| Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block] | 1. ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Description of Business Capricor Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (referred to herein as “Capricor Therapeutics” or the “Company”), is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative cell and exosome-based therapies for the treatment of diseases, with a focus on Duchenne muscular dystrophy (“DMD”), and other rare disorders. Capricor, Inc. (“Capricor”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Capricor Therapeutics, 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, have four drug candidates, two of which are in various stages of active development. Basis of Consolidation Our consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and our 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 and a grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (“CIRM”). Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of December 31, 2018 were approximately $7.3 million, compared to approximately $14.1 million as of December 31, 2017. On October 19, 2017, the Company entered into a Common Stock Sales Agreement (the “October Sales Agreement”) with Wainwright to create an at-the-market equity program under which the Company from time to time may offer and sell shares of its common stock, par value $0.001 per share, having an aggregate offering price of up to $14.0 million (the “October 2017 ATM Program”) through Wainwright, as sales agent. As of March 28, 2019, the Company has sold an aggregate of 7,986,741 common shares under the October 2017 ATM Program at an average price of approximately $1.40 per common share for net proceeds of approximately $10.8 million (see Note 3 – “Stockholders’ Equity” and Note 10 – “Subsequent Events”). Furthermore, as of March 28, 2019, the Company has approximately $2.8 million available for future issuance under the October 2017 ATM Program until it expires in accordance with its terms. The Company will not be able to issue and sell any additional shares under the October 2017 ATM Program following expiration of the Company’s shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-207149), which was initially filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on September 28, 2015 and declared effective by the SEC on October 26, 2015 (the “2015 S-3”). Unless the 2015 S-3 is earlier terminated, the last day that we will be able to issue and sell additional shares under the 2015 S-3 is April 23, 2019. The Company has been awarded various grant and loan awards, which fund, in part, various pre-clinical and clinical activities (see Note 2 – “Loan Payable” and Note 6 – “Government Grant Awards”). As of December 31, 2018, the Company has approximately $0.7 million available under these grants and awards for disbursement, pursuant to the terms of each of the respective 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 its clinical trials and pre-clinical studies; ● the timing and costs associated with the manufacturing of its product candidates; ● the timing and costs associated with commercialization of its product candidates; ● the number and scope of its research programs; and ● the costs involved in prosecuting and enforcing patent claims and other intellectual property rights. Based on the Company’s current , the Company believes it has sufficient cash to fund operations into the fourth quarter of 2019. In the first quarter of 2019, Capricor made certain operational adjustments to further reduce expenses by slowing down certain R&D efforts, decreasing headcount, and implementing further budget restrictions in order to preserve cash resources further. Based on the Company’s available cash resources, the Company does not have sufficient cash on hand to support current operations for at least the next twelve months from the date of filing this Report on Form 10-K. Therefore, there is substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The Company’s plan to address its financial position may include potentially seeking 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 accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, which contemplates the realization of assets and satisfaction of liabilities in the ordinary course of business. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification of recorded asset amounts or the amounts and classification of liabilities that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. The Company will require substantial additional capital to fund operations. 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. The Company would likely need to delay, or curtail or terminate portions of its clinical trial programs. 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. generally accepted accounting principles (“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 consolidated financial statements. Estimates also affect the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The most sensitive estimates relate to the recoverability and fair value of intangible assets 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, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less at the date of purchase to be cash equivalents. The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash reported within the consolidated balance sheets that total the same such amounts shown in the statement of cash flows. December 31, December 31, 2018 2017 Cash and cash equivalents $ 4,259,266 $ 6,140,135 Restricted cash 285,831 742,002 Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash shown in the statements of cash flows $ 4,545,097 $ 6,882,137 For the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company had two awards with CIRM designated for specific use, a Loan Agreement with CIRM (the “CIRM Loan Agreement”) entered into on February 5, 2013 (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. The restricted cash balance was approximately $0.3 million and $0.7 million as of December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively, and is entirely related to the CIRM Award. 