Accounting Policies, by Policy (Policies) | 12 Months Ended |
Dec. 31, 2023 |
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract] | |
Basis of Presentation | Basis of Presentation The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“US GAAP”). The Company maintains its accounting records under the accrual method of accounting in conformity with US GAAP. |
Business Combination | Business Combination NKMAX held a majority of the voting power of Legacy NKGen before the Business Combination and continued to hold a majority of the voting power of the Company after the Business Combination. Therefore, as there was no change in control, the Business Combination was accounted for as a common control transaction with respect to Legacy NKGen along with a reverse recapitalization of the Company. Accordingly, for accounting purposes, the financial statements of the Company represent a continuation of the financial statements of Legacy NKGen with the Business Combination being treated as the equivalent of Legacy NKGen issuing shares for the net assets of Graf, accompanied by a recapitalization. The net assets of Graf were recognized as of the Closing at historical cost, with no goodwill or other intangible assets recorded. Operations prior to the Business Combination are presented as those of Legacy NKGen and the accumulated deficit of Legacy NKGen has been carried forward after Closing. Upon the consummation of the Business Combination, all of Legacy NKGen’s equity was converted into equity of the Company based upon an exchange ratio (“ Exchange Ratio All periods prior to the Business Combination have been retrospectively adjusted using the Exchange Ratio to reflect the reverse recapitalization. In connection with the reverse recapitalization treatment of the Business Combination, all issued and outstanding securities of Graf upon Closing were treated as issuances of the Company upon the consummation of the Business Combination. |
Principles of Consolidation | Principles of Consolidation The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiary. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. |
Use of Estimates | Use of Estimates The preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that impact the reported amounts of certain assets and liabilities, certain disclosures at the date of the consolidated financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The most significant estimates in the Company’s consolidated financial statements include, but are not limited to, accrued clinical and research and development expenses, legacy convertible promissory notes, senior convertible promissory notes due to related parties, forward purchase derivative liabilities, derivative warrant liabilities, common stock, and equity awards. These estimates and assumptions are based upon historical experience, knowledge of current events, and various other factors believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities and the recording of expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates. |
Segments | Segments Operating segments are defined as components of an entity for which separate financial information is available and that is regularly reviewed by the Chief Operating Decision Maker (“ CODM -wide -lived |
Cash and Cash Equivalents | Cash and Cash Equivalents The Company considers all highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. The carrying amounts reported in the balance sheets for cash and cash equivalents are valued at cost, which approximate their fair value. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts and management believes the Company has no highly liquid investments exposed to credit risk. |
Restricted Cash | Restricted Cash Restricted cash consists of funds that are contractually restricted due to a revolving line of credit, which was entered into during June 2023. In accordance with the terms of the revolving line of credit, the Company was required to maintain $15.0 million in cash balances with the lender from March 31, 2024 until repayment of all principals and other payables to the lender under the revolving line of credit was made as additional collateral for the borrowings. In April 2024, the lender subsequently waived the minimum cash deposit requirement in exchange for the Company’s agreement to use the lender as their primary banking relationship. As of December 31, 2023, $0.3 million in restricted cash was recorded on the consolidated balance sheet. No -of-period -of-period |
Concentrations of Risk | Concentrations of Risk Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to a concentration of credit risk consist of cash and cash equivalents. The Company minimizes the amount of credit exposure by investing cash that is not required for immediate operating needs in money market funds, government obligations, and/or commercial paper with short maturities. To date, the Company has not experienced any losses associated with this credit risk and continues to believe this exposure is not significant. Cash deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporations (“ FDIC For each of the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, no |
Property and Equipment, net | Property and Equipment, net Property and equipment are recorded at cost and depreciated over their estimated useful lives using the straight -line -line |
Capitalized Software, net | Capitalized Software, net Expenditures related to internal use software are capitalized. Such expenditures are amortized over their period of benefit, which are generally three -year -line |
Transaction Costs | Transaction Costs The Company capitalizes deferred transaction costs, which primarily consist of incremental legal fees, accounting fees and other costs directly attributable to anticipated capital -raising -raising No Transaction costs not specific to a single instrument are allocated on a relative fair value basis. Transaction costs allocated to equity -classified -classified |
Deferred Debt Issuance Costs | Deferred Debt Issuance Costs Costs incurred through the issuance of the revolving line of credit to parties who are providing short -term No |
Hybrid Instruments | Hybrid Instruments The Company follows Financial Accounting Standards Board (“ FASB ASC Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity |
Derivative Instruments | Derivative Instruments FASB ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging Activities -standing -assessed |
Debt | Debt For convertible debt instruments that are not considered liabilities under ASC 480 or ASC 815, the Company applies ASC 470, Debt -in-kind |
Subscription and Shareholder Receivables | Subscription and Shareholder Receivables The Company records stock issuances at the effective date. If the amounts are not funded upon issuance, the Company records a subscription receivable or shareholder receivable as an asset on the balance sheet. When subscription receivables or shareholder receivables are not received prior to the balance sheet date in satisfaction of the requirements under ASC 505, Equity Shareholder receivables represent amounts due from shareholders. If the shareholder does not fund the receivable prior to the balance sheet date, the Company records a receivable that is reclassified as a contra account to stockholder’s equity (deficit) on the balance sheet. |
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets | Impairment of Long-Lived Assets The Company reviews its long -lived |
Fair Value Option | Fair Value Option In lieu of bifurcation, on an instrument -by-instrument Financial Instruments Financial Instruments |
