	2016			2015
Furniture and fixtures	$	51,161		$	59,128
Laboratory equipment		482,262			387,872
Leasehold improvements		47,043			45,274
		580,466			492,274
Less accumulated depreciation		(228,959	)		(173,708	)
Property and equipment, net	$	351,507		$	318,566

Intangible Assets

Amounts attributable to intellectual property consist primarily of the costs associated with the acquisition of certain technologies, patents, pending patents and related intangible assets with respect to research and development activities. Intellectual property assets are stated at cost and are amortized on a straight-line basis over the respective estimated useful lives of the assets ranging from five to fifteen years. Also, the Company recorded capitalized loan fees as a component of intangible assets on the consolidated balance sheet (see Note 2 – “Loan Payable”). Total amortization expense was approximately $36,562 for each of the nine month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015. A summary of future amortization expense as of September 2016 is as follows:

Years ended	Amortization Expense
2016 (3 months)	$	12,188
2017		48,749
2018		43,732
2019		43,277
2020		4,330
Thereafter		2,165

As a result of the merger in 2013 between Capricor and Nile, the Company recorded $1.5 million as in-process research and development in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805, Business Combinations. The in-process research and development asset is subject to impairment testing until completion or abandonment of research and development efforts associated with the project. Upon successful completion of the project, the Company will make a determination as to the then remaining useful life of the intangible asset and begin amortization.

10

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Notes to CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED financial statements

(unaudited)

1. ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)

The Company reviews intangible assets at least annually for possible impairment. Intangible assets are reviewed for possible impairment between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of the reporting unit below its carrying value. As of September 30, 2016, the Company deemed the assets to not be impaired and did not begin amortizing the in-process research and development.

Government Research Grants

Generally, government research grants that provide funding for research and development activities are recognized as income when the related expenses are incurred, as applicable. Because the terms of the CIRM Award allow Capricor to elect to convert the grant into a loan at the end of the project period, the CIRM Award is being classified as a liability rather than income (see Note 6 - “Government Grant Awards”).

Income from Collaboration Agreement

Revenue from nonrefundable, up-front license or technology access payments under license and collaborative arrangements that are not dependent on any future performance by the Company is recognized when such amounts are earned. If the Company has continuing obligations to perform under the arrangement, such fees are recognized over the estimated period of the continuing performance obligation.

The Company accounts for multiple element arrangements, such as license and development agreements in which a customer may purchase several deliverables, in accordance with FASB ASC Subtopic 605-25, Multiple Element Arrangements. For new or materially amended multiple element arrangements, the Company identifies the deliverables at the inception of the arrangement and each deliverable within a multiple deliverable revenue arrangement is accounted for as a separate unit of accounting if both of the following criteria are met: (1) the delivered item or items have value to the customer on a standalone basis and (2) for an arrangement that includes a general right of return relative to the delivered item(s), delivery or performance of the undelivered item(s) is considered probable and substantially in the Company’s control. The Company allocates revenue to each non-contingent element based on the relative selling price of each element. When applying the relative selling price method, the Company determines the selling price for each deliverable using vendor-specific objective evidence (“VSOE”) of selling price, if it exists, or third-party evidence (“TPE”) of selling price, if it exists. If neither VSOE nor TPE of selling price exist for a deliverable, then the Company uses the best estimated selling price for that deliverable. Revenue allocated to each element is then recognized based on when the basic four revenue recognition criteria are met for each element.

The Company determined that the deliverables under its Collaboration Agreement with Janssen (see Note 8 – “License Agreements”) did not meet the criteria to be considered separate accounting units for the purposes of revenue recognition. As a result, the Company recognizes revenue from non-refundable, upfront fees ratably over the term of its performance under the agreement with Janssen. The upfront payments received, pending recognition as revenue, are recorded as deferred revenue and are classified as a short-term or long-term liability on the condensed consolidated balance sheets of the Company and amortized over the estimated period of performance. The Company periodically reviews the estimated performance period of its contract based on the estimated progress of its project.

Loan Payable

The Company accounts for the funds advanced under its Loan Agreement with CIRM (see Note 2 – “Loan Payable”) as a loan payable as the eventual repayment of the loan proceeds or forgiveness of the loan is contingent upon certain future milestones being met and other conditions. As the likelihood of whether or not the Company will ever achieve these milestones or satisfy these conditions cannot be reasonably predicted at the time of the filing of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, the Company records these amounts as a loan payable.

Rent

Rent expense for the Company’s leases, which generally have escalating rental amounts over the term of the lease, is recorded on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The difference between the rent expense and rent paid has been recorded as deferred rent in the consolidated balance sheet accounts payable and accrued expenses, related party. Rent is amortized on a straight-line basis over the term of the applicable lease, without consideration of renewal options.

11

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Notes to CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED financial statements

(unaudited)

1. ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)

Research and Development

Costs relating to the design and development of new products are expensed as research and development as incurred in accordance with FASB ASC 730-10, Research and Development. Research and development costs amounted to approximately $4.7 million and $3.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and approximately $13.4 million and $10.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Comprehensive income (loss) generally represents all changes in stockholders’ equity during the period except those resulting from investments by, or distributions to, stockholders. The Company’s comprehensive loss was approximately $5.3 million and $2.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and approximately $14.3 million and $9.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The Company’s other comprehensive income (loss) is related to a net unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities. For the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, the Company’s other comprehensive gain (loss) was $(3,855) and $5,414, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, the Company’s other comprehensive gain (loss) was $(8,462) and $11,949, respectively.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company accounts for stock-based employee compensation arrangements in accordance with guidance issued by the FASB, which requires the measurement and recognition of compensation expense for all share-based payment awards made to employees, consultants, and directors based on estimated fair values.

The Company estimates the fair value of stock-based compensation awards on the date of grant using an option-pricing model. The value of the portion of the award that is ultimately expected to vest is recognized as an expense over the requisite service periods in the Company’s statements of operations.

The Company estimates the fair value of stock-based compensation awards using the Black-Scholes model. This model requires the Company to estimate the expected volatility and value of its common stock and the expected term of the stock options, all of which are highly complex and subjective variables. The variables take into consideration, among other things, actual and projected stock option exercise behavior. The Company calculates an average of historical volatility of similar companies as a basis for its expected volatility. Expected term is computed using the simplified method provided within SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 110. The Company has selected a risk-free rate based on the implied yield available on U.S. Treasury securities with a maturity equivalent to the expected term of the options.

Basic and Diluted Loss per Share

Basic loss per share is computed using the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted loss per share is computed using the weighted-average number of common shares and dilutive potential common shares outstanding during the period. Dilutive potential common shares, which primarily consist of stock options issued to employees, consultants and directors as well as warrants issued to third parties, have been excluded from the diluted loss per share calculation because their effect is anti-dilutive.

For the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, warrants and options to purchase 7,532,260 and 6,273,197 shares of common stock, respectively, have been excluded from the computation of potentially dilutive securities. For the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, warrants and options to purchase 7,532,260 and 6,273,197 shares of common stock, respectively, have been excluded from the computation of potentially dilutive securities.

12

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Notes to CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED financial statements

(unaudited)

1. ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)

Fair Value Measurements

Assets and liabilities recorded at fair value in the balance sheet are categorized based upon the level of judgment associated with the inputs used to measure their fair value. The categories are as follows:

Level Input:	Input Definition:
Level I	Inputs are unadjusted, quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in
	active markets at the measurement date.
Level II	Inputs, other than quoted prices included in Level I, that are observable
	for the asset or liability through corroboration with market data at the
	measurement date.
Level III	Unobservable inputs that reflect management’s best estimate of what
	market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability at the
	measurement date.

The following table summarizes fair value measurements by level at September 30, 2016 for assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis:

	September 30, 2016
	Level I		Level II		Level III		Total
Marketable securities	$	2,499,975	$	-	$	-	$	2,499,975

Carrying amounts reported in the balance sheet of cash and cash equivalents, grants receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses approximate fair value due to their relatively short maturity. The carrying amounts of the Company’s marketable securities are based on market quotations from national exchanges at the balance sheet date. Interest and dividend income are recognized separately on the income statement based on classifications provided by the brokerage firm holding the investments. The fair value of borrowings is not considered to be significantly different from its carrying amount because the stated rates for such debt reflect current market rates and conditions.

Warrant Liability

The Company accounts for some of its warrants issued in accordance with the guidance on Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of both Liabilities and Equity, which provides that the Company must classify the warrant instrument as a liability at its fair value and adjust the instrument to fair value at each reporting period. The fair value of warrants is estimated by management using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. This liability is subject to re-measurement at each balance sheet date until exercised, and any change in fair value is recognized as a component of other income or expense. Management has determined the value of the warrant liability to be insignificant at September 30, 2016, and no such liability has been reflected on the balance sheet.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2014-09”). ASU 2014-09 will eliminate transaction- and industry-specific revenue recognition guidance under current U.S. GAAP and replace it with a principle-based approach for determining revenue recognition. ASU 2014-09 will require that companies recognize revenue based on the value of transferred goods or services as they occur in the contract. ASU 2014-09 also will require additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. ASU 2014-09 is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and early adoption is not permitted. Entities can transition to the standard either retrospectively or as a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the date of adoption. The Company has not yet selected a transition method nor has it determined the effect of the standard on its ongoing financial reporting.

13

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Notes to CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED financial statements

(unaudited)

1. ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-15, Presentation of Financial Statements – Going Concern (Topic 915): Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern (“ASU 2014-15”), which states that in connection with preparing financial statements for each annual and interim reporting period, an entity’s management should evaluate whether there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued (or within one year after the date that the financial statements are available to be issued when applicable). ASU 2014-15 is effective for the annual period ending after December 15, 2016 and for annual and interim periods thereafter. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of this update is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements.

In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02, Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis (“ASU 2015-02”). This standard modifies existing consolidation guidance for reporting organizations that are required to evaluate whether they should consolidate certain legal entities. ASU 2015-02 is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those years beginning after December 15, 2015, and requires either a retrospective or a modified retrospective approach to adoption. The Company adopted this standard effective December 31, 2015.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs (“ASU 2015-03”). This update changes the presentation of debt issuance costs in the balance sheet. ASU 2015-03 requires debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt obligation to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the related debt liability rather than being presented as an asset. Amortization of debt issuance costs will continue to be reported as interest expense. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-15, Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of Credit Arrangements (“ASU 2015-15”). ASU 2015-15 clarified guidance in ASU 2015-03 by providing that the SEC staff would not object to a company presenting debt issuance costs related to a line-of-credit arrangement on the balance sheet as a deferred asset, regardless of whether there were any outstanding borrowings at period-end. This update is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2015, which required the Company to adopt these provisions in the first quarter of 2016. This update was applied on a retrospective basis, wherein the balance sheet of each period presented was adjusted to reflect the effects of applying the new guidance.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“ASU 2016-02”), which supersedes existing guidance on accounting for leases in Leases (Topic 840) and generally requires all leases to be recognized in the consolidated balance sheet. ASU 2016-02 is effective for annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018; early adoption is permitted. The provisions of ASU 2016-02 are to be applied using a modified retrospective approach. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this standard on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Compensation — Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which outlines new provisions intended to simplify various aspects related to accounting for share-based payments and their presentation in the financial statements. The standard is effective for the Company beginning December 15, 2016 and for interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on its financial statements.

In April 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-10, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which amends certain aspects of the FASB’s and International Accounting Standards Board’s new revenue standard, ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2014-09”). The standard should be adopted concurrently with the adoption of ASU 2014-09, which is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted. The Company has not yet selected a transition method nor has it determined the effect of the standard on its ongoing financial reporting.

Other recent accounting pronouncements issued by the FASB, including its Emerging Issues Task Force, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the SEC, did not or are not believed by management to have a material impact on the Company’s present or future condensed consolidated financial statement presentation or disclosures. For a more detailed listing of the Company’s significant accounting policies, see Note 1 – “Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies,” of the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, as filed with the SEC on March 30, 2016.

14

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Notes to CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED financial statements

(unaudited)

2. LOAN PAYABLE

On February 5, 2013, Capricor entered into a Loan Agreement with CIRM (the “CIRM Loan Agreement”), pursuant to which CIRM agreed to disburse $19,782,136 to Capricor over a period of approximately three and one-half years to support Phase II of Capricor’s ALLSTAR clinical trial. On May 12, 2016, the Company and CIRM entered into an amendment to the CIRM Loan Agreement (the “CIRM Loan Amendment”) pursuant to which the parties agreed, among other things, upon a schedule for future disbursements of the proceeds of the loan amount based upon the achievement of specified operational milestones. As a result of the CIRM Loan Amendment and because the Company decreased the number of patients enrolled in the ALLSTAR clinical trial, it is likely that the Company will not need to take down the full amount available for disbursement under the CIRM Loan Agreement and that certain operational milestones tied to patient enrollment will not be met. The Company believes that the amount that will ultimately be disbursed will be approximately 70-75% of the total amount specified in the CIRM Loan Agreement, thus reducing the total amount of debt incurred thereunder.

Under the CIRM Loan Agreement, Capricor is required to repay the CIRM loan with interest at the end of the loan period. The loan also provides for the payment of a risk premium whereby Capricor is required to pay CIRM a premium of up to 500% of the loan amount upon the achievement of certain revenue thresholds. The loan has a term of five years and is extendable annually up to ten years at Capricor’s option if certain conditions are met. The interest rate for the initial term is set at the one-year LIBOR rate plus 2% (“base rate”), compounded annually, and becomes due at the end of the fifth year. After the fifth year, if the term of the loan is extended and if certain conditions are met, the interest rate will increase by 1% over the base rate each sequential year thereafter, with a maximum increase of 5% over the base rate in the tenth year. CIRM has the right to cease disbursements if a no-go milestone occurs or certain other conditions are not met. The Company is also required to meet certain progress milestones set forth in the CIRM Notice of Loan Award with respect to the progress of the ALLSTAR clinical trial and manufacturing of the product. There is no assurance that CIRM will continue the disbursement of funds.

Under the terms of the CIRM Loan Agreement, if Capricor is not in default, the loan may be forgiven during the term of the project period if Capricor abandons the trial due to the occurrence of a no-go milestone. After the end of the project period, the loan may also be forgiven if Capricor elects to abandon the project under certain circumstances. Under the terms of the CIRM Loan Agreement, Capricor is required to meet certain financial milestones by demonstrating to CIRM prior to each disbursement of loan proceeds that it has sufficient funds available to cover all costs and expenses anticipated to be required to continue Phase II of the ALLSTAR trial for at least the following 12-month period, less the costs budgeted to be covered by planned loan disbursements. Capricor did not issue stock, warrants or other equity to CIRM in connection with this loan award. Additionally, on September 30, 2015, the Company entered into a Joinder Agreement with Capricor and CIRM, pursuant to which, among other things, the Company agreed to become a loan party under the CIRM Loan Agreement and to be jointly and severally responsible with Capricor for the performance of, and to be bound by the obligations and liabilities under, the CIRM Loan Agreement, subject to the rights and benefits afforded to a loan recipient thereunder.

In addition to the foregoing, the timing of the distribution of funds pursuant to the CIRM Loan Agreement shall be contingent upon the availability of funds in the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Fund in the California State Treasury, as determined by CIRM in its sole discretion.

The due diligence costs are recorded as a discount on the loan and amortized to general and administrative expenses over the remaining term of the loan. As of September 30, 2016, $30,000 of loan costs were capitalized with the balance of $7,297 to be amortized over approximately one year and four months.

In 2013, Capricor received disbursements pursuant to the terms of the CIRM Loan Agreement of $3,925,066, net of loan costs. The disbursements carried an initial interest rate of approximately 2.5% - 2.8% per annum.

In 2014, Capricor received disbursements pursuant to the terms of the CIRM Loan Agreement of $5,194,124, which includes previously deducted due diligence costs that were refunded. The disbursements carried an initial interest rate of approximately 2.6% per annum.

In March 2016, Capricor received a disbursement pursuant to the terms of the CIRM Loan Agreement of $1,000,000. This disbursement carries interest at the initial rate of approximately 3.2% per annum.

In June 2016, Capricor received a disbursement pursuant to the terms of the CIRM Loan Agreement of $2,000,000. This disbursement carries interest at the initial rate of approximately 3.3% per annum.

15

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Notes to CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED financial statements

(unaudited)

2. LOAN PAYABLE (continued)

In July 2016, Capricor received a disbursement pursuant to the terms of the CIRM Loan Agreement of $1,750,000. This disbursement carries interest at the initial rate of approximately 3.4% per annum. For the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, interest expense under the CIRM Loan Agreement was approximately $98,749 and $61,681, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, interest expense under the CIRM Loan Agreement was approximately $241,201 and $185,043, respectively. The principal balance outstanding under the CIRM Loan Agreement was $13,905,857 and $9,155,857 as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively. The balance of the loan with accrued interest is due in 2018, unless extended pursuant to the terms of the CIRM Loan Agreement.

3. STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

March 2016 Registered Direct Offering

On March 16, 2016, the Company issued and sold to certain investors an aggregate of 1,692,151 shares of the Company’s common stock at a purchase price of $2.40 per share for an aggregate purchase price of $4,060,000. This offering included participation from some of the Company’s officers and directors. Fees paid in conjunction with the registered direct offering, which included placement agent fees and estimated offering expenses, amounted to approximately $0.1 million in the aggregate and were recorded as a reduction to additional paid-in capital, resulting in net proceeds of approximately $3.9 million.

In connection with the sale of shares of the Company’s common stock, on March 16, 2016, the Company also issued and sold to the investors, in a concurrent private placement, warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 846,073 shares of the Company’s common stock. Each warrant has an exercise price of $4.50 per share, became initially exercisable on September 17, 2016, and will expire on March 16, 2019. Pursuant to the terms of each warrant, if, on or after the original exercise date of such warrant, the Volume Weighted Average Price of the Common Stock (as defined in each warrant) equals or exceeds $7.50 per share for any period of 20 consecutive trading days, the Company shall have the right, but not the obligation, to redeem any unexercised portion of such warrant for a redemption fee of $0.001 per share of common stock underlying such warrant.

September 2016 Underwritten Public and Registered Direct Offering

In September 2016, the Company completed an underwritten registered public offering and concurrent registered direct offering pursuant to which the Company issued an aggregate of 3,403,125 shares of its common stock at a price per share of $3.20 for an aggregate purchase price of $10,890,000. Fees paid in conjunction with the underwritten deal and registered direct offering, which included underwriter commissions and estimated offering expenses, amounted to approximately $1.0 million in the aggregate and were recorded as a reduction to additional paid-in capital, resulting in net proceeds of approximately $9.9 million.

 Outstanding Shares

At September 30, 2016, the Company had 21,399,019 shares of common stock issued and outstanding.

4. STOCK AWARDS, WARRANTS AND OPTIONS

Warrants

The following table summarizes all warrant activity for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2016:

	Warrants		Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding at January 1, 2016		235,830	$	2.27
Granted		846,073		4.50
Exercised		-		-
Expired		-		-
Outstanding at September 30, 2016		1,081,903	$	4.01

16

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Notes to CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED financial statements

(unaudited)

4. STOCK AWARDS, WARRANTS AND OPTIONS (continued)

The following table summarizes all outstanding warrants to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock as of September 30, 2016:

At September 30, 2016
Grant Date	Warrants Outstanding		Exercise Price		Expiration Date
4/4/2012		187	$	2.27	4/4/2017
11/20/2013		235,643	$	2.27	11/20/2018
3/16/2016		846,073	$	4.50	3/16/2019
		1,081,903

Stock Options

The Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) has approved four stock option plans: (i) the Amended and Restated 2005 Stock Option Plan, (the “2005 Plan”), (ii) the 2006 Stock Option Plan, (iii) the 2012 Restated Equity Incentive Plan (which superseded the 2006 Stock Option Plan) (the “2012 Plan”), and (iv) the 2012 Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan (the “2012 Non-Employee Director Plan”).

On August 10, 2005, the Company adopted the 2005 Plan. On July 26, 2010, the Company’s stockholders approved an amendment to the 2005 Plan increasing the total number of shares authorized for issuance thereunder to 190,000. Under the 2005 Plan, incentives were permitted to be granted to officers, employees, directors, consultants and advisors. Incentives under the 2005 Plan were granted in any one or a combination of the following forms: (i) incentive stock options and non-statutory stock options, (ii) stock appreciation rights, (iii) stock awards, (iv) restricted stock, and (v) performance shares. The 2005 Plan will remain in effect until all incentives granted under the 2005 Plan have either been satisfied by the issuance of shares of common stock or the payment of cash or been terminated under the terms of the 2005 Plan and all restrictions imposed on shares of common stock in connection with their issuance under the 2005 Plan have lapsed. However, no additional incentives may be granted under the 2005 Plan after the tenth anniversary of the date the 2005 Plan was approved by the Company’s stockholders.

At the time the merger between Capricor and Nile became effective, 4,149,710 shares of common stock were reserved under the 2012 Plan for the issuance of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards and performance unit/share awards to employees, consultants and other service providers. Included in the 2012 Plan are the shares of common stock that were originally reserved under the 2006 Stock Option Plan. Under the 2012 Plan, each stock option granted will be designated in the award agreement as either an incentive stock option or a nonstatutory stock option. Notwithstanding such designation, however, to the extent that the aggregate fair market value of the shares with respect to which incentive stock options are exercisable for the first time by the participant during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company and any parent or subsidiary) exceeds $100,000, such options will be treated as nonstatutory stock options. On June 2, 2016 at the Company’s annual stockholder meeting, the stockholders approved a proposal to amend the 2012 Plan, to, among other things, increase the number of shares of common stock of the Company that may be issued under the 2012 Plan to equal the sum of 4,149,710 plus 2% of the outstanding shares of common stock as of December 31, 2015, with the number of shares that may be issued under the 2012 Plan automatically increasing thereafter on January 1 of each year, commencing with January 1, 2017, by 2% of the outstanding shares of common stock as of the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year (rounded down to the nearest whole share). Additionally, in connection with the proposed increase in the total number of shares of common stock that may be issued under the 2012 Plan, the Company increased the number of shares of common stock that may be issued pursuant to options that are intended to qualify as incentive stock options from 4,149,710 shares to 4,474,809 shares.

 At the time the merger between Capricor and Nile became effective, 2,697,311 shares of common stock were reserved under the 2012 Non-Employee Director Plan for the issuance of stock options to members of the Board whom are not employees of the Company.

Each of the Company’s stock option plans are administered by the Board, or a committee appointed by the Board, which determines the recipients and types of awards to be granted, as well as the number of shares subject to the awards, the exercise price and the vesting schedule. Currently, stock options are granted with an exercise price equal to the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant, and generally vest over a period of one to four years. The term of stock options granted under each of the plans cannot exceed ten years.

17

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Notes to CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED financial statements

(unaudited)

4. STOCK AWARDS, WARRANTS AND OPTIONS (continued)

The estimated weighted average fair values of the options granted during the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 were approximately $2.42 and $3.11 per share, respectively. The estimated weighted average fair values of the options granted during the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 were approximately $2.02 and $3.86 per share, respectively.

The Company estimates the fair value of each option award using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The Company used the following assumptions to estimate the fair value of stock options issued during the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015:

	September 30, 2016	September 30, 2015
Expected volatility	79% - 82%	80% - 82%
Expected term	5 - 7 years	5 - 7 years
Dividend yield	0%	0%
Risk-free interest rates	0.5% - 1.7%	0.3% - 2.0%

Employee and non-employee stock-based compensation expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 was as follows:

	Three months ended September 30,				Nine months ended September 30,
	2016		2015		2016		2015
General and administrative	$	409,164	$	220,419	$	1,100,249	$	1,000,284
Research and development		145,402		46,508		398,928		173,106
Total	$	554,566	$	266,927	$	1,499,177	$	1,173,390

Common stock, stock options or other equity instruments issued to non-employees (including consultants) as consideration for goods or services received by the Company are accounted for based on the fair value of the equity instruments issued (unless the fair value of the consideration received can be more reliably measured). The fair value of stock options is determined using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model and is periodically re-measured as the underlying options vest. The fair value of any options issued to non-employees is recorded as an expense over the applicable vesting periods.

The following is a schedule summarizing employee and non-employee stock option activity for the nine months ended September 30, 2016:

	Number of Options			Weighted Average Exercise Price		Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Outstanding at January 1, 2016		5,997,323		$	1.59	$	8,876,038
Granted		780,000			2.89
Exercised		(48,758	)		0.29
Expired/Cancelled		(278,208	)		5.35
Outstanding at September 30, 2016		6,450,357		$	1.60	$	10,599,175
Exercisable at September 30, 2016		4,983,513		$	0.96	$	11,353,060

The aggregate intrinsic value represents the difference between the exercise price of the options and the estimated fair value of the Company’s common stock for each of the respective periods.

The aggregate intrinsic value of options exercised was approximately $142,031 for the nine months ended September 30, 2016.

18

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Notes to CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED financial statements

(unaudited)

5. CONCENTRATIONS

Cash Concentration

The Company has historically maintained checking accounts at two financial institutions. These accounts are each insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for up to $250,000. Historically, the Company has not experienced any significant losses in such accounts and believes it is not exposed to any significant credit risk on cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities. As of September 30, 2016, the Company maintained approximately $20.9 million of uninsured deposits.

6. GOVERNMENT GRANT AWARDS

CIRM Grant Award (HOPE)

On June 16, 2016, Capricor entered into the CIRM Award with CIRM in the amount of approximately $3.4 million to fund, in part, Capricor’s Phase I/II HOPE-Duchenne clinical trial investigating CAP-1002 for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy-associated cardiomyopathy. Pursuant to terms of the CIRM Award, the disbursements will be tied to the achievement of specified operational milestones. If CIRM determines, in its sole discretion, that Capricor has not complied with the terms and conditions of the CIRM Award, CIRM may suspend or permanently cease disbursements or pursue other remedies as allowed by law. In addition, the terms of the CIRM Award include a co-funding requirement pursuant to which Capricor is required to spend approximately $2.3 million of its own capital to fund the HOPE-Duchenne clinical trial. If Capricor fails to satisfy its co-funding requirement, the amount of the CIRM Award may be proportionately reduced. The CIRM Award is further subject to the conditions and requirements set forth in the CIRM Grants Administration Policy for Clinical Stage Projects. Such requirements include, without limitation, the filing of quarterly and annual reports with CIRM, the sharing of intellectual property pursuant to Title 17, CCR Sections 100600-100612, and the sharing with the State of California of a fraction of licensing revenue received from a CIRM funded research project and net commercial revenue from a commercialized product which resulted from CIRM funded research as set forth in Title 17, CCR Section 100608. The maximum royalty on net commercial revenue that Capricor may be required to pay to CIRM is equal to nine times the total amount awarded and paid to Capricor. 

After completing the CIRM funded research project and after the award period end date, estimated to be in late 2017 or in 2018, Capricor has the right to convert the CIRM Award into a loan, the terms of which will be determined based on various factors, including the stage of the research and the stage of development at the time the election is made. On June 20, 2016, Capricor entered into a Loan Election Agreement with CIRM whereby, among other things, CIRM and Capricor agreed that, if converted, the term of the loan would be five years from the date of execution of the applicable loan agreement; provided that the term of the loan will not exceed ten years from the date on which the CIRM Award was granted. Beginning on the date of the loan, the loan shall bear interest on the unpaid principal balance plus the interest that was accrued prior to the election point according to the terms set forth in CIRM’s Loan Policy (“New Loan Balance”) at a per annum rate equal to the LIBOR rate for a three-month deposit in U.S. dollars, as published by the Wall Street Journal on the loan date, plus one percent. Interest shall be compounded annually on the outstanding New Loan Balance commencing with the loan date and the interest shall be payable, together with the New Loan Balance, upon the due date of the loan. If Capricor elects to convert the CIRM Award into a loan, certain requirements of the CIRM Award will no longer be applicable, including the revenue sharing requirements. Capricor will not make its decision as to whether it will elect to convert the CIRM Award into a loan until after the end of the HOPE-Duchenne trial. Since Capricor may be required to repay some or all of the amounts awarded by CIRM, the Company will account for this award as a liability rather than income. If Capricor were to lose this funding, it may be required to delay, postpone, or cancel its HOPE-Duchenne trial or otherwise reduce or curtail its operations, unless it was able to obtain adequate financing for its clinical trial from alternative sources.  In July 2016, Capricor received the first disbursement of $2.0 million under the terms of the CIRM Award.

Additionally, in September 2016, we completed the first operational milestone which was tied to the completion of enrollment of the HOPE-Duchenne clinical trial for which $1.1 million was received by Capricor on November 4, 2016. As of September 30, 2016, our liability balance for the CIRM Award was $3.1 million.

NIH Grant Award (DYNAMIC)

In August 2013, Capricor was approved for a Phase IIB bridge grant through the National Institutes of Health (“NIH”) Small Business Innovation Research (“SBIR”) program for continued development of its CAP-1002 product candidate. Under the terms of the NIH grant, disbursements were made to Capricor over a period of approximately three years, in an aggregate amount of approximately $2.9 million, subject to annual and quarterly reporting requirements. The full award of $2.9 million has been disbursed under the terms of the NIH grant award.

19

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Notes to CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED financial statements

(unaudited)

6. GOVERNMENT GRANT AWARDS (continued)

NIH Grant Award (HLHS)

In September 2016, Capricor was approved for a grant from the NIH to support the development of CAP-2003 (cardiosphere-derived cell exosomes) for hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). Under the terms of the NIH grant, disbursements will be made to Capricor in an amount up to approximately $4.2 million, subject to annual and quarterly reporting requirements as well as successful completion of the study objectives. As of September 30, 2016, no disbursements have been made under the terms of the NIH grant award.

