10-Q

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

☒ QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

FOR THE QUARTERLY PERIOD ENDED March 31, 2022

☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM                      TO                     

Commission file number: 001-33185

MEDICINOVA, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	33-0927979
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
4275 Executive Square, Suite 300 La Jolla, CA	92037
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)	(Zip Code)

(858) 373-1500

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Common Stock, $0.001 par value	MNOV	The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
(Title of each class)	(Trading symbol(s))	(Name of each exchange on which registered)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).    Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “accelerated filer”, “large accelerated filer”, “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.:

Large accelerated filer	☐	Accelerated filer	☐
Non-accelerated filer	☒	Smaller reporting company	☒

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes  ☐    No  ☒

As of May 12, 2022, the registrant had 49,046,246 shares of Common Stock ($0.001 par value) outstanding.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This quarterly report on Form 10-Q, in particular "Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," and the information incorporated by reference herein contains “forward-looking statements”. The forward-looking statements are contained principally in the sections titled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” but are also contained elsewhere in this report. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts and, in some cases, can be identified by terms such as "believe," "may," "will," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "design," "intend," "expect," "could," "plan," "potential," "predict," "seek," "should," "would" or the negative version of these words and similar expressions.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including those described in "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in this report. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Also, forward-looking statements represent our beliefs and assumptions only as of the date of this report. Considering the significant uncertainties in these forward-looking statements, you should not regard these statements as a representation or warranty by us or any other person that we will achieve our objectives and plans in any specified time frame, or at all. You should read this report completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect.

The following factors are among those that may cause actual results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements:

• Inability to raise additional capital if needed;

• Inability to generate revenues from product sales to continue business operations;

• Inability to develop and commercialize our product candidates;

• Failure or delay in completing clinical trials or obtaining Food and Drug Administration or foreign regulatory approval for our product candidates in a timely manner;

• Unsuccessful clinical trials stemming from clinical trial designs, failure to enroll a sufficient number of patients, undesirable side effects and other safety concerns;

• Inability to demonstrate sufficient efficacy of product candidates;

• Reliance on the success of our MN-166 (ibudilast) and MN-001 (tipelukast) product candidates;

• Delays in commencement or completion of clinical trials or suspension or termination of clinical trials;

• Loss of our licensed rights to develop and commercialize a product candidate as a result of the termination of the underlying licensing agreement;

• Competitors may develop products rendering our product candidates obsolete and noncompetitive;

• The widespread outbreak of an illness or any other communicable disease, such as COVID-19, which has lead to key employees becoming ill for a period of time;

• Inability to successfully attract partners and enter into collaborations on acceptable terms;

• Dependence on third parties to conduct clinical trials and to manufacture product candidates;

• Dependence on third parties to market and distribute products;

• Our product candidates, if approved, may not gain market acceptance or obtain adequate coverage for third party reimbursement;

• Disputes or other developments concerning our intellectual property rights;

• Actual and anticipated fluctuations in our quarterly or annual operating results;

• Price and volume fluctuations in the overall stock markets;

• Litigation or public concern about the safety of our potential products;

• International trade or foreign exchange restrictions, increased tariffs, foreign currency exchange;

• High quality material for our products may become difficult to obtain or expensive;

• Strict government regulations on our business;

• Regulations governing the production or marketing of our product candidates;

• Loss of, or inability to attract, key personnel; and

• Economic, political, foreign exchange and other risks associated with international operations.

2

MEDICINOVA, INC.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION		4
ITEM 1.	CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited)	4
ITEM 2.	MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS	15
ITEM 3.	QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK	19
ITEM 4.	CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES	19
PART II. OTHER INFORMATION		20
ITEM 1.	LEGAL PROCEEDINGS	20
ITEM 1A.	RISK FACTORS	20
ITEM 2.	UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS	20
ITEM 3.	DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES	20
ITEM 4.	MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES	20
ITEM 5.	OTHER INFORMATION	20
ITEM 6.	EXHIBITS	21
SIGNATURES		22

3

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

MEDICINOVA, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(Unaudited)

	March 31,			December 31,
	2022			2021
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	67,695,253		$	71,430,954
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		1,135,900			577,992
Total current assets		68,831,153			72,008,946
Goodwill		9,600,240			9,600,240
In-process research and development		4,800,000			4,800,000
Property and equipment, net		53,002			57,565
Right-of-use asset		779,036			824,215
Other non-current assets		111,756			115,492
Total assets	$	84,175,187		$	87,406,458
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	$	665,249		$	402,740
Accrued liabilities and other current liabilities		2,147,047			2,298,203
Operating lease liability		163,945			131,965
Total current liabilities		2,976,241			2,832,908
Deferred tax liability		201,792			201,792
Other non-current liabilities		632,869			694,674
Total liabilities		3,810,902			3,729,374
Commitments and contingencies (Note 4)
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock, $0.001 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized at    March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021; 49,043,246 and 49,043,246    shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2022 and December    31, 2021, respectively		49,043			49,043
Additional paid-in capital		476,869,065			476,788,012
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(106,312	)		(98,877	)
Accumulated deficit		(396,447,511	)		(393,061,094	)
Total stockholders’ equity		80,364,285			83,677,084
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$	84,175,187		$	87,406,458

See accompanying notes.

4

MEDICINOVA, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS

(Unaudited)

	Three months ended
	March 31,
	2022			2021
Revenues	$	—		$	4,000,000
Operating expenses:
Research, development and patents		2,111,996			2,145,274
General and administrative		1,298,016			2,056,255
Total operating expenses		3,410,012			4,201,529
Operating loss		(3,410,012	)		(201,529	)
Interest income		37,339			36,668
Other expense		(13,744	)		(22,938	)
Net loss applicable to common stockholders	$	(3,386,417	)	$	(187,799	)
Basic and diluted net loss per common share	$	(0.07	)	$	(0.00	)
Shares used to compute basic and diluted net loss per common share		49,043,246			47,535,307
Net loss applicable to common stockholders	$	(3,386,417	)	$	(187,799	)
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustments		(7,435	)		(6,821	)
Comprehensive loss	$	(3,393,852	)	$	(194,620	)

See accompanying notes.

5

MEDICINOVA, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

(Unaudited)

	Three  Months Ended March 31, 2022
	Common stock				Additional paid-in		Accumulated other comprehensive			Accumulated			Total stockholders’
	Shares		Amount		capital		loss			deficit			equity
Balance at December 31, 2021		49,043,246	$	49,043	$	476,788,012	$	(98,877	)	$	(393,061,094	)	$	83,677,084
Share-based compensation	—		—			81,053	—			—				81,053
Net loss	—		—		—		—				(3,386,417	)		(3,386,417	)
Foreign currency translation adjustments	—		—		—			(7,435	)	—				(7,435	)
Balance at March 31, 2022		49,043,246		49,043		476,869,065		(106,312	)		(396,447,511	)		80,364,285

	Three Months Ended March 31, 2021
	Common stock				Additional paid-in		Accumulated other comprehensive			Accumulated			Total stockholders’
	Shares		Amount		capital		loss			deficit			equity
Balance at December 31, 2020		45,024,560	$	45,025	$	454,296,536	$	(88,219	)	$	(382,926,842	)	$	71,326,500
Share-based compensation	—		—			1,139,636	—			—				1,139,636
Issuance of common stock for option    exercises		86,250		86		212,089		—			—			212,175
Issuance of shares under an employee stock    purchase plan (ESPP)		1,424		2		6,108	—			—				6,110
Issuance of common stock in a private    placement transaction, net of issuance costs		3,656,307		3,656		19,877,992		—			—			19,881,648
Net loss	—		—		—		—				(187,799	)		(187,799	)
Foreign currency translation adjustments	—		—		—			(6,821	)	—				(6,821	)
Balance at March 31, 2021		48,768,541		48,769		475,532,361		(95,040	)		(383,114,641	)		92,371,449

See accompanying notes.

6

MEDICINOVA, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Unaudited)

	Three months ended
	March 31,
	2022			2021
Operating activities:
Net loss	$	(3,386,417	)	$	(187,799	)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Non-cash stock-based compensation		81,053			1,139,636
Depreciation and amortization		4,429			6,453
Reduction in carrying amount of right-of-use asset		45,179			55,806
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable		—			(4,000,000	)
Prepaid expenses and other assets		(554,172	)		(489,180	)
Accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other liabilities		111,353			(319,409	)
Operating lease liabilities		(29,825	)		(59,459	)
Net cash used in operating activities		(3,728,400	)		(3,853,952	)
Financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of common stock and exercise of common    stock options		—			20,212,175
Common stock issuance costs		—			(118,352	)
Proceeds from issuance of equity awards under ESPP		—			6,110
Net cash provided by financing activities		—			20,099,933
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents		(7,301	)		19,096
Net change in cash and cash equivalents		(3,735,701	)		16,265,077
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period		71,430,954			60,036,763
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$	67,695,253		$	76,301,840

See accompanying notes.

7

MEDICINOVA, INC.

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

1. Interim Financial Information

Organization and Business

MediciNova, Inc. (the “Company” or “MediciNova”) was incorporated in the state of Delaware in September 2000. The Company’s common stock is listed in both the United States and Japan and trades on the NASDAQ Global Market and the JASDAQ Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The Company is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of serious diseases with unmet medical needs with a commercial focus on the United States market. The Company’s current strategy is to focus its development activities on MN-166 (ibudilast) for neurological and other disorders such as progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, degenerative cervical myelopathy, glioblastoma, substance dependence and addiction (e.g., methamphetamine dependence, opioid dependence, and alcohol dependence), and prevention of acute respiratory distress syndrome, and MN-001 (tipelukast) for fibrotic and other diseases such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The Company’s pipeline also includes MN-221 (bedoradrine) for the treatment of acute exacerbation of asthma, and MN-029 (denibulin) for solid tumor cancers.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (GAAP) for interim financial information and with the instructions of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all the information and disclosures required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, the condensed consolidated financial statements include all adjustments necessary, which are of a normal and recurring nature, for the fair presentation of the Company’s financial position and of the results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries.

These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2021 included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. The results of operations for the interim period shown in this report are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any other interim period or for the full year. The balance sheet at December 31, 2021 has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date but does not include all the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements.

Reclassification

Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior year financial statements to conform to the current year presentation. The reduction in carrying amount of right-of-use asset was reclassified from the change in prepaid expenses and other assets, and the change in operating lease liabilities was reclassified from the change in accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other liabilities within operating activities in the statement of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2021. There was no change to total net cash used in operating activities. These reclassifications had no effect on previously reported results of operations, cash flows, or retained earnings.

