2. Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). Additionally, certain reclassifications have been made to prior period financial statements to conform to the current period presentation.

Reverse Stock Split

Reverse Stock Split

Effective January 15, 2020, the Company completed a 1-for-55 reverse stock split of the Company’s outstanding common stock. All share and per share amounts in the financial statements have been retroactively adjusted for all periods presented to give effect to the reverse stock split, including reclassifying an amount equal to the reduction in par value to additional paid-in capital. Unless otherwise noted, shares of common stock issued and outstanding, shares underlying warrants and stock awards, shares reserved, conversion price of convertible securities, exercise prices of warrants and stock awards and loss per share have been proportionately adjusted to reflect the reverse stock split. The reverse stock split did not reduce the number of authorized shares of the Company’s common stock or preferred stock.

Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Phio and its wholly owned subsidiary, MirImmune, LLC. All material intercompany accounts have been eliminated in consolidation.

Uses of Estimates in Preparation of Financial Statements

Uses of Estimates in Preparation of Financial Statements

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The areas subject to significant estimates and judgement include, among others, those related to the fair value of equity awards, research and development expenses, useful lives of property and equipment, income taxes, and our valuation allowance on our deferred tax assets. On an ongoing basis we evaluate our estimates and base our estimates on historical experience and other relevant assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances, including as a result of new information that may emerge concerning the coronavirus pandemic. We have made estimates of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic within our financial statements and there may be changes to those estimates in future periods. Actual results could differ materially from these estimates.

Restricted Cash

Restricted Cash

Restricted cash consists of certificates of deposit held by financial institutions as collateral for the Company’s corporate credit cards.

Concentrations of Credit Risk

Concentrations of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist principally of cash. The Company maintains cash balances in several accounts with a financial institution that management believes is creditworthy, which at times are in excess of federally insured limits. These accounts are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) for up to $250,000 per institution.

Property and Equipment

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost and depreciated using the straight-line method based on the estimated useful lives of the related assets. The Company provides for depreciation over the assets’ estimated useful lives as follows:

Computer equipment	3 years
Machinery & equipment	5 years
Furniture & fixtures	5 years
Leasehold improvements	5 years

Depreciation and amortization expense for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 was $72,000 and $67,000, respectively.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company reviews long-lived assets for impairment whenever an event occurs or change in circumstances that the related carrying amounts may not be recoverable. An impairment loss would be recognized based on the difference between the carrying value of the asset and its estimated fair value, which would be determined based on either discounted future cash flows or other appropriate fair value methods. The Company believes no impairment existed as of December 31, 2020 or 2019.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The carrying amounts reported in the balance sheet for restricted cash, accounts payable and accrued expenses approximate their fair values due to their short-term nature.

Leases

Leases

At the inception of a contract, the Company determines whether the contract is or contains a lease based on all relevant facts and circumstances. For contracts that contain a lease, the Company identifies the lease and non-lease components, determines the consideration in the contract and recognizes the classification of the lease as operating or financing. For leases with a term greater than one year, the Company recognizes a liability to make lease payments and an asset representing the right to use the underlying asset during the lease term at the commencement date of the lease.

Lease liabilities and the corresponding right of use assets are recorded based on the present value of lease payments to be made over the lease term. The discount rate used to calculate the present value is the rate implicit in the lease, or if not readily determinable, the Company’s incremental borrowing rate. The Company’s incremental borrowing rate is the rate of interest that the Company would have to pay to borrow on a collateralized basis over a similar term an amount equal to the lease payments in a similar economic environment. Certain adjustments to the right of use asset may be required for items such as initial direct costs or incentives received. Lease payments on operating leases are recognized on a straight-line basis over the expected term of the lease. Lease payments on financing leases are recognized using the effective interest method.

Debt

Debt

On March 27, 2020, the United States enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The CARES Act is an emergency economic stimulus package passed in response to the coronavirus outbreak that includes, but is not limited to, provisions providing aid to small businesses in the form of loans and grants and numerous tax provisions such as certain payroll tax benefits, changes to the net operating loss rules, and the business interest expense deduction rules. Outside of the Paycheck Protection Program (the “PPP”) offered under the CARES Act, the Company has not utilized the other loan programs and tax provisions, such as certain payroll tax benefits. On May 11, 2020, the Company received loan proceeds pursuant to the PPP. The Company followed the guidance under the FASB ASC Topic 470, “Debt” (“ASC 470”) in assessing the accounting for the PPP loan proceeds. Per ASC 470, the Company recorded a liability on the balance sheet for the full amount of PPP loan proceeds received and is accruing interest over the term of the loan. For additional information regarding the Company’s accounting for the PPP loan proceeds, refer to Note 7. As there continues to be updates to the provisions under the CARES Act, the Company will continue to assess the potential impacts on its business, results of operations and financial statements.

