Stock Incentive Plan | 12. STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN The Company approved the 2010 Employee, Director and Consultant Equity Incentive Plan (2010 Plan) in September 2010 to replace the 2004 Employee, Director and Consultant Equity Incentive Plan. The 2010 Plan provided for the granting of stock options and restricted stock awards. The 2010 Plan terminated upon the Company’s initial public offering in May 2014. However, grants made under the 2010 Plan are still governed by that plan. As of December 31, 2021, options to purchase 398,547 shares of common stock at a weighted average exercise price of $ 1.52 per share remained outstanding under the 2010 Plan. The Company approved the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan in October 2013. The 2013 Equity Incentive Plan became effective immediately on adoption. The 2013 Equity Incentive Plan was amended in June 2016 and June 2018, (Amended 2013 Plan). The Amended 2013 Plan provides for the granting of stock options, restricted stock, stock appreciation rights, stock units, and performance cash awards to certain employees, members of the board of directors and consultants of the Company. On January 1 of each year the aggregate number of common shares that may be issued under the Amended 2013 Plan shall automatically increase by a number of shares equal to the lower of (a) 6 % of the total number of shares of common stock outstanding on the last calendar day of the prior fiscal year, or (b) a number of shares of common stock determined by the Company’s board of directors. As of December 31, 2021, options to purchase 4,224,323 shares of common stock at a weighted average exercise price of $ 7.23 per share and 501,255 shares of common stock underlying restricted stock units remained outstanding under the Amended 2013 Plan. As of December 31, 2021, there were 3,044,303 shares of common stock available for grant under the Amended 2013 Plan. As of January 1, 2022, the number of shares of common stock that may be issued under the Amended 2013 Plan was automatically increased by 3,485,526 shares, increasing the number of shares of common stock available for issuance under the Amended 2013 Plan to 6,529,829 . In 2019 and 2020, the Company granted performance cash awards. The performance cash awards vest in four annual installments from the date of grant and entitle the employees to receive a cash payment, on the earlier of (i) four years from the date of grant or (ii) a change of control, equal in value to the amount by which the then value of the Company’s common stock exceeds the base value. As of December 31, 2021 , $ 0.4 million was accrued as compensation expense for vested performance cash awards. The Company recognizes stock-based compensation expense over the requisite service period. The Company’s share-based awards are accounted for as equity instruments. The amounts included in the consolidated statements of operations relating to stock-based compensation associated with the two equity incentive plans, performance cash awards, and Helio founders’ shares are as follows: Years ended December 31, 2021 2020 Research and development expenses $ 3,562,181 $ 3,798,141 General and administrative expenses 3,545,846 3,285,669 Total stock-based compensation expense $ 7,108,027 $ 7,083,810 Stock Options Terms of stock option agreements, including vesting requirements, are determined by the board of directors or its compensation committee, subject to the provisions of the respective plan from which they were granted. Options granted by the Company typically vest over a four-year period. The options are subject to acceleration of vesting in the event of certain change of control transactions. The options may be granted for a term of up to ten years from the date of grant. The exercise price for options granted under the Amended 2013 Plan must be at a price no less than 100 % of the fair market value of a common share on the date of grant. The following table summarizes option activity under the incentive plans for the year ended December 31, 2021: Number of Weighted Weighted Aggregate Outstanding at December 31, 2020 4,608,311 $ 5.73 $ 7,492,474 Granted 965,169 11.40 - Cancelled/Forfeited ( 316,396 ) 5.23 2,217,529 Exercised ( 634,214 ) 7.29 2,450,104 Outstanding at December 31, 2021 4,622,870 $ 6.73 6.71 $ 1,268,089 Exercisable at December 31, 2021 3,134,196 $ 5.90 5.79 $ 1,150,723 (a) The aggregate intrinsic value in this table was calculated on the positive difference, if any, between the closing price per share of the Company’s common stock on December 31, 2021 of $ 4.00 and the per share exercise price of the underlying options. The Company records stock-based compensation related to stock options granted at fair value. During the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company used the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to estimate the fair value of stock option grants and to determine the related compensation