2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	*Basis of Presentation* The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and applicable rules and regulations of the SEC for annual reporting. Any reference in these notes to applicable guidance is meant to refer to the authoritative GAAP as found in the Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) and as amended by Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”).
Risks and Uncertainties	*Risks and Uncertainties* The Company is subject to a number of risks associated with companies at a similar stage, including the risk associated with the development of products that must receive regulatory approval before market launch, dependence on key individuals, competition from larger and established companies, volatility of the industry, ability to obtain adequate financing to support growth, the ability to attract and retain additional qualified personnel to manage the anticipated growth of the Company and general economic conditions. The Company is subject to a number of risks similar to other early-stage biopharmaceutical companies, including, but not limited to, the need to obtain adequate additional funding, possible failure of current or future preclinical studies or clinical trials, its reliance on third parties to conduct its clinical trials, the need to obtain regulatory and marketing approvals for its product candidates, competitors developing new technological innovations, the need to successfully commercialize and gain market acceptance of the Company’s product candidates, protection of its proprietary technology, and the need to secure and maintain adequate manufacturing arrangements with third parties. In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic, and government responses have created disruption in global supply chains and adversely impacting many industries. The pandemic could have a continued material adverse impact on economic and market conditions. We continue to monitor the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including its most recent variants, closely. The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic will impact our operations or financial results is uncertain.
Use of Estimates	*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 and liabilities, income and expenses as well as the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, at the date of the financial statements during the reporting periods. In preparing these financial statements, management has made its best estimates and judgments of certain amounts included in the financial statements. Significant estimates and assumptions made in the accompanying financial statements include, but are not limited to, accruals of certain liabilities, including clinical trial accruals and other contingences, the valuation of financial instruments, the fair value of the Company’s common stock and the fair value of options granted under the Company’s equity incentive plan. On an ongoing basis, the Company evaluates its estimates, including those related to the fair values of assets, stock-based compensation, clinical trial accruals and other contingencies. Management bases its estimates on historical experience or on various other assumptions that it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ materially from these estimates.
Concentration of Credit Risk and Significant Suppliers	*Concentration of Credit Risk and Significant Suppliers* Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to significant concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents. The Company maintains bank deposits in federally insured financial institutions and these deposits may exceed federally insured limits of $250,000. The Company is exposed to credit risk in the event of default by the financial institutions holding its cash and cash equivalents to the extent recorded in the balance sheets. The Company has not experienced any losses on its deposits of cash and cash equivalents. The Company relied, and expects to rely, on a small number of third-party manufacturers to manufacture and supply its RenovoCath devices and its product candidates for clinical trials. These activities could be adversely affected by a significant interruption in supply of these items. If the Company does not successfully commercialize or partner any of its product candidates, it will be unable to generate product revenue or achieve profitability.
Operating Segment	*Operating Segment* The Company operates and manages its business as one reportable and operating segment, which is the development of a therapy platform to deliver de-risked small molecules for localized treatment of solid cancer tumors. The Company’s chief executive officer, who is the chief operating decision maker, reviews financial information on an aggregate basis for allocating resources and evaluating financial performance.
Net Loss per Share	*Net Loss per Share* Basic net loss per common share is calculated by dividing net loss by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period, without consideration of common stock equivalents. Diluted net loss per share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock and common stock equivalents of potentially dilutive securities outstanding for the period determined using the treasury stock and if-converted methods. Potentially dilutive common stock equivalents are comprised of convertible preferred stock, convertible notes, and warrants including options and restricted stock awards outstanding under the Company’s Equity Incentive Plan. For the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, there was no difference in the number of shares used to calculate basic and diluted shares outstanding as the inclusion of the potentially dilutive securities would be anti-dilutive.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments	*Fair Value of Financial Instruments* Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability, or an exit price, in the principal or most advantageous market for that asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. Fair value measurement establishes a fair value hierarchy that requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs, where available, and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. The Company determined the fair value of financial assets and liabilities using the fair value hierarchy that describes three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value, as follows: Level 1 – Valuations based on quoted prices for identical assets and liabilities in active markets. Level 2 – Valuations based on observable inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1, such as quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets and liabilities in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data. Level 3 – Valuations based on unobservable inputs reflecting the Company’s assumptions, consistent with reasonably available assumptions made by other market participants. These valuations require significant judgment. The estimated fair value of financial instruments disclosed in the financial statements has been determined by using available market information and appropriate valuation methodologies. In certain cases where there is limited activity or less transparency around inputs to valuation, securities are classified as Level 3. The carrying amount of current assets, accounts payable and accrued expenses are generally considered to be representative of their respective fair values because of their short-term nature.
