GeoVax Labs Inc
For the period ended Dec 31, 2023. Filed Feb 29, 2024.
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FY2023 · Filed Feb 29, 2024
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Item 16. FORM 10-K SUMMARY
None.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| GEOVAX LABS, INC. | |
| By: | /s/ David A. Dodd |
| Name: | David A. Dodd |
| Title: | President and Chief Executive Officer |
| Date: | February 29, 2024 |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been duly signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| Name | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|
| /s/ David A. Dodd | Director President and Chief Executive Officer | February 29, 2024 |
| David A. Dodd | (Principal Executive Officer) | |
| /s/ Mark W. Reynolds | Chief Financial Officer | February 29, 2024 |
| Mark W. Reynolds | (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | |
| /s/ Randal D. Chase | Director | February 29, 2024 |
| Randal D. Chase | ||
| /s/ Dean G. Kollintzas | Director | February 29, 2024 |
| Dean G. Kollintzas | ||
| /s/ Nicole Lemerond | Director | February 29, 2024 |
| Nicole Lemerond | ||
| /s/ Robert T. McNally | Director | February 29, 2024 |
| Robert T. McNally | ||
| /s/ Jayne Morgan | Director | February 29, 2024 |
| Jayne Morgan | ||
| /s/ John N. Spencer, Jr. | Director | February 29, 2024 |
| John N. Spencer, Jr. | ||
INDEX TO 2023 CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
| Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm | F-2 |
|---|---|
| Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 | F-4 |
| Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 | F-5 |
| Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 | F-6 |
| Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 | F-7 |
| Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements | F-8 |
| Financial Statement Schedule: | |
| Schedule II – Valuation and Qualifying Accounts for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 | F-16 |
| 235 Peachtree Street NE Suite 1800 Atlanta, GA 30303 | 404 588 4200 wipfli.com |
To the Stockholders and the Board of Directors of GeoVax Labs, Inc.
Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of GeoVax Labs, Inc. and subsidiary (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the related consolidated statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the years then ended and the related notes to the consolidated financial statements and schedule (collectively, the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Emphasis of a Matter
Substantial Doubt about the Company’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company expects to continue to generate operating losses in the foreseeable future and will require additional funding to continue its research and development activities. This raises substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Critical Audit Matters
Critical audit matters are matters arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. We determined that there were no critical audit matters.
/s/WIPFLI LLP
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2005.
Atlanta, Georgia
February 29, 2024
GEOVAX LABS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
| December 31, | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2022 | |
| ASSETS | ||
| Current assets: | ||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $6,452,589 | $27,612,732 |
| Prepaid expenses | 1,433,153 | 1,325,998 |
| Total current assets | 7,885,742 | 28,938,730 |
| Property and equipment, net | 209,689 | 234,912 |
| Other assets | 1,187,788 | 2,174,286 |
| Total assets | $9,283,219 | $31,347,928 |
| LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY | ||
| Current liabilities: | ||
| Accounts payable | $2,802,950 | $1,747,682 |
| Accrued expenses | 716,931 | 3,000,212 |
| Total current liabilities | 3,519,881 | 4,747,894 |
| Commitments (Note 4) | ||
| Stockholders’ equity: | ||
| Common stock, $.001 par value: | ||
| Issued and outstanding shares – 1,977,152 and 1,755,664 at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively | 1,977 | 1,756 |
| Additional paid-in capital | 110,125,146 | 104,995,301 |
| Accumulated deficit | (104,363,785) | (78,397,023) |
| Total stockholders’ equity | 5,763,338 | 26,600,034 |
| Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity | $9,283,219 | $31,347,928 |
GEOVAX LABS. INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
| Years Ended December 31, | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 · 2022 | |||
| Grant revenue | $ | - | $81,526 |
| Operating expenses: | |||
| Research and development | 20,720,766 | 9,123,479 | |
| General and administrative | 6,022,173 | 4,986,611 | |
| Total operating expenses | 26,742,939 | 14,110,090 | |
| Loss from operations | (26,742,939) | (14,028,564) | |
| Other income: | |||
| Interest income | 776,177 | 7,439 | |
| Net loss | $(25,966,762) | $(14,021,125) | |
| Basic and diluted: | |||
| Net loss per common share | $(14.29) | $(12.39) | |
| Weighted average shares outstanding | 1,817,282 | 1,131,546 | |
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’** EQUITY**
| Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Stock · Additional · Accumulated · Stockholders’ | |||||
| Shares | Amount | Paid-in Capital | Deficit | Equity | |
