Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Stock-based Compensation

v3.23.1
Stock-based Compensation
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2022
Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]  
Stock-based Compensation

4. Stock-based Compensation

 

The Company recognized stock-based compensation on all employee and non-employee awards as follows:

 

    For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2022     For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2021  
Research and development   $ 39,455     $ 30,927  
General and administrative     50,792       1,092,834  
Total Stock-based compensation   $ 90,247     $ 1,123,761  

 

The following table summarizes the stock option activity during the three months ended March 31, 2022:

 

    Number of Shares     Weighted Average
Exercise Price
    Weighted Average
Remaining
Contractual Term
(In Years)
    Aggregate
Intrinsic Value(1)
 
Outstanding at December 31, 2021     6,724,402     $ 0.95       7.99     $ 2,773  
Granted                     $  
Exercised                     $  
Forfeited     (54,498 )     1.53           $  
Outstanding at March 31, 2022     6,669,904     $ 0.95       7.75     $  
                                 
Exercisable at March 31, 2022     5,961,568     $ 0.96       7.61     $  

 

(1) The aggregate intrinsic value is calculated as the difference between the exercise price of the underlying stock option awards and the closing market price of our common stock as of December 31, 2021 and March 31, 2022, respectively.

 

Total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested stock options was $311,534 as of March 31, 2022 and is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of less than two years.

 

On February 25, 2022, the Company held its reconvened Annual Meeting. At the Annual Meeting, the shareholders of the Company approved and ratified the Company’s 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2021 Plan”) Which is a successor to the Company’s 2012 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2012 Plan”). The 2021 Plan was originally approved by the Company’s Board of Directors on March 13, 2021. The 2021 Plan provides the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued under the 2021 Plan will not exceed the sum of (i) 10,000,000 new shares, (ii) the number of shares remaining available for the grant of new awards under the 2012 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2012 Plan”) as of immediately prior to the effective date of the 2021 Plan, and (iii) certain shares subject to outstanding awards granted under the 2012 Plan that may become available for issuance under the 2021 Plan, as such shares become available from time to time. As of March 31, 2022, 10,582,806 shares of common stock are available for future awards under the 2021 Plan.

 

Each executive officer and non-employee director receiving equity-based awards is subject to a minimum dollar value stock ownership holding requirement with respect to the awards received as well as all prior equity awards under the Plan which requirements are intended to align the ability to sell shares with the performance of the Company’s stock price. The executive officer recipients each have a minimum dollar value stock ownership holding requirement threshold equal to two times (2x) their then base salaries below which dollar threshold they would be precluded from selling any shares of Company stock obtained from the Company under its Plan. Also, the non-employee directors are each subject to a minimum dollar value stock ownership holding requirement threshold equal to six times the annual Board retainer ($270,000) below which dollar threshold they would be precluded from selling shares of Company stock acquired from the Company under its Plan.