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Investments	*Cash, Cash Equivalents and Investments* The Company considers all highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. Available-for-sale securities, comprised of obligations of the U.S. government and its agencies, are carried at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses recorded within other comprehensive income (loss) as a separate component of stockholders’ equity. Realized gains and losses and declines in value judged to be other than temporary, if any, on available-for-sale securities are included in earnings. Purchases and sales of investment securities are recognized on a trade date basis. The cost of investment securities sold is determined by the specific identification method.
Leasehold Improvements, Net	*Leasehold Improvements, Net* Leasehold improvements are presented at cost, net of accumulated amortization. Amortization expense is recorded using the straight-line method over the shorter of the remaining lease term or the estimated useful life.
Research and Development Costs	*Research and Development Costs* Research and development expenses are charged to expense as incurred. Research and development expenses includes personnel costs including salaries, benefits and stock-based compensation. In addition, it includes expenses for consultants that support clinical trial studies, materials costs, external clinical drug product manufacturing costs, outside services costs, regulatory activities including filing fees, fees for maintaining licenses and other amounts due to third-party agreements, laboratory materials, clinical trial, as noted above, and supplies to support our research activities, including allocated facility and general and administrative indirect overhead related costs. The Company also receives payments from clinical trial sites for RenovoCath delivery devices used in the Phase III clinical trial. Payments received from clinical sites cover the direct costs of manufacturing the RenovoCath delivery devices and offset research and development expenses were $141,000 and $233,000 for December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
Clinical Trial Expenses	*Clinical Trial Expenses* The Company makes payments in connection with its ongoing Phase III clinical trial under contracts with clinical trial sites and contract research organizations that support conducting and managing clinical trials. The financial terms of these agreements are subject to negotiation and vary from contract to contract and may result in uneven payment flows. Generally, these agreements set forth the scope of work to be performed at a fixed fee, unit price or on a time and materials basis. A portion of the obligation to make payments under these contracts depends on factors such as the successful enrollment or treatment of patients or the completion of other clinical trial milestones. Expenses related to clinical trials are accrued based on estimates and/or representations from service providers regarding work performed, including actual level of patient enrollment, completion of patient studies and progress of the clinical trials. Other incidental costs related to patient enrollment or treatment are accrued when reasonably estimable. If amounts and obligations to pay under clinical trial agreements are modified (for instance, as a result of changes in the clinical trial protocol or scope of work to be performed), the accruals are adjusted accordingly. Revisions to contractual payment obligations are charged to expense in the period in which the facts that give rise to the revision become reasonably certain.
General and Administrative	*General and Administrative* General and administrative expenses consist of salaries, benefits, and stock-based compensation for personnel in executive, finance and administrative functions, professional services and associated costs related to accounting, tax, audit, legal, intellectual property, consulting costs, conferences and travel, including allocated facility and general and administrative indirect overhead related costs to research and development expenses. General and administrative expenses are expensed in the period incurred.
Convertible Preferred Stock	*Convertible Preferred Stock* The Company records preferred stock at fair value on the date of issuance, net of issuance costs. Preferred stock was previously recorded outside of stockholders’ equity (deficit) because the shares contained liquidation features that were not solely within the Company’s control and was classified as mezzanine equity (temporary equity). The Company completed its IPO on August 30, 2021, which triggered the automatic conversion of all outstanding convertible preferred stock to common stock.
Stock-Based Compensation	*Stock-Based Compensation* The Company estimates the fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, which incorporates various assumptions including volatility, expected term and risk-free interest rate. Compensation related to service-based awards is recognized starting on the grant date on a straight-line basis over the vesting period, which is generally four years. The determination of the fair value of each stock award using this option-pricing model is affected by the Company’s assumptions regarding a number of complex and subjective variables. These variables include, but are not limited to, the fair value of the common stock at the date of grant, the expected term of the awards, the expected stock price volatility over the expected term of the awards, the risk-free interest rate, and the dividend rate as follows: Fair Value of Common Stock—Prior to the IPO, given the absence of a public trading market, the Company’s Board of Directors considered numerous objective and subjective factors to determine the fair value of the Company’s common stock at each grant date. These factors included, but were not limited to: (i) contemporaneous third-party valuations of common stock; (ii) the prices for preferred stock sold to outside investors; (iii) the rights and preferences of preferred stock relative to common stock; (iv) the lack of marketability of the Company’s common stock; (v) developments in the business; and (vi) the likelihood of achieving a liquidity event, such as an IPO or sale of the business, given prevailing market conditions. The methodology to determine the fair value of the Company’s common stock included estimating the fair value of the enterprise using the “backsolve” method, which is a market approach that assigns an implied enterprise value by accounting for all share class rights and preferences based on the latest round of financing. The total equity value implied was then applied in the context of an option pricing model to determine the value of each class of the Company’s shares. For grants issued post-IPO the closing price of the Company’s common stock as reported on the date of grant will determine the fair value of the Company’s common stock, as shares of the Company’s