| Balance at December 31, 2021 | 425,436 | $426 | $68,737,176 | $(64,375,898) | $4,361,704 |
| Sale of common stock and warrants for cash | 117,166 | 117 | 27,727,077 | - | 27,727,194 |
| Issuance of common stock upon warrant exercise | 1,203,495 | 1,203 | 7,624,931 | - | 7,626,134 |
| Issuance of common stock for services | 9,567 | 10 | 132,740 | - | 132,750 |
| Stock option expense | - | - | 773,377 | - | 773,377 |
| Net loss for the year ended December 31, 2022 | - | - | - | (14,021,125) | (14,021,125) |
| Balance at December 31, 2022 | 1,755,664 | 1,756 | 104,995,301 | (78,397,023) | $26,600,034 |
| Issuance of common stock upon warrant exercise | 197,467 | 197 | 4,062,245 | - | 4,062,442 |
| Issuance of common stock for services | 24,021 | 24 | 212,476 | - | 212,500 |
| Stock option expense | - | - | 855,124 | - | 855,124 |
| Net loss for the year ended December 31, 2023 | - | - | - | (25,966,762) | (25,966,762) |
| Balance at December 31, 2023 | 1,977,152 | $1,977 | $110,125,146 | $(104,363,785) | $5,763,338 |
GEOVAX LABS. INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
| Years Ended December 31, | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2022 | |
| Cash flows from operating activities: | ||
| Net loss | $(25,966,762) | $(14,021,125) |
| Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: | ||
| Depreciation and amortization | 74,169 | 56,284 |
| Stock-based compensation expense | 1,074,957 | 902,074 |
| Changes in assets and liabilities: | ||
| Grant funds receivables | - | 49,006 |
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets | (114,488) | (1,165,705) |
| Other assets | 986,498 | (2,163,276) |
| Accounts payable and accrued expenses | (1,228,013) | (2,687,466) |
| Total adjustments | 793,123 | (5,009,083) |
| Net cash used in operating activities | (25,173,639) | (19,030,208) |
| Cash flows from investing activities: | ||
| Purchase of equipment | (48,946) | (134,258) |
| Net cash used in investing activities | (48,946) | (134,258) |
| Cash flows from financing activities: | ||
| Net proceeds from sale of common stock and warrants | - | 27,727,194 |
| Net proceeds from warrant exercises | 4,062,442 | 7,626,134 |
| Net cash provided by financing activities | 4,062,442 | 35,353,328 |
| Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | (21,160,143) | 16,188,862 |
| Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period | 27,612,732 | 11,423,870 |
| Cash and cash equivalents at end of period | $6,452,589 | $27,612,732 |
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
| 1. | Nature of Business |
GeoVax Labs, Inc., headquartered in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area, is a clinical-stage biotechnology company incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware. GeoVax Labs, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary, GeoVax, Inc., a Georgia corporation, are collectively referred to herein as “GeoVax” or the “Company”.
The Company is focused on developing immunotherapies and vaccines against cancers and infectious diseases using novel vector vaccine platforms. GeoVax’s product pipeline includes ongoing human clinical trials for a next-generation Covid-19 vaccine and a gene-directed therapy for advanced head and neck cancer. Additional preclinical research and development programs include preventive vaccines against Mpox (monkeypox), hemorrhagic fever viruses (Ebola Zaire, Ebola Sudan, Marburg, and Lassa Fever) Zika virus, and malaria, as well as immunotherapies for solid tumors.
| 2. | Summary of Significant Accounting Policies |
Principles of Consolidation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of GeoVax Labs, Inc. together with GeoVax, Inc. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
Basis of Presentation and Going Concern
We believe that our existing cash resources will be sufficient to continue our planned operations into the second quarter of 2024. We are devoting substantially all of our present efforts to research and development of our vaccine and immunotherapy candidates and will require additional funding to continue these activities. We plan to pursue additional cash resources through public or private equity or debt financings, government grants/contracts, arrangements with strategic partners, or from other sources. There can be no assurance that additional funding will be available on favorable terms or at all. These factors collectively raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year from the date these financial statements are issued. Management believes that we will be successful in securing the additional capital required to continue the Company’s planned operations, but that our plans do not fully alleviate the substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to operate as a going concern.
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that we will continue as a going concern, which contemplates realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business for the twelve-month period following the issue date of these financial statements. The financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification of recorded asset amounts or the amounts and classification of liabilities that might result from the outcome of the uncertainties described above.