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 (loss) 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 $114,376 and $94,968 for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Property and equipment consisted of the following at December 31: 2018 2017 Furniture and fixtures $ 46,709 $ 46,709 Laboratory equipment 936,480 619,994 Leasehold improvements 47,043 47,043 1,030,232 713,746 Less accumulated depreciation (456,026 ) (341,650 ) Property and equipment, net $ 574,206 $ 372,096 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. Certain 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. Total amortization expense was $43,276 and $49,206 for t he years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 , respectively. A summary of future amortization expense as of December 31, 2018 is as follows: Years ended Amortization Expense 2019 43,277 2020 4,330 2021 2,165 The Company reviews goodwill and intangible assets at least annually for possible impairment. Goodwill and 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. No impairment was recorded for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017. Long-Lived Assets The Company accounts for the impairment and disposition of long-lived assets in accordance with guidance issued by the FASB. Long-lived assets to be held and used are reviewed for events or changes in circumstances that indicate that their carrying value may not be recoverable, or annually. No impairment related to long-lived assets was recorded for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017. Revenue Recognition For contracts completed as of December 31, 2017, revenue was recognized in accordance with ASC 605 and other superseded standards. The company applied ASU 606 using the modified retrospective approach for all contracts in process as of January 1, 2018. 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 granted in connection with the HOPE trial allow Capricor to elect to convert the grant into a loan after the end of the project period, the CIRM Award is being classified as a liability rather than income (see Note 6 - “Government Grant Awards”). Grant income is due upon submission of reimbursement request. The transaction price varies for grant income based on the expenses incurred under the awards. 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 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. During 2017, the Company accounted 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 identified the deliverables at the inception of the arrangement and each deliverable within a multiple deliverable revenue arrangement was 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 allocated revenue to each non-contingent element based on the relative selling price of each element. When applying the relative selling price method, the Company determined 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 was then recognized based on when the basic four revenue recognition criteria were 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 recognized 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, were recorded as deferred revenue and were 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 reviewed the estimated performance period of its contract based on the estimated progress of its project. As of June 30, 2017, the full amount of income has been recognized under the Janssen Agreement and the Janssen Agreement terminated. Miscellaneous Income Revenue is recognized in connection with the delivery of doses which were developed as part of our past R&D efforts. Income is recorded when the Company has satisfied the obligations as identified in the contracts with the customer (see Note 9 – “Related Party Transactions”). Miscellaneous income is due upon billing. Miscellaneous income is based on contracts with fixed transaction prices. Income Taxes Income taxes are recognized for the amount of taxes payable or refundable for the current year and deferred tax liabilities and assets are recognized for the future tax consequences of transactions that have been recognized in the Company's financial statements or tax returns. A valuation allowance is provided when it is more likely than not that some portion or the entire deferred tax asset will not be realized. The Company uses guidance issued by the FASB that clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise's financial statements and prescribes a recognition threshold of more likely than not and a measurement process for financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. In making this assessment, a company must determine whether it is more likely than not that a tax position will be sustained upon examination, based solely on the technical merits of the position, and must assume that the tax position will be examined by taxing authorities. As of December 31, 2018, the Company had federal net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $89.4 million, available to reduce future taxable income, which will begin to expire in 2026. The 2018 net operating loss generated of $13.3 million will carryforward indefinitely, but may be subject to an 80% limitation upon utilization. As of December 31, 2018, the Company had state net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $84.6 million, available to reduce future taxable income, which will begin to expire in 2028. Utilization of these net operating losses could be limited under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and similar state laws based on ownership changes and the value of the Company’s stock. Additionally, currently, the Company has approximately $1.4 million of federal research and development credits and approximately $2.3 million of federal orphan drug credits, available to offset future taxable income. These federal research and development and orphan drug credits begin to expire in 2027 and 2035, respectively. Under Section 382 of the Code, the Company’s ability to utilize NOL carryforwards or other tax attributes, such as federal tax credits, in any taxable year may be limited if the Company has experienced an “ownership change.” Generally, a Section 382 ownership change occurs if one or more stockholders or groups of stockholders who owns at least 5% of a corporation’s stock increases its ownership by more than 50 percentage points over its lowest ownership percentage within a specified testing period. Similar rules may apply under state tax laws. We have experienced an ownership change that we believe under Section 382 of the Code will result in limitation in our ability to utilize net operating losses and credits. In addition, the Company may experience future ownership changes as a result of future offerings or other changes in ownership of its