Fair Value of Financial Instruments | Fair Value of Financial Instruments The Company follows ASC 820 -10 Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures -based The Company’s financial instruments include cash and cash equivalents, prepaid expenses and other current assets, capitalized software, accounts payable, accrued expenses, convertible promissory notes issued from 2019 through 2022 to investors (“2019 Convertible Notes”), convertible promissory notes due to related parties (“Related Party Convertible Notes”, together with the 2019 Convertible Notes, “Convertible Notes”), debt due to a related party (“Related Party Loans”), and other current liabilities. The carrying amount of cash and cash equivalents, prepaid expenses and other current assets, capitalized software, accounts payable, accrued expenses, revolving line of credit, and related party loans, and other current liabilities are generally considered to be representative of their respective values because of the short -term The Company elects to account for its 2019 Convertible Notes and Related Party Convertible Notes, which meet the required criteria, at fair value at inception and at each subsequent reporting date. Subsequent changes in fair value of the Convertible Notes are recorded within other expenses, net on the accompanying consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss. Interest expense associated with the Convertible Notes is included in the change in fair value for the Convertible Notes. These estimates may be subjective in nature and involve uncertainties and matters of significant judgment and therefore cannot be determined with precision. The carrying value of the Company’s Related Party Loans approximates fair value as the stated interest rate approximates market rates for similar loans and due to the short -term ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement Fair Value of Financial Instruments -term one |
Employee Benefit Plan | Employee Benefit Plan Effective January 1, 2019, the Company adopted and maintains a defined contribution plan, which qualifies under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code, on behalf of its eligible employees. Upon consummation of the Business Combination, the Company adopted the 2023 equity incentive plan (“2023 Plan”), at which date NKGen determined it will no longer grant any additional awards under the 2019 Plan. Employee contributions are voluntary and are determined on an individual basis, limited to the maximum amount allowable under federal tax regulations. During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company did not contribute to either plan. |
Revenue Recognition | Revenue Recognition Historically, the Company recognized revenue in connection with Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (“ COVID -19 -19 The Company recognizes revenue in accordance with ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers -step The transaction price is the amount of consideration the Company is entitled to receive in exchange for the transfer of control of a product or a service to a customer. To determine the transaction price, the Company considers the existence of any significant financing component, the effects of any variable elements, noncash considerations and consideration payable to the customer. If a significant financing component exists, the transaction price is adjusted for the time value of money. If an element of variability exists, the Company must estimate the consideration it expects to receive and uses that amount as the basis for recognizing revenue as the product or the service is transferred to the customer. If a contract has multiple performance obligations, the Company allocates the transaction price to each distinct performance obligation in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company is entitled to receive in exchange for satisfying each distinct performance obligation. For each distinct performance obligation, revenue is recognized when (or as) the Company transfers control of the product or the service applicable to such performance obligation. In those instances where the Company first receives consideration in advance of satisfying its performance obligation, the Company classifies such consideration as contract liability until (or as) the Company satisfies such performance obligation. In those instances where the Company first satisfies its performance obligation prior to its receipt of consideration, the consideration is recorded as accounts receivable. The Company expenses incremental costs of obtaining and fulfilling a contract as and when incurred if the expected amortization period of the asset that would be recognized is one year or less, or if the amount of the asset is immaterial. Otherwise, such costs are capitalized as contract assets if they are incremental to the contract and amortized to expense proportionate to revenue recognition of the underlying contract. |
Collaboration Agreement | Collaboration Agreement The Company has entered into a research agreement that falls under the scope of ASC 808, Collaborative Arrangements |
Research and Development Expenses | Research and Development Expenses All research and development costs are expensed in the period incurred. Research and development expenses primarily consist of services provided by contract organizations for clinical development, salaries and related expenses for personnel, including stock -based |
Leases | Leases The Company accounts for its leases under ASC 842, Leases -of-use -current -line |
Stock-Based Compensation | Stock-Based Compensation Stock -based -based -10 Stock Compensation -Scholes -free The fair value of the shares of common stock underlying the stock options has historically been determined by the Company’s board of directors as there was no public market for the underlying common stock prior to October 2, 2023. The Company’s board of directors determines the fair value of the Company’s common stock by considering a number of objective and subjective factors including contemporaneous third -party -length The Company recognizes the expense for options with graded -vesting -line |
Income Taxes | Income Taxes The Company accounts for income taxes under 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 included in the financial statements. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined on the basis of the differences between the financial statements and tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. The Company recognizes net deferred tax assets to the extent the Company believes these assets are more likely than not to be realized. In making such a determination, management considers all available positive and negative evidence, including future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, tax -planning The Company records uncertain tax positions on the basis of a two -step -likely-than-not No |
Basic and Diluted Net Loss Per Common Share | Basic and Diluted Net Loss Per Common Share Basic net loss per common share is computed by dividing net loss for the year by the weighted -average -average -converted -dilutive The Company has one class of shares Issued and outstanding. Accordingly, basic and diluted net loss per share is not allocated among multiple classes of shares. Basic and diluted net loss per share for all periods prior to the Closing have been retrospectively adjusted by the Exchange Ratio to affect the reverse recapitalization. Potentially anti -dilutive Private warrants 4,721,533 Working capital warrants 523,140 Public warrants 3,432,286 PIPE warrants 10,209,994 Stock options 2,078,986 SPA warrants 1,000,000 Senior convertible notes’ shares 1,000,000 Deferred founder shares (1) 1,173,631 Total 24,139,570 ____________ (1) Related Party Transactions Potentially anti -dilutive |
Emerging Growth Company | Emerging Growth Company The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart our Business Startups Act of 2012, (the “ JOBS Act -Oxley Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non -emerging |
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements | Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standard Board (“ FASB ASU -13 Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments -13 In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 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 -06 -06 |
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted | Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023 -09 Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures (Topic 740) |