| Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies 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 consolidated financial statements, and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting periods. Significant estimates and assumptions reflected in these consolidated financial statements include, but are not limited to, research and development expenses and related prepaid or accrued costs and stock-based compensation. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience, known trends and other market-specific or relevant factors that it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. On an ongoing basis, management evaluates its estimates as there are changes in circumstances, facts and experience. Changes in estimates are recorded in the period in which they become known. Actual results may differ from those estimates or assumptions. Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash The Company considers all highly liquid investments with original maturities when purchased of three months or less that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash to be cash equivalents. The carrying values of these instruments approximate their respective fair value due to the short-term maturity of these investments. At December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company’s cash equivalents were in money market funds and government securities. As of each balance sheet date and periodically throughout the year, the Company has maintained balances in various operating accounts in excess of federally insured limits. In connection with the Company’s lease agreement entered into in September 2021 (see Note 11), the Company is required to maintain a certificate of deposit (“CD”) of $ 0.9 million for the benefit of the landlord. The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash in the consolidated balance sheets that sum to the total of the amounts reported in the consolidated statement of cash flows (in thousands):
December 31, December 31,
Cash and cash equivalents $ 51,992 $ 186,605
Restricted cash, non-current 927 927
Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash $ 52,919 $ 187,532 Marketable securities Investments in marketable securities are classified as available-for-sale. Available-for-sale securities are measured and reported at fair value using quoted prices in active markets for similar securities. Unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities are reported as a separate component of stockholders’ equity in other comprehensive loss. Premiums or discounts from par value are amortized to investment income over the life of the underlying investment. All of the Company’s available-for-sale securities are available to the Company for use in current operations. As a result, the Company classified all of its securities as current assets even if the stated maturity of some individual securities may be one year or more beyond the balance sheet date. The cost of securities sold is determined on a specific identification basis, and realized gains and losses are included in other income (expense) within the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss. If any adjustment is required to reflect a decline in the value of the investment that the Company considers to be “other than temporary”, the Company recognizes a charge to the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss. No such adjustments were necessary during the periods presented. Deferred Offering Costs The Company capitalizes certain legal, accounting and other third-party fees that are directly associated with in-process equity financings as deferred offering costs until such financings are consummated. After consummation of the equity financing, these costs are recorded as a reduction of the proceeds from the offering, either as a reduction of the carrying value of preferred stock or in stockholders’ equity (deficit) as a reduction of additional paid-in capital generated as a result of the offering. Should the in-process equity financing be abandoned, the deferred offering costs would be expensed immediately as a charge to operating expenses in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss. The Company had no deferred offering costs recorded as of December 31, 2023 or December 31, 2022. Concentrations of Credit Risk and Off-Balance Sheet Risk Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents. The Company maintains its cash and cash equivalents with high quality, accredited financial institutions and, accordingly, such funds are subject to minimal credit risk. The Company has no significant off-balance sheet concentrations of credit risk, such as foreign currency exchange contracts, option contracts or other hedging arrangements. The Company is dependent on third-party organizations to manufacture and process its therapeutic candidates for its development programs. In particular, the Company relies on a single third-party contract manufacturer, Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies U.S.A., Inc. and Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies Texas, LLC (collectively, “FUJIFILM”), to produce clinical supply and process its current product candidate, VGL101 ("iluzanebart"). The Company expects to continue to be dependent on a small number of manufacturers to supply it with its requirements for all products. The Company’s research and development programs, including any associated potential commercialization efforts, could be adversely affected by a significant interruption in the supply of the necessary materials. The Company is dependent on a limited number of third parties that provide license rights used by the Company in the development and potential commercialization of its therapeutic candidates and programs. From inception through December 31, 2023, the Company’s research and development programs primarily relate to rights conveyed by Amgen, Inc. (“Amgen”) (see Note 12). The Company could experience delays in the development and potential commercialization of its therapeutic candidates and programs if the Amgen license arrangement or any other license agreement utilized in the Company’s research and development activities is terminated, if the Company fails to meet the obligations required under its arrangements, or if the Company is unable to successfully secure new strategic alliances or licensing agreements. Fair Value Measurements Certain assets and liabilities of the Company 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 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 (see Note 3), determined according to the fair value hierarchy described above. The carrying values of the Company’s accounts payable and accrued expenses approximate