Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

v3.21.2
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

 

a. Basis of presentation

 

The accompanying consolidated 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 U.S. GAAP as found in the Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) and Accounting Standards Updates (“ASU”) promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”).

 

b. Consolidation

 

The 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 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. Segment information

 

Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise about which separate discrete information is available for evaluation by the chief operating decision maker, or decision-making group, in deciding how to allocate resources and assess performance. The Company views its operations and manages its business in one segment.

 

 

Sonnet BioTherapeutics Holdings, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

 

e. Fair value of financial instruments

 

Management believes that the carrying amounts of the Company’s financial instruments, including accounts payable, approximate fair value due to the short-term nature of those instruments. Due to the related-party relationships of the Company’s debt (Note 6), it is impractical to determine the fair value of the debt.

 

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 statements of operations.

 

g. Impairment of long-lived assets

 

The Company reviews long-lived assets, such as property and equipment, for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicated that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to the undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by that asset. If the carrying amount of an asset exceeds its estimated undiscounted future cash flows, than an impairment charge is recognized for the amount by which the carrying value of the asset exceeds the estimated fair value of the asset. There were no impairment charges recorded during the fiscal years ended September 30, 2021 and 2020.

 

h. 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 Therapeutics PTE, LTD (“New Life”). See Note 9 for further discussion of the New Life Agreement.

 

 

Sonnet BioTherapeutics Holdings, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

 

i. 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 payment are recognized upon the related resolution of such contingencies.

 

j. Foreign currency

 

Transaction gains and losses resulting from exchange rate changes on transactions denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar are included in operations in the period in which the transaction occurs and reported within the foreign exchange loss line item in the consolidated statements of operations.

 

k. Share-based compensation

 

The Company measures equity classified share-based awards granted to employees and nonemployees based on the estimated fair value on the date of grant and recognizes compensation expense of those awards over the requisite service period, which is the vesting period of the respective award. The Company accounts for forfeitures as they occur. For share-based awards with service-based vesting conditions, the Company recognizes compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the service period. The Company classifies share-based compensation expense in its consolidated statements of operations in the same manner in which the award recipient’s payroll costs are classified or in which the award recipient’s service payments are classified.

 

l. Income taxes

 

The Company uses the asset-and-liability method of accounting for income taxes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases, and operating loss and credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. A valuation allowance is provided when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of a deferred tax asset will not be realized. The Company recognizes the benefit of an uncertain tax position that it has taken or expects to take on its income tax return if such a position is more likely than not to be sustained.

 

 

Sonnet BioTherapeutics Holdings, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

 

m. 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 years ended September 30, 2021 and 2020 are the Series B warrants and certain warrants issued to the spin-off entity with exercise prices of $0.0001 and $0.01 per share, respectively. 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 weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding as they would be anti-dilutive:

 

    September 30,     September 30,  
    2021     2020  
Common stock warrants     39,588,234        
Underwriter warrants     705,882        
Private warrants     105,812       105,812  
Legacy Chanticleer warrants     17,760       20,180  
Series C warrants     11,329,461       11,329,461  
Unvested restricted stock     363,268       653,845  
      52,110,417       12,109,298  

 

n. Recent accounting pronouncements

 

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 guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, including interim periods therein, and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this principle on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

 

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes Topic 740 - Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes, which intended to simplify various aspects related to accounting for income taxes. ASU 2019-12 removes certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740 and also clarifies and amends existing guidance to improve consistent application of Topic 740. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim periods therein, and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the new standard, but adoption is not expected to have a material impact on its financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and financial statement disclosures.

 

 

Sonnet BioTherapeutics Holdings, Inc.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements