Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

6 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2017

Dec. 31, 2016

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

We have prepared the unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The information furnished herein reflects all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals and adjustments) which are, in the opinion of management, necessary to fairly present the operating results for the respective periods. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally present in the annual consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America have been omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes for the year ended December 31, 2016. The results of the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year ending December 31, 2017.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes included activities of the Company and have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. Significant estimates include warrants and income tax valuation allowances. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company’s consolidated financial instruments are accounts payable and notes payable. The recorded values of accounts payable approximate their values based on their short-term nature. Notes payable are recorded at their issue value or if warrants are attached at their issue value less the value of the warrant.

The Company defines fair value as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. Valuation techniques used to measure fair value must maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. The fair value hierarchy is based on three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value, of which the first two are considered observable and the last is considered unobservable:

Level 1: Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2: Inputs other than Level 1 that are observable, either directly or indirectly, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

Level 3 assumptions: Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities including liabilities resulting from embedded derivatives associated with certain warrants to purchase common stock. 

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the related assets, ranging from three to seven years. Expenditures for additions and improvements are capitalized, while repairs and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred. The cost and related accumulated depreciation of property and equipment sold or otherwise disposed of are removed from the accounts and any gain or loss is recorded in the year of disposal.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The long-lived assets held and used by the Company are reviewed for impairment no less frequently than annually or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. In the event that facts and circumstances indicate that the cost of any long-lived assets may be impaired, an evaluation of recoverability is performed. Management has determined that there was no impairment in the value of long-lived assets during the six months ended June 30, 2017.

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs include, but are not limited to, patents and license expenses, payroll and other personnel expenses, consultants, expenses incurred under agreements with contract research and manufacturing organizations and animal clinical investigative sites and the cost to manufacture clinical trial materials. Costs related to research, design and development of products are charged to research and development expense as incurred.

Patents and Licenses

In March 2006, the Company entered into an exclusive license agreement (“Exclusive License Agreement”), with UCLA for the worldwide application of the NELL-1 protein through a technology transfer. See Note 5 for commitments related to the Exclusive License Agreement. Patent expenses include costs to acquire the license of NELL-1, which was de minimis, and costs to file patent applications related to NELL-1.

The Company expenses the costs incurred to file patent applications, all costs related to abandoned patent applications and maintenance costs, and these costs are included in research and development expenses. Costs associated with licenses acquired to be able to use products from third parties prior to receipt of regulatory approval to market the related products are also expensed. The Company’s licensed technologies may have alternative future uses in that they are enabling (or platform) technologies that can be the basis for multiple products that would each target a specific indication. Costs of acquisition of licenses are expensed.

Prepaid expenses – related party

Prepaid expenses – related party represent the fair value of warrants issued to AFH Holding & Advisory, LLC (“AFH”), a shareholder, for services pursuant to certain letter agreement dated May 4, 2014. Prepaid costs will be amortized as the required services are performed. As of June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 prepaid expenses – related party totaled $271,945.

Concentration of Credit Risk and Other Risks and Uncertainties

Cash balances are maintained at financial institutions and, at times, balances may exceed federally insured limits. The Company has never experienced any losses related to these balances. Federal insurance coverage is $250,000 per depositor at each financial institution. A substantial majority of the Company’s cash balances exceed federally insured limits. 

Debt Issuance Costs

Debt issuance costs represent costs incurred in connection with the issuance of the convertible notes payable and private equity financing. Debt issuance costs related to the issuance of debt are being amortized over the term of the financing instrument using the effective interest method, while debt issuance costs from equity financings are netted against the gross proceeds received from the equity financings.

Stock Based Compensation

ASC 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation, prescribes accounting and reporting standards for all share-based payment transactions in which employee services are acquired. Transactions include incurring liabilities, or issuing or offering to issue shares, options, and other equity instruments such as employee stock ownership plans and stock appreciation rights. Share-based payments to employees, including grants of employee stock options, are recognized as compensation expense in the consolidated financial statements based on their fair values. That expense is recognized over the period during which an employee is required to provide services in exchange for the award, known as the requisite service period (usually the vesting period).

The Company accounts for stock-based compensation issued to non-employees and consultants in accordance with the provisions of ASC 505-50, Equity – based Payments to Non-Employees. Measurement of share-based payment transactions with non-employees is based on the fair value of whichever is more reliably measurable: (a) the goods or services received; or (b) the equity instruments issued. The fair value of the share-based payment transaction is determined at the earlier of performance commitment date or performance completion date.

Pursuant to ASU No. 2016-09 – Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, the Company accounts for forfeitures when they occur.

Income Taxes

Income taxes are provided for the tax effects of transactions reported in the consolidated financial statements and consist of taxes currently due and deferred taxes resulting from timing differences in recording of transactions for tax purposes and financial reporting purposes.

The deferred tax assets and liabilities represent the future tax return consequences of those differences, which will either be taxable or deductible when the assets and liabilities are received or settled. Valuation allowances are established when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to amounts expected to be realized.

