SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies) |
3 Months Ended | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Mar. 31, 2016 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accounting Policies [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interim Financial Statements, Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Interim financial statements The unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2015 contained herein has been derived from audited financial statements. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2016 are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2016. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2015 included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 3, 2016. |
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| New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Recent accounting pronouncements In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). Under the new guidance, lessees will be required to recognize the following for all leases (with the exception of short-term leases) at the commencement date: a lease liability, which is a lessee‘s obligation to make lease payments arising from a lease, measured on a discounted basis; and a right-of-use asset, which is an asset that represents the lessee’s right to use, or control the use of, a specified asset for the lease term. Public business entities should apply the amendments in ASU 2016-02 for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early application is permitted. Lessees (for capital and operating leases) must apply a modified retrospective transition approach for leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements. The modified retrospective approach would not require any transition accounting for leases that expired before the earliest comparative period presented. Lessees may not apply a full retrospective transition approach. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this guidance. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09 related to stock-based compensation. The new guidance simplifies the accounting for stock-based compensation transactions, including tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. This update is effective in fiscal years, including interim periods, beginning after December 15, 2016, and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this guidance. |
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| Concentration Risk, Credit Risk, Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Risks and uncertainties The Company's primary efforts are devoted to conducting research and development for the treatment of disorders of the central nervous system. The Company has experienced net losses and negative cash flows from operations since inception and expects these conditions to continue for the foreseeable future. Further, the Company does not have any commercial products available for sale and has not generated revenues and there is no assurance that if the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) approval of their products is received that the Company will be able to generate cash flow to fund operations. In addition, there can be no assurance that the Company's research and development will be successfully completed or that any product will be FDA-approved or commercially viable. At March 31, 2016, the Company had working capital of approximately $26.7 million. Management believes that the Company has sufficient funds to meet its research and development and other funding requirements for at least the next 12 months. The Company expects that cash used in operations for research and development will increase significantly over the next several years. In the event such funds are not sufficient to complete the development and commercialization of its current product candidates, the Company intends to raise additional funds through equity or debt financing. If the Company is unsuccessful in raising additional financing, it will need to reduce costs and operations in the future (see Note 8). |
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| Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Use of estimates
The preparation of financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant estimates include the useful life of fixed assets, assumptions used in the fair value of stock-based compensation and other equity instruments, and the percent of completion of research and development contracts. |
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| Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Cash equivalents
The Company considers cash equivalents to be those investments which are highly liquid, readily convertible to cash and have an original maturity of three months or less when purchased. At March 31, 2016, cash equivalents, which consisted of money market funds, amounted to $4.5 million. |
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| Marketable Securities, Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Marketable securities
Marketable securities consist primarily of certificates of deposit and corporate, U.S. agency, and U.S. treasury bonds with maturities greater than three months and up to two years at the time of purchase. These securities, which are classified as available for sale, are carried at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses, net of any tax effect, reported in stockholders’ equity as accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). As investments are available for current operations, they are classified as current irrespective of their maturities. Amortization of premiums is included in interest income. For the quarter ended March 31, 2016, the amortization of bond premiums totaled $24,000. As of March 31, 2016, amortized cost basis of the securities approximates their fair value. The values of these securities may fluctuate as a result of changes in market interest rates and credit risk. The schedule of maturities at March 31, 2016 is as follows (in thousands):
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| Property, Plant and Equipment, Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Property and equipment Property and equipment are stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method over the asset's estimated useful life, which is three years for computer assets, five years for furniture and all other equipment and term of lease for leasehold improvements. Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred. Depreciation and amortization expense for the quarter ended March 31, 2016 and 2015 was $33,000 and $22,000, respectively. All property and equipment is located in the United States. |