common stock are traded in the public market. Expected Term—The expected term represents the period that the stock-based awards are expected to be outstanding. The Company determines the expected term using the simplified method for pre-IPO and post-IPO awards. The simplified method deems the term to be the average of the time-to-vesting and the contractual life of the options. Expected Volatility—Given the absence of a public trading market, pre-IPO and post IPO, the expected volatility is estimated by taking the average historic price volatility for industry peers, consisting of several public companies in the Company’s industry that are either similar in size, stage, or financial leverage, over a period equivalent to the expected term of the awards. Risk-Free Interest Rate—The risk-free interest rate is calculated using the average of the published interest rates of U.S. Treasury zero-coupon issues with maturities that are commensurate with the expected term. Dividend Rate—The dividend yield assumption is zero as the Company has no plans to make dividend payments. The Company generally granted stock options, pre-IPO, to its employees and consultants for a fixed number of shares with an exercise price equal to the fair value of the underlying shares at date of grant. For all post-IPO grants issued, the fair value will be the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of the grant. The Company accounts for all stock option grants using the fair value method and stock-based compensation is recognized as the underlying options vest.
Income Taxes	*Income Taxes* Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured based on differences between the financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted rates and laws that are expected to be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. The Company records a valuation allowance for the full amount of deferred assets, which would otherwise be recorded for tax benefits relating to operating loss and tax credit carryforwards for all periods presented, as realization of such deferred tax assets cannot be determined to be more likely than not. Due to losses incurred for all periods presented, the Company does not record tax provision or benefit for income taxes.
Emerging Growth Company and Smaller Reporting Company Status	*Emerging Growth Company and Smaller Reporting Company Status* The Company is an emerging growth company (“EGC”) as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”) and may take advantage of reduced reporting requirements that are otherwise applicable to public companies. Section 107 of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from complying with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies are required to comply with those standards. The Company has elected to use the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards. We are also a “smaller reporting company,” as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. If we are a smaller reporting company at the time we cease to be an emerging growth company, we may continue to rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements that are available to smaller reporting companies. Specifically, as a smaller reporting company we may choose to present only the two most recent fiscal years of audited financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and, like emerging growth companies, smaller reporting companies have reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation. 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. Unless otherwise discussed, the impact of recently issued standards that are not yet effective will not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations upon adoption.
Recent Accounting Pronouncement	Recent Accounting Pronouncement *Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements* In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Updates (“ASU”) 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The guidance requires lessees to recognize assets and liabilities related to long-term leases on the balance sheet and expands disclosure requirements regarding leasing arrangements. In July 2018, the FASB issued additional guidance, which offers a transition option to entities adopting the new lease standards, and a package of practical expedients an entity can elect to utilize to reduce the level of effort required for adoption. Under the transition option, entities can elect to apply the new guidance using a modified retrospective approach at the beginning of the year in which the new lease standard is adopted, rather than to the earliest comparative period presented in their financial statements. In November 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-10, Leases (Topic 842) (ASU 2019-10), deferring the effective date for the Company for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021. In June 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-05, Leases (Topic 842) (ASU 2020-05), which further defers the effective date for the Company for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021. Early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted ASU 2016-02 on January 1, 2022 and the adoption had no material impact to the Company’s financial statements. In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (ASU 2019-12), which simplifies the accounting for income taxes, and is effective on a prospective basis for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2021, and for interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted ASU 2019-12 on January 1, 2022 and the adoption had no significant impact to the Company’s financial statements. *Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted* In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326). The guidance represents a significant change in the accounting for credit losses model by requiring immediate recognition of management’s estimates of current expected credit losses (CECL). Under the prior model, losses were recognized only as they were incurred. The Company has determined that it has met the criteria of a smaller reporting company (“SRC”) as of November 15, 2019. As such, ASU 2019-10, Financial Instruments —Credit Losses (Topic 326), Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815), and Leases (Topic 842) —Effective Dates amended the effective date for the Company to be for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2022. The Company will adopt this ASU 2016-13 effective January 1, 2023. In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, Debt – Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging – Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40) (ASU 2020-06): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity, which simplifies the accounting for certain financial instruments with characteristics of liabilities and equity, including convertible instruments and contracts on an entity’s own equity. The updated guidance is effective on a prospective basis for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2023 and for interim periods within those periods. Early adoption is permitted. The Company has not yet determined the impact that this new standard will have on its financial position and results of operations.

