Quarterly Report (10-q)

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

☒	QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2020

☐	TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from to

Commission File No. 001-36517

Minerva Neurosciences, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Delaware		26-0784194
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

1601 Trapelo Road, Suite 286 Waltham, MA		02451
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)		(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (617) 600-7373

(Former Name, Former Address and Former Fiscal Year, if Changed Since Last Report)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share	NERV	The NASDAQ Global Market

The number of shares of Registrant’s Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share, outstanding as of July 29, 2020 was 41,204,869.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. YES ☒ NO ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). YES ☒ NO ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer	☐	Accelerated filer	☒

Non-accelerated filer	☐	Smaller reporting company	☒

Emerging growth company	☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). YES ☐ NO ☒

INDEX TO FORM 10-Q

		Page
	PART I — Financial Information

Item 1.	Financial Statements (unaudited):	4
	Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019	4
	Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019	5
	Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019	6
	Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019	7
	Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements	8
Item 2.	Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations	19
Item 3.	Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk	25
Item 4.	Controls and Procedures	25

	PART II — Other Information

Item 1.	Legal Proceedings	26
Item 1A.	Risk Factors	26
Item 2.	Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds	28
Item 3.	Defaults Upon Senior Securities	28
Item 4.	Mine Safety Disclosures	28
Item 5.	Other Information	28
Item 6.	Exhibits	29

SIGNATURES		30

Unless the context suggests otherwise, references in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, or Quarterly Report, to “Minerva,” “the Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Minerva Neurosciences, Inc. and, where appropriate, its subsidiaries.

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect our plans, estimates and beliefs. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “potential,” “predicts,” “projects,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are based on assumptions and subject to risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this report may not transpire. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q under Part II, Item IA, “Risk Factors.”

Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Also, forward-looking statements represent our estimates and assumptions only as of the date of this document. You should read this document with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. Except as required by law, we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this report, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

All trademarks, trade names and service marks appearing in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are the property of their respective owners.

PART I – Financial Information

Item 1 – Financial Statements

MINERVA NEUROSCIENCES, INC.

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(Unaudited)

	June 30,			December 31,
	2020			2019
Assets
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$	32,252,075		$	21,412,623
Marketable securities		2,996,324			24,441,520
Restricted cash		100,000			100,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		542,746			1,182,483
Total current assets		35,891,145			47,136,626

Equipment, net		7,278			16,011
Other noncurrent assets		14,808			14,808
Operating lease right-of-use assets		184,020			261,952
In-process research and development		15,200,000			15,200,000
Goodwill		14,869,399			14,869,399
Total assets	$	66,166,650		$	77,498,796

Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	$	3,138,559		$	2,317,004
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities		4,079,649			4,139,163
Operating leases		184,777			172,901
Total current liabilities		7,402,985			6,629,068
Deferred taxes		1,803,356			1,803,356
Deferred revenue		—			41,175,600
Noncurrent operating leases		16,288			111,229
Total liabilities		9,222,629			49,719,253
Commitments and contingencies (Note 8)

Stockholders’ equity
Preferred stock; $0.0001 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized; none issued or outstanding as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively		—			—
Common stock; $0.0001 par value; 125,000,000 shares authorized; 40,644,839 and 39,084,121 shares issued and outstanding as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively		4,065			3,908
Additional paid-in capital		326,297,963			314,511,853
Accumulated deficit		(269,358,007	)		(286,736,218	)
Total stockholders’ equity		56,944,021			27,779,543
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$	66,166,650		$	77,498,796

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

MINERVA NEUROSCIENCES, INC.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations

(Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended June 30,						Six Months Ended June 30,
	2020			2019			2020			2019
Revenues
Collaborative revenue	$	41,175,600		$	—		$	41,175,600		$	—
Total revenues		41,175,600			—			41,175,600			—
Expenses
Research and development	$	5,766,984		$	8,319,612		$	13,849,494		$	19,925,809
General and administrative		5,900,518			4,584,361			10,089,586			9,290,035
Total expenses		11,667,502			12,903,973			23,939,080			29,215,844
Gain (loss) from operations		29,508,098			(12,903,973	)		17,236,520			(29,215,844	)

Foreign exchange losses		(3,661	)		(6,718	)		(13,053	)		(13,031	)
Investment income		24,939			434,220			154,744			925,204
Net income (loss)	$	29,529,376		$	(12,476,471	)	$	17,378,211		$	(28,303,671	)

Net income (loss) per share, basic	$	0.75		$	(0.32	)	$	0.44		$	(0.73	)
Weighted average shares outstanding, basic		39,483,187			39,025,471			39,330,389			38,996,949
Net income (loss) per share, diluted	$	0.73		$	(0.32	)	$	0.43		$	(0.73	)
Weighted average shares outstanding, diluted		40,278,071			39,025,471			40,144,996			38,996,949

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

MINERVA NEUROSCIENCES, INC.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity

(Unaudited)

	Common Stock				Additional			Accumulated
	Shares		Amount		Paid-In Capital			Deficit			Total
Balances at January 1, 2019		38,937,971	$	3,894	$	304,813,603		$	(214,552,728	)	$	90,264,769
Exercise of stock options		87,500		9		524,991			—			525,000
Stock-based compensation		—		—		2,461,699			—			2,461,699
Net loss		—		—		—			(15,827,200	)		(15,827,200	)
Balances at March 31, 2019		39,025,471		3,903		307,800,293			(230,379,928	)		77,424,268
Stock-based compensation		—		—		2,320,392			—			2,320,392
Net loss		—		—		—			(12,476,471	)		(12,476,471	)
Balances at June 30, 2019		39,025,471	$	3,903	$	310,120,685		$	(242,856,399	)	$	67,268,189

Balances at January 1, 2020		39,084,121	$	3,908	$	314,511,853		$	(286,736,218	)	$	27,779,543
Exercise of stock options		135,013		14		797,615			—			797,629
Stock-based compensation		—		—		2,198,187			—			2,198,187
Net loss		—		—		—			(12,151,165	)		(12,151,165	)
Balances at March 31, 2020		39,219,134	$	3,922	$	317,507,655		$	(298,887,383	)	$	18,624,194
Issuance of common stock in a public offering		1,361,956		136		5,178,324			—			5,178,460
Costs related to issuance of common stock		—		—		(219,517	)		—			(219,517	)
Exercise of stock options		63,749		7		346,019			—			346,026
Stock-based compensation		—		—		3,485,482			—			3,485,482
Net income		—		—		—			29,529,376			29,529,376
Balances at June 30, 2020	$	40,644,839	$	4,065	$	326,297,963		$	(269,358,007	)	$	56,944,021

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

MINERVA NEUROSCIENCES, INC.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(Unaudited)

	Six Months Ended June 30,
	2020			2019
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	$	17,378,211		$	(28,303,671	)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization		8,733			8,734
Accretion of marketable securities premium		(83,098	)		(501,227	)
Amortization of right-of-use assets		77,932			70,143
Stock-based compensation expense		5,683,669			4,782,091
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		639,737			452,516
Accounts payable		821,555			1,142,122
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities		(59,514	)		2,676,073
Operating lease liabilities, current		11,876			26,052
Deferred revenue		(41,175,600	)		—
Operating lease liabilities, noncurrent		(94,941	)		(83,065	)
Net cash used in operating activities		(16,791,440	)		(19,730,232	)

Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from the maturity and redemption of marketable securities		25,400,000			30,000,000
Purchase of marketable securities		(3,871,706	)		(33,184,947	)
Net cash provided (used in) by investing activities		21,528,294			(3,184,947	)

Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from sales of common stock in public offering		5,178,460			—
Fees paid in connection with public offering		(219,517	)		—
Proceeds from exercise of stock options		1,143,655			525,000
Net cash provided by financing activities		6,102,598			525,000
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash		10,839,452			(22,390,179	)

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash
Beginning of period		21,512,623			50,334,871
End of period	$	32,352,075		$	27,944,692
Reconciliation of the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows to the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
Cash and cash equivalents	$	32,252,075		$	27,844,692
Restricted cash		100,000			100,000
Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	$	32,352,075		$	27,944,692

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

MINERVA NEUROSCIENCES, INC.

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

As of June 30, 2020 and for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2020 and 2019

(Unaudited)

NOTE 1 — NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND LIQUIDITY

Nature of Operations

Minerva Neurosciences, Inc. (“Minerva” or the “Company”) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of a portfolio of product candidates to treat patients suffering from central nervous system diseases. The Company’s lead product candidate is roluperidone (also known as MIN-101), a compound the Company is developing for the treatment of negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia, and MIN-301, a compound the Company is developing for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. In addition, the Company possesses a potential royalty stream from seltorexant (also known as MIN-202 or JNJ-42847922), a compound that is being developed by Janssen Pharmaceutica NV (“Janssen”) for the treatment of insomnia disorder and major depressive disorder (“MDD”).

In November 2013, the Company merged with Sonkei Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“Sonkei”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company and, in February 2014, the Company acquired Mind-NRG, a pre-clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. The Company refers to these transactions as the Sonkei Merger and Mind-NRG Acquisition, respectively. The Company holds licenses to roluperidone and MIN-117 from Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation (“MTPC”) with the rights to develop, sell and import roluperidone and MIN-117 globally, excluding most of Asia. With the acquisition of Mind-NRG, the Company obtained exclusive rights to develop and commercialize MIN-301.

