Stock Options

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2024

Stock Options [Abstract]

STOCK OPTIONS

13. STOCK OPTIONS

On October 30, 2020, the Company issued an aggregate of 545,182 shares of common stock in lieu of unpaid salaries of certain employees and unpaid consulting fees under the 2016 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, at a conversion price of $2 per share; the total amount of converted salaries and consulting fees was $1,090,361. On November 21, 2020, the Company entered into acknowledgement agreements and stock option purchase agreements with these employees and consultant; pursuant to which the Company granted stock options to purchase 545,182 shares of the Company’s common stock in lieu of common stock. The options were vested at the grant date and become exercisable for 10 years from the grant date.

On October 15, 2021, the Company entered into stock option agreements with 11 directors and 3 employees, pursuant to which the Company granted options to purchase an aggregate of 1,280,002 shares of common stock under the 2016 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, at an exercise price of $3 per share. The options were vested at the grant date and become exercisable for 10 years from the grant date. 

On April 16, 2022, the Company entered into stock option agreements with 5 directors, pursuant to which the Company agreed to grant options to purchase an aggregate of 761,920 shares of common stock under the 2016 Equity Incentive Plan, at an exercise price of $3 per share, exercisable for 10 years from the grant date. As of March 31, 2024, these stock options have not been granted.   

Options issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2023, and their activities during the year then ended are as follows:

	Number of Underlying Shares		Weighted- Average Exercise Price Per Share		Weighted- Average Contractual Life Remaining in Years		Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Outstanding as of January 1, 2023		2,587,104	$	2.79		8.74	$	-
Granted		-		-		-		-
Forfeited		-		-		-		-
Outstanding as of December 31, 2023		2,587,104		2.79		7.74	$	-
Exercisable as of December 31, 2023		2,587,104		2.79		7.74	$	-
Vested and expected to vest		2,587,104	$	2.79		7.74	$	-

The fair value of stock options granted for the year ended December 31, 2023 was calculated using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model applying the following assumptions:

	Year ended December 31, 2023
Risk free interest rate		2.79	%
Expected term (in years)		5.00
Dividend yield		0	%
Expected volatility		83.86	%

The weighted average grant date fair value of options granted during the years ended December 31, 2023 was $2.79. There are 3,860,211 options available for grant under the 2016 Equity Incentive Plan as of December 31, 2023. Compensation costs associated with the Company’s stock options are recognized, based on the grant-date fair values of these options over vesting period. Accordingly, the Company recognized stock-based compensation expense of $0 and $0 for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. There were no options exercised during the three months ended March 31, 2024. As of March 31, 2024, there were no unvested options.

The above-mentioned equity is before the reverse stock split in 2023.