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2022

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and applicable rules and regulations of the SEC for annual reporting. Any reference in these notes to applicable guidance is meant to refer to the authoritative GAAP as found in the Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) and as amended by Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”).

Risks and Uncertainties

Risks and Uncertainties

The Company is subject to a number of risks associated with companies at a similar stage, including the risk associated with the development of products that must receive regulatory approval before market launch, dependence on key individuals, competition from larger and established companies, volatility of the industry, ability to obtain adequate financing to support growth, the ability to attract and retain additional qualified personnel to manage the anticipated growth of the Company and general economic conditions. The Company is subject to a number of risks similar to other early-stage biopharmaceutical companies, including, but not limited to, the need to obtain adequate additional funding, possible failure of current or future preclinical studies or clinical trials, its reliance on third parties to conduct its clinical trials, the need to obtain regulatory and marketing approvals for its product candidates, competitors developing new technological innovations, the need to successfully commercialize and gain market acceptance of the Company’s product candidates, protection of its proprietary technology, and the need to secure and maintain adequate manufacturing arrangements with third parties.

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic, and government responses have created disruption in global supply chains and adversely impacting many industries. The pandemic could have a continued material adverse impact on economic and market conditions. We continue to monitor the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including its most recent variants, closely. The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic will impact our operations or financial results is uncertain.

Use of Estimates

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 and liabilities, income and expenses as well as the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, at the date of the financial statements during the reporting periods. In preparing these financial statements, management has made its best estimates and judgments of certain amounts included in the financial statements. Significant estimates and assumptions made in the accompanying financial statements include, but are not limited to, accruals of certain liabilities, including clinical trial accruals and other contingences, the valuation of financial instruments, the fair value of the Company’s common stock and the fair value of options granted under the Company’s equity incentive plan. On an ongoing basis, the Company evaluates its estimates, including those related to the fair values of assets, stock-based compensation, clinical trial accruals and other contingencies. Management bases its estimates on historical experience or on various other assumptions that it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ materially from these estimates.

