COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2021
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
 
Employment Agreements
 
The Company has entered into executive employment agreements with the executives (the “Executive Employment Agreements”). The Executive Employment Agreements provide an annual base salary and the opportunity to participate in the Company’s equity compensation, employee benefit and bonus plans once they are established and approved by the Board. The Executive Employment Agreements contain severance provisions if the executives are terminated under certain conditions that would provide the executive with 12 months of their base salary and up to 12 months of continuation of health insurance benefits.

Periodically, the Company enters into separation and general release agreements with former executives of the Company that include separation benefits consistent with the former executives’ employment agreements. There was no severance expense recognized during the three months ended March 31, 2021 or 2020. The accrued severance obligation outstanding as of March 31, 2021 was less than $0.1 million.

Related Party Transactions

Michael Rice, a member of our Board since March 2021, is a Founding Partner of LifeSci Advisors, LLC and LifeSci Communications, LLC. Prior to his becoming a director, on April 1, 2020 the Company entered into a master services agreement with both LifeSci Advisors, LLC and LifeSci Communications, LLC, to provide investor relations and public relations services, respectively. During the three months ended March 31, 2021, the Company incurred expenses of approximately $61,000 and $77,000 with LifeSci Advisors, LLC and LifeSci Communications, LLC, respectively. There were no expenses incurred with LifeSci Advisors, LLC or LifeSci Communications, LLC during the three months ended March 31, 2020.
 
Office Lease
 
In July 2020, the Company entered into a 4-year lease for office space that expires on September 30, 2024. Base annual rent is $72,000, or $6,000 per month. Monthly payments of $6,000 are due and payable over the 4-year term. The lease contains a 3-year renewal option. The Company recorded a right of use asset of $233,206 and an operating lease liability of $233,206 at the inception of the lease in July 2020.

The Company estimated the present value of the lease payments over the remaining term of the leases using a discount rate of 12%, which represented the Company’s estimated incremental borrowing rate. The renewal options were excluded from the lease payments as the Company concluded the exercise of the option was not considered reasonably certain.
Operating lease cost under ASC 842 was approximately $18,000 and $15,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Operating lease cost is included in general and administrative expenses on the accompanying condensed consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss. The total cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of the operating lease liability and reported within operating activities was less than $0.1 million during the three months ended March 31, 2021.
Future minimum payments under the Company’s lease liability were as follows:
Year ended December 31,Operating Leases
2021$54,000 
202272,000 
202372,000 
202454,000 
Total lease payment 252,000 
    Less: imputed interest(47,052)
Total$204,948 
Legal
 
From time to time, the Company could become involved in disputes and various litigation matters that arise in the normal course of business. These may include disputes and lawsuits related to intellectual property, licensing, contract law and employee relations matters. Periodically, the Company reviews the status of significant matters, if any exist, and assesses its potential financial exposure. If the potential loss from any claim or legal claim is considered probable and the amount can be estimated, the Company accrues a liability for the estimated loss. Legal proceedings are subject to uncertainties, and the outcomes are difficult to predict; therefore, accruals are based on the best information available at the time. As additional information becomes available, the Company reassesses the potential liability related to pending claims and litigation.