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of MediciNova, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries, MediciNova Japan, Inc., MediciNova (Europe) Limited, MediciNova Europe GmbH and Avigen Inc. The financial statements of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries are measured using their local currency as the functional currency. The resulting translation adjustments are recorded as a component of other comprehensive income or loss. Intercompany transaction gains or losses at each period end are included as translation adjustments and recorded within other comprehensive income or loss. All intercompany transactions and balances are eliminated in consolidation.  

8

Segment Reporting

Operating segments are identified as components of an enterprise about which separate discrete financial information is available for evaluation by the chief operating decision-maker in making decisions regarding resource allocation and assessing performance. The Company operates in a single operating segment – the acquisition and development of small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of serious diseases with unmet medical needs.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash and other highly liquid investments including money market accounts, with original maturities of three months or less from the date of purchase.

Research, Development and Patents

Research and development costs are expensed in the period incurred. Research and development costs primarily consist of salaries and related expenses for personnel, facilities and depreciation, research and development supplies, licenses and outside services. Such research and development costs totaled $2.0 million  for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Costs related to filing and pursuing patent applications are expensed as incurred, as recoverability of such expenditures is uncertain. The Company includes all external costs related to the filing of patents in Research, Development and Patents expenses. Such patent-related expenses totaled $0.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.  

Clinical Trial Accruals and Prepaid Expenses

Costs for preclinical studies, clinical studies and manufacturing activities are recognized as research and development expenses based on an evaluation of the progress by Company vendors towards completion of specific tasks, using data such as patient enrollment, clinical site activations or information provided to the Company by such vendors regarding their actual costs incurred. Payments for these activities are based on the terms of individual contracts and payment timing may differ significantly from the period in which the services are performed. The Company determines accrual estimates through reports from and discussions with applicable personnel and outside service providers as to the progress or state of completion of studies, or the services completed. The Company’s estimates of accrued expenses as of each balance sheet date are based on the facts and circumstances known at the time. Costs that are paid in advance of performance are deferred as a prepaid expense and amortized over the service period as the services are provided.

Leases

The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception and if so, determines whether the lease qualifies as an operating or finance lease. The Company does not recognize right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for leases with a term of 12 months or less and does not separate non-lease components from lease components. Operating lease right-of-use assets and liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. Operating lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term and is included in general and administrative expenses. As most of the Company’s operating leases do not provide an implicit rate, the Company uses its incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. The incremental borrowing rate is the rate that the Company would expect to pay to borrow on a collateralized and fully amortizing basis over a similar term an amount equal to the lease payments in a similar economic environment.

Impact of COVID-19 on the Company’s Business

The pandemic caused by an outbreak of a new strain of coronavirus (“COVID-19” or “the pandemic”) has resulted, and is likely to continue to result, in significant national and global economic disruption and may adversely affect the Company’s business. Although the pandemic resulted in a decrease in the number of patient visits at certain of the Company’s clinical trial sites, the Company expects this effect to be temporary. The Company has seen an increase in the number of patient visits compared to earlier in the pandemic and the Company continues to enroll patients in clinical trials. Throughout the pandemic, the Company has continued with routine clinical trial activities including executing new clinical trial agreements, negotiating budgets, institutional review board (IRB) approvals, site training, and other activities related to the initiation of new clinical trial sites. In addition, following the outbreak of the pandemic, the Company designed a clinical trial to evaluate MN-166 (ibudilast) for prevention of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by COVID-19. Based on the Company’s current assessment, the Company does not expect a material negative impact on its clinical development plans, long-term development timeline or liquidity due to the worldwide spread of the COVID-19 virus. However, the Company is actively monitoring this situation and the possible effects on its financial condition, liquidity, operations, suppliers, industry, and workforce.

9

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments— Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“ASU 2016-13”). The ASU introduced a new credit loss methodology, the Current Expected Credit Losses (“CECL”) methodology, which requires earlier recognition of credit losses, while also providing additional transparency about credit risk. The CECL methodology utilizes a lifetime “expected credit loss” measurement objective for the recognition of credit losses for loans, held-to maturity debt securities, trade receivables and other receivables measured at amortized cost at the time the financial asset is originated or acquired. Subsequent to the issuance of ASU 2016-13, the FASB issued several additional ASUs to clarify implementation guidance, provide narrow-scope improvements and provide additional disclosure guidance. In November 2019, the FASB issued an amendment making this ASU effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022 for smaller reporting companies. The new standard will be effective for the Company on January 1, 2023 or at such earlier time where it is no longer a smaller reporting company. The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact that this standard may have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06, Debt – Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging – Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40) (“ASU 2020-06”). ASU 2020-06 simplifies the accounting for convertible debt instruments by reducing the number of accounting models and the number of embedded features that could be recognized separately from the host contract. Consequently, more convertible debt instruments will be accounted for as a single liability measured at its amortized cost, as long as no other features require bifurcation and recognition as derivatives. ASU 2020-06 also requires use of the if-converted method in the diluted earnings per share calculation for convertible instruments. ASU 2020-06 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods within those fiscal years for smaller reporting companies, with early adoption permitted. The new standard will be effective for the Company on January 1, 2024 or at such earlier time where it is no longer a smaller reporting company. The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact that this standard may have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

2. Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition Policy

Revenues historically have consisted mainly of research and development services performed under a contract with a customer. The Company evaluates the separate performance obligation(s) under each contract, allocates the transaction price to each performance obligation considering the estimated stand-alone selling prices of the services and recognizes revenue upon the satisfaction of such obligations at a point in time or over time dependent on the satisfaction of one of the following criteria: (1) the customer simultaneously receives and consumes the economic benefits provided by the vendor’s performance (2) the vendor creates or enhances an asset controlled by the customer (3) the vendor’s performance does not create an asset for which the vendor has an alternative use, and (4) the vendor has an enforceable right to payment for performance completed to date.

Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd

In October 2011, the Company entered into a collaboration agreement with Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., (“Kissei”), to perform research and development services relating to MN-221 (bedoradrine) in exchange for a non-refundable upfront payment of $2.5 million. The Company assessed the services in accordance with the authoritative guidance and concluded that it met the definition of a collaborative arrangement per Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 808, Collaborative Arrangements (“ASC 808”), which was outside the scope of ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”). Since ASC 808 did not provide recognition and measurement guidance for collaborative arrangements, the Company analogized to ASC 606 and concluded the two studies to be performed under the agreement represented two separate performance obligations. No services have been provided under the collaboration agreement subsequent to completion of the first study in 2013.   In October 2021, the Company refunded $1.3 million of the prepayment. As of March 31, 2022, the Company and Kissei were working to mutually terminate the collaboration agreement and cancel the second study contemplated thereunder and the Company expects to finalize the termination agreement in 2022.

10

Genzyme Corporation

In December 2005, Avigen, Inc. and Genzyme Corporation (“Genzyme”) entered into an Assignment Agreement (the “Genzyme Agreement”) in which Genzyme acquired certain gene therapy intellectual property, programs and other related assets from Avigen, Inc. in exchange for an initial $12.0 million payment. Avigen could also receive additional development milestone payments, sublicensing fees, and royalty payments based on the successful development of products by Genzyme utilizing technologies previously developed by Avigen. The Company subsequently acquired Avigen in December 2009 along with Avigen’s rights and obligations under the Genzyme Agreement. If Genzyme fails to diligently pursue the commercialization or marketing of products using the assigned technology, as specified in the Genzyme Agreement, some of the rights assigned could revert back to the Company at a future date.

The development milestones outlined in the Genzyme Agreement did not meet the definition of a substantive milestone obligation under authoritative guidance on revenue recognition for milestone payments, as Genzyme was responsible for the development of the products and there is no further substantive service effort required by the Company. In March 2021, the Company received notice that a gene therapy product based on AAV (adeno-associated virus) vector technology, which was covered under the Genzyme Agreement, achieved two clinical development milestones, triggering two milestone payments.  Accordingly, the Company recognized revenue of $4 million during the three months ended March 31, 2021.

3. Fair Value Measurements

Fair value is an exit price, representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. As such, fair value is a market-based measurement that should be determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. As a basis for considering such assumptions, a three-tier fair value hierarchy has been established, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value as follows:

Level 1:	Observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets;
Level 2:	Inputs are quoted prices for similar items in active markets or quoted prices for identical or similar items in markets that are not active near the measurement date; and
Level 3:	Unobservable inputs due to little or no market data, which require the reporting entity to develop its own assumptions.

Cash equivalents, including money market accounts of $0.7 million measured at fair value as of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, are classified within Level 1.

4. Commitments and Contingencies

Lease Commitments

The Company has operating leases primarily for real estate in the United States and Japan. The United States lease is for the Company’s headquarters in San Diego and has a term of five years ending January 31, 2027, with annual escalations. The Company’s lease in Tokyo, Japan has a term of two years ending May 2023 with an auto-renewal, two-year extension. The real estate operating leases are included in "Right-of-use asset” on the Company's balance sheet and represents the Company’s right to use the underlying assets for the lease term. The Company’s obligation to make lease payments are included in "Operating lease liability" and "Other non-current liabilities" on the Company's balance sheet.

11

Information related to the Company’s right-of-use assets and related lease liabilities are as follows:

	Three months ended
	March 31,
	2022			2021
Cash paid for operating lease liabilities	$	36,606		$	61,665
Operating lease costs		52,376			58,314
	March 31, 2022			March 31, 2021
Current operating lease liabilities	$	163,945		$	124,932
Non-current operating lease liabilities		632,869			2,211
Total operating lease liabilities	$	796,814		$	127,143
Weighted-average remaining lease term		4.38			0.68
Weighted-average discount rate		9.8	%		8.8	%

Maturities of operating lease liabilities as of March 31, 2022 were as follows:
2022	$	168,849
2023		218,533
2024		189,170
2025		197,586
2026		206,483
Thereafter		17,269
Total minimum payments		997,890
Less imputed interest		(201,076	)
Total lease liabilities	$	796,814

Product Liability

The Company’s business exposes it to liability risks from its potential drug products. A successful product liability claim or series of claims brought against the Company could result in the payment of significant amounts of money and divert management’s attention from running the business. The Company may not be able to maintain insurance on acceptable terms, or the insurance may not provide adequate protection in the case of a product liability claim. To the extent that product liability insurance, if available, does not cover potential claims, the Company would be required to self-insure the risks associated with such claims. The Company believes it carries reasonably adequate insurance for product liability.

License and Research Agreements

The Company has entered into in-licensing agreements with various pharmaceutical companies. Under the terms of these agreements, the Company has received licenses to research, know-how and technology claimed in specified patents or patent applications. Under these license agreements, the Company is generally required to make upfront payments and additional payments upon the achievement of milestones and/or royalties on future sales of products until the later of the expiration of the applicable patent or the applicable last date of market exclusivity after the first commercial sale, on a country-by-country basis.