U.S. Department of Defense Grant Award

In September 2016, Capricor was approved for a grant award from the DoD in the amount of approximately $2.4 million to be used toward developing a scalable, commercially-ready process to manufacture CAP-2003. Under the terms of the award, disbursements will be made to Capricor over a period of approximately two years, subject to annual and quarterly reporting requirements. As of September 30, 2016, approximately $63,186 has been incurred under the terms of the award.

7. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Leases

Capricor leases space for its corporate offices pursuant to a lease that was originally effective for a two year period beginning July 1, 2013 with an option to extend the lease for an additional twelve months. The monthly lease payment was $16,620 per month for the first twelve months of the term and increased to $17,285 per month for the second twelve months of the term. On March 3, 2015, Capricor executed a Second Amendment to Lease (the “Second Lease Amendment”) with The Bubble Real Estate Company, LLC, pursuant to which (i) additional space was added to the Company’s corporate office lease and (ii) the Company exercised its option to extend the lease term through June 30, 2016. Under the terms of the Second Lease Amendment, commencing February 2, 2015, the base rent was $17,957 for one month, and, commencing March 2, 2015, the base rent increased to $21,420 per month for four months. Commencing July 1, 2015, the base rent increased to $22,111 per month for the remainder of the lease term. On May 25, 2016, Capricor entered into a Third Amendment to Lease (the “Third Lease Amendment”) with The Bubble Real Estate Company, LLC. Under the terms of the Third Lease Amendment, the lease term commenced on July 1, 2016 and will end on December 31, 2018. Commencing July 1, 2016, the base rent increased to $22,995 per month for the first twelve months of the term, will increase to $23,915 per month for the second twelve months of the term, and, thereafter, will increase to $24,872 for the remainder of the lease term.

On May 14, 2014, Capricor entered into a facilities lease with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (“CSMC”), a shareholder of the Company, for two research labs (the “Facilities Lease”). The Facilities Lease is for a term of three years commencing June 1, 2014 and replaces the month-to-month lease that was previously in effect between CSMC and Capricor. The monthly lease payment under the Facilities Lease was approximately $15,461 per month for the first six months of the term and increased to approximately $19,350 per month for the remainder of the term. The amount of rent expense is subject to annual adjustments according to increases in the Consumer Price Index.

Unless renewed, each of the leases described above will not be in effect for fiscal year 2019. A summary of future minimum rental payments required under operating leases as of September 30, 2016 is as follows:

Years ended	Operating Leases
2016 (3 months)	$	127,035
2017		378,210
2018		292,722
Total minimum lease payments	$	797,967

Expense incurred under operating leases to unrelated parties was approximately $71,215 and $65,088 for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and approximately $201,392 and $190,854 for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Expense incurred under operating leases to related parties was approximately $56,105 for each of the three month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, and approximately $168,316 for each of the nine month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015.

20

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Notes to CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED financial statements

(unaudited)

7. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (continued)

Legal Contingencies

Periodically, the Company may become involved in certain legal actions and claims arising in the ordinary course of business. There were no material legal actions or claims reported at September 30, 2016.

8. LICENSE AGREEMENTS

Capricor’s Technology - CAP-1002, CAP-1001, CSps and Exosomes

Capricor has entered into exclusive license agreements for intellectual property rights related to cardiac-derived cells with Università Degli Studi Di Roma La Sapienza (the “University of Rome”), The Johns Hopkins University (“JHU”) and CSMC. In addition, Capricor has filed patent applications related to enhancements or validation of the technology developed by its own scientists.

University of Rome License Agreement

Capricor and the University of Rome entered into a License Agreement, dated June 21, 2006 (the “Rome License Agreement”) which provides for the grant of an exclusive, world-wide, royalty-bearing license by the University of Rome to Capricor (with the right to sublicense) to develop and commercialize licensed products under the licensed patent rights in all fields. With respect to any new or future patent applications assigned to the University of Rome utilizing cardiac stem cells in cardiac care, Capricor has a first right of negotiation for a certain period of time to obtain a license thereto.

Pursuant to the Rome License Agreement, Capricor paid the University of Rome a license issue fee, is currently paying minimum annual royalties in the amount of 20,000 Euros per year, and is obligated to pay a lower-end of a mid-range double-digit percentage on all royalties received as a result of sublicenses granted, which are net of any royalties paid to third parties under a license agreement from such third party to Capricor. The minimum annual royalties are creditable against future royalty payments.

The Rome License Agreement will, unless extended or sooner terminated, remain in effect until the later of the last claim of any patent or until any patent application comprising licensed patent rights has expired or been abandoned. Under the terms of the Rome License Agreement, either party may terminate the agreement should the other party become insolvent or file a petition in bankruptcy. Either party will have up to 90 days to cure its material breach.

The Johns Hopkins University License Agreement

Capricor and JHU entered into an Exclusive License Agreement, effective June 22, 2006 (the “JHU License Agreement”), which provides for the grant of an exclusive, world-wide, royalty-bearing license by JHU to Capricor (with the right to sublicense) to develop and commercialize licensed products and licensed services under the licensed patent rights in all fields and a nonexclusive right to the know-how. In May 2009, the JHU License Agreement was amended to add additional patent rights to the JHU License Agreement in consideration of a payment to JHU and reimbursement of patent costs. Capricor and JHU executed a Second Amendment to the JHU License Agreement, effective as of December 20, 2013, pursuant to which, among other things, certain definitions were added or amended, the timing of certain obligations was revised and other obligations of the parties were clarified.

Pursuant to the JHU License Agreement, JHU was paid an initial license fee and, thereafter, Capricor is required to pay minimum annual royalties on the anniversary dates of the JHU License Agreement. The minimum annual royalties range from $5,000 on the first and second anniversary dates to $20,000 on the tenth anniversary date and thereafter. The minimum annual royalties are creditable against a low single-digit running royalty on net sales of products and net service revenues, which Capricor is also required to pay under the JHU License Agreement, which running royalty may be subject to further reduction in the event that Capricor is required to pay royalties on any patent rights to third parties in order to make or sell a licensed product. In addition, Capricor is required to pay a low double-digit percentage of the consideration received by it from sublicenses granted, and is required to pay JHU certain defined development milestone payments upon the successful completion of certain phases of its clinical studies and upon receiving approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”). The development milestones range from $100,000 upon successful completion of a full Phase I clinical study to $1,000,000 upon full FDA market approval and are fully creditable against payments owed by Capricor to JHU on account of sublicense consideration attributable to milestone payments received from a sublicensee. The maximum aggregate amount of milestone payments payable under the JHU License Agreement, as amended, is $1,850,000. In May 2015, Capricor paid the development milestone related to Phase I that was owed to JHU pursuant to the terms of the JHU License Agreement.

21

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Notes to CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED financial statements

(unaudited)

8. LICENSE AGREEMENTS (continued)

The JHU License Agreement will, unless sooner terminated, continue in effect in each applicable country until the date of expiration of the last to expire patent within the patent rights, or, if no patents are issued, then for twenty years from the effective date. Under the terms of the JHU License Agreement, either party may terminate the agreement should the other party become insolvent or file a petition in bankruptcy, or fail to cure a material breach within 30 days after notice. In addition, Capricor may terminate for any reason upon 60 days’ written notice.

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center License Agreements

License Agreement for CDCs

On January 4, 2010, Capricor entered into an Exclusive License Agreement with CSMC (the “CSMC License Agreement”), for certain intellectual property rights. In 2013, the CSMC License Agreement was amended twice resulting in, among other things, a reduction in the percentage of sublicense fees which would have been payable to CSMC. Effective December 30, 2013, Capricor entered into an Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement with CSMC (the “Amended CSMC License Agreement”), pursuant to which, among other things, certain definitions were added or amended, the timing of certain obligations was revised and other obligations of the parties were clarified.

The Amended CSMC License Agreement provides for the grant of an exclusive, world-wide, royalty-bearing license by CSMC to Capricor (with the right to sublicense) to conduct research using the patent rights and know-how and develop and commercialize products in the field using the patent rights and know-how. In addition, Capricor has the exclusive right to negotiate for an exclusive license to any future rights arising from related work conducted by or under the direction of Dr. Eduardo Marbán on behalf of CSMC. In the event the parties fail to agree upon the terms of an exclusive license, Capricor will have a non-exclusive license to such future rights, subject to royalty obligations.

Pursuant to the CSMC License Agreement, CSMC was paid a license fee and Capricor was obligated to reimburse CSMC for certain fees and costs incurred in connection with the prosecution of certain patent rights. Additionally, Capricor is required to meet certain spending and development milestones. The annual spending requirements range from $350,000 to $800,000 each year between 2010 and 2017 (with the exception of 2014, for which there was no annual spending requirement). Pursuant to the Amended CSMC License Agreement, Capricor remains obligated to pay low single-digit royalties on sales of royalty-bearing products as well as a low double-digit percentage of the consideration received from any sublicenses or other grant of rights. The above-mentioned royalties are subject to reduction in the event Capricor becomes obligated to obtain a license from a third party for patent rights in connection with the royalty-bearing product. In 2010, Capricor discontinued its research under some of the patents.

The Amended CSMC License Agreement will, unless sooner terminated, continue in effect on a country by country basis until the last to expire of the patents covering the patent rights or future patent rights. Under the terms of the Amended CSMC License Agreement, unless waived by CSMC, the agreement shall automatically terminate: (i) if Capricor ceases, dissolves or winds up its business operations; (ii) in the event of the insolvency or bankruptcy of Capricor or if Capricor makes an assignment for the benefit of its creditors; (iii) if performance by either party jeopardizes the licensure, accreditation or tax exempt status of CSMC or the agreement is deemed illegal by a governmental body; (iv) within 30 days for non-payment of royalties; (v) within 90 days if Capricor fails to undertake commercially reasonable efforts to exploit the patent rights or future patent rights; (vi) if a material breach has not been cured within 90 days; or (vii) if Capricor challenges any of the CSMC patent rights. Capricor may terminate the agreement if CSMC fails to cure any material breach within 90 days after notice.

On March 20, 2015, Capricor and CSMC entered into a First Amendment to the Amended CSMC License Agreement, pursuant to which the parties agreed to delete certain patent applications from the list of Scheduled Patents which Capricor determined not to be material to the portfolio.

On August 5, 2016, Capricor and CSMC entered into a Second Amendment to the Amended CSMC License Agreement (the “Second License Amendment”), pursuant to which the parties agreed to add certain patent families to the schedule of patent rights set forth in the agreement. Under the Second License Amendment, (i) the description of patent rights in Schedule A has been replaced by a Revised Schedule A that includes two additional patent family applications; (ii) Capricor paid an upfront fee of $2,500; and (iii) Capricor reimbursed CSMC approximately $10,000 for attorneys’ fees and filing fees that were incurred in connection with the additional patent families.

22

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Notes to CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED financial statements

(unaudited)

8. LICENSE AGREEMENTS (continued)

License Agreement for Exosomes

On May 5, 2014, Capricor entered into an Exclusive License Agreement with CSMC (the “Exosomes License Agreement”), for certain intellectual property rights related to exosomes technology. The Exosomes License Agreement provides for the grant of an exclusive, world-wide, royalty-bearing license by CSMC to Capricor (with the right to sublicense) in order to conduct research using the patent rights and know-how and to develop and commercialize products in the field using the patent rights and know-how. In addition, Capricor has the exclusive right to negotiate for an exclusive license to any future rights arising from related work conducted by or under the direction of Dr. Eduardo Marbán on behalf of CSMC. In the event the parties fail to agree upon the terms of an exclusive license, Capricor shall have a non-exclusive license to such future rights, subject to royalty obligations.

Pursuant to the Exosomes License Agreement, CSMC was paid a license fee and Capricor reimbursed CSMC for certain fees and costs incurred in connection with the prosecution of certain patent rights. Additionally, Capricor is required to meet certain non-monetary development milestones and is obligated to pay low single-digit royalties on sales of royalty-bearing products as well as a single-digit percentage of the consideration received from any sublicenses or other grant of rights. The above-mentioned royalties are subject to reduction in the event Capricor becomes obligated to obtain a license from a third party for patent rights in connection with the royalty bearing product.

The Exosomes License Agreement will, unless sooner terminated, continue in effect on a country by country basis until the last to expire of the patents covering the patent rights or future patent rights. Under the terms of the Exosomes License Agreement, unless waived by CSMC, the agreement shall automatically terminate: (i) if Capricor ceases, dissolves or winds up its business operations; (ii) in the event of the insolvency or bankruptcy of Capricor or if Capricor makes an assignment for the benefit of its creditors; (iii) if performance by either party jeopardizes the licensure, accreditation or tax exempt status of CSMC or the agreement is deemed illegal by a governmental body; (iv) within 30 days for non-payment of royalties; (v) within 90 days if Capricor fails to undertake commercially reasonable efforts to exploit the patent rights or future patent rights; (vi) if a material breach has not been cured within 90 days; or (vii) if Capricor challenges any of the CSMC patent rights. Capricor may terminate the agreement if CSMC fails to cure any material breach within 90 days after notice.

On February 27, 2015, Capricor and CSMC entered into a First Amendment to Exosomes License Agreement (the “First Exosomes License Amendment”). Under the First Exosomes License Amendment, (i) the description of patent rights in Schedule A has been replaced by a Revised Schedule A that includes four additional patent applications; (ii) Capricor was required to pay CSMC an upfront fee of $20,000; (iii) Capricor is required to reimburse CSMC approximately $34,000 for attorneys’ fees and filing fees that were incurred in connection with the additional patent rights; and (iv) Capricor is required to pay CSMC certain defined product development milestone payments upon reaching certain phases of its clinical studies and upon receiving approval for a product from the FDA. The product development milestones range from $15,000 upon the dosing of the first patient in a Phase I clinical trial of a product to $75,000 upon receipt of FDA approval for a product.  The maximum aggregate amount of milestone payments payable under the Exosomes License Agreement, as amended, is $190,000. 

On June 10, 2015, Capricor and CSMC entered into a Second Amendment to Exosomes License Agreement, thereby amending the Exosomes License Agreement further to add an additional patent application to the Schedule of Patent Rights.

On August 5, 2016, Capricor and CSMC entered into a Third Amendment to the Exosomes License Agreement (the “Third Exosomes License Amendment”) pursuant to which the parties agreed to add certain patent families to the schedule of patent rights under the agreement. Under the Third Exosomes License Amendment, (i) the description of patent rights in Schedule A has been replaced by a Revised Schedule A that includes two additional patent family applications; (ii) Capricor paid CSMC an upfront fee of $2,500; and (iii) Capricor reimbursed CSMC approximately $16,000 for attorneys’ fees and filing fees that were incurred in connection with the additional patent families.

23

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Notes to CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED financial statements

(unaudited)

8. LICENSE AGREEMENTS (continued)

Collaboration Agreement with Janssen Biotech, Inc.

On December 27, 2013, Capricor entered into a Collaboration Agreement and Exclusive License Option (the “Janssen Agreement”) with Janssen, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. Under the terms of the Janssen Agreement, Capricor and Janssen agreed to collaborate on the development of Capricor’s cell therapy program for cardiovascular applications, including its lead product candidate, CAP-1002. Capricor and Janssen further agreed to collaborate on the development of cell manufacturing in preparation for future clinical trials. Under the Janssen Agreement, Capricor was paid $12.5 million, and Capricor agreed to contribute to the development of a chemistry, manufacturing and controls (“CMC”) package. In addition, Janssen has the exclusive right to enter into an exclusive license agreement pursuant to which Janssen would receive a worldwide, exclusive license to exploit CAP-1002 as well as certain allogeneic cardiospheres and cardiosphere-derived cells in the field of cardiology, except as may otherwise be agreed with respect to certain indications as may be determined. Janssen has the right to exercise the option at any time until 60 days after the delivery by Capricor of the six-month follow-up results from Phase II of Capricor’s ALLSTAR clinical trial for CAP-1002. If Janssen exercises its option rights, Capricor would receive an upfront license fee and additional milestone payments, which may total up to $325.0 million. In addition, a royalty ranging from a low double-digit percentage to a lower-end of a mid-range double-digit percentage would be paid on sales of licensed products.

Company Technology – Cenderitide and CU-NP

The Company has entered into an exclusive license agreement for intellectual property rights related to natriuretic peptides with the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (“Mayo”), a Clinical Trial Funding Agreement with Medtronic, Inc. (“Medtronic”), and a Transfer Agreement with Medtronic, all of which also include certain intellectual property licensing provisions.

Mayo License Agreement

The Company and Mayo previously entered into a Technology License Agreement with respect to Cenderitide on January 20, 2006, which was filed as Exhibit 10.6 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 21, 2007, and which was amended on June 2, 2008 (as so amended, the “CD-NP Agreement”). On June 13, 2008, the Company and Mayo entered into a Technology License Agreement with respect to CU-NP (the “CU-NP Agreement”), which was filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on August 14, 2008. On November 14, 2013, the Company entered into an Amended and Restated License Agreement with Mayo (the “Amended Mayo Agreement”). The Amended Mayo Agreement amends and restates in its entirety each of the CD-NP Agreement and the CU-NP Agreement, and creates a single amended and restated license agreement between the Company and Mayo with respect to CD-NP and CU-NP.

The Amended Mayo Agreement provides for the grant of an exclusive, world-wide, royalty-bearing license by Mayo to the Company (with the right to sublicense) under the Mayo patents, patent applications and improvements, and a nonexclusive right under the know-how, for the development and commercialization of CD-NP and CU-NP in all therapeutic indications. With respect to any future patents and any improvements related to CD-NP and CU-NP owned by or assigned to Mayo, the Company has the exclusive right of first negotiation for the exclusive or non-exclusive rights (at the Company’s option) thereto. Such exclusive right of negotiation became effective on or about June 1, 2016, when the Company satisfied certain payment obligations to Mayo.

Under each of the previous CD-NP Agreement and CU-NP Agreement, the Company paid Mayo up-front cash payments and the Company agreed to make certain performance-based cash payments to Mayo upon successful completion of certain milestones. Additionally, the Company issued certain amounts of common stock of the Company to Mayo under each agreement. The Amended Mayo Agreement restructured the economic arrangements of the CD-NP Agreement and the CU-NP Agreement by, among other things, eliminating certain milestone payments and decreasing the royalty percentages payable upon the commercial sale of the products to low single-digit royalties on sales of CD-NP and CU-NP products. The Company is also obligated to pay to Mayo a low single-digit percentage on any upfront consideration or milestone payment received in connection with a sublicense. The Company is further obligated to pay to Mayo a low single-digit percentage on any consideration received in connection with an assignment of rights under the Amended Mayo Agreement. Pursuant to the terms of the Amended Mayo Agreement, the Company agreed to pay to Mayo an annual license maintenance fee and to issue to Mayo an additional 18,000 shares of the Company’s common stock as additional consideration for the grant of certain rights. Mayo also agreed to waive or defer the payment of certain fees owed to Mayo. All breaches and defaults by the Company under the terms of the CD-NP Agreement and CU-NP Agreement were waived by Mayo in the Amended Mayo Agreement.

24

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Notes to CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED financial statements

(unaudited)

8. LICENSE AGREEMENTS (continued)

The Amended Mayo Agreement will, unless sooner terminated, expire on the later of (a) the expiration of the last to expire valid claim contained in the Mayo patents, or (b) the 20^th anniversary of the Amended Mayo Agreement. Under the terms of the Amended Mayo Agreement, Mayo may terminate the agreement earlier (i) for the Company’s material breach of the agreement that remains uncured for 90 days’ after written notice to the Company, (ii) for the Company’s insolvency or bankruptcy, (iii) if the Company challenges the validity or enforceability of any of the patent rights in any manner, or (iv) if the Company has not initiated either the next clinical trial of Cenderitide within two years of the effective date of the Amended Mayo Agreement or a clinical trial of CU-NP within two and one-half years of the effective date. Such condition was satisfied when the Company initiated its clinical trial of Cenderitide in January 2015. The Company may terminate the Amended Mayo Agreement without cause upon 90 days’ written notice.

Medtronic Clinical Trial Funding Agreement

In February 2011, the Company entered into a Clinical Trial Funding Agreement with Medtronic. Pursuant to the agreement, Medtronic provided funding and equipment necessary for the Company to conduct a Phase I clinical trial to assess the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of Cenderitide when delivered to heart failure patients through continuous subcutaneous infusion using Medtronic’s pump technology.

The agreement provided that intellectual property conceived in or otherwise resulting from the performance of the Phase I clinical trial will be jointly owned by the Company and Medtronic (the “Joint Intellectual Property”), and that the Company is to pay royalties to Medtronic based on the net sales of a product covered by the Joint Intellectual Property.  The agreement further provided that, if the parties fail to enter into a definitive commercial license agreement with respect to Cenderitide, each party will have a right of first negotiation to license exclusive rights to any Joint Intellectual Property.

Pursuant to its terms, the agreement expired in February 2012, following the completion of the Phase I clinical trial and the delivery of data and reports related to such study. Although the Medtronic agreement expired, there are certain provisions that survive the expiration of the agreement, including the obligation to pay royalties on products that might be covered by the Joint Intellectual Property. The Company and Medtronic have subsequently entered into a Transfer Agreement, described below. 

Medtronic Transfer Agreement

On October 8, 2014, the Company entered into a Transfer Agreement (the “Transfer Agreement”) with Medtronic to acquire patent rights relating to the formulation and pump delivery of natriuretic peptides. Pursuant to the Transfer Agreement, Medtronic has assigned to the Company all of its right, title and interest in all natriuretic peptide patents and patent applications previously owned by Medtronic or co-owned by Medtronic and the Company (“Natriuretic Peptide Patents”). Under the Transfer Agreement, the Company received all rights to the Natriuretic Peptide Patents, including the right to grant licenses and to make assignments without approval from Medtronic.

The Transfer Agreement became effective on October 8, 2014 and will expire simultaneously with the expiration of the last to expire of the valid claims. Both parties have the right to terminate the Transfer Agreement upon 30 days written notice to the other party in the event of a default which has not been cured within such 30-day period. In addition, Medtronic had the right to terminate the Transfer Agreement and to have the rights to the Natriuretic Peptide Patents reassigned to it by the Company if either the Company, an affiliate, or a non-party licensee failed to commence a clinical trial of a CD-NP product within 18 months from the effective date. Such condition was satisfied when the Company initiated its clinical trial of Cenderitide in January 2015.

In the event of a termination of the Transfer Agreement, (i) the Natriuretic Peptide Patents which were not owned or co-owned by the Company prior to the effective date of the Transfer Agreement shall be assigned back to Medtronic; (ii) the Company’s rights in the Natriuretic Peptide Patents that were co-owned by Capricor pursuant to the Clinical Trial Funding Agreement will remain with the Company, subject to the surviving terms and provisions thereof; and (iii) the Company shall assign back to Medtronic those rights that were co-owned by Medtronic pursuant to the Clinical Trial Funding Agreement.

Pursuant to the Transfer Agreement, Medtronic was paid an upfront payment of $100,000, and the Company is obligated to pay Medtronic a mid-single-digit royalty on net sales of products, a low double-digit percentage of any consideration received from any sublicenses or other grant of rights, and a mid-double-digit percentage of any monetary awards or settlements received by the Company as a result of enforcement of the Natriuretic Peptide Patents against a non-party entity, less the costs and attorney’s fees incurred to enforce the Natriuretic Peptide Patents. In addition, there are additional payments that may become due from the Company upon the achievement of certain defined milestones, which payments, in the aggregate, total up to $7.0 million.

25

CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Notes to CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED financial statements

(unaudited)

9. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Lease and Sub-Lease Agreements

As noted above, Capricor Therapeutics is party to lease agreements with CSMC, which holds more than 10% of the outstanding capital stock of Capricor Therapeutics (see Note 7 – “Commitments and Contingencies”). Additionally, Dr. Eduardo Marbán, who holds more than 10% of the outstanding capital stock of Capricor Therapeutics, is the Director of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, the Co-Founder of Capricor and the Chairman of the Company’s Scientific Advisory Board.

On April 1, 2013, Capricor entered into a sublease with Reprise Technologies, LLC, a limited liability company which is wholly owned by Dr. Frank Litvack, the Company’s Executive Chairman and member of its Board of Directors, for $2,500 per month. The sublease is on a month-to-month basis. For each of the three month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, Capricor recognized $7,500 in sublease income from the related party. For each of the nine month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, Capricor recognized $22,500 in sublease income from the related party. Sublease income is recorded as a reduction to general and administrative expenses.

Consulting Agreements

Effective January 1, 2013, Dr. Frank Litvack, the Company’s Executive Chairman and a member of its Board of Directors, entered into an oral Consulting Agreement with Capricor whereby Capricor agreed to pay Dr. Litvack fees of $10,000 per month for consulting services. On March 24, 2014, Capricor entered into a written Consulting Agreement with Dr. Litvack memorializing the $10,000 per month compensation arrangement described above. The agreement is terminable upon 30 days’ notice.

Payables to Related Party

At September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, the Company had accounts payable and accrued expenses to related parties totaling $699,182 and $352,334, respectively. CSMC accounts for approximately $689,182 and $352,334 of the accounts payable and accrued expenses to related parties as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively.

10. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

CIRM Grant Award (HOPE)

On November 4, 2016, Capricor received $1.1 million under the terms of the CIRM Award (see Note 6 – “Government Grant Awards”).  At September 30, 2016, the $1.1 million is included in awards receivable.

26

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

The following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the condensed consolidated financial statements and the condensed consolidated notes to those statements included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. This discussion includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. As a result of many factors, our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements.

As used in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, references to “Capricor Therapeutics,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our” or similar terms include Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary. References to “Capricor” are with respect to Capricor, Inc., which became our wholly-owned subsidiary upon completion of the merger between Capricor and Nile Therapeutics, Inc. on November 20, 2013.

Overview

Our mission is to improve the treatment of diseases by discovering, developing and commercializing innovative therapies, focusing on cardiovascular disease as well as exploring other indications. Our executive offices are located at 8840 Wilshire Blvd., 2^nd Floor, Beverly Hills, California 90211. Our telephone number is (310) 358-3200 and our Internet address is www.capricor.com.

Consummation of the Merger

On November 20, 2013, pursuant to that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization dated as of July 7, 2013, as amended by that certain First Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization dated as of September 27, 2013, or, as so amended, the Merger Agreement, by and among Nile Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or Nile, Bovet Merger Corp., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nile, or Merger Sub, and Capricor, Inc., or Capricor, Merger Sub merged with and into Capricor and Capricor became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nile. Immediately prior to the effective time of the merger, and in connection therewith, Nile filed certain amendments to its certificate of incorporation which, among other things (i) effected a 1-for-50 reverse split of its common stock, (ii) changed its corporate name from “Nile Therapeutics, Inc.” to “Capricor Therapeutics, Inc.,” and (iii) effected a reduction in the total number of authorized shares of common stock from 100,000,000 to 50,000,000, and a reduction in the total number of authorized shares of preferred stock from 10,000,000 to 5,000,000.

Capricor, our wholly-owned subsidiary, was founded in 2005 as a Delaware corporation based on the innovative work of its founder, Eduardo Marbán, M.D., Ph.D., and his collaborators. First located in Baltimore, Maryland, adjacent to The Johns Hopkins University, or JHU, where Dr. Marbán was chief of cardiology, Capricor moved to Los Angeles, California in 2007 when Dr. Marbán became Director of the Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, or CSMC. Capricor’s laboratories are located in space that Capricor leases from CSMC. Capricor manufactures its CAP-1002 and exosomes product candidates in manufacturing facilities provided by CSMC.

Drug Candidates

We have six drug candidates in various stages of development. Our regenerative medicine technology is the focus of our current research and development efforts, and includes CAP-1002 (allogeneic cardiosphere-derived cells, or CDCs) and CAP-2003 (CDC-exosomes). CAP-1002 is the subject of two ongoing clinical trials, and we expect to enter CAP-2003 into clinical development in 2017. CAP-1001 (autologous CDCs) is a predecessor to CAP-1002 and is not in active development. Both CAP-1002 and CAP-1001 are derived from CSps (cardiospheres), and we do not plan to develop CSps as a therapeutic. We have recently conducted clinical studies with Cenderitide (CD-NP), which, together with CU-NP, comprises our natriuretic peptide receptor technology, and we are currently exploring out-licensing opportunities for this technology.

· CAP-1002: We are currently conducting two clinical trials of our lead product candidate, CAP-1002: the Phase II portion of the Phase I/II ALLSTAR trial in patients who have had a myocardial infarction (MI, also known as a heart attack), and the Phase I/II HOPE-Duchenne trial in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)-associated cardiomyopathy. We have recently completed the Phase I portion of the Phase I/II DYNAMIC trial in patients with advanced heart failure.

Phase I/II ALLSTAR Clinical Trial

The Phase I portion of the ALLSTAR trial was a 14-patient, open-label, dose-escalation study that was conducted to evaluate the clinical safety of CAP-1002. Each patient received a single infusion of CAP-1002 into the coronary artery most closely associated with the territory of their MI, at a dose level of either 12.5 million or 25 million cells. The primary safety endpoints focused on the potential adverse effects of CAP-1002 delivery, including potential immunologic consequences of infusing cells that had originated from an unrelated donor. Enrollment was completed in October 2013. At one and 12 months following CAP-1002 infusion, event rates observed for each of the four pre-specified safety endpoints (acute myocarditis possibly attributable to CAP-1002; death due to ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation; sudden death; and major adverse cardiac events) were 0%.