Liquidity

The accompanying interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared as though the Company will continue as a going concern, which contemplates the realization of assets and satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. The Company has limited capital resources and has incurred recurring operating losses and negative cash flows from operations in each year since inception. As of June 30, 2020, the Company has an accumulated deficit of approximately $269.4 million and net cash used in operating activities was approximately $16.8 million during the six months ended June 30, 2020. Management expects to continue to incur operating losses and negative cash flows from operations. The Company has financed its operations to date from proceeds from the sale of common stock, warrants, loans and convertible promissory notes.

As of June 30, 2020, the Company had cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and marketable securities of $35.3 million. The Company believes that its existing cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and marketable securities will be sufficient to meet its cash commitments for at least the next 12 months after the date that the interim condensed consolidated financial statements are issued. As a result of the roluperidone Phase 3 study not achieving a statistically significant improvement on its primary and secondary endpoints, we have significantly decreased our operating plan spending levels. We plan to maintain the lower level of spending while we are completing additional detailed analyses of data from this trial, following which we plan to request a meeting with the U.S. FDA to consult about the potential next steps in the development of roluperidone. Therefore, the year-to-date cash used is not representative of the future cash commitments and spending for the next 12 months after the date that the interim condensed financial statements are issued. The process of drug development can be costly and the timing and outcomes of clinical trials is uncertain. The assumptions upon which the Company has based its estimates are routinely evaluated and may be subject to change. The actual amount of the Company’s expenditures will vary depending upon a number of factors including but not limited to the design, timing and duration of future clinical trials, the progress of the Company’s research and development programs, the infrastructure to support a commercial enterprise, the cost of a commercial product launch, and the level of financial resources available. The Company has the ability to adjust its operating plan spending levels based on the timing of future clinical trials, which will be predicated upon adequate funding to complete the trials. During June 2020, as described in Note 6, the Company issued and sold 1,361,956 shares of the Company's common stock under the Sales Agreement. The shares were sold at an average price of $3.802 per share for aggregate net proceeds to the Company of approximately $5.0 million, after deducting sales commissions and offering costs payable by the Company. During the period from July 1, 2020 through July 29, 2020, the Company issued and sold 678,434 shares of the Company's common stock under the Sales Agreement. The shares were sold at an average price of $3.6168 per share for aggregate net proceeds to the Company of approximately $2.4 million, after deducting sales commissions and offering costs payable by the Company.

The Company will need to raise additional capital in order to continue to fund operations and fully fund later stage clinical development programs. The Company believes that it will be able to obtain additional working capital through equity financings or other arrangements to fund future operations; however, there can be no assurance that such additional financing, if available, can be obtained on terms acceptable to the Company. If the Company is unable to obtain such additional financing, future operations would need to be scaled back or discontinued.

Significant Risks and Uncertainties

The Company’s business could be adversely affected by the effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to have a negative impact on the local, regional, national and global scale. In response to the pandemic, a number of jurisdictions in which the Company or its service providers operate implemented shelter-in-place or similar type restrictions, which limited on-site activity to certain service providers. Additionally, the Company’s headquarters are located in Massachusetts, which implemented such restrictions. In response, the Company implemented work-from-home policies for its employees, which continue to be in effect. While certain jurisdictions, including Massachusetts have begun a phased re-opening of businesses and governmental agencies, there remain limitations on the physical operations of businesses and prohibitions on certain non-essential gatherings, and it is unclear if such phased re-openings will continue or be rolled back, and there is uncertainty about when, if, or how the Company’s workforce may return. The effects of the state executive order, local shelter-in-place orders, government-imposed quarantines and the Company’s work-from-home policies, including the uncertainty about their duration, may negatively impact productivity, disrupt our business and delay the clinical programs and timelines.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has not had a material adverse impact on the Company’s operations to date, this disruption, if sustained or recurrent, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s operating results, its ability to raise capital needed to develop and commercialize products and the Company’s overall financial condition. In addition, a recession or market correction resulting from the spread of the coronavirus could materially affect the value of the Company’s common stock. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic may also exacerbate other risks discussed in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Refer to Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for a complete description of the material risks that the Company currently faces.

NOTE 2 — SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of presentation

The interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim reporting and the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) in accordance with Regulation S-X, Rule 8-03. Under those rules, certain notes and financial information that are normally required for annual financial statements can be condensed or omitted. In the opinion of the Company’s management, the accompanying financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting of items of a normal and recurring nature) necessary to present fairly the financial position as of June 30, 2020, the results of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 and cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019. The results of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. When preparing financial statements in conformity with GAAP, management must make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2019 was derived from the audited annual financial statements. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and notes thereto should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2019 included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 9, 2020.

Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the results of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Mind-NRG Sarl and Minerva Neurosciences Securities Corporation. Intercompany transactions have been eliminated.

Significant risks and uncertainties

The Company’s operations are subject to a number of factors that can affect its operating results and financial condition. Such factors include, but are not limited to: the results of clinical testing and trial activities of the Company’s products, the Company’s ability to obtain regulatory approval to market its products, competition from products manufactured and sold or being developed by other companies, the price of, and demand for, Company products, the Company’s ability to negotiate favorable licensing or other manufacturing and marketing agreements for its products, and the Company’s ability to raise capital.

The Company currently has no commercially approved products and there can be no assurance that the Company’s research and development will be successfully commercialized. Developing and commercializing a product requires significant time and capital and is subject to regulatory review and approval as well as competition from other biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. The Company operates in an environment of rapid change and is dependent upon the continued services of its employees and consultants and obtaining and protecting intellectual property.

Use of estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash equivalents include short-term, highly-liquid instruments, consisting of money market accounts and short-term investments with maturities from the date of purchase of 90 days or less. The majority of cash and cash equivalents are maintained with major financial institutions in North America. Deposits with these financial institutions may exceed the amount of insurance provided on such deposits. These deposits may be redeemed upon demand which reduces counterparty performance risk.

Restricted cash

Cash accounts with any type of restriction are classified as restricted. The Company maintained restricted cash balances as collateral for corporate credit cards in the amount of $0.1 million at each of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019.

Marketable securities

Marketable securities consist of corporate and U.S. government debt securities maturing in two months or less. Based on the Company’s intentions regarding its marketable securities, all marketable securities are classified as held-to-maturity and are carried under the amortized cost approach. The Company’s investments in marketable securities are classified as Level 2 within the fair value hierarchy. As of June 30, 2020, remaining final maturities of marketable securities ranged from July 2020 to August 2020, with a weighted average remaining maturity of approximately one month. The following tables provide the amortized cost basis, aggregate fair value, unrealized gains/losses, and the net carrying value of investments in held-to-maturity securities as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019:

	June 30, 2020
	Amortized		Aggregate		Unrealized		Unrealized			Net Carrying
	Cost		Fair Value		Gains		Losses			Value
Marketable securities:
Commercial paper	$	2,996,324	$	2,996,324	$	—	$	—		$	2,996,324
Marketable securities total	$	2,996,324	$	2,996,324	$	—	$	—		$	2,996,324

	December 31, 2019
	Amortized		Aggregate		Unrealized		Unrealized			Net Carrying
	Cost		Fair Value		Gains		Losses			Value
Marketable securities:
Corporate bonds/notes	$	2,701,114	$	2,700,678	$	436	$	—		$	2,701,114
Commercial paper		19,245,921		19,245,921		—		—			19,245,921
U.S. government agency securities		2,494,485		2,495,675		—		(1,190	)		2,494,485
Marketable securities total	$	24,441,520	$	24,442,274	$	436	$	(1,190	)	$	24,441,520

Research and development costs

Costs incurred in connection with research and development activities are expensed as incurred. These costs include licensing fees to use certain technology in the Company’s research and development projects as well as fees paid to consultants and various entities that perform certain research and testing on behalf of the Company and costs related to salaries, benefits, bonuses and stock-based compensation granted to employees in research and development functions. The Company determines expenses related to clinical studies based on estimates of the services received and efforts expended pursuant to contracts with multiple research institutions and contract research organizations (“CROs”) that conduct and manage clinical studies on its behalf. The financial terms of these agreements are subject to negotiation, vary from contract to contract and may result in uneven payment flows. Payments under some of these contracts depend on factors such as the successful enrollment of patients and the completion of clinical trial milestones. In accruing service fees, the Company estimates the time period over which services will be performed and the level of effort to be expended in each period. If the actual timing of the performance of services or the level of effort varies from the estimate, the accrual is adjusted accordingly. The expenses for some trials may be recognized on a straight-line basis if the anticipated costs are expected to be incurred ratably during the period. Payments for these activities are based on the terms of the individual arrangements, which may differ from the pattern of costs incurred, and are reflected in the consolidated financial statements as prepaid or accrued expenses.

In-process research and development

In-process research and development (“IPR&D”) assets represent capitalized incomplete research projects that the Company acquired through business combinations. Such assets are initially measured at their acquisition date fair values. The initial fair value of the research projects are recorded as intangible assets on the balance sheet, rather than expensed, regardless of whether these assets have an alternative future use.