No amounts have been expended under these agreements during the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021. For products currently in development, future potential milestone payments based on product development of MN-166 (ibudilast) and MN-001 (tipelukast) are $10 million as of March 31, 2022. For all other products, future potential milestone payments related to development milestones and commercialization milestones totaled $33.5 million as of March 31, 2022. There are no minimum royalties required under any of the license agreements. The Company is unable to estimate with certainty the timing on when these milestone payments will occur as these payments are dependent upon the progress of the Company’s product development programs.

Legal Proceedings

From time to time, the Company may be subject to legal proceedings and claims in the ordinary course of business. The Company is not aware of any such proceedings or claims that it believes will have, individually or in aggregate, a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition or results of operations.

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5. Stock-based Compensation

Stock Incentive Plans

In June 2013, the Company adopted the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan, or 2013 Plan, under which the Company may grant stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units and other awards to individuals who are then employees, officers, non-employee directors or consultants of the Company or its subsidiaries. The 2013 Plan is the successor to the Company’s Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan, or 2004 Plan. A total of 8,700,000 shares of common stock are reserved for issuance under the 2013 Plan. In addition, “returning shares” that may become available from time to time are added back to the plan. “Returning shares” are shares that are subject to outstanding awards granted under the 2004 Plan that expire or terminate prior to exercise or settlement, are forfeited because of the failure to vest, are repurchased, or are withheld to satisfy tax withholding or purchase price obligations in connection with such awards. Although the Company no longer grants equity awards under the 2004 Plan, all outstanding stock awards granted under the 2004 Plan will continue to be subject to the terms and conditions as set forth in the agreements evidencing such stock awards and the terms of the 2004 Plan. As of March 31, 2022, 1,963,317 shares remain available for future grants under the 2013 Plan.

Certain of the employee stock options granted contain performance conditions, the vesting of which is based on a determination made by the compensation committee followed by an approval of the board of directors as to the achievement of certain corporate objectives at the end of the performance period. The grant date of such awards is the date on which the board of directors makes its determination. For periods preceding the grant date, the expense related to these awards is measured based on their fair value at each reporting date. The estimated fair value of the performance awards granted and the resulting expense is based upon a certain level of achievement of the corporate objectives and other assumptions in determining fair value. The amount of expense ultimately recognized upon the grant date at completion of the performance period could change from the estimate as a result of various factors, including the level of achievement of the corporate objectives, changes in the assumptions used in the Black-Scholes model in determining fair value or fluctuations in the Company’s stock price during the performance period.

Stock Options

Options granted under the 2013 Plan and the 2004 Plan have terms of ten years from the date of grant unless earlier terminated and generally vest over a one or four year period. The exercise price of all options granted through March 31, 2022 was equal to the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant.

A summary of stock option activity and related information as of March 31, 2022 is as follows:

	Number of Option Shares			Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding at December 31, 2021		7,974,250		$	5.81
Granted		533,700			2.25
Exercised		—			—
Cancelled		(533,700	)		5.92
Outstanding at March 31, 2022		7,974,250		$	5.57
Exercisable at March 31, 2022		7,370,217		$	5.81

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Under the Company’s 2007 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), 300,000 shares of common stock were originally reserved for issuance. In addition, the shares reserved automatically increase each year by a number equal to the lesser of: (i) 15,000 shares; (ii) 1% of the outstanding shares of common stock on the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year; or (iii) such lesser amount as determined by the Board. The ESPP permits full-time employees to purchase common stock through payroll deductions (which cannot exceed 15% of each employee’s compensation) at the lower of 85% of fair market value at the beginning of the offering period or the end of each six-month offering period. The ESPP is considered a compensatory plan and the Company records compensation expense included in the Company’s statement of operations.

No further shares will be issued under the ESPP.

Compensation Expense

Stock-based compensation expense for stock option awards and ESPP shares are reflected in total operating expenses for each respective year.

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The following table summarizes stock-based compensation expense for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively:

	Three months ended
	March 31,
	2022		2021
Research, development and patents	$	42,507	$	393,242
General and administrative		38,546		746,394
Total stock-based compensation expense	$	81,053	$	1,139,636

The Company uses the Black-Scholes valuation model for determining the estimated fair value for stock-based awards granted to employees and considers management’s current expectations of the achievement of the performance objectives for the year. The following table provides the assumptions used in the Black-Scholes valuation model used to estimate the fair value of options granted during the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, and to estimate the fair value of performance-based stock options as of March 31, 2022 and 2021.

	March 31, 2022		March 31, 2021
Stock Option assumptions:
Risk-free interest rate	2.42%		0.45 - 0.92%
Expected volatility of common stock	77.07%		75.46 - 76.11%
Dividend yield	0.00%		0.00%
Expected term (in years)		5.37	4.47 - 5.41

As of March 31, 2022, there was $1.0 million of unamortized compensation cost related to unvested stock option awards which is expected to be recognized over a remaining weighted-average vesting period of 0.91 years, on a straight-line basis. Such compensation cost will ultimately be adjusted based upon actual performance compared to the corporate objectives as described above.

The weighted-average fair value of each stock option granted during the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, estimated as of the grant date using the Black-Scholes option valuation model, was $1.45 per option and $3.59 per option, respectively.

6. Stockholders’ Equity

At-The-Market Issuance Sales Agreements and Private Placement Transactions

On August 23, 2019, the Company entered into an at the market issuance sales agreement (the “2019 ATM Agreement”) with B. Riley FBR, Inc. (B. Riley FBR) pursuant to which the Company may sell common stock through B. Riley FBR from time to time up to an aggregate offering price of $75.0 million. Sales of the Company’s common stock through B. Riley FBR, if any, will be made by any method that is deemed to be an “at-the-market” equity offering as defined in Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, including sales made directly on NASDAQ, on any other existing trading market for the common stock or through a market maker. B. Riley FBR may also sell the common stock in privately negotiated transactions, subject to the Company’s prior approval. The Company agreed to pay B. Riley FBR an aggregate commission rate of up to 3.5% of the gross proceeds of any common stock sold under this agreement. Proceeds from sales of common stock will depend on the number of shares of common stock sold to B. Riley FBR and the per share purchase price of each transaction.

No shares of common stock were sold under the 2019 ATM Agreement in the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

On January 29, 2021, the Company sold and issued to an investor 3,656,307 shares of the Company’s common stock at a price of $5.47 per share for approximately $20 million in cash proceeds, net of approximately $0.1 million in issuance costs, in a private placement pursuant to the terms and conditions of a Securities Purchase Agreement dated as of January 11, 2021 by and between the Company and such investor.

7. Net Loss Per Share

The Company computes basic net loss per share using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net loss per share is based upon the weighted average number of common shares and potentially dilutive securities (common share equivalents) outstanding during the period. Common share equivalents outstanding, determined using the treasury stock method, are comprised of shares that may be issued under the Company’s stock option agreements. Common share equivalents are excluded from the diluted net loss per share calculation if their effect is anti-dilutive.

Potentially dilutive outstanding stock options excluded from diluted net loss per common share due to their anti-dilutive effect totaled 7,974,250 shares and 8,279,887 shares for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

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ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our unaudited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and the audited financial statements and notes thereto as of and for the year ended December 31, 2021 included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, on February 16, 2022. Past operating results are not necessarily indicative of results that may occur in future periods.

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. Our actual results may differ from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including those set forth in Part II of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q under the caption “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and under the caption “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K. The differences may be material. Forward-looking statements discuss matters that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our plans, strategies, objectives, product development programs, clinical trials, industry, financial condition, liquidity and capital resources, future performance and other statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements include statements preceded by, followed by or that otherwise include the words “may,” “might,” “will,” “intend,” “should,” “could,” “can,” “would,” “expect,” “believe,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “predict,” “potential,” “plan” or similar words. For such statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You should not rely unduly on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by law.

Overview

We are a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of serious diseases with unmet medical needs and a commercial focus on the United States market. Our current strategy is to focus our development activities on MN-166 (ibudilast) for neurological and other disorders such as progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, degenerative cervical myelopathy, glioblastoma, substance dependence and addiction (e.g., methamphetamine dependence, opioid dependence, and alcohol dependence), and prevention of acute respiratory distress syndrome, and MN-001 (tipelukast) for fibrotic and other diseases such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Our pipeline also includes MN-221 (bedoradrine) for the treatment of acute exacerbation of asthma and MN-029 (denibulin) for solid tumor cancers. We were incorporated in Delaware in September 2000.

We have incurred significant net losses since our inception. As of March 31, 2022, from inception, our accumulated deficit was $396.4 million. We expect to incur substantial net losses for the next several years as we continue to develop certain of our existing product development programs, and over the long-term if we expand our research and development programs and acquire or in-license products, technologies or businesses that are complementary to our own.

Our goal is to build a sustainable biopharmaceutical business through the successful development of differentiated products for the treatment of serious diseases with unmet medical needs in high-value therapeutic areas. Key elements of our strategy are as follows:

• Pursue the development of MN-166 (ibudilast) for multiple potential indications with the support of non-dilutive financings.

We intend to advance our diverse MN-166 (ibudilast) program through a combination of investigator-sponsored clinical trials, trials funded through government grants or other grants, and trials funded by us. We intend to pursue additional strategic alliances to help support further clinical development of MN-166 (ibudilast).

• Pursue the development of MN-001 (tipelukast) for fibrotic and other diseases.

We intend to advance development of MN-001 (tipelukast) through a variety of means, which may include investigator-sponsored trials with or without grant funding as well as trials funded by us.

• Consider strategic partnerships with one or more leading pharmaceutical companies to complete product development and successfully commercialize our products.

We develop and maintain relationships with pharmaceutical companies that are therapeutic category leaders. We intend to discuss strategic alliances with leading pharmaceutical companies who seek product candidates, such as MN-166 (ibudilast), MN-001 (tipelukast), MN-221 (bedoradrine), and MN-029 (denibulin), which could support our clinical development and product commercialization.

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Impact of COVID-19 on Our Business

The pandemic caused by an outbreak of a new strain of coronavirus (“COVID-19” or “the pandemic”) has resulted, and is likely to continue to result, in significant national and global economic disruption and may adversely affect our business. Although the pandemic resulted in a decrease in the number of patient visits at certain of our clinical trial sites, we expect this effect to be temporary. We have seen an increase in the number of patient visits compared to earlier in the pandemic and we continue to enroll patients in our clinical trials. Throughout the pandemic, we have continued with routine clinical trial activities including executing new clinical trial agreements, negotiating budgets, institutional review board (IRB) approvals, site training, and other activities related to the initiation of new clinical trial sites. In addition, following the outbreak of the pandemic, we designed a clinical trial to evaluate MN-166 (ibudilast) for prevention of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by COVID-19, which was based on positive results of a published study of MN-166 (ibudilast) in an animal model of ARDS.  During the pandemic, we have been able to continue with routine regulatory activities.  For example, we successfully submitted an Investigational New Drug Application (IND) for MN-166 (ibudilast) for prevention of ARDS which was accepted and is now open with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We were also informed by the FDA that the proposed clinical investigation of MN-166 (ibudilast) for the prevention of ARDS in patients with COVID-19 may proceed. Based on management’s current assessment, we do not expect a material negative impact on our clinical development plans, long-term development timeline or liquidity due to the worldwide spread of the COVID-19 virus. However, we are actively monitoring this situation and the possible effects on our financial condition, liquidity, operations, suppliers, industry, and workforce.

