v3.25.4
Income Taxes
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes

9.

Income Taxes

For the years ended December 31, 2025, and 2024, the Company did not record a provision or benefit for federal or state income taxes, as the Company has incurred a net loss for all periods presented and the Company has provided a full valuation allowance against

its net deferred tax assets. The Company did not pay any income taxes in any jurisdiction for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024.

A reconciliation between the federal statutory tax rates and the Company’s effective tax rate for the years ended December 31, 2025, and 2024, is as follows:

  ​ ​ ​

Years Ended December 31,

  ​ ​ ​

2025

2024

Federal income taxes at statutory rates

 

$

10,718

21.00

%

$

9,569

21.00

%

Research and development credits

 

156

0.30

1,976

4.34

Stock-based compensation

 

216

0.42

(593)

(1.30)

Changes in unrecognized tax benefits

164

0.32

89

0.20

Section 162(m) limitations

(522)

(1.02)

(108)

(0.24)

Other

(3)

(0.01)

(5)

(0.01)

Change in valuation allowance

(10,729)

(21.01)

(10,928)

(23.99)

Effective income tax rate

$

%

$

%

Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. The following table presents significant components of the Company’s net deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2025 and 2024 (in thousands):

  ​ ​ ​

As of December 31,

  ​ ​ ​

2025

2024

Deferred tax assets:

 

Net operating loss carryforwards

 

$

46,665

$

35,045

Capitalized start-up costs and research expenses

 

18,169

20,137

Research and development credits

8,824

8,265

Accruals, reserves and other

313

270

Stock compensation

3,439

2,674

Lease liabilities

16

16

Total gross deferred assets

77,426

66,407

Valuation allowance

(77,410)

(66,391)

Total deferred tax assets

16

16

Deferred tax liabilities:

Right-of-use assets

(16)

(16)

Total deferred liabilities

(16)

(16)

Net deferred tax assets

$

$

The Company has evaluated the positive and negative evidence bearing upon the realizability of its deferred tax assets. Based on the Company’s history of operating losses, the Company has concluded that it is more likely than not that the benefit of its deferred tax assets will not be realized. Accordingly, the Company has provided a full valuation allowance for deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2025, and 2024. The valuation allowance increased $11.0 million and $11.3 million during the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

As of December 31, 2025, the Company had U.S. federal net operating loss carryforwards (NOLs) of approximately $213.6 million which may be available to offset future U.S. federal income. U.S. Federal NOLs incurred in taxable years beginning prior to January 1, 2018 of approximately $91.0 million expire beginning in 2029 while U.S. federal NOLs incurred in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 of approximately $122.6 million will have an indefinite carryforward period, subject to annual limitations. As of December 31, 2025, the Company also had state NOL carryforwards of approximately $26.3 million which may be available to offset future state income and expire at various years beginning in 2028.

As of December 31, 2025, the Company had U.S. federal research and development tax credit (R&D credit) carryforwards of approximately $8.5 million available to reduce future tax liabilities which expire at various years beginning with 2028. As of December 31, 2025, the Company had state credit carryforwards of approximately $3.2 million available to reduce future tax liabilities which do not expire.

Under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and corresponding provisions of state law, if a corporation undergoes an “ownership change,” which is generally defined as a greater than 50 percentage point change (by value) in its equity ownership by “5% shareholders” over a rolling three-year period, the corporation’s ability to use its pre-change NOLs, R&D credits and certain other tax attributes to offset its post-change income or taxes may be limited. This could limit the amount of NOLs, R&D credit carryforwards or other applicable tax attributes that the Company can utilize annually to offset future taxable income or tax liabilities. The Company has not performed a Section 382 analysis through December 31, 2025, and as such, the Company is not able to determine the impact of any potential limitations on the usage of the Company’s NOLs and tax credit carryforwards. To the extent that an assessment is completed in the future, the Company’s ability to utilize tax attributes could be restricted on a year-by-year basis and certain attributes could expire before they are utilized.

The Company applies the two-step approach to recognizing and measuring uncertain tax positions. The first step is to evaluate the tax position for recognition by determining if the weight of available evidence indicates it is more likely than not that the position will be substantiated on audit, including resolution of related appeals or litigation processes, if any. The second step is to measure the tax benefit as the largest amount, which is more than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. Income tax positions must meet a more likely than not recognition threshold at the effective date to be recognized upon the adoption of ASC 740 and in subsequent periods. This interpretation also provides guidance on measurement, de-recognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods and transition.

A reconciliation of the unrecognized tax benefits for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, is as follows (in thousands):

  ​ ​ ​

Years Ended December 31,

2025

2024

Unrecognized tax benefits as of the beginning of the year

  ​ ​ ​

$

2,186

$

1,784

Decrease related to prior year tax positions

 

(151)

(251)

Increase related to current year tax positions

306

653

Unrecognized tax benefits as of the end of the year

 

$

2,341

$

2,186

No amount of the unrecognized tax benefits, if recognized, would reduce the Company’s annual effective tax rate because the benefits are in the form of deferred tax assets for which a full valuation allowance has been recorded. The Company does not anticipate a significant change to its unrecognized tax benefits over the next 12 months.

The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions in income tax expense. As of December 31, 2025, the Company had no accrued interest or penalties related to uncertain tax positions and no amounts have been recognized in the Company’s statements of operations and comprehensive loss. There are no ongoing examinations by taxing authorities at this time.

The Company files U.S. and state income tax returns with varying statutes of limitations. The Company’s tax years from inception in 2006 will remain open to examination due to the carryover of the unused NOLs and tax credits. The Company does not have any tax audits or other proceedings pending.