EQUITY |
NOTE 8 — EQUITY Common Stock The Company is authorized to issue 190,000,000 shares of common stock, with a par value of $0.00001. Holders of common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters submitted to a vote of common stockholders. Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any outstanding preferred shares, each share of common stock is entitled to share pro rata in any distributions. In any distribution of capital assets, holders of common stock are entitled to receive pro rata the assets remaining after payment of liabilities and liquidation preferences on any outstanding preferred stock. In March 2023, the Company completed a public offering pursuant to which it sold an aggregate of 6,250,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at a public offering price of $1.60 per share, resulting in gross proceeds of $10 million. The offering closed on March 10, 2023, resulting in net proceeds of approximately $8.8 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering expenses. The Company previously capitalized $232,899 of deferred offering costs relating to the $200 million shelf registration statement declared effective on July 11, 2022. When the Company completed the public offering in March 2023, $11,645 was reclassified to additional paid-in capital on the Balance Sheet and $221,254 was written-off to general and administrative expenses in the Statement of Operations, on a pro-rata basis. As of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were 27,310,553 and 20,944,109 shares of common stock issued and outstanding, respectively. Preferred Stock The Company is authorized to issue 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, with a par value of $0.00001. As of June 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were no shares of preferred stock issued and outstanding. Equity Incentive Plans In May 2021, the Company’s stockholders approved the 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2021 Plan”). The 2021 Plan provides for the issuance of stock options, restricted stock units and other awards to employees, directors and consultants of the Company. Shares of common stock underlying outstanding awards under the 2019 Plan (defined below) and the 2021 Plan that expire, are forfeited, are retained by the Company to satisfy any exercise price or any tax withholding, repurchased by the Company at their original purchase price or settled in cash may be added to the number of shares of common stock available for issuance under the 2021 Plan. The number of shares reserved for issuance under the 2021 Plan will automatically increase on the first day of each fiscal year, beginning January 1, 2022, in the amount equal to the lesser of (a) 4.5% of the total number of shares of common stock outstanding as of December 31 of the immediately preceding calendar year, (b) 600,000 shares of common stock, or (c) such lesser number of shares as determined by the Board of Directors. On January 1, 2023, the number of shares reserved for issuance under the 2021 Plan automatically increased by 600,000 shares of common stock. The Company also maintains its prior stock option plans adopted in 2010 (the “2010 Plan”) and 2019 (the “2019 Plan”). The Company ceased making awards under the 2010 Plan upon adoption of the 2019 Plan and similarly under the 2019 Plan upon stockholder approval of the 2021 Plan. As of June 30, 2023, there were options to purchase 2,309,853 and 266,500 shares of common stock outstanding under the 2010 Plan and 2019 Plan, respectively. As of June 30, 2023, there were options to purchase 1,474,833 shares of common stock and restricted stock units eligible to vest and settle into 474,271 shares of common stock outstanding under the 2021 Plan. As of June 30, 2023, there were 775,410 shares of common stock available for issuance under future awards granted under the 2021 Plan. Stock Options The Company recognizes stock option compensation expense based on the grant date fair value of the award. The Company issues new common shares for stock options exercised. Stock option activity was as follows: | | | | | | | | | | Weighted | | | | | Average | | | | | Exercise | | | Shares | | Price | Options outstanding at December 31, 2022 | | 3,831,686 | | $ | 4.12 | Granted | | 462,000 | | $ | 2.95 | Exercised | | — | | $ | — | Canceled or expired | | (242,500) | | $ | 4.60 | Options outstanding at June 30, 2023 | | 4,051,186 | | $ | 3.96 | Options exercisable at June 30, 2023 | | 2,940,311 | | $ | 3.89 |
Stock-based compensation expense related to stock options was $150,849 and $141,773 for the three months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Stock-based compensation expense related to stock options was $333,055 and $332,589 for the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Included in the stock-based compensation expense numbers above are stock options to be granted to key opinion leaders which are marked to market at each reporting period with the change in the accrued balance expensed through research and development operating expenses. Stock-based compensation related to the key opinion leaders increased by $2,650 and $1,400 for the three months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and decreased by $6,050 and $11,475 for the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The weighted average fair value of options granted during the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022 was $2.16 and $1.48 per share, respectively. Restricted Stock Units The Company recognizes restricted stock unit (“RSU”) compensation expense based on the grant date fair value of the award. Each RSU is eligible to vest over time and settle into one newly issued share of Company common stock. RSU activity was as follows: | | | | | | | | | | Weighted | | | | | Average Grant | | | | | Date Fair | | | Shares | | Value | Unvested at December 31, 2022 | | 239,198 | | $ | 4.20 | Granted | | 381,005 | | $ | 1.60 | Vested | | (116,444) | | $ | 3.62 | Canceled | | (29,488) | | $ | 4.59 | Unvested at June 30, 2023 | | 474,271 | | $ | 2.23 |
Stock-based compensation expense related to RSUs was $130,452 and $126,017 for the three months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Stock-based compensation expense related to RSUs was $271,505 and $256,307 for the six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Employee Stock Purchase Plan The Company accounts for employee stock purchases made under its 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”) using the estimated grant date fair value in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification, Topic 718, Stock Compensation. The Company values ESPP shares using the Black-Scholes model. There were 300,000 shares of common stock initially reserved for issuance under the ESPP. In addition, the ESPP contains a provision which provides for an automatic annual share increase on January 1 of each year, in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) 1% of the total number of shares outstanding as of December 31 of the immediately preceding calendar year, (ii) 200,000 shares or (iii) such number of shares as determined by the Board. As of December 31, 2022, there were 500,000 shares of common stock available for issuance under the ESPP. On January 1, 2023, the number of shares reserved for issuance under the ESPP automatically increased by 200,000 shares of common stock. There were no shares issued under the ESPP during the six months ended June 30, 2023. Stock Warrants Stock warrant activity was as follows: | | | | | | | | | | Weighted | | | | | Average | | | | | Exercise | | | Shares | | Price | Warrants outstanding December 31, 2022 | | 599,191 | | $ | 6.16 | Granted | | — | | $ | — | Exercised | | — | | $ | — | Expired | | (2,604) | | $ | 2.50 | Warrants outstanding June 30, 2023 | | 596,587 | | $ | 6.18 |
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