Revenues and Cost of Revenues

In October 2011, we entered into a collaboration agreement with Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., or Kissei, to perform research and development services relating to MN-221 (bedoradrine) in exchange for a non-refundable upfront payment of $2.5 million. We assessed the services in accordance with the authoritative guidance and concluded that the two studies to be performed under the agreement represented two separate performance obligations. No services have been provided under the collaboration agreement subsequent to completion of the first study that was completed in 2013.  In October 2021, we refunded $1.3 million of the prepayment. As of March 31, 2022, we and Kissei were working to mutually terminate the collaboration agreement and cancel the second study contemplated thereunder and we expect to finalize the termination agreement in 2022.

In December 2005, Avigen, Inc. and Genzyme Corporation entered into an Assignment Agreement (the “Genzyme Agreement”) in which Genzyme acquired certain gene therapy intellectual property, programs and other related assets from Avigen in exchange for an initial $12.0 million payment. Avigen could also receive additional development milestone payments, sublicensing fees and royalty payments based on the successful development of products by Genzyme utilizing technologies previously developed by Avigen. We subsequently acquired Avigen in December 2009 along with Avigen’s rights and obligations under the Genzyme Agreement. If Genzyme fails to diligently pursue the commercialization or marketing of products using the assigned technology, as specified in the Genzyme Agreement, some of the rights assigned could revert back to us at a future date.

The development milestones outlined in the Genzyme Agreement did not meet the definition of a substantive milestone obligation under authoritative guidance on revenue recognition for milestone payments, as Genzyme was responsible for the development of the products and there is no further substantive service effort required by us. In March 2021, we received notice that a gene therapy product based on AAV (adeno-associated virus) vector technology, which was covered under the Genzyme Agreement, achieved two clinical development milestones, triggering two milestone payments. Accordingly, we recognized revenue of $4 million during the three months ended March 31, 2021.

Research, Development and Patents Expenses

Our research, development and patents expenses consist primarily of license fees related to our product candidates, salaries and related employee benefits, costs associated with the preclinical and clinical development of our product development programs, costs associated with non-clinical activities, such as regulatory expenses, and pre-commercialization manufacturing development activities. We use external service providers to manufacture our compounds to be used in clinical trials and for the majority of the services performed in connection with the preclinical and clinical development of our product candidates. Research, development and patents expenses include fees paid to consultants, contract research organizations, contract manufacturers and other external service providers, including professional fees and costs associated with legal services, patents and patent applications for our intellectual property. Internal research and development expenses include costs of compensation and other expenses for research and development personnel, supplies, facility costs and depreciation. Research, development and patents costs are expensed as incurred and we expect to increase such costs through the remainder of 2022 as our development programs progress.

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The following table summarizes our research, development and patents expenses for the periods indicated for each of our product development programs. To the extent that costs, including personnel costs, are not tracked to a specific product development program, such costs are included in the “Other R&D expense” category (in thousands):

	Three months ended
	March 31,
		2022		2021
External development expense:
MN-221	$	2	$	2
MN-166		1,617		1,249
MN-001		7		15
MN-029		1		—
Other		—		21
Total external development expense		1,627		1,287
R&D personnel expense		270		658
R&D facility and depreciation expense		15		12
Patent expenses		87		115
Other R&D expense		113		73
Total research, development and patent expense	$	2,112	$	2,145

General and Administrative

Our general and administrative costs primarily consist of salaries, stock-based compensation, benefits and consulting and professional fees related to our administrative, finance, human resources, business development, legal, information systems support functions, facilities and insurance costs. General and administrative costs are expensed as incurred.

Our general and administrative expenses may increase in future periods if we are required to expand our infrastructure based on the success of our product development programs and in raising capital to support our product development programs or otherwise in connection with increased business development activities related to partnering, out-licensing or product disposition.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

This discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based on our condensed consolidated financial statements, which we have prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles. The preparation of these condensed consolidated financial statements requires us to make estimates, judgments and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting periods. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other factors and assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances at the time the estimates are made, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the book values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. We periodically evaluate our estimates and judgments in light of changes in circumstances, facts and experience.

Our critical accounting policies are those accounting principles generally accepted in the United States that require us to make subjective estimates and judgments about matters that are uncertain and are likely to have a material impact on our financial condition and results of operations, as well as the specific manner in which we apply those principles. For a description of our critical accounting policies, please see the section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Critical Accounting Policies” contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021. There have not been any material changes to the critical accounting policies discussed therein during the three months ended March 31, 2022. 

17

Results of Operations

Comparison of the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021

Revenues

Revenues were $0.0 million and $4.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The decrease of $4.0 million was due to the receipt of two milestone payments under the Genzyme Agreement in 2021.

Research, Development and Patents Expenses

Research, development and patents expenses were $2.1 million and $2.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The expense was relatively the same quarter over quarter. Changes were primarily due to a decrease in performance-based stock option expenses offset by an increase in MN-166 related expenses.

General and Administrative Expenses

General and administrative expenses were $1.3 million and $2.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The decrease of $0.8 million was primarily due to a decrease in performance-based stock option expense.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Net cash used in operating activities during the three months ended March 31, 2022 was $3.7 million compared to $3.9 million during the same period in 2021. The $0.2 million change is primarily related to the increased net loss and changes in operating assets and liabilities for those periods.

Net cash provided by financing activities was $0.0 million during the three months ended March 31, 2022 compared to $20.1 million during the same period in 2021. Net cash provided by financing activities during the three months ended March 31, 2021 was primarily due to the sale of 3,656,307 shares of common stock under a Securities Purchase Agreement dated as of January 11, 2021 for net proceeds of $19.9 million.

As of March 31, 2022, we had available cash and cash equivalents of $67.7 million and working capital of $65.9 million. As of the date of this report, we believe we have working capital sufficient to fund operations at least through the end of 2023. However, we cannot provide assurance that these capital resources will be sufficient to conduct all our research and development programs as planned.

Equity Financing

On August 23, 2019, we entered into an at the market issuance sales agreement (the “2019 ATM Agreement”) with B. Riley FBR, Inc. (B. Riley FBR) pursuant to which we may sell common stock through B. Riley FBR from time to time up to an aggregate offering price of $75.0 million. Sales of our common stock through B. Riley FBR, if any, will be made by any method that is deemed to be an “at-the-market” equity offering as defined in Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, including sales made directly on NASDAQ, on any other existing trading market for the common stock or through a market maker. B. Riley FBR may also sell the common stock in privately negotiated transactions, subject to our prior approval. We agreed to pay B. Riley FBR an aggregate commission rate of up to 3.5% of the gross proceeds of any common stock sold under this agreement. Proceeds from sales of common stock will depend on the number of shares of common stock sold to B. Riley FBR and the per share purchase price of each transaction.

No shares of common stock were sold under the 2019 ATM Agreement in the three months ended March 31, 2022.

18

ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK.

Not applicable.

ITEM 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

We maintain disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to provide reasonable assurance that the information required to be disclosed in our filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, is (1) recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in SEC’s rules and forms, and (2) accumulated and communicated to management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow for timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, does not expect that our procedures or our internal controls will prevent or detect all errors and all fraud. Any internal control system, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of our controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, have been detected.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

As required by Rule 13a-15(b) of the Exchange Act, we carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the quarter covered by this report. Based on the foregoing, our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective at the reasonable assurance level.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There has been no change in our internal control over financial reporting during our most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

19

PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.

We are not involved in any material legal proceedings as of March 31, 2022. We may become involved in various disputes and legal proceedings which arise in the ordinary course of business or otherwise. While it is not possible to accurately predict or determine the outcome of these matters, an adverse result in any litigation matter may occur which could harm our business.

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS.

In addition to the other information set forth in this report, you should carefully consider the factors discussed in Part I, “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, which are incorporated herein by reference and which could materially affect our business, financial condition or future results. The risks described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K are not the only risks facing our Company. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial also may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and/or operating results. We do not believe that there have been any material changes from the risk factors previously disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021.

ITEM 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS.

None

ITEM 3. DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES.

None

ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES.

Not applicable

ITEM 5. OTHER INFORMATION.

None

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ITEM 6. EXHIBITS.

Exhibit Number	Description
3.1	Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant, as amended (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed August 9, 2012).
3.2	Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed April 25, 2019).
10.1	Lease, dated July 20, 2021, by and between the Company and The Irvine Company, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed July 23, 2021.
31.1(1)	Certification of Principal Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
31.2(1)	Certification of Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
32.1(1)	Certification of Principal Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 (Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002).
32.2(1)	Certification of Principal Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 (Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002).
101.INS(1)	Inline XBRL Instance Document - The instance document does not appear in the interactive data file because its XBRL tags are embedded within the inline XBRL document.
101.SCH(1)	Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document.
101.CAL(1)	Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document.
101.DEF(1)	Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document.
101.LAB(1)	Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document.
101.PRE(1)	Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document.
104(1)	Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101)

(1) Filed Herewith

21

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements 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.

	MEDICINOVA, INC.
Date:  May 12, 2022	By:	/s/    YUICHI IWAKI
		Yuichi Iwaki, M.D., Ph.D.
		President and Chief Executive Officer
		(on behalf of the registrant and
		as the registrant’s Principal Executive Officer)
	By:	/s/    DOUGLAS PAULIN
		Douglas Paulin
		Chief Financial Officer
		(on behalf of the registrant and
		as the registrant’s Principal Financial Officer)

22

EX-31.1

Exhibit 31.1

MEDICINOVA, INC.

Certification of the Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to

Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 for the Period Ended March 31, 2022

I, Yuichi Iwaki, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2022 of MediciNova, Inc.;

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4. The Registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the Registrant and have:

a) designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the Registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

b) designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

c) evaluated the effectiveness of the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

d) disclosed in this report any change in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the Registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the Registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

5. The Registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the Registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the Registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

a) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

Date: May 12, 2022
By:	/s/    YUICHI IWAKI
	Yuichi Iwaki, M.D., Ph.D.
	President and Chief Executive Officer
	(Principal Executive Officer)

EX-31.2

Exhibit 31.2

MEDICINOVA, INC.

