Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

v3.5.0.2
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2016
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]  
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
10. Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Financial instruments, including cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, are carried at historical cost. Management believes that the recorded amounts approximate fair value due to the short-term nature of these instruments.

The Company measures the fair value of financial assets and liabilities based on 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. The Company maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. The Company uses three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value:

Level 1 — quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities
Level 2 — quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets or inputs that are observable
Level 3 — inputs that are unobservable (for example cash flow modeling inputs based on assumptions)

The following table presents a summary of fair value measurements for certain financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis:

Financial Instrument
Level
 
June 30,
2016
 
December 31,
2015
 
Warrant liability
 
3
   
$
380,000
   
$
-
 

Level 3 liabilities are valued using unobservable inputs to the valuation methodology that are significant to the measurement of the fair value of the derivative liabilities. For fair value measurements categorized within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy, the Company’s accounting and finance department, who report to the Chief Financial Officer, determine its valuation policies and procedures. The development and determination of the unobservable inputs for Level 3 fair value measurements and fair value calculations are the responsibility of the Company’s accounting and finance department and are approved by the Chief Financial Officer.

Level 3 Valuation Techniques:

Level 3 financial liabilities consist of warrant liabilities for which there is no current market for these securities such that the determination of fair value requires significant judgment or estimation. Changes in fair value measurements categorized within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy are analyzed each period based on changes in estimates or assumptions and recorded as appropriate.

The Company uses the Monte Carlo model to value Level 3 financial liabilities at inception and on subsequent valuation dates. This model is a discrete-time model that allows for sources of uncertainty and simulates the movements of the underlying asset and calculates the resulting derivative value for each trial. Such simulations are performed for a number of trials and the average value across all trials is determined in order to arrive at the concluded value of such derivative. The model incorporates transaction details such as the Company’s stock price, contractual terms, maturity, and risk free rates, as well as volatility. A significant decrease in the volatility or a significant decrease in the Company’s stock price, in isolation, would result in a significantly lower fair value measurement. Changes in the values of the derivative liabilities are recorded in “change in fair value of warrant liability” in the Company’s condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.

As of June 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, there were no transfers in or out of Level 3 from other levels in the fair value hierarchy.

The warrant liability was valued using the Monte Carlo model and the following assumptions at June 30, 2016:
  
Strike price
 
$
0.25
 
Market price
 
$
0.40
 
Expected life
5 years
 
Risk-free interest rate
   
1.01
%
Dividend yield
   
0.00
%
Volatility
   
100
%
Warrants exercisable
   
1,199,598
 
 
 
 
The following table sets forth a summary of the changes in the fair value of the Level 3 financial liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis:

Balance – January 1, 2016
 
$
-
 
Initial value of warrant liability
   
380,000
 
Balance – June 30, 2016
 
$
380,000