NOTE 5: STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

 

The Company has an equity incentive plan for grants to employees, officers, consultants, directors, and other service providers that was approved in 2021 (the “2021 Plan”). The 2021 Plan provides for the grant of non-qualified stock options, incentive stock options, restricted stock awards, restricted stock units, unrestricted stock awards, stock appreciation rights and other forms of stock-based compensation. The 2021 Plan permits the Company’s board to change the type, terms, and conditions of awards as circumstances may change. This flexibility to adjust the type of compensation to be granted is particularly important given current economic and world events.

 

 

A summary of the stock option activity during the year ended December 31, 2024, is presented in the table below:

  

       Weighted average     
   Number of
options
   Exercise
price
   Remaining
contractual
life
(in years)
   Intrinsic value 
Outstanding as of January 1, 2024   2,050,197   $10.90    7.9   $36,363 
Granted   838,250   $1.54    -   $- 
Forfeited and cancelled   (625)  $-    -   $- 
Outstanding as of December 31, 2024   2,887,822   $8.06    7.6   $- 
Exercisable as of December 31, 2024   1,854,764   $11.54    6.8   $- 
Vested and expected to vest as of December 31, 2024   2,887,822   $8.06    7.6   $- 

 

The following table summarizes the total stock-based compensation expense included in the consolidated statements of operations for the periods presented:

 

 SCHEDULE OF STOCK BASED COMPENSATION EXPENSES 

       
   For the year ended December 31, 
   2024   2023 
Research and development  $624,480   $792,273 
General and administrative   1,681,369    2,173,665 
Total stock-based compensation expense  $2,305,849   $2,965,938 

 

As of December 31, 2024, total compensation cost not yet recognized related to unvested stock options was approximately $1.0 million, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately 1.5 years.

 

The Company estimates the fair value of stock options on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The Black-Scholes option-pricing model requires estimates of highly subjective assumptions, which affect the fair value of each stock option. The weighted average inputs used to measure the value of the options granted during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 are presented in the table below. The weighted average fair value of stock options issued during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 was $1.31 and $1.43 per share, respectively.

  

   2024   2023 
Exercise price  $1.54   $1.70 
Expected term (in years)   5.8    5.8 
Volatility   114.78%   110.9%
Risk free rate   4.0%   3.7%
Dividend yield   0.0%   0.0%

 

The following table presents the exercise price of outstanding stock options as of December 31, 2024:

  

Exercise price  Options
outstanding
 
     
$0.01 - $8.00   1,861,499 
$0.01 - $8.00   1,861,499 
$8.01 - $16.00   992,250 
$16.01 or higher   34,073 
Total   2,887,822 

 

About Stock Compensation Disclosures

Stock-based compensation disclosures detail the equity awards granted to employees and executives — including stock options, restricted stock units (RSUs), and performance shares — along with the valuation methods and assumptions used to expense them. This section reveals the true cost of talent retention and the alignment between management incentives and shareholder interests.

Key signals: total unrecognized compensation expense and its expected recognition period signal future earnings headwinds from already-granted awards. For stock options, examine Black-Scholes assumptions — expected volatility, risk-free rate, and expected term — as understating any of these reduces reported compensation expense. Compare stock compensation expense as a percentage of revenue against peers to assess dilution cost. Watch vesting schedules for acceleration clauses tied to change-of-control events. Performance-based awards with undemanding targets may indicate weak governance. Add back stock compensation to operating cash flow to calculate a more conservative free cash flow figure.