The accompanying consolidated financial statements, and all share and per share information contained herein, have been retroactively restated to reflect the reverse stock split described in Note 10.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) requires us 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 revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results may differ from those estimates.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
We consider all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. Our cash and cash equivalents consist primarily of bank deposits and money market accounts. The recorded values approximate fair market values due to the short maturities.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments and Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that subject us to concentration of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, which are maintained by high credit quality financial institutions. The carrying values reported in the balance sheets for cash and cash equivalents approximate fair values.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are charged to operations as incurred, while additions and improvements are capitalized. We calculate depreciation using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets (generally 5 years). We amortize leasehold improvements using the straight-line method over the term of the related lease.
We recognize leases in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2016-02,Leases (ASU 2016-02), which requires lessees to classify leases as either financing or operating leases based on the principle of whether or not the lease is effectively a financed purchase by the lessee. This classification determines whether lease expense is recognized based on an effective interest method or on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease, respectively. A lessee is also required to record a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for all leases with a term of greater than 12 months regardless of their classification. In the case of our facility lease agreement which has an effective term of less than 12 months, we made an accounting policy election to not recognize lease assets and liabilities and record lease expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
We review long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of the assets to the future net cash flows expected to be generated by such assets. If we consider such assets to be impaired, the impairment to be** **recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the expected future net cash flows from the assets.
Accrued Expenses
As part of the process of preparing our financial statements, we estimate expenses that we believe we have incurred, but have not yet been billed by our third-party vendors. This process involves identifying services and activities that have been performed by such vendors on our behalf and estimating the level to which they have been performed and the associated cost incurred for such service as of each balance sheet date.
Net Loss Per Share
Basic and diluted loss per common share are computed based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding, including prefunded warrants outstanding as of December 31, 2023. The Company’s additional potentially dilutive securities, which include stock options and stock purchase warrants, have been excluded from the computation of diluted net loss per share as the effect would be antidilutive. The securities that could potentially dilute basic earnings per share in the future and that have been excluded from the computation of diluted net loss per share totaled 1,731,391 and 1,029,529 shares at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Revenue Recognition
We recognize revenue in accordance with FASB Accounting Standards Update 2014-09,Revenue from Contracts with Customers (ASU 2014-09), which created a new Topic, Accounting Standards Codification Topic 606. The standard is principle-based and provides a five-step model to determine when and how revenue is recognized. The core principle is that an entity should recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services.
We have received payments from government entities under non-refundable grants in support of our vaccine development programs. We record revenue associated with these grants when the reimbursable costs are incurred and we have complied with all conditions necessary to receive the grant funds. From time to time, we may enter into collaborative research and development agreements for specific vaccine development approaches and/or disease indications whereby we receive third-party funding for preclinical research under certain of these arrangements. Each agreement is evaluated in accordance with the process defined by ASU 2014-09 and revenue is recognized accordingly.
Research and Development Expense
Research and development costs are charged to expense as incurred and consist of costs incurred in the discovery, development, testing and manufacturing of our product candidates. These expenses consist primarily of (i) salaries, benefits, and stock-based compensation for personnel, (ii) laboratory supplies and facility-related expenses to conduct development, (iii) fees paid to third-party service providers to perform, monitor and accumulate data related to our preclinical studies and clinical trials, (iv) costs related to sponsored research agreements, (v) costs to procure and manufacture materials used in clinical trials, and (vi) license fees and other expenses associated with technology license agreements.
We accrue for estimated costs of research and development activities conducted by third-party service providers, which may include the conduct of preclinical studies and clinical trials, and contract manufacturing activities. When evaluating the adequacy of the accrued liabilities, we analyze progress of the studies or trials, including clinical trial participant enrollment, completion of events, invoices received and other events. Advance payments for research and development activities are deferred and included in prepaid expenses and other assets. The deferred amounts are expensed as the related goods are delivered or the services are performed.
Patent Costs
Our expenditures relating to obtaining and protecting patents are charged to expense when incurred and are included in general and administrative expense.
Period-to-Period Comparisons
Our operating results are expected to fluctuate for the foreseeable future. Therefore, period-to-period comparisons should not be relied upon as predictive of the results for future periods.
Income Taxes
We account for income taxes using the liability method. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted rates in effect for the year in which temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance unless, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will be realized.