Derivative Financial Instruments

Derivative Financial Instruments

Financial instruments that meet the definition of a derivative are classified as an asset or liability and measured at fair value on the issuance date and are revalued on each subsequent balance sheet date. The changes in fair value are recognized as current period income or loss. Financial instruments that do not meet the definition of a derivative are classified as equity and measured at fair value and recorded as additional paid in capital in stockholders’ equity at the date of issuance. No further adjustments to their valuation are made.

Research and Development Expenses

Research and Development Expenses

Research and development expenses relate to compensation and benefits for research and development personnel, facility-related expenses, supplies, external services, costs to acquire technology licenses, expenses associated with preclinical and clinical development activities and other operating costs. Research and development expenses are charged to expense as incurred. Payments made by the Company in advance for research and development services not yet provided and/or for materials not yet received are recorded as prepaid expenses and expensed when the service has been performed or when the goods have been received.

Accrued liabilities are recorded related to those expenses for which vendors have not yet billed the Company with respect to services provided and/or materials that it has received. Accrued liabilities for the services provided by contract research organizations are recorded during the period incurred based on such estimates and assumptions as expected cost, passage of time, the achievement of milestones and other information available to us and are assessed on a quarterly basis. Actual results may differ from these estimates and could have a material impact on the Company’s reported results. The Company’s historical accrual estimates have not been materially different from its actual costs.

Stock-based Compensation

Stock-based Compensation

The Company follows the provisions of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 718, “Compensation — Stock Compensation” (“ASC 718”), which requires the measurement and recognition of compensation expense for all stock-based payment awards. The Company uses the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to estimate the fair value of stock options at the grant date. The Black-Scholes valuation model requires the input of valuation assumptions to calculate the value of stock options, including expected volatility, expected term, risk-free interest rate and expected dividends. The fair value of restricted stock units is based upon the Company’s closing stock price at the grant date. Stock-based compensation expense is recognized over the requisite service period, which generally represents the vesting period, and commences at the date of grant based on the fair value of the award.

Stock-based compensation expense recognized in the financial statements is based on awards that are ultimately expected to vest. Accordingly, we are also required to estimate forfeitures at the time of grant, and to revise those estimates in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from estimates. We use historical data to estimate pre-vesting option forfeitures and record stock-based compensation expense only for those awards that are expected to vest. Our forfeiture rate estimates are based on an analysis of our actual forfeiture experience, employee turnover behavior, and other factors. The impact of any adjustments to our forfeiture rates would be recorded as a cumulative adjustment in the period of adjustment. To the extent that actual forfeitures differ from our estimates, the difference is recorded as a cumulative adjustment in the period the estimates were revised.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

The Company recognizes assets or liabilities for the deferred tax consequences of temporary differences between the tax basis of assets or liabilities and their reported amounts in the financial statements in accordance with the FASB ASC Topic 740, “Accounting for Income Taxes” (“ASC 740”). These temporary differences will result in taxable or deductible amounts in future years when the reported amounts of the assets or liabilities are recovered or settled. Those temporary differences referred to as deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined at the end of each period using the tax rate expected to be in effect when taxes are actually paid or recovered.

ASC 740 requires that a valuation allowance be established when management determines that it is more likely than not that all or a portion of a deferred asset will not be realized. The Company evaluates the realizability of its net deferred income tax assets and valuation allowances as necessary, at least on an annual basis. During this evaluation, the Company reviews its forecasts of income in conjunction with other positive and negative evidence surrounding the realizability of its deferred income tax assets to determine if a valuation allowance is required. Adjustments to the valuation allowance will increase or decrease the Company’s income tax provision or benefit.

The recognition and measurement of benefits related to the Company’s tax positions requires significant judgment, as uncertainties often exist with respect to new laws, new interpretations of existing laws, and rulings by taxing authorities. The Company follows a more-likely-than not threshold for financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken, or expected to be taken in a tax return. The guidance relates to, amongst other things, classification, accounting for interest and penalties associated with tax positions, and disclosure requirements. Any interest and penalties accrued related to uncertain tax positions are recorded as tax expense. Differences between actual results and the Company’s assumptions or changes in the Company’s assumptions in future periods are recorded in the period they become known.

Comprehensive Loss

Comprehensive Loss

The Company’s comprehensive loss is equal to its net loss for all periods presented.

Net Loss per Share

Net Loss per Share

Basic net loss per share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted net loss per share is computed by dividing the Company’s net less by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding and the impact of all dilutive potential common shares outstanding, except where such dilutive potential common shares would be anti-dilutive. Dilutive potential common shares primarily consist of warrants, restricted stock units and stock options.