Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2024

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Note 2. Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The Company’s financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”). Certain reclassifications have been made to prior period amounts to conform to current period presentation. These reclassifications did not have an impact on the Company’s results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 or its financial position as of March 31, 2024 or December 31, 2023.

Unaudited Interim Condensed Financial Information

The accompanying condensed balance sheet as of March 31, 2024, the condensed statements of operations and comprehensive loss and the condensed statements of stockholders’ equity for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, and the condensed statements of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 are unaudited. The unaudited interim condensed financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the audited annual financial statements and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments, which include only normal recurring adjustments, necessary for the fair statement of the Company’s financial position as of March 31, 2024 and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023. The financial data and other information disclosed in these notes related to the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 are also unaudited. The results for the three months ended March 31, 2024 are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2024, any other interim periods, or any future year or period. The balance sheet as of December 31, 2023 included herein was derived from the audited financial statements as of that date. Certain disclosures have been condensed or omitted from the interim condensed financial statements. Accordingly, these unaudited interim condensed financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2023, which are included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), dated March 29, 2024.

Risks and Uncertainties

Liquidity

Prior to the IPO, the Company’s operations had historically been financed through the issuance of redeemable convertible preferred stock. Since inception, the Company has incurred significant losses and negative net cash flows from operations. During the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company incurred a net loss of $16.6 million and $15.3 million, respectively, and had cash flows used in operating activities of $17.6 million and $11.6 million, respectively. The Company has an accumulated deficit of $171.1 million and $154.5 million as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively, and will require substantial additional capital for research and development activities. The Company anticipates incurring additional losses until such time, if ever, that it can generate significant sales of its product candidate currently in development.

As of March 31, 2024, the Company had cash, cash equivalents, and investments of $118.1 million. Management believes that its cash, cash equivalents, and investments as of March 31, 2024 will be sufficient to fund its current operating plan through at least 12 months from the issuance date of these condensed financial statements. Future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including the timing and extent of spending on research and development, including costs for preclinical and nonclinical studies, clinical trials, and clinical trial and material manufacturing. There can be no assurance that, in the event the Company requires additional financing, such financing will be available at terms acceptable to the Company, if at all. Failure to generate sufficient cash flows from operations, raise additional capital, and reduce discretionary spending should additional capital not become available could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to achieve its intended business objectives.

Segments

The Company operates and manages its business as one reportable and operating segment. The Company’s chief executive officer, who is the chief operating decision maker, reviews financial information on a company-wide basis for purposes of allocating resources and assessing financial performance.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. On an ongoing basis, management evaluates its estimates, including those related to research and development accruals, fair value of assets and liabilities and stock-based compensation. Management bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other market-specific and relevant assumptions that management believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Research and Development Expenses

All research and development costs, including work performed by third parties, are expensed as incurred. Research and development costs consist of salaries and other personnel-related expenses, including associated stock-based compensation, consulting fees, and facility costs, as well as fees paid to other entities that conduct certain research and development activities on behalf of the Company. Payments made prior to the receipt of goods or services to be used in research and development are capitalized until the goods are received or services are rendered.

As part of the process of preparing its financial statements, the Company estimates its accrued expenses. This process involves reviewing quotations and contracts, identifying services that have been performed on the Company’s behalf and estimating the level of services performed and the associated cost incurred for services for which the Company has not yet been invoiced or otherwise notified of the actual cost. The majority of the Company’s service providers invoice monthly in arrears for services performed or when contractual milestones are met. The Company makes estimates of its accrued expenses at the end of each reporting period based on the facts and circumstances known to the Company at that time. The significant estimates in the Company’s accrued research and development expenses relate to expenses incurred with respect to contract manufacturing and clinical and other research organizations, academic research centers, and other vendors in connection with research and development activities for which the Company has not yet been invoiced.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company measures and recognizes compensation expense for equity-classified stock-based awards made to employees, directors and non-employees based on the grant date estimated fair value of each award. Compensation expense for employee and director awards is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period which is generally the vesting period for the entire award. Expense is adjusted for forfeitures as they occur. Compensation expense for non-employee awards is recognized in the same period and manner as if the Company had paid cash for the goods or services provided.