their fair values, due to the short-term nature of these liabilities. Research and Development Expenses Research and development expenses are expensed as incurred. Research and development expenses consist of costs incurred in performing research and development activities, including amounts incurred under agreements with external vendors and consultants engaged to perform preclinical and clinical studies and to manufacture research and development materials for use in such studies, salaries and related personnel costs, stock-based compensation, consultant fees, and third-party license fees. Upfront payments under license agreements are expensed upon receipt of the license, and annual maintenance fees under license agreements are expensed over the maintenance period. Milestone payments under license agreements are accrued, with a corresponding expense being recognized, in the period in which the milestone is determined to be probable of achievement and the related amount is reasonably estimable. Nonrefundable 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. Patent Costs Costs to secure, defend and maintain patents, including those 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 for patent-related expenditures are classified as general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss. Accrued Research and Development Expenses The Company has entered into various research, development and manufacturing contracts with third-party service providers, including contract research organizations and contract manufacturing organizations. These agreements are generally cancelable. The Company recognizes research and development expense associated with such arrangements as the costs are incurred and records accruals for estimated ongoing research, development and manufacturing costs, where necessary. When billing terms under these contracts do not coincide with the timing of when the work is performed, the Company is required to make estimates of outstanding obligations to those third parties as of period end. Any accrual estimates are based on a number of factors, including the Company’s knowledge of the progress towards completion of the specific tasks to be performed, invoicing to date under the contracts, communication from the vendors 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 estimates made by the Company. The historical accrual estimates made by the Company have not been materially different from the actual costs. Comprehensive Loss Comprehensive loss includes net loss as well as other changes in stockholders’ equity (deficit) that result from transactions and economic events other than those with stockholders. The Company's only element of other comprehensive loss is unrealized gains and losses on marketable securities. Stock-Based Compensation The Company grants stock-based awards to employees, directors and non-employee consultants in the form of stock options to purchase shares of its common stock. The Company measures stock options with service-based vesting granted to employees, non-employees and directors based on the fair value of the award on the date of the grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The Company measures restricted common stock awards using the difference, if any, between the purchase price per share of the award and the fair value of the Company’s common stock at the date of the grant. Compensation expense for employee awards is recognized over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period of the award. Compensation expense for non-employee awards is recognized in the same manner as if the Company had paid cash in exchange for the goods or services, which is generally the vesting period of the award. The Company uses the straight-line method to record the expense of awards with service-based vesting conditions. For stock awards that have a performance condition, the Company recognizes compensation expense based on its assessment of the probability that the performance condition will be achieved, using an accelerated attribution model, over the explicit or implicit service period. The Company accounts for forfeitures as they occur. 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 salary and related costs are classified or in which the award recipient’s service payments are classified. The Black-Scholes option-pricing model requires inputs based on certain subjective assumptions, which determine the fair value of stock-based awards, including the price, volatility of the underlying stock, the option’s expected term, the risk-free interest rate and expected dividends. The Company calculates the fair value of options granted by using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following assumptions: Expected Volatility – Due to a lack of company-specific historical and implied volatility data, the Company has based its estimate of expected volatility on the historical volatility of a group of similar companies that are publicly traded. The historical volatility is calculated based on a period commensurate with the expected term assumption. Expected Term – The expected term of the Company’s options represents the period that the stock-based awards are expected to be outstanding. The Company uses the simplified method to calculate the expected term, as it does not have sufficient historical exercise data to develop reasonable expectations about future exercise patterns and post-vesting employment termination behavior. Risk-Free Interest Rate – The risk-free interest rate is based on yield from the United States Treasury zero-coupon bonds whose term is consistent with the expected term of the stock options. Dividend Yield – The expected dividend yield is assumed to be zero as the Company has never paid dividends and has no current plans to pay any dividends. Classification and Accretion of Convertible Preferred Stock The Company’s Series A convertible preferred stock and Series B convertible preferred stock (collectively, “Convertible Preferred Stock”) converted into 10,285,077 shares and 9,251,793 shares of common stock in January 2022 as part of the Company’s IPO (see Note 7). The Convertible Preferred Stock were classified outside of stockholders’ deficit in the consolidated balance sheets because the holders of such shares have liquidation rights in the event of a deemed liquidation that, in certain circumstances, were not solely within the control of the Company and would require the redemption of the then-outstanding Convertible Preferred Stock. The Company’s Convertible Preferred Stock were not redeemable, except in the event of a deemed liquidation (see Note 7). Because the occurrence of a deemed liquidation event was not probable while the Convertible Preferred