The amounts capitalized are being accounted for as indefinite-lived intangible assets, subject to impairment testing, until completion or abandonment of research and development efforts associated with the project. An IPR&D asset is considered abandoned when it ceases to be used (that is, research and development efforts associated with the asset have ceased, and there are no plans to sell or license the asset or derive defensive value from the asset). At that point, the asset is considered to be disposed of and is written off. Upon successful completion of each project, the Company will make a determination about the then remaining useful life of the intangible asset and begin amortization. The Company tests its indefinite-lived intangibles, IPR&D assets, for impairment annually on November 30 and more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that it is more likely than not that the asset is impaired. When testing indefinite-lived intangibles for impairment, the Company may assess qualitative factors for its indefinite-lived intangibles to determine whether it is more likely than not (that is, a likelihood of more than 50 percent) that the asset is impaired. Alternatively, the Company may bypass this qualitative assessment for some or all of its indefinite-lived intangibles and perform the quantitative impairment test that compares the fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset with the asset’s carrying amount. There was no impairment of IPR&D for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 or 2019.

Impairment of MIN-117 In-process Research and Development Asset.

As a result of the Company’s Phase 2b trial of MIN-117 in adult patients suffering from moderate to severe MDD not meeting its primary and key secondary endpoints and the Company’s decision not to further the clinical development of MIN-117 in MDD, the Company determined that the MIN-117 IPR&D is fully impaired and recognized a $19.0 million expense, which was included as a component of research and development expense, during the year ended December 31, 2019.

Stock-based compensation

The Company recognizes compensation cost relating to stock-based payment transactions using a fair-value measurement method, which requires all stock-based payments to employees, including grants of employee stock options, to be recognized in operating results as compensation expense based on fair value over the requisite service period of the awards. The Company determines the fair value of stock-based awards using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model which uses both historical and current market data to estimate fair value. The method incorporates various assumptions such as the risk-free interest rate, expected volatility, expected dividend yield, and expected life of the options. Forfeitures are recorded as they occur instead of estimating forfeitures that are expected to occur. The fair value of restricted stock units (“RSUs”) is equal to the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant.

An accounting policy change was made by the Company related to the accounting for non-employee awards on January 1, 2019 as a result of the adoption of ASU No. 2018-07, Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting for which the Company now accounts for non-employee awards in the same manner as employee awards.

The date of expense recognition for grants to non-employees is the earlier of the date at which a commitment for performance by the counterparty to earn the equity instrument is reached or the date at which the counterparty’s performance is complete. The Company determines the fair value of stock-based awards granted to non-employees similar to the way fair value of awards are determined for employees except that certain assumptions used in the Black-Scholes option-pricing model, such as expected life of the option, may be different.

Foreign currency transactions

The Company’s functional currency is the U.S. Dollar. The Company pays certain vendor invoices in the respective foreign currency. The Company records an expense in U.S. Dollars at the time the liability is incurred. Changes in the applicable foreign currency rate between the date an expense is recorded and the payment date is recorded as a foreign currency gain or loss.

Income (loss) per share

Basic income (loss) per share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding for the period. Diluted income (loss) per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised or converted into common stock or resulted in the issuance of common stock that shared in the earnings of the entity. The treasury stock method is used to determine the dilutive effect of the Company’s stock options and warrants.

Concentration of credit risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk are primarily cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities. The Company maintains its cash and cash equivalent balances in the form of business checking accounts and money market accounts, the balances of which, at times, may exceed federally insured limits. Exposure to cash and cash equivalents credit risk is reduced by placing such deposits with major financial institutions and monitoring their credit ratings. Marketable securities consist primarily of corporate bonds, with fixed interest rates. Exposure to credit risk of marketable securities is reduced by maintaining a diverse portfolio and monitoring their credit ratings.

Equipment

Equipment is stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Equipment is depreciated on the straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives of three years. Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred.

Leases

Effective January 1, 2019, the Company adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 842, Leases (“ASC 842”), using the required modified retrospective approach and utilizing the effective date as its date of initial application, for which prior periods are presented in accordance with the previous guidance in ASC 840, Leases (“ASC 840”).

At the inception of an arrangement, the Company determines whether the arrangement is or contains a lease based on the unique facts and circumstances present in the arrangement. Most leases with a term greater than one year are recognized on the balance sheet as right-of-use assets and short-term and long-term lease liabilities, as applicable. The Company has elected not to recognize on the balance sheet leases with terms of 12 months or less. The Company typically only includes an initial lease term in its assessment of a lease arrangement. Options to renew a lease are not included in the Company’s assessment unless there is reasonable certainty that the Company will renew. The Company monitors its plans to renew its material leases on a quarterly basis.

Operating lease liabilities and their corresponding right-of-use assets are recorded based on the present value of lease payments over the expected remaining lease term. Certain adjustments to the right-of-use asset may be required for items such as incentives received. The interest rate implicit in the Company’s leases is typically not readily determinable. As a result, the Company utilizes its incremental borrowing rate, which reflects the fixed rate at which the Company could borrow on a collateralized basis the amount of the lease payments in the same currency, for a similar term and in a similar economic environment. In transition to ASC 842, the Company utilized the remaining lease term of its leases in determining the appropriate incremental borrowing rates.

In accordance with ASC 842, components of a lease should be allocated between lease components (e.g., land, building, etc.) and non-lease components (e.g., common area maintenance, consumables, etc.). The fixed and in-substance fixed contract consideration (including any consideration related to non-components) must be allocated based on the respective relative fair values to the lease components and non-lease components.

Although separation of lease and non-lease components is required, certain expedients are available. Entities may elect the practical expedient to not separate lease and non-lease components by class of underlying asset where entities would account for each lease component and the related non-lease component together as a single component. For new and amended leases beginning in 2019 and after, the Company has elected to account for the lease and non-lease components for leases for classes of all underlying assets and allocate all of the contract consideration to the lease component only.

Long-lived assets

The Company reviews the recoverability of all long-lived assets, including the related useful lives, whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of a long-lived asset might not be recoverable. If required, the Company compares the estimated undiscounted future net cash flows to the related asset’s carrying value to determine whether there has been an impairment. If an asset is considered impaired, the asset is written down to fair value, which is based either on discounted cash flows or appraised values in the period the impairment becomes known. The Company believes that all long-lived assets are recoverable, and no impairment was deemed necessary at June 30, 2020 and 2019.

Goodwill

The Company tests its goodwill for impairment annually, or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate an impairment may have occurred, by comparing its reporting unit’s carrying value to its fair value. Impairment may result from, among other things, deterioration in the performance of the acquired business, adverse market conditions, adverse changes in applicable laws or regulations and a variety of other circumstances. If the Company determines that an impairment has occurred, it is required to record a write-down of the carrying value and charge the impairment as an operating expense in the period the determination is made. In evaluating the recoverability of the carrying value of goodwill, the Company must make assumptions regarding estimated future cash flows and other factors to determine the fair value of the acquired assets. Changes in strategy or market conditions could significantly impact those judgments in the future and require an adjustment to the recorded balances. The Company tests its goodwill for impairment as of November 30. There was no impairment of goodwill for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019.

Revenue recognition

The Company applies the revenue recognition guidance in accordance with ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. Revenue is recognized when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred and title has passed, the price is fixed or determinable, and collectability is reasonably assured. The Company is a development stage company and has had no revenues from product sales to date.

When the Company enters into an arrangement that meets the definition of a collaboration under ASC 808, Collaborative Arrangements, the Company recognizes revenue as research and development is performed and its respective share of the expenses are incurred. The Company assesses whether the arrangement contains multiple elements or deliverables, which may include (1) licenses to the Company's technology, (2) research and development activities performed for the collaboration partner, and (3) participation on Joint Steering Committees. Payments may include non-refundable, upfront payments, milestone payments upon achieving significant development events, and royalties on future sales. Each required deliverable is evaluated to determine whether it qualifies as a separate unit of accounting based on whether the deliverable has “stand-alone value” to the customer. The arrangement’s consideration is then allocated to each separate unit of accounting based on the relative selling price of each deliverable. The estimated selling price of each deliverable is determined using the following hierarchy of values: (i) vendor-specific objective evidence of fair value, (ii) third-party evidence of selling price, and (iii) best estimate of selling price. The best estimate of selling price reflects the Company’s best estimate of what the selling price would be if the deliverable was regularly sold by the Company on a stand-alone basis. The consideration allocated to each unit of accounting is then recognized as the related goods or services are delivered, limited to the consideration that is not contingent upon future deliverables. Supply or service transactions may involve the charge of a nonrefundable initial fee with subsequent periodic payments for future products or services. The up-front fees, even if nonrefundable, are recognized as revenue as the products and/or services are delivered and performed over the term of the arrangement. During the three and six months ended June 30, 2020, the Company recognized $41.2 million in collaborative revenue as a result of opting out of its agreement with Janssen (see Note 5).

Deferred revenue

The Company applies the revenue recognition guidance in accordance with ASC 606. Using ASC 606, revenue that is unearned is deferred. Deferred revenue that is expected to be recognized as revenue more than one year subsequent to the balance sheet date is classified as long-term deferred revenue.