Concentration of Credit Risk and Significant Suppliers

Concentration of Credit Risk and Significant Suppliers

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to significant concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents. The Company maintains bank deposits in federally insured financial institutions and these deposits may exceed federally insured limits of $250,000. The Company is exposed to credit risk in the event of default by the financial institutions holding its cash and cash equivalents to the extent recorded in the balance sheets. The Company has not experienced any losses on its deposits of cash and cash equivalents.

The Company relied, and expects to rely, on a small number of third-party manufacturers to manufacture and supply its RenovoCath devices and its product candidates for clinical trials. These activities could be adversely affected by a significant interruption in supply of these items. If the Company does not successfully commercialize or partner any of its product candidates, it will be unable to generate product revenue or achieve profitability.

Operating Segment

Operating Segment

The Company operates and manages its business as one reportable and operating segment, which is the development of a therapy platform to deliver de-risked small molecules for localized treatment of solid cancer tumors. The Company’s chief executive officer, who is the chief operating decision maker, reviews financial information on an aggregate basis for allocating resources and evaluating financial performance.

Net Loss per Share

Net Loss per Share

Basic net loss per common share is calculated by dividing net loss by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period, without consideration of common stock equivalents. Diluted net loss per share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock and common stock equivalents of potentially dilutive securities outstanding for the period determined using the treasury stock and if-converted methods. Potentially dilutive common stock equivalents are comprised of convertible preferred stock, convertible notes, and warrants including options and restricted stock awards outstanding under the Company’s Equity Incentive Plan. For the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, there was no difference in the number of shares used to calculate basic and diluted shares outstanding as the inclusion of the potentially dilutive securities would be anti-dilutive.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability, or an exit price, in the principal or most advantageous market for that asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. Fair value measurement establishes a fair value hierarchy that requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs, where available, and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value.

The Company determined the fair value of financial assets and liabilities using the fair value hierarchy that describes three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value, as follows:

Level 1 – Valuations based on quoted prices for identical assets and liabilities in active markets.

Level 2 – Valuations based on observable inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1, such as quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets and liabilities in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data.

Level 3 – Valuations based on unobservable inputs reflecting the Company’s assumptions, consistent with reasonably available assumptions made by other market participants. These valuations require significant judgment.

The estimated fair value of financial instruments disclosed in the financial statements has been determined by using available market information and appropriate valuation methodologies. In certain cases where there is limited activity or less transparency around inputs to valuation, securities are classified as Level 3.

The carrying amount of current assets, accounts payable and accrued expenses are generally considered to be representative of their respective fair values because of their short-term nature.

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Investments

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Investments

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. Available-for-sale securities, comprised of obligations of the U.S. government and its agencies, are carried at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses recorded within other comprehensive income (loss) as a separate component of stockholders’ equity. Realized gains and losses and declines in value judged to be other than temporary, if any, on available-for-sale securities are included in earnings. Purchases and sales of investment securities are recognized on a trade date basis. The cost of investment securities sold is determined by the specific identification method.

Leasehold Improvements, Net

Leasehold Improvements, Net

Leasehold improvements are presented at cost, net of accumulated amortization. Amortization expense is recorded using the straight-line method over the shorter of the remaining lease term or the estimated useful life.

Research and Development Costs

Research and Development Costs

Research and development expenses are charged to expense as incurred. Research and development expenses includes personnel costs including salaries, benefits and stock-based compensation. In addition, it includes expenses for consultants that support clinical trial studies, materials costs, external clinical drug product manufacturing costs, outside services costs, regulatory activities including filing fees, fees for maintaining licenses and other amounts due to third-party agreements, laboratory materials, clinical trial, as noted above, and supplies to support our research activities, including allocated facility and general and administrative indirect overhead related costs. The Company also receives payments from clinical trial sites for RenovoCath delivery devices used in the Phase III clinical trial. Payments received from clinical sites cover the direct costs of manufacturing the RenovoCath delivery devices and offset research and development expenses were $141,000 and $233,000 for December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Clinical Trial Expenses

