Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect certain reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include contract research accruals, recoverability of long-lived assets, measurement of stock-based compensation, and the periods of performance under collaborative research and development agreements. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and various other assumptions that management believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Changes in estimates are recorded in the period in which they become known. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash and short-term highly liquid investments purchased with original maturities of three months or less. There were no cash equivalents at June 30, 2016 and 2015.

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost, net of accumulated depreciation. Expenditures that extend the life, increase the capacity, or improve the efficiency of property and equipment are capitalized, while expenditures for repairs and maintenance are expensed as incurred. Depreciation is recognized using the straight-line method over the following approximate useful lives:

Intangible Assets – Patents

Costs incurred to file patent applications and acquired intangibles are capitalized when the Company believes that there is a high likelihood that the patent will be issued and there will be future economic benefit associated with the patent. These costs will be amortized on a straight-line basis over a 12 - 17 years life from the date of patent filing. All costs associated with abandoned patent applications are expensed. In addition, the Company will review the carrying value of patents for indicators of impairment on a periodic basis and if it determines that the carrying value is impaired, it values the patent at fair value. As of June 30, 2016 and 2015, carrying value of patent was approximately $4,311,000 and $5,018,000, respectively. Amortization expense for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2016, 2015 and 2014, was approximately $404,000, $394,000 and $285,000, respectively.

As of June 30, 2016, the Company expensed the costs associated with obtaining patents that have not yet developed products nor which have gained market acceptance and the Company has or will let these patents go abandoned. For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2016, 2015 and 2014, the Company has charged to operations approximately $37,000, $102,000, and $136,000, respectively as patent expenses included in general and administrative expenses.

In accordance with the provisions of the applicable authoritative guidance, the Company’s long-lived assets and amortizable intangible assets are tested for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying value may not be recoverable. The Company assesses the recoverability of such assets by determining whether their carrying value can be recovered through undiscounted future operating cash flows, including its estimates of revenue driven by assumed market segment share and estimated costs. If impairment is indicated, the Company measures the amount of such impairment by comparing the fair value to the carrying value. During the fiscal years ended June 30, 2016, 2015 and 2014, the Company has recorded impairment on patent costs of Delparantag and various patents approximately $648,000, $0, and $0, respectively and included in general and administrative expenses.

Financial Instruments

The Company’s financial instruments include cash, accounts payable and accrued liabilities. The carrying amounts of these financial instruments approximate their fair value, due to the short-term nature of these items. The fair value hierarchy has the following three levels:

Level 1—quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities.

Level 2—observable inputs other than Level 1 inputs. Examples of Level 2 inputs include quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities and quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in markets that are not active.

Level 3—unobservable inputs that reflect the Company's own assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.

Certain Risks and Uncertainties

Product Development

We devote significant resources to research and development programs in an effort to discover and develop potential future product candidates. The product candidates in our pipeline are at various stages of preclinical and clinical development. The path to regulatory approval includes three phases of clinical trials in which we collect data to support an application to regulatory authorities to allow us to market a product for treatment of a specified disease. There are many difficulties and uncertainties inherent in research and development of new products, resulting in a high rate of failure. To bring a drug from the discovery phase to regulatory approval, and ultimately to market, takes many years and significant cost. Failure can occur at any point in the process, including after the product is approved, based on post-market factors. New product candidates that appear promising in development may fail to reach the market or may have only limited commercial success because of efficacy or safety concerns, inability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals, limited scope of approved uses, reimbursement challenges, difficulty or excessive costs of manufacture, alternative therapies or infringement of the patents or intellectual property rights of others. Uncertainties in the FDA approval process and the approval processes in other countries can result in delays in product launches and lost market opportunities. Consequently, it is very difficult to predict which products will ultimately be submitted for approval, which have the highest likelihood of obtaining approval and which will be commercially viable and generate profits. Successful results in preclinical or clinical studies may not be an accurate predictor of the ultimate safety or effectiveness of a drug or product candidate.

Expenditures for research, development, and engineering of products are expensed as incurred. For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2016, 2015 and 2014, the Company incurred approximately $8,952,000, $10,531,000 and $6,344,000 of research and development costs, respectively.

Concentrations of Credit Risk

The Company maintains its cash in bank deposit and checking accounts that at times exceed federally insured limits. Approximately $6 million is subject to credit risk at June 30, 2016. However, these cash balances are maintained at creditworthy financial institutions. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts and believes it is not exposed to any significant credit risk.