stock. As a result, the amount of the NOLs and tax credit carryforward presented in the financial statement could be limited and may expire unutilized. The Company’s net operating loss carryforwards are subject to Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) examination until they are fully utilized and such tax years are closed. The Company’s policy is to include interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense. The Company incurred no interest or penalties for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017. The Company files income tax returns with the IRS and the California Franchise Tax Board. Loan Payable The Company accounted for the funds advanced under the CIRM Loan Agreement as a loan payable as the eventual repayment of the loan proceeds or forgiveness of the loan was contingent upon certain milestones being met and other conditions (see Note 2 – “Loan Payable”). On November 17, 2017, the Company gave notice to CIRM that it was electing to abandon the CIRM-funded project pursuant to the Loan Agreement and on December 11, 2017, Capricor and CIRM entered into Amendment No. 3 to the CIRM Notice of Loan Award whereby the total loan balance under the CIRM Loan Agreement has been forgiven by CIRM thereby terminating Capricor and the Company’s obligation to repay the loan balance. 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 under accounts payable and accrued expenses. 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 $12.1 million and $10.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, 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 income (loss) was approximately $(15.2) million and $2.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The Company’s other comprehensive income (loss) is related to a net unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities. For the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company’s other comprehensive gain was $773 and $8,096, 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. For employees and directors, the expected life was calculated based on the simplified method as described by the SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 110, Share-Based Payment. For other service providers, the expected life was calculated using the contractual term of the award. The Company's estimate of expected volatility was based on the historical stock price of the Company. 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 (Loss) per Share The Company reports earnings per share in accordance with FSAB ASC 260-10, Earnings per Share. Basic earnings (loss) per share is computed by dividing income (loss) available to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings (loss) per share is computed similarly to basic earnings (loss) per share except that the denominator is increased to include the number of additional common shares that would have been outstanding if the potential common shares had been issued and if the additional common shares were dilutive. The components of basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 were as follows: December 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 Numerator Net income (loss) $ (15,191,095 ) $ 2,431,423 Denominator Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding 29,410,973 23,193,278 Dilutive effect of stock options - 3,594,798 Common stock and common stock equivalents used for diluted earnings (loss) per share 29,410,973 26,788,076 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 tables summarize the fair value measurements by level for assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis: December 31, 2018 Level I Level II Level III Total Marketable Securities $ 2,997,150 $ - $ - $ 2,997,150 December 31, 2017 Level I Level II Level III Total Marketable Securities $ 7,984,800 $ - $ - $ 7,984,800 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. Recent Accounting Pronouncements In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers ( Topic 606) (“ASU 2014-09”). ASU 2014-09 amended the existing accounting standards for revenue recognition. ASU 2014-09 establishes principles for recognizing revenue based on the value of transferred goods or services as they occur in the contract. ASU 2014-09 also requires 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. The Company adopted ASU 2014-09 and all subsequent updates related to this topic in the first quarter of 2018 using the modified retrospective approach. The adoption of this ASU was applied to only those contracts that were not completed upon the initial application. The adoption of this update did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) , Leases (Topic 840) In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-07, Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting , which simplifies several aspects of the accounting for nonemployee share-based payment transactions resulting from expanding the scope of Topic 718 to include share-based payment transactions for acquiring goods and services from nonemployees. The Company early adopted ASU 2018-07 and all subsequent updates related to this topic on a prospective basis effective July 1, 2018. The adoption of this update did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements. In November 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-18, Collaborative Arrangements (Topic 808): clarifying the interaction between Topic 808 and Topic 606. The amendments in the update clarifies that certain transactions between collaborative arrangement participants should be accounted for as revenue under Topic 606 when the collaborative arrangement participant is a customer in the context of a unit of account; adds unit-of-account guidance in Topic 808 to align with the guidance in Topic 606 when an entity is assessing whether the collaborative arrangement or a party of the arrangement is within the scope of Topic 606; requires that in a transaction with a collaborative arrangement participant that is not directly related to sales to third parties, presenting the transaction together with revenue recognized under Topic 606 is precluded if the collaborative arrangement participant is not a customer. The amendments for this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on our consolidated financial statements. 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 consolidated financial statement presentation or disclosures. |
