SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES |
12 Months Ended | |||||||||
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Apr. 30, 2024 | ||||||||||
Accounting Policies [Abstract] | ||||||||||
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES |
NOTE 2 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation
The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. The Company operates independently and through three wholly owned subsidiaries: (i) PharmaCyte Biotech Europe Limited; (ii) PharmaCyte Biotech Australia Pty. Ltd.; and (iii) Viridis Biotech, Inc. and are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) and the Rules and Regulations of the Commission. Upon consolidation, intercompany balances and transactions are eliminated. The Company’s 13.9% investment in SG Austria is presented using the measurement alternative allowed under ASC 321 Investments – Equity Securities for investments with no readily determinable fair values. In March 2023, Bio Blue Bird was liquidated and was de-consolidated in these consolidated financial statements.
Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements
The preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires the use of estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities known to exist as of the date the financial statements are published and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Uncertainties with respect to such estimates and assumptions are inherent in the preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements; accordingly, it is possible that the actual results could differ from these estimates and assumptions, which could have a material effect on the reported amounts of the Company’s consolidated financial position and results of operations.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in banks and short-term liquid investments purchased with maturities of three months or less.
Intangible Assets
The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) standard on goodwill and other intangible assets prescribes a two-step process for impairment testing of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangibles, which is performed annually, as well as when an event triggering impairment may have occurred. The first step tests for impairment, while the second step, if necessary, measures the impairment. The Company has elected to perform its annual analysis at the end of its reporting year.
The Company’s intangible assets are licensing agreements related to the Cell-in-a-Box® technology for $1,549,427 and diabetes license for $2,000,000
These intangible assets have an indefinite life; therefore, they are not amortizable.
The Company concluded that the diabetes licensed asset technology would likely not prove to be a viable technique for the production of insulin producing cells and the treatment of diabetes. The Company believes that a buyer of this technology would ascribe a de minimis value to this asset. Therefore, it was determined that as of April 30, 2024 there should be a full impairment of the $2,000,000 carrying value. Therefore, the Company included a non-cash asset impairment of $2,000,000 on the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company also concluded that there was no impairment of the Cell-in-a-Box® technology for $1,549,427 for the years ended April 30, 2024 and 2023.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
The Company evaluates long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset may not be fully recoverable. If the estimated future cash flows (undiscounted and without interest charges) from the use of an asset are less than carrying value, a write-down would be recorded to reduce the related asset to its estimated fair value.
Investment in SG Austria
The Company’s 13.9% investment in SG Austria is presented using the measurement alternative allowed under ASC 321 – Investments – Equity Securities with no readily determinable values. The Company evaluates equity investments annually for changes in circumstances that indicate the value of the securities have been affected. The Company concluded that there was a write-down of the investment in SG Austria at April 30, 2024 due to their financial position, negative book value and viability that makes for an inconclusive determination of a specific value range of the Company’s minority interest in SG Austria. The Company concluded that as of the present time, the value of SG Austria is likely minimal and therefore, included a non-cash asset write-down of $1,572,191 on the Consolidated Statements of Operations. No write-down was identified or recorded during the year ended April 30, 2023.
Convertible Note Receivable
As permitted under Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB”) ASC 825, Financial Instruments ("ASC 825”), the Company elects to account for its convertible note receivable, which meets the required criteria, at fair value at inception and at each subsequent reporting date. Subsequent changes in fair value, including interest, are recorded as a component of non-operating income (loss) in the consolidated statements of operations. As a result of electing the fair value option, direct costs and fees related to the convertible note receivable were expensed as incurred.
