Stock-Based Compensation | 8. Stock-based compensation 2020 Stock incentive plan The Company’s 2020 Stock Option and Grant Plan, or the 2020 Plan, provided for the Company to grant stock options, restricted stock and other stock awards, to employees, non-employee directors, and consultants. Upon the effectiveness of the 2021 Plan (as defined below), no further issuances will be made under the 2020 Plan. 2021 Stock incentive plan The Company’s 2021 Stock Option and Incentive Plan, or the 2021 Plan, was approved by the Company’s board of directors on May 28, 2021, and the Company’s stockholders on June 17, 2021, and became effective on the date immediately prior to the date on which the registration statement for the Company’s IPO was declared effective. The 2021 Plan provides for the grant of incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock units, restricted stock awards, unrestricted stock awards, cash-based awards and dividend equivalent rights to the Company’s officers, employees, directors and consultants. The number of shares initially reserved for issuance under the 2021 Plan is 4,903,145 . As of December 31, 2021, 3,658,193 shares of common stock were available for issuance under 2021 Plan. Effective January 1, 2022, the number of shares available under the 2021 Plan automatically increased by 2,326,798 shares pursuant to the evergreen provision of the 2021 Plan. As of June 30, 2022, 4,198,022 shares were available for issuance under the 2021 Plan. Under the evergreen provision of the 2021 plan, each January 1 commencing in 2022 and thereafter automatically increases shares available for issuance by 5 % of the outstanding number of shares of the Company’s common stock on the immediately preceding December 31 or such lesser number of shares as may be determined by the Company’s compensation, nomination and corporate governance committee. 2021 Employee stock purchase plan The Company’s 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, or the 2021 ESPP, was approved by the Company’s board of directors on May 28, 2021, and the Company’s stockholders on June 17, 2021, and became effective on the date immediately prior to the date on which the registration statement for the Company’s IPO was declared effective. A total of 439,849 shares of the Company’s common stock were initially reserved for issuance under the 2021 ESPP, which will be automatically increased on January 1, 2022 and will continue to increase each January 1 thereafter through January 1, 2031, by the least of (i) 439,849 shares of the Company’s common stock, (ii) 1 % of the outstanding number of shares of the Company’s common stock on the immediately preceding December 31, 2020 or (iii) such lesser number of shares of the Company’s common stock as determined by the plan administrator of the 2021 ESPP. As of December 31, 2021, 439,849 shares of common stock remained available for issuance under the 2021 ESPP. Effective January 1, 2022, the number of shares available under the 2021 ESPP automatically increased by 439,849 shares pursuant to the evergreen provision of the 2021 ESPP. As of June 30, 2022, 879,698 shares were available for issuance under the 2021 ESPP. Stock option activity The following summarizes stock option activity: Number of Weighted Weighted Aggregate Outstanding—December 31, 2021 5,563,513 $ 7.92 9.2 $ 70,045 Granted 1,845,375 13.02 — — Exercised ( 79,679 ) 3.12 — — Forfeited ( 136,241 ) 11.00 — — Outstanding—June 30, 2022 7,192,968 $ 9.22 9.0 $ 21,414 Exercisable—June 30, 2022 1,724,556 $ 6.93 8.6 $ 7,589 The aggregate intrinsic value of options granted is calculated as the difference between the exercise price of the options and the estimated fair value of the Company’s common stock. Restricted stock award activity The following summarizes restricted stock activity: Number Weighted Unvested as of December 31, 2021 258,329 $ 0.90 Vested ( 69,013 ) $ 0.78 Unvested as of June 30, 2022 189,316 $ 0.94 The aggregate fair value of restricted stock that vested during the six months ended June 30, 2022 was $ 0.9 million. The weighted average fair value of restricted stock that vested during the six months ended June 30, 2021 was immaterial. The weighted average grant date fair value of restricted stock that vested during the six months ended June 30, 2022 was $ 0.78 . Stock-based compensation expense Stock-based compensation expense is classified as follows (in thousands): Six months ended 2022 2021 Research and development $ 2,593 $ 501 General and administrative 2,531 770 Total stock-based compensation expense $ 5,124 $ 1,271 As of June 30, 2022, total unrecognized stock–based compensation cost related to unvested stock options and restricted stock awards was $ 35.5 million and $ 0.2 million, respectively. The Company expects to recognize this remaining cost over a weighted average period of 2.9 and 1.4 years, respectively. |