Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

v3.22.4
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
3 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

 

a. Basis of presentation

 

The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information as found in the Accounting Standard Codification (“ASC”) and Accounting Standards Updates (ASUs”) of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”). In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements include all normal and recurring adjustments (which consist primarily of accruals, estimates and assumptions that impact the unaudited interim financial statements) considered necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position as of December 31, 2022 and its results of operations and cash flows for the three months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021. The unaudited interim consolidated financial statements presented herein do not contain the required disclosures under U.S. GAAP for annual financial statements and should be read in conjunction with the annual audited financial statements and related notes of Sonnet as of and for the year ended September 30, 2022 included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022.

 

b. Consolidation

 

The interim consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

 

c. Use of estimates

 

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Significant estimates and assumptions reflected in these interim consolidated financial statements include the accrual of research and development expenses. Estimates and assumptions are periodically reviewed in-light of changes in circumstances, facts and experience. Changes in estimates are recorded in the period in which they become known. Actual results could differ from management’s estimates.

 

d. Reclassifications

 

Certain amounts from the prior period have been reclassified to conform with the current period presentation.

 

e. Incentive tax receivable

 

Subsidiary is eligible to participate in an Australian research and development tax incentive program. As part of this program, Subsidiary is eligible to receive a cash refund from the Australian Taxation Office for a percentage of the research and development costs expended by Subsidiary in Australia. The cash refund is available to eligible companies with annual aggregate revenues of less than $20.0 million (Australian) during the reimbursable period. The Company estimates the amount of cash refund it expects to receive related to the Australian research and development tax incentive program and records the incentive when it is probable (i) the Company will comply with relevant conditions of the program and (ii) the incentive will be received. As of December 31, 2022, the Company’s estimate of the amount of cash refund it expects to receive for eligible spending related to the Australian research and development tax incentive program was $1.3 million. For the three months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, $0.3 million and nil, respectively, for the cash refund expected to be received was recorded as a reduction of research and development expense. In January 2023, the Company received $1.1 million from the Australian government related to eligible research and development expenses for the year ended September 30, 2022.

 

 

Sonnet BioTherapeutics Holdings, Inc.

Notes to Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements

 

f. Property and equipment

 

Property and equipment are recorded at cost and depreciated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Expenditures for repairs and maintenance that do not extend the estimated useful life or improve an asset are expensed as incurred. Upon retirement or sale, the cost and related accumulated depreciation and amortization of assets disposed of are removed from the accounts, and any resulting gain or loss is included in the consolidated statement of operations.

 

g. Collaboration revenue

 

Collaboration arrangements may contain multiple components, which may include (i) licenses; (ii) research and development activities; and (iii) the manufacturing and supply of certain materials. Payments pursuant to these arrangements may include non-refundable payments, upfront payments, milestone payments upon the achievement of significant regulatory and development events, sales milestones and royalties on product sales. The amount of variable consideration is constrained until it is probable that the revenue is not at a significant risk of reversal in a future period.

 

In determining the appropriate amount of revenue to be recognized as the Company fulfills its obligations under a collaboration arrangement, the Company performs the following steps: (i) identification of the promised goods or services in the contract; (ii) determination of whether the promised goods or services are performance obligations, including whether they are capable of being distinct; (iii) measurement of the transaction price, including the constraint on variable consideration; (iv) allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations; and (v) recognition of revenue as the Company satisfies each performance obligation.

 

The Company applies significant judgment when evaluating whether contractual obligations represent distinct performance obligations, allocating transaction price to performance obligations within a contract, determining when performance obligations have been met, and assessing the recognition of variable consideration. When consideration is received prior to the Company completing its performance obligation under the terms of a contract, a contract liability is recorded as deferred income. Deferred income expected to be recognized as revenue within the twelve months following the balance sheet date is classified as a current liability. In May 2021, the Company entered into a License Agreement (the “New Life Agreement”) with New Life. See Note 5 for further discussion of the New Life Agreement.

 

h. Research and development expense

 

Research and development expenses include all direct and indirect costs associated with the development of the Company’s biopharmaceutical products. These expenses include personnel costs, consulting fees, and payments to third parties for research, development, and manufacturing services. These costs are charged to expense as incurred.

 

At the end of the reporting period, the Company compares payments made to third-party service providers to the estimated progress toward completion of the related project, based on the measure of progress as defined in the contract. Factors the Company considers in preparing the estimates include costs incurred by the service provider, milestones achieved, and other criteria related to the efforts of its service providers. Such estimates are subject to change as additional information becomes available. Depending on the timing of payment to the service providers and the progress that the Company estimates has been made as a result of the service provided, the Company will record a prepaid expense or accrued liability relating to these costs. Upfront milestone payments made to third parties who perform research and development services on the Company’s behalf are expensed as services are rendered. Contingent development or regulatory milestone payments are recognized upon the related resolution of such contingencies.

 

 

Sonnet BioTherapeutics Holdings, Inc.

Notes to Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements

 

i. Reverse stock split

 

On September 16, 2022, the Company filed a Certificate of Amendment to its Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, which effected a 1-for-14 reverse stock split of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares of common stock. As a result of the reverse stock split, every 14 shares of common stock issued and outstanding was converted into one share of common stock. The reverse stock split affected all stockholders uniformly and did not alter any stockholder’s percentage interest in the Company’s equity. No fractional shares were issued in connection with the reverse stock split. Stockholders who would otherwise be entitled to a fractional share of common stock were instead entitled to receive a proportional cash payment. The reverse stock split did not change the par value or authorized number of shares of common stock. All common share and per share amounts presented in the interim consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes have been retroactively adjusted to reflect the reverse stock split.

 

j. Net loss per share

 

Basic net loss per share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during each period (and potential shares of common stock that are exercisable for little or no consideration). Included in basic weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the three months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 are the Series B warrants with an exercise price of $0.0014 per share.

 

Diluted loss per share includes the effect, if any, from the potential exercise or conversion of securities such as common stock warrants and stock options which would result in the issuance of incremental shares of common stock. For diluted net loss per share, the weighted-average number of shares of common stock is the same for basic net loss per share due to the fact that when a net loss exists, dilutive securities are not included in the calculation as the impact is anti-dilutive.

 

The following potentially dilutive securities have been excluded from the computation of diluted shares of common stock outstanding as they would be anti-dilutive:

 Schedule of Potentially Dilutive Securities

                 
    December 31,  
    2022     2021  
Common stock warrants     2,827,708       2,827,708  
Underwriter warrants     50,416       50,416  
Private warrants     2,059       7,549  
Chanticleer warrants     1,267       1,267  
Series C warrants     809,243       809,243  
Series 3 warrants     276,140        
Unvested restricted stock     220,470       72,425  
Total anti-dilutive weighted average shares     4,187,303       3,768,608  

 

 

Sonnet BioTherapeutics Holdings, Inc.

Notes to Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements

 

k. Recent accounting pronouncements

 

Recently adopted

 

In May 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-04, Earnings Per Share (Topic 260), Debt-Modifications and Extinguishments (Subtopic 470-50), Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718), and Derivatives and Hedging-Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Issuer’s Accounting for Certain Modifications or Exchanges of Freestanding Equity-Classified Written Call Options. The amendments in ASU 2021-04 provide guidance to clarify and reduce diversity in an issuer’s accounting for modifications or exchanges of freestanding equity-classified written call options (for example, warrants) that remain equity classified after modification or exchange. The adoption of ASU 2021-04 on October 1, 2022 did not have any impact on the interim consolidated financial statements.