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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting standards set by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”). The FASB sets generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) to ensure the consolidated financial statements are consistently reported. References to GAAP issued by the FASB in these footnotes are to the FASB Accounting Standards Codifications (“ASC”). The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
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, liabilities, revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. These estimates and assumptions are based on current facts, historical experience and various other factors believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgements about the carrying values of assets, liabilities and the recording of expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. Significant estimates reflected in these consolidated financial statements include but are not limited to: the accrued research and development expenses, the determination of fair value of stock-based awards, and the impairment of goodwill and intangible assets. Actual results may differ materially and adversely from these estimates.
Segments
Operating segments are identified as components of an enterprise about which separate discrete financial information is available for evaluation by the chief operating decision-maker (“CODM”) in making decisions regarding resource allocation and assessing performance. The Company’s chief executive officer is the CODM, and he uses consolidated financial information in determining how to allocate resources and assess performance. The Company has determined that it operates in one segment.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents are comprised of deposits at major financial banking institutions and highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less at the date of purchase.
Marketable Securities
Our marketable securities are classified as available-for-sale pursuant to ASC 320, Investments – Debt and Equity Securities and are recorded at fair value. Unrealized gains/(losses) are included as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss in the consolidated balance sheets and statements of stockholders’ equity and a component of total comprehensive loss in the consolidated statements of comprehensive loss, until realized.
We review marketable securities for impairment whenever the fair value of a marketable security is less than the amortized cost and evidence indicates that a marketable security’s carrying amount is not recoverable. Unrealized losses are evaluated for impairment under ASC 326, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses, to determine if the impairment is credit-related or noncredit-related. Credit-related impairment is recognized as an allowance on the balance sheet with a corresponding adjustment to earnings, and noncredit-related impairment is recognized in other comprehensive (loss) income, net of taxes. Evidence considered in this assessment includes reasons for the impairment, compliance with our investment policy, the severity of the impairment, collectability of the security, and any adverse conditions specifically related to the security, an industry, or geographic area.
There were no impairments of the Company’s available-for-sale marketable securities measured and carried at fair value during the year ended December 31, 2023. Realized gains and losses are included in other income, net on a specific-identification basis. There were no realized gains or losses on marketable securities for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Fair Value Measurements
We record cash equivalents and marketable securities at fair value. ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, establishes a fair value hierarchy for those instruments measured at fair value that distinguishes between assumptions based on market data (observable inputs) and our own assumptions (unobservable inputs). The hierarchy consists of three levels:
Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2 – Quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, quoted prices in markets that are not active, or inputs which are observable, directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.
Level 3 – Unobservable inputs that reflect our own assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability in which there is little, if any, market activity for the asset or liability at the measurement date.
Our financial assets, which include cash equivalents and marketable securities, have been initially valued at the transaction price, and subsequently revalued at the end of each reporting period, utilizing third-party pricing services or other observable market data. The pricing services utilize industry standard valuation models, including both income and market based approaches, and observable market inputs to determine value. After completing our validation procedures, we did not adjust or override any fair value measurements provided by the pricing services as of December 31, 2023. Fair value information for these assets, including their classification in the fair value hierarchy is included in Note 4 Fair Value Measurements.
There have been no changes to the valuation methods during the year ended December 31, 2023. We evaluate transfers between levels at the end of each reporting period.
The carrying amounts reflected in the consolidated balance sheets for cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses approximate their respective fair values because of the short-term maturity of those financial instruments.
Accounts Receivable
Accounts receivable are stated at the amount management expects to collect from outstanding balances. We monitor the financial performance and creditworthiness of our customers so that we can properly assess and respond to changes in their credit profile. We reserve against these receivables for estimated losses that may arise from a customer’s inability to pay. Amounts determined to be uncollectible are charged or written-off against the reserve. At December 31, 2023 and 2022 there was no allowance for credit losses.
Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments which potentially subject us to credit risk consist primarily of cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities. We hold these investments in highly rated financial institutions, and, by policy, limit the amount of credit exposure at any one financial institution. These investments at times exceed federally insured limits. We have not experienced any credit losses in such accounts and do not believe we are exposed to any significant credit risk on the funds. We have no off-balance sheet concentrations of credit risk, such as foreign currency exchange contracts, option contracts, or other hedging arrangements.
To manage accounts receivable credit risk, the Company continuously evaluates the creditworthiness of its customers and the need for an allowance for potential credit losses. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts.