The accounting provisions related to uncertain income tax positions require the Company to determine whether any tax position in all open years meets a more likely than not threshold of being sustained upon examination by the applicable taxing authority. The Company did not have any changes to its liability for uncertain tax positions as at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016.

The Company’s policy is to recognize interest and/or penalties related to income tax matters in income tax expense. No such amounts are accrued as of June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016.

Loss per Common Share

The Company utilizes FASB ASC Topic No. 260, Earnings per Share. Basic loss per share is computed by dividing loss available to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted loss per share is computed similar to basic loss per share except that the denominator is increased to include the number of additional common shares that would have been outstanding if the potential common shares had been issued and if the additional common shares were dilutive. Diluted loss per common share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if convertible debentures, options and warrants were to be exercised or converted or otherwise resulted in the issuance of common stock that then shared in the earnings of the entity.

Since the effects of outstanding options, warrants, and the conversion of convertible debt are anti-dilutive in during the three months ended June 30, 2016 and the six months periods ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, shares of common stock underlying these instruments have been excluded from the computation of loss per common share. 

The following sets forth the number of shares of common stock underlying outstanding options, warrants, and convertible debt as of June 30, 2017 and 2016:

	June 30,
	2017		2016
Warrants		10,390,820		10,451,740
Stock options		8,591,017		12,656,067
Convertible promissory notes		8,896,203		5,696,203
		27,878,040		28,804,010

New Accounting Standards

The Company has reviewed all recently issued, but not yet adopted, accounting standards in order to determine their effects, if any, on its results of operation, financial position or cash flows. Based on that review, the Company believes that none of these pronouncements will have a significant effect on its consolidated financial statements.

In August 2016, the FASB issued authoritative guidance under ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. ASU 2016-15 is intended to reduce diversity in practice in how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows by providing guidance on eight specific cash flow issues. ASU 2016-15 is effective retrospectively on January 1, 2018, with early adoption permitted. We have not yet determined the effect of the ASU on our Consolidated Financial Statements nor have we selected a transition date.

In January 2017, the FASB issued authoritative guidance under ASU 2017-01, Business Combinations – Clarifying the Definition of a Business, which clarifies the definition of a business to assist entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions or disposals of assets or businesses. The standard introduces a screen for determining when assets acquired are not a business and clarifies that a business must include, at a minimum, an input and a substantive process that contribute to an output to be considered a business. This standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period. The Company does not expect this new guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

The accompanying consolidated financial statements and related notes included activities of the Company and have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the accompanying consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. Significant estimates include warrants and income tax valuation allowances. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company’s consolidated financial instruments are accounts payable and notes payable. The recorded values of accounts payable approximate their values based on their short-term nature. Notes payable are recorded at their issue value or if warrants are attached at their issue value less the value of the warrant.

The Company defines fair value as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. Valuation techniques used to measure fair value must maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. The fair value hierarchy is based on three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value, of which the first two are considered observable and the last is considered unobservable:

Level 1: Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2: Inputs other than Level 1 that are observable, either directly or indirectly, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

Level 3 assumptions: Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities including liabilities resulting from embedded derivatives associated with certain warrants to purchase common stock.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the related assets, ranging from three to seven years. Expenditures for additions and improvements are capitalized, while repairs and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred. The cost and related accumulated depreciation of property and equipment sold or otherwise disposed of are removed from the accounts and any gain or loss is recorded in the year of disposal.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The long-lived assets held and used by the Company are reviewed for impairment no less frequently than annually or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. In the event that facts and circumstances indicate that the cost of any long-lived assets may be impaired, an evaluation of recoverability is performed. Management has determined that there was no impairment in the value of long-lived assets during the year ended December 31, 2016.

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs include, but are not limited to, patents and license expenses, payroll and other personnel expenses, consultants, expenses incurred under agreements with contract research and manufacturing organizations and animal clinical investigative sites and the cost to manufacture clinical trial materials. Costs related to research, design and development of products are charged to research and development expense as incurred.

Patents and Licenses

In March 2006, the Company entered into an exclusive license agreement (“Exclusive License Agreement”), with UCLA for the worldwide application of the NELL-1 protein through a technology transfer. See Note 5 for commitments related to the Exclusive License Agreement. Patent expenses include costs to acquire the license of NELL -1, which was de minimis, and costs to file patent applications related to NELL-1.

The Company expenses the costs incurred to file patent applications, all costs related to abandoned patent applications and maintenance costs, and these costs are included in research and development expenses. Costs associated with licenses acquired to be able to use products from third parties prior to receipt of regulatory approval to market the related products are also expensed. The Company’s licensed technologies may have alternative future uses in that they are enabling (or platform) technologies that can be the basis for multiple products that would each target a specific indication. Costs of acquisition of licenses are expensed.

Prepaid expenses – related party

Prepaid expenses – related party represent the fair value of warrants issued to AFH Holding & Advisory, LLC (“AFH”), a shareholder, for services pursuant to certain letter agreement dated May 4, 2014 (Note 5). Prepaid costs will be amortized as the required services are performed. As of December 31, 2016 and 2015 prepaid expenses – related party totaled $271,945 and $339,931, respectively.