Segment information

Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise (business activity from which it earns revenue and incurs expenses) about which discrete financial information is available and regularly reviewed by the chief operating decision maker in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance. The Company’s chief decision maker, who is the Chief Executive Officer, reviews operating results to make decisions about allocating resources and assessing performance for the entire Company. The Company views its operations and manages its business as one operating segment.

Comprehensive loss

The Company had no items of comprehensive loss other than its net loss for each period presented.

Recent accounting pronouncements

From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the FASB and are adopted by the Company as of the specified effective date.

Recently adopted accounting pronouncements

In November 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-18, Collaborative Arrangements (Topic 808): Clarifying the Interaction between Topic 808 and Topic 606. This update is intended to clarify that certain transactions between collaborative arrangement participants should be accounted for as revenue under Topic 606. The Company adopted the new standard on January 1, 2020.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles — Goodwill and Other (Topic 350). The new standard simplifies the test for goodwill impairment. The Company adopted the new standard on January 1, 2020.

NOTE 3 — ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER LIABILITIES

Accrued expenses and other liabilities consist of the following:

	June 30, 2020		December 31, 2019
Research and development costs and other accrued expenses	$	2,089,634	$	3,824,950
Accrued Severance		788,923		—
Accrued bonus		832,148		—
Professional fees		253,466		314,213
Vacation pay		115,478		—
	$	4,079,649	$	4,139,163

NOTE 4 — NET INCOME (LOSS) PER SHARE OF COMMON STOCK

Basic income (loss) per share is calculated by dividing the net income (loss) by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding. Diluted income per share is computed by dividing the net income by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding, plus potential outstanding common stock for the period. Potential outstanding common stock includes stock options and shares underlying RSUs, but only to the extent that their inclusion is dilutive. The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted loss per share for common stockholders:

	Three Months Ended June 30,					Six Months Ended June 30,
	2020		2019			2020		2019
Net income (loss)	$	29,529,376	$	(12,476,471	)	$	17,378,211	$	(28,303,671	)

Weighted average shares of common stock outstanding - basic		39,483,187		39,025,471			39,330,389		38,996,949
Dilutive effect		794,884		—			814,607		—
Weighted average shares of common stock outstanding - diluted		40,278,071		39,025,471			40,144,996		38,996,949

Net income (loss) per ordinary share:
Basic	$	0.75	$	(0.32	)	$	0.44	$	(0.73	)
Diluted	$	0.73	$	(0.32	)	$	0.43	$	(0.73	)

The following securities outstanding at June 30, 2020 and 2019 have been excluded from the calculation of weighted average shares outstanding as their effect on the calculation of loss per share is antidilutive:

	Three Months Ended June 30,				Six Months Ended June 30,
	2020		2019		2020		2019
Common stock options		6,528,386		8,508,672		6,528,386		8,508,672
Restricted stock units		48,650		127,300		48,650		127,300
Common stock warrants		40,790		40,790		40,790		40,790

NOTE 5 — CO-DEVELOPMENT AND LICENSE AGREEMENT

On February 13, 2014, the Company signed a co-development and license agreement (the “Agreement”) with Janssen, which became effective upon completion of the Company’s initial public offering and provided for the payment of a $22.0 million license fee by the Company. Under the Agreement, Janssen, the licensor, granted the Company an exclusive license, with the right to sublicense, in the Minerva Territory, under (i) certain patent and patent applications to sell products containing any orexin 2 compound, controlled by the licensor and claimed in a licensor patent right as an active ingredient, and (ii) seltorexant for any use in humans.

The Company has accounted for the Agreement as a joint risk-sharing collaboration in accordance with ASC 808, Collaborative Arrangements.

In June 2017, the Company entered into an amendment (“the Amendment”) to the Agreement, which became effective on August 29, 2017. Under the Amendment, Janssen waived its right to royalties on seltorexant insomnia sales in the Minerva Territory and made an upfront payment to the Company of $30 million and agreed to waive development payments from the Company until completion of the Phase 2b development milestone, referred to as “Decision Point 4”.

Top-line results have been reported from three Phase 2b trials and one Phase 1b trial with seltorexant.

On June 30, 2020, the Company exercised its right to opt out of the Agreement with Janssen pursuant to a Settlement Agreement with Janssen dated June 24, 2020 (the “Settlement Agreement”), which became effective upon exercise of the opt out, pursuant to which the Company and Janssen resolved certain disputes under the Agreement. Under the Settlement Agreement, the Company agreed not to assert that Decision Point 4 has not been reached, Janssen waived the requirement that opt-out occur after Decision Point 4 in order for the Company to receive a royalty on sales of seltorexant after opt-out, and the Company and Janssen agreed to waive any payments to the other with respect to development costs for seltorexant. As a result of the exercise of its right to opt out of the Agreement with Janssen, the Agreement is deemed to have been terminated effective as of October 2, 2019. The Company will now collect a royalty on worldwide sales of seltorexant in all indications in the mid-single digits, with no further financial obligations to Janssen.

As a result of opting out of the Agreement with Janssen, the Company recognized $41.2 million in collaborative revenue during the second quarter of 2020 which had previously been included on the balance sheet under deferred revenue. The $41.2 million in collaborative revenue represents the $30 million payment made by Janssen and $11.2 million in previously accrued collaborative expenses forgiven by Janssen upon the effective date of the Amendment. The Company does not have any future performance obligations under the agreement and will recognize any future royalty revenues in the periods of the sale of the related products.

NOTE 6 — STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

At-the-Market Equity Offering Program

On August 10, 2018, the Company entered into an Open Market Sale Agreement (the “Sales Agreement”) with Jefferies, LLC, (“Jefferies”), pursuant to which the Company may offer and sell, from time to time, through Jefferies, up to $50.0 million in shares of the Company's common stock, by any method permitted by law deemed to be an “at-the-market” offering as defined in Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. During June 2020, the Company issued and sold 1,361,956 shares of the Company's common stock under the Sales Agreement. The shares were sold at an average price of $3.802 per share for aggregate net proceeds to the Company of approximately $5.0 million, after deducting sales commissions and offering costs payable by the Company.

Term Loan Warrants

In connection with the Company’s former Loan and Security Agreement with Oxford Finance LLC and Silicon Valley Bank (the “Lenders”), which provided for term loans to the Company in an aggregate principal amount of up to $15 million in two tranches on January 15, 2016, the Company issued the Lenders warrants to purchase 40,790 shares of common stock at a per share exercise price of $5.516. The warrants are immediately exercisable upon issuance, and other than in connection with certain mergers or acquisitions, will expire on the ten-year anniversary of the date of issuance. The fair value of the warrants was estimated at $0.2 million using a Black-Scholes model and assuming: (i) expected volatility of 100.8%, (ii) risk free interest rate of 1.83%, (iii) an expected life of 10 years and (iv) no dividend payments. The fair value of the warrants was included as a discount to the term loans drawn at such time and also as a component of additional paid-in capital and were amortized to interest expense over the term of the loan. Although the term loans were repaid in August 2018, all related warrants were outstanding and exercisable as of June 30, 2020.

NOTE 7 — STOCK AWARD PLAN AND STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

In December 2013, the Company adopted the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan (as subsequently amended and restated, the “Plan”), which provides for the issuance of options, stock appreciation rights, stock awards and stock units. Pursuant to Nasdaq listing rules, the Company issued inducement awards in December 2017 to the Company’s President outside of the Plan in the form of an option to purchase 775,000 shares of the Company’s common stock and a RSU award to purchase 40,000 shares of the Company’s common stock. In June 2020, the Company increased the aggregate number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance under the Plan by 2,000,000 shares. Stock option activity for employees and non-employees for the six months ended June 30, 2020 is as follows:

	Shares Issuable Pursuant to Stock Options			Weighted- Average Exercise Price		Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Terms (years)		Total Intrinsic Value (in thousands)
Outstanding January 1, 2020		9,040,328		$	6.98		7.3	$	7,420

Granted		2,108,344		$	6.86
Exercised		(198,762	)	$	5.75
Forfeited		(534,687	)	$	7.85
Expired		(105,356	)	$	9.63
Outstanding June 30, 2020		10,309,867		$	6.90		7.3	$	29
Exercisable June 30, 2020		6,259,560		$	6.74		6.3	$	—
Available for future grant		574,822

The weighted average grant-date fair value of stock options outstanding on June 30, 2020 was $4.36 per share. Total unrecognized compensation costs related to non-vested stock options at June 30, 2020 were approximately $13.6 million and are expected to be recognized within future operating results over a weighted-average period of 2.37 years. The total intrinsic value of the options exercised during the six months ended June 30, 2020, and 2019 was approximately $0.9 million and $0.2 million, respectively.

The expected term of the employee-related options was estimated using the “simplified” method as defined by the SEC’s Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 107, Share-Based Payment. The volatility assumption was determined by examining the historical volatilities for industry peer companies, as the Company did not have sufficient trading history for its common stock. The risk-free interest rate assumption is based on the U.S. Treasury instruments, the term of which was consistent with the expected term of the options. The dividend assumption is based on the Company’s history and expectation of dividend payouts. The Company has never paid dividends on its common stock and does not anticipate paying dividends on its common stock in the foreseeable future. Accordingly, the Company has assumed no dividend yield for purposes of estimating the fair value of the options.

