Stock-Based Compensation | 6. Stock-Based Compensation The Company recorded stock-based compensation expense within its condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss as follows (in thousands): Three Months Ended March 31, 2024 2023 Research and development expenses $ 6,663 $ 2,513 General and administrative expenses 7,194 2,858 $ 13,857 $ 5,371 As of March 31, 2024, total unrecognized compensation cost related to equity-based awards was $ 158.8 million, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 3.0 years. 2021 equity incentive plan In July 2021, the Company adopted the 2021 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (the “2021 Plan”). The 2021 Plan provides for the grant of incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards, restricted stock units (“RSUs”), unrestricted stock awards, cash-based awards and dividend equivalent rights. Stock awards granted under the 2021 Plan with service-based vesting conditions generally vest over three - or four-year service periods, and stock options expire after ten years . As of March 31, 2024, 7,181,284 shares of Class A common stock remained available for future issuance under the 2021 Plan. 2021 employee stock purchase plan In July 2021, the Company adopted the 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended and restated (the “ESPP”). The ESPP permits eligible employees to purchase shares of Class A common stock at a discount in accordance with the terms of the offering and consists of consecutive, overlapping 12-month offering periods, each consisting of two six-month purchase periods beginning in December and June of each year. As of March 31, 2024, 1,879,069 shares of Class A common stock remained available for issuance under the ESPP. Stock options The following table summarizes the Company’s option activity since December 31, 2023: Weighted Weighted Average Aggregate Average Contractual Intrinsic Number Exercise Term Value of Shares Price (in years) (in thousands) Outstanding as of December 31, 2023 8,034,755 $ 17.66 8.06 $ 449,403 Granted 1,100,300 75.25 Exercised ( 425,737 ) 15.15 Forfeited ( 5,400 ) 49.04 Outstanding as of March 31, 2024 8,703,918 $ 25.04 8.07 $ 437,972 Exercisable as of March 31, 2024 3,597,983 $ 11.01 7.29 $ 230,575 The aggregate intrinsic value of stock options exercised during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 was $ 28.0 million and $ 1.8 million, respectively. The aggregate intrinsic value of stock options is calculated as the difference between the exercise price of the stock options and the fair value of the Company’s common stock for those stock options that had exercise prices lower than the fair value of the Company’s common stock on the date of exercise. The weighted average grant-date fair value of stock options granted during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 was $ 51.92 per share and $ 19.55 per share, respectively. RSUs The following table summarizes the Company’s RSU activity since December 31, 2023: Number of Shares Weighted Average Grant-Date Fair Value Outstanding as of December 31, 2023 — $ — Granted 618,990 73.76 Vested — — Forfeited — — Outstanding as of March 31, 2024 618,990 $ 73.76 |