Concentration of Credit Risk and Other Risks and Uncertainties

Cash balances are maintained at financial institutions and, at times, balances may exceed federally insured limits. The Company has never experienced any losses related to these balances. Federal insurance coverage is $250,000 per depositor at each financial institution. A substantial majority of the Company’s cash balances exceed federally insured limits.

Debt Issuance Costs

Debt issuance costs represent costs incurred in connection with the issuance of the convertible notes payable and private equity financing. Debt issuance costs related to the issuance of debt are being amortized over the term of the financing instrument using the effective interest method, while debt issuance costs from equity financings are netted against the gross proceeds received from the equity financings.

Stock Based Compensation

ASC 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation, prescribes accounting and reporting standards for all share-based payment transactions in which employee services are acquired. Transactions include incurring liabilities, or issuing or offering to issue shares, options, and other equity instruments such as employee stock ownership plans and stock appreciation rights. Share-based payments to employees, including grants of employee stock options, are recognized as compensation expense in the consolidated financial statements based on their fair values. That expense is recognized over the period during which an employee is required to provide services in exchange for the award, known as the requisite service period (usually the vesting period).

The Company accounts for stock-based compensation issued to non-employees and consultants in accordance with the provisions of ASC 505-50, Equity – based Payments to Non-Employees. Measurement of share-based payment transactions with non-employees is based on the fair value of whichever is more reliably measurable: (a) the goods or services received; or (b) the equity instruments issued. The fair value of the share-based payment transaction is determined at the earlier of performance commitment date or performance completion date.

Income Taxes

Income taxes are provided for the tax effects of transactions reported in the consolidated financial statements and consist of taxes currently due and deferred taxes resulting from timing differences in recording of transactions for tax purposes and financial reporting purposes.

The deferred tax assets and liabilities represent the future tax return consequences of those differences, which will be either taxable or deductible when the assets and liabilities are received or settled. Valuation allowances are established when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to amounts expected to be realized.

The accounting provisions related to uncertain income tax positions require the Company to determine whether any tax position in all open years meets a more likely than not threshold of being sustained upon examination by the applicable taxing authority. The Company did not have any changes to its liability for uncertain tax positions as at December 31, 2016 and 2015.

The Company’s policy is to recognize interest and/or penalties related to income tax matters in income tax expense. No such amounts are accrued as of December 31, 2016 and 2015.

Loss per Common Share

The Company utilizes FASB ASC Topic No. 260, Earnings per Share. Basic loss per share is computed by dividing loss available to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted loss per share is computed similar to basic loss per share except that the denominator is increased to include the number of additional common shares that would have been outstanding if the potential common shares had been issued and if the additional common shares were dilutive. Diluted loss per common share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if convertible debentures, options and warrants were to be exercised or converted or otherwise resulted in the issuance of common stock that then shared in the earnings of the entity.

Since the effects of outstanding options, warrants, and the conversion of convertible debt are anti-dilutive in all periods presented, shares of common stock underlying these instruments have been excluded from the computation of loss per common share.

The following sets forth the number of shares of common stock underlying outstanding options, warrants, and convertible debt as of December 31, 2016 and 2015:

	December 31,
	2016		2015
Warrants		10,390,820		9,779,464
Stock options		12,656,067		6,294,226
Convertible promissory notes		6,896,203		4,430,380
		29,943,090		20,504,070

New Accounting Standards

The Company has reviewed all recently issued, but not yet adopted, accounting standards in order to determine their effects, if any, on its results of operation, financial position or cash flows. Based on that review, the Company believes that none of these pronouncements will have a significant effect on its consolidated financial statements.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-3, “Interest - Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30),” related to the presentation of debt issuance costs. This standard will require debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability to be presented on the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the debt liability rather than as an asset. These costs will continue to be amortized to interest expense using the effective interest method. This pronouncement is effective for fiscal years, and for interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015, and retrospective adoption is required. The standard was retrospectively adopted by the Company on January 1, 2016. As a result, $533,343 of debt issuance costs at December 31, 2015, were reclassified from other assets to long-term debt.

In June 2016, the FASB issued authoritative guidance under ASU 2016-09, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718) Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting. ASU 2016-09 provides for simplification of several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities and classification on the statement of cash flows. This pronouncement is effective for fiscal years, and for interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2016. The Company has elected early adoption of this guidance as of January 1, 2016 and the adoption did not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

In August 2016, the FASB issued authoritative guidance under ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. ASU 2016-15 is intended to reduce diversity in practice in how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows by providing guidance on eight specific cash flow issues. ASU 2016-15 is effective retrospectively on January 1, 2018, with early adoption permitted. We have not yet determined the effect of the ASU on our Consolidated Financial Statements nor have we selected a transition date.

In January 2017, the FASB issued authoritative guidance under ASU 2017-01, Business Combinations – Clarifying the Definition of a Business, which clarifies the definition of a business to assist entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions or disposals of assets or businesses. The standard introduces a screen for determining when assets acquired are not a business and clarifies that a business must include, at a minimum, an input and a substantive process that contribute to an output to be considered a business. This standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period. The Company does not expect this new guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.