Certification of the Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to

Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 for the Period Ended March 31, 2022

I, Douglas Paulin, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2022 of MediciNova, Inc.;

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4. The Registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the Registrant and have:

a) designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the Registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

b) designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

c) evaluated the effectiveness of the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

d) disclosed in this report any change in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the Registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the Registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

5. The Registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the Registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the Registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

a) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

Date: May 12, 2022
By:	/s/    DOUGLAS PAULIN
	Douglas Paulin
	Chief Financial Officer
	(Principal Financial Officer)

EX-32.1

Exhibit 32.1

CERTIFICATION OF

PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER

PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350

(SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002)

In connection with the accompanying Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of MediciNova, Inc. (the “Company”) for the period ended March 31, 2022 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Yuichi Iwaki, as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, hereby certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that to my knowledge:

1. The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

2. The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

Date: May 12, 2022
By:	/s/    Yuichi Iwaki
	Yuichi Iwaki, M.D., Ph.D.
	President and Chief Executive Officer
	(Principal Executive Officer)

The foregoing certification is being furnished solely to accompany the Report pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, and is not being filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such certification is not to be incorporated by reference into any filing of the Company, whether made before or after the date hereof, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing. A signed original of this written statement required by Section 906 has been provided to the Company and will be retained by the Company and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.

EX-32.2

Exhibit 32.2

CERTIFICATION OF

ACTING PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL OFFICER

PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350

(SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002)

In connection with the accompanying Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of MediciNova, Inc. (the “Company”) for the period ended March 31, 2022, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Douglas Paulin, as Chief Financial Officer of the Company, hereby certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that to my knowledge:

1. The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

2. The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

Date: May 12, 2022
By:	/s/    DOUGLAS PAULIN
	Douglas Paulin
	Chief Financial Officer
	(Principal Financial Officer)

The foregoing certification is being furnished solely to accompany the Report pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, and is not being filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such certification is not to be incorporated by reference into any filing of the Company, whether made before or after the date hereof, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing. A signed original of this written statement required by Section 906 has been provided to the Company and will be retained by the Company and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.

XML

Document and Entity Information - shares	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2022	May 12, 2022
Cover [Abstract]
Document Type	10-Q
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Mar. 31, 2022
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2022
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q1
Trading Symbol	MNOV
Entity Registrant Name	MEDICINOVA, INC.
Entity Central Index Key	0001226616
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	true
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		49,046,246
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity File Number	001-33185
Entity Tax Identification Number	33-0927979
Entity Address, Address Line One	4275 Executive Square
Entity Address, Address Line Two	Suite 300
Entity Address, City or Town	La Jolla
Entity Address, State or Province	CA
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	92037
City Area Code	858
Local Phone Number	373-1500
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Document Quarterly Report	true
Document Transition Report	false
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	DE
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, $0.001 par value
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ

XML

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 67,695,253	$ 71,430,954
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	1,135,900	577,992
Total current assets	68,831,153	72,008,946
Goodwill	9,600,240	9,600,240
In-process research and development	4,800,000	4,800,000
Property and equipment, net	53,002	57,565
Right-of-use asset	779,036	824,215
Other non-current assets	111,756	115,492
Total assets	84,175,187	87,406,458
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	665,249	402,740
Accrued liabilities and other current liabilities	2,147,047	2,298,203
Operating lease liability	163,945	131,965
Total current liabilities	2,976,241	2,832,908
Deferred tax liability	201,792	201,792
Other non-current liabilities	632,869	694,674
Total liabilities	3,810,902	3,729,374
Commitments and contingencies (Note 4)
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock, $0.001 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized at March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021; 49,043,246 and 49,043,246 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively	49,043	49,043
Additional paid-in capital	476,869,065	476,788,012
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(106,312)	(98,877)
Accumulated deficit	(396,447,511)	(393,061,094)
Total stockholders’ equity	80,364,285	83,677,084
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 84,175,187	$ 87,406,458

XML

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - $ / shares	Mar. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Statement Of Financial Position [Abstract]
Common stock, par value	$ 0.001	$ 0.001
Common stock, shares authorized	100,000,000	100,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	49,043,246	49,043,246
Common stock, shares outstanding	49,043,246	49,043,246

XML

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2022	Mar. 31, 2021
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues		$ 4,000,000
Operating expenses:
Research, development and patents	$ 2,111,996	2,145,274
General and administrative	1,298,016	2,056,255
Total operating expenses	3,410,012	4,201,529
Operating loss	(3,410,012)	(201,529)
Interest income	37,339	36,668
Other expense	(13,744)	(22,938)
Net loss applicable to common stockholders	$ (3,386,417)	$ (187,799)
Basic and diluted net loss per common share	$ (0.07)	$ 0.00
Shares used to compute basic and diluted net loss per common share	49,043,246	47,535,307
Net loss applicable to common stockholders	$ (3,386,417)	$ (187,799)
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(7,435)	(6,821)
Comprehensive loss	$ (3,393,852)	$ (194,620)

XML

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity - USD ($)	Total	Common stock	Additional paid-in capital	Accumulated other comprehensive loss	Accumulated deficit
Balance at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 71,326,500	$ 45,025	$ 454,296,536	$ (88,219)	$ (382,926,842)
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2020		45,024,560
Share-based compensation	1,139,636		1,139,636
Issuance of common stock for option exercises	212,175	$ 86	212,089
Issuance of common stock for option exercises, shares		86,250
Issuance of shares under an employee stock purchase plan (ESPP)	6,110	$ 2	6,108
Issuance of shares under an employee stock purchase plan (ESPP), shares		1,424
Issuance of common stock in a private placement transaction, net of issuance costs	19,881,648	$ 3,656	19,877,992
Issuance of common stock in a private transaction, net of issuance costs, shares		3,656,307
Net loss	(187,799)				(187,799)
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(6,821)			(6,821)
Balance at Mar. 31, 2021	92,371,449	$ 48,769	475,532,361	(95,040)	(383,114,641)
Balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2021		48,768,541
Balance at Dec. 31, 2021	83,677,084	$ 49,043	476,788,012	(98,877)	(393,061,094)
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2021		49,043,246
Share-based compensation	81,053		81,053
Net loss	(3,386,417)				(3,386,417)
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(7,435)			(7,435)
Balance at Mar. 31, 2022	$ 80,364,285	$ 49,043	$ 476,869,065	$ (106,312)	$ (396,447,511)
Balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2022		49,043,246

XML

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2022	Mar. 31, 2021
Operating activities:
Net loss	$ (3,386,417)	$ (187,799)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Non-cash stock-based compensation	81,053	1,139,636
Depreciation and amortization	4,429	6,453
Reduction in carrying amount of right-of-use asset	45,179	55,806
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable		(4,000,000)
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(554,172)	(489,180)
Accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other liabilities	111,353	(319,409)
Operating lease liabilities	(29,825)	(59,459)
Net cash used in operating activities	(3,728,400)	(3,853,952)
Financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of common stock and exercise of common stock options		20,212,175
Common stock issuance costs		(118,352)
Proceeds from issuance of equity awards under ESPP		6,110
Net cash provided by financing activities		20,099,933
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(7,301)	19,096
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(3,735,701)	16,265,077
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	71,430,954	60,036,763
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 67,695,253	$ 76,301,840

XML

Interim Financial Information

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]

Interim Financial Information

1. Interim Financial Information

Organization and Business

MediciNova, Inc. (the “Company” or “MediciNova”) was incorporated in the state of Delaware in September 2000. The Company’s common stock is listed in both the United States and Japan and trades on the NASDAQ Global Market and the JASDAQ Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The Company is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of serious diseases with unmet medical needs with a commercial focus on the United States market. The Company’s current strategy is to focus its development activities on MN-166 (ibudilast) for neurological and other disorders such as progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, degenerative cervical myelopathy, glioblastoma, substance dependence and addiction (e.g., methamphetamine dependence, opioid dependence, and alcohol dependence), and prevention of acute respiratory distress syndrome, and MN-001 (tipelukast) for fibrotic and other diseases such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The Company’s pipeline also includes MN-221 (bedoradrine) for the treatment of acute exacerbation of asthma, and MN-029 (denibulin) for solid tumor cancers.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (GAAP) for interim financial information and with the instructions of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all the information and disclosures required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, the condensed consolidated financial statements include all adjustments necessary, which are of a normal and recurring nature, for the fair presentation of the Company’s financial position and of the results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries.

These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2021 included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. The results of operations for the interim period shown in this report are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any other interim period or for the full year. The balance sheet at December 31, 2021 has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date but does not include all the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements.

Reclassification

Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior year financial statements to conform to the current year presentation. The reduction in carrying amount of right-of-use asset was reclassified from the change in prepaid expenses and other assets, and the change in operating lease liabilities was reclassified from the change in accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other liabilities within operating activities in the statement of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2021. There was no change to total net cash used in operating activities. These reclassifications had no effect on previously reported results of operations, cash flows, or retained earnings.

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of MediciNova, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries, MediciNova Japan, Inc., MediciNova (Europe) Limited, MediciNova Europe GmbH and Avigen Inc. The financial statements of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries are measured using their local currency as the functional currency. The resulting translation adjustments are recorded as a component of other comprehensive income or loss. Intercompany transaction gains or losses at each period end are included as translation adjustments and recorded within other comprehensive income or loss. All intercompany transactions and balances are eliminated in consolidation.  

Segment Reporting

Operating segments are identified as components of an enterprise about which separate discrete financial information is available for evaluation by the chief operating decision-maker in making decisions regarding resource allocation and assessing performance. The Company operates in a single operating segment – the acquisition and development of small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of serious diseases with unmet medical needs.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash and other highly liquid investments including money market accounts, with original maturities of three months or less from the date of purchase.

Research, Development and Patents

Research and development costs are expensed in the period incurred. Research and development costs primarily consist of salaries and related expenses for personnel, facilities and depreciation, research and development supplies, licenses and outside services. Such research and development costs totaled $2.0 million  for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Costs related to filing and pursuing patent applications are expensed as incurred, as recoverability of such expenditures is uncertain. The Company includes all external costs related to the filing of patents in Research, Development and Patents expenses. Such patent-related expenses totaled $0.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.  

Clinical Trial Accruals and Prepaid Expenses

Costs for preclinical studies, clinical studies and manufacturing activities are recognized as research and development expenses based on an evaluation of the progress by Company vendors towards completion of specific tasks, using data such as patient enrollment, clinical site activations or information provided to the Company by such vendors regarding their actual costs incurred. Payments for these activities are based on the terms of individual contracts and payment timing may differ significantly from the period in which the services are performed. The Company determines accrual estimates through reports from and discussions with applicable personnel and outside service providers as to the progress or state of completion of studies, or the services completed. The Company’s estimates of accrued expenses as of each balance sheet date are based on the facts and circumstances known at the time. Costs that are paid in advance of performance are deferred as a prepaid expense and amortized over the service period as the services are provided.