The Company uses the Black-Scholes model to estimate the fair value of stock options granted. For stock options granted during the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company utilized the following assumptions:

	Six Months Ended June 30,
	2020		2019
Expected term (years)	5.50-5.88		5.5
Risk free interest rate	0.37%-0.42%		1.91-1.96%
Volatility	68%-69%		74-77%
Dividend yield	0%		0%
Weighted average grant date fair value per share of common stock	$	1.61	$	3.26

RSU activity under the Plan for the six months ended June 30, 2020 is as follows:

				Weighted- Average
				Grant Date
	RSUs			Fair Value
Unvested January 1, 2020		68,650		$	11.29
Granted		—		$	—
Vested		(10,000	)	$	6.05
Forfeited		(10,000	)	$	6.05
Unvested June 30, 2020		48,650		$	13.45

RSUs awarded to employees generally vest one-fourth per year over four years from the anniversary of the date of grant, provided the employee remains continuously employed with the Company. Shares of the Company’s stock are delivered to the employee upon vesting, subject to payment of applicable withholding taxes. The fair value of RSUs is equal to the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. Total unrecognized compensation costs related to non-vested RSUs at June 30, 2020 was approximately $0.3 million and is expected to be recognized within future operating results over a period of 0.5 years. The total fair value of shares vested during the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 was approximately $61 thousand and zero, respectively. The following table presents stock-based compensation expense included in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations:

	Three Months Ended June 30,				Six Months Ended June 30,
	2020		2019		2020		2019
Research and development	$	694,540	$	653,718	$	1,376,153	$	1,353,981
General and administrative		2,790,942		1,666,674		4,307,516		3,428,110
Total	$	3,485,482	$	2,320,392	$	5,683,669	$	4,782,091

NOTE 8 — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

From time to time, the Company may be subject to various legal proceedings and claims that arise in the ordinary course of the Company’s business activities. While the outcome of these claims cannot be predicted with certainty, management does not believe that the outcome of any of these other legal matters will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Refer to Note 9 – Leases, for the Company’s current lease commitments.

NOTE 9 — LEASES

Operating leases

On October 2, 2017, the Company entered into an office sublease agreement (the “Sublease”) with Profitect, Inc. (the “Sublandlord”) to sublease approximately 5,923 rentable square feet of office space located at 1601 Trapelo Road, Waltham, MA 02451 (the “Premises”). The term of the Sublease began on November 1, 2017 and will expire on July 31, 2021 (the “Term”), with a monthly rental rate starting at $14,808 and escalating to a maximum monthly rental rate of $16,288 in the final 12 months of the Term. The Sublandlord provided the Premises to the Company free of charge for the first two months of the Term. The Company will recognize the remaining expense in accordance with ASC 842.

Throughout the Term, the Company is responsible for paying certain costs and expenses, in addition to the rent, as specified in the Sublease, including a proportionate share of applicable taxes, operating expenses and utilities. In applying the ASC 842 transition guidance, the Company retained the classification of this Sublease as operating and recorded a lease liability and a right-of-use asset on the ASC 842 effective date.

The following table contains a summary of the Sublease costs recognized under ASC 842 and other information pertaining to the Company’s operating Sublease for the six months ended June 30, 2020:

	Six Months Ended June 30, 2020
Sublease cost
Operating Sublease cost	$	89,635
Total Sublease cost	$	89,635

Other information
Operating cash flows used for operating Sublease	$	94,768
Weighted average remaining Sublease term	1.1 years
Weighted average discount rate	10%

Future minimum Sublease payments under the Company’s non-cancelable operating Sublease as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 are as follows:

Future Operating Sublease Payments	Six Months Ended June 30, 2020
2020 (excluding the six months ended June 30, 2020)	$	97,235
2021		114,018
Thereafter		—
Total Sublease payments	$	211,253
Less: imputed interest		(10,188	)
Total operating Sublease liabilities at June 30, 2020	$	201,065

Future Operating Sublease Payments	Year Ended December 31, 2019
2020	$	192,004
2021		114,018
Thereafter		—
Total Sublease payments	$	306,022
Less: imputed interest		(21,892	)
Total operating Sublease liabilities at December 31, 2019	$	284,130

NOTE 10 — RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

In January 2016, the Company entered into a services agreement with V-Watch SA (“V-Watch”), for approximately $105 thousand for the use of V-Watch’s SomnoArt device for monitoring sleep in the roluperidone Phase 2b and MIN-117 Phase 2a trials. The Company’s Chief Executive Officer is the chairman of the board of directors of V-Watch. Funds affiliated with Index Ventures, a stockholder of the Company, hold greater than 10% of the outstanding capital stock of V-Watch.

Also refer to Note 5 – Co-Development and License Agreement for additional related party transactions.

NOTE 11 — SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

During the period from July 1, 2020 through July 29, 2020, the Company issued and sold 678,434 shares of the Company's common stock under the Sales Agreement. The shares were sold at an average price of $3.6168 per share for aggregate net proceeds to the Company of approximately $2.4 million, after deducting sales commissions and offering costs payable by the Company.

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

You should read the following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations in conjunction with our condensed consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and with our annual audited consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 9, 2020.

Overview

We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of a portfolio of product candidates to treat patients suffering from central nervous system (“CNS”) diseases. Leveraging our scientific insights and clinical experience, we have acquired or in-licensed three proprietary compounds that are currently in development. We believe these compounds have innovative mechanisms of action and therapeutic profiles that potentially address the unmet needs of patients with these diseases.

Our product portfolio and potential indications include: roluperidone (also known as MIN-101) for the treatment of negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia, and MIN-301 for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. We believe our product candidates have significant potential to improve the lives of a large number of affected patients and their families who are currently not well-served by available therapies.

In addition, the Company possesses a potential royalty stream from seltorexant (also known as MIN-202 or JNJ-42847922), a compound that is being developed by Janssen for the treatment of insomnia disorder and MDD.

On June 30, 2020, we exercised our right to opt out of the co-development and license agreement as amended with Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V, or Janssen, as contemplated by that certain settlement agreement with Janssen dated June 24, 2020, which became effective upon exercise of the opt out. Under the settlement agreement, we resolved certain disputes with Janssen under the co-development and license agreement related to the development of seltorexant (also known as MIN-202 or JNJ-42847922), a drug intended for the treatment of insomnia disorder and adjunctive treatment of MDD. As a result of the exercise of our opt-out right, the co-development and license agreement was deemed to have been terminated effective as of October 2, 2019, and we are eligible to collect a royalty on worldwide sales of seltorexant, if any, in all indications in the mid-single digits, with no financial obligations to Janssen. As a result of the opt-out, during the second quarter of 2020 we recognized approximately $41.2 million in collaborative revenue, which we had previously included on our balance sheet under deferred revenue.

We have not received regulatory approvals to commercialize any of our product candidates, and we have not generated any revenue from the sales or license of our product candidates. We have incurred significant operating losses every year since inception. We expect to incur net losses and negative cash flow from operating activities for the foreseeable future in connection with the clinical development and the potential regulatory approval, infrastructure development and commercialization of our product candidates.

Clinical Updates

Roluperidone (MIN-101)

Phase 3 Clinical Trial

On May 29, 2020, we announced that the Phase 3 trial of roluperidone to treat negative symptoms in schizophrenia did not meet its primary (reduction in PANSS Marder Negative Symptoms Factor Score, or NSFS) and key secondary (improvement in the Personal and Social Performance Scale Total Score, or PSP) endpoints.

In total, 515 patients were enrolled into the trial, and 513 patients received treatment and were included in the safety and Intent-To-Treat population. The trial was conducted in the United States, Europe and Israel. There were 172 patients who received placebo, 172 patients who received roluperidone 32 mg, and 171 patients who received roluperidone 64 mg. Demographic and baseline disease characteristics were comparable across all treatment arms.

The results for both roluperidone doses versus placebo across both the primary and the key secondary endpoints to Week 12 were corrected for multiplicity using the truncated Hochberg procedure.

The primary objective of the trial was to evaluate the change from baseline to Week 12 of NSFS with 32 mg and 64 mg doses of roluperidone compared to placebo in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia presenting with moderate to severe negative symptoms. Neither the 32 mg nor 64 mg dose of roluperidone showed a statistically significant separation from placebo at Week 12 (32 mg: p ≤0.256, effect size [ES]=0.1; 64 mg: p ≤0.064, ES=0.2).

Furthermore, neither dose showed a statistically significant separation from placebo on the key secondary endpoint, the change from baseline at Week 12 in PSP (32 mg: p ≤0.542, ES=0.1; 64 mg: nominal p ≤0.021, ES=0.3).

Although limited inferences can be drawn from this data, unadjusted statistically significant separations from placebo were observed in NSFS at Week 4 for both doses (32 mg: nominal p ≤0.036, ES=0.2; 64 mg: nominal p ≤0.007, ES=0.3), and at Week 8 for the 64 mg dose (nominal p ≤0.027, ES=0.3), and the 64 mg dose was statistically significantly different from placebo as measured by change in PSP at all other assessment timepoints (Week 4, nominal p ≤0.005, ES=0.3; Week 8: nominal p ≤0.018, ES=0.3).