27

Updated preliminary 12-month magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data revealed that those Phase I patients who would be eligible for randomization into the Phase II clinical study by virtue of dose and tissue type compatibility exhibited a reduction in infarct, or scar, size of 15% from baseline. These data also indicated a 4% improvement in ejection fraction, a global measure of the heart's pumping ability, from baseline. Measurements of viable mass and regional function also showed quantifiable improvements. This Phase I study was funded in large part by a grant received from the National Institutes of Health, or NIH.

In December 2013, the Gene and Cell Therapy Data Safety Monitoring Board of the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, or the NHLBI, recommended that enrollment commence in the Phase II portion of ALLSTAR.

We began enrollment of the ongoing Phase II ALLSTAR study in the first quarter of 2014. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial is designed to determine if treatment with CAP-1002 can reduce scar size in patients who have suffered an MI. At the time of recruitment, patients are stratified into one of two cohorts according to the time since the occurrence of their MI event (either 30-90 days post MI, or 90 days to one-year post MI). As such, CAP-1002 is being evaluated in the setting of both acute MI, in which the scar has recently formed, and chronic MI, in which the scar is more established. Patients are randomized in a 2:1 ratio to receive an infusion of CAP-1002 (25 million cells) or placebo, respectively, into the coronary artery most closely associated with the territory of their MI. The trial is powered to detect a reduction in scar size as measured by MRI in both groups of patients at the one year follow-up. In addition to evaluating CAP-1002 according to changes in scar size, ALLSTAR will also evaluate CAP-1002 according to a variety of clinical and quality of life endpoints.

Based on information available to us at the start of enrollment into the Phase II ALLSTAR trial, we initially designed this study to enroll up to 300 patients. We recently completed statistical modelling of the design of ALLSTAR which incorporated the expanded dataset that has become available from other clinical trials of our CDCs. Based on these modelling results, we have elected to decrease the enrollment goal of ALLSTAR to approximately 120 patients, a sample size that is expected to maintain sufficient statistical power to detect a reduction in scar size as measured by MRI at 12 months. We have amended our clinical protocol to reflect these changes, which amendment was approved by the Data Safety Monitoring Board and was submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or the FDA, in February 2016.

In September 2016, we announced completion of enrollment of the ALLSTAR trial and that 142 subjects were randomized to the active or control treatment groups in a 2:1 ratio, respectively, of whom 134 received a single infusion of either CAP-1002 or placebo into the infarct-associated coronary artery. Following infusion, patients are to be followed for periodic evaluations over the course of one year. Patients in the trial were enrolled at 30 centers in the U.S. and Canada. Phase II of the ALLSTAR study is being funded in large part through the support of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, or CIRM.

In December 2013, Capricor entered into a Collaboration Agreement and Exclusive License Option with Janssen Biotech, Inc., or Janssen. Under the agreement, Janssen has an exclusive option to enter into an exclusive license agreement with Capricor, pursuant to which, if exercised, Janssen would receive a worldwide, exclusive license to exploit CAP-1002 as well as certain allogeneic cardiospheres and cardiosphere-derived cells in the field of cardiology, except as may otherwise be agreed with respect to certain indications as may be determined. Janssen has the right to exercise the option at any time until 60 days after the delivery by Capricor of the six-month follow-up results from Phase II of Capricor’s ALLSTAR clinical trial for CAP-1002. We expect to receive Janssen’s decision with respect to this option in mid-2017 following the delivery of the six-month results from the ALLSTAR trial.

Phase I/II HOPE-Duchenne Clinical Trial

We are currently conducting the randomized, controlled, multi-center Phase I/II HOPE-Duchenne clinical trial which is designed to evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of CAP-1002 in approximately 24 patients with cardiomyopathy associated with DMD. Patients are randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either CAP-1002 or usual care available for DMD-associated cardiomyopathy. In patients receiving CAP-1002, a dose of 25 million cells will be infused into each of the three main coronary arteries (75 million cells total), which will allow for CAP-1002 to be delivered to large areas of the myocardium. Efficacy will be evaluated according to several metrics, including cardiac MRI. We announced the completion of enrollment of 25 patients in the HOPE-Duchenne trial in September of 2016 and we expect to report top-line six-month results early in the second quarter of 2017. To date, the HOPE trial’s Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) has completed four safety reviews recommending that the trial continue without change. This study is funded in part through a grant award from CIRM in the amount of approximately $3.4 million. In April 2015, the FDA granted Orphan Drug designation to CAP-1002 for the treatment of DMD.

28

Additionally, we are planning to expand our CAP-1002 clinical development program in DMD beyond cardiac aspects of the disease. This expansion includes the conduct of a clinical trial which we plan to commence in 2017, subject to regulatory approval. Furthermore, subject to regulatory review, we are exploring the possibility of re-dosing patients in the active arm of the HOPE-Duchenne trial who complete the 12-month trial period.

Phase I/II DYNAMIC Clinical Trial

The Phase I/II DYNAMIC trial, of which the Phase I portion has concluded, is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of CAP-1002 in the treatment of patients with advanced heart failure resulting from dilated cardiomyopathy of either ischemic or non-ischemic origin. This condition is characterized by chronic structural and functional abnormalities present throughout the heart’s contractile tissue. In the DYNAMIC trial, CAP-1002 was infused into all three main coronary arteries to obtain broad exposure.

We initiated the open-label, dose-escalating Phase I portion of the DYNAMIC trial in December 2014 at a single center, CSMC, and in April 2015 completed enrollment with 14 patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class III heart failure. Each patient was administered CAP-1002 via a one-time, triple coronary infusion at one of several evenly-divided dose levels (37.5 million, 50 million, 62.5 million, or 75 million cells total). Initial top-line six-month results were presented at the American Heart Association’s Annual Scientific Sessions in November 2015. Multi-vessel intracoronary infusion of CAP-1002 in subjects with dilated cardiomyopathy was shown to be safe in this study with no major adverse cardiac events reported at one month or at six months post-infusion. Although this trial was intended as a safety study, the six-month data demonstrated encouraging and congruent preliminary efficacy signals in multiple parameters, including subjective well-being, exercise capacity, ejection fraction and ventricular volumes.

In June 2016, Capricor reported positive 12-month data from this study. For the 12 patients available for follow-up at one year, improvements from baseline in key cardiac function and dimensional indices that had been observed at six months were directionally maintained. Importantly, the change in median left ventricular ejection fraction from baseline to 12 months maintained its level of statistical-significance at six months (p=0.02 at both time points) and, on an absolute basis, continued to improve from six to 12 months. Of the five NYHA Class III subjects who received the highest dose of CAP-1002 (75 million cells), two subjects improved by two Classes (to Class I) and three improved by one Class (to Class II) at six months. At 12 months, three of these five subjects were assessed as Class I and two as Class II, demonstrating further improvement and indicating durability of the benefit of CAP-1002 on heart failure status for as long as one year following administration. CAP-1002 infusion was well-tolerated in DYNAMIC. Two of the 14 patients, who were in the lower two of the four dose cohorts, died from progressive heart failure approximately one and three months prior to study conclusion.

The DYNAMIC trial’s Data Safety Monitoring Board has recommended that enrollment commence in the Phase II portion of the trial. Although we have designed a Phase II study, at this time, we have not made a determination with respect to conducting the Phase II portion of the DYNAMIC trial.

Capricor was awarded a grant for approximately $2.9 million from the NIH to support further development of the CAP-1002 product. In June 2014, we received approval from the NIH to use the funds from the grant for the first part of the DYNAMIC trial, which we sponsored and which was completed.

· CAP-2003 (CDC-exosomes): Exosomes are nano-sized, membrane-enclosed vesicles, or “bubbles” that are secreted by cells and contain bioactive molecules, including proteins, RNAs and microRNAs. They act as messengers to regulate the functions of neighboring cells, and pre-clinical research has shown that exogenously-administered exosomes can direct or, in some cases, re-direct cellular activity, supporting their therapeutic potential. Their size, ease of crossing cell membranes, and ability to communicate in native cellular language makes them an exciting class of potential therapeutic agents. CAP-2003 consists of exosomes secreted by CDCs, and is believed to mediate many of the effects that are observed with these cells, including anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, anti-apoptotic, and anti-fibrotic effects. We are currently conducting pre-clinical studies to explore the possible therapeutic benefits that exosomes may possess, exploring ophthalmologic, cardiac, dermatologic and oncologic diseases. We hope to submit an Investigational New Drug application for CAP-2003 in the first half of 2017 and to initiate clinical development in ocular graft-versus-host disease, in 2017.

29

· CAP-1001: CAP-1001 consists of autologous CDCs. This product was evaluated in the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase I CADUCEUS clinical trial in patients who had recently experienced an MI. The study was sponsored and conducted by CSMC in collaboration with JHU. Of the 25 patients enrolled, 17 received an intracoronary infusion of CAP-1001 and eight received standard of care. 16 of the 17 patients treated with CAP-1001 showed a mean reduction of approximately 45% in scar mass and an increase in viable heart muscle at one-year post heart attack. The eight patients in the control group had no significant change in scar size. The data from CADUCEUS, using autologous CDCs, suggests that CDCs are effective in reducing scar size within several months of a heart attack. The design of our ongoing ALLSTAR trial of CAP-1002, an allogeneic product, is based on the results of CADUCEUS. In addition, ALLSTAR is evaluating the potential efficacy of CAP-1002 in patients between 90 days and one year post-MI, a patient population that CADUCEUS was not designed to study. At present, there is no plan for another clinical trial for CAP-1001.

· CSps: CSps are multicellular clusters called cardiospheres, a 3D micro-tissue from which CDCs are derived, and have shown significant healing effects in pre-clinical models of heart failure. While we consider the CSps an important asset, at present there is no plan to develop CSps as therapeutic agents.

· Cenderitide (CD-NP): Cenderitide belongs to a class of drugs called natriuretic peptides. Preclinical and clinical data have shown that the natriuretic peptide class can act on multiple disease processes that play a role in negative outcomes associated with heart failure. Cenderitide’s treatment goal and target indication is to provide a novel and effective therapeutic option for the outpatient treatment of heart failure, thereby addressing a critical unmet need. Cenderitide is being developed as an outpatient therapy to be delivered continuously using a validated subcutaneous infusion pump for up to 90 days (the “post-acute” period) following an acute heart failure hospital admission, as well as for other potential indications. Cenderitide was designed by scientists at the Mayo Clinic to be an agonist of both the A- and B-type natriuretic peptide receptors. In October 2014, we entered into an Agreement for Investigator-Initiated Research Support with Insulet Corporation, or Insulet, pursuant to which Insulet supported Capricor’s research by engaging in certain product development, project management and design control activities, in addition to supplying the OmniPod^® product being used in our current studies. In 2015, we completed a Phase II study in 14 patients with stable, chronic heart failure. Patients received up to eight consecutive days of Cenderitide through subcutaneous infusion using Insulet’s drug delivery system based on the OmniPod^® technology. This open-label trial assessed the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic profiles and pharmacodynamic response to increasing dose levels of Cenderitide administered in a stepwise fashion. The drug was well-tolerated and there were no significant adverse events. Capricor has recently completed an additional study to further assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic profiles and pharmacodynamic response to increasing dose levels of Cenderitide in patients with stable heart failure with moderate renal impairment. Capricor will determine the future strategy for the development of Cenderitide, which may include exploring potential out-licensing arrangements. Cenderitide has been granted Fast-Track designation by the FDA in the post-acute period.

· CU-NP: CU-NP is a pre-clinical rationally-designed natriuretic peptide that consists of amino acid chains identical to those produced by the human body, specifically the ring structure of C-type natriuretic peptide, or CNP, and the N- and C-termini of urodilatin. We are currently evaluating whether we will proceed with clinical development of this product.

We have no product sales to date and will not have the ability to generate any product revenue until after we have received approval from the FDA or equivalent foreign regulatory bodies to begin selling our pharmaceutical product candidates. Developing pharmaceutical products is a lengthy and very expensive process. Even if we obtain the capital necessary to continue the development of our product candidates, whether through a strategic transaction or otherwise, we do not expect to complete the development of a product candidate for several years, if ever. To date, most of our development expenses have related to our product candidates, CAP-1002, exosomes and Cenderitide. As we proceed with the clinical development of CAP-1002 and explore other potential indications for CAP-1002, and as we further develop Cenderitide, exosomes and other additional products, our expenses will further increase. To the extent that we are successful in acquiring additional product candidates for our development pipeline, our need to finance further research and development activities will continue increasing. Accordingly, our success depends not only on the safety and efficacy of our product candidates, but also on our ability to finance the development of the products. Our major sources of working capital to date have been proceeds from private and public equity sales, grants received from the NIH and the DoD, a payment from Janssen and a loan and grant award from CIRM.

Research and development, or R&D, expenses consist primarily of salaries and related personnel costs, supplies, clinical trial costs, patient treatment costs, consulting fees, costs of personnel and supplies for manufacturing, costs of service providers for pre-clinical, clinical and manufacturing, and certain legal expenses resulting from intellectual property prosecution, stock compensation expense and other expenses relating to the design, development, testing and enhancement of our product candidates. Except for certain capitalized intangible assets, R&D costs are expensed as incurred.

30

General and administrative, or G&A, expenses consist primarily of salaries and related expenses for executive, finance and other administrative personnel, stock compensation expense, accounting, legal and other professional fees, consulting expenses, rent for corporate offices, business insurance and other corporate expenses.

Our results have included non-cash compensation expense due to the issuance of stock options and warrants, as applicable. We expense the fair value of stock options and warrants over their vesting period as applicable. When more precise pricing data is unavailable, we determine the fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The terms and vesting schedules for share-based awards vary by type of grant and the employment status of the grantee. Generally, the awards vest based upon time-based or performance-based conditions. Performance-based conditions generally include the attainment of goals related to our financial performance and product development. Stock-based compensation expense is included in the consolidated statements of operations under G&A or R&D expenses, as applicable. We expect to record additional non-cash compensation expense in the future, which may be significant.

 Results of Operations

General and Administrative Expenses. G&A expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 were approximately $1.3 million and $1.0 million, respectively. The increase in the third quarter of 2016 of approximately $0.3 million compared to the same period of 2015 is primarily attributable to an increase of approximately $0.2 million related to stock-based compensation expense and approximately $0.1 million in compensation related to increased headcount and salaries in the three months ended September 30, 2016 as compared to the same period of 2015.

G&A expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 were approximately $3.8 million and $3.3 million, respectively. The increase during the first nine months of 2016 of approximately $0.5 million compared to the same period of 2015 is primarily attributable to an increase of approximately $0.3 million in compensation related to increased headcount, salaries, and recruiting. Furthermore, there was an increase of approximately $0.1 million related to other corporate business expenses and an increase of approximately $0.1 million related to stock-based compensation in the nine months ended September 30, 2016 as compared to the same period of 2015.

Research and Development Expenses. R&D expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 were approximately $4.7 million and $3.2 million, respectively. The increase of approximately $1.5 million in the third quarter of 2016 over the same period of 2015 is primarily due to clinical development activities of CAP-1002 (ALLSTAR and HOPE-Duchenne) and other continued research and development efforts. These activities resulted in an increase of approximately $1.3 million in clinical costs primarily related to contract research organizations and manufacturing for CAP-1002, as well as patient costs and expenses for the operation team that supports our clinical trials. Additionally, for the three months ended September 30, 2016, there was an increase of approximately $0.4 million in R&D expenses related to our product candidates, including exosomes. Furthermore, there was a decrease of approximately $0.3 million in clinical costs associated with our DYNAMIC and Cenderitide clinical trials and an increase of approximately $0.1 million in stock-based compensation expense during the third quarter of 2016 compared to the same period of 2015.

R&D expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 were approximately $13.4 million and $10.4 million, respectively. The increase of approximately $3.0 million in the first nine months of 2016 over the same period of 2015 is primarily due to the clinical development activities of CAP-1002 (ALLSTAR and HOPE-Duchenne) and other continued research and development efforts. These activities resulted in an increase of approximately $2.8 million in clinical costs primarily related to contract research organizations and manufacturing for CAP-1002, as well as patient costs and expense for the operation team that supports our clinical trials. Additionally, for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, there was an increase of approximately $1.0 million in R&D expenses related to our product candidates, including exosomes. Furthermore, there was a decrease of approximately $1.1 million in clinical costs associated with our DYNAMIC and Cenderitide clinical trials and an increase of approximately $0.2 million in stock-based compensation expense during the first nine months of 2016 compared to the same period of 2015.

CAP-1002 – Although the development of CAP-1002 is in its early stages, we believe that it has the potential to treat heart disease and its complications. We expect to spend approximately $10.0 million to $13.0 million during 2016 on the development and manufacturing of CAP-1002, which expenses are primarily related to our Phase II ALLSTAR trial, the HOPE-Duchenne trial and the DYNAMIC trial. We began enrollment of the Phase II portion of the ALLSTAR trial in the first quarter of 2014 and announced the completion of enrollment in 134 patients in September 2016. Phase II is funded in large part through the support of a loan award from CIRM. The trial will measure several endpoints, including scar size. Additional endpoints include left ventricular end-systolic and diastolic volume and ejection fraction at six and twelve months. In regards to the DYNAMIC trial, Capricor recently announced positive 12-month data from the DYNAMIC trial. DYNAMIC was funded in large part through a grant award from the NIH.

31

Except as may otherwise be agreed with respect to certain indications as may be determined, if Janssen exercises its exclusive option under the Collaboration Agreement and Exclusive License Option between the Company and Janssen, or the Janssen Agreement, to enter into an exclusive license agreement pursuant to which Janssen would receive a worldwide, exclusive license to exploit CAP-1002 as well as certain allogeneic cardiospheres and cardiosphere-derived cells in the field of cardiology, except as may otherwise be agreed with respect to certain indications as may be determined, Janssen will thereafter be responsible for any additional trials and future development costs with respect to CAP-1002. Furthermore, as we proceed with the HOPE-Duchenne trial, which is designed to evaluate the treatment of cardiac dysfunction associated with DMD, we expect our expenses related to CAP-1002 to increase further. Our strategy for further development of CAP-1002 will depend to a large degree on the outcome of these planned studies and on Janssen’s decision with respect to the option.

Cenderitide – We acquired the rights to Cenderitide in 2006, and have incurred substantial losses surrounding the development of the product to date. Prior to the merger between Capricor and Nile, Nile had incurred approximately $19.9 million in expenses directly relating to the Cenderitide development program through September 30, 2013. In March 2015, we completed enrollment of the Phase II trial, which enrolled 14 patients with stable, chronic heart failure. Capricor initiated an additional small study in 2016 to further assess the safety and efficacy of this product candidate, which will include higher dose levels of Cenderitide. We expect to spend approximately $0.5 million to $1.0 million during 2016 in development expenses related to the Cenderitide clinical program. Capricor will determine the future strategy for the development of Cenderitide, which may include exploring potential out-licensing arrangements.

Exosomes – Exosomes are nano-sized, membrane-enclosed vesicles, or “bubbles”, that are filled with select molecules, including proteins, RNAs and microRNAs, which, when released, send messages to neighboring cells to regulate cellular functions. We expect to spend approximately $2.5 million to $3.5 million during 2016 in pre-clinical and other research expenses related to the exosomes program. Capricor is currently engaged in pre-clinical testing of exosomes to explore their therapeutic potential.

CAP-1001 – In 2011, CSMC, in collaboration with JHU, completed the Phase I CADUCEUS trial. This study enrolled 25 patients who had suffered a heart attack within a mean of 65 days. Seventeen patients received CAP-1001 and eight received standard of care. Twelve months after the study had completed, no measurable adverse effects occurred in the 17 patients who were treated with CAP-1001. 16 of the 17 treated patients showed a mean reduction of approximately 45% in scar mass and an increase in viable heart muscle one-year post heart attack. The eight patients in the control group had no significant change in scar size. While these data support CAP-1002 development as is currently being conducted through the ongoing Phase II ALLSTAR trial, at present there is no plan to conduct another clinical trial of CAP-1001.

CU-NP – Nile acquired the rights to CU-NP in September 2008. Prior to the merger between Capricor and Nile, Nile had incurred approximately $0.7 million in expenses directly relating to the CU-NP development program through September 30, 2013. We are currently evaluating whether to proceed with further clinical development of this product candidate.

CSps – This product candidate consists of multicellular clusters called cardiospheres. CSps are in pre-clinical development and have yet to be studied in humans. At present, there is no plan for a clinical trial of CSps.

Our expenditures on current and future clinical development programs, particularly our CAP-1002, Cenderitide and exosomes programs are expected to be substantial and to increase in relation to our available capital resources. However, these planned expenditures are subject to many uncertainties, including the results of clinical trials and whether we develop any of our product candidates independently or with a partner. As a result, we cannot predict with any significant degree of certainty the amount of time which will be required to complete our clinical trials, the costs of completing research and development projects or whether, when and to what extent we will generate revenues from the commercialization and sale of any of our product candidates. The duration and cost of clinical trials may vary significantly over the life of a project as a result of unanticipated events arising during manufacturing and clinical development and as a result of a variety of other factors, including:

· the number of trials and studies in a clinical program;

· the number of patients who participate in the trials;

· the number of sites included in the trials;

· the rates of patient recruitment and enrollment;

· the duration of patient treatment and follow-up;

· the costs of manufacturing our product candidates; and

· the costs, requirements and timing of, and the ability to secure, regulatory approvals.

Grant Income. Grant income for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 was approximately $0.1 million and $0.4 million, respectively. The decrease in grant income of approximately $0.3 million in the third quarter of 2016 as compared to the third quarter of 2015 is due to the timing of activities associated with the DYNAMIC clinical trial. During the third quarter of 2015, the DYNAMIC clinical trial was actively enrolling patients, whereas, during the third quarter of 2016, the DYNAMIC trial was completed and the DoD Award was commencing.

32

Grant income for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 was approximately $0.6 million and $1.5 million, respectively. The decrease of approximately $0.9 million in the first nine months of 2016 as compared to the first nine months of 2015 is due to the timing of activities associated with the DYNAMIC clinical trial. During the first nine months of 2015, the DYNAMIC clinical trial was actively enrolling patients, whereas, during the first nine months of 2016, the trial was in the later stages of follow-up.

Collaboration Income.  As a result of the Janssen Agreement, collaboration income for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 was approximately $0.7 million and $0.9 million, respectively. A ratable portion of the payment to Capricor was recognized in both the three months ended September 30, 2016 and September 30, 2015 under the terms of the Janssen Agreement.

Collaboration income for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 was approximately $2.5 million and $2.9 million, respectively. A ratable portion of the payment to Capricor was recognized in both the nine month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 under the terms of the Janssen Agreement. We periodically review the estimated performance period of the Janssen Agreement based on the estimated progress of our project with Janssen.

Interest Expense. Interest expense for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 was $98,749 and $61,681, respectively. This slight increase in interest expense in the third quarter of 2016 as compared to the same period of 2015 is due to accrued interest on the CIRM loan award.

Interest expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 was $241,760 and $185,043, respectively. The slight increase in interest expense in the first nine months of 2016 as compared to the same period in 2015 is due to the outstanding principal balance of the CIRM loan award being higher in the first nine months of 2016 as compared to the same period of 2015.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

The following table summarizes our liquidity and capital resources as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 and our net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, and is intended to supplement the more detailed discussion that follows. The amounts stated in the tables below are expressed in thousands.

Liquidity and capital resources	September 30, 2016		December 31, 2015
Cash and cash equivalents	$	18,021	$	5,568
Working capital	$	15,734	$	7,461
Stockholders’ equity (deficit)	$	49	$	(1,032	)

	Nine months ended September 30,
Cash flow data	2016			2015
Cash provided by (used in):
Operating activities	$	(11,578	)	$	(7,175	)
Investing activities		5,402			(13,133	)
Financing activities		18,629			16,492
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	$	12,453		$	(3,816	)

Our total cash and cash equivalents as of September 30, 2016 were approximately $18.0 million compared to approximately $5.6 million as of December 31, 2015. The increase in cash and cash equivalents from December 31, 2015 to September 30, 2016 is primarily due to the approximately $3.9 million received in net proceeds received as a result of a registered direct offering of our common stock and a concurrent private placement of warrants to purchase shares of our common stock completed in the first quarter of 2016 and the approximate $9.9 million received in net proceeds as a result of an underwritten registered public offering and concurrent registered direct offering of our common stock completed in the third quarter of 2016, along with an allocation of marketable securities to cash and cash equivalents. Furthermore, we received payments totaling $4.8 million from CIRM in relation to loan award operational milestones that we reached in the first nine months of 2016. Total marketable securities, consisting primarily of United States treasuries, were approximately $2.5 million as of September 30, 2016, as compared to $8.0 million as of December 31, 2015. The increase in working capital and stockholders’ equity (deficit) as of September 30, 2016 as compared to December 31, 2015 is primarily due to the approximately $3.9 million received in net proceeds in the first quarter of 2016 as a result of a registered direct offering of our common stock and a concurrent private placement of warrants to purchase shares of our common stock and the approximate $9.9 million received in net proceeds as a result of an underwritten registered public offering and concurrent registered direct offering of our common stock completed in the third quarter of 2016 coupled with operational expenditures. As of September 30, 2016, we had approximately $24.4 million in total liabilities, of which approximately $2.1 million was recorded as deferred income under the Janssen Agreement. As of September 30, 2016, we had approximately $15.7 million in net working capital. We incurred a net loss of approximately $5.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016 compared to a net loss of approximately $2.9 million in the same period of 2015 and we incurred a net loss of approximately $14.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 compared to a net loss of approximately $9.5 million in the same period of 2015.

33

Cash used in operating activities was approximately $11.6 million and $7.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The difference of approximately $4.4 million in cash from operating activities is primarily due to an increase in net loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 of approximately $4.8 million as compared to the same period of 2015. Additionally, in the nine months ended September 30, 2015, cash provided by the release of restricted cash totaled approximately $3.0 million as compared to a net change of cash received of approximately $0.6 million in restricted cash for the same period of 2016. Furthermore, in the nine months ended September 30, 2016, we received $2.0 million from our CIRM Award. To the extent we obtain sufficient capital and/or long-term debt funding and are able to continue developing our product candidates, including as we expand our technology portfolio, engage in further research and development activities and, in particular, conduct pre-clinical studies and clinical trials, we expect to continue incurring substantial and increasing losses, which will generate negative net cash flows from operating activities.

We had cash flow provided by investing activities of approximately $5.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and cash used in investing activities of approximately $13.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2015. The increase in cash provided by investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 as compared to the same period of 2015 is primarily due to the purchase of marketable securities in the first nine months of 2015 as compared to the redemption of marketable securities in the first nine months of 2016.

We had cash provided by financing activities of approximately $18.6 million and $16.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The increase in cash provided by financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 as compared to the same period of 2015 is primarily the result of approximately $4.8 million in loan proceeds from our CIRM Loan Award. Furthermore, we received net proceeds from issuances of common stock of approximately $13.9 million in the first nine months of 2016, compared to net proceeds from issuances of common stock of approximately $16.4 million that were completed during the first nine months of 2015.

Phase II of Capricor’s ALLSTAR trial has been funded in large part through a loan award from CIRM. The Company and CIRM recently entered into an amendment to the CIRM Loan Agreement pursuant to which the parties agreed upon a schedule for future disbursements of the proceeds of the loan amount based upon the achievement of specified operational milestones. As a result of the CIRM Loan Amendment and because the Company is decreasing the number of patients to be enrolled in the ALLSTAR clinical trial, it is likely that the Company will not need to take down the full amount available for disbursement under the CIRM Loan Agreement, and that certain of the operational milestones tied to patient enrollment will not be met. We believe that the amount that will ultimately be disbursed will be approximately 70-75% of the total amount specified in the CIRM Loan Agreement, thus reducing the total amount of debt incurred thereunder. The loss of funding under the CIRM Loan Agreement could cause delays under our ALLSTAR trial. Subject to sufficient funding, following completion of the Phase II trial, there may be a Phase IIb and/or Phase III trial. If we continue with a Phase IIb and/or Phase III trial, we will need substantial additional capital in order to continue the development of CAP-1002. Pursuant to the Janssen Agreement, the chemistry, manufacturing and controls package is being developed by the joint efforts of Janssen and Capricor. Capricor is required to reimburse Janssen for its costs of development up to an agreed-upon maximum amount. If Janssen exercises its option under the Janssen Agreement to enter into an exclusive license agreement with Capricor, Janssen will be responsible for any additional trials and future development costs with respect to CAP-1002, except for certain excluded indications as may be determined.

Our Phase I/II HOPE-Duchenne trial of CAP-1002 in DMD-associated cardiomyopathy is being funded in part through a grant award from CIRM for approximately $3.4 million, which was entered into in June 2016. In April 2015, the FDA granted orphan drug designation to CAP-1002 for the treatment of DMD. Orphan drug designation is granted by the FDA’s Office of Orphan Drug Products to drugs intended to treat a rare disease or condition affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S. This designation confers special incentives to the drug developer, including tax credits on the clinical development costs and prescription drug user fee waivers and may allow for a seven year period of market exclusivity in the U.S. upon FDA approval.

34

We will need substantial additional capital in order to continue the development of Cenderitide. In March 2015, we completed enrollment of a Phase II clinical trial of Cenderitide and decided to conduct an additional small study to further assess the safety and efficacy of this product candidate, which included higher dose levels of Cenderitide. The trial completed dosing of study participants in March 2016, and Capricor is determining the future strategy for the development of Cenderitide, which may include exploring potential out-licensing arrangements. In March 2011, the FDA granted fast track designation to Cenderitide in the post-acute period. According to the FDA’s website, fast track designation facilitates the development and expeditious review of drugs and biologics intended to treat serious or life-threatening conditions and that demonstrate the potential to address unmet medical needs.