There was no revenue in fiscal year 2023 due to the wind down of our computational biology professional services and completion of existing customer services contracts during the year ended December 31, 2022. As of December 31, 2023, there were no remaining accounts receivable or customers.
The following customer comprised 10% or more of the Company’s total accounts receivable or revenues as of or for the period ended December 31, 2022:
Year Ended December 31, 2022As of December 31, 2022
Revenue% of Total Accounts Receivable% of Total
Customer #1$299,890 94.6 %$11,275 90.8 %
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are recorded at cost, net of accumulated depreciation. Expenditures for major replacements and improvements are capitalized, while expenditures for general repairs and maintenance are expensed as incurred. Upon retirements or disposition of property and equipment, the related cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the consolidated balance sheet and any resulting gain or loss is recorded in the consolidated statement of operations. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method once assets are placed in service.
Asset ClassEstimated
Useful Lives
Computer equipment3 years
Furniture and fixtures5 years
Lab equipment7 years
Leasehold improvements
1-10 years
Impairment of Long-lived Assets
Periodically, the Company evaluates its long-lived assets, which consist primarily of property and equipment, for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such assets may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to the future undiscounted net cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds the fair value of the asset. To date, no impairments have occurred.
Leases
In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“ASC 842”), a standard issued to increase transparency and comparability among organizations related to their leasing activities. This standard established a right-of-use model that requires the recognition of right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for most leases as well as provides disclosure with respect to certain qualitative and quantitative information related to a company’s leasing arrangements to meet the objective of allowing users of financial statements to assess the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases.
The Company adopted the leasing standard using the modified retrospective transition approach as of January 1, 2020, with no restatement of prior periods or cumulative adjustment to retained earnings. Upon adoption, the Company elected the package of transition practical expedients, which allowed the Company to carry forward prior conclusions related to whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain leases, the lease classification for any expired or existing leases, and initial direct costs for existing leases. The Company also made an accounting policy election to not recognize leases with an initial term of 12 months or less within its consolidated balance sheets, and to recognize those lease payments on a straight-line basis in its consolidated statements of operations over the lease term. The adoption of the leasing standard did not have an impact on the consolidated statement of operations.
The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at contract inception. Right-of-use assets represent the Company’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent its obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Right-of-use assets and lease liabilities are recognized at the commencement date of the lease based upon the present value of future lease payments over the expected lease term. When determining the lease term, the Company includes options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise that option. As most of the Company’s leases do not provide an implicit interest rate, the Company uses its incremental borrowing rate, which is based on rates that would be incurred to borrow on a collateralized basis over a term equal to the lease payments in a similar economic environment, in determining the present value of lease payments.
The Company has elected not to separate lease and non-lease components as a single lease component. The Company’s leases are reflected in right-of-use assets and lease liabilities (current and non-current) in the consolidated balance sheets.
Revenue Recognition
In accordance with ASC 606 Revenue from Contracts with Customers, revenue is recognized when a customer obtains control of promised goods and services. The core principle of the standard is to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. To achieve that core principle, the Company applies the following five-step model:
Identify the contract with a customer
Identify the performance obligations in the contract
Determine the transaction price
Allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract
Recognize revenue when or as performance obligations are satisfied
With respect to the Company's historical services business (which has ceased), the Company’s contracts generally consist of the promise to provide computational biology professional services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, which the Company concluded constitutes one performance obligation that is delivered over time. The transaction price is the amount of consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled in exchange for transferring the services to the customer. The Company’s services contracts provide for either agreed upon rates per hour based on the level of the professional working on the project or a fixed fee for a defined scope of work. The Company recognizes revenue over time by measuring the progress toward complete satisfaction of the performance obligation using a single method of measuring progress, which depicts the performance in transferring control of the associated services to the customer. The Company uses input methods to measure the progress toward the complete satisfaction of performance obligations and evaluates the measure of progress each reporting period and, if necessary, adjusts the measure of performance and related revenue recognition. Any such adjustments are recorded on a cumulative catch-up basis, which would affect revenue and net loss in the period of adjustment.
The Company’s services contract terms do not allow for a right of return or refund and do not contain significant financing components. Receivables associated with the contract will generally be collected within thirty to sixty days, in accordance with the underlying payment terms.
In fiscal year 2023, the Company did not enter or perform any services contracts.