The valuation model used for calculating the fair value of stock options for stock compensation expense is the Black-Scholes option-pricing model (the Black-Scholes model). The Black-Scholes model requires management to make assumptions and judgments about the variables used in the calculation, including the expected term, the expected volatility of common stock, an assumed risk-free interest rate, and expected dividends the Company may pay. Management uses the simplified calculation (based on the mid-point between the vesting date and the end of the contractual term) of the expected term for its stock options as the Company has concluded that its stock option history does not provide a reasonable basis upon which to estimate expected term. Volatility is based on an average of the historical volatilities of the common stock of entities with characteristics similar to the Company’s. The risk-free rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant for periods corresponding with the expected life of the option. The Company uses an assumed dividend yield of zero as the Company has never paid dividends and has no current plans to pay any dividends on its common stock.

For option awards that contain performance conditions, compensation cost is recognized in the period in which it becomes probable that the performance condition will be satisfied. For option awards that vest upon a liquidity event or a change in control, the performance condition is not probable of being achieved until the event occurs. As a result, no compensation expense would be recognized until the performance-based vesting condition is achieved.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents, which consist of money market funds, are stated at fair value. As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $24.7 million and $15.6 million, respectively.

Investments

Investments consist of U.S. Treasury securities, commercial paper, U.S. Government agency securities, asset-backed securities, and corporate debt securities. All of the Company’s investments are classified as available-for-sale and are carried at estimated fair values and reported in cash equivalents, short-term investments or long-term investments. Management determines the appropriate classification of the investments at the time they are acquired and evaluates the appropriateness of such classifications at each balance sheet date. Investments with contractual maturities greater than 12 months are considered long-term investments. The cost of investments sold, if any, is based on the specific identification method.

Unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale investments are reported in accumulated other comprehensive gain (loss) as a separate component of stockholders’ equity (deficit). For available-for-sale debt securities in an unrealized loss position, the Company first assesses whether it intends to sell, or it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis. If either of the criteria regarding intent or requirement to sell is met, the security’s amortized cost basis is written down to fair value and recognized in other income (expense) in the statements of operations and comprehensive loss. If neither criterion is met, the Company evaluates whether the decline in fair value is related to credit-related factors or other factors. In making this assessment, management considers the extent to which fair value is less than amortized cost, any changes to the rating of the security by a rating agency, and adverse conditions specifically related to the security, among other factors. Credit-related impairment losses, limited by the amount that the fair value is less than the amortized cost basis, are recorded through an allowance for credit losses in other income, net. Any unrealized losses from declines in fair value below the amortized cost basis as a result of non-credit factors are recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) as a separate component of stockholders’ equity, along with unrealized gains. Realized gains and losses and declines in fair value, if any, on available-for-sale securities are included in other income, net in the statements of operations and comprehensive loss.

For purposes of identifying and measuring credit-related impairments, the Company’s policy is to exclude applicable accrued interest from both the fair value and amortized cost basis of the related security. The Company has elected to write-off uncollectible accrued interest receivable balances in a timely manner, which is defined by the Company as when interest due becomes 90 days delinquent. The accrued interest write-off will be recorded by reversing interest income. Accrued interest receivable is recorded to prepaid expenses and other current assets.

As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company had investments of $93.4 million and $118.8 million, respectively.

Concentrations of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash, cash equivalents and investments. The Company’s cash is invested through financial institutions in the United States. The Company’s investments consist of debt securities, issued by highly rated corporate entities or the U.S. government, and asset-backed securities. The Company’s exposure to any individual corporate entity is limited by its investment policy. Deposits have and will continue to exceed federally insured limits. The Company invests its cash equivalents in highly rated money market funds. The Company has not experienced any credit losses in such accounts.

The Company is exposed to credit risk in the event of a default by the financial institutions holding its cash to the extent recorded on the condensed balance sheets. In March 2023, one of the financial institutions utilized by the Company was closed by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, which appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as receiver. Through March 31, 2024, the Company had no off-balance sheet concentrations of credit risk.

Government Contract

In September 2022, the Company received a cost-reimbursement contract award under which the Company is eligible to receive up to $17.8 million from the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infection Diseases (“NIAID”) to support preclinical, Phase 1 studies and other activities to enable advancement of epetraborole into late-stage development for acute systemic melioidosis and other biothreat pathogens. This project will be funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the NIAID, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. 75N93022C00059. Accounting for this contract does not fall under ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, as NIAID will not benefit directly from the advancement of epetraborole. As there is no authoritative guidance under U.S. GAAP on accounting for government assistance to for-profit business entities, the Company applied International Accounting Standards (IAS) 20, Accounting for Government Grants and Disclosure of Government Assistance, by analogy when accounting for the NIAID contract payments to the Company. Under IAS 20, government contract proceeds are recognized when there is reasonable assurance the conditions of the contract will be met and the contract funding will be received. For the NIAID contract, this occurs after the qualifying expenses related to the contract have been incurred, or the Company concludes the conditions of the contract have been substantially met. The income related to the reimbursement of operating expenses is then recorded as a reduction of those expenses (see Note 4—Funding Arrangements).

