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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)
 9 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2025
BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES  
Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents – Cash and cash equivalents consist principally of unrestricted cash on deposit and short-term money market funds.  The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity when purchased of less than three months to be cash equivalents.
Property and Equipment

Property and Equipment – Property and equipment is recorded at cost and depreciated using the straight-line method over estimated useful lives of five to seven years. Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the shorter of the estimated useful life of the asset or the term of the lease. Repairs and maintenance which do not extend the life of the asset are expensed when incurred. Property and equipment is reviewed on a quarterly basis to determine if any of the assets are impaired.
Supplies used for R&D and manufacturing

Supplies used for R&D and manufacturing – Supplies are consumable items kept on hand to support the Company’s R&D and manufacturing operations. Supplies are recorded at the lower of cost or net realizable value and are charged to expense as they are used in operations. The Company regularly reviews the quality and utilization of supplies to determine if future use of these supplies is probable. Due to the generic use of these supplies, they can be used in multiple projects other than those currently being studied. Supplies held less than twelve months are classified as current assets and supplies held longer than twelve months are classified as non-current assets.
Patents

Patents – Patent expenditures are capitalized and amortized using the straight-line method over the shorter of the expected useful life or the legal life of the patent (17 years). In the event changes in technology or other circumstances impair the value or life of the patent, appropriate adjustments to the asset value and period of amortization are made. An impairment loss is recognized when estimated future undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset, and from its disposition, are less than the carrying value of the asset. The amount of the impairment loss would be the difference between the estimated fair value of the asset and its carrying value.
Leases

Leases – The Company accounts for contracts that convey the right to control the use of identified property, plant or equipment over a period of time in exchange for consideration as leases upon inception. The Company leases certain real estate, machinery, laboratory equipment and office equipment over varying periods. Many of these leases include an option to either renew or terminate the lease. For purposes of calculating lease liabilities, these options are included in the lease term when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise such options. The incremental borrowing rate utilized to calculate the lease liabilities is based on the information available at the commencement date, as most of the leases do not provide an implicit borrowing rate. The incremental borrowing rate reflects the rate of interest that the Company would pay on the lease commencement date to borrow an amount equal to the lease payments on a collateralized basis over a similar term in similar economic environments. Short-term leases, defined as leases with initial terms of 12 months or less, are not reflected on the balance sheet. Lease expense for such short-term leases is not material. Operating and finance lease agreements which require payments for lease and non-lease components are accounted for as a single lease component.  Variable lease payments that cannot be determined at the commencement of the lease are not included in the calculation of right-of-use assets or lease liabilities and are expensed as incurred.
Stock-Based Compensation

Share-Based Compensation – Compensation cost for all share-based awards is measured at fair value as of the grant date in accordance with the provisions of ASC 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation (“ASC 718”). The fair value of stock options is calculated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The Black-Scholes model requires five input variables: the strike price of an option, the current stock price, the time to expiration, the risk-free rate, and the volatility. The share-based compensation cost is recognized using the straight-line method as expense over the requisite service or vesting period.

 

The Company has Incentive Stock Option Plans, Non-Qualified Stock Option Plans, Stock Compensation Plans, Stock Bonus Plans and an Incentive Stock Bonus Plan. These Plans are collectively referred to as the “Plans”. All Plans have been approved by the Company’s stockholders.

 

The Company’s stock options are not transferable, and the actual value of the stock options that an employee may realize, if any, will depend on the excess of the market price on the date of exercise over the exercise price. For options issued with service conditions only, the Company has based its assumption for stock price volatility on the variance of daily closing prices of the Company’s stock. The risk-free interest rate assumption is based on the U.S. Treasury rate at the date of grant with the term equal to the expected life of the option. Forfeitures are accounted for when they occur.  The expected term of options represents the period that options granted are expected to be outstanding and have been determined based on an analysis of historical exercise behavior. If any of the assumptions used in the Black-Scholes model change significantly, share-based compensation expense for new awards may differ materially in the future from that recorded in the current period.

Restricted stock granted under the Incentive Stock Bonus Plan and options granted under the Non-Qualified Stock Option Plans are subject to service, performance and market conditions and meet the classification of equity awards. These awards were measured at fair value on the grant dates using a Monte Carlo simulation for issuances where the attainment of performance criteria is uncertain. The total compensation cost will be expensed over the estimated requisite service period.
Research and Development Costs

Research and Development Costs – Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. Management accrues Clinical Research Organization (“CRO”) expenses and clinical trial study expenses based on services performed and relies on the CROs to provide estimates of those costs applicable to the completion stage of a study. Estimated accrued CRO costs are subject to revisions as such studies progress to completion. The Company records revisions to estimated expense in the period in which the facts that give rise to the revision become known.