Our research and development expenses will continue to increase as we further develop our exosomes program and if we conduct additional studies with CAP-1002, such as a second part of the DYNAMIC study.

From inception through September 30, 2016, we financed our operations through private and public sales of our equity securities, NIH and DoD grants, a payment from Janssen, a CIRM loan and a CIRM grant award. In the first quarter of 2016, we completed a registered direct offering of our common stock and a concurrent private placement of warrants to purchase shares of our common stock, securing approximately $4.1 million in additional capital through the issuance of securities. Additionally, in the third quarter of 2016, we completed an underwritten and concurrent registered direct offering of our common stock to purchase shares of our common stock, securing approximately $10.9 million in additional capital through the issuance of securities. Furthermore, we received approximately $4.8 million in loan proceeds from our CIRM Loan Award in the first nine months of 2016 as well as $2.0 million in disbursements from our CIRM Award. As we have not generated any revenue from the sale of our products to date, and we do not expect to generate revenue for several years, if ever, we will need to raise substantial additional capital in order to fund our immediate general corporate activities and, thereafter, to fund our research and development, including our long-term plans for clinical trials and new product development.  We may seek to raise additional funds through various potential sources, such as equity and debt financings, or through strategic collaborations and license agreements.  We can give no assurances that we will be able to secure such additional sources of funds to support our operations, or if such funds become available to us, that such additional financing will be sufficient to meet our needs. Moreover, to the extent that we raise additional funds by issuing equity securities, our stockholders may experience significant dilution, and debt financing, if available, may involve restrictive covenants. To the extent that we raise additional funds through collaboration and licensing arrangements, it may be necessary to relinquish some rights to our technologies or our product candidates, or grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us.

Our estimates regarding the sufficiency of our financial resources are based on assumptions that may prove to be wrong. We may need to obtain additional funds sooner than planned or in greater amounts than we currently anticipate. The actual amount of funds we will need to operate is subject to many factors, some of which are beyond our control. These factors include the following:

· the progress of our research activities;

· the number and scope of our research programs;

· the progress of our pre-clinical and clinical development activities;

· the progress of the development efforts of parties with whom we have entered into research and development agreements;

· the costs of manufacturing our product candidates;

· our ability to maintain current research and development programs and to establish new research and development and licensing arrangements;

· the costs involved in prosecuting and enforcing patent claims and other intellectual property rights; and

· the costs and timing of regulatory approvals.

Financing Activities by the Company

September 2016 Financing. On September 21, 2016, the Company completed an underwritten registered public offering and concurrent registered direct offering in which the Company issued an aggregate of 3,403,125 shares of its common stock at a price per share of $3.20 for an aggregate purchase price of $10,890,000. Fees paid in conjunction with the underwritten deal and registered direct offering, which included underwriter commissions and estimated offering expenses, amounted to approximately $1.0 million in the aggregate resulting in net proceeds of approximately $9.9 million. The Shares were issued pursuant to our shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-207149), which was initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, on September 28, 2015 and declared effective by the SEC on October 26, 2015. A prospectus supplement relating to the underwritten offering and a prospectus supplement relating to the registered direct offering were filed with the SEC on September 16, 2016.

March 2016 Financing. On March 14, 2016, we entered into a Subscription Agreement, or the Subscription Agreement, with certain investors, or the Investors, pursuant to which, on March 16, 2016, we issued and sold to the Investors an aggregate of approximately $4.1 million of our registered and unregistered securities. On March 16, 2016, in accordance with the Subscription Agreement, we issued and sold to the Investors, and the Investors purchased from us, an aggregate of 1,692,151 shares, or the Shares, of our common stock at a purchase price of $2.40 per Share, or the Public Offering. This offering included participation from certain of the Company’s officers and directors. The Shares were issued pursuant to our shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-207149), which was initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, on September 28, 2015 and declared effective by the SEC on October 26, 2015. A prospectus supplement relating to the Public Offering was filed with the SEC on March 15, 2016.

35

Pursuant to the Subscription Agreement, we also issued and sold to the Investors, in a concurrent private placement, or the Private Placement, and, together with the Public Offering, the Offerings, warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 846,073 shares of our common stock, or the Warrants, and, together with the Shares, the Securities. Each Warrant has an exercise price of $4.50 per share, initially become exercisable on September 17, 2016, and will expire on March 16, 2019.

We received net proceeds of approximately $3.9 million from the sale of the Securities in the Offerings, after deducting the placement agent fees and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

In connection with the Private Placement, we entered into a Registration Rights Agreement with the Investors on March 14, 2016, pursuant to which we agreed to (i) prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement to register for resale the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants within 90 calendar days following the closing of the Private Placement, and (ii) use our reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective by the SEC as soon as practicable. In accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement, we registered for resale the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants pursuant to our registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-212017), which was filed with the SEC on June 14, 2016 and declared effective by the SEC on June 30, 2016.

SC&H Capital, or the Placement Agent, served as our placement agent for the Offerings. In consideration for services rendered as the Placement Agent in the Offerings, we paid to the Placement Agent upon the closings of the Offerings a cash fee equal to approximately $73,000, or 6.0% of the gross proceeds of the Shares sold to certain Investors identified by the Placement Agent. We also reimbursed the Placement Agent for its reasonable expenses actually and reasonably incurred in connection with its engagement, which such expenses did not exceed $5,000, and paid the reasonable legal fees of the Placement Agent’s counsel, which such expenses did not exceed $10,000.

Certain of our officers and directors purchased Securities pursuant to the Offerings. Each of our officers and directors who purchased Warrants in the Private Placement paid a purchase price of $0.125 per share of common stock issuable upon exercise of such Warrants upon the closing of the Private Placement.

February 2015 Financing. On February 3, 2015, we entered into a Share Purchase Agreement with certain accredited investors pursuant to which we agreed to issue and sell, in a private placement, or PIPE 2, to the PIPE 2 investors an aggregate of 1,658,822 shares of our common stock at a price per share of $4.25 for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $7,050,000.

In connection with PIPE 2, we entered into a Registration Rights Agreement with the investors in PIPE 2 on February 3, 2015. Pursuant to the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement for PIPE 2, we were obligated (i) to prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement to register for resale the shares issued and sold in PIPE 2, and (ii) to use our reasonable best efforts to cause the applicable registration statement to be declared effective by the SEC as soon as practicable, in each case subject to certain deadlines. We filed a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (SEC File No. 333-202589), or the PIPE Form S-1, to register for resale the shares of common stock underlying the shares issued in PIPE 2, which such PIPE Form S-1 was declared effective by the SEC on March 30, 2015. On June 4, 2015, we filed a post-effective amendment to the PIPE Form S-1 to convert the PIPE Form S-1 to a Registration Statement on Form S-3, which post-effective amendment was declared effective by the SEC on June 11, 2015.

January 2015 Financing. On January 9, 2015, we entered into a Share Purchase Agreement with select investors pursuant to which we agreed to issue and sell to the investors, in a private placement, or PIPE 1, an aggregate of 2,839,045 shares of our common stock at a price per share of $3.523 for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $10,000,000.

In connection with PIPE 1, we also entered into a Registration Rights Agreement with the PIPE 1 investors on January 9, 2015. Pursuant to the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement, we were obligated (i) to prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement to register for resale the shares issued and sold in PIPE 1, and (ii) to use our reasonable best efforts to cause the applicable registration statement to be declared effective by the SEC as soon as practicable, in each case subject to certain deadlines. We filed the PIPE Form S-1 to register for resale the shares of common stock underlying the shares issued in PIPE 1, which such PIPE Form S-1 was declared effective by the SEC on March 30, 2015. On June 4, 2015, we filed a post-effective amendment to the PIPE Form S-1 to convert the PIPE Form S-1 to a Registration Statement on Form S-3, which post-effective amendment was declared effective by the SEC on June 11, 2015.

36

On February 2, 2015, we entered into an amendment to the PIPE 1 Share Purchase Agreement with certain of the PIPE 1 investors, which amended certain provisions of such Share Purchase Agreement limiting our ability to issue additional shares of our common stock until the filing of an effective registration statement for the PIPE 1 shares. As a result of such amendment, the restriction on the issuance of additional shares was eliminated.

Financing Activities by Capricor, Inc.

CIRM Loan Agreement. On February 5, 2013, Capricor and CIRM entered into the CIRM Loan Agreement, pursuant to which CIRM agreed to disburse $19,782,136 to Capricor over a period of approximately three and one-half years to support Phase II of Capricor’s ALLSTAR clinical trial. On May 12, 2016, we and CIRM entered into an amendment to the CIRM Loan Agreement, or the CIRM Loan Amendment, pursuant to which the parties agreed upon a schedule for future disbursements of the proceeds of the loan amount based upon the achievement of specified operational milestones. As a result of the CIRM Loan Amendment and because we decreased the number of patients enrolled in the ALLSTAR clinical trial, it is likely that we will not need to take down the full amount available for disbursement under the CIRM Loan Agreement and that certain of the operational milestones tied to patient enrollment will not be met. We believe that the amount that will ultimately be disbursed will be approximately 70-75% of the total amount specified in the CIRM Loan Agreement, thus reducing the total amount of debt incurred thereunder.

Under the CIRM Loan Agreement, Capricor is required to repay the CIRM loan with interest at the end of the loan period. The loan also provides for the payment of a risk premium whereby Capricor is required to pay CIRM a premium of up to 500% of the loan amount upon the achievement of certain revenue thresholds. The loan has a term of five years and is extendable annually up to ten years at Capricor’s option if certain conditions are met. The interest rate for the initial term is set at the one-year LIBOR rate plus 2%, or the base rate, compounded annually, and becomes due at the end of the fifth year. After the fifth year, if the term of the loan is extended and if certain conditions are met, the interest rate will increase by 1% over the base rate each sequential year thereafter, with a maximum increase of 5% over the base rate in the tenth year. CIRM has the right to cease disbursements if a no-go milestone occurs or certain other conditions are not met. We are also required to meet certain progress milestones set forth in the CIRM Notice of Loan Award with respect to the progress of the ALLSTAR clinical trial and manufacturing of the product. There is no assurance that CIRM will continue the disbursement of funds.

So long as Capricor is not in default under the terms of the CIRM Loan Agreement, the loan may be forgiven during the term of the project period if Capricor abandons the trial due to the occurrence of a no-go milestone. After the end of the project period, the loan may also be forgiven if Capricor elects to abandon the project under certain circumstances. Under the terms of the CIRM Loan Agreement, Capricor is required to meet certain financial milestones by demonstrating to CIRM prior to each disbursement of loan proceeds that it has sufficient funds available to cover all costs and expenses anticipated to be required to continue Phase II of the ALLSTAR trial for at least the following 12-month period, less the costs budgeted to be covered by planned loan disbursements. Capricor did not issue stock, warrants or other equity to CIRM in connection with this loan award. Additionally, on September 30, 2015, we entered into a Joinder Agreement with Capricor and CIRM, pursuant to which, among other things, we agreed to become a loan party under the CIRM Loan Agreement and to be jointly and severally responsible with Capricor for the performance of, and to be bound by the obligations and liabilities under, the CIRM Loan Agreement, subject to the rights and benefits afforded to a loan recipient thereunder. The balance of the loan with accrued interest is due in 2018, unless extended pursuant to the terms of the CIRM Loan Agreement.

In addition to the foregoing, the timing of the distribution of funds pursuant to the CIRM Loan Agreement is contingent upon the availability of funds in the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Fund in the California State Treasury, as determined by CIRM in its sole discretion.

CIRM Grant Award

On June 16, 2016, Capricor entered into the CIRM Award with CIRM in the amount of approximately $3.4 million to fund, in part, Capricor’s Phase I/II HOPE-Duchenne clinical trial investigating CAP-1002 for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy-associated cardiomyopathy. Pursuant to terms of the CIRM Award, the disbursements will be tied to the achievement of specified operational milestones. If CIRM determines, in its sole discretion, that Capricor has not complied with the terms and conditions of the CIRM Award, CIRM may suspend or permanently cease disbursements or pursue other remedies as allowed by law. In addition, the terms of the CIRM Award include a co-funding requirement pursuant to which Capricor is required to spend approximately $2.3 million of its own capital to fund the HOPE-Duchenne clinical trial. If Capricor fails to satisfy its co-funding requirement, the amount of the CIRM Award may be proportionately reduced. The CIRM Award is further subject to the conditions and requirements set forth in the CIRM Grants Administration Policy for Clinical Stage Projects. Such requirements include, without limitation, the filing of quarterly and annual reports with CIRM, the sharing of intellectual property pursuant to Title 17, CCR Sections 100600-100612, and the sharing with the State of California of a fraction of licensing revenue received from a CIRM funded research project and net commercial revenue from a commercialized product which resulted from CIRM funded research as set forth in Title 17, CCR Section 100608. The maximum royalty on net commercial revenue that Capricor may be required to pay to CIRM is equal to nine times the total amount awarded and paid to Capricor. 

37

After completing the CIRM funded research project and after the award period end date, estimated to be in late 2017 or in 2018, Capricor has the right to convert the CIRM Award into a loan, the terms of which will be determined based on various factors, including the stage of the research and the stage of development at the time the election is made. On June 20, 2016, Capricor entered into a Loan Election Agreement with CIRM whereby, among other things, CIRM and Capricor agreed that, if converted, the term of the loan would be five years from the date of execution of the applicable loan agreement; provided that the term of the loan will not exceed ten years from the date on which the CIRM Award was granted. Beginning on the date of the loan, the loan shall bear interest on the unpaid principal balance plus the interest that was accrued prior to the election point according to the terms set forth in CIRM’s Loan Policy, or the New Loan Balance, at a per annum rate equal to the LIBOR rate for a three-month deposit in U.S. dollars, as published by the Wall Street Journal on the loan date, plus one percent. Interest shall be compounded annually on the outstanding New Loan Balance commencing with the loan date and the interest shall be payable, together with the New Loan Balance, upon the due date of the loan. If Capricor elects to convert the CIRM Award into a loan, certain requirements of the CIRM Award will no longer be applicable, including the revenue sharing requirements. Capricor will not make its decision as to whether it will elect to convert the CIRM Award into a loan until after the end of the HOPE-Duchenne trial. Since Capricor may be required to repay some or all of the amounts awarded by CIRM, the Company will account for this award as a liability rather than income. If Capricor were to lose this funding, it may be required to delay, postpone, or cancel its HOPE-Duchenne trial or otherwise reduce or curtail its operations, unless it was able to obtain adequate financing for its clinical trial from alternative sources.  In July 2016, Capricor received the first disbursement of $2.0 million under the terms of the CIRM Award.

Additionally, in September 2016, we completed the first operational milestone which was tied to the completion of enrollment of the HOPE-Duchenne clinical trial for which $1.1 million was received by Capricor on November 4, 2016.

NIH Grant Award (DYNAMIC)

In August 2013, Capricor was approved for a Phase IIB bridge grant through the NIH Small Business Innovation Research, or SBIR, program for continued development of its CAP-1002 product candidate. Under the terms of the NIH grant, disbursements were made to Capricor over a period of approximately three years, in an aggregate amount of approximately $2.9 million, subject to annual and quarterly reporting requirements. The full award of $2.9 million has been disbursed under the terms of the NIH grant award.

NIH Grant Award (HLHS)

In September 2016, Capricor was approved for a grant from the NIH for development to study CAP-2003 (cardiosphere-derived cell exosomes) for hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). Under the terms of the NIH grant, disbursements will be made to Capricor in an amount up to approximately $4.2 million, subject to annual and quarterly reporting requirements as well as successful completion of the study objectives. As of September 30, 2016, no disbursements have been made under the terms of the NIH grant award.

U.S. Department of Defense Grant Award

In September 2016, Capricor was approved for a grant award from the DoD in the amount of approximately $2.4 million to be used toward developing a scalable, commercially-ready process to manufacture CAP-2003. Under the terms of the award, disbursements will be made to Capricor over a period of approximately two years, subject to annual and quarterly reporting requirements. As of September 30, 2016, approximately $63,186 has been incurred under the terms of the award.

Off -Balance Sheet Arrangements

There were no off-balance sheet arrangements as described by Item 303(a)(4) of Regulation S-K as of September 30, 2016.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Our financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, expenses and related disclosures. We evaluate our estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis, including research and development and clinical trial accruals, and stock-based compensation estimates. Our estimates are based on historical experience and various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Our actual results could differ from these estimates. We believe the following critical accounting policies reflect the more significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of our financial statements and accompanying notes.

38

Grant Income

The determination as to when income is earned is dependent on the language in each specific grant. Generally, we recognize grant income in the period in which the expense is incurred for those expenses that are deemed reimbursable under the terms of the grant.

CIRM Grant Award

Capricor will account for the disbursements under its CIRM Award as long-term liabilities. Capricor will recognize the CIRM grant disbursements as a liability as the principal is disbursed rather than recognizing the full amount of the grant award. After completing the CIRM funded research project and after the award period end date, Capricor has the right to convert the CIRM Award into a loan, the terms of which will be determined based on various factors, including the stage of the research and the stage of development at the time the election is made. Since Capricor may be required to repay some or all of the amounts awarded by CIRM, the Company accounts for this award as a liability rather than income.

Income from Collaborative Agreement

Revenue from nonrefundable, up-front license or technology access payments under license and collaborative arrangements that are not dependent on any future performance by us is recognized when such amounts are earned. If we have continuing obligations to perform under the arrangement, such fees are recognized over the estimated period of the continuing performance obligation.

We account for multiple element arrangements, such as license and development agreements in which a customer may purchase several deliverables, in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, Accounting Standards Codification, or ASC, Subtopic 605-25, Multiple Element Arrangements. For new or materially amended multiple element arrangements, we identify the deliverables at the inception of the arrangement and each deliverable within a multiple deliverable revenue arrangement is accounted for as a separate unit of accounting if both of the following criteria are met: (1) the delivered item or items have value to the customer on a standalone basis and (2) for an arrangement that includes a general right of return relative to the delivered item(s), delivery or performance of the undelivered item(s) is considered probable and substantially in our control. We allocate revenue to each non-contingent element based on the relative selling price of each element. When applying the relative selling price method, we determine the selling price for each deliverable using vendor-specific objective evidence, or VSOE, of selling price, if it exists, or third-party evidence, or TPE, of selling price, if it exists. If neither VSOE nor TPE of selling price exists for a deliverable, then we use the best estimated selling price for that deliverable. Revenue allocated to each element is then recognized based on when the basic four revenue recognition criteria are met for each element.

We determined the deliverables under Capricor’s Collaboration Agreement with Janssen did not meet the criteria to be considered separate accounting units for the purposes of revenue recognition. As a result, we recognized revenue from non-refundable, upfront fees ratably over the term of our performance under the agreement. The upfront payments received, pending recognition as revenue, are recorded as deferred revenue and are classified as a short-term or long-term liability on the consolidated balance sheets and amortized over the estimated period of performance. We periodically review the estimated performance period of our contract based on the progress of our project.

Research and Development Expenses and Accruals

R&D expenses consist primarily of salaries and related personnel costs, supplies, clinical trial costs, patient treatment costs, consulting fees, costs of personnel and supplies for manufacturing, costs of service providers for pre-clinical, clinical and manufacturing, and certain legal expenses resulting from intellectual property prosecution, stock compensation expense and other expenses relating to the design, development, testing and enhancement of our product candidates. Except for certain capitalized intangible assets, R&D costs are expensed as incurred.

Our cost accruals for clinical trials and other R&D activities are based on estimates of the services received and efforts expended pursuant to contracts with numerous clinical trial centers and Contract Research Organizations, or CROs, clinical study sites, laboratories, consultants or other clinical trial vendors that perform activities in connection with a trial. Related contracts vary significantly in length and may be for a fixed amount, a variable amount based on actual costs incurred, capped at a certain limit, or for a combination of fixed, variable and capped amounts. Activity levels are monitored through close communication with the CROs and other clinical trial vendors, including detailed invoice and task completion review, analysis of expenses against budgeted amounts, analysis of work performed against approved contract budgets and payment schedules, and recognition of any changes in scope of the services to be performed. Certain CRO and significant clinical trial vendors provide an estimate of costs incurred but not invoiced at the end of each quarter for each individual trial. These estimates are reviewed and discussed with the CRO or vendor as necessary, and are included in R&D expenses for the related period. For clinical study sites which are paid periodically on a per-subject basis to the institutions performing the clinical study, we accrue an estimated amount based on subject screening and enrollment in each quarter. All estimates may differ significantly from the actual amount subsequently invoiced, which may occur several months after the related services were performed.

39

In the normal course of business, we contract with third parties to perform various R&D activities in the on-going development of our product candidates. The financial terms of these agreements are subject to negotiation, vary from contract to contract and may result in uneven payment flows. Payments under the contracts depend on factors such as the achievement of certain events, the successful enrollment of patients, and the completion of portions of the clinical trial or similar conditions. The objective of the accrual policy is to match the recording of expenses in the financial statements to the actual services received and efforts expended. As such, expense accruals related to clinical trials and other R&D activities are recognized based on our estimates of the degree of completion of the event or events specified in the applicable contract.

No adjustments for material changes in estimates have been recognized in any period presented.

Stock-Based Compensation

Our results include non-cash compensation expense as a result of the issuance of stock, stock options and warrants, as applicable. We have issued stock options to employees, directors and consultants under our four stock option plans: (i) the Amended and Restated 2005 Stock Option Plan, (ii) the 2006 Stock Option Plan, (iii) the 2012 Restated Equity Incentive Plan (which superseded the 2006 Stock Option Plan), and (iv) the 2012 Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan.

We expense the fair value of stock-based compensation over the vesting period. When more precise pricing data is unavailable, we determine the fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. This valuation model requires us to make assumptions and judgments about the variables used in the calculation. These variables and assumptions include the weighted-average period of time that the options granted are expected to be outstanding, the volatility of our common stock, the risk-free interest rate and the estimated rate of forfeitures of unvested stock options.

Stock options or other equity instruments to non-employees (including consultants) issued as consideration for goods or services received by us are accounted for based on the fair value of the equity instruments issued (unless the fair value of the consideration received can be more reliably measured). The fair value of stock options is determined using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model and is periodically re-measured as the underlying options vest. The fair value of any options issued to non-employees is recorded as expense over the applicable service periods.

The terms and vesting schedules for share-based awards vary by type of grant and the employment status of the grantee. Generally, the awards vest based upon time-based or performance-based conditions. Performance-based conditions generally include the attainment of goals related to our financial and development performance. Stock-based compensation expense is included in general and administrative expense or research and development expense, as applicable, in the Statements of Operations. We expect to record additional non-cash compensation expense in the future, which may be significant.

Warrant Liability

We previously accounted for warrants issued in connection with the financing we completed in April 2012 and the embedded derivative warrant liability contained in the secured convertible promissory notes we issued in March 2013, or the 2013 Notes, in accordance with the guidance on Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of both Liabilities and Equity, which provides that we classify the warrant instrument as a liability at its fair value and adjust the instrument to fair value at each reporting period. This liability is subject to re-measurement at each balance sheet date until exercised, and any change in fair value is recognized as a component of other income or expense. The 2013 Notes converted into shares of Company common stock and additional warrants for Company common stock were issued to the holders. Management has determined the value of the warrant liability to be insignificant at September 30, 2016, and no such liability has been reflected on the consolidated balance sheet.

Long-Term Debt

Capricor accounts for the loan proceeds under its CIRM Loan Agreement as long-term liabilities. Capricor recognizes the CIRM loan disbursements as a loan payable as the principal is disbursed rather than recognizing the full amount of the award. Capricor recognizes the disbursements in this manner since the period in which the loan will be paid back will not be in the foreseeable future. The terms of the CIRM Loan Agreement contain certain forgiveness provisions that may allow for the principal and interest of the loan to be forgiven. The potential for forgiveness of the loan is contingent upon many conditions, some of which are outside of Capricor’s control, and no such estimates are made to determine a value for this potential forgiveness.

40

Restricted Cash

We have two awards with CIRM designated for specific use, a Loan Agreement in connection with the ALLSTAR Phase II clinical trial and the CIRM Award related to the HOPE Phase I/II clinical trial. Restricted cash represents funds received under these awards which are to be allocated to the research costs as incurred. Generally, a reduction of restricted cash occurs when we deem certain costs are attributable to the respective award.

Recently Issued or Newly Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update, or ASU, 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, or ASU 2014-09. ASU 2014-09 will eliminate transaction- and industry-specific revenue recognition guidance under current generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America and replace it with a principle-based approach for determining revenue recognition. ASU 2014-09 will require that companies recognize revenue based on the value of transferred goods or services as they occur in the contract. ASU 2014-09 also will require additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. ASU 2014-09 is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and early adoption is not permitted. Entities can transition to the standard either retrospectively or as a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the date of adoption. We have not yet selected a transition method nor have we determined the effect of the standard on our ongoing financial reporting.

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-15, Presentation of Financial Statements – Going Concern (Topic 915): Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern, or ASU 2014-15, which states that in connection with preparing financial statements for each annual and interim reporting period, an entity’s management should evaluate whether there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued (or within one year after the date that the financial statements are available to be issued when applicable). ASU 2014-15 is effective for the annual period ending after December 15, 2016 and for annual and interim periods thereafter. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of this update is not expected to have a material effect on our financial statements.

In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02, Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis, or ASU 2015-02. This standard modifies existing consolidation guidance for reporting organizations that are required to evaluate whether they should consolidate certain legal entities. ASU 2015-02 is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those years beginning after December 15, 2015, and requires either a retrospective or a modified retrospective approach to adoption. We adopted this standard effective December 31, 2015.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs, or ASU 2015-03. This update changes the presentation of debt issuance costs in the balance sheet. ASU 2015-03 requires debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt obligation to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the related debt liability rather than being presented as an asset. Amortization of debt issuance costs will continue to be reported as interest expense. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-15, Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of Credit Arrangements, or ASU 2015-15. ASU 2015-15 clarified guidance in ASU 2015-03 by providing that the SEC staff would not object to a company presenting debt issuance costs related to a line-of-credit arrangement on the balance sheet as a deferred asset, regardless of whether there were any outstanding borrowings at period-end. This update is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2015, which required us to adopt these provisions in the first quarter of 2016. This update was applied on a retrospective basis, wherein the balance sheet of each period presented was adjusted to reflect the effects of applying the new guidance.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), or ASU 2016-02, which supersedes existing guidance on accounting for leases in Leases (Topic 840) and generally requires all leases to be recognized in the consolidated balance sheet. ASU 2016-02 is effective for annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018; early adoption is permitted. The provisions of ASU 2016-02 are to be applied using a modified retrospective approach. We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this standard on our condensed consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Compensation — Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which outlines new provisions intended to simplify various aspects related to accounting for share-based payments and their presentation in the financial statements. The standard is effective for us beginning December 15, 2016 and for interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted. We are evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on our financial statements.

41

In April 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-10, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which amends certain aspects of the FASB’s and International Accounting Standards Board’s new revenue standard, ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The standard should be adopted concurrently with the adoption of ASU 2014-09, which is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted. We have not yet selected a transition method nor have we determined the effect of the standard on our ongoing financial reporting.

Other recent accounting pronouncements issued by the FASB, including its Emerging Issues Task Force, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the SEC, did not or are not believed by management to have a material impact on our present or future condensed consolidated financial statement presentation or disclosures. For a more detailed listing of our significant accounting policies, see Note 1 – “Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies,” of the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, as filed with the SEC on March 30, 2016.

42

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.

Interest Rate Sensitivity

Our exposure to market risk for changes in interest rates relates primarily to our marketable securities and cash and cash equivalents. As of September 30, 2016, the fair value of our cash, cash equivalents, including restricted cash, and marketable securities was approximately $21.1 million. Additionally, as of September 30, 2016, Capricor’s portfolio was classified as cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities, which consisted primarily of money market funds and bank money market, which included short term United States treasuries, bank savings and checking accounts. Capricor did not have any investments with significant exposure to the subprime mortgage market issues.

The goal of our investment policy is to place our investments with highly rated credit issuers and limit the amount of credit exposure. We seek to improve the safety and likelihood of preservation of our invested funds by limiting default risk and market risk. Our investments may be exposed to market risk due to fluctuation in interest rates, which may affect our interest income and the fair market value of our investments, if any. We will manage this exposure by performing ongoing evaluations of our investments. Due to the short-term maturities, if any, of our investments to date, their carrying value has always approximated their fair value. Our policy is to mitigate default risk by investing in high credit quality securities, and we currently do not hedge interest rate exposure. Due to our policy of making investments in United States treasury securities with primarily short-term maturities, we believe that the fair value of our investment portfolio would not be significantly impacted by a hypothetical 100 basis point increase or decrease in interest rates.

43

Item 4. Controls and Procedures.

We have adopted and maintain disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our reports under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow for timely decisions regarding required disclosure. In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognizes that controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, cannot provide absolute assurance of achieving the desired control objectives.

As required by Rules 13a-15(b) and 15d-15(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, we carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this report. Based on the foregoing, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of the end of the period covered by this report, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective at the reasonable assurance level.

Changes in Internal Controls over Financial Reporting

There has been no change in our internal control over financial reporting during the quarter ended September 30, 2016 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

44

PART II — OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1. Legal Proceedings.

We are not a party to any material pending legal proceedings.

Item 1A. Risk Factors.

