8. Stock-Based Compensation

2021 Equity Incentive Plan

In January 2022, the Board of Directors and the Company’s stockholders adopted the 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2021 Plan”). The 2021 Plan is administered by the Board of Directors. Vesting periods and other restrictions for grants under the 2021 Plan are determined at the discretion of the Board of Directors. Grants to employees, officers, directors, advisors, and consultants of the Company typically vest immediately, within one or within four years and have a term of 10 years. In addition, the number of shares of stock available for issuance under the 2021 Plan will be automatically increased on the first day of each quarter by 10% of the aggregate number of fully diluted shares of our common stock from the first day of the preceding fiscal quarter to the first day of the current fiscal quarter or such lesser number as determined by our board of directors (the “Evergreen Feature”). As of December 31, 2025, the number of shares of common stock approved for issuance under the 2021 Plan is 576,148 shares.

Under the 2021 Plan, stock options and stock appreciation rights are granted at exercise prices determined by the Board of Directors which cannot be less than 100% of the estimated fair market value of the common stock on the grant date. Incentive stock options granted to any stockholders holding 10% or more of the Company's equity cannot be granted with an exercise price of less than 110% of the estimated fair market value of the common stock on the grant date and such options are not exercisable after five years from the grant date.

As of December 31, 2025, there were 323,208 shares available for future grants under the 2021 Plan.

Restricted Stock Units

As of December 31, 2024, the Company had a total of 2 Rollover restricted stock unit (“RSU”) awards for shares of common stock outstanding. During 2025, the Company issued 2 shares of common stock for 2 Rollover RSUs. As of December 31, 2025, there are no Rollover RSU awards outstanding.

Restricted Stock Awards

On February 11, 2025, there were 4,888 RSAs granted to employees and the Board of Directors, which had a fair value of $0.2 million based on the Company’s stock price on the date of grant. The awards were granted from shares available under the 2021 Plan, with 4,813 shares fully vested on the date of grant and the remaining 75 shares vesting on February 11, 2026.

On October 28, 2025, there were 248,049 RSAs granted to employees, the Board of Directors, and a consultant, which had a fair value of $1.3 million based on the Company’s stock price on the date of grant. The awards were granted from shares available under the 2021 Plan, with 199,215 shares vesting quarterly over one year, and the remaining 48,834 shares vesting on January 28, 2026.

 

The activity related to RSAs during the year ended December 31, 2025 is summarized as follows:

 

 

Number of Shares

 

 

Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value

 

Nonvested at December 31, 2024

 

 

 

 

$

 

Granted

 

 

252,937

 

 

 

6.15

 

Forfeited / cancelled

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vested

 

 

(4,813

)

 

 

46.44

 

Nonvested at December 31, 2025

 

 

248,124

 

 

$

5.29

 

Stock Options

The Company has granted stock options in prior years, all of which are fully vested as of December 31, 2025 and 2024. There were no stock options granted during 2025 and 2024 and there were 2 stock options cancelled during 2025. As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company had 3 and 5 stock options outstanding and exercisable, respectively, which have an exercise price of $6,684. As of December 31, 2025, the weighted average remaining contractual term of the outstanding options is 7.3 years. There was no unrecognized compensation expense related to the outstanding stock options as of December 31, 2025.

Stock-Based Compensation Expense

For the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Company recorded stock-based compensation expense for the periods indicated as follows:

 

Year Ended
December 31,

 

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

General and administrative:

 

 

 

 

 

 

RSA awards

 

$

436,584

 

 

$

 

RSU awards

 

 

-

 

 

 

97,077

 

Stock options

 

 

-

 

 

 

58,857

 

General and administrative stock-based compensation expense

 

 

436,584

 

 

 

155,934

 

Research and development:

 

 

 

 

 

 

RSA awards

 

 

158,784

 

 

 

 

RSU awards

 

 

-

 

 

 

7,759

 

Stock options

 

 

-

 

 

 

5,157

 

Research and development stock-based compensation expense

 

 

158,784

 

 

 

12,916

 

Total stock-based compensation expense

 

$

595,368

 

 

$

168,850

 

 

As of December 31, 2025, there was approximately $1.0 million of unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to RSA grants, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 0.77 years.

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.