We have broad discretion over the use of our cash and cash equivalents, including the net proceeds we receive in this offering, and may not use them effectively.
Our management has broad discretion to use our cash and cash equivalents, including the net proceeds we receive in this offering, to fund our operations and could spend these funds in ways that do not improve our results of operations or enhance the value of our common stock. The failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could result in financial losses that could have a material adverse effect on our business, cause the price of our common stock to decline and delay the development of our product candidates. Pending their use to fund operations, we may invest our cash and cash equivalents in a manner that does not produce income or that loses value.
A significant portion of our total outstanding shares are eligible to be sold into the market in the near future, which could cause the market price of our common stock to drop significantly, even if our business is doing well.
Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market, or the perception in the market that the holders of a large number of shares intend to sell shares, could reduce the market price of our common stock. Upon completion of this offering, based on our shares outstanding as of March 31, 2018, we will have approximately 13.7 million shares of common stock outstanding, assuming no exercise of the underwriter’s over-allotment option. Of these shares, approximately 3.7 million are subject to acontractual lock-up with the underwriters for this offering for a period of 75 days following this offering. These shares can be sold, subject to any applicable volume limitations under federal securities laws, after the earlier of the expiration of, or release from, the 75-day lock-up period. The balance of our outstanding shares of common stock, including any shares purchased in this offering, may be resold into the public market immediately without restriction, unless owned or purchased by our affiliates.
As of March 31, 2018, there were approximately 2,331,217 shares subject to outstanding options or that are otherwise issuable under our equity compensation plans, all of which shares we have registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, on a registration statement onForm S-8. These shares can be freely sold in the public market upon issuance, subject to volume limitations applicable to affiliates andthe lock-up agreements described above, to the extent applicable.
If existing stockholders sell, or indicate an intention to sell, substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market after contractual restrictions on resale lapse, the trading price of our common stock could decline. Certain of our existing stockholders, including Vivo Ventures Fund VI, L.P. and Interwest Partners X, L.P., and their respective affiliated entities, control substantial ownership interest in our common stock and any decision to sell a significant number of shares may negatively impact the price of our common stock.
Risks Related to Ownership of our Common Stock
The market price of our common stock may be highly volatile, and you may not be able to resell some or all of your shares at a desired market price.
The market price of our common stock has been and is likely to continue to be volatile. Our stock price could be subject to wide fluctuations in response to a variety of factors, including the following:
| • | | results or delays in preclinical studies or clinical trials; |
| • | | our decision to initiate a clinical trial, not to initiate a clinical trial or to terminate an existing clinical trial; |
| • | | unfavorable regulatory interactions or responses to our proposed plans; |
| • | | unanticipated serious safety concerns related to the use of any of our product candidates; |
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