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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation and Use of Estimates

Basis of Presentation and Use of Estimates

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP). The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and

disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of product sales and expense during the reporting period. Although these estimates are based on the Company’s knowledge of current events and anticipated actions it may undertake in the future, actual results may ultimately materially differ from these estimates and assumptions.

The preparation of the Company’s financial statements requires it to make estimates and assumptions that impact the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities in the Company’s financial statements and accompanying notes. The most significant estimates in the Company’s financial statements relate to the recognition of grant revenue, accruals for research and development expenses and the valuation of equity-based awards. 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 judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities and the recording of revenue and expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ materially and adversely from these estimates.

The full extent to which the novel coronavirus-2019 (“COVID-19”) pandemic will directly or indirectly impact the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition, including research and development costs, will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain, including as a result of new information that may emerge concerning COVID-19 and the actions taken to contain or treat COVID-19, as well as the economic impact on local, regional, national and international markets. The Company has considered potential impacts arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and is not presently aware of any events or circumstances that would require the Company to update its estimates, judgments or revise the carrying value of its assets or liabilities.

Segment Reporting

Segment Reporting

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 in making decisions regarding resource allocation and assessing performance. The Company manages its operations as a single reportable segment for the purposes of assessing performance and making operating decisions.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Concentrations of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to significant concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash, cash equivalents and investment securities. The Company maintains deposits in federally insured financial institutions in excess of federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts and believes it is not exposed to significant risk on its cash balances due to the financial position of the depository institution in which those deposits are held. Additionally, the Company has established guidelines regarding approved investments and maturities of investments, which are designed to maintain safety and liquidity.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with maturities at the date of acquisition of three months or less to be cash equivalents. These investments may include money market accounts, money market funds, U.S. Government agency securities, corporate debt securities and commercial paper. The carrying amounts approximate fair value due to the short maturities of these instruments. The Company’s cash reserves are in a readily available checking account.

Investment Securities

Investment Securities

Investments in securities with maturities at the date of acquisition of more than three months are considered marketable securities. These investments may include money market accounts, money market funds, certificates of deposits, U.S. Treasury securities, and high quality, marketable debt instruments of corporations and government sponsored enterprises. The Company determines the appropriate classification of its investments at the time of acquisition and reevaluates such determination at each balance sheet date. The Company has classified its investment holdings as available-for-sale, as the sale of such securities may be required prior to maturity to implement management strategies. Further, the Company classifies its available-for-sale investment securities, including those with maturities beyond one year, as current assets on its balance sheets based on the highly liquid nature of the securities and because these investments are considered available for use in current operations. The Company’s investment policy sets minimum credit quality criteria and maximum maturity limits on its investments to provide for safety of principle, liquidity and a reasonable rate of return. Available-for-sale securities are recorded at fair value, based on current market valuations. Unrealized holding gains and losses on available-for-sale securities are excluded from earnings and are reported as a separate component of other comprehensive income (loss) until realized. Allowances for credit losses are reported on the balance sheet, if any.

The cost of available-for-sale investment securities is adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts until the securities mature. Such amortization and accretion is included in other income, net on the statements of operations. Realized gains and losses, if any, are also included in other income, net on the statement of operations and are derived using the specific identification method for determining the cost of the securities sold. During the periods presented, no realized gains or losses were recorded on the sale of investment securities and no impairments to reduce the value of any security was taken. See Note 5 for further discussion.

Property and Equipment, Net

Property and Equipment, Net

Property and equipment generally consist of laboratory equipment, computer equipment and software, and furniture and fixtures and are recorded at cost and depreciated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets (generally three to five years). Leasehold improvements are recorded at cost and are depreciated on a straight-line basis over the lesser of the remaining term of the related lease or the estimated useful lives of the assets. Repairs and maintenance costs are charged as incurred.

An impairment loss is recorded if and when events and circumstances indicate that assets might be impaired and the undiscounted cash flows estimated to be generated by those assets are less than the carrying amount of those assets. The Company has not recognized any impairment losses for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

Leases

Leases

Leases consist of an operating lease the Company has related to its facility. At lease commencement, the Company records a lease liability based on the present value of lease payments over the expected lease term. The expected lease term includes noncancelable lease periods and, when applicable, periods covered by an option to extend the lease if the Company is reasonably certain to exercise that option, as well as periods covered by an option to terminate the lease if the Company is reasonably certain not to exercise the option. For those leases where the implicit rate is not provided, the Company calculates the present value of lease payments using an incremental borrowing rate. The Company's incremental borrowing rate for a lease is the rate of interest it would have to pay on a collateralized basis to borrow an amount equal to the lease payments under similar terms. At the lease commencement date, the Company records a corresponding right-of-use ("ROU") lease asset based on the lease liability, adjusted for any lease incentives received and any initial direct costs paid to the lessor prior to the lease commencement date. The Company may enter into leases with an initial term of 12 months or less ("Short-Term Leases"). For any Short-Term leases, the Company records the rent expense on a straight-line basis and ROU asset and lease obligations are not recognized. The Company had no Short-Term Leases as of December 31, 2021 or 2020.

After lease commencement, the Company measures its leases as follows: (i) the lease liability based on the present value of the remaining lease payments using the discount rate determined at lease commencement and (ii) the ROU asset based on the remeasured lease liability, adjusted for any unamortized lease incentives received, any unamortized initial direct costs and the cumulative difference between rent expense and amounts paid under the

lease agreement. Any lease incentives received and any initial direct costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over the expected lease term. Rent expense is recorded on a straight-line basis over the expected lease term.
Research and Development Expenses

Research and Development Expenses

Research and development expenses consist of costs incurred in connection with the Company's discovery efforts, and the preclinical and formulation development of its product candidates. Research and development expenses are charged to operating expenses as incurred.
Patent Costs

Patent Costs

Costs related to filing and pursuing patent applications are recorded as general and administrative expenses in the statements of operations and expensed as incurred since recoverability of such expenditures is uncertain.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock options and restricted stock issued pursuant to the Company’s 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2021 Plan”) and 2018 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2018 Plan”), and option features associated with the rights to purchase shares pursuant to the Company’s 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”) are valued using the Black-Scholes option pricing model on the date of grant or subscription period. This option pricing model involves a number of estimates, including the expected lives of the stock options or subscription period, the Company's anticipated stock volatility and interest rates. The Company recognizes the expense for equity awards on a straight-line basis over the requisite service periods of the awards or the number of shares estimated to be issued pursuant to the ESPP. Forfeitures are recognized as they occur.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

The Company uses the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the difference between the financial reporting and the tax reporting basis of assets and liabilities and are measured using the enacted tax rates and laws that are expected to be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. The Company provides a valuation allowance against net deferred tax assets unless, based upon the available evidence, it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will be realized. When the Company establishes or reduces the valuation allowance against its deferred tax assets, its provision for income taxes will increase or decrease, respectively, in the period such determination is made.

The accounting guidance for uncertainty in income taxes prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute criteria for the financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities based on the technical merits of the position.