expense. The assumptions used in calculating the fair value of stock-based payment awards represent management’s best estimates. The weighted-average fair value of options granted was $ 7.95 and $ 2.57 for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 , respectively. The assumptions used in determining fair value of the employee stock options for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, are as follows: December 31, December 31, Expected dividend yield 0 % 0 % Anticipated volatility 81.73 % - 83.50 % 75.83 % - 82.83 % Stock price $ 8.33 - $ 12.97 $ 2.98 - $ 6.77 Exercise price $ 8.33 - $ 12.97 $ 2.98 - $ 6.77 Expected life (years) 5.50 - 6.08 5.50 - 6.25 Risk free interest rate 0.88 % - 1.67 % 0.39 % - 1.71 % The dividend yield of zero is based on the fact that the Company has never paid cash dividends and have no present intention to pay cash dividends. Expected volatility is estimated using the historical volatility of the Company. The Company has estimated the expected life of its employee stock options using the “simplified” method, whereby, the expected life equals the average of the vesting term and the original contractual term of the option for service-based awards since the Company doesn’t have sufficient historical or implied data of its own. The risk-free interest rates for periods within the expected life of the option are based on the yields of zero-coupon United States Treasury securities. At December 31, 2021, there is approximately $ 7.5 million of unrecognized compensation cost relating to stock options outstanding, which the Company expects to recognize over a weighted average period of 2.50 years. Total unrecognized compensation cost will be adjusted for future forfeitures, if necessary. Restricted Stock Units Terms of restricted stock unit (RSUs) agreements, including vesting requirements, are determined by the board of directors or its compensation committee, subject to the provisions of the Amended 2013 Plan. RSUs granted by the Company typically vest over a four year period. In the event that the employees’ employment with the Company terminates any unvested shares are forfeited and revert to the Company. RSUs are not included in issued and outstanding common stock until the shares are vested and released. The table below summarizes activity relating to RSUs for the year ended December 31, 2021 : Number Outstanding at December 31, 2020 927,189 Granted 46,619 Cancelled/Forfeited ( 185,610 ) Vested/released ( 286,943 ) Outstanding at December 31, 2021 501,255 The weighted-average fair value of RSUs granted was $ 11.71 and $ 3.78 per share for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. As of December 31, 2021, the outstanding RSUs had unamortized stock-based compensation of $ 1.7 million with a weighted-average remaining recognition period of 1.91 years and an aggregate intrinsic value of $ 3.0 million . Employee Stock Purchase Plan In March 2016, the Company’s board of directors approved the 2016 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (2016 ESPP), which became effective in June 2016 following the approval of the Company’s stockholders. The 2016 ESPP initially authorized the issuance of up to a total of 414,639 shares of the Company’s common stock to participating employees. The number of shares reserved for issuance under the 2016 ESPP automatically increases on the first business day of each fiscal year, commencing in 2017, by a number equal to the lower of (i) 1 % of the shares of common stock outstanding on the last business day of the prior fiscal year; or (ii) the number of shares determined by the Company’s Board of Directors. Unless otherwise determined by the administrator of the 2016 ESPP, two offering periods of six months’ duration will begin each year on January 1 and July 1. Participating employees purchase stock under the 2016 ESPP at a price equal to the lower of 85 % of the closing price on the applicable offering commencement date or 85 % of the closing price on the applicable offering termination date. The fair value of the purchase rights granted under this plan was estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model using assumptions as shown below: December 31, December 31, Expected dividend yield 0 % 0 % Anticipated volatility 81.76 % - 82.87 % 80.66 % - 82.61 % Stock price $ 6.53 - $ 11.31 $ 4.17 - $ 5.96 Exercise price $ 6.53 - $ 11.31 $ 4.17 - $ 5.96 Expected life (years) 0.50 0.50 Risk free interest rate 0.05 % - 0.09 % 0.17 % - 1.57 % At December 31, 2021, the Company has 1,233,557 shares available for issuance under the 2016 ESPP. A summary of the weighted-average grant-date fair value, shares issued and total stock-based compensation expense recognized related to the 2016 ESPP for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 are as follows: December 31, December 31, Weighted-average grant-date fair value $ 2.98 $ 2.13 Total shares issued 12,092 30,254 Total stock-based compensation expense $ 45,190 $ 34,224 |