Stock were outstanding, the carrying values of the Convertible Preferred Stock were not being accreted to their redemption values. Subsequent adjustments to the carrying values of the Convertible Preferred Stock would be made only when a deemed liquidation event becomes probable. The Company recorded the Series A convertible preferred stock at fair value upon issuance, net of the Series A Preferred Stock Tranche Obligation (see to Note 7 for details of the Series A Preferred Stock Tranche Obligation) and associated issuance costs. The Company recorded the Series B convertible preferred stock at fair value upon issuance, net of associated issuance costs. The Company’s Convertible Preferred Stock were subject to a non-cumulative dividend when, as and if declared by the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”). Since the issuance of the Company’s outstanding Convertible Preferred Stock, no dividends had been declared on any shares of Convertible Preferred Stock. Segment Information The Company manages its operations as a single segment for the purposes of assessing performance and allocating resources. The Company is focused on microglia biology to improve the lives of patients, caregivers, and families affected by rare and common neurodegenerative diseases through development of disease-modifying treatments that aim to restore the vigilance of microglia, the sentinel immune cells of the brain. The Company’s chief operating decision maker reviews the Company’s financial information on an aggregated basis for purposes of assessing performance and allocating resources. All assets are in the United States. The Company has not earned any revenue through December 31, 2023. Property and Equipment Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is recognized using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of each asset. Costs for capital assets not yet placed into service are capitalized as construction-in-progress and depreciated once placed into service. Upon retirement or sale, the cost of assets disposed of and the related accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and any resulting gain or loss is included in loss from operations. Expenditures for repairs and maintenance that do no improve or extend the life of the respective assets are charged to expense in the period incurred. The following is the summary of property and equipment and related accumulated depreciation as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 (in thousands):
Useful Life December 31, 2023 December 31, 2022
Computer software and equipment 3 years $ 71 $ 16
Furniture and fixtures 5 years 138 104
Lab equipment 5 years 1,753 192
Leasehold improvements Lesser of (i) useful 233 —
Construction in progress — 944
Total property and equipment 2,195 1,256
Less: accumulated depreciation ( 450 ) ( 72 )
Total property and equipment, net $ 1,745 $ 1,184 Depreciation expense was $ 378 thousand and $ 57 thousand during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Long-lived assets consist of property and equipment, operating lease and financing lease right-to-use assets. 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 in loss from operations when estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from the use of an asset group are less than its carrying amount. Impairment is measured based on the excess of the carrying value of the related assets over the fair value of such assets. The Company did not record any impairment losses on long-lived assets during the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022. 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 tax assets and liabilities are determined on the basis of the differences between financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year 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 the 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 profits expected and considering prudent and feasible tax planning strategies. The Company accounts for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in the consolidated financial statements by applying a two-step process to determine the amount of tax benefit to be recognized. First, the tax position must be evaluated to determine the likelihood that it will be sustained upon external examination by the taxing authorities. If the tax position is deemed more likely than not to be sustained, the tax position is then assessed to determine the amount of benefit to recognize in the consolidated financial statements. The amount of the benefit that may be recognized is the largest amount that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. The provision for income taxes includes the effects of any resulting tax reserves, or unrecognized tax benefits, that are considered appropriate as well as the related net interest and penalties. The Company’s policy is to record estimated interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions as a component of income tax expense. The Company had no amounts accrued for interest and penalties in its consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022. Leases In accordance with ASC 842, Leases , which the Company adopted at inception, the Company determines if an arrangement is or contains a lease at inception. A contract is or contains a lease if the contract conveys the right to control the use of an identified asset for a period of time in exchange for consideration. The Company classifies leases at the lease commencement date as operating or finance leases and records a right-of-use asset and a lease liability on the consolidated balance sheet for all leases with an initial lease term of greater than 12 months. The Company has elected not to recognize leases with terms of 12 months or less under ASC 842. As such, leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded in the balance sheet, but payments are recognized as expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term. A lease qualifies as a finance lease if any of the following criteria are met at the inception of the lease: (i) there is a transfer of ownership of the leased asset to the Company by the end of the lease term, (ii) the Company holds an option to purchase the leased asset that it is reasonably certain to exercise, (iii) the lease term is for a major part of the remaining economic life of the leased asset, (iv) the present value of the sum of lease payments equals or exceeds substantially all of the fair value of the leased asset, or (v) the nature of the leased asset is specialized to the point that it is expected to provide the lessor no alternative use at the end of the lease term. All other leases are recorded as operating leases. The Company enters into contracts that