Overall, subgroup analyses by region (United States and rest of the world) and by age groups were similar.

Roluperidone was generally well tolerated, and the incidences of patients who reported treatment‑emergent adverse events over the duration of 12 weeks of treatment were 37% for the 64 mg group, 42% for the 32 mg group, and 33% for placebo. Only 42 patients discontinued from the study due to adverse events, 16 (9%) in 64 mg arm, 18 (10%) in 32 mg arm, and 8 (5%) in placebo arm. Two treatment-unrelated deaths were reported in the 32 mg treatment arm.

Patients admitted into the trial had a documented diagnosis of schizophrenia for at least one year and been symptomatically stable for at least six months with moderate to severe negative symptoms (>20 on the PANSS negative symptom subscore) and stable positive symptoms. Patients without moderate to severe symptoms of excitement/hyperactivity, suspiciousness/persecution, hostility, uncooperativeness, or poor impulse control were recruited. We believe these eligibility criteria represent the real-world patient population who may benefit when the drug is used in clinical practice. In addition, patients treated with psychotropic agents needed to undergo a wash-out period of a few days before receiving study drug. These parameters were applied in screening the population enrolled in the Phase 2b trial.

We believe the results obtained in the Phase 3 study expand upon the outcome of the Phase 2b study that showed improvements in the primary endpoint and in multiple secondary endpoints. We believe the Phase 3 study’s inability to achieve statistically significant (adjusted for multiplicity) improvement at Week 12 on its primary and secondary endpoints may be primarily due to a larger than expected placebo effect. Results obtained with the 64 mg dose included an early onset of effect and functional improvement as measured by PSP and suggest that roluperidone merits continued investigation for the treatment of negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. We are completing additional detailed analyses of data from this trial, following which we plan to request a meeting with the U.S. FDA to consult about the potential next steps in the development of roluperidone.

Seltorexant (MIN-202)

Opt-out of Phase 3 development

On June 30, 2020, we exercised our right to opt out of our agreement with Janssen for the future Phase 3 development and commercialization of seltorexant (MIN-202). As a result, we are now eligible to collect a royalty on worldwide sales of seltorexant in all indications in the mid-single digits, with no financial obligations to Janssen.

We believe that this will enable us to retain a meaningful financial interest in the future revenue stream of a compound that may have significant commercial potential, while eliminating the financial obligations related to a substantial Phase 3 clinical program encompassing MDD and insomnia. Furthermore, this decision, coupled with a reduction in headcount supporting commercialization preparations, will help align our financial and human resources with our focus on establishing a path to approval for our lead compound, roluperidone, which is in Phase 3 development.

Our opt-out also eliminates our obligation to pay previous invoices from Janssen relating to our 40% share of Phase 3 development costs in all indications. Upon opt-out, we recognized in full approximately $41.2 million of deferred revenue as collaborative revenue as we do not have any future performance obligations under the agreement.

Janssen has proposed a Phase 3 development program for seltorexant with a target indication of “adjunctive treatment of MDD (aMDD) in patients with insomnia symptoms” and clinical trials to support that target indication. Because the Phase 3 development program for seltorexant is in its preliminary stage, the potential effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on this program is uncertain and difficult to predict.

Financial Overview

Revenue. None of our product candidates have been approved for commercialization and we have not recognized any revenue in connection with the sale or license of our product candidates.

Collaborative Revenue. As a result of opting out of our co-development and license agreement with Janssen, we recognized the deferred revenue on our balance sheet as we do not have any future performance obligations under the agreement.

Research and Development Expenses. Research and development expenses consists of costs incurred in connection with the development of our product candidates, including: fees paid to consultants and CROs including in connection with our non-clinical and clinical trials, and other related clinical trial fees, such as for investigator grants, patient screening, laboratory work, clinical trial database management, clinical trial material management and statistical compilation and analysis; licensing fees; costs related to acquiring clinical trial materials; costs related to compliance with regulatory requirements; and costs related to salaries, benefits, bonuses and stock-based compensation granted to employees in research and development functions. We expense research and development costs as they are incurred.

Completion dates and completion costs can vary significantly for each product candidate and are difficult to predict. We anticipate we will make determinations as to which programs to pursue and how much funding to direct to each program on an ongoing basis in response to the scientific and clinical success or failure of each product candidate, the estimated costs to continue the development program relative to our available resources, as well as an ongoing assessment as to each product candidate’s commercial potential. We will need to raise additional capital or may seek additional product collaborations in the future in order to complete the development and commercialization of our product candidates.

General and Administrative Expenses. General and administrative expenses consist principally of costs for functions in executive, finance, legal, auditing and taxes. Our general and administrative expenses include salaries, bonuses, facility and information system costs and professional fees for auditing, accounting, consulting and legal services. General and administrative costs also include non-cash stock-based compensation expense as part of our compensation strategy to attract and retain qualified staff.

We expect to continue to incur general and administrative expenses, including increased audit and legal fees, costs of compliance with securities, corporate governance and other regulations, investor relations expenses and higher insurance premiums. In addition, we expect to incur additional costs as we hire personnel and enhance our infrastructure to support the anticipated growth of our business.

Foreign Exchange (Losses) Gains. Foreign exchange (losses) gains are comprised primarily of losses and gains of foreign currency transactions related to clinical trial expenses denominated in Euros. Because our current clinical trials are conducted in Europe, we incur certain expenses in Euros and record these expenses in U.S. Dollars at the time the liability is incurred. Changes in the applicable foreign currency rate between the date an expense is recorded and the payment date is recorded as a foreign currency loss or gain. We expect to continue to incur future expenses denominated in Euros as certain of our planned clinical trials are expected to be conducted in Europe.

Investment Income. Investment income consists of income earned on our cash equivalents and marketable securities.

Results of Operations

Comparison of Three Months Ended June 30, 2020 versus June 30, 2019

Collaborative Revenue

Collaborative Revenue was $41.2 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020 compared to zero for the same period in 2019, an increase of $41.2 million. The increase in collaborative revenue was the result of opting out of our co-development and license agreement with Janssen and we recognized the revenue as we do not have any future performance obligations under the agreement.

Research and Development Expenses

Total research and development expenses were $5.8 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020 compared to $8.3 million for the same period in 2019, a decrease of approximately $2.5 million. The decrease in research and development expenses primarily reflects lower development expenses for the Phase 3 clinical trial of roluperidone and the completion of the Phase 2b clinical trial of MIN-117 in December 2019. We expect research and development expenses to decrease during 2020 as compared to 2019 since we completed the MIN-117 clinical trial as well as the 12-week, double-blind portion of the Phase 3 clinical trial of roluperidone.

General and Administrative Expenses

Total general and administrative expenses were $5.9 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020 compared to $4.6 million for the same period in 2019, an increase of approximately $1.3 million. The increase in general and administrative expenses was primarily due to an increase in non-cash stock-based compensation expenses and severance benefits.

Foreign Exchange Losses

Foreign exchange losses were $4 thousand for the three months ended June 30, 2020 compared to a loss of $7 thousand for the same period in 2019, a decreased loss of $3 thousand. The loss was primarily due to clinical activities denominated in Euros.

Investment Income

Investment income was $25 thousand for the three months ended June 30, 2020 compared to $434 thousand for the same period in 2019, a decrease of $409 thousand. The decrease was due to investment income on lower balances of cash equivalents and marketable securities.

Comparison of Six Months Ended June 30, 2020 versus June 30, 2019

Collaborative Revenue

Collaborative Revenue was $41.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020 compared to zero for the same period in 2019, an increase of $41.2 million. The increase in collaborative revenue was the result of opting out of our co-development and license agreement with Janssen and we recognized the revenue as we do not have any future performance obligations under the agreement.

Research and Development Expenses

Total research and development expenses were $13.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020 compared to $19.9 million for the same period in 2019, a decrease of approximately $6.1 million. The decrease in research and development expenses primarily reflects lower development expenses for the Phase 3 clinical trial of roluperidone and the completion of the Phase 2b clinical trial of MIN-117 in December 2019. We expect research and development expenses to decrease during 2020 as compared to 2019 since we completed the MIN-117 clinical trial as well as the 12-week, double-blind portion of the Phase 3 clinical trial of roluperidone.

General and Administrative Expenses

Total general and administrative expenses were $10.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020 compared to $9.3 million for the same period in 2019, an increase of approximately $0.8 million. The increase in general and administrative expenses was primarily due to an increase in non-cash stock-based compensation expenses and severance benefits.

Foreign Exchange Losses

Foreign exchange losses were $13 thousand for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019.