Accrued Outsourcing Costs

Substantial portions of our preclinical studies and clinical trials are performed by third-party laboratories, medical centers, contract research organizations and other vendors, or collectively "CROs". These CROs generally bill monthly or quarterly for services performed, or bill based upon milestone achievement. For preclinical studies, we accrue expenses based upon estimated percentage of work completed and the contract milestones remaining. For clinical studies, expenses are accrued based upon the number of patients enrolled and the duration of the study. We monitor patient enrollment, the progress of clinical studies and related activities to the extent possible through internal reviews of data reported to us by the CROs, correspondence with the CROs and clinical site visits. Our estimates depend on the timeliness and accuracy of the data provided by the CROs regarding the status of each program and total program spending. We periodically evaluate the estimates to determine if adjustments are necessary or appropriate based on information we receive.

Valuation of Equity Grants

The Company accounts for all share-based payments to employees, including grants of employee stock options, to be recognized in the consolidated financial statements based on their fair values. The Company is required to measure the cost of employee services received in exchange for stock options and similar awards based on the grant-date fair value of the award and recognize this cost in the income statement over the period during which an employee is required to provide service in exchange for the award. The Company uses the Black-Scholes valuation model and has elected to use the ratable method to amortize compensation expense over the vesting period of the grant. The Company accounts for equity instruments issued to nonemployees by valuing them using the Black-Scholes valuation model. The measurement of stock-based compensation is subject to periodic adjustments as the underlying equity instruments vest.

Income Taxes

Deferred income tax assets and liabilities arise from temporary differences associated with differences between the consolidated financial statements and tax basis of assets and liabilities, as measured by the enacted tax rates, which are expected to be in effect when these differences reverse. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are classified as current or non-current, depending upon the classification of the asset or liabilities to which they relate. Deferred tax assets and liabilities not related to an asset or liability are classified as current or non-current depending on the periods in which the temporary differences are expected to reverse. Valuation allowances are established when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized.

The Company has generated net losses since inception and accordingly has not recorded a provision for income taxes. The deferred tax assets were primarily comprised of federal and state tax net operating loss, or NOL, carryforwards. Due to uncertainties surrounding the Company’s ability to generate future taxable income to realize these tax assets, a full valuation allowance has been established to offset the deferred tax assets. Additionally, the future utilization of the NOL carryforwards to offset future taxable income may be subject to an annual limitation as a result of ownership changes that could occur in the future. If necessary, the deferred tax assets will be reduced by any carryforwards that expire prior to utilization as a result of such limitations, with a corresponding reduction of the valuation allowance.

The Company follows the provisions of FASB ASC 740-10 “Uncertainty in Income Taxes” (ASC 740-10). The Company has not recognized a liability as a result of the implementation of ASC 740-10. A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits has not been provided since there is no unrecognized benefit since the date of adoption. The Company has not recognized interest expense or penalties as a result of the implementation of ASC 740-10. If there were an unrecognized tax benefit, the Company would recognize interest accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits in interest expense and penalties in operating expenses.

The Company has identified its U.S. Federal income tax return and its State return in Massachusetts as its major tax jurisdictions. The fiscal 2013 and forward years are still open for examination.

Basic Earnings (Loss) per Share

Basic and diluted earnings per share are computed based on the weighted-average common shares and common share equivalents outstanding during the period. Common share equivalents consist of stock options, warrants and convertible notes payable. Common share equivalents were excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share for the years ended June 30, 2016, 2015 and 2014, because their effect is anti-dilutive (See note 12 Weighted Average Shares Outstanding).

Accounting for Stock Based Compensation

The stock-based compensation expense incurred by Cellceutix for employees and directors in connection with its stock option plan is based on the employee model of ASC 718, and the fair market value of the options is measured at the grant date. Under ASC 718 employee is defined as “An individual over whom the grantor of a share-based compensation award exercises or has the right to exercise sufficient control to establish an employer-employee relationship based on common law as illustrated in case law and currently under U.S. “tax regulations”. Our consultants do not meet the employer-employee relationship as defined by the IRS and therefore are accounted for under ASC 505-50.

ASC 505-50-30-11 (previously EITF 96-18) further provides that an issuer shall measure the fair value of the equity instruments in these transactions using the stock price and other measurement assumptions as of the earlier of the following dates, referred to as the measurement date:

We have elected to use the Black-Scholes-Merton pricing model to determine the fair value of stock options on the dates of grant. Restricted stock units are measured based on the fair market values of the underlying stock on the dates of grant. We recognize stock-based compensation using the straight-line method.

