Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Stockholders' Equity

v3.23.1
Stockholders' Equity
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2023
Stockholders' Equity  
Stockholders' Equity

Note 6 – Stockholders’ Equity

Common Stock

On November 3, 2022, the holders of a majority of the voting power of the common stock of the Company executed a written consent approving a change in the number of the Company’s authorized shares from 13,500,000 to 50,000,000, with a par value of $0.0001 per share, by filing a Certificate Amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. 700,000 shares were designated as “Class A common stock.” The amendment was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on December 5, 2022 with an effective date of December 6, 2022.

As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were 700,000 shares of Class A common stock held by Fortress. The holders of common stock are entitled to one vote per share of common stock held. The Class A common stockholders are entitled to a number of votes per share equal to 1.1 times a fraction, the numerator of which is the sum of the shares of outstanding common stock and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Class A common stock. Accordingly, the holder of shares of Class A common stock will be able to control or significantly influence all matters requiring approval by our stockholders, including the election of directors and the approval of mergers or other business combination transactions. Each share of Class A common stock is convertible, at the option of the holder thereof, into one (1) fully paid and non-assessable share of common stock subject to adjustment for stock splits and combinations.

In November 2020, the Company filed a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (the “November 2020 Form S-3”), which was declared effective in December 2020 (File No. 333-251005). Under the November 2020 Form S-3, the Company may sell up to a total of $100 million of its securities. In connection with the November 2020 Form S-3, the Company entered into an ATM with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. and H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC (each an “Agent” and collectively, the “Agents”) relating to the sale of shares of common stock. Under the ATM, the Company pays the Agents a commission rate of up to 3.0% of the gross proceeds from the sale of any shares of common stock.

Pursuant to the Founders Agreement, the Company issued 368,907 shares of common stock to Fortress for the Annual Equity Fee, representing 2.5% of the fully diluted outstanding equity of Checkpoint on January 1, 2023 (see Notes 2 and 4).

In February 2023, the Company closed on a registered direct offering for the issuance and sale of an aggregate of 1,180,000 shares of its common stock at a purchase price of $5.25 per share of common stock in a registered direct offering priced at-the-market under Nasdaq rules. In addition, the offering includes 248,572 shares of common stock in the form of Pre-Funded Warrants at a price of $5.2499. In a concurrent private placement, Checkpoint issued and sold Series A warrants to purchase up to 1,428,572 shares of common stock and Series B warrants to purchase up to 1,428,572 shares of common stock. The Series A warrants are exercisable immediately upon issuance and will expire five years following the issuance date and have an exercise price of $5.00 per share and the Series B warrants are exercisable immediately upon issuance and will expire eighteen months following the issuance date and have an exercise price of $5.00 per share. Net proceeds from the February 2023 Registered Direct Offering were $6.7 million after deducting commissions and other transactions. The 1,180,000 shares of common stock and 248,572 shares of common stock in the form of prefunded warrants were registered for sale under the November 2020 Form S-3. The February 2023 Common Stock Warrants met the criteria for equity classification.

In February 2023, the Pre-Funded Warrants from the February 2023 Registered Direct Offering were fully exercised. In March 2023, the Company filed a registration statement on Form S-3 to register the February 2023 Common Stock Warrants, which was declared effective May 5, 2023.

Pursuant to the Founders Agreement, the Company issued to Fortress 2.5% of the aggregate number of shares of common stock issued in the February 2023 Registered Direct Offering noted above. Accordingly, the Company issued 35,714 shares of common stock to Fortress and recorded expense of approximately $156,000 related to this grant, which is included in general and administrative expenses in the Company’s Condensed Statements of Operations for the three months ended March 31, 2023.

As of March 31, 2023, approximately $14.8 million of securities remain available for sale under the November 2020 Form S-3.

In March 2023, the Company filed a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (the “March 2023 Form S-3”), which was declared effective May 5, 2023 (File No. 333-270843). Under the March 2023 Form S-3, the Company may sell up to a total of $150 million of its securities.

The Company may offer the securities under the Form S-3’s from time to time in response to market conditions or other circumstances if it believes such a plan of financing is in the best interests of its stockholders.

Equity Incentive Plan

The Company has in effect the Amended and Restated 2015 Incentive Plan (“2015 Incentive Plan”). The 2015 Incentive Plan was adopted in March 2015 by our stockholders. Under the 2015 Incentive Plan, the compensation committee of the Company’s board of directors is authorized to grant stock-based awards to directors, officers, employees and consultants. An amendment to the 2015 Incentive Plan was approved by holders of a majority of the voting power of the common stock of the Company in December 2022 to increase the shares available for issuance to 3,000,000 shares. The plan expires 10 years from the effective date of the amendment and limits the term of each option to no more than 10 years from the date of grant.

As of March 31, 2023, 706,964 shares are available for issuance under the 2015 Incentive Plan.

Restricted Stock Awards

Certain employees, directors and consultants have been awarded restricted stock. The restricted stock vesting consists of milestone and time-based vesting. The following table summarizes restricted stock award activity for the three months ended March 31, 2023:

Weighted Average

Number of

Grant Date Fair

    

Shares

    

Value  

Non-vested at December 31, 2022

378,897

$

26.15

Granted

958,800

2.25

Forfeited

(4,350)

26.29

Vested

(82,275)

26.73

Non-vested at March 31, 2023

1,251,072

$

7.79

As of March 31, 2023, there was $4.0 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested restricted stock, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.1 years. This amount does not include, as of March 31, 2023, 203,133 shares of restricted stock outstanding which are performance-based and vest upon achievement of certain corporate milestones. The expense for time-based vesting awards is recognized over the vesting period of the award. Stock-based compensation for milestone awards will be measured and recorded if and when it is probable that the milestone will be achieved.

Restricted Stock Units

The following table summarizes restricted stock units activity for the three months ended March 31, 2023:

    

    

Weighted Average

Number of

Grant Date Fair

Shares

Value

Non-vested at December 31, 2022

 

85,000

$

10.50

Granted

 

577,384

 

2.25

Vested

(42,500)

10.50

Non-vested at March 31, 2023

 

619,884

$

2.82

As of March 31, 2023, all restricted stock units outstanding are performance-based and vest upon achievement of certain corporate milestones. The expense for milestone awards will be measured and recorded if and when it is probable that the milestone will be achieved.

Stock Options

The following table summarizes stock option award activity for the three months ended March 31, 2023:

Weighted Average 

Remaining

Weighted Average 

 Contractual Life

    

Stock Options 

    

Exercise Price

    

(in years)

Outstanding as of December 31, 2022

27,000

$

31.35

6.44

Outstanding as of March 31, 2023

27,000

$

31.35

6.19

Vested and exercisable as of March 31, 2023

17,500

$

23.88

6.63

Upon the exercise of stock options, the Company will issue new shares of its common stock.

Warrants

A summary of warrant activities for the three months ended March 31, 2023 is presented below:

Weighted Average 

Remaining

Weighted Average 

Contractual Life

    

Warrants 

    

Exercise Price 

    

(in years)

Outstanding as of December 31, 2022

4,357,597

$

3.37

3.26

Granted

3,191,430

4.65

Exercised

(1,032,816)

Outstanding as of March 31, 2023

6,516,211

$

4.53

3.01

Upon the exercise of warrants, the Company will issue new shares of its common stock.

Stock-Based Compensation

The following table summarizes stock-based compensation expense for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 ($ in thousands):

For the three months ended March 31, 

    

2023

    

2022

Research and development

$

390

$

247

General and administrative

 

579

 

528

Total stock-based compensation expense

$

969

$

775