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| Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Intangible Assets, Indefinite-Lived, Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Intangible asset with indefinite lives During the year ended December 31, 2015, the Company purchased certain internet domain rights, which were determined to have an indefinite life. Identifiable intangibles with indefinite lives are not amortized but are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that its carrying amount may not be recoverable, or at least annually. As of March 31, 2016, the Company believes that the carrying value is fully recoverable. |
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| Research and Development Expense, Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Research and development costs The Company outsources its research and development efforts and expenses related costs as incurred, including the cost of manufacturing product for testing, as well as licensing fees and costs associated with planning and conducting clinical trials. The value ascribed to patents and other intellectual property acquired is expensed as research and development costs, as such property related to particular research and development projects and had no alternative future uses. The Company estimates its expenses resulting from its obligations under contracts with vendors, clinical research organizations and consultants and under clinical site agreements in connection with conducting clinical trials. The financial terms of these contracts are subject to negotiations, which vary from contract to contract and may result in payment flows that do not match the periods over which materials or services are provided under such contracts. The Company accounts for trial expenses according to the timing of various aspects of the trial. The Company determines accrual estimates taking into account discussion with applicable personnel and outside service providers as to the progress or state of consummation of trials, or the services completed. During the course of a clinical trial, the Company adjusts its clinical expense recognition if actual results differ from its estimates. The Company makes estimates of its accrued expenses as of each balance sheet date based on the facts and circumstances known to it at that time. The Company’s clinical trial accruals are dependent upon the timely and accurate reporting of contract research organizations and other third-party vendors. |
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| Share-based Compensation, Option and Incentive Plans Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Stock-based compensation All stock-based payments to employees and to nonemployee directors for their services as directors, including grants of restricted stock units (“RSUs”), and stock options, are measured at fair value on the grant date and recognized in the consolidated statements of operations as compensation or other expense over the relevant service period. Stock-based payments to nonemployees are recognized as an expense over the period of performance. Such payments are measured at fair value at the earlier of the date a performance commitment is reached or the date performance is completed. In addition, for awards that vest immediately and are non-forfeitable, the measurement date is the date the award is issued. |
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| Foreign Currency Transactions and Translations Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Foreign currency translation Operations of the Canadian subsidiary are conducted in local currency which represents its functional currency. The U.S. dollar is the functional currency of the other foreign subsidiaries. Balance sheet accounts of the Canadian subsidiary were translated from foreign currency into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate in effect at the balance sheet date and income statement accounts were translated at the average rate of exchange prevailing during the period. Translation adjustments resulting from this process, were included in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) on the consolidated balance sheet. |
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| Comprehensive Income, Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Comprehensive income (loss)
Comprehensive income (loss) is defined as the change in equity of a business during a period from transactions and other events and circumstances from non-owner sources. It includes all changes in equity during a period except those resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners. Other comprehensive income (loss) represents foreign currency translation adjustments and unrealized gains or losses from available for sale securities. |
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| Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Income taxes Income tax provisions or benefits for interim periods are computed based on the Company’s estimated annual effective tax rate. Based on the Company's historical losses and its expectation of continuation of losses for the foreseeable future, the Company has determined that it is more likely than not that deferred tax assets will not be realized and, accordingly, has provided a full valuation allowance. As the Company anticipates or anticipated that its net deferred tax assets at December 31, 2016 and 2015 would be fully offset by a valuation allowance, there is no federal or state income tax benefit for the periods ended March 31, 2016 and 2015 related to losses incurred during such periods. |
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| Earnings Per Share, Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Per share data Basic and diluted net loss per common share is calculated by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of outstanding shares of common stock. As of March 31, 2016 and 2015, there were outstanding warrants to purchase an aggregate of 1,729,217 and 1,731,217 shares, respectively, of the Company’s common stock. In addition, the Company has issued to employees, directors and consultants, options to acquire shares of the Company’s common stock, of which 2,239,959 and 1,649,443 were outstanding at March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and restricted stock units issued to non-employee directors to acquire shares of the Company’s common stock of which 56,250 and 42,000 were outstanding at March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively (see Note 5). In computing diluted net loss per share for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, no effect has been given to such options, warrants and restricted stock units as their effect would be anti-dilutive. |
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