Income Taxes
The Company provides for income taxes in accordance with ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the difference between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates and laws in effect in the years in which the differences are expected to reverse. A valuation allowance is provided if, based upon the weighted available evidence, it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.
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 (i.e., unrecognized tax benefits) that are considered appropriate as well as the related net interest. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company had uncertain tax positions of $699,527 and $541,067, respectively. The Company has classified the unrecognized tax benefits as reductions of its tax credit carryforwards.
Research and Development
Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. Research and development costs consist of expenses incurred in performing research and development activities, including salaries and benefits, materials and supplies, preclinical expenses, stock-based compensation expense, depreciation of equipment, contract services, and other outside expenses.
The Company also incurs costs to develop software programs for internal use in identifying potential human drug targets which may then lead to the development of human drug candidates. To date the software programs have primarily been used for internal research and development activities and the costs incurred have been expensed as research and development.
Research and Manufacturing Contract Costs and Accruals
The Company has entered into various research, development and manufacturing contracts with research institutions and other companies inside and outside of the United States. These agreements are generally cancelable, and related costs are recorded as research and development expenses as incurred. The Company records accruals for estimated ongoing research, development and manufacturing costs. 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 research, development and manufacturing activities, invoicing to date under the contracts, communication from the research institutions and other companies 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.
Patent Costs
All patent-related costs 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 are classified as general and administrative expenses.
Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Comprehensive income (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.
Deferred Offering Costs
The Company capitalizes certain legal, professional, and other third-party charges related to ongoing equity financings as deferred offering costs until fully consummated. These costs are to be recorded as a reduction of the offering’s proceeds which are recorded to additional paid-in capital within stockholders’ equity. Should the Company choose not to initiate such financing, the deferred offering costs would be immediately expensed as operating expenses.
On August 10, 2022, the Company entered into an Equity Distribution Agreement (the “Sales Agreement”) with Piper Sandler & Co, (the “Sales Agent”) to sell shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share, with aggregate gross sales proceeds of up to $50 million, from time to time, through an “at the market” equity offering program. Deferred offering costs associated with the Sales Agreement are reclassified to additional paid in capital on a pro-rata basis when the Company completes offerings under the Sales Agreement. Any remaining deferred costs will be expensed to the statement of operations should the planned offering be abandoned. The Company had approximately $0.3 million and $0.3 million of deferred offering costs as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Net Income (Loss) per Share
The Company only has one class of shares outstanding and basic net income (loss) per common share is computed by dividing the net income (loss) by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding for the period. Diluted net income (loss) per common share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding for the period, including potential dilutive common shares assuming the dilutive effect of outstanding stock awards. For periods in which the Company reports a net loss, diluted net loss per common share is the same as basic net loss per common share, since dilutive common shares are not assumed to have been issued if their effect is anti-dilutive. The Company reported a net loss attributable to common stockholders for each of the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
Stock-based Compensation
The Company issues stock-based awards to employees and nonemployees in the form of stock options. The Company accounts for stock-based awards in accordance with ASC 718, Compensation — Stock Compensation (“ASC 718”), which requires all stock-based payments to employees and non-employees, including grants of employee stock options and modifications to existing stock options, to be recognized in the consolidated statement of operations based on their fair values.
The fair value of options is estimated on the grant date using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model (“Black-Scholes”). Black-Scholes requires the Company to make assumptions and judgments about the variables used in the calculation including the expected term of its stock option, the volatility of the Company’s common stock, and an assumed risk-free interest rate. The Company uses the simplified calculation of expected life and volatility, which is based on an average of the historical volatility of a group of publicly traded companies in a similar industry that the Company believes would be considered a peer group had it been a publicly held company for the duration of the expected life of the award. The risk-free rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant for periods corresponding with the expected life of the option. Forfeitures are recognized as they occur. No dividend yield was assumed as the Company does not pay, and does not expect to pay, dividends on its common stock. The assumptions underlying these valuations represent management’s best estimates, which involve inherent uncertainties and the application of management’s judgement.
As there had been no public market for the Company’s common stock prior to the IPO, the estimated fair value of its common stock prior to the IPO was determined by its board of directors as of the date of each option grant, with input from management, considering the Company’s most recently available third-party valuations of common stock and its board of directors’ assessment of additional objective and subjective factors that it believed were relevant and which may have changed from the date of the most recent valuation through the date of the grant. These third-party valuations were performed in accordance with the guidance outlined in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ Accounting and Valuation Guide, Valuation of Privately-Held-Company Equity Securities Issued as Compensation. Each valuation methodology included estimates and assumptions that required the Company’s judgment. These estimates and assumptions included a number of objective and subjective factors, including external market conditions, the prices at which the Company sold shares of preferred stock, the superior rights and preferences of securities senior to the Company’s common stock at the time of, and the likelihood of, achieving a liquidity event, such as an initial public offering or sale.
