Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) | 12 Months Ended |
Dec. 31, 2021 |
Use of Estimates | Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting periods. Significant estimates and assumptions reflected in these financial statements include, but are not limited to, the accrual for research and development expenses and the valuation of stock-based awards. Estimates are periodically reviewed in light of changes in circumstances, facts and experience. Changes in estimates are recorded in the period in which they become known. Actual results could differ from those |
Concentrations of Credit Risk and of Significant Suppliers | Concentrations of Credit Risk and of Significant Suppliers Financial instruments that potentially expose the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities. The Company maintains all cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities at two accredited financial institutions in amounts that exceed federally insured limits. The Company does not believe that it is subject to unusual credit risk beyond the normal credit risk associated with commercial banking relationships. The Company is dependent on third-party manufacturers to supply products for research and development activities in its programs. In particular, the Company relies and expects to continue to rely on a small number of manufacturers to supply it with its requirements for the active pharmaceutical ingredients and formulated drugs related to these programs. These programs could be adversely affected by a significant interruption in the supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients and formulated drugs. |
Cash Equivalents | Cash Equivalents The Company considers all highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less at the date of purchase to be cash equivalents. |
Marketable Securities | Marketable Securities The Company’s marketable securities are classified as available-for-sale and |
Property and Equipment | Property and Equipment Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation and amortization expense is recognized using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of each asset as follows: Estimated Useful Life Lab equipment 5 years Computer equipment 3 years Furniture and fixtures 5 years Leasehold improvements Shorter of life of lease or estimated useful life Upon retirement or sale, the cost of assets disposed of and the related accumulated depreciation and amortization are removed from the accounts and any resulting gain or loss is included in loss from operations. Expenditures for repairs and maintenance are charged to expense as incurred. |
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets | Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Long-lived assets consist of property and equipment. Long-lived assets to be held and used are tested for recoverability whenever events or changes in business circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be fully recoverable. Factors that the Company considers in deciding when to perform an impairment review include significant underperformance of the business in relation to expectations, significant negative industry or economic trends and significant changes or planned changes in the use of the assets. If an impairment review is performed to evaluate a long-lived asset group for recoverability, the Company compares forecasts of undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use and eventual disposition of the long-lived asset group to its carrying value. An impairment loss would be recognized when estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from the use of an asset group are less than its carrying amount. The impairment loss would be based on the excess of the carrying value of the impaired asset group over its fair value, determined based on discounted cash flows. The Company did not record any impairment losses on long-lived assets during the years ended December 31, 2021 or 2020. |
Fair Value Measurements | Fair Value Measurements Certain assets and liabilities are carried at fair value under GAAP. Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. Valuation techniques used to measure fair value must maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. Financial assets and liabilities carried at fair value are to be classified and disclosed in one of the following three levels of the fair value hierarchy, of which the first two are considered observable and the last is considered unobservable: • Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. • Level 2—Observable inputs (other than Level 1 quoted prices), such as quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active for identical or similar assets or liabilities, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data. • Level 3—Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to determining the fair value of the assets or liabilities, including pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies and similar techniques. The Company’s cash equivalents and marketable securities are carried at fair value, determined according to the fair value hierarchy described above (see Note 3). The carrying values of the Company’s accounts payable and accrued expenses approximate their fair values due to the short-term nature of these assets and liabilities. |
Deferred Rent | Deferred Rent The Company’s lease agreements include payment escalations and lease incentives, which are accrued or deferred as appropriate such that rent expense for each lease is recognized on a straight-line basis over the respective lease term. Adjustments for such items, consisting primarily of tenant improvement allowances and payment escalations, are recorded as deferred rent and amortized over the lease term. |
Segment Information | Segment Information The Company manages its operations as a single segment for the purposes of assessing performance and making operating decisions. All of the Company’s tangible assets are held in the United States. |
Research and Development Costs | Research and Development Costs Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. Research and development expenses are comprised of costs incurred in performing research and development activities, including salaries, stock-based compensation and benefits, facilities costs, depreciation, manufacturing expenses and external costs of outside vendors engaged to conduct preclinical development activities and clinical trials as well as the cost of licensing technology. Upfront payments and milestone payments made for the licensing of technology are expensed as research and development in the period in which they are incurred. Advance payments for goods or services to be received in the future for use in research and development activities are recorded as prepaid expenses. The prepaid amounts are expensed as the related goods are delivered or the services are performed. |