contain both lease and non-lease components. Non-lease components may include maintenance, utilities, and other operating costs. The Company combines the lease and non-lease components of fixed costs in its lease arrangements as a single lease component. Variable costs, such as utilities or maintenance costs, are not included in the measurement of right-of-use assets and lease liabilities, but rather are expensed when the event determining the amount of variable consideration to be paid occurs. Finance and operating lease assets and liabilities are recognized at the lease commencement date based on the present value of the lease payments over the lease term using the discount rate implicit in the lease. If the rate implicit is not readily determinable, the Company utilizes an estimate of its incremental borrowing rate based upon the available information at the lease commencement date. Operating lease assets are further adjusted for prepaid or accrued lease payments. Operating lease payments are expensed using the straight-line method as an operating expense over the lease term. The Company’s lease terms may include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise that option. Finance lease assets are amortized to depreciation expense using the straight-line method over the shorter of the useful life of the related asset or the lease term. Finance lease payments are bifurcated into (i) a portion that is recorded as imputed interest expense and (ii) a portion that reduces the finance liability associated with the lease. Certain of the Company’s leases include options to extend or terminate the lease. The amounts determined for the Company’s right-of-use assets and lease liabilities generally do not assume that renewal options or early-termination provisions, if any, are exercised, unless it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise such options. Net Income (Loss) Per Share The Company follows the two-class method when computing net income (loss) per common share as the Company has issued shares that meet the definition of participating securities. The two-class method determines net income (loss) per common share for each class of common and participating securities according to dividends declared or accumulated and participation rights in undistributed earnings. The two-class method requires income (loss) available to common stockholders for the period to be allocated between common and participating securities based upon their respective rights to receive dividends as if all income for the period had been distributed. The Company considers its (i) convertible preferred stock and (ii) restricted stock during the periods they were outstanding (See Note 7) to be participating securities as, in the event a dividend is paid on common stock, the holders of these securities would be entitled to receive dividends on a basis consistent with the common stockholders. The Company also considers the shares issued upon the early exercise of stock options that are subject to repurchase to be participating securities because holders of such shares have non-forfeitable dividend rights in the event a dividend is paid on common stock. There is no allocation required under the two-class method during periods of loss since the participating securities do not have a contractual obligation to share in the losses of the Company. Basic net income (loss) per common share is computed by dividing the net income (loss) per common share by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted net income (loss) per common share is computed by adjusting net income (loss) to reallocate undistributed earnings based on the potential impact of dilutive securities. Diluted net loss per common share is computed by dividing the diluted net loss by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period, including potential dilutive common shares. For purpose of this calculation, outstanding stock options, convertible preferred stock and unvested restricted common stock are considered potential dilutive common shares. In periods in which the Company reported a net loss, diluted net loss per common share was the same as basic net loss per common share, since dilutive common shares were not assumed to have been issued if their effect was anti-dilutive. The Company reported a net loss for the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the FASB or other standard setting bodies and adopted by the Company as of the specified effective date. The Company qualifies as an ‘‘emerging growth company’’ as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 and has elected not to ‘‘opt out’’ of the extended transition related to complying with new or revised accounting standards, which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public and non-public companies, the Company can adopt the new or revised standard at the time non-public companies adopt the new or revised standard and can do so until such time that the Company either (i) irrevocably elects to ‘‘opt out’’ of such extended transition period or (ii) no longer qualifies as an emerging growth company. The Company may choose to early adopt any new or revised accounting standards whenever such early adoption is permitted for non-public companies. In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06, Debt , Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity , which, among other things, provides guidance on how to account for contracts on an entity’s own equity. This ASU simplifies the accounting for certain financial instruments with characteristics of liabilities and equity. Specifically, the ASU eliminated the need for the Company to assess whether a contract on the entity’s own equity (1) permits settlement in unregistered shares, (2) whether counterparty rights rank higher than shareholder’s rights, and (3) whether collateral is required. In addition, the ASU requires incremental disclosure related to contracts on the entity’s own equity and clarifies the treatment of certain financial instruments accounted for under this ASU on earnings per share. The ASU also simplifies the accounting for convertible instruments by removing the beneficial conversion feature and cash conversion feature separation models. This ASU may be applied on a full retrospective or modified retrospective basis. This ASU is effective for smaller reporting companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023 and all other public entities, this ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021. Early adoption is permitted. The Company expects to adopt this ASU in fiscal year 2024. The Company does not currently expect the adoption to materially impact its financial position and results of operations. |