The components of stock based compensation related to stock options in the Company’s Statement of Operations for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2016, 2015 and 2014 are as follows (rounded to nearest thousand):

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Standards Issued Not Yet Adopted

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-15, “Presentation of Financial Statements—Going Concern—Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern” (“ASU 2014-15”). The ASU 2014-15 requires management to assess an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern, and to provide related footnote disclosures in certain circumstances. ASU 2014-15 is effective for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, starting after December 15, 2016; the Company’s first quarter of fiscal 2018. Management is currently evaluating the impact of this standard on our consolidated financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued authoritative guidance that defines how companies should report revenues from contracts with customers. The standard requires an entity to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. It provides companies with a single comprehensive five-step principles based model to use in accounting for revenue and supersedes current revenue recognition requirements, including most industry-specific and transaction-specific revenue guidance. In August 2015, the FASB deferred the effective date of the new revenue standard by one year. As a result, the new standard would not be effective for the Company until 2019. In addition, the FASB is allowing companies to early adopt this guidance for non-public entities beginning in fiscal year 2017. The guidance permits an entity to apply the standard retrospectively to all prior periods presented, with certain practical expedients, or apply the requirements in the year of adoption, through a cumulative adjustment. The Company will apply this new guidance when it becomes effective and has not yet selected a transition method. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adoption on its consolidated financial statements.

In June 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-12, Compensation - Stock Compensation. The amendments in this ASU apply to reporting entities that grant their employees share-based payments in which the terms of the award provide that a performance target can be achieved after the requisite service period. This ASU is the final version of Proposed ASU EITF-13D--Compensation--Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Accounting for Share-Based Payments When the Terms of an Award Provide That a Performance Target Could Be Achieved after the Requisite Service Period, which has been deleted. The amendments require that a performance target that affects vesting and that could be achieved after the requisite service period be treated as a performance condition. A reporting entity should apply existing guidance in Topic 718 as it relates to awards with performance conditions that affect vesting to account for such awards. As such, the performance target should not be reflected in estimating the grant-date fair value of the award. Compensation cost should be recognized in the period in which it becomes probable that the performance target will be achieved and should represent the compensation cost attributable to the period(s) for which the requisite service has already been rendered. If the performance target becomes probable of being achieved before the end of the requisite service period, the remaining unrecognized compensation cost should be recognized prospectively over the remaining requisite service period. The total amount of compensation cost recognized during and after the requisite service period should reflect the number of awards that are expected to vest and should be adjusted to reflect those awards that ultimately vest. The requisite service period ends when the employee can cease rendering service and still be eligible to vest in the award if the performance target is achieved. As indicated in the definition of vest, the stated vesting period (which includes the period in which the performance target could be achieved) may differ from the requisite service period. The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and early adoption is permitted. Management believes that the adoption of this guidance will not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In June 2015, FASB issued ASU No. 2015-10, Technical Corrections and Updates. ASU No. 2015-10 is intended to correct differences between original guidance and the Codification, clarify the guidance, correct references and make minor improvements affecting a variety of topics. ASU No. 2015-10 covers a wide range of topics in the Codification and is generally categorized as follows: Amendments Related to Differences between Original Guidance and the Codification; Guidance Clarification and Reference Corrections; Simplification; and Minor Improvements. The amendments are effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted. Management believes that the adoption of this guidance will not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The guidance requires that a lessee recognize in the statement of financial position a liability to make lease payments (the lease liability) and a right of use asset representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term. For finance leases: the right-of-use asset and a lease liability will be initially measured at the present value of the lease payments, in the statement of financial position; interest on the lease liability will be recognized separately from amortization of the right-of-use asset in the statement of comprehensive income; and repayments of the principal portion of the lease liability will be classified within financing activities and payments of interest on the lease liability and variable lease payments within operating activities in the statement of cash flows. For operating leases: the right-of-use asset and a lease liability will be initially measured at the present value of the lease payments, in the statement of financial position; a single lease cost will be recognized, calculated so that the cost of the lease is allocated over the lease term on a generally straight-line basis; and all cash payments will be classified within operating activities in the statement of cash flows. Under Topic 842 the accounting applied by a lessor is largely unchanged from that applied under previous GAAP. The amendments in Topic 842 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Management believes that the adoption of this guidance will not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.