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Basis of Accounting Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Basis of Accounting Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Accounting Presentation

Basis of Accounting Presentation


The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). Any reference in these notes to applicable guidance is meant to refer to GAAP as found in the Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) and Accounting Standards Updates (“ASU”) of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”). All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.


As described above, the Merger closed on March 25, 2021. The Merger was accounted for as a reverse acquisition, in which Eterna LLC was deemed the acquiring company for accounting purposes. Eterna LLC’s historical financial statements replaced Eterna’s historical financial statements with respect to periods prior to the completion of the Merger (when Eterna operated under the name “NTN Buzztime, Inc.”). The Company retrospectively adjusted the weighted average shares used in determining loss per common share to reflect the conversion of the outstanding Class A units, Class B units, Class C units, and common units of Eterna LLC that converted into shares of Eterna’s common stock upon consummation of  the Merger and to reflect the effect of a 2-to-1 reverse stock split of Eterna’s common stock that occurred immediately prior to the Merger.


Also as described above, the Novellus Acquisition closed on July 16, 2021. The Novellus Acquisition was accounted for as an asset acquisition, and substantially all of the value was attributed to in-process research and development (“IPR&D”), with the exception of the cash paid for the investment in NoveCite, which has been accounted for as an investment in equity securities. The IPR&D had no alternative future uses and no separate economic value from its originally intended purpose and was therefore expensed at the acquisition date.
October 2022 Reverse Stock Split
October 2022 Reverse Stock Split


As approved by the Company’s stockholders at the Company’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on September 21, 2022, the Company effected a reverse stock split of its common stock at a ratio of 1-for-20, as determined by the Company’s Board of Directors within the parameters approved by the Company’s stockholders (the “October 2022 Reverse Stock Split”).  The October 2022 Reverse Stock Split became effective under Delaware law at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on October 16, 2022.



Upon the effectiveness of the October 2022 Reverse Stock Split, every twenty shares of the issued and outstanding common stock were automatically combined and reclassified into one issued and outstanding share of common stock. The October 2022 Reverse Stock Split did not affect any stockholder’s ownership percentage of the common stock, alter the par value of the common stock or modify any voting rights or other terms of the common stock. The number of authorized shares of common stock under the Charter remains unchanged. No fractional shares were issued in connection with the October Reverse Stock Split. In lieu of any fractional shares to which a stockholder would otherwise be entitled, the Company paid an amount of cash equal to the product of (i) the fractional share to which the holder would otherwise be entitled and (ii) the then fair value of a share as determined in good faith by the Board.  The Company paid an aggregate of $719 for a total of 175 fractional shares.
Use of Estimates
Use of Estimates


The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect: (a) the reported amounts of assets and liabilities; (b) disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements; (c) the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period; and (d) the reported amount of the fair value of assets acquired in connection with business combinations. On an ongoing basis, the Company evaluates its estimates, including those related to the recoverability and useful lives of long-lived assets; stock-based compensation assumptions; valuation assumptions of warrants; contingencies; and the provision for income taxes, including the valuation allowance. The Company bases its estimates on a combination of historical experience and various other assumptions that it believes are reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from these estimates.
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash


The Company classifies highly liquid investments with a remaining contractual maturity at date of purchase of three months or less as cash equivalents. The Company had no cash equivalents as of December 31, 2022 or 2021.


Restricted cash consists of a cash collateralization of $4.1 million for a security deposit in the form of a letter of credit issued by the Company’s commercial bank and delivered to the sublessor of the Sublease. The amount of required restricted cash collateral will decline in parallel with the reduction in the amount of the letter of credit over the term of the Sublease.
Property and Equipment
Property and Equipment


Property and equipment are recorded at cost and are depreciated over their estimated useful lives using the straight-line method. Laboratory and manufacturing equipment are depreciated over an estimated useful life of seven years. Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the shorter of their estimated useful life, or the lease term. Computer equipment are depreciated over an estimated useful life of three years. Upon retirement or other disposition of these assets, the cost and related accumulated depreciation of these assets are removed from the accounts and the resulting gain or losses are reflected in the results of operations. Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are charged to operations. Renewals and betterments are capitalized.
Goodwill
Goodwill


Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of identifiable net assets acquired in the acquisition of IRX Therapeutics, Inc. (“IRX”) in November 2018 (the “IRX Acquisition”), which was accounted for as a business combination. Goodwill is not amortized but is tested for impairment annually or if events occur or circumstances change that would reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying value. Because management evaluates the Company as a single reporting unit, goodwill is tested for impairment at the entity level by first performing a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of the entity is less than its carrying value. Such qualitative factors include macroeconomic conditions, industry and market considerations, cost factors, overall financial performance and other relevant events.  If the entity does not pass the qualitative assessment, then the entity’s carrying value is compared to its fair value. Goodwill is considered impaired if the carrying value of the entity exceeds its fair value.
IPR&D
IPR&D


IPR&D assets represent the fair value assigned to technologies that were acquired in connection with the IRX Acquisition, which have not reached technological feasibility and have no alternative future use. IPR&D assets are considered to be indefinite lived until the completion or abandonment of the associated research and development projects. During the period that the IPR&D assets are considered indefinite-lived, they are tested for impairment on an annual basis or more frequently if the Company becomes aware of any events occurring or changes in circumstances that indicate that the fair value of the IPR&D assets are less than their carrying amounts. If and when development is complete, which generally occurs upon regulatory approval, and the Company is able to commercialize products associated with the IPR&D assets, these assets are then deemed definite-lived and are amortized based on their estimated useful lives beginning at that point in time. If development is terminated or abandoned, the Company may have a full or partial impairment charge related to the IPR&D assets, calculated as the excess of carrying value of the IPR&D assets over fair value.
Research and Development
Research and Development


The Company expenses its research and development costs as incurred. Research and development expenses consist of costs incurred for company-sponsored research and development activities, as well as support for selected investigator-sponsored research. Upfront payments and milestone payments made for the licensing of technology are expensed as research and development in the period in which they are incurred if the technology is not expected to have any alternative future uses other than the specific research and development project for which it was intended. IPR&D that is acquired through an asset acquisition (as opposed to a business combination) and has no alternative future uses and, therefore, no separate economic values, is expensed to research and development costs at the time the costs are incurred.


The major components of research and development costs include preclinical study costs, clinical manufacturing costs, clinical study and trial expenses, insurance coverage for clinical trials, expensed licensed technology, expensed IPR&D, consulting, scientific advisors and other third-party costs, salaries and employee benefits, stock-based compensation expense, supplies and materials and allocations of various overhead costs related to our product development efforts.


The Company has contracted with third parties to perform various clinical study and trial activities in the development and testing of potential products. The financial terms of these agreements vary from contract to contract and may result in uneven payment flows. The Company accrues for third party expenses based on estimates of the services received and efforts expended during the reporting period. If the actual timing of the performance of the services or the level of effort varies from the estimate, the accrual is adjusted accordingly. The expenses for some third-party services may be recognized on a straight-line basis if the expected costs are expected to be incurred ratably during the period. Payments under the contracts depend on factors such as the achievement of certain events or milestones, the successful enrollment of patients, the allocation of responsibilities among the parties to the agreement, and the completion of portions of the clinical study or trial or similar conditions. Preclinical and clinical study and trial associated activities such as production and testing of clinical material require significant up-front expenditures.
Income Taxes
Income Taxes
 

The Company records deferred tax liabilities and assets based on the differences between the consolidated financial statements carrying amounts and the tax basis of assets and liabilities, using enacted tax rates in effect in the years the differences are expected to reverse and establishing a valuation allowance when it was more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets would not be realized. Income tax expense consists of the tax payable for the period and the change during the period in deferred tax assets and liabilities.


Tax benefits from uncertain tax positions are recognized only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized in the consolidated financial statements from such a position are measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate resolution. The Company has no material uncertain tax positions for any of the reporting periods presented.
Loss Per Share
Loss Per Share
 

Basic and diluted loss per common share have been computed by dividing the losses attributable to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding. The Company’s basic and fully diluted loss per share calculations are the same because the increased number of shares that would be included in the diluted calculation from assumed exercise of common stock equivalents would be anti-dilutive to the net loss in each of the years shown in the consolidated financial statements.
Segment Reporting
Segment Reporting
 

The Company’s chief operating decision maker, who is the chief executive officer, reviews operating results on a consolidated basis to make decisions about allocating resources and assessing performance of the Company.  As a result, in accordance with ASC No. 280, Segment Reporting, the Company has determined that it operates as one operating segment.
Concentration of Credit Risk
Concentration of Credit Risk


The Company maintains its cash balances in financial institutions located in the United States. Accounts at each institution are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) up to $250,000. The Company’s cash balances are uninsured for deposit accounts that exceed the FDIC insurance limit.


In the Company’s business, vendor concentrations could be indicative of vulnerabilities in the Company’s supply chain, which could ultimately impact the Company’s ability to continue its research and development activities. For the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, there was no vendor concentration related to the Company’s research and development activities.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
Fair Value of Financial Instruments


Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset, or paid to transfer a liability, in an orderly transaction between willing market participants. A fair value hierarchy has been established for valuation inputs that gives the highest priority to quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs. The fair value hierarchy is as follows:


     Level 1 Inputs – Valued based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the reporting entity has the ability to access at the measurement date.
 

     Level 2 Inputs – Valued based on inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. These might 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, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability (such as interest rates, volatilities, prepayment speeds, credit risks, etc.) or inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by market data by correlation or other means.
 

     Level 3 Inputs – Valued based on inputs for which there is little or no market value, which require the reporting entity to develop its own assumptions.
 