Stock-Based Compensation
We account for stock-based transactions in which the Company receives services from employees, directors or others in exchange for equity instruments based on the fair value of the award at the grant date. Stock-based compensation cost for awards of common stock is estimated based on the price of the underlying common stock on the date of issuance. Stock-based compensation cost for stock options or warrants is estimated at the grant date based on each instrument’s fair value as calculated by the Black-Scholes option pricing model. We recognize stock-based compensation cost as expense ratably on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period for the award. See Note 6 for additional stock-based compensation information.
Other Recent Accounting Pronouncements
There have been no recent accounting pronouncements or changes in accounting pronouncements which we expect to have a material impact on our financial statements, nor do we believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards if currently adopted would have a material effect on our financial statements.
| 3. | Balance Sheet Components |
Prepaid Expenses – Prepaid expenses consist of the following as of December 31, 2023 and 2022:
| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Prepaid clinical trial costs (current portion) | $1,282,746 | $1,171,077 |
| Prepaid insurance premiums | 110,695 | 107,876 |
| Prepaid rent | 13,045 | 13,045 |
| Other prepaid expenses | 26,667 | 34,000 |
| Total prepaid expenses | $1,433,153 | $1,325,998 |
Property and Equipment – Property and equipment consist of the following as of December 31, 2023 and 2022:
| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment and furnishings | $774,758 | $725,812 |
| Leasehold improvements | 115,605 | 115,605 |
| Total property and equipment | 890,363 | 841,417 |
| Accumulated depreciation and amortization | (680,674) | (606,505) |
| Total property and equipment, net | $209,689 | $234,912 |
Depreciation expense was $74,169 and $56,284 during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Other Assets – Other assets consist of the following as of December 31, 2023 and 2022:
| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Prepaid clinical trial costs (noncurrent portion) | $1,106,778 | $2,083,276 |
| Prepaid technology license fees | 70,000 | 80,000 |
| Deposits | 11,010 | 11,010 |
| Total other assets | $1,187,788 | $2,174,286 |
Accrued Expenses – Accrued expenses consist of the following as of December 31, 2023 and 2022:
| 2023 · 2022 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Accrued license fees | $ | - | $2,000,000 |
| Payroll-related liabilities | 114,337 | 550,810 | |
| Other accrued expenses | 602,594 | 449,402 | |
| Total accrued expenses | $716,931 | $3,000,212 | |
| 4. | Commitments |
Operating Lease. * *We lease approximately 8,400 square feet of office and laboratory space pursuant to an operating lease which expires on December 31, 2025. Rent expense for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 was $182,106 and $176,797, respectively. Future minimum lease payments total approximately $187,000 in 2024 and $193,000 in 2025 although the lease may be terminated at any time by either party with one hundred eighty days written notice.
License Agreements. * *We have entered into license agreements for various technologies and patent rights associated with our product development activities. These agreements may contain provisions for upfront payments, milestone fees due upon the achievement of selected development and regulatory events, minimum annual royalties or other fees, and royalties based on future net sales. Due to the uncertainty of the achievement and timing of the contingent events requiring payment under these agreements, the amounts to be paid by us in the future are not determinable.
Other Commitments. In the normal course of business we enter into various contracts and purchase commitments including those with contract research organizations (“CROs”) and contract manufacturing organizations (“CMOs”) for clinical trials services and production of materials for use in our clinical trials. Most contracts are generally cancellable, with notice, at the Company’s option. Payments due upon cancellation may consist of payments for services provided or expenses incurred to date, or cancellation penalties depending on the time of cancellation.
5. ** Stockholders**’** Equity**
January 2022 Private Placement – On January 19, 2022, we closed a private placement of 47,166 shares of common stock, a pre-funded warrant to purchase 157,333 shares of common stock for a nominal exercise price per share and a warrant to purchase 204,499 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $48.90 per share (the “January 2022 Warrant”). Net proceeds after deducting placement agent commissions and other offering expenses were approximately $9.2 million. During March 2022, the pre-funded warrant was exercised in full.
May 2022 Private Placement – On May 27, 2022, we closed a private placement of 70,000 shares of common stock, a pre-funded warrant to purchase 738,080 shares of common stock for a nominal exercise price per share, and a warrant to purchase 808,081 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $24.75 per share (the “May 2022 Warrant”). Net proceeds after deducting placement agent commissions and other offering expenses were approximately $18.5 million. The pre-funded warrant was exercised as to 132,020 shares concurrent with the closing and as to the remaining 606,060 shares during June and July of 2022. During August 2022, the May 2022 Warrant was exercised as to 308,081 shares, resulting in net proceeds to us of approximately $7,626,000.