There have been no material changes in our risk factors from those previously disclosed in Part 1, Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 30, 2016.

Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds.

Not applicable.

Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities.

Not applicable.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.

Not applicable.

Item 5. Other Information.

None.

45

Item 6. Exhibits.

2.1 Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of August 15, 2007, by and among SMI Products, Inc., Nile Merger Sub, Inc. and Nile Therapeutics, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on August 17, 2007).

2.2 Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization, dated as of July 7, 2013, by and among Nile Therapeutics, Inc., Bovet Merger Corp. and Capricor, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on July 9, 2013).

2.3 First Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization, dated as of September 27, 2013, by and between Nile Therapeutics, Inc., Bovet Merger Corp. and Capricor, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on October 3, 2013).

3.1 Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on February 9, 2007).

3.2 Certificate of Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on November 26, 2013).

3.3 Bylaws of the Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on February 9, 2007).

4.1 Form of Warrant issued to Investors in March 2012 Registered Offering (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on April 2, 2012).

4.2 Form of Convertible Note Purchase Agreement entered into among the Company and various accredited investors on March 15, 2013 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on March 22, 2013).

4.3 Form of Note issued to Various Accredited Investors on March 15, 2013 (includes Form of Warrant as Exhibit A) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on March 22, 2013).

4.4 First Amendment to the Secured Convertible Promissory Notes (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on October 3, 2013).

4.5 Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of March 14, 2016, by and among the Company and the Investors (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Amendment No. 1 to Current Report on Form 8-K/A, filed with the Commission on March 16, 2016).

4.6 Form of Warrant, issued by the Company to the Investors on March 16, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Amendment No. 1 to Current Report on Form 8-K/A, filed with the Commission on March 16, 2016).

10.1 Second Amendment to Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement, dated as of August 5, 2016, by and between Capricor, Inc. and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.*†

10.2 Third Amendment to Exclusive License Agreement, dated as of August 5, 2016, by and between Capricor, Inc. and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.*†

31.1 Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Securities Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e)/15d-15(e), as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.*

31.2 Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Securities Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e)/15d-15(e), as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.*

32.1 Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.*

32.2 Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.*

46

101 The following financial information from Capricor Therapeutics, Inc.’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2016 formatted in eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL): (i) Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, (ii) Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 and September 30, 2015, (iii) Condensed Consolidated Statement of Stockholders’ Equity (Deficit) for the period from December 31, 2015 through September 30, 2016, (iv) Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and September 30, 2015, and (v) Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.*

* Filed herewith.

† The Company has requested confidential treatment with respect to certain portions of this exhibit. Omitted portions have been filed separately with the SEC.

47

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

	CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Date: November 14, 2016	By:	/s/ Linda Marbán, Ph.D.
		Linda Marbán, Ph.D.
		Chief Executive Officer
		(Principal Executive Officer)
Date: November 14, 2016	By:	/s/ Leland Gershell, M.D., Ph.D.
		Leland Gershell, M.D., Ph.D.
		Chief Financial Officer
		(Principal Financial Officer)

48

EXHIBIT INDEX

2.1 Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of August 15, 2007, by and among SMI Products, Inc., Nile Merger Sub, Inc. and Nile Therapeutics, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on August 17, 2007).

2.2 Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization, dated as of July 7, 2013, by and among Nile Therapeutics, Inc., Bovet Merger Corp. and Capricor, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on July 9, 2013).

2.3 First Amendment to Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization, dated as of September 27, 2013, by and between Nile Therapeutics, Inc., Bovet Merger Corp. and Capricor, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on October 3, 2013).

3.1 Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on February 9, 2007).

3.2 Certificate of Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on November 26, 2013).

3.3 Bylaws of the Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on February 9, 2007).

4.1 Form of Warrant issued to Investors in March 2012 Registered Offering (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on April 2, 2012).

4.2 Form of Convertible Note Purchase Agreement entered into among the Company and various accredited investors on March 15, 2013 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on March 22, 2013).

4.3 Form of Note issued to Various Accredited Investors on March 15, 2013 (includes Form of Warrant as Exhibit A) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on March 22, 2013).

4.4 First Amendment to the Secured Convertible Promissory Notes (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on October 3, 2013).

4.5 Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of March 14, 2016, by and among the Company and the Investors (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Amendment No. 1 to Current Report on Form 8-K/A, filed with the Commission on March 16, 2016).

4.6 Form of Warrant, issued by the Company to the Investors on March 16, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Amendment No. 1 to Current Report on Form 8-K/A, filed with the Commission on March 16, 2016).

10.1 Second Amendment to Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement, dated as of August 5, 2016, by and between Capricor, Inc. and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.*†

10.2 Third Amendment to Exclusive License Agreement, dated as of August 5, 2016, by and between Capricor, Inc. and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.*†

31.1 Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Securities Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e)/15d-15(e), as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.*

31.2 Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Securities Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e)/15d-15(e), as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.*

32.1 Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.*

32.2 Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.*

49

101 The following financial information from Capricor Therapeutics, Inc.’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2016 formatted in eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL): (i) Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, (ii) Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 and September 30, 2015, (iii) Condensed Consolidated Statement of Stockholders’ Equity (Deficit) for the period from December 31, 2015 through September 30, 2016, (iv) Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and September 30, 2015, and (v) Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.*

* Filed herewith.

† The Company has requested confidential treatment with respect to certain portions of this exhibit. Omitted portions have been filed separately with the SEC.

50

EX-10.1

Exhibit 10.1

*** Text Omitted and Filed Separately

Confidential Treatment Requested

Under 17 C.F.R. §§ 200.80(b)(4)

and 240.24b-2

SECOND AMENDMENT TO

AMENDED AND RESTATED EXCLUSIVE LICENSE AGREEMENT

THIS SECOND AMENDMENT TO AMENDED AND RESTATED EXCLUSIVE LICENSE AGREEMENT (this “Second Amendment”) is made and entered into as of August 5, 2016 (“Amendment Date”) by and between CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER, a California nonprofit public benefit corporation (“CSMC”) and CAPRICOR, INC., a Delaware corporation (“Licensee”), under the following circumstances:

A. CSMC and Licensee entered into an Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement dated December 30, 2013, as amended by a First Amendment dated March 20, 2015 (the “License Agreement”). The License Agreement pertains to technologies related to cardiosphere derived cells (“CDCs”).

B. CSMC subsequently filed U.S. provisional patent application […***…].

C. The parties desire to amend the License Agreement as further described herein to incorporate rights to U.S. patent application […***…].

D. Rights to U.S. patent application […***…] are being licensed by CSMC to Licensee in that certain Third Amendment to License Agreement (“Exosomes Third Amendment”) executed concurrently herewith.

E. It is the intent of the parties that all rights embodied in U.S. patent application […***…] are licensed from CSMC to Licensee through the combination of this Second Amendment and the Exosomes Third Amendment.

F. The parties also desire to amend the License Agreement as further described herein to add rights encompassed within U.S. patent applications […***…].

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained herein and in the License Agreement and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows:

1.        Defined Terms. Terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the License Agreement.

2.        Amendments to the License Agreement.

(a)          All rights pertaining to CDCs, including their use in treatment of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, encompassed within the following U.S. Patent Application number are hereby added to Schedule A (Patent Rights) to the License Agreement:

[…***…]

(b)          Within thirty (30) days of the Amendment Date, Licensee shall pay to CSMC a non-refundable upfront fee in the amount of two thousand five hundred U.S. dollars ($2,500) with respect to the patent application referenced in Section 2(a) hereof.

(c)          The following patent applications are hereby added to Schedule A (Patent Rights) to the License Agreement:

[…***…]

(d)          Within thirty (30) days of the Amendment Date, Licensee shall pay to CSMC the unreimbursed costs, including attorney’s fees and filing fees, actually incurred to date by CSMC in the preparation and/or prosecution of the patent applications referenced in Section 2(c) hereof, which amount to a total of $10,072.61 as of the Amendment Date (and which amount shall be non-refundable).

3.        Other Provisions. This Amendment is a revision to the License Agreement only, it is not a novation thereof. Except as otherwise provided herein, the terms and conditions of the License Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

4.        Further Assurances. Each of the parties hereto shall execute such further documents and instruments and do all such further acts as may be necessary or required in order to effectuate the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Amendment.

5.        Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

*       *       *       *       *

2

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Second Amendment to the Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

Dated: August 2, 2016	CAPRICOR, INC.
		By:	/s/ Karen Krasney
			Name:	Karen Krasney, Esq.
			Title:	Executive Vice President,
				General Counsel
Dated: August 5, 2016	CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER
		By:	/s/ James D. Laur, Esq.
			Name:	James D. Laur, Esq.
			Title:	Vice President,
				Legal & Technology Affairs
		By:	/s/ Edward M. Prunchunas
			Name:	Edward M. Prunchunas
			Title:	Executive Vice President,
				Finance & Chief Financial Officer

3

EX-10.2

Exhibit 10.2

*** Text Omitted and Filed Separately

Confidential Treatment Requested

Under 17 C.F.R. §§ 200.80(b)(4)

and 240.24b-2

THIRD AMENDMENT TO EXCLUSIVE LICENSE AGREEMENT

THIS THIRD AMENDMENT TO EXCLUSIVE LICENSE AGREEMENT (this “Third Amendment”) is made and entered into as of August 5, 2016 (“Amendment Date”) by and between CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER, a California nonprofit public benefit corporation (“CSMC”) and CAPRICOR, INC., a Delaware corporation (“Licensee”), under the following circumstances:

A. CSMC and Licensee entered into an exclusive License Agreement dated May 5, 2014, as amended by a First Amendment dated February 27, 2015 and a Second Amendment dated June 10, 2015 (the “License Agreement”). The License Agreement pertains to technologies related to exosomes.

B. CSMC subsequently filed U.S. provisional patent application […***…].

C. The parties desire to amend the License Agreement as further described herein to incorporate rights to U.S. patent application […***…].

D. Rights to U.S. patent application […***…] are being licensed by CSMC to Licensee in that certain Second Amendment to Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement (“CDCs Second Amendment”) executed concurrently herewith.

E. It is the intent of the parties that all rights embodied in U.S. patent application […***…] are licensed from CSMC to Licensee through the combination of this Third Amendment and the CDCs Second Amendment.

F. The parties also desire to amend the License Agreement as further described herein to add rights to U.S. provisional patent application […***…], and to all subsequent applications that claim priority thereto.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained herein and in the License Agreement and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows:

1.        Defined Terms. Terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the License Agreement.

2.        Amendment to the License Agreement.

(a)The parties acknowledge and agree that the following PCT application is hereby added to Item No. 7 on Revised Schedule A (Patent Rights) to the License Agreement:

“[…***…]”

(b)        All rights pertaining to exosomes, including their use in treatment of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, encompassed within the following U.S. Patent Application number are hereby added to Revised Schedule A (Patent Rights) to the License Agreement:

“8.

[…***…]”

(c)        In connection with the application referenced in Section 2(b) hereof, within thirty (30) days of the Amendment Date, Licensee shall pay to CSMC the following non-refundable amounts:

(i)        An upfront fee in the amount of two thousand five hundred U.S. dollars ($2,500); and

(ii) The unreimbursed costs, including attorney’s fees and filing fees, actually incurred to date in the preparation and/or prosecution of the above-referenced patent application, which amounts to a total of $7,992.60 as of the Amendment Date.

(d)        The following patent application is hereby added to Revised Schedule A (Patent Rights) to the License Agreement:

“9.

[…***…]”

(e)        Within thirty (30) days of the Amendment Date, Licensee shall pay to CSMC the unreimbursed costs, including attorney’s fees and filing fees, actually incurred to date by CSMC in the preparation and/or prosecution of the patent applications referenced in Section 2(d) hereof, which amount to a total of $8,000 as of the Amendment Date (and which amount shall be non-refundable).

3.        Other Provisions. This Amendment is a revision to the License Agreement only, it is not a novation thereof. Except as otherwise provided herein, the terms and conditions of the License Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

4.        Further Assurances. Each of the parties hereto shall execute such further documents and instruments and do all such further acts as may be necessary or required in order to effectuate the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Amendment.

5.        Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

*       *       *       *       *

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Third Amendment to Exclusive License Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

Dated: August 2, 2016	CAPRICOR, INC.
		By:	/s/ Karen Krasney
			Name:	Karen Krasney, Esq.
			Title:	Executive Vice President,
				General Counsel
Dated: August 5, 2016	CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER
		By:	/s/ James D. Laur, Esq.
			Name:	James D. Laur, Esq.
			Title:	Vice President,
				Legal & Technology Affairs
		By:	/s/ Edward M. Prunchunas
			Name:	Edward M. Prunchunas
			Title:	Executive Vice President,
				Finance & Chief Financial Officer

EX-31.1

Exhibit 31.1

CERTIFICATION OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER

I, Linda Marbán, Ph.D., certify that:

1. I have reviewed this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of Capricor Therapeutics, Inc.;

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4. The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

5. The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

Date: November 14, 2016

/s/ Linda Marbán, Ph.D.

Name: Linda Marbán, Ph.D.

Title: Chief Executive Officer and Principal Executive Officer

EX-31.2

Exhibit 31.2

CERTIFICATION OF PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL OFFICER

I, Leland Gershell, M.D., Ph.D. certify that:

1. I have reviewed this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of Capricor Therapeutics, Inc.;

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4. The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

5. The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

Date: November 14, 2016

/s/ Leland Gershell, M.D., Ph.D.

Name: Leland Gershell, M.D., Ph.D.

Title: Chief Financial Officer and Principal Financial Officer

EX-32.1

Exhibit 32.1

CERTIFICATION OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER

PURSUANT TO

18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,

AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO

SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, Linda Marbán, Ph.D., the Principal Executive Officer of Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”), hereby certifies, to her knowledge, that:

(1) the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of the Company for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2016 (the “Report”) fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or Section 15(d), as applicable, of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and

(2) the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company for the period covered by the Report.

Date: November 14, 2016

/s/ Linda Marbán, Ph.D.

Name: Linda Marbán, Ph.D.

Title: Chief Executive Officer and Principal Executive Officer

EX-32.2

Exhibit 32.2

CERTIFICATION OF PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL OFFICER

PURSUANT TO

18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,

AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO

SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, Leland Gershell, M.D., Ph.D., the Principal Financial Officer of Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”), hereby certifies, to his knowledge, that:

(1) the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of the Company for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2016 (the “Report”) fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or Section 15(d), as applicable, of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and

(2) the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company for the period covered by the Report.

Date: November 14, 2016

/s/ Leland Gershell, M.D., Ph.D.

Name: Leland Gershell, M.D., Ph.D.

Title: Chief Financial Officer and Principal Financial Officer

XML

Document And Entity Information - shares	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Nov. 11, 2016
Document Information [Line Items]
Document Type	10-Q
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Sep. 30, 2016
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2016
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q3
Entity Registrant Name	CAPRICOR THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Entity Central Index Key	0001133869
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Filer Category	Smaller Reporting Company
Trading Symbol	CAPR
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		21,399,019

XML

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 18,020,875	$ 5,568,306
Marketable securities	2,499,975	7,999,010
Restricted cash	602,185	0
Awards receivable	1,163,186	211,938
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	118,225	210,603
TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS	22,404,446	13,989,857
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, net	351,507	318,566
OTHER ASSETS
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $135,241 and $98,679, respectively	154,441	191,003
In-process research and development, net of accumulated amortization of $0	1,500,000	1,500,000
Other assets	61,426	70,146
TOTAL ASSETS	24,471,820	16,069,572
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	3,920,305	2,530,500
Accounts payable and accrued expenses, related party	699,182	352,334
Deferred revenue, current	2,050,781	3,645,834
TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES	6,670,268	6,528,668
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES
Deferred revenue, net of current portion	0	911,458
Loan payable	13,905,857	9,155,857
CIRM liability	3,100,000	0
Accrued interest	746,564	505,363
TOTAL LONG-TERM LIABILITIES	17,752,421	10,572,678
TOTAL LIABILITIES	24,422,689	17,101,346
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (NOTE 7)
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value, 5,000,000 shares authorized, none issued and outstanding	0	0
Common stock, $0.001 par value, 50,000,000 shares authorized, 21,399,019 and 16,254,985 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	21,399	16,255
Additional paid-in capital	49,487,877	34,115,052
Accumulated other comprehensive income	923	9,385
Accumulated deficit	(49,461,068)	(35,172,466)
TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)	49,131	(1,031,774)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)	$ 24,471,820	$ 16,069,572

XML

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Parenthetical) - USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Net of accumulated amortization (in dollars)	$ 135,241	$ 98,679
Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.001	$ 0.001
Preferred stock, shares authorized	5,000,000	5,000,000
Preferred Stock, Shares Issued	0	0
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	0	0
Common Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.001	$ 0.001
Common stock, shares authorized	50,000,000	50,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	21,399,019	16,254,985
Common stock, shares outstanding	21,399,019	16,254,985
In Process Research and Development [Member]
Net of accumulated amortization (in dollars)	$ 0	$ 0

XML

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
INCOME
Collaboration income	$ 683,595	$ 911,458	$ 2,506,511	$ 2,864,583
Grant income	63,186	403,426	585,177	1,529,669
TOTAL INCOME	746,781	1,314,884	3,091,688	4,394,252
OPERATING EXPENSES
Research and development	4,727,111	3,192,657	13,376,178	10,426,548
General and administrative	1,259,744	972,782	3,778,699	3,294,601
TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES	5,986,855	4,165,439	17,154,877	13,721,149
LOSS FROM OPERATIONS	(5,240,074)	(2,850,555)	(14,063,189)	(9,326,897)
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)
Investment income	5,410	292	16,347	723
Interest expense	(98,749)	(61,681)	(241,760)	(185,043)
TOTAL OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)	(93,339)	(61,389)	(225,413)	(184,320)
NET LOSS	(5,333,413)	(2,911,944)	(14,288,602)	(9,511,217)
OTHER COMPREHENSIVE GAIN (LOSS)
Net unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	(3,855)	5,414	(8,462)	11,949
COMPREHENSIVE LOSS	$ (5,337,268)	$ (2,906,530)	$ (14,297,064)	$ (9,499,268)
Net loss per share, basic and diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (0.29)	$ (0.18)	$ (0.81)	$ (0.6)
Weighted average number of shares, basic and diluted (in shares)	18,286,816	16,242,090	17,594,749	15,783,224

XML

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT) - 9 months ended Sep. 30, 2016 - USD ($)	Total	Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Accumulated Deficit [Member]
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ (1,031,774)	$ 9,385	$ 16,255	$ 34,115,052	$ (35,172,466)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015			16,254,985
Issuance of common stock, net of fees	13,864,817	0	$ 5,095	13,859,722	0
Issuance of common stock, net of fees (in shares)			5,095,276
Stock-based compensation	1,499,177	0	$ 0	1,499,177	0
Stock-based compensation (in shares)			0
Unrealized loss on marketable securities	(8,462)	(8,462)	$ 0	0	0
Stock options exercised	13,975	0	$ 49	13,926	0
Stock options exercised (in shares)			48,758
Net loss	(14,288,602)	0	$ 0	0	(14,288,602)
Balance at Sep. 30, 2016	$ 49,131	$ 923	$ 21,399	$ 49,487,877	$ (49,461,068)
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2016			21,399,019

XML

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net loss	$ (14,288,602)	$ (9,511,217)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	91,812	79,787
Stock-based compensation	1,499,177	1,181,978
Change in assets - (increase) decrease:
Restricted cash	(602,185)	2,977,024
Receivables	148,752	(43,192)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	92,378	143,047
Other assets	8,720	(77,881)
Change in liabilities - increase (decrease):
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	1,389,805	609,423
Accounts payable and accrued expenses, related party	346,848	145,945
Accrued interest	241,201	185,043
CIRM liability	2,000,000	0
Deferred revenue	(2,506,511)	(2,864,583)
NET CASH USED IN OPERATING ACTIVITIES	(11,578,605)	(7,174,626)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of marketable securities	(5,009,427)	(17,987,496)
Proceeds from sales and maturities of marketable securities	10,500,000	5,000,000
Purchases of property and equipment	(86,422)	(124,383)
Payments for leasehold improvements	(1,769)	(21,530)
NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) INVESTING ACTIVITIES	5,402,382	(13,133,409)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Net proceeds from sale of common stock	13,864,817	16,446,218
Proceeds from loan payable	4,750,000	0
Proceeds from stock awards, warrants, and options	13,975	45,461
NET CASH PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	18,628,792	16,491,679
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	12,452,569	(3,816,356)
Cash and cash equivalents balance at beginning of period	5,568,306	8,034,765
Cash and cash equivalents balance at end of period	18,020,875	4,218,409
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES:
Interest paid in cash	1,343	2,685
Income taxes paid in cash	$ 0	$ 0

XML

ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]

1. ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Description of Business

The mission of Capricor Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (referred to herein as “Capricor Therapeutics” or the “Company”), is to improve the treatment of diseases by commercializing innovative therapies, focusing on cardiovascular diseases as well as exploring other indications. Capricor, Inc., a privately-held company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Capricor Therapeutics (referred to herein as “Capricor”), was founded in 2005 as a Delaware corporation based on the innovative work of its founder, Eduardo Marbán, M.D., Ph.D. After completion of a merger between Capricor and a subsidiary of Nile Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Nile”), on November 20, 2013, Capricor became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nile and Nile formally changed its name to Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. Capricor Therapeutics, together with its subsidiary, Capricor, currently has six drug candidates in various stages of development.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements for Capricor Therapeutics and its wholly-owned subsidiary have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and, therefore, do not include all disclosures necessary for a complete presentation of financial position, results of operations and cash flows in conformity with U.S. GAAP. In the Company’s opinion, all adjustments, consisting of normal and recurring adjustments, considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. The accompanying financial information should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 30, 2016, from which the December 31, 2015 consolidated balance sheet has been derived. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2016.

Basis of Consolidation

Our condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Liquidity

The Company has historically financed its research and development activities as well as operational expenses from equity financings, government grants, a payment from Janssen Biotech, Inc. (“Janssen”) pursuant to a Collaboration Agreement with Janssen and a loan award from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (“CIRM”).

Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of September 30, 2016 were approximately $20.5 million, compared to $13.6 million as of December 31, 2015. In March 2016, the Company entered into a Subscription Agreement with certain investors pursuant to which the Company issued an aggregate of 1,692,151 shares of its common stock at a price per share of $2.40 for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $4.1 million. Pursuant to the Subscription Agreement, the Company also issued to the investors warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 846,073 shares of its common stock. Each warrant has an exercise price of $4.50 per share, became exercisable on September 17, 2016, and will expire on March 16, 2019. In September 2016, the Company completed an underwritten registered public offering and concurrent registered direct offering in which the Company issued an aggregate of 3,403,125 shares of its common stock at a price per share of $3.20 for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $10.9 million.

Additionally, under the terms of the Company’s ALLSTAR Loan Award with CIRM (see Note 2 – “Loan Payable”), Capricor received $4.8 million in additional disbursements in the nine months ended September 30, 2016. Also, in June 2016, Capricor entered into a Grant Award with CIRM in the amount of approximately $3.4 million (the “CIRM Award”) to fund, in part, Capricor’s Phase I/II HOPE-Duchenne clinical trial (see Note 6 – “Government Grant Awards”). Pursuant to the terms of the CIRM Award, the disbursements are tied to the achievement of specified operational milestones. In addition, the terms of the CIRM Award include a co-funding requirement pursuant to which Capricor is required to spend a minimum of approximately $2.3 million of its own capital to fund the HOPE-Duchenne clinical trial. In July 2016, Capricor received the first disbursement of $2.0 million under the terms of the CIRM Award. Additionally, in September, the Company was awarded a U.S. Department of Defense (“DoD”) grant award in the amount of approximately $2.4 million (see Note 6 – “Government Grant Awards”).

 

The Company’s principal uses of cash are for research and development expenses, general and administrative expenses, capital expenditures and other working capital requirements.

The Company’s future expenditures and capital requirements may be substantial and will depend on many factors, including, but not limited to, the following:

· the timing and costs associated with the manufacturing of its product candidates;

· the timing and costs associated with commercialization of its product candidates;

· the timing and costs associated with its clinical trials and preclinical studies;

· the number and scope of its research programs; and

· the costs involved in prosecuting and enforcing patent claims and other intellectual property rights.

The Company’s cash requirements are expected to continue to increase as it advances its research, development and commercialization programs, and the Company expects to seek additional financing primarily from, but not limited to, the sale and issuance of equity or debt securities, the licensing or sale of its technology and from government grants. The Company cannot provide assurances that financing will be available when and as needed or that, if available, financing will be available on favorable or acceptable terms or at all. If the Company is unable to obtain additional financing when and if required, it would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business and results of operations and the Company could be required to reduce expenses and curtail operations. To the extent the Company issues additional equity securities, its existing stockholders could experience substantial dilution.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements. Estimates also affect the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The most sensitive estimates relate to the period over which collaboration revenue is recognized and the assumptions used to estimate stock-based compensation expense. Management uses its historical records and knowledge of its business in making these estimates. Accordingly, actual results may differ from these estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less at the date of purchase to be cash equivalents.

Restricted Cash

The Company has two awards with CIRM designated for specific use, a Loan Agreement (see Note 2 – “Loan Payable”) in connection with the ALLSTAR Phase II clinical trial and the CIRM Award (see Note 6 – “Government Grant Awards”) related to the HOPE Phase I/II clinical trial. Restricted cash represents funds received under these awards which are to be allocated to the research costs as incurred. Generally, a reduction of restricted cash occurs when the Company deems certain costs are attributable to the respective award. As of September 30, 2016, the Company had a restricted cash balance of approximately $0.6 million.

Marketable Securities

The Company determines the appropriate classification of its marketable securities at the time of purchase and reevaluates such designation at each balance sheet date. All of the Company’s marketable securities are considered as available-for-sale and carried at estimated fair values. Realized gains and losses on the sale of debt and equity securities are determined using the specific identification method. Unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities are excluded from net income and reported in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) as a separate component of stockholders’ equity.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost. Repairs and maintenance costs are expensed in the period incurred. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the related estimated useful life of the asset, which such estimated useful lives range from five to seven years. Leasehold improvements are depreciated on a straight-line basis over the shorter of the useful life of the asset or the lease term. Depreciation was approximately $63,218 and $43,225 for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

 

Property and equipment consisted of the following as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015:

	September 30,		December 31,
	2016		2015
Furniture and fixtures	$	51,161	$	59,128
Laboratory equipment		482,262		387,872
Leasehold improvements		47,043		45,274
		580,466		492,274
Less accumulated depreciation		(228,959)		(173,708)
Property and equipment, net	$	351,507	$	318,566

Intangible Assets

Amounts attributable to intellectual property consist primarily of the costs associated with the acquisition of certain technologies, patents, pending patents and related intangible assets with respect to research and development activities. Intellectual property assets are stated at cost and are amortized on a straight-line basis over the respective estimated useful lives of the assets ranging from five to fifteen years. Also, the Company recorded capitalized loan fees as a component of intangible assets on the consolidated balance sheet (see Note 2 – “Loan Payable”). Total amortization expense was approximately $36,562 for each of the nine month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015. A summary of future amortization expense as of September 2016 is as follows:

 

Years ended	Amortization Expense
2016 (3 months)	$	12,188
2017		48,749
2018		43,732
2019		43,277
2020		4,330
Thereafter		2,165

As a result of the merger in 2013 between Capricor and Nile, the Company recorded $1.5 million as in-process research and development in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805, Business Combinations. The in-process research and development asset is subject to impairment testing until completion or abandonment of research and development efforts associated with the project. Upon successful completion of the project, the Company will make a determination as to the then remaining useful life of the intangible asset and begin amortization.

The Company reviews intangible assets at least annually for possible impairment. Intangible assets are reviewed for possible impairment between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of the reporting unit below its carrying value. As of September 30, 2016, the Company deemed the assets to not be impaired and did not begin amortizing the in-process research and development.

 

Government Research Grants

Generally, government research grants that provide funding for research and development activities are recognized as income when the related expenses are incurred, as applicable. Because the terms of the CIRM Award allow Capricor to elect to convert the grant into a loan at the end of the project period, the CIRM Award is being classified as a liability rather than income (see Note 6 - “Government Grant Awards”).

Income from Collaboration Agreement

Revenue from nonrefundable, up-front license or technology access payments under license and collaborative arrangements that are not dependent on any future performance by the Company is recognized when such amounts are earned. If the Company has continuing obligations to perform under the arrangement, such fees are recognized over the estimated period of the continuing performance obligation.

The Company accounts for multiple element arrangements, such as license and development agreements in which a customer may purchase several deliverables, in accordance with FASB ASC Subtopic 605-25, Multiple Element Arrangements. For new or materially amended multiple element arrangements, the Company identifies the deliverables at the inception of the arrangement and each deliverable within a multiple deliverable revenue arrangement is accounted for as a separate unit of accounting if both of the following criteria are met: (1) the delivered item or items have value to the customer on a standalone basis and (2) for an arrangement that includes a general right of return relative to the delivered item(s), delivery or performance of the undelivered item(s) is considered probable and substantially in the Company’s control. The Company allocates revenue to each non-contingent element based on the relative selling price of each element. When applying the relative selling price method, the Company determines the selling price for each deliverable using vendor-specific objective evidence (“VSOE”) of selling price, if it exists, or third-party evidence (“TPE”) of selling price, if it exists. If neither VSOE nor TPE of selling price exist for a deliverable, then the Company uses the best estimated selling price for that deliverable. Revenue allocated to each element is then recognized based on when the basic four revenue recognition criteria are met for each element.