The carrying amounts reported on the balance sheet for cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, prepaid assets and other current assets, accounts payable and accrued expenses, other current liabilities and other liabilities approximate fair value based due to their short maturities.
Leases
Leases


The Company accounts for its leases under ASC Topic 842, Leases. Operating lease liabilities represent the present value of lease payments not yet paid. Right-of-use (“ROU”) assets represent the Company’s right to use an underlying asset and are based upon the operating lease liabilities adjusted for prepaid or accrued lease payments, initial direct costs, lease incentives and impairment of operating lease assets. If the interest rate implicit in the lease is not readily determinable, the Company uses the incremental borrowing rates for collateralized borrowings in an amount equal to the lease payments under similar terms.


The Company has elected the practical expedient to not separate non-lease components from the lease components to which they relate and instead account for each as a single lease component for all underlying asset classes. Some leasing arrangements require variable payments that are dependent on usage or may vary for other reasons, such as payments for insurance, tax payments and other miscellaneous costs. The variable portion of payments contemplated in the lease that do not depend on an index or rate are not included in the ROU assets or lease liabilities. Rather, variable payments that do not depend on an index or rate are expensed when the obligation for those payments is incurred and are included in lease expenses. Accordingly, all expenses associated with a lease contract are accounted for as lease expenses.


The Company has also elected not to recognize ROU and lease liabilities for short-term leases that have a term of 12 months or less.
Commitment and Contingencies
Commitment and Contingencies


The Company follows ASC No.450-20, Loss Contingencies, to report accounting for contingencies. Liabilities for loss contingencies arising from claims, assessments, litigation, fines and penalties, and other sources are recorded when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the assessment can be reasonably estimated.
Stock-Based Compensation
Stock-Based Compensation


The Company recognizes stock-based compensation expense for equity awards granted to employees, directors and certain consultants. The Company estimates the fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The fair value of stock options granted is recognized as expense over the requisite service period on a straight-lined basis.
Warrants
Warrants


The Company accounts for common stock warrants as either equity-classified or liability-classified instruments based on an assessment of the specific terms of the warrants and applicable authoritative guidance in ASC 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity, and ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging. The assessment considers whether the warrants are freestanding financial instruments pursuant to ASC 480, meet the definition of a liability pursuant to ASC 480, or meet all of the requirements for equity classification under ASC 815, including whether the warrants are indexed to the Company’s own stock and whether the holders of the warrants could potentially require net cash settlement in a circumstance outside of the Company’s control, among other conditions for equity classification. This assessment, which requires the use of professional judgment, is conducted at the time of warrant issuance and as of each subsequent quarterly period end date while the warrants are outstanding.
Recent Accounting Standards
Recent Accounting Standards



Newly Adopted Accounting Standards:



In July 2021, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2021-05, Leases (Topic 842) – Lessors - Certain Leases with Variable Lease Payments, which amends the lessor classification guidance to introduce additional criteria when classifying leases with variable lease payments that do not depend on a reference index or a rate. The Company adopted this ASU effective January 1, 2022, which did not have a material impact on its financial statements.


In May 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-04, Earnings Per Share (Topic 260), Debt—Modifications and Extinguishments (Subtopic 470-50), Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718), and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Issuer’s Accounting for Certain Modifications or Exchanges of Freestanding Equity-Classified Written Call Options. ASU 2021-04 addresses the accounting for certain modifications or exchanges of freestanding equity-classified written call options. The Company adopted this ASU effective January 1, 2022, which did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.


In November 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-10, Disclosures by Business Entities about Government Assistance, which requires a business entity to disclose information about certain government assistance that it has received, including (i) the type of assistance, (ii) an entity’s accounting for the assistance and (iii) the effect of the assistance on the entities accounting statements.  The Company adopted this standard effective January 1, 2022, which did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements. The Company has approximately $0.6 million in payroll tax refunds recorded in other receivable on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 pursuant to the Employee Retention Credit program under the CARES Act.



Accounting Standards to be Adopted:



In June 2022, the FASB issued ASU No. 2022-03, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Fair Value Measurement of Equity Securities Subject to Contractual Sale Restrictions (“ASU 2022-03”). The FASB issued ASU 2022-03 to (1) clarify the guidance in Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement, when measuring the fair value of an equity security subject to contractual restrictions that prohibit the sale of an equity security, (2) to amend a related illustrative example, and (3) to introduce new disclosure requirements for equity related securities subject to contractual sale restrictions that are measured at fair value in accordance with Topic 820. ASU 2022-03 clarifies that a contractual restriction on the sale of an equity security is not considered part of the unit of account of the equity security and, therefore, is not considered in measuring fair value. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods within those fiscal years with early adoption permitted. The Company is evaluating when to adopt the amendments in ASU 2022-02. The Company does not expect a material impact as a result of adopting this ASU.