December 2023 Warrant Exercise Inducement – On December 2, 2023, we entered into a warrant exercise inducement letter with the holder of the January 2022 Warrant and the May 2022 Warrant, pursuant to which the holder agreed to fully exercise each warrant (aggregate of 704,499 shares) at a reduced exercise price of $6.21 per share in consideration for our agreement to issue a new warrant (the “December 2023 Warrant”) to purchase 1,408,998 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $6.21 per share. Upon exercise of their existing warrants, at the holder’s direction we issued to them 197,467 shares of common stock and held 507,032 shares in abeyance (in the form of a prefunded warrant). Net proceeds to us after deducting placement agent commissions and other offering expenses were approximately $4.1 million.
Other Common Stock Transactions – During 2023 and 2022 we issued 24,021 and 9,567 shares, respectively, of our common stock pursuant to consulting agreements.
Common Stock Reserved for Future Issuance – Common stock reserved for future issuance consists of the following at December 31, 2023:
| Shares | |
|---|---|
| Stock warrants outstanding | 2,103,814 |
| Stock options outstanding | 134,609 |
| Stock options authorized for future grants | 200,000 |
| Total | 2,438,423 |
Stock Options
We have two stock-based incentive plans (the “Stock Incentive Plans”) pursuant to which our Board of Directors may grant stock options or other stock awards to our employees, directors and consultants. A total of 334,609 shares of our common stock are currently reserved for issuance pursuant to the Stock Incentive Plans. The exercise price for any option granted may not be less than fair value (110% of fair value for ISO’s granted to certain employees). Options have a maximumten-year term.
A summary of the Company’s stock option activity during 2023 is presented below.
| Number of Shares · Weighted- Average Exercise Price · Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Term (yrs) · Aggregate Intrinsic Value | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outstanding at December 31, 2022 | 137,276 | $28.35 | 9.2 | $-0- | |
| Granted | - | - | |||
| Exercised | - | - | |||
| Forfeited or expired | (2,667) | 22.82 | |||
| Outstanding at December 31, 2023 | 134,609 | $28.41 | 8.2 | $ | - |
| Exercisable at December 31, 2023 | 97,184 | $32.35 | 7.9 | $ | - |
Stock Warrants
The table below summarizes information concerning warrants outstanding as of December 31, 2023.
| Issue Date | Number of Shares | Exercise Price | Expiration |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 2020 | 8,000 | $6.21 | June 2025 |
| September 2020 | 159,781 | 75.00 | September 2025 |
| September 2020 | 8,534 | 82.50 | March 2024 |
| February 2021 | 4,800 | 103.13 | August 2024 |
| September 2021 | 6,668 | 195.00 | September 2026 |
| December 2023 | 507,032 | -0- | - |
| December 2023 | 1,408,998 | 6.21 | June 2029 |
| Outstanding at December 31, 2022 | 2,103,813 | ||
As a result of anti-dilution price adjustments related to our equity transactions in December 2023, the exercise price of the June 2020 Warrants was reduced from $24.75 to $6.21 during 2023.
| 6. | Stock-Based Compensation Expense |
Stock-based compensation expense related to stock options is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period for the award and is allocated to research and development expense or general and administrative expense based upon the classification of the individual to whom the award is granted.
We use the Black-Scholes model for determining the grant date fair value of our stock option grants. This model utilizes certain information, such as the interest rate on a risk-free security with a term generally equivalent to the expected life of the option being valued and requires certain other assumptions, such as the expected amount of time an option will be outstanding until it is exercised or expired, to calculate the fair value of stock options granted. We granted no stock options during 2023. The significant assumptions we used in our fair value calculations for stock options granted during 2022 were as follows:
| Weighted average risk-free interest rates | 3.54% |
|---|---|
| Expected dividend yield | 0.0% |
| Expected life of option (in years) | 7.0 |
| Expected volatility | 160.0% |
The weighted-average grant date fair values of stock options granted during 2023 and 2022 were $-0- and $10.98, respectively. As of December 31, 2023, there is $554,592 of unrecognized compensation expense that will be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.5 years.
We also have issued shares of restricted common stock to consultants and recognize the related expense over the terms of the related agreements. As of December 31, 2023, there is $16,667 recorded as a prepaid expense for these arrangements, which will be recognized as expense over the terms of the related agreements.