Net Loss Per Common Share

Net Loss Per Common Share – The Company calculates net loss per common share in accordance with ASC 260, Earnings Per Share.  Basic and diluted net loss per common share was determined by dividing net loss applicable to common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period.  The Company’s potentially dilutive shares, which include outstanding common stock options, unvested restricted stock and common stock warrants, have not been included in the computation of diluted net loss per share for all periods as the result would be anti-dilutive.
Concentration of Credit Risk

Concentration of Credit Risk – Financial instruments, which potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk, consist of cash and cash equivalents.  The Company maintains its cash and cash equivalents with high quality financial institutions.  At times, these accounts may exceed federally insured limits.  The Company has not experienced any losses in such bank accounts.  The Company believes it is not exposed to significant credit risk related to cash and cash equivalents.  All non-interest bearing account balances were fully insured up to $250,000 at June 30, 2025 and September 30, 2024.
Income Taxes

Income Taxes – The Company accounts for income taxes in accordance with the provisions of ASC 740, Income Taxes, on a tax jurisdiction basis. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating and tax loss carryforwards.  Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled.  The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.  The Company records a valuation allowance to reduce the deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be recognized. A full valuation allowance was recorded against the deferred tax assets as of June 30, 2025 and September 30, 2024.
Impairment of long-lived assets

Impairment of long-lived assets – CEL-SCI’s fixed assets are made up of leasehold improvements, furniture, and equipment. ASC 360-10 requires that a long-lived asset group be reviewed for impairment only when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the long-lived asset (group) might not be recoverable. CEL-SCI’s recurring losses are a triggering event that could indicate impairment of long-lived assets such as fixed assets. CEL-SCI reviews these assets to determine if events or changes in circumstances indicate the existence of impairment. If indicators of impairment exist, the Company tests for recoverability, then, if necessary, measures and records the impairment. The amount of the impairment loss would be the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset (group) exceeds its fair value.
Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value Measurements - In accordance with the provisions of ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements, the Company determines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.  The Company generally applies the income approach to determine fair value.  This method uses valuation techniques to convert future amounts to a single present amount.  The measurement is based on the value indicated by current market expectations with respect to the future amounts.

ASC 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value.  The hierarchy gives the highest priority to active markets for identical assets and liabilities (Level 1 measurement) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurement).  The Company classifies fair value balances based on the observability of those inputs.  The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are as follows:

 

 

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Level 1 – Observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities

 

 

 

 

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Level 2 – Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. These include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active and amounts derived from valuation models where all significant inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability are observable in active markets

 

 

 

 

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Level 3 – Unobservable inputs that reflect management’s assumptions

 

For disclosure purposes, assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety in the fair value hierarchy level based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the overall fair value measurement.  The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement requires judgment and may affect the placement within the fair value hierarchy levels.

 

The respective carrying value of certain on-balance-sheet financial instruments approximated their fair values due to the short-term nature of these instruments.  The Company’s money market funds included in cash equivalents are valued using Level 1 inputs and measured at fair value on a recurring basis. The cost of the Company’s money market funds approximated their fair value at $1,000 and $3,480,000 as of June 30, 2025 and September 30, 2024, respectively.
Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates – The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and the accompanying disclosures.  These estimates are based on management’s best knowledge of current events and actions the Company may undertake in the future. Estimates are used in accounting for, among other items, share-based compensation, useful lives for depreciation and amortization of long-lived assets, right-of-use assets and lease liabilities, deferred tax assets and the related valuation allowance. Actual results could differ from estimates, although management does not generally believe such differences would materially affect the financial statements in any given year.  Additionally, in calculating the right-of-use assets and lease liabilities, estimates and assumptions were used to determine the incremental borrowing rates and the expected lease terms.  The Company considers the estimates used in valuing the stock options and the lease assets and liabilities to be significant.

New Accounting Pronouncements

New Accounting Pronouncements

 

In November 2023, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures (“ASU 2023-07”), which expands disclosures about a public entity’s reportable segments and requires more enhanced information about a reportable segment’s expenses, interim segment profit or loss, and how a public entity’s chief operating decision maker uses reported segment profit or loss information in assessing segment performance and allocating resources. The update will be effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2023 and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2024. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that this change will have on the Company’s disclosures.

 

In December 2023, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2023-09, Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures, which require greater disaggregation of income tax disclosures related to the income tax rate reconciliation and income taxes paid. The update will be effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024. The guidance should be applied on a prospective basis with the option to apply the standard retrospectively. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that this change will have on the Company's disclosures.

 

In March 2024, the SEC issued its final climate disclosure rules, which require the disclosure of climate-related information in annual reports and registration statements. The rules require disclosure in the audited financial statements of certain effects of severe weather events and other natural conditions above certain financial thresholds, as well as amounts related to carbon offsets and renewable energy credits or certificates, if material. Under the rules as originally issued, disclosure requirements begin phasing in for fiscal years beginning on or after January 1, 2027. However, on April 4, 2024, the SEC determined to voluntarily stay the final rules pending certain legal challenges.  The Company is currently evaluating the impact of new rules and continue to monitor the status of the related legal challenges.

In November 2024, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2024-03, Income Statement – Reporting Comprehensive income – Expense Disaggregation Disclosures: Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses (“ASU 2024-03”). ASU 2024-03 will require more detailed information about the types of expenses in commonly presented income statement captions such as “Cost of sales” and “Selling, general and administrative expenses”. The new guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2026, and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2027 with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that this change will have on the Company’s disclosures.