$544,680, $404,950 and $422,750, respectively. In addition, Mr. Hos annual base salary was further reduced from $544,680 to $397,800 in connection with the 2024 Private Placement,
which reduction will remain in effect until December 31, 2025. Dr. Rochlin and Mr. McCalls salary reductions are expected to be effective until December 31, 2025, unless otherwise determined by the Board or a committee of
the Board.
See Employment Arrangements for additional information.
Equity-Based Incentive Awards
Annual Awards
Our equity
award program is the primary vehicle for offering long-term incentives to our executives. We believe that equity awards provide our executives with a strong link to our long-term performance, create an ownership culture and help to align the
interests of our executives and our stockholders. We have historically used stock option grants for this purpose because we believe they are an effective means by which to align the long-term interests of our executive officers with those of our
stockholders. The use of options also can provide tax and other advantages to our executive officers relative to other forms of equity compensation.
We
award equity grants broadly to our employees, including to our non-executive employees. Grants to our executives and other employees are made at the discretion of the Board and are generally made upon
commencement of employment, promotion or annually during the first quarter of each year. We believe that our equity awards are an important retention tool for our executive officers, as well as for our other employees.
In connection with our annual grant process, in February 2024, the Board granted each of Mr. Ho, Dr. Rochlin and Mr. McCall a stock option to
purchase 502,000 shares, 186,000 shares and 189,000 shares of our common stock, respectively, at an exercise price of $1.22 per share under the Amended and Restated 2023 Equity Incentive Plan (2023 Plan). Each option award
vests one-fourth (1/4th) on the first anniversary of the grant date with the remainder of the award vesting in 36 equal monthly installments thereafter,
subject to the executives continuous service with us through each vesting date.
Retention and Other Awards
In September 2024, to enhance motivation and address retention concerns as a result of a Workforce Reduction implemented to reduce costs while
continuing to pursue the Companys revised strategic plan, the Compensation Committee granted retention awards to our employees, including our named executive officers, in the form of stock option awards (the Retention
Awards). Each of Mr. Ho, Dr. Rochlin and Mr. McCall received a stock option to purchase 500,000 shares, 250,000 shares and 250,000 shares of our common stock, respectively, at an exercise price of $0.47 per share under
the 2023 Plan. Each option award vests one-fourth (1/4th) on the six-month anniversary of the grant date, one-fourth (1/4th) on the one-year anniversary of the grant date, and the remaining
one-half (1/2) on the eighteen-month anniversary of the grant date, subject to the executives continuous service with us through each vesting date.
In December 2024, our Board considered the recent salary reductions and determined it would be in the best interest of the Company and our stockholders to
grant each of Mr. Ho, Dr. Rochlin and Mr. McCall a stock option award. Each of Mr. Ho, Dr. Rochlin and Mr. McCall received an option to purchase 1,188,282 shares, 302,839 shares and 290,085 shares of our common
stock, respectively, at an exercise price of $0.24 per share under the 2023 Plan. Each option award vests on the one-year anniversary of the grant date, subject to the executives continuous service with
us through each vesting date.
Annual Performance-Based Bonus
We develop a performance-based bonus program annually. Under the annual performance bonus program, each named executive officer was eligible to be considered
for an annual performance bonus based on (1) the individuals target bonus, as a percentage of base salary, (2) the percentage attainment of our corporate goals established by our Board in its sole discretion and communicated to each
officer, and (3) the percentage
33