The assumptions underlying these valuations represented management’s best estimates, which involved inherent uncertainties and the application of management’s judgment. As a result, if the Company had used different assumptions or estimates, the fair value of its common stock and its stock-based compensation expense could be materially different.
Goodwill
Goodwill represents the excess of the fair value of the acquiree over the recognized bases of the net identifiable assets acquired and includes the future economic benefits from other assets that could not be individually identified and separately recognized. Goodwill is not amortized, but instead is periodically reviewed for impairment and an impairment charge is recorded in the periods in which the recorded carrying value of goodwill exceeds its fair value.
On a quarterly basis, the Company performs a review of its business to determine if events or changes in circumstances have occurred which could have a material adverse effect on the fair value of the Company and its goodwill. If such events or changes in circumstances were deemed to have occurred, the Company would perform an impairment test of goodwill as of the end of the quarter and record any noted impairment loss.
The Company’s market capitalization has declined, which may be an indicator of impairment. The Company will continue to assess the impact of its market capitalization and any other indicators of potential impairment. It is possible that if the Company’s market capitalization decline is more than temporary, or if other indicators of impairment are identified, an interim impairment analysis may be necessary, which could result in an impairment of goodwill, intangible assets and other long-lived assets in future periods.
The goodwill test is performed at least annually, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the asset might be impaired.
The Company performs its annual impairment test during the fourth quarter of each fiscal year. There were no impairments during the years ended December 31, 2023 or 2022.
Intangible Assets
Intangible assets are recognized at fair value, as an asset apart from goodwill if the asset (i) arises from contractual or other legal rights, or (ii) is separable. Intangible assets, principally representing technology acquired, are capitalized and amortized on the straight-line method over their expected useful lives.
The Company reviews the recoverability of its long-lived assets (including amortizable intangible assets), other than goodwill, when events or changes in circumstances occur that indicate that the carrying value of the asset may not be recoverable.
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 is an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, as amended (the "JOBS Act"). The JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards. Thus, an emerging growth company can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. The Company elected to avail itself of this extended transition period and, as a result, the Company will not be required to adopt certain new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for other public companies.
In 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Statements ("ASU 2016-13"). The new standard, as amended, requires that expected credit losses relating to financial assets measured on an amortized cost basis and available-for-sale debt securities be recorded through an allowance for credit losses. It also limits the amount of credit losses to be recognized for available-for-sale debt securities to the amount by which carrying value exceeds fair value and also requires the reversal of previously recognized credit losses if fair value increases. The targeted transition relief standard allows filers an option to irrevocably elect the fair value option of ASC 825-10, Financial Instruments - Overall, applied on an instrument-by-instrument basis for eligible instruments. ASU 2016-13 became effective for the Company on January 1, 2023. The Company adopted this effective January 1, 2023 and there was no material impact to the consolidated financial statements.
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350), which eliminates Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. Step 2 measures a goodwill impairment loss by comparing the implied fair value of a reporting unit’s goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. Instead, entities will record an impairment charge based on the excess of a reporting unit’s carrying amount over its fair value (i.e., measure the charge based on today’s Step 1). This update is effective for annual and interim impairment tests performed in periods beginning after December 15, 2022. Early adoption of the standard is permitted. The Company adopted this effective January 1, 2023 and there was no impact to the consolidated financial statements.
In November 2023, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update ASU No. 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280) (“ASU 2023-07”). The guidance in ASU 2023-07 expands prior reportable segment disclosure requirements by requiring entities to disclose significant segment expenses that are regularly provided to the Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”) and details of how the CODM uses financial reporting to assess their segment’s performance. The guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2023, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that the adoption of ASU 2023-07 may have on its consolidated financial statements.
In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures (“ASU 2023-09”). The guidance in ASU 2023-09 improves the transparency of income tax disclosures by greater disaggregation of information in the rate reconciliation and income taxes paid disaggregated by jurisdiction. The standard is effective for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that the adoption of ASU 2023-09 may have on its consolidated financial statements.