The Company determined that the deliverables under its Collaboration Agreement with Janssen (see Note 8 – “License Agreements”) did not meet the criteria to be considered separate accounting units for the purposes of revenue recognition. As a result, the Company recognizes revenue from non-refundable, upfront fees ratably over the term of its performance under the agreement with Janssen. The upfront payments received, pending recognition as revenue, are recorded as deferred revenue and are classified as a short-term or long-term liability on the condensed consolidated balance sheets of the Company and amortized over the estimated period of performance. The Company periodically reviews the estimated performance period of its contract based on the estimated progress of its project.

Loan Payable

The Company accounts for the funds advanced under its Loan Agreement with CIRM (see Note 2 – “Loan Payable”) as a loan payable as the eventual repayment of the loan proceeds or forgiveness of the loan is contingent upon certain future milestones being met and other conditions. As the likelihood of whether or not the Company will ever achieve these milestones or satisfy these conditions cannot be reasonably predicted at the time of the filing of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, the Company records these amounts as a loan payable.

Rent

Rent expense for the Company’s leases, which generally have escalating rental amounts over the term of the lease, is recorded on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The difference between the rent expense and rent paid has been recorded as deferred rent in the consolidated balance sheet accounts payable and accrued expenses, related party. Rent is amortized on a straight-line basis over the term of the applicable lease, without consideration of renewal options.

Research and Development

Costs relating to the design and development of new products are expensed as research and development as incurred in accordance with FASB ASC 730-10, Research and Development. Research and development costs amounted to approximately $4.7 million and $3.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and approximately $13.4 million and $10.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Comprehensive income (loss) generally represents all changes in stockholders’ equity during the period except those resulting from investments by, or distributions to, stockholders. The Company’s comprehensive loss was approximately $5.3 million and $2.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and approximately $14.3 million and $9.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The Company’s other comprehensive income (loss) is related to a net unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities. For the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, the Company’s other comprehensive gain (loss) was $(3,855) and $5,414, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, the Company’s other comprehensive gain (loss) was $(8,462) and $11,949, respectively.

  

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company accounts for stock-based employee compensation arrangements in accordance with guidance issued by the FASB, which requires the measurement and recognition of compensation expense for all share-based payment awards made to employees, consultants, and directors based on estimated fair values.

The Company estimates the fair value of stock-based compensation awards on the date of grant using an option-pricing model. The value of the portion of the award that is ultimately expected to vest is recognized as an expense over the requisite service periods in the Company’s statements of operations.

The Company estimates the fair value of stock-based compensation awards using the Black-Scholes model. This model requires the Company to estimate the expected volatility and value of its common stock and the expected term of the stock options, all of which are highly complex and subjective variables. The variables take into consideration, among other things, actual and projected stock option exercise behavior. The Company calculates an average of historical volatility of similar companies as a basis for its expected volatility. Expected term is computed using the simplified method provided within SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 110. The Company has selected a risk-free rate based on the implied yield available on U.S. Treasury securities with a maturity equivalent to the expected term of the options.

Basic and Diluted Loss per Share

Basic loss per share is computed using the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted loss per share is computed using the weighted-average number of common shares and dilutive potential common shares outstanding during the period. Dilutive potential common shares, which primarily consist of stock options issued to employees, consultants and directors as well as warrants issued to third parties, have been excluded from the diluted loss per share calculation because their effect is anti-dilutive.

For the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, warrants and options to purchase 7,532,260 and 6,273,197 shares of common stock, respectively, have been excluded from the computation of potentially dilutive securities. For the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, warrants and options to purchase 7,532,260 and 6,273,197 shares of common stock, respectively, have been excluded from the computation of potentially dilutive securities.

 

Fair Value Measurements

Assets and liabilities recorded at fair value in the balance sheet are categorized based upon the level of judgment associated with the inputs used to measure their fair value. The categories are as follows:

Level Input:	Input Definition:
Level I	Inputs are unadjusted, quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in
	active markets at the measurement date.
Level II	Inputs, other than quoted prices included in Level I, that are observable
	for the asset or liability through corroboration with market data at the
	measurement date.
Level III	Unobservable inputs that reflect management’s best estimate of what
	market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability at the
	measurement date.

The following table summarizes fair value measurements by level at September 30, 2016 for assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis:

	September 30, 2016
	Level I		Level II		Level III		Total
Marketable securities	$	2,499,975	$	-	$	-	$	2,499,975

Carrying amounts reported in the balance sheet of cash and cash equivalents, grants receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses approximate fair value due to their relatively short maturity. The carrying amounts of the Company’s marketable securities are based on market quotations from national exchanges at the balance sheet date. Interest and dividend income are recognized separately on the income statement based on classifications provided by the brokerage firm holding the investments. The fair value of borrowings is not considered to be significantly different from its carrying amount because the stated rates for such debt reflect current market rates and conditions.

Warrant Liability

The Company accounts for some of its warrants issued in accordance with the guidance on Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of both Liabilities and Equity, which provides that the Company must classify the warrant instrument as a liability at its fair value and adjust the instrument to fair value at each reporting period. The fair value of warrants is estimated by management using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. This liability is subject to re-measurement at each balance sheet date until exercised, and any change in fair value is recognized as a component of other income or expense. Management has determined the value of the warrant liability to be insignificant at September 30, 2016, and no such liability has been reflected on the balance sheet.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2014-09”). ASU 2014-09 will eliminate transaction- and industry-specific revenue recognition guidance under current U.S. GAAP and replace it with a principle-based approach for determining revenue recognition. ASU 2014-09 will require that companies recognize revenue based on the value of transferred goods or services as they occur in the contract. ASU 2014-09 also will require additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. ASU 2014-09 is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and early adoption is not permitted. Entities can transition to the standard either retrospectively or as a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the date of adoption. The Company has not yet selected a transition method nor has it determined the effect of the standard on its ongoing financial reporting.

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-15, Presentation of Financial Statements – Going Concern (Topic 915): Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern (“ASU 2014-15”), which states that in connection with preparing financial statements for each annual and interim reporting period, an entity’s management should evaluate whether there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued (or within one year after the date that the financial statements are available to be issued when applicable). ASU 2014-15 is effective for the annual period ending after December 15, 2016 and for annual and interim periods thereafter. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of this update is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements.

In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02, Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis (“ASU 2015-02”). This standard modifies existing consolidation guidance for reporting organizations that are required to evaluate whether they should consolidate certain legal entities. ASU 2015-02 is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those years beginning after December 15, 2015, and requires either a retrospective or a modified retrospective approach to adoption. The Company adopted this standard effective December 31, 2015.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs (“ASU 2015-03”). This update changes the presentation of debt issuance costs in the balance sheet. ASU 2015-03 requires debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt obligation to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the related debt liability rather than being presented as an asset. Amortization of debt issuance costs will continue to be reported as interest expense. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-15, Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of Credit Arrangements (“ASU 2015-15”). ASU 2015-15 clarified guidance in ASU 2015-03 by providing that the SEC staff would not object to a company presenting debt issuance costs related to a line-of-credit arrangement on the balance sheet as a deferred asset, regardless of whether there were any outstanding borrowings at period-end. This update is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2015, which required the Company to adopt these provisions in the first quarter of 2016. This update was applied on a retrospective basis, wherein the balance sheet of each period presented was adjusted to reflect the effects of applying the new guidance.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“ASU 2016-02”), which supersedes existing guidance on accounting for leases in Leases (Topic 840) and generally requires all leases to be recognized in the consolidated balance sheet. ASU 2016-02 is effective for annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018; early adoption is permitted. The provisions of ASU 2016-02 are to be applied using a modified retrospective approach. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this standard on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Compensation — Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which outlines new provisions intended to simplify various aspects related to accounting for share-based payments and their presentation in the financial statements. The standard is effective for the Company beginning December 15, 2016 and for interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on its financial statements.

In April 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-10, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which amends certain aspects of the FASB’s and International Accounting Standards Board’s new revenue standard, ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2014-09”). The standard should be adopted concurrently with the adoption of ASU 2014-09, which is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted. The Company has not yet selected a transition method nor has it determined the effect of the standard on its ongoing financial reporting.

Other recent accounting pronouncements issued by the FASB, including its Emerging Issues Task Force, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the SEC, did not or are not believed by management to have a material impact on the Company’s present or future condensed consolidated financial statement presentation or disclosures. For a more detailed listing of the Company’s significant accounting policies, see Note 1 – “Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies,” of the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, as filed with the SEC on March 30, 2016.

XML

LOAN PAYABLE

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Debt Disclosure [Abstract]

Debt Disclosure [Text Block]

2. LOAN PAYABLE

On February 5, 2013, Capricor entered into a Loan Agreement with CIRM (the “CIRM Loan Agreement”), pursuant to which CIRM agreed to disburse $19,782,136 to Capricor over a period of approximately three and one-half years to support Phase II of Capricor’s ALLSTAR clinical trial. On May 12, 2016, the Company and CIRM entered into an amendment to the CIRM Loan Agreement (the “CIRM Loan Amendment”) pursuant to which the parties agreed, among other things, upon a schedule for future disbursements of the proceeds of the loan amount based upon the achievement of specified operational milestones. As a result of the CIRM Loan Amendment and because the Company decreased the number of patients enrolled in the ALLSTAR clinical trial, it is likely that the Company will not need to take down the full amount available for disbursement under the CIRM Loan Agreement and that certain operational milestones tied to patient enrollment will not be met. The Company believes that the amount that will ultimately be disbursed will be approximately 70-75% of the total amount specified in the CIRM Loan Agreement, thus reducing the total amount of debt incurred thereunder.

Under the CIRM Loan Agreement, Capricor is required to repay the CIRM loan with interest at the end of the loan period. The loan also provides for the payment of a risk premium whereby Capricor is required to pay CIRM a premium of up to 500% of the loan amount upon the achievement of certain revenue thresholds. The loan has a term of five years and is extendable annually up to ten years at Capricor’s option if certain conditions are met. The interest rate for the initial term is set at the one-year LIBOR rate plus 2% (“base rate”), compounded annually, and becomes due at the end of the fifth year. After the fifth year, if the term of the loan is extended and if certain conditions are met, the interest rate will increase by 1% over the base rate each sequential year thereafter, with a maximum increase of 5% over the base rate in the tenth year. CIRM has the right to cease disbursements if a no-go milestone occurs or certain other conditions are not met. The Company is also required to meet certain progress milestones set forth in the CIRM Notice of Loan Award with respect to the progress of the ALLSTAR clinical trial and manufacturing of the product. There is no assurance that CIRM will continue the disbursement of funds.

Under the terms of the CIRM Loan Agreement, if Capricor is not in default, the loan may be forgiven during the term of the project period if Capricor abandons the trial due to the occurrence of a no-go milestone. After the end of the project period, the loan may also be forgiven if Capricor elects to abandon the project under certain circumstances. Under the terms of the CIRM Loan Agreement, Capricor is required to meet certain financial milestones by demonstrating to CIRM prior to each disbursement of loan proceeds that it has sufficient funds available to cover all costs and expenses anticipated to be required to continue Phase II of the ALLSTAR trial for at least the following 12-month period, less the costs budgeted to be covered by planned loan disbursements. Capricor did not issue stock, warrants or other equity to CIRM in connection with this loan award. Additionally, on September 30, 2015, the Company entered into a Joinder Agreement with Capricor and CIRM, pursuant to which, among other things, the Company agreed to become a loan party under the CIRM Loan Agreement and to be jointly and severally responsible with Capricor for the performance of, and to be bound by the obligations and liabilities under, the CIRM Loan Agreement, subject to the rights and benefits afforded to a loan recipient thereunder.

In addition to the foregoing, the timing of the distribution of funds pursuant to the CIRM Loan Agreement shall be contingent upon the availability of funds in the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Fund in the California State Treasury, as determined by CIRM in its sole discretion.

The due diligence costs are recorded as a discount on the loan and amortized to general and administrative expenses over the remaining term of the loan. As of September 30, 2016, $30,000 of loan costs were capitalized with the balance of $7,297 to be amortized over approximately one year and four months.

In 2013, Capricor received disbursements pursuant to the terms of the CIRM Loan Agreement of $3,925,066, net of loan costs. The disbursements carried an initial interest rate of approximately 2.5% - 2.8% per annum.

In 2014, Capricor received disbursements pursuant to the terms of the CIRM Loan Agreement of $5,194,124, which includes previously deducted due diligence costs that were refunded. The disbursements carried an initial interest rate of approximately 2.6% per annum.

In March 2016, Capricor received a disbursement pursuant to the terms of the CIRM Loan Agreement of $1,000,000. This disbursement carries interest at the initial rate of approximately 3.2% per annum.

In June 2016, Capricor received a disbursement pursuant to the terms of the CIRM Loan Agreement of $2,000,000. This disbursement carries interest at the initial rate of approximately 3.3% per annum.

In July 2016, Capricor received a disbursement pursuant to the terms of the CIRM Loan Agreement of $1,750,000. This disbursement carries interest at the initial rate of approximately 3.4% per annum. For the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, interest expense under the CIRM Loan Agreement was approximately $98,749 and $61,681, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, interest expense under the CIRM Loan Agreement was approximately $241,201 and $185,043, respectively. The principal balance outstanding under the CIRM Loan Agreement was $13,905,857 and $9,155,857 as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively. The balance of the loan with accrued interest is due in 2018, unless extended pursuant to the terms of the CIRM Loan Agreement.

XML

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Stockholders Equity Note [Abstract]

Stockholders Equity Note Disclosure [Text Block]

3. STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

March 2016 Registered Direct Offering

On March 16, 2016, the Company issued and sold to certain investors an aggregate of 1,692,151 shares of the Company’s common stock at a purchase price of $2.40 per share for an aggregate purchase price of $4,060,000. This offering included participation from some of the Company’s officers and directors. Fees paid in conjunction with the registered direct offering, which included placement agent fees and estimated offering expenses, amounted to approximately $0.1 million in the aggregate and were recorded as a reduction to additional paid-in capital, resulting in net proceeds of approximately $3.9 million.

In connection with the sale of shares of the Company’s common stock, on March 16, 2016, the Company also issued and sold to the investors, in a concurrent private placement, warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 846,073 shares of the Company’s common stock. Each warrant has an exercise price of $4.50 per share, became initially exercisable on September 17, 2016, and will expire on March 16, 2019. Pursuant to the terms of each warrant, if, on or after the original exercise date of such warrant, the Volume Weighted Average Price of the Common Stock (as defined in each warrant) equals or exceeds $7.50 per share for any period of 20 consecutive trading days, the Company shall have the right, but not the obligation, to redeem any unexercised portion of such warrant for a redemption fee of $0.001 per share of common stock underlying such warrant.

September 2016 Underwritten Public and Registered Direct Offering

In September 2016, the Company completed an underwritten registered public offering and concurrent registered direct offering pursuant to which the Company issued an aggregate of 3,403,125 shares of its common stock at a price per share of $3.20 for an aggregate purchase price of $10,890,000. Fees paid in conjunction with the underwritten deal and registered direct offering, which included underwriter commissions and estimated offering expenses, amounted to approximately $1.0 million in the aggregate and were recorded as a reduction to additional paid-in capital, resulting in net proceeds of approximately $9.9 million.

Outstanding Shares

At September 30, 2016, the Company had 21,399,019 shares of common stock issued and outstanding.

XML

STOCK AWARDS, WARRANTS AND OPTIONS

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Stock Awards, Warrants and Options [Abstract]

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Text Block]

4. STOCK AWARDS, WARRANTS AND OPTIONS

Warrants

The following table summarizes all warrant activity for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2016:

	Warrants		Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding at January 1, 2016		235,830	$	2.27
Granted		846,073		4.50
Exercised		-		-
Expired		-		-
Outstanding at September 30, 2016		1,081,903	$	4.01

The following table summarizes all outstanding warrants to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock as of September 30, 2016:

At September 30, 2016
Grant Date	Warrants Outstanding		Exercise Price		Expiration Date
4/4/2012		187	$	2.27	4/4/2017
11/20/2013		235,643	$	2.27	11/20/2018
3/16/2016		846,073	$	4.50	3/16/2019
		1,081,903

Stock Options

The Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) has approved four stock option plans: (i) the Amended and Restated 2005 Stock Option Plan, (the “2005 Plan”), (ii) the 2006 Stock Option Plan, (iii) the 2012 Restated Equity Incentive Plan (which superseded the 2006 Stock Option Plan) (the “2012 Plan”), and (iv) the 2012 Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan (the “2012 Non-Employee Director Plan”).

On August 10, 2005, the Company adopted the 2005 Plan. On July 26, 2010, the Company’s stockholders approved an amendment to the 2005 Plan increasing the total number of shares authorized for issuance thereunder to 190,000. Under the 2005 Plan, incentives were permitted to be granted to officers, employees, directors, consultants and advisors. Incentives under the 2005 Plan were granted in any one or a combination of the following forms: (i) incentive stock options and non-statutory stock options, (ii) stock appreciation rights, (iii) stock awards, (iv) restricted stock, and (v) performance shares. The 2005 Plan will remain in effect until all incentives granted under the 2005 Plan have either been satisfied by the issuance of shares of common stock or the payment of cash or been terminated under the terms of the 2005 Plan and all restrictions imposed on shares of common stock in connection with their issuance under the 2005 Plan have lapsed. However, no additional incentives may be granted under the 2005 Plan after the tenth anniversary of the date the 2005 Plan was approved by the Company’s stockholders.

At the time the merger between Capricor and Nile became effective, 4,149,710 shares of common stock were reserved under the 2012 Plan for the issuance of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards and performance unit/share awards to employees, consultants and other service providers. Included in the 2012 Plan are the shares of common stock that were originally reserved under the 2006 Stock Option Plan. Under the 2012 Plan, each stock option granted will be designated in the award agreement as either an incentive stock option or a nonstatutory stock option. Notwithstanding such designation, however, to the extent that the aggregate fair market value of the shares with respect to which incentive stock options are exercisable for the first time by the participant during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company and any parent or subsidiary) exceeds $100,000, such options will be treated as nonstatutory stock options. On June 2, 2016 at the Company’s annual stockholder meeting, the stockholders approved a proposal to amend the 2012 Plan, to, among other things, increase the number of shares of common stock of the Company that may be issued under the 2012 Plan to equal the sum of 4,149,710 plus 2% of the outstanding shares of common stock as of December 31, 2015, with the number of shares that may be issued under the 2012 Plan automatically increasing thereafter on January 1 of each year, commencing with January 1, 2017, by 2% of the outstanding shares of common stock as of the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year (rounded down to the nearest whole share). Additionally, in connection with the proposed increase in the total number of shares of common stock that may be issued under the 2012 Plan, the Company increased the number of shares of common stock that may be issued pursuant to options that are intended to qualify as incentive stock options from 4,149,710 shares to 4,474,809 shares.

At the time the merger between Capricor and Nile became effective, 2,697,311 shares of common stock were reserved under the 2012 Non-Employee Director Plan for the issuance of stock options to members of the Board whom are not employees of the Company.

Each of the Company’s stock option plans are administered by the Board, or a committee appointed by the Board, which determines the recipients and types of awards to be granted, as well as the number of shares subject to the awards, the exercise price and the vesting schedule. Currently, stock options are granted with an exercise price equal to the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant, and generally vest over a period of one to four years. The term of stock options granted under each of the plans cannot exceed ten years.

The estimated weighted average fair values of the options granted during the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 were approximately $2.42 and $3.11 per share, respectively. The estimated weighted average fair values of the options granted during the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 were approximately $2.02 and $3.86 per share, respectively.

The Company estimates the fair value of each option award using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The Company used the following assumptions to estimate the fair value of stock options issued during the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015:

	September 30, 2016	September 30, 2015
Expected volatility	79% - 82%	80% - 82%
Expected term	5 - 7 years	5 - 7 years
Dividend yield	0%	0%
Risk-free interest rates	0.5% - 1.7%	0.3% - 2.0%

Employee and non-employee stock-based compensation expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 was as follows:

	Three months ended September 30,				Nine months ended September 30,
	2016		2015		2016		2015
General and administrative	$	409,164	$	220,419	$	1,100,249	$	1,000,284
Research and development		145,402		46,508		398,928		173,106
Total	$	554,566	$	266,927	$	1,499,177	$	1,173,390

Common stock, stock options or other equity instruments issued to non-employees (including consultants) as consideration for goods or services received by the Company are accounted for based on the fair value of the equity instruments issued (unless the fair value of the consideration received can be more reliably measured). The fair value of stock options is determined using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model and is periodically re-measured as the underlying options vest. The fair value of any options issued to non-employees is recorded as an expense over the applicable vesting periods.

The following is a schedule summarizing employee and non-employee stock option activity for the nine months ended September 30, 2016:

	Number of Options		Weighted Average Exercise Price		Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Outstanding at January 1, 2016		5,997,323	$	1.59	$	8,876,038
Granted		780,000		2.89
Exercised		(48,758)		0.29
Expired/Cancelled		(278,208)		5.35
Outstanding at September 30, 2016		6,450,357	$	1.60	$	10,599,175
Exercisable at September 30, 2016		4,983,513	$	0.96	$	11,353,060

The aggregate intrinsic value represents the difference between the exercise price of the options and the estimated fair value of the Company’s common stock for each of the respective periods.

The aggregate intrinsic value of options exercised was approximately $142,031 for the nine months ended September 30, 2016.

XML

CONCENTRATIONS

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Risks and Uncertainties [Abstract]

Concentration Risk Disclosure [Text Block]

5. CONCENTRATIONS

Cash Concentration

The Company has historically maintained checking accounts at two financial institutions. These accounts are each insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for up to $250,000. Historically, the Company has not experienced any significant losses in such accounts and believes it is not exposed to any significant credit risk on cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities. As of September 30, 2016, the Company maintained approximately $20.9 million of uninsured deposits.

XML

GOVERNMENT GRANT AWARDS

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Award [Abstract]

Government Grant Awards Disclosure [Text Block]

6. GOVERNMENT GRANT AWARDS

CIRM Grant Award (HOPE)

On June 16, 2016, Capricor entered into the CIRM Award with CIRM in the amount of approximately $3.4 million to fund, in part, Capricor’s Phase I/II HOPE-Duchenne clinical trial investigating CAP-1002 for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy-associated cardiomyopathy. Pursuant to terms of the CIRM Award, the disbursements will be tied to the achievement of specified operational milestones. If CIRM determines, in its sole discretion, that Capricor has not complied with the terms and conditions of the CIRM Award, CIRM may suspend or permanently cease disbursements or pursue other remedies as allowed by law. In addition, the terms of the CIRM Award include a co-funding requirement pursuant to which Capricor is required to spend approximately $2.3 million of its own capital to fund the HOPE-Duchenne clinical trial. If Capricor fails to satisfy its co-funding requirement, the amount of the CIRM Award may be proportionately reduced. The CIRM Award is further subject to the conditions and requirements set forth in the CIRM Grants Administration Policy for Clinical Stage Projects. Such requirements include, without limitation, the filing of quarterly and annual reports with CIRM, the sharing of intellectual property pursuant to Title 17, CCR Sections 100600-100612, and the sharing with the State of California of a fraction of licensing revenue received from a CIRM funded research project and net commercial revenue from a commercialized product which resulted from CIRM funded research as set forth in Title 17, CCR Section 100608. The maximum royalty on net commercial revenue that Capricor may be required to pay to CIRM is equal to nine times the total amount awarded and paid to Capricor.

After completing the CIRM funded research project and after the award period end date, estimated to be in late 2017 or in 2018, Capricor has the right to convert the CIRM Award into a loan, the terms of which will be determined based on various factors, including the stage of the research and the stage of development at the time the election is made. On June 20, 2016, Capricor entered into a Loan Election Agreement with CIRM whereby, among other things, CIRM and Capricor agreed that, if converted, the term of the loan would be five years from the date of execution of the applicable loan agreement; provided that the term of the loan will not exceed ten years from the date on which the CIRM Award was granted. Beginning on the date of the loan, the loan shall bear interest on the unpaid principal balance plus the interest that was accrued prior to the election point according to the terms set forth in CIRM’s Loan Policy (“New Loan Balance”) at a per annum rate equal to the LIBOR rate for a three-month deposit in U.S. dollars, as published by the Wall Street Journal on the loan date, plus one percent. Interest shall be compounded annually on the outstanding New Loan Balance commencing with the loan date and the interest shall be payable, together with the New Loan Balance, upon the due date of the loan. If Capricor elects to convert the CIRM Award into a loan, certain requirements of the CIRM Award will no longer be applicable, including the revenue sharing requirements. Capricor will not make its decision as to whether it will elect to convert the CIRM Award into a loan until after the end of the HOPE-Duchenne trial. Since Capricor may be required to repay some or all of the amounts awarded by CIRM, the Company will account for this award as a liability rather than income. If Capricor were to lose this funding, it may be required to delay, postpone, or cancel its HOPE-Duchenne trial or otherwise reduce or curtail its operations, unless it was able to obtain adequate financing for its clinical trial from alternative sources. In July 2016, Capricor received the first disbursement of $2.0 million under the terms of the CIRM Award.

Additionally, in September 2016, we completed the first operational milestone which was tied to the completion of enrollment of the HOPE-Duchenne clinical trial for which $1.1 million was received by Capricor on November 4, 2016. As of September 30, 2016, our liability balance for the CIRM Award was $3.1 million.

NIH Grant Award (DYNAMIC)

In August 2013, Capricor was approved for a Phase IIB bridge grant through the National Institutes of Health (“NIH”) Small Business Innovation Research (“SBIR”) program for continued development of its CAP-1002 product candidate. Under the terms of the NIH grant, disbursements were made to Capricor over a period of approximately three years, in an aggregate amount of approximately $2.9 million, subject to annual and quarterly reporting requirements. The full award of $2.9 million has been disbursed under the terms of the NIH grant award.

NIH Grant Award (HLHS)

In September 2016, Capricor was approved for a grant from the NIH to support the development of CAP-2003 (cardiosphere-derived cell exosomes) for hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). Under the terms of the NIH grant, disbursements will be made to Capricor in an amount up to approximately $4.2 million, subject to annual and quarterly reporting requirements as well as successful completion of the study objectives. As of September 30, 2016, no disbursements have been made under the terms of the NIH grant award.

U.S. Department of Defense Grant Award

In September 2016, Capricor was approved for a grant award from the DoD in the amount of approximately $2.4 million to be used toward developing a scalable, commercially-ready process to manufacture CAP-2003. Under the terms of the award, disbursements will be made to Capricor over a period of approximately two years, subject to annual and quarterly reporting requirements. As of September 30, 2016, approximately $63,186 has been incurred under the terms of the award.

XML

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]

7. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

 

Leases

Capricor leases space for its corporate offices pursuant to a lease that was originally effective for a two year period beginning July 1, 2013 with an option to extend the lease for an additional twelve months. The monthly lease payment was $16,620 per month for the first twelve months of the term and increased to $17,285 per month for the second twelve months of the term. On March 3, 2015, Capricor executed a Second Amendment to Lease (the “Second Lease Amendment”) with The Bubble Real Estate Company, LLC, pursuant to which (i) additional space was added to the Company’s corporate office lease and (ii) the Company exercised its option to extend the lease term through June 30, 2016. Under the terms of the Second Lease Amendment, commencing February 2, 2015, the base rent was $17,957 for one month, and, commencing March 2, 2015, the base rent increased to $21,420 per month for four months. Commencing July 1, 2015, the base rent increased to $22,111 per month for the remainder of the lease term. On May 25, 2016, Capricor entered into a Third Amendment to Lease (the “Third Lease Amendment”) with The Bubble Real Estate Company, LLC. Under the terms of the Third Lease Amendment, the lease term commenced on July 1, 2016 and will end on December 31, 2018. Commencing July 1, 2016, the base rent increased to $22,995 per month for the first twelve months of the term, will increase to $23,915 per month for the second twelve months of the term, and, thereafter, will increase to $24,872 for the remainder of the lease term.

On May 14, 2014, Capricor entered into a facilities lease with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (“CSMC”), a shareholder of the Company, for two research labs (the “Facilities Lease”). The Facilities Lease is for a term of three years commencing June 1, 2014 and replaces the month-to-month lease that was previously in effect between CSMC and Capricor. The monthly lease payment under the Facilities Lease was approximately $15,461 per month for the first six months of the term and increased to approximately $19,350 per month for the remainder of the term. The amount of rent expense is subject to annual adjustments according to increases in the Consumer Price Index.

 

Unless renewed, each of the leases described above will not be in effect for fiscal year 2019. A summary of future minimum rental payments required under operating leases as of September 30, 2016 is as follows:

Years ended	Operating Leases
2016 (3 months)	$	127,035
2017		378,210
2018		292,722
Total minimum lease payments	$	797,967

Expense incurred under operating leases to unrelated parties was approximately $71,215 and $65,088 for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and approximately $201,392 and $190,854 for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Expense incurred under operating leases to related parties was approximately $56,105 for each of the three month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, and approximately $168,316 for each of the nine month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015.

 

Legal Contingencies

Periodically, the Company may become involved in certain legal actions and claims arising in the ordinary course of business. There were no material legal actions or claims reported at September 30, 2016.

XML

LICENSE AGREEMENTS

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

License Agreements [Abstract]

LICENSE AGREEMENTS [Text Block]

8. LICENSE AGREEMENTS

Capricor’s Technology - CAP-1002, CAP-1001, CSps and Exosomes

Capricor has entered into exclusive license agreements for intellectual property rights related to cardiac-derived cells with Università Degli Studi Di Roma La Sapienza (the “University of Rome”), The Johns Hopkins University (“JHU”) and CSMC. In addition, Capricor has filed patent applications related to enhancements or validation of the technology developed by its own scientists.