The following table summarizes our total stock-based compensation expense for employees, directors and consultants for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:
| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Stock options: | ||
| Research and development | $291,094 | $225,031 |
| General and administrative | 564,030 | 548,346 |
| Total stock option expense | 855,124 | 773,377 |
| Stock awards (consultants): | ||
| General and administrative | 219,833 | 128,697 |
| Total stock-based compensation expense | $1,074,957 | $902,074 |
| 7. | Retirement Plan |
We participate in a multi-employer defined contribution retirement plan (the “401k Plan”) administered by a third-party service provider, and the Company contributes to the 401k Plan on behalf of its employees based upon a matching formula. During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 our contributions to the 401k Plan were $95,658 and $53,643, respectively.
| 8. | Income Taxes |
At December 31, 2023, we have a consolidated federal net operating loss (“NOL”) carryforward of approximately $98.2 million available to offset against future taxable income of which approximately $33.2 million expires in varying amounts in 2024 through 2037. Additionally, we have approximately $3.9 million in research and development (“R&D”) tax credits that expire in 2024 through 2043 unless utilized earlier. No income taxes have been paid to date. Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code contains provisions that may limit our utilization of our NOL and R&D tax credit carryforwards in any given year as a result of significant changes in ownership interests that have occurred in past periods or may occur in future periods.
Deferred income taxes reflect the net effect of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. We have established a full valuation allowance equal to the amount of our net deferred tax assets due to uncertainties with respect to our ability to generate sufficient taxable income to realize these assets in the future. The table below presents significant components of our deferred tax assets and liabilities at December 31, 2023 and 2022.
| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Deferred tax assets: | ||
| Net operating loss carryforward | $25,527,210 | $19,764,569 |
| Research and development tax credit carryforward | 3,870,460 | 2,202,603 |
| Stock-based compensation expense | 552,886 | 330,553 |
| Accrued expenses | 29,728 | 663,211 |
| Total deferred tax assets | 29,980,284 | 22,960,936 |
| Deferred tax liabilities | ||
| Depreciation | 45,122 | 51,466 |
| Net deferred tax assets | 29,935,162 | 22,909,470 |
| Valuation allowance | (29,935,162) | (22,909,470) |
| Net deferred tax asset after reduction for valuation allowance | $-0- | $-0- |
A reconciliation of the U.S. federal income tax rate to the Company’s effective tax rate is as follows:
| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. federal statutory rate applied to pretax loss | 21.0% | 21.0% |
| State income tax (benefit) | 3.9 | 3.9 |
| Permanent differences | (0.0) | (0.0) |
| NOL carryforward expiration | (4.3) | (15.6) |
| R&D tax credits, net of expiration | 6.4 | 4.6 |
| Change in valuation allowance and other adjustments | (27.0) | (13.9) |
| Effective tax rate | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 9. | Grant Revenue |
During 2022 we received payments from government entities under our grants from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and from the U.S. Department of Defense in support of our vaccine research and development efforts. We record revenue associated with government grants as the reimbursable costs are incurred. Total revenues recorded for these grants during 2022 was $81,526. No grant payments were received in 2023. All funds available under these grants for our direct use have been utilized.
| 10. | Subsequent Events |
Reverse Stock Split and Reduction of Authorized Shares of Common Stock
At a special meeting of our stockholders held on January 16, 2024, our stockholders approved an amendment to our certificate of incorporation to (i) reduce our authorized shares of common stock from 600,000,000 to 150,000,000 and (ii) effect a one-for-fifteen reverse split of our common stock. The amendment to our certificate of incorporation was filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on January 30, 2024 and our common stock began trading on the split-adjusted basis on January 31, 2024. The roundup of fractional shares associated with the reverse stock split resulted in the issuance of an additional 55,385 shares of common stock. The accompanying consolidated financial statements, and all share and per share information contained herein, have been retroactively restated to reflect the reverse stock split.
Common Stock Transactions
In January 2024, we issued 6,702 shares of our common stock pursuant to a consulting agreement. In February 2024, we issued 133,302 shares of our common stock pursuant to the exercise of prefunded warrants.
SCHEDULE II–** VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS**
For the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
| Additions (Reductions) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Description | Balance at Beginning Of Period | Charged to Costs and Expenses | Charged to Other Accounts | Deductions | Balance at End Of Period |
| Reserve Deducted in the Balance Sheet From the Asset to Which it Applies: | |||||
| Allowance for Deferred Tax Assets | |||||
| Year ended December 31, 2023 | $22,909,470 | $7,025,692 | $-0- | $-0- | $29,935,162 |
| Year ended December 31, 2022 | $20,184,457 | $2,725,013 | $-0- | $-0- | $22,909,470 |
The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.