Leases

The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception and if so, determines whether the lease qualifies as an operating or finance lease. The Company does not recognize right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for leases with a term of 12 months or less and does not separate non-lease components from lease components. Operating lease right-of-use assets and liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. Operating lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term and is included in general and administrative expenses. As most of the Company’s operating leases do not provide an implicit rate, the Company uses its incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. The incremental borrowing rate is the rate that the Company would expect to pay to borrow on a collateralized and fully amortizing basis over a similar term an amount equal to the lease payments in a similar economic environment.

Impact of COVID-19 on the Company’s Business

The pandemic caused by an outbreak of a new strain of coronavirus (“COVID-19” or “the pandemic”) has resulted, and is likely to continue to result, in significant national and global economic disruption and may adversely affect the Company’s business. Although the pandemic resulted in a decrease in the number of patient visits at certain of the Company’s clinical trial sites, the Company expects this effect to be temporary. The Company has seen an increase in the number of patient visits compared to earlier in the pandemic and the Company continues to enroll patients in clinical trials. Throughout the pandemic, the Company has continued with routine clinical trial activities including executing new clinical trial agreements, negotiating budgets, institutional review board (IRB) approvals, site training, and other activities related to the initiation of new clinical trial sites. In addition, following the outbreak of the pandemic, the Company designed a clinical trial to evaluate MN-166 (ibudilast) for prevention of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by COVID-19. Based on the Company’s current assessment, the Company does not expect a material negative impact on its clinical development plans, long-term development timeline or liquidity due to the worldwide spread of the COVID-19 virus. However, the Company is actively monitoring this situation and the possible effects on its financial condition, liquidity, operations, suppliers, industry, and workforce.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments— Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“ASU 2016-13”). The ASU introduced a new credit loss methodology, the Current Expected Credit Losses (“CECL”) methodology, which requires earlier recognition of credit losses, while also providing additional transparency about credit risk. The CECL methodology utilizes a lifetime “expected credit loss” measurement objective for the recognition of credit losses for loans, held-to maturity debt securities, trade receivables and other receivables measured at amortized cost at the time the financial asset is originated or acquired. Subsequent to the issuance of ASU 2016-13, the FASB issued several additional ASUs to clarify implementation guidance, provide narrow-scope improvements and provide additional disclosure guidance. In November 2019, the FASB issued an amendment making this ASU effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022 for smaller reporting companies. The new standard will be effective for the Company on January 1, 2023 or at such earlier time where it is no longer a smaller reporting company. The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact that this standard may have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06, Debt – Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging – Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40) (“ASU 2020-06”). ASU 2020-06 simplifies the accounting for convertible debt instruments by reducing the number of accounting models and the number of embedded features that could be recognized separately from the host contract. Consequently, more convertible debt instruments will be accounted for as a single liability measured at its amortized cost, as long as no other features require bifurcation and recognition as derivatives. ASU 2020-06 also requires use of the if-converted method in the diluted earnings per share calculation for convertible instruments. ASU 2020-06 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods within those fiscal years for smaller reporting companies, with early adoption permitted. The new standard will be effective for the Company on January 1, 2024 or at such earlier time where it is no longer a smaller reporting company. The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact that this standard may have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

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Revenue Recognition

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Revenue From Contract With Customer [Abstract]

Revenue Recognition

2. Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition Policy

Revenues historically have consisted mainly of research and development services performed under a contract with a customer. The Company evaluates the separate performance obligation(s) under each contract, allocates the transaction price to each performance obligation considering the estimated stand-alone selling prices of the services and recognizes revenue upon the satisfaction of such obligations at a point in time or over time dependent on the satisfaction of one of the following criteria: (1) the customer simultaneously receives and consumes the economic benefits provided by the vendor’s performance (2) the vendor creates or enhances an asset controlled by the customer (3) the vendor’s performance does not create an asset for which the vendor has an alternative use, and (4) the vendor has an enforceable right to payment for performance completed to date.

Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd

In October 2011, the Company entered into a collaboration agreement with Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., (“Kissei”), to perform research and development services relating to MN-221 (bedoradrine) in exchange for a non-refundable upfront payment of $2.5 million. The Company assessed the services in accordance with the authoritative guidance and concluded that it met the definition of a collaborative arrangement per Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 808, Collaborative Arrangements (“ASC 808”), which was outside the scope of ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”). Since ASC 808 did not provide recognition and measurement guidance for collaborative arrangements, the Company analogized to ASC 606 and concluded the two studies to be performed under the agreement represented two separate performance obligations. No services have been provided under the collaboration agreement subsequent to completion of the first study in 2013.   In October 2021, the Company refunded $1.3 million of the prepayment. As of March 31, 2022, the Company and Kissei were working to mutually terminate the collaboration agreement and cancel the second study contemplated thereunder and the Company expects to finalize the termination agreement in 2022.

Genzyme Corporation

In December 2005, Avigen, Inc. and Genzyme Corporation (“Genzyme”) entered into an Assignment Agreement (the “Genzyme Agreement”) in which Genzyme acquired certain gene therapy intellectual property, programs and other related assets from Avigen, Inc. in exchange for an initial $12.0 million payment. Avigen could also receive additional development milestone payments, sublicensing fees, and royalty payments based on the successful development of products by Genzyme utilizing technologies previously developed by Avigen. The Company subsequently acquired Avigen in December 2009 along with Avigen’s rights and obligations under the Genzyme Agreement. If Genzyme fails to diligently pursue the commercialization or marketing of products using the assigned technology, as specified in the Genzyme Agreement, some of the rights assigned could revert back to the Company at a future date.

The development milestones outlined in the Genzyme Agreement did not meet the definition of a substantive milestone obligation under authoritative guidance on revenue recognition for milestone payments, as Genzyme was responsible for the development of the products and there is no further substantive service effort required by the Company. In March 2021, the Company received notice that a gene therapy product based on AAV (adeno-associated virus) vector technology, which was covered under the Genzyme Agreement, achieved two clinical development milestones, triggering two milestone payments.  Accordingly, the Company recognized revenue of $4 million during the three months ended March 31, 2021.

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Fair Value Measurements

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

Fair Value Measurements

3. Fair Value Measurements

Fair value is an exit price, representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. As such, fair value is a market-based measurement that should be determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. As a basis for considering such assumptions, a three-tier fair value hierarchy has been established, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value as follows:

Level 1:	Observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets;
Level 2:	Inputs are quoted prices for similar items in active markets or quoted prices for identical or similar items in markets that are not active near the measurement date; and
Level 3:	Unobservable inputs due to little or no market data, which require the reporting entity to develop its own assumptions.

Cash equivalents, including money market accounts of $0.7 million measured at fair value as of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, are classified within Level 1.

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Commitments and Contingencies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies

4. Commitments and Contingencies

Lease Commitments

The Company has operating leases primarily for real estate in the United States and Japan. The United States lease is for the Company’s headquarters in San Diego and has a term of five years ending January 31, 2027, with annual escalations. The Company’s lease in Tokyo, Japan has a term of two years ending May 2023 with an auto-renewal, two-year extension. The real estate operating leases are included in "Right-of-use asset” on the Company's balance sheet and represents the Company’s right to use the underlying assets for the lease term. The Company’s obligation to make lease payments are included in "Operating lease liability" and "Other non-current liabilities" on the Company's balance sheet.

Information related to the Company’s right-of-use assets and related lease liabilities are as follows:

	Three months ended
	March 31,
	2022			2021
Cash paid for operating lease liabilities	$	36,606		$	61,665
Operating lease costs		52,376			58,314
	March 31, 2022			March 31, 2021
Current operating lease liabilities	$	163,945		$	124,932
Non-current operating lease liabilities		632,869			2,211
Total operating lease liabilities	$	796,814		$	127,143
Weighted-average remaining lease term		4.38			0.68
Weighted-average discount rate		9.8	%		8.8	%

Maturities of operating lease liabilities as of March 31, 2022 were as follows:
2022	$	168,849
2023		218,533
2024		189,170
2025		197,586
2026		206,483
Thereafter		17,269
Total minimum payments		997,890
Less imputed interest		(201,076	)
Total lease liabilities	$	796,814

Product Liability

The Company’s business exposes it to liability risks from its potential drug products. A successful product liability claim or series of claims brought against the Company could result in the payment of significant amounts of money and divert management’s attention from running the business. The Company may not be able to maintain insurance on acceptable terms, or the insurance may not provide adequate protection in the case of a product liability claim. To the extent that product liability insurance, if available, does not cover potential claims, the Company would be required to self-insure the risks associated with such claims. The Company believes it carries reasonably adequate insurance for product liability.

License and Research Agreements

The Company has entered into in-licensing agreements with various pharmaceutical companies. Under the terms of these agreements, the Company has received licenses to research, know-how and technology claimed in specified patents or patent applications. Under these license agreements, the Company is generally required to make upfront payments and additional payments upon the achievement of milestones and/or royalties on future sales of products until the later of the expiration of the applicable patent or the applicable last date of market exclusivity after the first commercial sale, on a country-by-country basis.

No amounts have been expended under these agreements during the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021. For products currently in development, future potential milestone payments based on product development of MN-166 (ibudilast) and MN-001 (tipelukast) are $10 million as of March 31, 2022. For all other products, future potential milestone payments related to development milestones and commercialization milestones totaled $33.5 million as of March 31, 2022. There are no minimum royalties required under any of the license agreements. The Company is unable to estimate with certainty the timing on when these milestone payments will occur as these payments are dependent upon the progress of the Company’s product development programs.

Legal Proceedings

From time to time, the Company may be subject to legal proceedings and claims in the ordinary course of business. The Company is not aware of any such proceedings or claims that it believes will have, individually or in aggregate, a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition or results of operations.

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Stock-based Compensation

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Disclosure Of Compensation Related Costs Sharebased Payments [Abstract]

Stock-based Compensation

5. Stock-based Compensation

Stock Incentive Plans

In June 2013, the Company adopted the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan, or 2013 Plan, under which the Company may grant stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units and other awards to individuals who are then employees, officers, non-employee directors or consultants of the Company or its subsidiaries. The 2013 Plan is the successor to the Company’s Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan, or 2004 Plan. A total of 8,700,000 shares of common stock are reserved for issuance under the 2013 Plan. In addition, “returning shares” that may become available from time to time are added back to the plan. “Returning shares” are shares that are subject to outstanding awards granted under the 2004 Plan that expire or terminate prior to exercise or settlement, are forfeited because of the failure to vest, are repurchased, or are withheld to satisfy tax withholding or purchase price obligations in connection with such awards. Although the Company no longer grants equity awards under the 2004 Plan, all outstanding stock awards granted under the 2004 Plan will continue to be subject to the terms and conditions as set forth in the agreements evidencing such stock awards and the terms of the 2004 Plan. As of March 31, 2022, 1,963,317 shares remain available for future grants under the 2013 Plan.

