Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Income Taxes

v3.24.1
Income Taxes
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Income Taxes  
Income Taxes

Note 8 - Income Taxes

The Company has accumulated net losses since inception and has not recorded an income tax provision or benefit during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.

A reconciliation of the statutory U.S. federal rate to the Company’s effective tax rate is as follows:

For the Year Ended December 31, 

 

    

2023

    

2022

 

Percentage of pre-tax income:

 

  

 

  

Statutory federal income tax rate

 

21

%  

21

%

State taxes, net of federal tax benefit

 

11

%  

4

%

Credits

 

2

%  

3

%

Change in state tax rate

 

12

%  

(4)

%

Provision to return

 

%  

%

Stock based compensation

 

(1)

%  

%

Change in fair market value of warrant

%  

%  

Other

 

(1)

%  

(3)

%

Change in valuation allowance

 

(43)

%  

(21)

%

Income taxes provision (benefit)

 

%  

%

The components of the net deferred tax asset as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 are the following (in thousands):

As of December 31, 

    

2023

    

2022

Deferred tax assets:

 

  

 

  

Net operating loss carryovers

$

45,000

$

40,456

Stock compensation and other

 

1,384

 

1,066

Amortization of license

 

11,126

 

7,952

Accruals and reserves

 

825

 

463

Tax credits

 

5,105

 

4,112

Start Up Costs

 

24

 

21

Section 174 Capitalization

23,793

10,671

Total deferred tax assets

 

87,257

 

64,741

Less valuation allowance

 

(87,257)

 

(64,741)

Deferred tax asset, net of valuation allowance

$

$

The Company has determined, based upon available evidence, that it is more likely than not that the net deferred tax asset will not be realized and, accordingly, has provided a full valuation allowance against its net deferred tax asset. A valuation allowance of approximately $87.3 million and $64.7 million was recorded for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. As of December 31, 2023, the Company had federal and state net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $166.8 million and $154.2 million, respectively. Approximately $135.6 million of the federal net operating loss carryforwards and $1.7 million of the state net operating loss carryforwards can be carried forward indefinitely. The remaining $31.2 million of federal and $152.5 million of state net operating loss carryforwards will begin to expire, if not utilized, by 2034 and 2034, respectively. The Company has $3.7 million of research and development credit carryforwards and $1.4 million of orphan drug credit carryforwards, which will begin to expire, if not utilized, by 2034. Utilization of the net operating loss and credit carryforwards may be subject to an annual limitation due to the ownership change limitations provided by Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and similar state provisions. The Company has not completed an analysis to determine whether any such limitations have been triggered as of December 31, 2023. The Company has no income tax affect due to the recognition of a full valuation allowance on the expected tax benefits of future loss carry forwards based on uncertainty surrounding realization of such assets.

There are no significant matters determined to be unrecognized tax benefits taken or expected to be taken in a tax return, in accordance with ASC 740, which clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in the financial statements, that have been recorded on the Company’s financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. The Company does not anticipate a material change to unrecognized tax benefits in the next twelve months.

Additionally, ASC 740 provides guidance on the recognition of interest and penalties related to income taxes. There were no interest or penalties related to income taxes that have been accrued or recognized as of and for the period ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. The Company would classify interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions as income tax expense, if applicable.

The federal and state tax returns for the periods ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022 are currently open for examination under the applicable federal and state income tax statues of limitations.

Beginning with the 2022 tax year, the Company is required to capitalize research and development expenses for tax purposes as defined under Internal Revenue Code Section 174. For expenses that are incurred for research and development in the U.S., the amounts will be amortized over 5 years, and for expenses that are incurred for research and development outside the U.S., the amounts will be amortized over 15 years.