Grant Agreements

In September 2022, the Company entered into a subcontract agreement with the University of Georgia Research Foundation (“UGARF”) to receive up to $1.4 million from UGARF to support preclinical development of a boron-containing small molecule for Chagas disease.

In September 2023, the Company entered into a grant agreement with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (“BMGF”) to fund up to $1.8 million to generate new boron-based lead compounds with the potential to be developed into drugs that treat tuberculosis and malaria.

The Company recognizes grant proceeds in accordance with ASC 958-605, Revenue Recognition Not-for-Profit Entities, when qualifying costs are incurred and the conditions of the grant agreement have been met. When receipt of grant proceeds is reasonably assured, the Company records a reduction to the research and development expenses incurred and a corresponding grant receivable. Cash received from grants in advance of incurring qualifying costs is recorded as a liability and recognized as a reduction to the qualifying research and development expenses incurred (see Note 4—Funding Arrangements).

Comprehensive Loss

Comprehensive loss includes net loss and certain changes in stockholders’ equity that are excluded from net loss. The Company’s other comprehensive loss consists of net changes in unrealized gains and losses on its available-for-sale investments. For the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company had $0.2 million of net unrealized loss and $0.2 million of net unrealized gain, on available-for-sale investments, respectively.

Net Loss Per Share

Basic net loss per share attributable to common stockholders is calculated by dividing the net loss attributable to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period, without consideration for potentially dilutive securities. Diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders is computed by dividing the net loss attributable to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of common stock and potentially dilutive securities outstanding for the period. For purposes of the diluted net loss per share calculation, stock options, unvested RSUs, and common stock subject to repurchase related to unvested early exercise of stock options are considered to be potentially dilutive securities. Basic and diluted net loss attributable to common stockholders per share is presented in conformity with the two-class method required for participating securities. The Company also considers the shares issued upon the early exercise of stock options subject to repurchase to be participating securities because holders of such shares have non-forfeitable dividend rights in the event a dividend is paid on common stock. The holders of early exercised shares subject to repurchase do not have a contractual obligation to share in the Company’s losses. As such, the net loss was attributed entirely to common stockholders. Because the Company has reported a net loss for all periods presented, diluted net loss per share is the same as basic net loss per share for those periods because the impact of potentially dilutive securities would be anti-dilutive.

JOBS Act Accounting Election

The Company is an emerging growth company, as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). Under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies can delay adopting new or revised accounting standards issued subsequent to the enactment of the JOBS Act until such time as those standards apply to private companies. The Company has elected to use this extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards that have different effective dates for public and private companies until the earlier of the date the Company (i) is no longer an emerging growth company or (ii) affirmatively and irrevocably opts out of the extended transition period provided in the JOBS Act. The Company may take advantage of these provisions for up to five years (which is through March 2027), unless the Company ceases to be an emerging growth company at an earlier date. As a result, these financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the FASB or other standard setting bodies and adopted by the Company as of the specified effective date. Unless otherwise noted, the Company believes that the impact of recently issued standards that are not yet effective will not have a material impact on its condensed financial statements and disclosures. As an “emerging growth” company, it has been the Company’s intention to take advantage of certain temporary exemptions from various reporting requirements, as well as taking advantage of additional transitional relief.

In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures (“ASU 2023-07”). The amendments in ASU 2023-07 are intended to improve reportable segment disclosure, primarily through enhanced disclosures about significant segment expenses. ASU 2023-07 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2024. The amendments in this ASU should be applied retrospectively to all prior periods presented in the financial statements. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is evaluating the impact of this standard on its financial statements and related disclosures.

In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures (“ASU 2023-09”). ASU 2023-09 requires enhanced annual disclosures regarding the rate reconciliation and income taxes paid information. ASU 2023-09 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024 and may be adopted on a prospective or retrospective basis. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is evaluating the impact of this standard on its financial statements and related disclosures.