Investment Income

Investment income was $0.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020 compared to $0.9 million for the same period in 2019, a decrease of $0.7 million. The decrease was due to investment income on lower balances of cash equivalents and marketable securities.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Sources of Liquidity

As of June 30, 2020, we had an accumulated deficit of approximately $269.4 million. We anticipate that we will continue to incur net losses for the foreseeable future as we continue the development and potential commercialization of our product candidates and to support our operations as a public company. At June 30, 2020, we had approximately $35.3 million in cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and marketable securities. We believe that our existing cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and marketable securities will be sufficient to meet our cash commitments for at least the next 12 months after the date that the interim condensed financial statements are issued. As a result of the roluperidone Phase 3 study not achieving a statistically significant improvement on its primary and secondary endpoints, we have significantly decreased our operating plan spending levels. We plan to maintain the lower level of spending while we are completing additional detailed analyses of data from this trial, following which we plan to request a meeting with the U.S. FDA to consult about the potential next steps in the development of roluperidone. Therefore, the year-to-date cash used

is not representative of the future cash commitments and spending for the next 12 months after the date that the interim condensed financial statements are issued. The process of drug development can be costly and the timing and outcomes of clinical trials is uncertain. The assumptions upon which we have based our estimates are routinely evaluated and may be subject to change. The actual amount of our expenditures will vary depending upon a number of factors including but not limited to the design, timing and duration of future clinical trials, the progress of our research and development programs, the infrastructure to support a commercial enterprise, the cost of a commercial product launch and the level of financial resources available. We have the ability to adjust our operating plan spending levels based on the timing of future clinical trials which will be predicated upon adequate funding to complete the trials.

Sources of Funds

At-the-Market Equity Offering Program

On August 10, 2018, we entered into an Open Market Sale Agreement (the “Sales Agreement”) with Jefferies, LLC, (“Jefferies”), pursuant to which we may offer and sell, from time to time, through Jefferies, up to $50.0 million in shares of our common stock, by any method permitted by law deemed to be an “at-the-market” offering as defined in Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. During June 2020, we issued and sold 1,361,956 shares of our common stock under the Sales Agreement. The shares were sold at an average price of $3.802 per share for aggregate net proceeds to us of approximately $5.0 million, after deducting sales commissions and offering costs payable by us.

Amendment to Co-Development and License Agreement with Janssen

On August 29, 2017, the European Commission approved the Amendment to our Co-Development and License Agreement with Janssen under which Janssen made an upfront payment to us of $30 million in August 2017 and agreed to make a $20 million payment at the start of a Phase 3 insomnia trial for seltorexant and a $20 million payment when 50% of the patients are enrolled in this trial. Janssen further agreed to waive the remaining payments due from us until the completion of certain Phase 2b trials, including $11.2 million in previously accrued collaborative expenses. In connection with the Amendment, we also repurchased all of the approximately 3.9 million shares of our stock previously owned by Johnson & Johnson Innovation-JJDC Inc. at a per share price of $0.0001, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $389.

On June 30, 2020, the Company exercised its right to opt out of the Agreement with Janssen pursuant to a Settlement Agreement with Janssen dated June 24, 2020 (the “Settlement Agreement”), which became effective upon exercise of the opt out, pursuant to which the Company and Janssen resolved certain disputes under Agreement. Under the Settlement Agreement, the Company agreed not to assert that Decision Point 4 has not been reached, Janssen waived the requirement that opt-out occur after Decision Point 4 in order for the Company to receive a royalty on sales of seltorexant after opt-out, and the Company and Janssen agreed to waive any payments to the other with respect to development costs for seltorexant. As a result of the exercise of its right to opt out of the Agreement with Janssen, the Agreement is deemed to have been terminated effective as of October 2, 2019. The Company will now collect a royalty on worldwide sales of seltorexant in all indications in the mid-single digits, with no financial obligations to Janssen.

Uses of Funds

To date, we have not generated any revenue from sales of products and have only generated collaborative revenue due to opting out of our license and co-development agreement with Janssen. We do not know when, or if, we will generate any revenue from sales of our products or when, or if, we will receive any royalty payments from Janssen on future sales of seltorexant. We do not expect to generate significant revenue from product sales unless and until we obtain regulatory approval of and commercialize any of our product candidates. At the same time, we expect our expenses to increase in connection with our ongoing development activities, particularly as we continue the research, development and clinical trials of, and seek regulatory approval for, our product candidates. We also expect to continue to incur costs associated with operating as a public company. In addition, subject to obtaining regulatory approval of any of our product candidates, we expect to incur significant commercialization expenses for product sales, marketing, manufacturing and distribution.

Until such time, if ever, as we can generate substantial revenue from product sales, we expect to finance our cash needs through a combination of equity offerings, debt financings, government or other third‑party funding, commercialization, marketing and distribution arrangements and other collaborations, strategic alliances and licensing arrangements. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the ownership interests of our common stockholders will be diluted, and the terms of these securities may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect the rights of our common stockholders. Additional debt financing, if available, may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting our ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures or declaring dividends. If we raise additional funds through government or other third‑party funding, commercialization, marketing and distribution arrangements or other collaborations, strategic alliances or licensing arrangements with third parties, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to our

technologies, future revenue streams, research programs or product candidates or to grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us. There can be no assurance that such additional funding, if available, can be obtained on terms acceptable to us, and the uncertainty and volatility in the capital markets caused by the COVID-19 pandemic may negatively impact the availability and cost of capital. If we are unable to obtain additional financing, future operations would need to be scaled back or discontinued. We believe that our existing cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and marketable securities will be sufficient to meet our cash commitments for at least the next 12 months after the date that the interim condensed financial statements are issued. The timing of future capital requirements depends upon many factors including the size and timing of future clinical trials, the timing and scope of any strategic partnering activity and the progress of other research and development activities.

Cash Flows

The tables below set forth our significant sources and uses of cash for the periods.

	Six Months Ended June 30,
	2020			2019
	(dollars in millions)
Net cash provided by (used in):
Operating activities	$	(16.8	)	$	(19.7	)
Investing activities		21.5			(3.2	)
Financing activities		6.1			0.5
Net increase (decrease) in cash	$	10.8		$	(22.4	)

Net Cash Used in Operating Activities

Net cash used in operating activities of approximately $16.8 million during the six months ended June 30, 2020 was primarily due to our net income of $17.4 million, stock-based compensation expense of $5.7 million, a $0.9 increase in accounts payable, and a decrease in prepaid expense of $0.6 million, partially offset by a decrease in deferred revenue of $41.2 million, a $0.1 million decrease in accrued expenses, and amortization of investments of $0.1 million.

Net cash used in operating activities of approximately $19.7 million during the six months ended June 30, 2019 was primarily due to our net loss of $28.3 million and amortization of investments of $0.5 million, partially offset by stock-based compensation expense of $4.8 million, a $2.7 million increase in accrued expenses, a $1.1 million increase in accounts payable, and a decrease in prepaid expense of $0.5 million.

Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities

Net cash provided by investing activities of approximately $21.5 million during the six months ended June 30, 2020 was primarily due to the maturity and redemption of marketable securities of $25.4 million, partially offset by the purchase of marketable securities of $3.9 million.

Net cash used in investing activities of approximately $3.2 million during the six months ended June 30, 2019 was primarily due to the purchase of marketable securities of $33.2 million, partially offset by the maturity and redemption of marketable securities of $30.0 million.

Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities

Net cash provided by financing activities of $6.1 million during the six months ended June 30, 2020 was due to the gross proceeds from the June 2020 at the market stock offering of $5.2 million less costs of $0.2 million, and proceeds from the exercise of common stock options of $1.1 million.

Net cash provided by financing activities of $0.5 million during the six months ended June 30, 2019 was due to the proceeds from the exercise of common stock options of $0.5 million.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We did not have during the periods presented, and we do not currently have, any off-balance sheet arrangements as defined under SEC rules.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

In our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, our most critical accounting policies and estimates upon which our financial status depends were identified as those relating to stock-based compensation; research and development costs; in-process research and development; goodwill; income taxes; net operating losses and tax credit carryforwards; and impairment of long-lived assets. We reviewed our policies and determined that those policies remain our most critical accounting policies for the six months ended June 30, 2020.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, and are adopted by us as of the specified effective date. Our significant accounting policies are described in Note 2 to our condensed consolidated financial statements appearing elsewhere in this Form 10-Q. Except as described in Note 2, we believe that the impact of other recently issued accounting pronouncements will not have a material impact on consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows, or do not apply to our operations.

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

Not applicable.

Item 4. Controls and Procedures

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

We maintain “disclosure controls and procedures,” as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act, that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by a company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by a company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive and principal financial officers, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) and Chief Financial Officer (principal financial officer), evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of June 30, 2020. Based on the evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of June 30, 2020, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of such date, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective at a reasonable assurance level.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in internal control over financial reporting during our latest fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

PART II

Item 1. Legal Proceedings

From time to time, we may be subject to various legal proceedings and claims that arise in the ordinary course of our business activities. Although the results of litigation and claims cannot be predicted with certainty, as of the date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, we do not believe we are party to any claim or litigation, the outcome of which, if determined adversely to us, would individually or in the aggregate be reasonably expected to have a material adverse effect on our business. Regardless of the outcome, litigation can have an adverse impact on us because of defense and settlement costs, diversion of management resources and other factors.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

We operate in a rapidly changing environment that involves a number of risks which could materially affect our business, financial condition or future results, some of which are beyond our control. In addition to the other information set forth in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, the risks and uncertainties that we believe are most important for you to consider are discussed in Part I-Item 1A under the heading “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, as filed with the SEC on March 9, 2020. The risk factors set forth below are risk factors containing changes, which may be material, from the risk factors previously disclosed in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, as filed with the SEC.

