Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Polices)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation

Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation

The financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”). Any reference in these notes to applicable guidance is meant to refer to the authoritative U.S. GAAP as found in the Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”), and Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”), of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”). The Company’s financial statements are presented on a condensed consolidated basis, which include the accounts of ARS Pharmaceuticals, Inc., ARS Pharmaceuticals Operations, Inc. and ARS Pharmaceuticals IRL, Limited. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The Company’s functional and reporting currency is the U.S. dollar. Assets and liabilities that are not denominated in the functional currency are remeasured into U.S. dollars at foreign currency exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date except for nonmonetary assets, which are remeasured at historical foreign currency exchange rates in effect at the date of transaction. Net realized and unrealized gains and losses from foreign currency transactions and remeasurement are reported in other income (expense) in the condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss. All adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included.

Since ARS Pharma was determined to be the accounting acquirer in connection with the Merger, for periods prior to the Merger the condensed consolidated financial statements were prepared on a stand-alone basis for ARS Pharma and did not include the combined entities activity or financial position. For periods subsequent to the Merger, the condensed consolidated financial statements include Silverback’s activity and Silverback’s assets and liabilities at their acquisition date fair value. Historical share and per share figures of ARS Pharma have been retroactively restated based on the exchange ratio in the Merger of 1.1819.

Unaudited Interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

The accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2023, the condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss and condensed consolidated statements of convertible preferred stock and stockholders’ equity (deficit) for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, and the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, are unaudited. The balance sheet as of December 31, 2022 was derived from the audited financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2022. The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a basis consistent with the audited annual financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2022, and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments, consisting solely of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s financial position as of March 31, 2023, the condensed consolidated results of its operations for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, and its cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022. The financial data and other information disclosed in these notes related to the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 are also unaudited. The condensed consolidated results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2023 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year ending December 31, 2023 or any other period.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements requires it to make estimates and assumptions that impact the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities in the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. The most significant estimates in the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements relate to revenue recognized for its collaboration agreements, accruals for research and development expenses and valuation of equity awards. These estimates and assumptions are based on current facts, historical experience and various other factors believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities and the recording of revenue and expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ materially and adversely from these estimates. To the extent there are material differences between the estimates and actual results, the Company’s future results of operations will be affected.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash readily available in checking and money market mutual funds. The Company considers all highly liquid investments with remaining maturities when purchased of 90 days or less to be cash equivalents.

Investments

Investments

The Company invests excess cash in investment grade intermediate-term fixed income securities. These investments are included in short-term investments on the balance sheets, classified as available-for-sale, and reported at fair value with unrealized gains and losses included in accumulated other comprehensive loss. Realized gains and losses on the sale of these securities are recognized in net loss.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments are carried at fair value. The carrying amounts of all prepaid expenses and other current assets, accounts payable, accrued liabilities, and contract liability, are considered to be representative of their respective fair values because of the short-term nature of those instruments.

Concentrations of Credit Risk

Concentrations of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to significant concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments. The Company maintains deposits in federally insured financial institutions in excess of federally insured limits and limits its exposure to cash risk by placing its cash with high credit quality financial institutions.

The Company reviews its financial instruments portfolio on a quarterly basis to determine if any unrealized losses have resulted from a credit loss or other factors. As part of the review, management considers factors such as historical experience, market data, issuer-specific factors, and current economic conditions. This review is subjective, as it requires management to evaluate whether an event or change in circumstances has occurred in that period that may be related to credit issues.

Property and Equipment

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, generally five years. Repair and maintenance costs are charged to expense as incurred.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

Long-lived assets consist primarily of property and equipment. The Company reviews its long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability is measured by comparison of the carrying amount to the future undiscounted net cash flows which the asset or asset group are expected to generate. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured as the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds its fair value. The Company has not recognized any impairment losses from inception through March 31, 2023.

Leases

Leases

Effective January 1, 2021, the Company early adopted ASC No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“ASC 842”), which supersedes the current accounting for leases, using the modified retrospective transition method. The Company has elected to apply the practical expedients allowed by the standard for existing leases. The new standard, while retaining two distinct types of leases, finance and operating, (i) requires lessees to record a right-of-use (“ROU”) asset and a related liability for the rights and obligations associated with a lease, regardless of lease classification, and recognize lease expense in a manner similar to current accounting, (ii) eliminates current real estate specific lease provisions, (iii) modifies the lease classification criteria and (iv) aligns many of the underlying lessor model principles with those in the new revenue standard. The Company determines the initial classification and measurement of its ROU asset and lease liabilities at the lease commencement date and thereafter, if modified. The Company recognizes a ROU asset for its operating leases with lease terms greater than 12 months. The lease term includes any renewal options and termination options that the Company is reasonably assured to exercise. The lease liability is calculated by using the present value of all lease payments, with the present value determined by using the incremental borrowing rate for operating leases determined by using the incremental borrowing rate of interest that the Company would pay to borrow on a collateralized basis an amount equal to the lease payments in a similar economic environment as well as a review of peer companies. Variable charges for common area maintenance and other variable costs are recognized as expense as incurred. Rent expense for operating leases is recognized on a straight-line basis over the reasonably assured lease term based on the total lease payments and is included in research and development and general and administrative expenses in the condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition

Our revenues generally consist of licenses and research services under license and collaboration agreements. We recognize revenue when we transfer promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which we expect to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. To determine revenue recognition for contracts with customers we perform the following five steps: (i) identify the contract(s) with a customer; (ii) identify the performance obligation(s) in the contract; (iii) determine the transaction price; (iv) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligation(s) in the contract; and (v) recognize revenue when (or as) we satisfy the performance obligation(s). At contract inception, we assess the goods or services promised within each contract, assess whether each promised good or service is distinct and identify those that are performance obligations. We recognize as revenue the amount of the transaction price that is allocated to the respective performance obligation when (or as) the performance obligation is satisfied.

Research and Development Costs

Research and Development Costs

Research and development are expensed in the period incurred. Research and development costs primarily consist of salaries and related expenses for personnel, stock-based compensation expense, external research and development costs incurred under agreements with contract research organizations, investigative sites and consultants to conduct our clinical studies, costs related to compliance with regulatory requirements, costs related to manufacturing the Company’s product candidates for clinical trials and other allocated expenses.

Payments for research and development activities are based on the terms of the individual agreements, which may differ from the pattern of costs incurred, and payments made in advance of performance are reflected in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets as prepaid expenses. The Company records accruals for estimated costs incurred for ongoing research and development activities. When evaluating the adequacy of the accrued liabilities, the Company analyzes progress of the services, including the phase or completion of events, invoices received and contracted costs. The Company uses judgments and estimates to determine the prepaid or accrued balances at the end of any reporting period. Actual results could differ from the Company’s estimates.

Patent Costs

Patent Costs

Costs related to filing and pursuing patent applications are recorded as general and administrative expenses in the statements of operations and expensed as incurred since recoverability of such expenditures is uncertain.

License Fees

License Fees

Costs incurred to acquire technology licenses and milestone payments made on existing agreements are charged to research and development expense or capitalized based upon the asset achieving technological feasibility in accordance with management’s assessment regarding the ultimate recoverability of the amounts paid and the potential for alternative future use.

Acquired in-process research and development expense

Acquired in-process research and development expense

Acquired in-process research and development expense (“IPR&D”), is expensed on the acquisition date if there is no alternative future use. Contingent consideration payments in asset acquisitions are recognized when the contingency is resolved and the consideration becomes payable. Milestone payments made to third parties subsequent to regulatory approval will be capitalized as intangible assets and amortized over the estimated remaining useful life of the related product.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-based compensation expense represents the cost of the grant date fair value of stock option grants recognized over the requisite service period of the awards (usually the vesting period) on a straight-line basis. The Company recognizes expense for awards subject to performance-based milestones over the remaining service period when management determines that achievement of the milestone is probable. Management evaluates when the achievement of a performance-based milestone is probable based on the expected satisfaction of the performance conditions at each reporting date. The Company estimates the fair value of stock option grants using the Black-Scholes option pricing model and recognizes forfeitures as they occur.

Comprehensive Loss

Comprehensive Loss

Comprehensive loss is defined as the change in equity during a period from transactions and other events and circumstances from non-owner sources. The Company’s comprehensive loss typically consists of the change in unrealized gain/loss on available-for-sale securities.

Segment Reporting

Segment Reporting

Operating segments are components of an enterprise about which separate discrete financial information is available for evaluation by the chief operating decision-maker for purposes of making decisions regarding resource allocation and assessing performance. The Company views its operations and manages its business as one operating segment.

Net Loss Per Common Share

Net Loss Per Common Share

Basic net loss per share attributable to common stockholders is calculated by dividing the net loss attributable to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding for the period, without consideration of potentially dilutive securities. Diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders is the same as basic net loss per share attributable to common stockholders since the effect of potentially dilutive securities is anti-dilutive given the net loss of the Company. For purposes of this calculation, convertible preferred stock, stock options, and preferred stock warrants are considered to be common stock equivalents but are not included in the calculations of diluted net loss per share for the periods presented as their effect would be antidilutive.

The following securities are excluded from the calculation of weighted-average dilutive common shares because their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive. Historical share figures have been retroactively restated based on the exchange ratio of 1.1819.

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2023		2022
Convertible preferred stock		—		26,473,899
Warrants to purchase convertible preferred stock		—		45,456
Warrants to purchase common stock		45,456		—
Common stock options granted and outstanding		15,584,419		5,375,291
Total		15,629,875		31,894,646

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, which changes the accounting for recognizing impairments of financial assets. Under the new guidance, credit losses for certain types of financial instruments will be estimated based on expected losses. The new guidance also modifies the impairment models for available-for-sale debt securities and for purchased financial assets with credit deterioration since their origination. This standard was effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2023. The adoption of this new standard did not have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.