Certain of the employee stock options granted contain performance conditions, the vesting of which is based on a determination made by the compensation committee followed by an approval of the board of directors as to the achievement of certain corporate objectives at the end of the performance period. The grant date of such awards is the date on which the board of directors makes its determination. For periods preceding the grant date, the expense related to these awards is measured based on their fair value at each reporting date. The estimated fair value of the performance awards granted and the resulting expense is based upon a certain level of achievement of the corporate objectives and other assumptions in determining fair value. The amount of expense ultimately recognized upon the grant date at completion of the performance period could change from the estimate as a result of various factors, including the level of achievement of the corporate objectives, changes in the assumptions used in the Black-Scholes model in determining fair value or fluctuations in the Company’s stock price during the performance period.

Stock Options

Options granted under the 2013 Plan and the 2004 Plan have terms of ten years from the date of grant unless earlier terminated and generally vest over a one or four year period. The exercise price of all options granted through March 31, 2022 was equal to the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant.

A summary of stock option activity and related information as of March 31, 2022 is as follows:

	Number of Option Shares			Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding at December 31, 2021		7,974,250		$	5.81
Granted		533,700			2.25
Exercised		—			—
Cancelled		(533,700	)		5.92
Outstanding at March 31, 2022		7,974,250		$	5.57
Exercisable at March 31, 2022		7,370,217		$	5.81

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Under the Company’s 2007 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), 300,000 shares of common stock were originally reserved for issuance. In addition, the shares reserved automatically increase each year by a number equal to the lesser of: (i) 15,000 shares; (ii) 1% of the outstanding shares of common stock on the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year; or (iii) such lesser amount as determined by the Board. The ESPP permits full-time employees to purchase common stock through payroll deductions (which cannot exceed 15% of each employee’s compensation) at the lower of 85% of fair market value at the beginning of the offering period or the end of each six-month offering period. The ESPP is considered a compensatory plan and the Company records compensation expense included in the Company’s statement of operations.

No further shares will be issued under the ESPP.

Compensation Expense

Stock-based compensation expense for stock option awards and ESPP shares are reflected in total operating expenses for each respective year.

The following table summarizes stock-based compensation expense for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively:

	Three months ended
	March 31,
	2022		2021
Research, development and patents	$	42,507	$	393,242
General and administrative		38,546		746,394
Total stock-based compensation expense	$	81,053	$	1,139,636

The Company uses the Black-Scholes valuation model for determining the estimated fair value for stock-based awards granted to employees and considers management’s current expectations of the achievement of the performance objectives for the year. The following table provides the assumptions used in the Black-Scholes valuation model used to estimate the fair value of options granted during the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, and to estimate the fair value of performance-based stock options as of March 31, 2022 and 2021.

	March 31, 2022		March 31, 2021
Stock Option assumptions:
Risk-free interest rate	2.42%		0.45 - 0.92%
Expected volatility of common stock	77.07%		75.46 - 76.11%
Dividend yield	0.00%		0.00%
Expected term (in years)		5.37	4.47 - 5.41

As of March 31, 2022, there was $1.0 million of unamortized compensation cost related to unvested stock option awards which is expected to be recognized over a remaining weighted-average vesting period of 0.91 years, on a straight-line basis. Such compensation cost will ultimately be adjusted based upon actual performance compared to the corporate objectives as described above.

The weighted-average fair value of each stock option granted during the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, estimated as of the grant date using the Black-Scholes option valuation model, was $1.45 per option and $3.59 per option, respectively.

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Stockholders' Equity

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Equity [Abstract]

Stockholders' Equity

6. Stockholders’ Equity

At-The-Market Issuance Sales Agreements and Private Placement Transactions

On August 23, 2019, the Company entered into an at the market issuance sales agreement (the “2019 ATM Agreement”) with B. Riley FBR, Inc. (B. Riley FBR) pursuant to which the Company may sell common stock through B. Riley FBR from time to time up to an aggregate offering price of $75.0 million. Sales of the Company’s common stock through B. Riley FBR, if any, will be made by any method that is deemed to be an “at-the-market” equity offering as defined in Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, including sales made directly on NASDAQ, on any other existing trading market for the common stock or through a market maker. B. Riley FBR may also sell the common stock in privately negotiated transactions, subject to the Company’s prior approval. The Company agreed to pay B. Riley FBR an aggregate commission rate of up to 3.5% of the gross proceeds of any common stock sold under this agreement. Proceeds from sales of common stock will depend on the number of shares of common stock sold to B. Riley FBR and the per share purchase price of each transaction.

No shares of common stock were sold under the 2019 ATM Agreement in the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

On January 29, 2021, the Company sold and issued to an investor 3,656,307 shares of the Company’s common stock at a price of $5.47 per share for approximately $20 million in cash proceeds, net of approximately $0.1 million in issuance costs, in a private placement pursuant to the terms and conditions of a Securities Purchase Agreement dated as of January 11, 2021 by and between the Company and such investor.

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Net Loss Per Share

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Earnings Per Share [Abstract]

Net Loss Per Share

7. Net Loss Per Share

The Company computes basic net loss per share using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net loss per share is based upon the weighted average number of common shares and potentially dilutive securities (common share equivalents) outstanding during the period. Common share equivalents outstanding, determined using the treasury stock method, are comprised of shares that may be issued under the Company’s stock option agreements. Common share equivalents are excluded from the diluted net loss per share calculation if their effect is anti-dilutive.

Potentially dilutive outstanding stock options excluded from diluted net loss per common share due to their anti-dilutive effect totaled 7,974,250 shares and 8,279,887 shares for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

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Interim Financial Information (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (GAAP) for interim financial information and with the instructions of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all the information and disclosures required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, the condensed consolidated financial statements include all adjustments necessary, which are of a normal and recurring nature, for the fair presentation of the Company’s financial position and of the results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries.

These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2021 included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. The results of operations for the interim period shown in this report are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any other interim period or for the full year. The balance sheet at December 31, 2021 has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date but does not include all the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements.

Reclassification

Reclassification

Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior year financial statements to conform to the current year presentation. The reduction in carrying amount of right-of-use asset was reclassified from the change in prepaid expenses and other assets, and the change in operating lease liabilities was reclassified from the change in accounts payable, accrued liabilities and other liabilities within operating activities in the statement of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2021. There was no change to total net cash used in operating activities. These reclassifications had no effect on previously reported results of operations, cash flows, or retained earnings.

Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of MediciNova, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries, MediciNova Japan, Inc., MediciNova (Europe) Limited, MediciNova Europe GmbH and Avigen Inc. The financial statements of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries are measured using their local currency as the functional currency. The resulting translation adjustments are recorded as a component of other comprehensive income or loss. Intercompany transaction gains or losses at each period end are included as translation adjustments and recorded within other comprehensive income or loss. All intercompany transactions and balances are eliminated in consolidation.  

Segment Reporting

Segment Reporting

Operating segments are identified as components of an enterprise about which separate discrete financial information is available for evaluation by the chief operating decision-maker in making decisions regarding resource allocation and assessing performance. The Company operates in a single operating segment – the acquisition and development of small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of serious diseases with unmet medical needs.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash and other highly liquid investments including money market accounts, with original maturities of three months or less from the date of purchase.

Research Development and Patents

Research, Development and Patents

Research and development costs are expensed in the period incurred. Research and development costs primarily consist of salaries and related expenses for personnel, facilities and depreciation, research and development supplies, licenses and outside services. Such research and development costs totaled $2.0 million  for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Costs related to filing and pursuing patent applications are expensed as incurred, as recoverability of such expenditures is uncertain. The Company includes all external costs related to the filing of patents in Research, Development and Patents expenses. Such patent-related expenses totaled $0.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.  

Clinical Trial Accruals and Prepaid Expenses

Clinical Trial Accruals and Prepaid Expenses

Costs for preclinical studies, clinical studies and manufacturing activities are recognized as research and development expenses based on an evaluation of the progress by Company vendors towards completion of specific tasks, using data such as patient enrollment, clinical site activations or information provided to the Company by such vendors regarding their actual costs incurred. Payments for these activities are based on the terms of individual contracts and payment timing may differ significantly from the period in which the services are performed. The Company determines accrual estimates through reports from and discussions with applicable personnel and outside service providers as to the progress or state of completion of studies, or the services completed. The Company’s estimates of accrued expenses as of each balance sheet date are based on the facts and circumstances known at the time. Costs that are paid in advance of performance are deferred as a prepaid expense and amortized over the service period as the services are provided.

Leases

Leases

The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception and if so, determines whether the lease qualifies as an operating or finance lease. The Company does not recognize right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for leases with a term of 12 months or less and does not separate non-lease components from lease components. Operating lease right-of-use assets and liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. Operating lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term and is included in general and administrative expenses. As most of the Company’s operating leases do not provide an implicit rate, the Company uses its incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. The incremental borrowing rate is the rate that the Company would expect to pay to borrow on a collateralized and fully amortizing basis over a similar term an amount equal to the lease payments in a similar economic environment.

Impact of COVID-19 on the Company's Business

Impact of COVID-19 on the Company’s Business

The pandemic caused by an outbreak of a new strain of coronavirus (“COVID-19” or “the pandemic”) has resulted, and is likely to continue to result, in significant national and global economic disruption and may adversely affect the Company’s business. Although the pandemic resulted in a decrease in the number of patient visits at certain of the Company’s clinical trial sites, the Company expects this effect to be temporary. The Company has seen an increase in the number of patient visits compared to earlier in the pandemic and the Company continues to enroll patients in clinical trials. Throughout the pandemic, the Company has continued with routine clinical trial activities including executing new clinical trial agreements, negotiating budgets, institutional review board (IRB) approvals, site training, and other activities related to the initiation of new clinical trial sites. In addition, following the outbreak of the pandemic, the Company designed a clinical trial to evaluate MN-166 (ibudilast) for prevention of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by COVID-19. Based on the Company’s current assessment, the Company does not expect a material negative impact on its clinical development plans, long-term development timeline or liquidity due to the worldwide spread of the COVID-19 virus. However, the Company is actively monitoring this situation and the possible effects on its financial condition, liquidity, operations, suppliers, industry, and workforce.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments— Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“ASU 2016-13”). The ASU introduced a new credit loss methodology, the Current Expected Credit Losses (“CECL”) methodology, which requires earlier recognition of credit losses, while also providing additional transparency about credit risk. The CECL methodology utilizes a lifetime “expected credit loss” measurement objective for the recognition of credit losses for loans, held-to maturity debt securities, trade receivables and other receivables measured at amortized cost at the time the financial asset is originated or acquired. Subsequent to the issuance of ASU 2016-13, the FASB issued several additional ASUs to clarify implementation guidance, provide narrow-scope improvements and provide additional disclosure guidance. In November 2019, the FASB issued an amendment making this ASU effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022 for smaller reporting companies. The new standard will be effective for the Company on January 1, 2023 or at such earlier time where it is no longer a smaller reporting company. The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact that this standard may have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06, Debt – Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging – Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40) (“ASU 2020-06”). ASU 2020-06 simplifies the accounting for convertible debt instruments by reducing the number of accounting models and the number of embedded features that could be recognized separately from the host contract. Consequently, more convertible debt instruments will be accounted for as a single liability measured at its amortized cost, as long as no other features require bifurcation and recognition as derivatives. ASU 2020-06 also requires use of the if-converted method in the diluted earnings per share calculation for convertible instruments. ASU 2020-06 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods within those fiscal years for smaller reporting companies, with early adoption permitted. The new standard will be effective for the Company on January 1, 2024 or at such earlier time where it is no longer a smaller reporting company. The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact that this standard may have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

Revenue Recognition Policy

Revenue Recognition Policy

Revenues historically have consisted mainly of research and development services performed under a contract with a customer. The Company evaluates the separate performance obligation(s) under each contract, allocates the transaction price to each performance obligation considering the estimated stand-alone selling prices of the services and recognizes revenue upon the satisfaction of such obligations at a point in time or over time dependent on the satisfaction of one of the following criteria: (1) the customer simultaneously receives and consumes the economic benefits provided by the vendor’s performance (2) the vendor creates or enhances an asset controlled by the customer (3) the vendor’s performance does not create an asset for which the vendor has an alternative use, and (4) the vendor has an enforceable right to payment for performance completed to date.

