NOTE 4  STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION AWARDS

Equity Incentive Plans

In March 2021, the Company’s board of directors adopted, and its stockholders approved, the Company’s 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (2021 Plan), which became effective in March 2021 in connection with the IPO. Upon adoption of the 2021 Plan, the Company restricted the grant of future equity awards under its 2017 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended and restated (2017 Plan).

The 2021 Plan provides for the grant of incentive stock options, within the meaning of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code, to the Company’s employees and any of its parent and subsidiary corporations’ employees, and for the grant of nonstatutory stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units (RSUs), stock appreciation rights, performance units, and performance shares to its employees, directors, and consultants and its subsidiary corporations’ employees and consultants.

The vesting of stock options is stated in each individual grant agreement, which is generally four years. Options granted expire 10 years after the date of grant. An RSU represents the right to receive one share of common stock upon vesting of the RSU. The fair value of each RSU is based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant and vest over 2 to 4 years. A total of 5,040,000 shares of the Company’s common stock were initially reserved for issuance pursuant to the 2021 Plan. The 2021 Plan share reserve increases by the number of shares under the 2017 Plan that are repurchased, forfeited, expired or cancelled after the effective date of the 2021 Plan up to the limit under the 2021 Plan. The number of shares available for issuance under the 2021 Plan increases annually on the first day of each fiscal year beginning with the Company’s 2022 fiscal year, equal to the least of (1) 5,040,000 shares, (2) five percent (5%) of the outstanding shares of its common stock as of the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year; or (3) such other amount as the Company’s board of directors may determine. As of June 30, 2025, there were 5,519,964 shares available for future issuance under the 2021 Plan.

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Inducement Equity Incentive Plan

Effective August 10, 2024, the Company’s board of directors adopted the Company’s 2024 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan (Inducement Plan) and, subject to the adjustment provisions of the Inducement Plan, reserved 2,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock for issuance pursuant to equity awards granted under the Inducement Plan.

The Inducement Plan was adopted without stockholder approval pursuant to the applicable The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC’s (Nasdaq) Listing Rules. The Inducement Plan provides for the grant of equity-based awards, including nonstatutory stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, and performance awards, and its terms are substantially similar to the 2021 Plan, including with respect to treatment of equity awards in the event of a “merger” or “change in control” as defined under the Inducement Plan, but with such other terms and conditions intended to comply with the Nasdaq inducement award exception or to comply with the Nasdaq acquisition and merger exception.

In accordance with the Nasdaq Listing Rules, awards under the Inducement Plan may only be made to individuals not previously employees or non-employee directors of the Company (or following such individuals’ bona fide period of non-employment with the Company), as an inducement material to the individuals’ entry into employment with the Company, or, to the extent permitted by the Nasdaq Listing Rules, in connection with a merger or acquisition. As of June 30, 2025, there were 2,000,000 shares available for future issuance under the Inducement Plan.

Founder Stock Options

On September 19, 2017, the Company granted one of its founders the option to purchase 1,795,880 shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price of $0.18 per share which vested monthly over a four-year period and expire 15 years after the date of grant. This grant is separate from the Company’s equity incentive plans discussed above. As of June 30, 2025, 1,347,365 options were both outstanding and exercisable. 9,415 options were exercised during the six months ended June 30, 2025.

2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

The 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (2021 ESPP) enables eligible employees of the Company to purchase shares of common stock at a discount. A total of 504,000 shares of the Company’s common stock were initially reserved for issuance pursuant to the 2021 ESPP. The number of shares available for issuance under the 2021 ESPP increases annually on the first day of each fiscal year beginning with the Company’s 2022 fiscal year, equal to the least of (1) 1,008,000 shares, (2) one percent (1%) of the outstanding shares of common stock as of the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year; or (3) such other amount as the Company’s board of directors may determine. As of June 30, 2025, the Company has reserved for issuance 2,927,132 shares of common stock pursuant to the 2021 ESPP.

The 2021 ESPP provides for two offering periods of approximately twelve months’ duration, with purchase periods commencing on the first trading day on or after May 15 and November 15 and terminating on the last trading day on or before November 15 of the same year and May 15 of the following year, respectively. Contributions under the 2021 ESPP are limited to 15% of an employee’s eligible compensation, IRS limitations, and a maximum of 6,000 shares of common stock during each offering period. 2021 ESPP participants will purchase shares of common stock at a price per share equal to 85% of the lesser of (1) the fair market value per share of the common stock on the first trading day of the offering period or (2) the fair market value of the common stock on the purchase date.

Total stock-based compensation expense related to all equity plans, including Founder Stock Options was allocated as follows (in thousands):

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