Clinical Trial Expenses

The Company makes payments in connection with its ongoing Phase III clinical trial under contracts with clinical trial sites and contract research organizations that support conducting and managing clinical trials. The financial terms of these agreements are subject to negotiation and vary from contract to contract and may result in uneven payment flows. Generally, these agreements set forth the scope of work to be performed at a fixed fee, unit price or on a time and materials basis. A portion of the obligation to make payments under these contracts depends on factors such as the successful enrollment or treatment of patients or the completion of other clinical trial milestones.

Expenses related to clinical trials are accrued based on estimates and/or representations from service providers regarding work performed, including actual level of patient enrollment, completion of patient studies and progress of the clinical trials. Other incidental costs related to patient enrollment or treatment are accrued when reasonably estimable. If amounts and obligations to pay under clinical trial agreements are modified (for instance, as a result of changes in the clinical trial protocol or scope of work to be performed), the accruals are adjusted accordingly. Revisions to contractual payment obligations are charged to expense in the period in which the facts that give rise to the revision become reasonably certain.

General and Administrative

General and Administrative

General and administrative expenses consist of salaries, benefits, and stock-based compensation for personnel in executive, finance and administrative functions, professional services and associated costs related to accounting, tax, audit, legal, intellectual property, consulting costs, conferences and travel, including allocated facility and general and administrative indirect overhead related costs to research and development expenses. General and administrative expenses are expensed in the period incurred.

Convertible Preferred Stock

Convertible Preferred Stock

The Company records preferred stock at fair value on the date of issuance, net of issuance costs. Preferred stock was previously recorded outside of stockholders’ equity (deficit) because the shares contained liquidation features that were not solely within the Company’s control and was classified as mezzanine equity (temporary equity). The Company completed its IPO on August 30, 2021, which triggered the automatic conversion of all outstanding convertible preferred stock to common stock.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company estimates the fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, which incorporates various assumptions including volatility, expected term and risk-free interest rate. Compensation related to service-based awards is recognized starting on the grant date on a straight-line basis over the vesting period, which is generally four years.

The determination of the fair value of each stock award using this option-pricing model is affected by the Company’s assumptions regarding a number of complex and subjective variables. These variables include, but are not limited to, the fair value of the common stock at the date of grant, the expected term of the awards, the expected stock price volatility over the expected term of the awards, the risk-free interest rate, and the dividend rate as follows:

Fair Value of Common Stock—Prior to the IPO, given the absence of a public trading market, the Company’s Board of Directors considered numerous objective and subjective factors to determine the fair value of the Company’s common stock at each grant date. These factors included, but were not limited to: (i) contemporaneous third-party valuations of common stock; (ii) the prices for preferred stock sold to outside investors; (iii) the rights and preferences of preferred stock relative to common stock; (iv) the lack of marketability of the Company’s common stock; (v) developments in the business; and (vi) the likelihood of achieving a liquidity event, such as an IPO or sale of the business, given prevailing market conditions. The methodology to determine the fair value of the Company’s common stock included estimating the fair value of the enterprise using the “backsolve” method, which is a market approach that assigns an implied enterprise value by accounting for all share class rights and preferences based on the latest round of financing. The total equity value implied was then applied in the context of an option pricing model to determine the value of each class of the Company’s shares.

For grants issued post-IPO the closing price of the Company’s common stock as reported on the date of grant will determine the fair value of the Company’s common stock, as shares of the Company’s common stock are traded in the public market.

Expected Term—The expected term represents the period that the stock-based awards are expected to be outstanding. The Company determines the expected term using the simplified method for pre-IPO and post-IPO awards. The simplified method deems the term to be the average of the time-to-vesting and the contractual life of the options.