University of Rome License Agreement

Capricor and the University of Rome entered into a License Agreement, dated June 21, 2006 (the “Rome License Agreement”) which provides for the grant of an exclusive, world-wide, royalty-bearing license by the University of Rome to Capricor (with the right to sublicense) to develop and commercialize licensed products under the licensed patent rights in all fields. With respect to any new or future patent applications assigned to the University of Rome utilizing cardiac stem cells in cardiac care, Capricor has a first right of negotiation for a certain period of time to obtain a license thereto.

Pursuant to the Rome License Agreement, Capricor paid the University of Rome a license issue fee, is currently paying minimum annual royalties in the amount of 20,000 Euros per year, and is obligated to pay a lower-end of a mid-range double-digit percentage on all royalties received as a result of sublicenses granted, which are net of any royalties paid to third parties under a license agreement from such third party to Capricor. The minimum annual royalties are creditable against future royalty payments.

The Rome License Agreement will, unless extended or sooner terminated, remain in effect until the later of the last claim of any patent or until any patent application comprising licensed patent rights has expired or been abandoned. Under the terms of the Rome License Agreement, either party may terminate the agreement should the other party become insolvent or file a petition in bankruptcy. Either party will have up to 90 days to cure its material breach.

The Johns Hopkins University License Agreement

Capricor and JHU entered into an Exclusive License Agreement, effective June 22, 2006 (the “JHU License Agreement”), which provides for the grant of an exclusive, world-wide, royalty-bearing license by JHU to Capricor (with the right to sublicense) to develop and commercialize licensed products and licensed services under the licensed patent rights in all fields and a nonexclusive right to the know-how. In May 2009, the JHU License Agreement was amended to add additional patent rights to the JHU License Agreement in consideration of a payment to JHU and reimbursement of patent costs. Capricor and JHU executed a Second Amendment to the JHU License Agreement, effective as of December 20, 2013, pursuant to which, among other things, certain definitions were added or amended, the timing of certain obligations was revised and other obligations of the parties were clarified.

Pursuant to the JHU License Agreement, JHU was paid an initial license fee and, thereafter, Capricor is required to pay minimum annual royalties on the anniversary dates of the JHU License Agreement. The minimum annual royalties range from $5,000 on the first and second anniversary dates to $20,000 on the tenth anniversary date and thereafter. The minimum annual royalties are creditable against a low single-digit running royalty on net sales of products and net service revenues, which Capricor is also required to pay under the JHU License Agreement, which running royalty may be subject to further reduction in the event that Capricor is required to pay royalties on any patent rights to third parties in order to make or sell a licensed product. In addition, Capricor is required to pay a low double-digit percentage of the consideration received by it from sublicenses granted, and is required to pay JHU certain defined development milestone payments upon the successful completion of certain phases of its clinical studies and upon receiving approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”). The development milestones range from $100,000 upon successful completion of a full Phase I clinical study to $1,000,000 upon full FDA market approval and are fully creditable against payments owed by Capricor to JHU on account of sublicense consideration attributable to milestone payments received from a sublicensee. The maximum aggregate amount of milestone payments payable under the JHU License Agreement, as amended, is $1,850,000. In May 2015, Capricor paid the development milestone related to Phase I that was owed to JHU pursuant to the terms of the JHU License Agreement.

The JHU License Agreement will, unless sooner terminated, continue in effect in each applicable country until the date of expiration of the last to expire patent within the patent rights, or, if no patents are issued, then for twenty years from the effective date. Under the terms of the JHU License Agreement, either party may terminate the agreement should the other party become insolvent or file a petition in bankruptcy, or fail to cure a material breach within 30 days after notice. In addition, Capricor may terminate for any reason upon 60 days’ written notice.

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center License Agreements

License Agreement for CDCs

On January 4, 2010, Capricor entered into an Exclusive License Agreement with CSMC (the “CSMC License Agreement”), for certain intellectual property rights. In 2013, the CSMC License Agreement was amended twice resulting in, among other things, a reduction in the percentage of sublicense fees which would have been payable to CSMC. Effective December 30, 2013, Capricor entered into an Amended and Restated Exclusive License Agreement with CSMC (the “Amended CSMC License Agreement”), pursuant to which, among other things, certain definitions were added or amended, the timing of certain obligations was revised and other obligations of the parties were clarified.

The Amended CSMC License Agreement provides for the grant of an exclusive, world-wide, royalty-bearing license by CSMC to Capricor (with the right to sublicense) to conduct research using the patent rights and know-how and develop and commercialize products in the field using the patent rights and know-how. In addition, Capricor has the exclusive right to negotiate for an exclusive license to any future rights arising from related work conducted by or under the direction of Dr. Eduardo Marbán on behalf of CSMC. In the event the parties fail to agree upon the terms of an exclusive license, Capricor will have a non-exclusive license to such future rights, subject to royalty obligations.

Pursuant to the CSMC License Agreement, CSMC was paid a license fee and Capricor was obligated to reimburse CSMC for certain fees and costs incurred in connection with the prosecution of certain patent rights. Additionally, Capricor is required to meet certain spending and development milestones. The annual spending requirements range from $350,000 to $800,000 each year between 2010 and 2017 (with the exception of 2014, for which there was no annual spending requirement). Pursuant to the Amended CSMC License Agreement, Capricor remains obligated to pay low single-digit royalties on sales of royalty-bearing products as well as a low double-digit percentage of the consideration received from any sublicenses or other grant of rights. The above-mentioned royalties are subject to reduction in the event Capricor becomes obligated to obtain a license from a third party for patent rights in connection with the royalty-bearing product. In 2010, Capricor discontinued its research under some of the patents.

The Amended CSMC License Agreement will, unless sooner terminated, continue in effect on a country by country basis until the last to expire of the patents covering the patent rights or future patent rights. Under the terms of the Amended CSMC License Agreement, unless waived by CSMC, the agreement shall automatically terminate: (i) if Capricor ceases, dissolves or winds up its business operations; (ii) in the event of the insolvency or bankruptcy of Capricor or if Capricor makes an assignment for the benefit of its creditors; (iii) if performance by either party jeopardizes the licensure, accreditation or tax exempt status of CSMC or the agreement is deemed illegal by a governmental body; (iv) within 30 days for non-payment of royalties; (v) within 90 days if Capricor fails to undertake commercially reasonable efforts to exploit the patent rights or future patent rights; (vi) if a material breach has not been cured within 90 days; or (vii) if Capricor challenges any of the CSMC patent rights. Capricor may terminate the agreement if CSMC fails to cure any material breach within 90 days after notice.

On March 20, 2015, Capricor and CSMC entered into a First Amendment to the Amended CSMC License Agreement, pursuant to which the parties agreed to delete certain patent applications from the list of Scheduled Patents which Capricor determined not to be material to the portfolio.

On August 5, 2016, Capricor and CSMC entered into a Second Amendment to the Amended CSMC License Agreement (the “Second License Amendment”), pursuant to which the parties agreed to add certain patent families to the schedule of patent rights set forth in the agreement. Under the Second License Amendment, (i) the description of patent rights in Schedule A has been replaced by a Revised Schedule A that includes two additional patent family applications; (ii) Capricor paid an upfront fee of $2,500; and (iii) Capricor reimbursed CSMC approximately $10,000 for attorneys’ fees and filing fees that were incurred in connection with the additional patent families.

License Agreement for Exosomes

On May 5, 2014, Capricor entered into an Exclusive License Agreement with CSMC (the “Exosomes License Agreement”), for certain intellectual property rights related to exosomes technology. The Exosomes License Agreement provides for the grant of an exclusive, world-wide, royalty-bearing license by CSMC to Capricor (with the right to sublicense) in order to conduct research using the patent rights and know-how and to develop and commercialize products in the field using the patent rights and know-how. In addition, Capricor has the exclusive right to negotiate for an exclusive license to any future rights arising from related work conducted by or under the direction of Dr. Eduardo Marbán on behalf of CSMC. In the event the parties fail to agree upon the terms of an exclusive license, Capricor shall have a non-exclusive license to such future rights, subject to royalty obligations.

Pursuant to the Exosomes License Agreement, CSMC was paid a license fee and Capricor reimbursed CSMC for certain fees and costs incurred in connection with the prosecution of certain patent rights. Additionally, Capricor is required to meet certain non-monetary development milestones and is obligated to pay low single-digit royalties on sales of royalty-bearing products as well as a single-digit percentage of the consideration received from any sublicenses or other grant of rights. The above-mentioned royalties are subject to reduction in the event Capricor becomes obligated to obtain a license from a third party for patent rights in connection with the royalty bearing product.

The Exosomes License Agreement will, unless sooner terminated, continue in effect on a country by country basis until the last to expire of the patents covering the patent rights or future patent rights. Under the terms of the Exosomes License Agreement, unless waived by CSMC, the agreement shall automatically terminate: (i) if Capricor ceases, dissolves or winds up its business operations; (ii) in the event of the insolvency or bankruptcy of Capricor or if Capricor makes an assignment for the benefit of its creditors; (iii) if performance by either party jeopardizes the licensure, accreditation or tax exempt status of CSMC or the agreement is deemed illegal by a governmental body; (iv) within 30 days for non-payment of royalties; (v) within 90 days if Capricor fails to undertake commercially reasonable efforts to exploit the patent rights or future patent rights; (vi) if a material breach has not been cured within 90 days; or (vii) if Capricor challenges any of the CSMC patent rights. Capricor may terminate the agreement if CSMC fails to cure any material breach within 90 days after notice.

On February 27, 2015, Capricor and CSMC entered into a First Amendment to Exosomes License Agreement (the “First Exosomes License Amendment”). Under the First Exosomes License Amendment, (i) the description of patent rights in Schedule A has been replaced by a Revised Schedule A that includes four additional patent applications; (ii) Capricor was required to pay CSMC an upfront fee of $20,000; (iii) Capricor is required to reimburse CSMC approximately $34,000 for attorneys’ fees and filing fees that were incurred in connection with the additional patent rights; and (iv) Capricor is required to pay CSMC certain defined product development milestone payments upon reaching certain phases of its clinical studies and upon receiving approval for a product from the FDA. The product development milestones range from $15,000 upon the dosing of the first patient in a Phase I clinical trial of a product to $75,000 upon receipt of FDA approval for a product. The maximum aggregate amount of milestone payments payable under the Exosomes License Agreement, as amended, is $190,000.

On June 10, 2015, Capricor and CSMC entered into a Second Amendment to Exosomes License Agreement, thereby amending the Exosomes License Agreement further to add an additional patent application to the Schedule of Patent Rights.

On August 5, 2016, Capricor and CSMC entered into a Third Amendment to the Exosomes License Agreement (the “Third Exosomes License Amendment”) pursuant to which the parties agreed to add certain patent families to the schedule of patent rights under the agreement. Under the Third Exosomes License Amendment, (i) the description of patent rights in Schedule A has been replaced by a Revised Schedule A that includes two additional patent family applications; (ii) Capricor paid CSMC an upfront fee of $2,500; and (iii) Capricor reimbursed CSMC approximately $16,000 for attorneys’ fees and filing fees that were incurred in connection with the additional patent families.

Collaboration Agreement with Janssen Biotech, Inc.

On December 27, 2013, Capricor entered into a Collaboration Agreement and Exclusive License Option (the “Janssen Agreement”) with Janssen, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. Under the terms of the Janssen Agreement, Capricor and Janssen agreed to collaborate on the development of Capricor’s cell therapy program for cardiovascular applications, including its lead product candidate, CAP-1002. Capricor and Janssen further agreed to collaborate on the development of cell manufacturing in preparation for future clinical trials. Under the Janssen Agreement, Capricor was paid $12.5 million, and Capricor agreed to contribute to the development of a chemistry, manufacturing and controls (“CMC”) package. In addition, Janssen has the exclusive right to enter into an exclusive license agreement pursuant to which Janssen would receive a worldwide, exclusive license to exploit CAP-1002 as well as certain allogeneic cardiospheres and cardiosphere-derived cells in the field of cardiology, except as may otherwise be agreed with respect to certain indications as may be determined. Janssen has the right to exercise the option at any time until 60 days after the delivery by Capricor of the six-month follow-up results from Phase II of Capricor’s ALLSTAR clinical trial for CAP-1002. If Janssen exercises its option rights, Capricor would receive an upfront license fee and additional milestone payments, which may total up to $325.0 million. In addition, a royalty ranging from a low double-digit percentage to a lower-end of a mid-range double-digit percentage would be paid on sales of licensed products.

Company Technology – Cenderitide and CU-NP

The Company has entered into an exclusive license agreement for intellectual property rights related to natriuretic peptides with the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (“Mayo”), a Clinical Trial Funding Agreement with Medtronic, Inc. (“Medtronic”), and a Transfer Agreement with Medtronic, all of which also include certain intellectual property licensing provisions.

Mayo License Agreement

The Company and Mayo previously entered into a Technology License Agreement with respect to Cenderitide on January 20, 2006, which was filed as Exhibit 10.6 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 21, 2007, and which was amended on June 2, 2008 (as so amended, the “CD-NP Agreement”). On June 13, 2008, the Company and Mayo entered into a Technology License Agreement with respect to CU-NP (the “CU-NP Agreement”), which was filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on August 14, 2008. On November 14, 2013, the Company entered into an Amended and Restated License Agreement with Mayo (the “Amended Mayo Agreement”). The Amended Mayo Agreement amends and restates in its entirety each of the CD-NP Agreement and the CU-NP Agreement, and creates a single amended and restated license agreement between the Company and Mayo with respect to CD-NP and CU-NP.

The Amended Mayo Agreement provides for the grant of an exclusive, world-wide, royalty-bearing license by Mayo to the Company (with the right to sublicense) under the Mayo patents, patent applications and improvements, and a nonexclusive right under the know-how, for the development and commercialization of CD-NP and CU-NP in all therapeutic indications. With respect to any future patents and any improvements related to CD-NP and CU-NP owned by or assigned to Mayo, the Company has the exclusive right of first negotiation for the exclusive or non-exclusive rights (at the Company’s option) thereto. Such exclusive right of negotiation became effective on or about June 1, 2016, when the Company satisfied certain payment obligations to Mayo.

Under each of the previous CD-NP Agreement and CU-NP Agreement, the Company paid Mayo up-front cash payments and the Company agreed to make certain performance-based cash payments to Mayo upon successful completion of certain milestones. Additionally, the Company issued certain amounts of common stock of the Company to Mayo under each agreement. The Amended Mayo Agreement restructured the economic arrangements of the CD-NP Agreement and the CU-NP Agreement by, among other things, eliminating certain milestone payments and decreasing the royalty percentages payable upon the commercial sale of the products to low single-digit royalties on sales of CD-NP and CU-NP products. The Company is also obligated to pay to Mayo a low single-digit percentage on any upfront consideration or milestone payment received in connection with a sublicense. The Company is further obligated to pay to Mayo a low single-digit percentage on any consideration received in connection with an assignment of rights under the Amended Mayo Agreement. Pursuant to the terms of the Amended Mayo Agreement, the Company agreed to pay to Mayo an annual license maintenance fee and to issue to Mayo an additional 18,000 shares of the Company’s common stock as additional consideration for the grant of certain rights. Mayo also agreed to waive or defer the payment of certain fees owed to Mayo. All breaches and defaults by the Company under the terms of the CD-NP Agreement and CU-NP Agreement were waived by Mayo in the Amended Mayo Agreement.

The Amended Mayo Agreement will, unless sooner terminated, expire on the later of (a) the expiration of the last to expire valid claim contained in the Mayo patents, or (b) the 20^th anniversary of the Amended Mayo Agreement. Under the terms of the Amended Mayo Agreement, Mayo may terminate the agreement earlier (i) for the Company’s material breach of the agreement that remains uncured for 90 days’ after written notice to the Company, (ii) for the Company’s insolvency or bankruptcy, (iii) if the Company challenges the validity or enforceability of any of the patent rights in any manner, or (iv) if the Company has not initiated either the next clinical trial of Cenderitide within two years of the effective date of the Amended Mayo Agreement or a clinical trial of CU-NP within two and one-half years of the effective date. Such condition was satisfied when the Company initiated its clinical trial of Cenderitide in January 2015. The Company may terminate the Amended Mayo Agreement without cause upon 90 days’ written notice.

Medtronic Clinical Trial Funding Agreement

In February 2011, the Company entered into a Clinical Trial Funding Agreement with Medtronic. Pursuant to the agreement, Medtronic provided funding and equipment necessary for the Company to conduct a Phase I clinical trial to assess the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of Cenderitide when delivered to heart failure patients through continuous subcutaneous infusion using Medtronic’s pump technology.

The agreement provided that intellectual property conceived in or otherwise resulting from the performance of the Phase I clinical trial will be jointly owned by the Company and Medtronic (the “Joint Intellectual Property”), and that the Company is to pay royalties to Medtronic based on the net sales of a product covered by the Joint Intellectual Property. The agreement further provided that, if the parties fail to enter into a definitive commercial license agreement with respect to Cenderitide, each party will have a right of first negotiation to license exclusive rights to any Joint Intellectual Property.

Pursuant to its terms, the agreement expired in February 2012, following the completion of the Phase I clinical trial and the delivery of data and reports related to such study. Although the Medtronic agreement expired, there are certain provisions that survive the expiration of the agreement, including the obligation to pay royalties on products that might be covered by the Joint Intellectual Property. The Company and Medtronic have subsequently entered into a Transfer Agreement, described below.

Medtronic Transfer Agreement

On October 8, 2014, the Company entered into a Transfer Agreement (the “Transfer Agreement”) with Medtronic to acquire patent rights relating to the formulation and pump delivery of natriuretic peptides. Pursuant to the Transfer Agreement, Medtronic has assigned to the Company all of its right, title and interest in all natriuretic peptide patents and patent applications previously owned by Medtronic or co-owned by Medtronic and the Company (“Natriuretic Peptide Patents”). Under the Transfer Agreement, the Company received all rights to the Natriuretic Peptide Patents, including the right to grant licenses and to make assignments without approval from Medtronic.

The Transfer Agreement became effective on October 8, 2014 and will expire simultaneously with the expiration of the last to expire of the valid claims. Both parties have the right to terminate the Transfer Agreement upon 30 days written notice to the other party in the event of a default which has not been cured within such 30-day period. In addition, Medtronic had the right to terminate the Transfer Agreement and to have the rights to the Natriuretic Peptide Patents reassigned to it by the Company if either the Company, an affiliate, or a non-party licensee failed to commence a clinical trial of a CD-NP product within 18 months from the effective date. Such condition was satisfied when the Company initiated its clinical trial of Cenderitide in January 2015.

In the event of a termination of the Transfer Agreement, (i) the Natriuretic Peptide Patents which were not owned or co-owned by the Company prior to the effective date of the Transfer Agreement shall be assigned back to Medtronic; (ii) the Company’s rights in the Natriuretic Peptide Patents that were co-owned by Capricor pursuant to the Clinical Trial Funding Agreement will remain with the Company, subject to the surviving terms and provisions thereof; and (iii) the Company shall assign back to Medtronic those rights that were co-owned by Medtronic pursuant to the Clinical Trial Funding Agreement.

Pursuant to the Transfer Agreement, Medtronic was paid an upfront payment of $100,000, and the Company is obligated to pay Medtronic a mid-single-digit royalty on net sales of products, a low double-digit percentage of any consideration received from any sublicenses or other grant of rights, and a mid-double-digit percentage of any monetary awards or settlements received by the Company as a result of enforcement of the Natriuretic Peptide Patents against a non-party entity, less the costs and attorney’s fees incurred to enforce the Natriuretic Peptide Patents. In addition, there are additional payments that may become due from the Company upon the achievement of certain defined milestones, which payments, in the aggregate, total up to $7.0 million.

XML

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Related Party Transactions [Abstract]

Related Party Transactions Disclosure [Text Block]

9. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Lease and Sub-Lease Agreements

As noted above, Capricor Therapeutics is party to lease agreements with CSMC, which holds more than 10% of the outstanding capital stock of Capricor Therapeutics (see Note 7 – “Commitments and Contingencies”). Additionally, Dr. Eduardo Marbán, who holds more than 10% of the outstanding capital stock of Capricor Therapeutics, is the Director of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, the Co-Founder of Capricor and the Chairman of the Company’s Scientific Advisory Board.

On April 1, 2013, Capricor entered into a sublease with Reprise Technologies, LLC, a limited liability company which is wholly owned by Dr. Frank Litvack, the Company’s Executive Chairman and member of its Board of Directors, for $2,500 per month. The sublease is on a month-to-month basis. For each of the three month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, Capricor recognized $7,500 in sublease income from the related party. For each of the nine month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, Capricor recognized $22,500 in sublease income from the related party. Sublease income is recorded as a reduction to general and administrative expenses.

Consulting Agreements

Effective January 1, 2013, Dr. Frank Litvack, the Company’s Executive Chairman and a member of its Board of Directors, entered into an oral Consulting Agreement with Capricor whereby Capricor agreed to pay Dr. Litvack fees of $10,000 per month for consulting services. On March 24, 2014, Capricor entered into a written Consulting Agreement with Dr. Litvack memorializing the $10,000 per month compensation arrangement described above. The agreement is terminable upon 30 days’ notice.

Payables to Related Party

At September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, the Company had accounts payable and accrued expenses to related parties totaling $699,182 and $352,334, respectively. CSMC accounts for approximately $689,182 and $352,334 of the accounts payable and accrued expenses to related parties as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively.

XML

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Subsequent Events [Abstract]

Subsequent Events [Text Block]

10. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

 

CIRM Grant Award (HOPE)

On November 4, 2016, Capricor received $1.1 million under the terms of the CIRM Award (see Note 6 – “Government Grant Awards”).  At September 30, 2016, the $1.1 million is included in awards receivable.

XML

ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Description Of Business [Policy Text Block]

Description of Business

The mission of Capricor Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (referred to herein as “Capricor Therapeutics” or the “Company”), is to improve the treatment of diseases by commercializing innovative therapies, focusing on cardiovascular diseases as well as exploring other indications. Capricor, Inc., a privately-held company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Capricor Therapeutics (referred to herein as “Capricor”), was founded in 2005 as a Delaware corporation based on the innovative work of its founder, Eduardo Marbán, M.D., Ph.D. After completion of a merger between Capricor and a subsidiary of Nile Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Nile”), on November 20, 2013, Capricor became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nile and Nile formally changed its name to Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. Capricor Therapeutics, together with its subsidiary, Capricor, currently has six drug candidates in various stages of development.

Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies [Policy Text Block]

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements for Capricor Therapeutics and its wholly-owned subsidiary have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and, therefore, do not include all disclosures necessary for a complete presentation of financial position, results of operations and cash flows in conformity with U.S. GAAP. In the Company’s opinion, all adjustments, consisting of normal and recurring adjustments, considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. The accompanying financial information should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 30, 2016, from which the December 31, 2015 consolidated balance sheet has been derived. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2016.

Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Basis of Consolidation

Our condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Liquidity [Policy Text Block]

Liquidity

The Company has historically financed its research and development activities as well as operational expenses from equity financings, government grants, a payment from Janssen Biotech, Inc. (“Janssen”) pursuant to a Collaboration Agreement with Janssen and a loan award from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (“CIRM”).

Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of September 30, 2016 were approximately $20.5 million, compared to $13.6 million as of December 31, 2015. In March 2016, the Company entered into a Subscription Agreement with certain investors pursuant to which the Company issued an aggregate of 1,692,151 shares of its common stock at a price per share of $2.40 for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $4.1 million. Pursuant to the Subscription Agreement, the Company also issued to the investors warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 846,073 shares of its common stock. Each warrant has an exercise price of $4.50 per share, became exercisable on September 17, 2016, and will expire on March 16, 2019. In September 2016, the Company completed an underwritten registered public offering and concurrent registered direct offering in which the Company issued an aggregate of 3,403,125 shares of its common stock at a price per share of $3.20 for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $10.9 million.

Additionally, under the terms of the Company’s ALLSTAR Loan Award with CIRM (see Note 2 – “Loan Payable”), Capricor received $4.8 million in additional disbursements in the nine months ended September 30, 2016. Also, in June 2016, Capricor entered into a Grant Award with CIRM in the amount of approximately $3.4 million (the “CIRM Award”) to fund, in part, Capricor’s Phase I/II HOPE-Duchenne clinical trial (see Note 6 – “Government Grant Awards”). Pursuant to the terms of the CIRM Award, the disbursements are tied to the achievement of specified operational milestones. In addition, the terms of the CIRM Award include a co-funding requirement pursuant to which Capricor is required to spend a minimum of approximately $2.3 million of its own capital to fund the HOPE-Duchenne clinical trial. In July 2016, Capricor received the first disbursement of $2.0 million under the terms of the CIRM Award. Additionally, in September, the Company was awarded a U.S. Department of Defense (“DoD”) grant award in the amount of approximately $2.4 million (see Note 6 – “Government Grant Awards”).

 

The Company’s principal uses of cash are for research and development expenses, general and administrative expenses, capital expenditures and other working capital requirements.

The Company’s future expenditures and capital requirements may be substantial and will depend on many factors, including, but not limited to, the following:

· the timing and costs associated with the manufacturing of its product candidates;

· the timing and costs associated with commercialization of its product candidates;

· the timing and costs associated with its clinical trials and preclinical studies;

· the number and scope of its research programs; and

· the costs involved in prosecuting and enforcing patent claims and other intellectual property rights.

The Company’s cash requirements are expected to continue to increase as it advances its research, development and commercialization programs, and the Company expects to seek additional financing primarily from, but not limited to, the sale and issuance of equity or debt securities, the licensing or sale of its technology and from government grants. The Company cannot provide assurances that financing will be available when and as needed or that, if available, financing will be available on favorable or acceptable terms or at all. If the Company is unable to obtain additional financing when and if required, it would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business and results of operations and the Company could be required to reduce expenses and curtail operations. To the extent the Company issues additional equity securities, its existing stockholders could experience substantial dilution.

Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements. Estimates also affect the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The most sensitive estimates relate to the period over which collaboration revenue is recognized and the assumptions used to estimate stock-based compensation expense. Management uses its historical records and knowledge of its business in making these estimates. Accordingly, actual results may differ from these estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less at the date of purchase to be cash equivalents.

Cash and Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Restricted Cash

The Company has two awards with CIRM designated for specific use, a Loan Agreement (see Note 2 – “Loan Payable”) in connection with the ALLSTAR Phase II clinical trial and the CIRM Award (see Note 6 – “Government Grant Awards”) related to the HOPE Phase I/II clinical trial. Restricted cash represents funds received under these awards which are to be allocated to the research costs as incurred. Generally, a reduction of restricted cash occurs when the Company deems certain costs are attributable to the respective award. As of September 30, 2016, the Company had a restricted cash balance of approximately $0.6 million.

Marketable Securities, Available-for-sale Securities, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Marketable Securities

The Company determines the appropriate classification of its marketable securities at the time of purchase and reevaluates such designation at each balance sheet date. All of the Company’s marketable securities are considered as available-for-sale and carried at estimated fair values. Realized gains and losses on the sale of debt and equity securities are determined using the specific identification method. Unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities are excluded from net income and reported in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) as a separate component of stockholders’ equity.

Property, Plant and Equipment, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost. Repairs and maintenance costs are expensed in the period incurred. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the related estimated useful life of the asset, which such estimated useful lives range from five to seven years. Leasehold improvements are depreciated on a straight-line basis over the shorter of the useful life of the asset or the lease term. Depreciation was approximately $63,218 and $43,225 for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

 

Property and equipment consisted of the following as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015:

	September 30,		December 31,
	2016		2015
Furniture and fixtures	$	51,161	$	59,128
Laboratory equipment		482,262		387,872
Leasehold improvements		47,043		45,274
		580,466		492,274
Less accumulated depreciation		(228,959)		(173,708)
Property and equipment, net	$	351,507	$	318,566

Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Intangible Assets, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Intangible Assets

Amounts attributable to intellectual property consist primarily of the costs associated with the acquisition of certain technologies, patents, pending patents and related intangible assets with respect to research and development activities. Intellectual property assets are stated at cost and are amortized on a straight-line basis over the respective estimated useful lives of the assets ranging from five to fifteen years. Also, the Company recorded capitalized loan fees as a component of intangible assets on the consolidated balance sheet (see Note 2 – “Loan Payable”). Total amortization expense was approximately $36,562 for each of the nine month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015. A summary of future amortization expense as of September 2016 is as follows:

 

Years ended	Amortization Expense
2016 (3 months)	$	12,188
2017		48,749
2018		43,732
2019		43,277
2020		4,330
Thereafter		2,165

As a result of the merger in 2013 between Capricor and Nile, the Company recorded $1.5 million as in-process research and development in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805, Business Combinations. The in-process research and development asset is subject to impairment testing until completion or abandonment of research and development efforts associated with the project. Upon successful completion of the project, the Company will make a determination as to the then remaining useful life of the intangible asset and begin amortization.

The Company reviews intangible assets at least annually for possible impairment. Intangible assets are reviewed for possible impairment between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of the reporting unit below its carrying value. As of September 30, 2016, the Company deemed the assets to not be impaired and did not begin amortizing the in-process research and development.

Government Research Grants [Policy Text Block]

Government Research Grants

Generally, government research grants that provide funding for research and development activities are recognized as income when the related expenses are incurred, as applicable. Because the terms of the CIRM Award allow Capricor to elect to convert the grant into a loan at the end of the project period, the CIRM Award is being classified as a liability rather than income (see Note 6 - “Government Grant Awards”).

