| Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies :
Use of Estimates:
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make significant estimates that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Cash and Cash Equivalents and Concentration of Credit Risk:
The Company considers all highly liquid cash investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. At September 30, 2019, the Company’s cash balances that exceed the current insured amounts under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) were approximately $2.4 million. In addition, approximately $16.5 million included in cash and cash equivalents were invested in a money market fund, which is not insured under the FDIC. Cash and cash equivalents are held in banks or in custodial accounts with banks. Cash equivalents are defined as all liquid investments and money market funds with maturity from date of purchase of 90 days or less that are readily convertible into cash.
Fixed Assets:
Lease Accounting. The new accounting standard for leases, Accounting Standard Codification (“ASC”) 842, Leases, was adopted for the fiscal year beginning on January 1, 2019. Per the new standard, all leases with a lease term greater than 12 months, regardless of lease type classification, are recorded as an obligation on the balance sheet with a corresponding right-of-use asset. The Company does not have any leases greater than 12 months in duration. As a result, there is no material impact to the financial statements.
Fixed assets are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is computed on a straight line basis over the estimated useful life of the asset, which is deemed to be between three and ten years.
Research and Development Costs:
All research and development costs, including costs to maintain or expand the Company’s patent portfolio licensed from CRE that do not meet the criteria for capitalization are expensed when incurred. FASB ASC Topic 730 requires companies involved in research and development activities to capitalize non-refundable advance payments for such services pursuant to contractual arrangements because the right to receive those services represents an economic benefit. Such capitalized advances will be expensed when the services occur and the economic benefit is realized. There were no capitalized research and development services at September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018.
Loss Per Share:
Basic loss per common share amounts are computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding. In periods where there is net income, the Company applies the two-class method to calculate basic and diluted net income (loss) per share of common stock, as the Company’s preferred stock is a participating security. The two-class method is an earnings allocation formula that treats a participating security as having rights to earnings that otherwise would have been available to common stockholders. In periods where there is a net loss, the two-class method of computing earnings per share does not apply as the Company’s preferred stock does not contractually participate in its losses.
Diluted loss per share amounts are based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding, plus the incremental shares that would have been outstanding upon the assumed exercise of all potentially dilutive stock options and warrants subject to anti-dilution limitations. All such potentially dilutive instruments were anti-dilutive as of September 30, 2019 and 2018, which were approximately 12.5 million shares and 6.5 million shares, respectively.
Income Taxes:
The Company had federal and state net operating loss carryforwards for income tax purposes of approximately $60.7 million for the period from October 31, 2012 (inception) through September 30, 2019. The net operating loss carryforwards resulted in a deferred tax asset of approximately $15.0 million at September 30, 2019. Income tax effects of share-based payments are recognized in the financial statements for those awards that will normally result in tax deductions under existing tax law. The deferred tax asset is offset by the valuation allowance.
The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability approach which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the carrying amount of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and amounts reportable for income tax purposes. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more-likely-than-not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.
The Company applies the provisions of FASB ASC 740‑10, Accounting for Uncertain Tax Positions , which clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements and prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement process for financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. The standard also provides guidance on de-recognition, classification, interest and penalties, and accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transitions.
The Company has concluded that there are no significant uncertain tax positions requiring recognition in the accompanying financial statements. The tax period that is subject to examination by major tax jurisdictions is generally three years from the date of filing.
Under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, changes in the Company’s ownership may limit the amount of its net operating loss carryforwards that could be utilized annually to offset future taxable income, if any. This limitation would generally apply in the event of a cumulative change in ownership of the Company of more than 50% within a three-year period. The Company has not performed a study to assess whether an ownership change for purposes of Section 382 has occurred, or whether there have been multiple ownership changes since the Company’s inception, due to the significant costs and complexities associated with such study.
Risks and Uncertainties:
The Company operates in an industry that is subject to rapid technological change, intense competition and significant government regulation. The Company’s operations are subject to significant risk and uncertainties including financial, operational, technological, regulatory and other risk. Such factors include, but are not necessarily limited to, the results of clinical testing and trial activities, the ability to obtain regulatory approval, the ability to obtain favorable licensing, manufacturing or other agreements for its product candidates and the ability to raise capital to achieve strategic objectives.
Stock Compensation:
The Company accounts for stock-based awards to employees in accordance with applicable accounting principles, which requires compensation expense related to share-based transactions, including employee stock options, to be measured and recognized in the financial statements based on a determination of the fair value of the stock options. The grant date fair value is determined using the Black-Scholes-Merton (“Black-Scholes”) pricing model. Employee stock option expense is recognized over the employee’s requisite service period (generally the vesting period of the equity grant). The Company’s option pricing model requires the input of highly subjective assumptions, including the volatility and expected term. Any changes in these highly subjective assumptions significantly impact stock-based compensation expense.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In July 2017, the FASB issued new guidance, ASU‑2017‑11, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (Topic 480), which changes the classification analysis of certain equity-linked financial instruments (or embedded features) with down round features and re-characterizes the indefinite deferral of certain provisions within the guidance for distinguishing liabilities from equity. The guidance is effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of fiscal year 2019 and has been adopted. In August 2018, the SEC issued a final rule Release No. 33-10532, “Disclosure Update and Simplification,” to amend certain disclosure requirements now seen as redundant, duplicative, overlapping, outdated or superseded in wake of recent accounting pronouncements. The amended rules became effective November 5, 2018. The Company analyzed the release in preparation of this Form 10-Q, which resulted in the additional disclosure of changes to stockholders’ equity during interim periods, as presented within this Form 10-Q within the condensed consolidated statements of stockholders’ equity. Many of the amended requirements under this Release are not applicable to the Company.
In November 2018, the FASB issued ASU‑2018‑18, Collaborative Arrangements (Topic 808). In November 2018, the FASB issued new guidance to clarify the interaction between the authoritative guidance for collaborative arrangements and revenue from contracts with customers. The new guidance clarifies that, when the collaborative arrangement participant is a customer in the context of a unit-of-account, revenue from contracts with customers guidance should be applied, adds unit-of-account guidance to collaborative arrangements guidance, and requires, that in a transaction with a collaborative arrangement participant who is not a customer, presenting the transaction together with revenue recognized under contracts with customers is precluded. The guidance is effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of fiscal year 2020. Early adoption is permitted. The Company will assess the impact of the adoption of this guidance on its consolidated financial statements once the Company begins to generate revenue.
Accounting Pronouncements Adopted During the Period:
In February 2016, the FASB issued new guidance related to how an entity should account for lease assets and lease liabilities. The guidance specifies that an entity who is a lessee under lease agreements should recognize lease assets and lease liabilities for those leases classified as operating leases under previous FASB guidance. Accounting for leases by lessors is largely unchanged under the new guidance. The guidance is effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of 2019. In transition, lessees and lessors are required to recognize and measure leases at the beginning of the earliest period presented using a modified retrospective approach. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact to its financial statements based upon the de minimis amount of short-term lease commitments. |