The Company estimates the fair value of the convertible note receivable using the income approach, which uses as inputs the fair value of debtor’s common stock and estimates for the equity volatility and volume volatility of debtor’s common stock, the time to expiration of the convertible note, the discount rate, the stated interest rate compared to the current market rate, the risk-free interest rate for a period that approximates the time to expiration, and probability of default. Therefore, the estimate of expected future volatility is based on the actual volatility of debtor’s common stock and historical volatility of debtor’s common stock utilizing a lookback period consistent with the time to expiration. The time to expiration is based on the contractual maturity date. The risk-free interest rate is determined by reference to the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of measurement for time periods approximately equal to the time to expiration. The probability of default is estimated using the S&P Global default rate for companies with a similar credit rating to debtor’s.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” requires disclosure of the fair value of financial instruments held by the Company. ASC Topic 825, “Financial Instruments,” defines fair value, and establishes a three-level valuation hierarchy for disclosures of fair value measurement that enhances disclosure requirements for fair value measures. The carrying amounts reported in the Consolidated Balance Sheets for current assets and liabilities qualify as financial instruments and are a reasonable estimate of their fair values because of the short period between the origination of such instruments and their expected realization and their current market rate of interest. Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. Valuation techniques used to measure fair value must maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. The three levels of valuation hierarchy are defined as follows:
These unobservable inputs are significant to the fair value measurement.
Income Taxes
Deferred taxes are calculated using the liability method whereby deferred tax assets are recognized for deductible temporary differences and operating loss and tax credit carry forwards, and deferred tax liabilities are recognized for taxable temporary differences. Temporary differences are the differences between the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and their tax bases. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are adjusted for the effects of changes in tax laws and rates on the date of enactment.
A valuation allowance is provided for deferred income tax assets when, in management’s judgment, based upon currently available information and other factors, it is more likely than not that all or a portion of such deferred income tax assets will not be realized. The determination of the need for a valuation allowance is based on an on-going evaluation of current information including, among other things, historical operating results, estimates of future earnings in different taxing jurisdictions and the expected timing of the reversals of temporary differences. The Company believes the determination to record a valuation allowance to reduce a deferred income tax asset is a significant accounting estimate because it is based on, among other things, an estimate of future taxable income in the U.S. and certain other jurisdictions, which is susceptible to change and may or may not occur, and because the impact of adjusting a valuation allowance may be material. In determining when to release the valuation allowance established against the Company’s net deferred income tax assets, the Company considers all available evidence, both positive and negative. Consistent with the Company’s policy, and because of the Company’s history of operating losses, the Company does not currently recognize the benefit of all its deferred tax assets, including tax loss carry forwards, which may be used to offset future taxable income. The Company continually assesses its ability to generate sufficient taxable income during future periods in which deferred tax assets may be realized. When the Company believes it is more likely than not that it will recover its deferred tax assets, the Company will reverse the valuation allowance as an income tax benefit in the statements of operations.
The U.S. GAAP method of accounting for uncertain tax positions utilizes a two-step approach to evaluate tax positions. Step one, recognition, requires evaluation of the tax position to determine if based solely on technical merits it is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination. Step two, measurement, is addressed only if a position is more likely than not to be sustained. In step two, the tax benefit is measured as the largest amount of benefit, determined on a cumulative probability basis, which is more likely than not to be realized upon ultimate settlement with tax authorities. If a position does not meet the more likely than not threshold for recognition in step one, no benefit is recorded until the first subsequent period in which the more likely than not standard is met, the issue is resolved with the taxing authorities, or the statute of limitations expires. Positions previously recognized are derecognized when the Company subsequently determines the position no longer is more likely than not to be sustained. Evaluation of tax positions, their technical merits and measurements using cumulative probability are highly subjective management estimates. Actual results could differ materially from these estimates.
Consideration of Inflation Reduction Act Excise Tax
On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “IR Act”) was signed into federal law. The IR Act provides for, among other things, a new U.S. federal 1% excise tax on certain repurchases of stock by publicly-traded U.S. domestic corporations and certain U.S. domestic subsidiaries of publicly traded foreign corporations occurring on or after January 1, 2023. The excise tax is imposed on the repurchasing corporation itself, not its stockholders from which shares are repurchased. The amount of the excise tax is generally 1% of the fair market value of the shares repurchased at the time of the repurchase. However, for purposes of calculating the excise tax, repurchasing corporations are permitted to net the fair market value of certain new stock issuances against the fair market value of stock repurchases during the same taxable year. In addition, certain exceptions apply to the excise tax. The U.S. Department of the Treasury (the “Treasury”) has been given authority to provide regulations and other guidance to carry out and prevent the abuse or avoidance of the excise tax.