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Commitments and Contingencies (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Information Related to Right-of-Use Assets and Related Lease Liabilities

Information related to the Company’s right-of-use assets and related lease liabilities are as follows:

	Three months ended
	March 31,
	2022			2021
Cash paid for operating lease liabilities	$	36,606		$	61,665
Operating lease costs		52,376			58,314
	March 31, 2022			March 31, 2021
Current operating lease liabilities	$	163,945		$	124,932
Non-current operating lease liabilities		632,869			2,211
Total operating lease liabilities	$	796,814		$	127,143
Weighted-average remaining lease term		4.38			0.68
Weighted-average discount rate		9.8	%		8.8	%

Schedule of Maturities of Operating Lease Liabilities

Maturities of operating lease liabilities as of March 31, 2022 were as follows:
2022	$	168,849
2023		218,533
2024		189,170
2025		197,586
2026		206,483
Thereafter		17,269
Total minimum payments		997,890
Less imputed interest		(201,076	)
Total lease liabilities	$	796,814

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Stock-based Compensation (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Disclosure Of Compensation Related Costs Sharebased Payments [Abstract]

Summary of Stock Option Activity and Related Information

A summary of stock option activity and related information as of March 31, 2022 is as follows:

	Number of Option Shares			Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding at December 31, 2021		7,974,250		$	5.81
Granted		533,700			2.25
Exercised		—			—
Cancelled		(533,700	)		5.92
Outstanding at March 31, 2022		7,974,250		$	5.57
Exercisable at March 31, 2022		7,370,217		$	5.81

Summary of Stock-based Compensation Expenses

The following table summarizes stock-based compensation expense for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively:

	Three months ended
	March 31,
	2022		2021
Research, development and patents	$	42,507	$	393,242
General and administrative		38,546		746,394
Total stock-based compensation expense	$	81,053	$	1,139,636

Schedule of Assumptions Used in Estimating Fair Value of Options Granted and Performance-Based Stock Options

The following table provides the assumptions used in the Black-Scholes valuation model used to estimate the fair value of options granted during the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, and to estimate the fair value of performance-based stock options as of March 31, 2022 and 2021.

	March 31, 2022		March 31, 2021
Stock Option assumptions:
Risk-free interest rate	2.42%		0.45 - 0.92%
Expected volatility of common stock	77.07%		75.46 - 76.11%
Dividend yield	0.00%		0.00%
Expected term (in years)		5.37	4.47 - 5.41

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Interim Financial Information - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2022	Mar. 31, 2021
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Research and development costs	$ 2.0	$ 2.0
Patent-related expenses	$ 0.1	$ 0.1

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Revenue Recognition - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2021	Mar. 31, 2021	Oct. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2005
Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd
Revenue Recognition Milestone Method [Line Items]
Deferred revenue related to research and development services			$ 2.5
Performance obligations payment refunded	$ 1.3
Genzyme Corporation
Revenue Recognition Milestone Method [Line Items]
Business acquisition, payments				$ 12.0
Recognized revenue		$ 4.0

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Fair Value Measurements - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Level 1 | Money Market Funds
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash equivalents, fair value	$ 0.7	$ 0.7

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Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2022	Mar. 31, 2021
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Research and development costs	$ 2,000,000.0	$ 2,000,000.0
Licensing Agreements
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Research and development costs	0	$ 0
Product Development
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Future potential milestone payments	10,000,000
Development Milestone
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Future potential milestone payments	33,500,000
Commercialization Milestone
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Future potential milestone payments	$ 33,500,000
U.S
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Operating lease term	5 years
Operating lease expiration date	Jan. 31, 2027
Tokyo, Japan
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Operating lease expiration month and year	2023-05
Operating lease, auto-renewal term	2 years
Operating lease, extension term	2 years
Lessee, operating lease, existence of option to extend	true

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Commitments and Contingencies - Schedule of Right-of-Use Assets and Related Lease Liabilities (Detail) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2022	Mar. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2021
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Cash paid for operating lease liabilities	$ 36,606	$ 61,665
Operating lease costs	52,376	58,314
Current operating lease liabilities	163,945	124,932	$ 131,965
Non-current operating lease liabilities	$ 632,869	$ 2,211
Operating Lease, Liability, Noncurrent, Statement of Financial Position [Extensible Enumeration]	Other non-current liabilities	Other non-current liabilities
Total operating lease liabilities	$ 796,814	$ 127,143
Weighted-average remaining lease term	4 years 4 months 17 days	8 months 4 days
Weighted-average discount rate	9.80%	8.80%

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Commitments and Contingencies - Schedule of Maturities of Operating Lease Liabilities (Detail) - USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2022	Mar. 31, 2021
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
2022	$ 168,849
2023	218,533
2024	189,170
2025	197,586
2026	206,483
Thereafter	17,269
Total minimum payments	997,890
Less imputed interest	(201,076)
Total lease liabilities	$ 796,814	$ 127,143

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Stock-based Compensation - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2022	Mar. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2013
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares reserved, description	shares reserved automatically increase each year by a number equal to the lesser of: (i) 15,000 shares; (ii) 1% of the outstanding shares of common stock on the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year; or (iii) such lesser amount as determined by the Board.
Employee stock purchase plan offering period	6 months
Shares issued under ESPP	0
Weighted-average fair value, per option	$ 1.45	$ 3.59
2007 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common stock reserved for future issuance			300,000
Percentage of employee compensation for purchase of common stock under ESPP	15.00%
Common stock fair market value, percentage	85.00%
Maximum | 2007 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Increase in shares reserved for issuance	15,000
Increase in shares reserved for issuance as percentage of outstanding shares	1.00%
Stock Option
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Unamortized compensation cost	$ 1.0
Unamortized compensation cost, vesting period	10 months 28 days
2013 Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common stock reserved for future issuance				8,700,000
Shares available for future grant	1,963,317
2013 Plan | Stock Option
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Options granted expiration term	10 years
2013 Plan | Stock Option | Minimum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock option, vesting period	1 year
2013 Plan | Stock Option | Maximum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock option, vesting period	4 years
2004 Plan | Stock Option
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Options granted expiration term	10 years
2004 Plan | Stock Option | Minimum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock option, vesting period	1 year
2004 Plan | Stock Option | Maximum
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock option, vesting period	4 years

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Summary of Stock Option Activity and Related Information (Detail)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2022 $ / shares shares
Number of Option Shares
Stock Options, Beginning Balance | shares	7,974,250
Stock Options, Granted | shares	533,700
Stock Options, Cancelled | shares	(533,700)
Stock Options, Ending Balance | shares	7,974,250
Stock Options, Exercisable at June 30, 2021 | shares	7,370,217
Weighted Average Exercise Price, Beginning Balance | $ / shares	$ 5.81
Weighted Average Exercise Price, Granted | $ / shares	2.25
Weighted Average Exercise Price, Cancelled | $ / shares	5.92
Weighted Average Exercise Price, Ending Balance | $ / shares	5.57
Weighted Average Exercise Price, Exercisable at June 30, 2021 | $ / shares	$ 5.81

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Summary of Stock-based Compensation Expenses (Detail) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2022	Mar. 31, 2021
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Total stock-based compensation expense	$ 81,053	$ 1,139,636
Research, Development and Patents
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Total stock-based compensation expense	42,507	393,242
General and Administrative
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Total stock-based compensation expense	$ 38,546	$ 746,394

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Schedule of Assumptions Used in Estimating Fair Value of Options Granted and Performance-Based Stock Options (Detail) - Stock Option	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2022	Mar. 31, 2021
Weighted-average assumptions for stock options and ESPP
Risk-free interest rate	2.42%
Expected volatility of common stock	77.07%
Dividend yield	0.00%	0.00%
Expected term (in years)	5 years 4 months 13 days
Minimum
Weighted-average assumptions for stock options and ESPP
Risk-free interest rate		0.45%
Expected volatility of common stock		75.46%
Expected term (in years)		4 years 5 months 19 days
Maximum
Weighted-average assumptions for stock options and ESPP
Risk-free interest rate		0.92%
Expected volatility of common stock		76.11%
Expected term (in years)		5 years 4 months 28 days

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Stockholders' Equity - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($)			3 Months Ended
	Jan. 29, 2021	Aug. 23, 2019	Mar. 31, 2022	Mar. 31, 2021
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Payments of stock issuance costs				$ 118,352
Common stock
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Issuance of common stock in a private transaction, net of issuance costs, shares				3,656,307
2019 at-the-market issuance sales agreement
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Issuance of common stock in a private transaction, net of issuance costs, shares			0	0
Private Placement
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Issuance of common stock in a private transaction, net of issuance costs, shares	3,656,307
Private Placement | Common stock
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share price per share	$ 5.47
Gross proceeds	$ 20,000,000
Payments of stock issuance costs	$ 100,000
B. Riley FBR | 2019 at-the-market issuance sales agreement
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Sales commission as a percentage of gross proceeds		3.50%
B. Riley FBR | Maximum | 2019 at-the-market issuance sales agreement
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock purchase agreement, aggregate amount of common stock agreed to be purchased		$ 75,000,000.0

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Net Loss Per Share - Additional Information (Detail) - shares	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2022	Mar. 31, 2021
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Potentially dilutive outstanding stock options excluded from diluted net loss per common share	7,974,250	8,279,887