Research, Development and Manufacturing Contract Costs Accruals | Research, Development and Manufacturing Contract Costs Accruals The Company has entered into various research, development and manufacturing contracts with research institutions and other companies both inside and outside of the United States. These agreements are generally cancelable, and related costs are recorded as research and development expenses as incurred. The Company records accruals for estimated ongoing research, development and manufacturing costs. When evaluating the adequacy of any accrual estimate, the Company analyzes a number of factors, including the Company’s knowledge of the progress of the studies or trials, including the phase or completion of events; invoices received to date under the contracts; communication from the third parties of any actual costs incurred during the period that have not yet been invoiced; and the costs included in the contracts. Significant judgments and estimates may be made in determining the accrued balances at the end of any reporting period. Actual results could differ from the Company’s estimates. The Company’s historical accrual estimates have not been materially different from the actual costs. |
Patent Costs | Patent Costs All patent-related costs incurred in connection with filing and prosecuting patent applications are expensed as incurred due to the uncertainty about the recovery of the expenditure. Amounts incurred are classified as general and administrative expenses. |
Stock-Based Compensation | Stock-Based Compensation The Company measures all stock-based awards granted to employees, directors and non-employees The fair value of stock option grants is estimated using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The Company historically has been a private company and lacks company-specific historical and implied volatility information. Therefore, the Company estimates its expected stock volatility based on the historical volatility of a publicly traded set of peer companies along with the volatility of its own stock and expects to continue to do so until such time as it has adequate historical data regarding the volatility of its own traded stock price. For options with service-based vesting conditions, the expected term of the Company’s stock options has been determined utilizing the “simplified” method for awards that qualify as “plain-vanilla” options. The risk-free interest rate is determined by reference to the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant of the award for time periods approximately equal to the expected term of the award. Expected dividend yield is based on the fact that the Company has never paid cash dividends and does not expect to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. The Company classifies stock-based compensation expense in its statements of operations and comprehensive loss in the same manner in which the award recipient’s payroll costs are classified or in which the award recipient’s service payments are classified. |
Income Taxes | Income Taxes The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability method, which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been recognized in the consolidated financial statements or in the Company’s tax returns. Deferred taxes are determined based on the difference between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect in the years in which the differences are expected to reverse. Changes in deferred tax assets and liabilities are recorded in the provision for income taxes. The Company assesses the likelihood that its deferred tax assets will be recovered from future taxable income and, to the extent it believes, based upon the weight of available evidence, that it is more likely than not that all or a portion of deferred tax assets will not be realized, a valuation allowance is established through a charge to income tax expense. Potential for recovery of deferred tax assets is evaluated by estimating the future taxable profits expected and considering prudent and feasible tax planning strategies. The Company accounts for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in its consolidated financial statements by applying a two-step more-likely-than-not |
Comprehensive Loss | Comprehensive Loss Comprehensive loss includes net loss as well as other changes in stockholders’ equity that result from transactions and economic events other than those with stockholders. For the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company’s only element of other comprehensive income (loss) was unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities. |
Net Loss per Share | Net Loss per Share Basic net income (loss) per share is computed by dividing the net income (loss) by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding for the period. Diluted net income (loss) per share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period, including potential dilutive common shares assuming the dilutive effect of outstanding stock options. For periods in which the Company has reported net losses, diluted net loss per common share is the same as basic net loss per common share, since dilutive common shares are not assumed to have been issued if their affect is anti-dilutive. The Company reported a net loss for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020. The following potential dilutive securities, presented based on amounts outstanding at each period end, have been excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share because including them would have had an anti-dilutive impact: As of December 31, 2021 2020 Stock options to purchase common stock 6,248,675 5,622,868 Unvested restricted common stock and units 479,918 373,466 Shares of common stock issuable under Employee Stock Purchase Plan 42,634 15,443 6,771,227 6,011,777 |
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements | Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases 2016-02”). 2016-02 right-of-use classified as either operating or finance, and classification will be based on criteria similar to current lease accounting, but without explicit bright lines. For public entities, the guidance was effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018 and for interim periods within those fiscal years. For nonpublic entities and emerging growth companies that choose to take advantage of the extended transition period, the guidance was effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019. In June 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-05, 2016-02 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842) Targeted Improvements 2016-02 right-of-use In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326) No. 2019-10, 2022 |