Collaborative Arrangement, Accounting Policy [Policy Text Block]

Income from Collaboration Agreement

Revenue from nonrefundable, up-front license or technology access payments under license and collaborative arrangements that are not dependent on any future performance by the Company is recognized when such amounts are earned. If the Company has continuing obligations to perform under the arrangement, such fees are recognized over the estimated period of the continuing performance obligation.

The Company accounts for multiple element arrangements, such as license and development agreements in which a customer may purchase several deliverables, in accordance with FASB ASC Subtopic 605-25, Multiple Element Arrangements. For new or materially amended multiple element arrangements, the Company identifies the deliverables at the inception of the arrangement and each deliverable within a multiple deliverable revenue arrangement is accounted for as a separate unit of accounting if both of the following criteria are met: (1) the delivered item or items have value to the customer on a standalone basis and (2) for an arrangement that includes a general right of return relative to the delivered item(s), delivery or performance of the undelivered item(s) is considered probable and substantially in the Company’s control. The Company allocates revenue to each non-contingent element based on the relative selling price of each element. When applying the relative selling price method, the Company determines the selling price for each deliverable using vendor-specific objective evidence (“VSOE”) of selling price, if it exists, or third-party evidence (“TPE”) of selling price, if it exists. If neither VSOE nor TPE of selling price exist for a deliverable, then the Company uses the best estimated selling price for that deliverable. Revenue allocated to each element is then recognized based on when the basic four revenue recognition criteria are met for each element.

The Company determined that the deliverables under its Collaboration Agreement with Janssen (see Note 8 – “License Agreements”) did not meet the criteria to be considered separate accounting units for the purposes of revenue recognition. As a result, the Company recognizes revenue from non-refundable, upfront fees ratably over the term of its performance under the agreement with Janssen. The upfront payments received, pending recognition as revenue, are recorded as deferred revenue and are classified as a short-term or long-term liability on the condensed consolidated balance sheets of the Company and amortized over the estimated period of performance. The Company periodically reviews the estimated performance period of its contract based on the estimated progress of its project.

Loan Payable [Policy Text Block]

Loan Payable

The Company accounts for the funds advanced under its Loan Agreement with CIRM (see Note 2 – “Loan Payable”) as a loan payable as the eventual repayment of the loan proceeds or forgiveness of the loan is contingent upon certain future milestones being met and other conditions. As the likelihood of whether or not the Company will ever achieve these milestones or satisfy these conditions cannot be reasonably predicted at the time of the filing of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, the Company records these amounts as a loan payable.

Lease, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Rent

Rent expense for the Company’s leases, which generally have escalating rental amounts over the term of the lease, is recorded on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The difference between the rent expense and rent paid has been recorded as deferred rent in the consolidated balance sheet accounts payable and accrued expenses, related party. Rent is amortized on a straight-line basis over the term of the applicable lease, without consideration of renewal options.

Research and Development Expense, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Research and Development

Costs relating to the design and development of new products are expensed as research and development as incurred in accordance with FASB ASC 730-10, Research and Development. Research and development costs amounted to approximately $4.7 million and $3.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and approximately $13.4 million and $10.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Comprehensive Income loss [Policy Text Block]

Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Comprehensive income (loss) generally represents all changes in stockholders’ equity during the period except those resulting from investments by, or distributions to, stockholders. The Company’s comprehensive loss was approximately $5.3 million and $2.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and approximately $14.3 million and $9.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The Company’s other comprehensive income (loss) is related to a net unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities. For the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, the Company’s other comprehensive gain (loss) was $(3,855) and $5,414, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, the Company’s other comprehensive gain (loss) was $(8,462) and $11,949, respectively.

Compensation Related Costs, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company accounts for stock-based employee compensation arrangements in accordance with guidance issued by the FASB, which requires the measurement and recognition of compensation expense for all share-based payment awards made to employees, consultants, and directors based on estimated fair values.

The Company estimates the fair value of stock-based compensation awards on the date of grant using an option-pricing model. The value of the portion of the award that is ultimately expected to vest is recognized as an expense over the requisite service periods in the Company’s statements of operations.

The Company estimates the fair value of stock-based compensation awards using the Black-Scholes model. This model requires the Company to estimate the expected volatility and value of its common stock and the expected term of the stock options, all of which are highly complex and subjective variables. The variables take into consideration, among other things, actual and projected stock option exercise behavior. The Company calculates an average of historical volatility of similar companies as a basis for its expected volatility. Expected term is computed using the simplified method provided within SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 110. The Company has selected a risk-free rate based on the implied yield available on U.S. Treasury securities with a maturity equivalent to the expected term of the options.

Earnings Per Share, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Basic and Diluted Loss per Share

Basic loss per share is computed using the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted loss per share is computed using the weighted-average number of common shares and dilutive potential common shares outstanding during the period. Dilutive potential common shares, which primarily consist of stock options issued to employees, consultants and directors as well as warrants issued to third parties, have been excluded from the diluted loss per share calculation because their effect is anti-dilutive.

For the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, warrants and options to purchase 7,532,260 and 6,273,197 shares of common stock, respectively, have been excluded from the computation of potentially dilutive securities. For the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, warrants and options to purchase 7,532,260 and 6,273,197 shares of common stock, respectively, have been excluded from the computation of potentially dilutive securities.

Fair Value Measurement, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Fair Value Measurements

Assets and liabilities recorded at fair value in the balance sheet are categorized based upon the level of judgment associated with the inputs used to measure their fair value. The categories are as follows:

Level Input:	Input Definition:
Level I	Inputs are unadjusted, quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in
	active markets at the measurement date.
Level II	Inputs, other than quoted prices included in Level I, that are observable
	for the asset or liability through corroboration with market data at the
	measurement date.
Level III	Unobservable inputs that reflect management’s best estimate of what
	market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability at the
	measurement date.

The following table summarizes fair value measurements by level at September 30, 2016 for assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis:

	September 30, 2016
	Level I		Level II		Level III		Total
Marketable securities	$	2,499,975	$	-	$	-	$	2,499,975

Carrying amounts reported in the balance sheet of cash and cash equivalents, grants receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses approximate fair value due to their relatively short maturity. The carrying amounts of the Company’s marketable securities are based on market quotations from national exchanges at the balance sheet date. Interest and dividend income are recognized separately on the income statement based on classifications provided by the brokerage firm holding the investments. The fair value of borrowings is not considered to be significantly different from its carrying amount because the stated rates for such debt reflect current market rates and conditions.

Warrant Liability [Policy Text Block]

Warrant Liability

The Company accounts for some of its warrants issued in accordance with the guidance on Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of both Liabilities and Equity, which provides that the Company must classify the warrant instrument as a liability at its fair value and adjust the instrument to fair value at each reporting period. The fair value of warrants is estimated by management using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. This liability is subject to re-measurement at each balance sheet date until exercised, and any change in fair value is recognized as a component of other income or expense. Management has determined the value of the warrant liability to be insignificant at September 30, 2016, and no such liability has been reflected on the balance sheet.

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2014-09”). ASU 2014-09 will eliminate transaction- and industry-specific revenue recognition guidance under current U.S. GAAP and replace it with a principle-based approach for determining revenue recognition. ASU 2014-09 will require that companies recognize revenue based on the value of transferred goods or services as they occur in the contract. ASU 2014-09 also will require additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. ASU 2014-09 is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and early adoption is not permitted. Entities can transition to the standard either retrospectively or as a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the date of adoption. The Company has not yet selected a transition method nor has it determined the effect of the standard on its ongoing financial reporting.

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-15, Presentation of Financial Statements – Going Concern (Topic 915): Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern (“ASU 2014-15”), which states that in connection with preparing financial statements for each annual and interim reporting period, an entity’s management should evaluate whether there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued (or within one year after the date that the financial statements are available to be issued when applicable). ASU 2014-15 is effective for the annual period ending after December 15, 2016 and for annual and interim periods thereafter. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of this update is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements.

In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02, Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis (“ASU 2015-02”). This standard modifies existing consolidation guidance for reporting organizations that are required to evaluate whether they should consolidate certain legal entities. ASU 2015-02 is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those years beginning after December 15, 2015, and requires either a retrospective or a modified retrospective approach to adoption. The Company adopted this standard effective December 31, 2015.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs (“ASU 2015-03”). This update changes the presentation of debt issuance costs in the balance sheet. ASU 2015-03 requires debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt obligation to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the related debt liability rather than being presented as an asset. Amortization of debt issuance costs will continue to be reported as interest expense. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-15, Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of Credit Arrangements (“ASU 2015-15”). ASU 2015-15 clarified guidance in ASU 2015-03 by providing that the SEC staff would not object to a company presenting debt issuance costs related to a line-of-credit arrangement on the balance sheet as a deferred asset, regardless of whether there were any outstanding borrowings at period-end. This update is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2015, which required the Company to adopt these provisions in the first quarter of 2016. This update was applied on a retrospective basis, wherein the balance sheet of each period presented was adjusted to reflect the effects of applying the new guidance.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“ASU 2016-02”), which supersedes existing guidance on accounting for leases in Leases (Topic 840) and generally requires all leases to be recognized in the consolidated balance sheet. ASU 2016-02 is effective for annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018; early adoption is permitted. The provisions of ASU 2016-02 are to be applied using a modified retrospective approach. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this standard on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Compensation — Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which outlines new provisions intended to simplify various aspects related to accounting for share-based payments and their presentation in the financial statements. The standard is effective for the Company beginning December 15, 2016 and for interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on its financial statements.

In April 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-10, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which amends certain aspects of the FASB’s and International Accounting Standards Board’s new revenue standard, ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2014-09”). The standard should be adopted concurrently with the adoption of ASU 2014-09, which is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted. The Company has not yet selected a transition method nor has it determined the effect of the standard on its ongoing financial reporting.

Other recent accounting pronouncements issued by the FASB, including its Emerging Issues Task Force, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the SEC, did not or are not believed by management to have a material impact on the Company’s present or future condensed consolidated financial statement presentation or disclosures. For a more detailed listing of the Company’s significant accounting policies, see Note 1 – “Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies,” of the notes to the consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, as filed with the SEC on March 30, 2016.

XML

ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Property, Plant and Equipment [Table Text Block]

Property and equipment consisted of the following as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015:

	September 30,		December 31,
	2016		2015
Furniture and fixtures	$	51,161	$	59,128
Laboratory equipment		482,262		387,872
Leasehold improvements		47,043		45,274
		580,466		492,274
Less accumulated depreciation		(228,959)		(173,708)
Property and equipment, net	$	351,507	$	318,566

Schedule of Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Future Amortization Expense [Table Text Block]

A summary of future amortization expense as of September 2016 is as follows:

 

Years ended	Amortization Expense
2016 (3 months)	$	12,188
2017		48,749
2018		43,732
2019		43,277
2020		4,330
Thereafter		2,165

Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring [Table Text Block]

	September 30, 2016
	Level I		Level II		Level III		Total
Marketable securities	$	2,499,975	$	-	$	-	$	2,499,975

XML

STOCK AWARDS, WARRANTS AND OPTIONS (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Schedule of Employee and Non-Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Table Text Block]

Employee and non-employee stock-based compensation expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 was as follows:

	Three months ended September 30,				Nine months ended September 30,
	2016		2015		2016		2015
General and administrative	$	409,164	$	220,419	$	1,100,249	$	1,000,284
Research and development		145,402		46,508		398,928		173,106
Total	$	554,566	$	266,927	$	1,499,177	$	1,173,390

Warrant

Schedule Of Warrant Activity [Table Text Block]

The following table summarizes all warrant activity for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2016:

	Warrants		Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding at January 1, 2016		235,830	$	2.27
Granted		846,073		4.50
Exercised		-		-
Expired		-		-
Outstanding at September 30, 2016		1,081,903	$	4.01

Schedule of Stockholders Equity Note, Warrants or Rights [Table Text Block]

The following table summarizes all outstanding warrants to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock as of September 30, 2016:

At September 30, 2016
Grant Date	Warrants Outstanding		Exercise Price		Expiration Date
4/4/2012		187	$	2.27	4/4/2017
11/20/2013		235,643	$	2.27	11/20/2018
3/16/2016		846,073	$	4.50	3/16/2019
		1,081,903

Stock Options

Schedule of Share-based Payment Award, Stock Options, Valuation Assumptions [Table Text Block]

The Company estimates the fair value of each option award using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The Company used the following assumptions to estimate the fair value of stock options issued during the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015:

	September 30, 2016	September 30, 2015
Expected volatility	79% - 82%	80% - 82%
Expected term	5 - 7 years	5 - 7 years
Dividend yield	0%	0%
Risk-free interest rates	0.5% - 1.7%	0.3% - 2.0%

Schedule of Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Table Text Block]

The following is a schedule summarizing employee and non-employee stock option activity for the nine months ended September 30, 2016:

	Number of Options		Weighted Average Exercise Price		Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Outstanding at January 1, 2016		5,997,323	$	1.59	$	8,876,038
Granted		780,000		2.89
Exercised		(48,758)		0.29
Expired/Cancelled		(278,208)		5.35
Outstanding at September 30, 2016		6,450,357	$	1.60	$	10,599,175
Exercisable at September 30, 2016		4,983,513	$	0.96	$	11,353,060

XML

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Future Minimum Rental Payments for Operating Leases [Table Text Block]

A summary of future minimum rental payments required under operating leases as of September 30, 2016 is as follows:

Years ended	Operating Leases
2016 (3 months)	$	127,035
2017		378,210
2018		292,722
Total minimum lease payments	$	797,967

XML

ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Details) - USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	$ 580,466	$ 492,274
Less accumulated depreciation	(228,959)	(173,708)
Property and equipment, net	351,507	318,566
Furniture and fixtures [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	51,161	59,128
Laboratory equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	482,262	387,872
Leasehold improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	$ 47,043	$ 45,274

XML

ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Details 1)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
2016 (3 months)	$ 12,188
2017	48,749
2018	43,732
2019	43,277
2020	4,330
Thereafter	$ 2,165

XML

ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Details 2)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Marketable Securities	$ 2,499,975
Level 1[Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Marketable Securities	2,499,975
Level 2[Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Marketable Securities	0
Level 3[Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Marketable Securities	$ 0

XML

ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Details Textual) - USD ($)	1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Jul. 31, 2016	Jun. 16, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Mar. 16, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Research and Development Expense, Total				$ 4,727,111		$ 3,192,657		$ 13,376,178	$ 10,426,548
Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Marketable Securities	$ 20,500,000			$ 20,500,000				$ 20,500,000			$ 13,600,000
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount				7,532,260		6,273,197		7,532,260	6,273,197
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent				$ (5,337,268)		$ (2,906,530)		$ (14,297,064)	$ (9,499,268)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Holding Gain (Loss) on Securities Arising During Period, Net of Tax				(3,855)		$ 5,414		(8,462)	11,949
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues								13,864,817
Amortization of Intangible Assets								36,562	36,562
Depreciation								63,218	43,225
Other Intangible Assets, Net	1,500,000			1,500,000				1,500,000		$ 1,500,000	$ 1,500,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Long-term Debt, Total								4,750,000	$ 0
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	600,000			$ 600,000				600,000
Offering [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues	$ 10,900,000
Investor [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues					1,692,151
Shares Issued, Price Per Share					$ 2.40
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues					$ 4,100,000
Class of Warrant or Right, Number of Securities Called by Warrants or Rights					846,073
Class of Warrant or Right, Exercise Price of Warrants or Rights					$ 4.50
Class of Warrant or Right, Date from which Warrants or Rights Exercisable					Sep. 17, 2016
Warrant Expiration Date					Mar. 16, 2019
California Institute for Regenerative Medicine [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Approved For Grant Award			$ 3,400,000
Minimum Expected Contribution Towards This Project			$ 2,300,000				$ 2,300,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Long-term Debt, Total		$ 2,000,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Other Long-term Debt								4,800,000
U.S. Department of Defense [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Approved For Grant Award		$ 2,400,000
Common Stock [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Holding Gain (Loss) on Securities Arising During Period, Net of Tax								$ 0
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues								5,095,276
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues								$ 5,095
Common Stock [Member] | Offering [Member]
Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues								3,403,125
Shares Issued, Price Per Share	$ 3.20			$ 3.20				$ 3.20

XML

LOAN PAYABLE (Details Textual) - USD ($)	1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2015	Feb. 05, 2013
LOAN PAYABLE [Line Items]
Deferred Finance Costs, Noncurrent, Net				$ 30,000		$ 30,000
Proceeds from loan payable						4,750,000	$ 0
Interest expense				98,749	$ 61,681	241,760	$ 185,043
Long Term Loans Payable				13,905,857		$ 13,905,857				$ 9,155,857
Minimum [Member]
LOAN PAYABLE [Line Items]
Amount Available Under Loan Agreement, Expected Borrowing Percentage						70.00%
Maximum [Member]
LOAN PAYABLE [Line Items]
Amount Available Under Loan Agreement, Expected Borrowing Percentage						75.00%
CIRM Loan Agreement [Member]
LOAN PAYABLE [Line Items]
Maximum Payback Percentage of Loan Amount to be Paid upon Achievement of Certain Revenue Thresholds						500.00%
Base Rate for Computation of Interest Rate						2.00%
Increase In Base Rate after Fifth Year for Computation of Interest Rate						1.00%
Maximum Increase In Base Rate in Tenth Year for Computation of Interest Rate						5.00%
Deferred Finance Costs, Noncurrent, Net				$ 7,297		$ 7,297
Proceeds from loan payable	$ 1,750,000	$ 2,000,000	$ 1,000,000					$ 5,194,124	$ 3,925,066
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage	3.40%	3.30%	3.20%					2.60%
Amount Awarded Under Loan Agreement											$ 19,782,136
CIRM Loan Agreement [Member] | Minimum [Member]
LOAN PAYABLE [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage									2.50%
CIRM Loan Agreement [Member] | Maximum [Member]
LOAN PAYABLE [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage									2.80%

XML

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (Details Textual) - USD ($)	1 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Mar. 16, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Common Stock Shares Issued	21,399,019		21,399,019		16,254,985
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues			$ 13,864,817
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock			$ 13,864,817	$ 16,446,218
Warrant Redemption Fees Per Share		$ 0.001
Warrant Redemption Weighted Average Common Stock Per Share Threshold Limit		$ 7.50
Investors [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues		1,692,151
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues		$ 4,060,000
Shares Issued, Price Per Share		$ 2.40
Class of Warrant or Right, Number of Securities Called by Warrants or Rights		846,073
Class of Warrant or Right, Exercise Price of Warrants or Rights		$ 4.50
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock		$ 3,900,000
Private Placement [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Payments of Stock Issuance Costs		$ 100,000
Underwritten Public and Registered Direct Offering [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues	3,403,125
Sale of Stock, Price Per Share	$ 3.20		$ 3.20
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues	$ 10,890,000
Payments of Stock Issuance Costs	1,000,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock	$ 9,900,000

XML

STOCK AWARDS, WARRANTS AND OPTIONS (Details)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016 $ / shares shares
Class of Warrant or Right [Line Items]
Warrants Outstanding at Beginning | shares	235,830
Warrants Granted | shares	846,073
Warrants Exercised | shares	0
Warrants Expired | shares	0
Warrants Outstanding at Ending | shares	1,081,903
Weighted Average Exercise Price Outstanding at Beginning | $ / shares	$ 2.27
Weighted Average Exercise Price Granted | $ / shares	4.5
Weighted Average Exercise Price Exercised | $ / shares	0
Weighted Average Exercise Price Expired | $ / shares	0
Weighted Average Exercise Price Outstanding at Ending | $ / shares	$ 4.01

XML

STOCK AWARDS, WARRANTS AND OPTIONS (Details 1) - $ / shares	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Class of Warrant or Right [Line Items]
Warrants Outstanding	1,081,903	235,830
Period Issuance two [Member]
Class of Warrant or Right [Line Items]
Grant Date	Apr. 04, 2012
Warrants Outstanding	187
Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 2.27
Expiration Date	Apr. 04, 2017
Period Issuance three [Member]
Class of Warrant or Right [Line Items]
Grant Date	Nov. 20, 2013
Warrants Outstanding	235,643
Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 2.27
Expiration Date	Nov. 20, 2018
Period Issuance four [Member]
Class of Warrant or Right [Line Items]
Grant Date	Mar. 16, 2016
Warrants Outstanding	846,073
Weighted Average Exercise Price	$ 4.5
Expiration Date	Mar. 16, 2019

XML

STOCK AWARDS, WARRANTS AND OPTIONS (Details 2)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award [Line Items]
Dividend yield	0.00%	0.00%
Maximum [Member]
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award [Line Items]
Expected volatility	82.00%	82.00%
Expected term	7 years	7 years
Risk-free interest rates	1.70%	2.00%
Minimum [Member]
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award [Line Items]
Expected volatility	79.00%	80.00%
Expected term	5 years	5 years
Risk-free interest rates	0.50%	0.30%

XML

STOCK AWARDS, WARRANTS AND OPTIONS (Details 3) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation cost	$ 554,566	$ 266,927	$ 1,499,177	$ 1,181,978
General and adminstrative [Member]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation cost	409,164	220,419	1,100,249	1,000,284
Research and development [Member]
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation cost	$ 145,402	$ 46,508	$ 398,928	$ 173,106

XML

STOCK AWARDS, WARRANTS AND OPTIONS (Details 4) - Stock Option [Member] - USD ($)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Number of Options
Outstanding at Beginning of the period	5,997,323
Granted	780,000
Exercised	(48,758)
Expired/Cancelled	(278,208)
Outstanding at Ending of the period	6,450,357
Exercisable	4,983,513
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding at Beginning of the period	$ 1.59
Granted	2.89
Exercised	0.29
Expired/Cancelled	5.35
Outstanding at Ending of the period	1.60
Exercisable	$ 0.96
Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Outstanding	$ 10,599,175	$ 8,876,038
Exercisable	$ 11,353,060

XML

STOCK AWARDS, WARRANTS AND OPTIONS (Details Textual) - USD ($)		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jun. 02, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Disclosure Stockholders Equity, stock Options And Warrants Additional Information [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value		$ 2.42	$ 3.11	$ 2.02	$ 3.86
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period, Intrinsic Value				$ 142,031
Stock Option Plan 2012 [Member]
Disclosure Stockholders Equity, stock Options And Warrants Additional Information [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement By Share-based Payment Award, Percentage Of Annual Increase In Number Of Shares Authorized				2.00%
Non-Employee Director Plan 2012 [Member]
Disclosure Stockholders Equity, stock Options And Warrants Additional Information [Line Items]
Amount Authorized in Plans After Merger		2,697,311		2,697,311
Employee Stock Option [Member] | Stock Option Plan 2005 [Member]
Disclosure Stockholders Equity, stock Options And Warrants Additional Information [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Additional Shares Authorized				190,000
Employee Stock Option [Member] | Stock Option Plan 2012 [Member]
Disclosure Stockholders Equity, stock Options And Warrants Additional Information [Line Items]
Amount Authorized in Plans After Merger		4,149,710		4,149,710		4,149,710
Share Authorized In Plans After Merger	4,149,710
Share-based Compensation Arrangement By Share-based Payment Award, Percentage Of Annual Increase In Number Of Shares Authorized	2.00%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Available for Grant		4,474,809		4,474,809
Incentive Stock Option [Member] | Stock Option Plan 2012 [Member]
Disclosure Stockholders Equity, stock Options And Warrants Additional Information [Line Items]
Minimum Limit Of Fair Market Value To Be Treated As Non-Statutory Stock				$ 100,000

XML

CONCENTRATIONS (Details Textual)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Cash, Uninsured Amount	$ 20,900,000
Financial Institution One [Member]
Concentration Risk [Line Items]
Cash, FDIC Insured Amount	$ 250,000

XML

GOVERNMENT GRANT AWARDS (Details Textual) - USD ($)	1 Months Ended		6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2016	Jun. 16, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Nov. 04, 2016	Aug. 31, 2013
Proceeds from Issuance of Long-term Debt, Total				$ 4,750,000	$ 0
Subsequent Event [Member]
Disbursement Amount Under Grant Award						$ 1,100,000
California Institute for Regenerative Medicine [Member]
Approved For Grant Award		$ 3,400,000
Grant Award Liability				3,100,000
Minimum Expected Contribution		$ 2,300,000	$ 2,300,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Long-term Debt, Total	$ 2,000,000
NIH Grant Award DYNAMIC [Member]
Approved For Grant Award							$ 2,900,000
NIH Grant Award HLHS [Member]
Maximum Amount Approved for Grant Award				4,200,000
U.S. Department of Defense Grant Award [Member]
Approved For Grant Award				2,400,000
Cost Incurred Under Award				$ 63,186

XML

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Details)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)
Other Commitments [Line Items]
2016 (3 months)	$ 127,035
2017	378,210
2018	292,722
Total minimum lease payments	$ 797,967

XML

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Details Textual) - USD ($)		1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Feb. 02, 2015	Jul. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	May 14, 2014
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Net	$ 17,957
Monthly Lease Payment First Twelve Month [Member]
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Net						$ 16,620
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Contingent Rentals						22,995
Monthly Lease Payment Second Twelve Month [Member]
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Net						17,285
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Contingent Rentals						23,915
Monthly lease payment Remainder lease payment [Member]
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Contingent Rentals						24,872
Unrealated Party [Member]
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Net				$ 71,215	$ 65,088	201,392	$ 190,854
Related party [Member]
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Operating Leases, Rent Expense				$ 56,105	$ 56,105	$ 168,316	$ 168,316
Per Month [Member]
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Leases Monthly Payments for First Six Months								$ 15,461
Leases Monthly Payments for Remainder								$ 19,350
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Net			$ 21,420
Operating Leases, Rent Expense, Contingent Rentals		$ 22,111

XML

LICENSE AGREEMENTS (Details Textual)			1 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Aug. 05, 2016 USD ($)	Oct. 08, 2014 USD ($)	Feb. 27, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 27, 2013 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) shares	Sep. 30, 2016 EUR (€) shares
LICENSE AGREEMENTS [Line Items]
Additional Milestone Payments to be Received Contingent upon Exercise of Options				$ 325,000,000
Payments for Royalties | €						€ 20,000
CSMC [Member]
LICENSE AGREEMENTS [Line Items]
Upfront Payment	$ 2,500
Reimbursed Expenses to be Paid	16,000
Medtronic [Member]
LICENSE AGREEMENTS [Line Items]
Upfront Payment		$ 100,000
Additional Milestone Payable Maximum Amount		$ 7,000,000
Exosomes License Agreement [Member]
LICENSE AGREEMENTS [Line Items]
Upfront Payment			$ 20,000
Additional Milestone Payable Maximum Amount			190,000
Reimbursed Expenses to be Paid			34,000
Janssen Agreement [Member]
LICENSE AGREEMENTS [Line Items]
Payment Received For Development Fee				$ 12,500,000
CSMC Licence Agreement [Member]
LICENSE AGREEMENTS [Line Items]
Upfront Payment	2,500
Reimbursed Expenses to be Paid	$ 10,000
Minimum [Member]
LICENSE AGREEMENTS [Line Items]
Development Milestones					$ 350,000
Maximum [Member]
LICENSE AGREEMENTS [Line Items]
Development Milestones					800,000
Maximum [Member] | JHU License Agreement [Member]
LICENSE AGREEMENTS [Line Items]
Potential Milestone Payments					1,850,000
Completion of Phase One [Member] | Exosomes License Agreement [Member]
LICENSE AGREEMENTS [Line Items]
Milestone Payments To Be Made Upon Successful Completion Of Certain Phases			15,000
Completion of Phase One [Member] | Minimum [Member]
LICENSE AGREEMENTS [Line Items]
Range of Milestone Payments, Payable Upon Successful Completion of Certain Phases					100,000
Obtention of FDA Approval [Member] | Exosomes License Agreement [Member]
LICENSE AGREEMENTS [Line Items]
Milestone Payments To Be Made Upon Successful Completion Of Certain Phases			$ 75,000
Obtention of FDA Approval [Member] | Maximum [Member]
LICENSE AGREEMENTS [Line Items]
Range of Milestone Payments, Payable Upon Successful Completion of Certain Phases					$ 1,000,000
Mayo License Agreement [Member]
LICENSE AGREEMENTS [Line Items]
Common Stock Issued as Additional Consideration for Grant of Certain Rights | shares					18,000	18,000
First and Second Anniversary [Member]
LICENSE AGREEMENTS [Line Items]
Payments for Royalties					$ 5,000
Tenth Anniversary and Thereafter [Member]
LICENSE AGREEMENTS [Line Items]
Payments for Royalties					$ 20,000

XML

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (Details Textual) - USD ($)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses Related Party Current		$ 699,182		$ 699,182		$ 352,334
Board of Directors Chairman [Member] | Sublease Agreement with Frank Litvack [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Rental Income, Nonoperating	$ 2,500	7,500	$ 7,500	$ 22,500	$ 22,500
Board of Directors Chairman [Member] | Consulting Agreement with Frank Litvack [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Description of Transaction				Effective January 1, 2013, Dr. Frank Litvack, the Companys Executive Chairman and a member of its Board of Directors, entered into an oral Consulting Agreement with Capricor whereby Capricor agreed to pay Dr. Litvack fees of $10,000 per month for consulting services
Affiliated Entity [Member] | Transaction other than Sub-Award Agreement [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses Related Party Current		$ 689,182		$ 689,182		$ 352,334

XML

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS (Details Textual) - USD ($)	Nov. 04, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Grants Receivable, Current		$ 1,163,186	$ 211,938
Subsequent Event [Member]
Disbursement Amount Under Grant Award	$ 1,100,000