Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Text Block] | 12. Stock-Based Compensation and Warrants The Company has adopted incentive and nonqualified stock option plans for executive, scientific and administrative personnel of the Company as well as outside directors and consultants. In June 2018, the Company’s stockholders approved an amendment to the 2011 Long-Term Incentive Plan, increasing the number of shares of common stock reserved for issuance from 14,230,000 to 20,230,000 to be available for grants and awards. As of June 30, 2018, there are 17,059,368 shares issuable under options previously granted and currently outstanding, with exercise prices ranging from $0.86 to $8.23. Options granted under the plans generally vest over periods varying from immediately to one to five years, are not transferable and generally expire ten years from the date of grant. As of June 30, 2018, 8,245,174 shares remained available for grant under the Company’s 2011 Long-Term Incentive Plan. On March 13, 2018, upon the recommendation of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Board”), the Board approved a grant of stock options to the Company’s Executive Chairman exercisable for 1 million shares of common stock that will vest and become exercisable on the first anniversary date of the grant. In addition, the Board approved the grant of a performance-based option covering 4 million shares of common stock that will vest if, within 18 months of the date of grant, specific operational and strategic milestones are achieved. Both grants were approved by the Company’s stockholders at the 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The Company records compensation expense associated with stock options and other equity-based compensation in accordance with provisions of authoritative guidance. Compensation costs are recognized over the requisite service period, which is generally the option vesting term of up to five years. Awards with performance conditions will be expensed if it is probable that the performance condition will be achieved. There was no expense recorded for share awards with performance conditions during the six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017. The Company’s net loss for the six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017 includes $1,812,219 and $350,565, respectively, of non-cash compensation expense related to the Company’s share-based compensation awards. The compensation expense related to the Company’s share-based compensation arrangements is recorded as components of general and administrative expense and research and development expense, as follows: Six Month Period ended June 30, 2018 2017 Research and development $ 162,516 $ 171,326 General and administrative 1,649,703 179,239 Share-based compensation expense $ 1,812,219 $ 350,565 Net share-based compensation expense, per common share: Basic and diluted $ 0.02 $ 0.01 The Company uses the Black-Scholes-Merton valuation model to estimate the fair value of service based and performance-based stock options granted to employees. Option valuation models, including Black-Scholes-Merton, require the input of highly subjective assumptions, and changes in the assumptions used can materially affect the grant date fair value of an award. Following are the weighted-average assumptions used in valuing the stock options granted to employees during the six-month periods ended June 30, 2018 and 2017: Six Month Period ended June 30, 2018 2017 Expected volatility 78.97 % 78.34 % Risk free interest rate 2.79 % 1.82 % Expected term of option 5.65 years 5.66 years Expected dividend yield 0.00 % 0.00 % The weighted average fair value of stock options granted during the six-month periods ended June 30, 2018 and 2017 were $4.53 and $0.77, respectively. A summary of the Company's stock option plans and of changes in options outstanding under the plans during the six-month period ended June 30, 2018 is as follows: Number of Options Weighted Average Exercise Price Outstanding at January 1, 2018 11,585,315 $ 1.42 Exercised (115,283 ) $ 1.53 Granted 5,886,000 $ 3.47 Expired - $ - Forfeited (296,664 ) $ 1.67 Outstanding at June 30, 2018 17,059,368 $ 2.13 Exercisable at June 30, 2018 8,692,437 $ 1.56 Cash received from option exercises under all share-based payment arrangements for the six months ended June 30, 2018 was $176,833. There were no option exercises during the six months ended June 30, 2017. Warrants Warrants issued generally expire after 2-5 years from the date of issuance. Stock warrant activity is as follows: Number of Warrants Weighted Average Outstanding at January 1, 2018 6,264,016 $ 2.23 Issued 6,172,832 $ 3.69 Exercised (1,020,147 ) $ 1.92 Expired - $ - Outstanding at June 30, 2018 11,416,701 $ 3.05 Exercisable at June 30, 2018 5,243,869 $ 2.29 Cash received from warrants exercised during the six months ended June 30, 2018 was $1,960,535. There were no warrants exercised during the six months ended June 30, 2017. |