The Company repurchased 28,479,593 including accrued excise tax during the year ended April 30, 2024 and shares of common stock with a total cost of $13,560,623 including accrued excise tax for the year ended April 30, 2023. The Company recorded $281,976 and $58,096 in excise tax related to the IR Act, which is included in Treasury stock and accrued expenses for the years ended April 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. shares of common stock with a total cost of $
Research and Development
Research and development (“R&D”) expenses consist of costs incurred for direct and overhead-related research expenses and are expensed as incurred. Costs to acquire technologies, including licenses, which are utilized in research and development and that have no alternative future use are expensed when incurred. Technology developed for use in the Company’s product candidates is expensed as incurred until technological feasibility has been established.
R&D costs for the years ended April 30, 2024 and 2023 were $407,431 and $468,536, respectively.
The Company recognizes stock-based compensation expense for only those awards ultimately expected to vest on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the award. The Company estimates the fair value of stock options using a Black-Scholes-Merton valuation model. This model requires the input of highly subjective assumptions, including the option's expected term and stock price volatility. In addition, judgment is also required in estimating the number of stock-based awards that are expected to be forfeited. Forfeitures are estimated based on historical experience at the time of grant and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates. The assumptions used in calculating the fair value of share-based payment awards represent management's best estimates, but these estimates involve inherent uncertainties and the application of management's judgment. Thus, if factors change and the Company uses different assumptions, the stock-based compensation expense could be materially different in the future.
Concentration of Credit Risk
The Company has no significant off-balance-sheet concentrations of credit risk such as foreign exchange contracts, options contracts or other foreign hedging arrangements. The Company maintains most of its cash balance at financial institutions located in throughout the U.S. Accounts at these institutions are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation up to $250,000. Uninsured balances aggregated approximately $6,910,000 and $279,000 at April 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts. Management believes it is not exposed to any significant credit risk on cash.
Foreign Currency Translation
The Company translates the financial statements of its foreign subsidiaries from the local (functional) currencies to U.S. dollars in accordance with FASB ASC 830, Foreign Currency Matters. All assets and liabilities of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries are translated at year-end exchange rates, while revenue and expenses are translated at average exchange rates prevailing during the year. Adjustments for foreign currency translation fluctuations are excluded from net loss and are included in other comprehensive income (loss). Gains and losses on short-term intercompany foreign currency transactions are recognized as incurred.
New Accounting Pronouncements Effective in Future Periods
In November 2023, FASB issued ASU 2023-07 - Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures, which requires public entities with a single reportable segment to provide all the disclosures required by this standard and all existing segment disclosures in Topic 280 on an interim and annual basis, including new requirements to disclose significant segment expenses that are regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) and included within the reported measure(s) of a segment's profit or loss, the amount and composition of any other segment items, the title and position of the CODM, and how the CODM uses the reported measure(s) of a segment's profit or loss to assess performance and decide how to allocate resources. The guidance is effective for our annual period beginning May 1, 2025, and interim periods thereafter, applied retrospectively with early adoption permitted. The Company is evaluating the impact of adoption of this standard on its financial statements and disclosures.
In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09 - Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures, which requires public entities to provide greater disaggregation within their annual rate reconciliation, including new requirements to present reconciling items on a gross basis in specified categories, disclose both percentages and dollar amounts, and disaggregate individual reconciling items by jurisdiction and nature when the effect of the items meet a quantitative threshold. The guidance also requires disaggregating the annual disclosure of income taxes paid, net of refunds received, by federal (national), state, and foreign taxes, with separate presentation of individual jurisdictions that meet a quantitative threshold. The guidance is effective for the Company's annual periods beginning May 1, 2025 on a prospective basis, with a retrospective option, and early adoption is permitted. The Company is evaluating the impact of adoption of this standard on its financial statements and disclosures.
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