We have incurred significant losses since our inception. We expect to continue to incur losses over the next several years and may never achieve or maintain profitability.

We are a clinical development-stage biopharmaceutical company. Investment in biopharmaceutical product development is highly speculative because it entails substantial upfront capital expenditures and significant risk that any potential product candidate will fail to demonstrate adequate effect or an acceptable safety profile, gain regulatory approval or become commercially viable. As an early stage company, we have limited experience and have not yet demonstrated an ability to successfully overcome many of the risks and uncertainties frequently encountered by companies in new and rapidly evolving fields, particularly the biopharmaceutical area. We have no products approved for commercial sale and have not generated any revenue from product sales to date, and we continue to incur significant research and development and other expenses related to our ongoing operations. Our recent collaborative revenue was due to the recognition of deferred revenue as a result of opting out of an agreement, and is not a recurring source of revenue.

As of June 30, 2020, we had an accumulated deficit of $269.4 million.

We expect to continue to incur significant losses for the foreseeable future, and we expect these losses to increase as we continue our research and development of, and seek regulatory approvals for, our product candidates. If any of our product candidates fail in clinical trials or do not gain regulatory approval, or if any of our product candidates, if approved, fail to achieve market acceptance, we may never generate revenue or become profitable. Even if we achieve profitability in the future, we may not be able to sustain profitability in subsequent periods. We may encounter unforeseen expenses, difficulties, complications, delays and other unknown factors that may adversely affect our business. The size of our future net losses will depend, in part, on the rate of future growth of our expenses and our ability to generate revenues. Our prior losses and expected future losses have had and will continue to have an adverse effect on our stockholders’ equity and working capital.

We will require additional capital to finance our operations, which may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all. As a result, we may not complete the development and commercialization of our product candidates or develop new product candidates.

Our operations have consumed substantial amounts of cash since inception. As of June 30, 2020, we had cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and marketable securities of $35.3 million. We believe that our existing cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and marketable securities will be sufficient to meet our cash commitments for at least the next 12 months after the date that our interim condensed financial statements are issued. The process of drug development can be costly and the timing and outcomes of clinical trials is uncertain. The assumptions upon which we have based our estimates are routinely evaluated and may be subject to change. The actual amount of our expenditures will vary depending upon a number of factors including but not limited to the design, timing and duration of future clinical trials, the progress of our research and development programs, the infrastructure to support a commercial enterprise, the cost of a commercial product launch and the level of financial resources available.

Our future funding requirements, both short and long-term, will depend on many factors, including:

•

the initiation, progress, timing, costs and results of pre-clinical studies and clinical trials for our product candidates and future product candidates we may develop;

•

the outcome, timing and cost of seeking and obtaining regulatory approvals from the EMA, FDA, and comparable foreign regulatory authorities, including the potential for such authorities to require that we perform more studies than those that we currently expect;

•

the cost to establish, maintain, expand and defend the scope of our intellectual property portfolio, including the amount and timing of any payments we may be required to make, or that we may receive, in connection with licensing, preparing, filing, prosecution, defense and enforcement of any patents or other intellectual property rights;

•

the effect of competing technological and market developments;

•

market acceptance of any approved product candidates;

•

the costs of acquiring, licensing or investing in additional businesses, products, product candidates and technologies; and

•

the cost of establishing sales, marketing and distribution capabilities for our product candidates for which we may receive regulatory approval and that we determine to commercialize ourselves or in collaboration with our partners.

When we need to secure additional financing, such additional fundraising efforts may divert our management from our day-to-day activities, which may adversely affect our ability to develop and commercialize our product candidates. In addition, we cannot guarantee that future financing will be available in sufficient amounts or on terms acceptable to us, if at all. If we raise additional equity financing, our stockholders may experience significant dilution of their ownership interests, and the per-share value of our common stock could decline. If we engage in debt financing, we may be required to accept terms that restrict our ability to incur additional indebtedness and force us to maintain specified liquidity or other ratios. Further, the evolving and volatile global economic climate and global financial market conditions could limit our ability to raise funding and otherwise adversely impact our business or those of our collaborators and providers. If we are unable to raise additional capital in sufficient amounts or on terms acceptable to us we may have to significantly delay, scale back or discontinue the development or commercialization of one or more of our product candidates. Any of these events could significantly harm our business, financial condition and prospects.

We are subject to risks and uncertainties as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and could be subject to risks from further health pandemics or epidemics, as well as uncertainty regarding returning to work and phased re-openings.

Our business could be adversely affected by the effects of health pandemics or epidemics, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to have a negative impact on the local, regional, national and global scale. In response to the pandemic, a number of jurisdictions in which we or our service providers operate implemented shelter-in-place or similar type restrictions, which limited on-site activity to certain service providers. Additionally, our headquarters are located in Massachusetts, which implemented such restrictions. In response, we implemented work-from-home policies for our employees, which continue to be in effect. While certain jurisdictions, including Massachusetts have begun a phased re-opening of businesses and governmental agencies, there remain limitations on the physical operations of businesses and prohibitions on certain non-essential gatherings, and it is unclear if such phased re-openings will continue or be rolled back, and there is uncertainty about when, if, or how our workforce may return. The effects of the state executive order, local shelter-in-place orders, government-imposed quarantines and our work-from-home policies, including the uncertainty about their duration, may negatively impact productivity, disrupt our business and delay our clinical programs and timelines. The magnitude of these negative effects will depend, in part, on the length and severity of the restrictions and other limitations on our ability to conduct our business in the ordinary course, and our ability to respond with minimal disruptions to the evolving restrictions, reopenings, and any future curtailment. These and similar, and perhaps more severe, disruptions in our operations in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and any future health pandemics or epidemics could negatively impact our business, operating results and financial condition.

In addition, our clinical trials may be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We may face difficulties retaining patients in the open-label extension period of the MIN-101C07 study of roluperidone and may have difficultly enrolling or retaining patients in future clinical trials if patients are affected by the COVID-19 virus or are unable to travel to the clinical trial sites or obtain study medication. Our clinical trials may further be delayed due to prioritization of hospital resources toward the COVID-19 pandemic, and some patients may not be able to comply with clinical trial protocols if quarantines impede patient movement or interrupt healthcare services. Similarly, our ability to recruit and retain principal investigators and site staff who, as healthcare providers, may have heightened exposure to the COVID-19 virus, could be delayed or disrupted, which would adversely impact our clinical trial operations. As a result, we could experience delays in the completion of our trials, which could result in a material adverse impact on our clinical trial plans and timelines.

Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a broad negative impact globally on capital markets and economies worldwide, which could have a negative impact on us economically. While the potential economic impact brought by, and the duration of, the COVID-19 pandemic, may be difficult to assess or predict, it is currently resulting in significant disruption of global financial markets. This disruption, if sustained or recurrent, could have a material adverse effect on our operating results, our ability to raise capital needed to develop and commercialize products and our overall financial condition. In addition, a recession or market correction resulting from the spread of the coronavirus could materially affect the value of our common stock.

The extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business is uncertain and difficult to predict, as the pandemic continues to rapidly evolve. The ultimate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic or a similar health pandemic or epidemic is highly uncertain and subject to change. We do not yet know the extent of potential delays or impacts on our business, our clinical trials, healthcare systems or the global economy as a whole. These effects could have a material impact on our operations, and we will continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic closely.

Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

We did not sell any unregistered securities during the six months ended June 30, 2020.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

We did not repurchase any securities during the six months ended June 30, 2020.

Item 3. Defaults upon Senior Securities

Not applicable.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

Not applicable.

Item 5. Other Information

Not applicable.

Item 6. Exhibits

The following exhibits are incorporated by reference or filed as part of this report.

Exhibit
Number		Description

3.1		Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s registration statement on Form S-1/A filed with the SEC on June 10, 2014)

3.2		Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Registrant’s registration statement on Form S-1/A filed with the SEC on November 4, 2019)

10.1		Open Market Sale Agreement, dated as of August 10, 2018, by and between Minerva Neurosciences, Inc. and Jefferies LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1.2 to the Registrant’s registration statement on Form S-3 filed with the SEC on August 10, 2018)

10.2		Settlement Agreement, dated as of June 24, 2020, by and between Minerva Neurosciences, Inc. and Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V.

10.3†		Amended and Restated 2013 Equity Incentive Plan

31.1		Certification of Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) pursuant to Section 302 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

31.2		Certification of Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) pursuant to Section 302 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

32.1⁺		Certification of Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) pursuant to Section 906 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

101.INS		Inline XBRL Instance Document

101.SCH		Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document

101.CAL		Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document

101.DEF		Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document

101.LAB		Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document

101.PRE		Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document

104		The cover page from Minerva Neuroscience’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended June 30, 2020 is formatted in Inline XBRL and it is contained in Exhibit 101

These certifications are being furnished solely to accompany this quarterly report pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, and are not being filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are not to be incorporated by reference into any filing of the registrant, whether made before or after the date hereof, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing.

†	Indicates management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.