Expected Volatility—Given the absence of a public trading market, pre-IPO and post IPO, the expected volatility is estimated by taking the average historic price volatility for industry peers, consisting of several public companies in the Company’s industry that are either similar in size, stage, or financial leverage, over a period equivalent to the expected term of the awards.

Risk-Free Interest Rate—The risk-free interest rate is calculated using the average of the published interest rates of U.S. Treasury zero-coupon issues with maturities that are commensurate with the expected term.

Dividend Rate—The dividend yield assumption is zero as the Company has no plans to make dividend payments.

The Company generally granted stock options, pre-IPO, to its employees and consultants for a fixed number of shares with an exercise price equal to the fair value of the underlying shares at date of grant. For all post-IPO grants issued, the fair value will be the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of the grant. The Company accounts for all stock option grants using the fair value method and stock-based compensation is recognized as the underlying options vest.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured based on differences between the financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted rates and laws that are expected to be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. The Company records a valuation allowance for the full amount of deferred assets, which would otherwise be recorded for tax benefits relating to operating loss and tax credit carryforwards for all periods presented, as realization of such deferred tax assets cannot be determined to be more likely than not. Due to losses incurred for all periods presented, the Company does not record tax provision or benefit for income taxes.

Emerging Growth Company and Smaller Reporting Company Status

Emerging Growth Company and Smaller Reporting Company Status

The Company is an emerging growth company (“EGC”) as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”) and may take advantage of reduced reporting requirements that are otherwise applicable to public companies. Section 107 of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from complying with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies are required to comply with those standards. The Company has elected to use the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards.

We are also a “smaller reporting company,” as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. If we are a smaller reporting company at the time we cease to be an emerging growth company, we may continue to rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements that are available to smaller reporting companies. Specifically, as a smaller reporting company we may choose to present only the two most recent fiscal years of audited financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and, like emerging growth companies, smaller reporting companies have reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation.

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. Unless otherwise discussed, the impact of recently issued standards that are not yet effective will not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations upon adoption.

Recent Accounting Pronouncement

Recent Accounting Pronouncement

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Updates (“ASU”) 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The guidance requires lessees to recognize assets and liabilities related to long-term leases on the balance sheet and expands disclosure requirements regarding leasing arrangements. In July 2018, the FASB issued additional guidance, which offers a transition option to entities adopting the new lease standards, and a package of practical expedients an entity can elect to utilize to reduce the level of effort required for adoption. Under the transition option, entities can elect to apply the new guidance using a modified retrospective approach at the beginning of the year in which the new lease standard is adopted, rather than to the earliest comparative period presented in their financial statements. In November 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-10, Leases (Topic 842) (ASU 2019-10), deferring the effective date for the Company for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021. In June 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-05, Leases (Topic 842) (ASU 2020-05), which further defers the effective date for the Company for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021. Early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted ASU 2016-02 on January 1, 2022 and the adoption had no material impact to the Company’s financial statements.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (ASU 2019-12), which simplifies the accounting for income taxes, and is effective on a prospective basis for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2021, and for interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted ASU 2019-12 on January 1, 2022 and the adoption had no significant impact to the Company’s financial statements.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326). The guidance represents a significant change in the accounting for credit losses model by requiring immediate recognition of management’s estimates of current expected credit losses (CECL). Under the prior model, losses were recognized only as they were incurred. The Company has determined that it has met the criteria of a smaller reporting company (“SRC”) as of November 15, 2019. As such, ASU 2019-10, Financial Instruments —Credit Losses (Topic 326), Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815), and Leases (Topic 842) —Effective Dates amended the effective date for the Company to be for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2022. The Company will adopt this ASU 2016-13 effective January 1, 2023.

In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, Debt – Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging – Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40) (ASU 2020-06): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity, which simplifies the accounting for certain financial instruments with characteristics of liabilities and equity, including convertible instruments and contracts on an entity’s own equity. The updated guidance is effective on a prospective basis for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2023 and for interim periods within those periods. Early adoption is permitted. The Company has not yet determined the impact that this new standard will have on its financial position and results of operations.