Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from such estimates.

The Company utilizes certain estimates to record expenses relating to research and development contracts. These contract estimates, which are primarily related to the length of service of each contract and the amount of service provided as of each measurement date, are determined by the Company based on input from internal project management, as well as from service providers.

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

Cash and Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

The reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash reported within the applicable balance sheet that sum to the total of the same such amount shown in the statement of cash flows is as follows (in thousands):


	December 31,
	2021		2020
Cash and cash equivalents	$	86,508	$	24,930
Restricted cash (1)		121		121
Total	$	86,629	$	25,051

(1)

Included in prepaid expenses and other current assets at December 31, 2021 and other long-term assets at December 31, 2020.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The fair value hierarchy prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three broad levels as follows: Level 1 inputs are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities; Level 2 inputs are inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly; and Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs that reflect the Company’s own assumptions about the assumptions

market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. Financial assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

The carrying amounts reflected in the balance sheets for cash equivalents, restricted cash, prepaid expenses and other current assets, accounts payable and accrued expenses approximate their fair values at December 31, 2021 and 2020, due to their short-term nature. There have been no changes to the valuation methods during the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020. The Company evaluates transfers between levels at the end of each reporting period. There were no transfers of assets or liabilities between levels during the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

The Company’s investment portfolio may include fixed income securities that do not always trade on a daily basis. As a result, the pricing services used by the Company apply other available information as applicable through processes such as benchmark yields, benchmarking of like securities, sector groupings and matrix pricing to prepare valuations. The Company validates the prices provided by its third party pricing services by obtaining market values from other pricing sources and analyzing pricing data in certain instances. The Company also invests in certain reverse repurchase agreements which are collateralized by deposits in the form of United States Government Securities and Obligations for an amount no less than 102% of their value. The Company does not record an asset or liability for the collateral as the Company is not permitted to sell or re-pledge the collateral. The collateral has at least the prevailing credit rating of United States Government Treasuries and Agencies. The Company utilizes a third party custodian to manage the exchange of funds and ensure that collateral received is maintained at 102% of the value of the reverse repurchase agreements on a daily basis.

The Company accounted for warrants to purchase its stock pursuant to Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 470, Debt, and ASC Topic 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity, and classifies warrants for common stock and preferred stock as liabilities or equity. The warrants classified as liabilities are reported at their estimated fair value and any changes in fair value are reflected in research and development expense. The warrants classified as equity are reported at their estimated fair value with no subsequent remeasurement.

Research and Development Expenses

Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. Research and development costs include salaries and personnel-related costs, stock-based compensation, consulting fees, fees paid for contract research services, the costs of laboratory equipment and facilities and other external costs. Nonrefundable advance payments for goods or services to be received in the future for use in research and development activities are deferred. The deferred amounts are expensed as the related goods are delivered or the services are performed.

Net Loss Per Share

Basic net loss per share is calculated by dividing net loss by the weighted average shares outstanding during the period, without consideration for common stock equivalents. Diluted net loss per share is calculated by adjusting weighted average shares outstanding for the dilutive effect of common stock equivalents outstanding for the period, determined using the treasury-stock method. For purposes of the Company’s dilutive net loss per share calculation, stock options and warrants to purchase the Company’s common stock were considered to be common stock equivalents but were excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share, as their effect would be anti-dilutive; therefore, basic and diluted net loss per share were the same for all periods presented.

The following common stock equivalents were excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share for the periods indicated because including them would have had an anti-dilutive effect:


	Year Ended December 31,
	2021	2020
Stock options	1,346,733	227,945
Common stock warrants	1,530,380	1,032,292
Series X Preferred Stock (1)	5,242,501	—
	8,119,614	1,260,236

(1)

Shown as common stock equivalents

Segment Information

Operating segments are identified as components of an enterprise for which separate discrete financial information is available for evaluation by the chief operating decision maker, the Company’s chief executive officer, in making decisions on how to allocate resources and assess performance. The Company views its operations and manages its business in one operating segment. The Company operates in one geographic segment.

Leases

The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception. Operating leases are included in right-of-use (“ROU”) lease assets, current portion of lease obligations, and long-term lease obligations on the Company’s balance sheets. The Company does not currently hold any financing leases.

ROU lease assets represent the Company’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease obligations represent the Company’s obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating ROU lease assets and obligations are recognized at the commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. As the Company’s facility leases do not provide an implicit rate, the Company uses its estimated incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at the commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. The Company’s ROU lease assets also include any lease payments made and excludes lease incentives. If the Company’s facility lease includes options to terminate the lease which would affect the lease period when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise that option. Lease expense for lease payments under facility leases are recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

Preferred Stock Discount

As discussed above, in February 2021, the Company issued Series X Preferred Stock in a private placement transaction. It was determined that this transaction resulted in recognition of a beneficial conversion feature, which was valued based on the difference between the price of the shares of common stock on the date of commitment and the conversion price on the closing date, resulting in a total value of $19.6 million. Additionally, the Company incurred total issuance costs of $5.7 million related to the private placement. Both of these features were recorded as a discount on Series X Preferred Stock recognized at the close of the transaction. These features are analogous to preferred dividends and are recorded as a non-cash return to holders of Series X Preferred Stock through additional paid in capital. The discount related to the beneficial conversion feature is recognized through the earliest possible date of conversion, which occurred upon the shareholder approval of the conversion in June 2021. The issuance costs are recognized as a dividend at the time of conversion to common shares. As of December 31, 2021, $24.4 million of the above amounts were accounted for as a non-cash dividend related to shares of Series X Preferred Stock, and $0.9 million remained to be recognized upon future conversion.