As of December 31, 2022, there were 30,976,000 shares authorized for issuance under the CV Sciences, Inc. Amended and Restated 2013 Equity Incentive Plan (the "2013 Plan"). On June 11, 2019, the Company’s stockholders approved an amendment to the 2013 Plan to add an automatic “evergreen” provision regarding the number of shares to be annually added to the 2013 Plan. As a result, for as long as the 2013 Plan remained in effect, the number of shares of common stock that would be automatically added to the 2013 Plan on January 1 of each year during the term of the plan, starting with January 1, 2020, was the lesser of: (a) 4% of the total shares of the Company’s common stock outstanding on December 31st of the prior year, (b) 4,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, or (c) a lesser number of shares of the Company’s common stock as determined by the Company’s Board of Directors. On January 1, 2023, the Company added 4,000,000 shares of the Company's common stock to the 2013 Plan pursuant to the evergreen provision, resulting in a total of 34,976,000 shares authorized for issuance under the 2013 Plan.

In March 2022, the Company cancelled 9,000,000 outstanding stock options. In addition, on March 30, 2022 the Company's Board of Directors reduced the shares available for issuance under the 2013 Plan by 8,000,000 shares.

On June 1, 2023, the 2013 Plan terminated and was replaced by the 2023 Plan (defined below); future issuances of incentive instruments will be made under and governed by the 2023 Plan. Outstanding awards issued under the 2013 Plan will remain subject to the terms and conditions of the 2013 Plan, provided that to the extent that outstanding awards under the 2013 Plan are forfeited or lapse unexercised, the shares of common stock subject to such awards will no longer be available for future issuance under the 2013 Plan or any other equity incentive plan of the Company.

On June 1, 2023, the Company's shareholders approved the adoption of the new 2023 Equity Incentive Plan (the "2023 Plan"), and the Company adopted the 2023 Plan. The 2023 Plan has a term of 10 years. The number of shares of the Company's common stock authorized for issuance under the 2023 Plan was initially 34,976,000 shares, which number shall automatically increase on January 1 of each fiscal year (for a period of ten years after adoption of the 2023 Plan) during the term of the 2023 Plan, commencing on January 1, 2024, by the lesser of (a) 4% of the total shares of the Company's common stock outstanding on December 31st of the prior year, and (b) a lesser number of the Company's common stock as determined by the Company's Board of Directors. As of December 31, 2023, the Company had 34,726,000 authorized but unissued shares reserved for issuance under the 2023 Plan. On January 1, 2024, the Company did not add any shares to the 2023 Plan.

The stock options are exercisable at no less than the fair market value of the underlying shares on the date of grant, and restricted stock and restricted stock units are issued at a value not less than the fair market value of the common stock on the date of the grant. Generally, stock options awarded are vested in equal increments ranging from two to four years on the annual anniversary date on which such equity grants were awarded. The stock options generally have a maximum term of 10 years.

The Company recognized stock-based compensation expense of $0.2 million and $1.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

As of December 31, 2023, total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested stock-based compensation arrangements was $0.2 million, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.1 years.

The Company has established performance milestones in connection with the drug development efforts for its lead drug candidate CVSI-007. The above table includes 4,250,000 vested performance-based options as of December 31, 2023, which were issued to Michael Mona Jr. ("Mona Jr.") outside of the 2013 Plan. As of December 31, 2023, there were 6,750,000 remaining unvested stock options granted to Mona Jr. outside of the 2013 Plan which are not included in the table above. These stock options vest upon the completion of future performance conditions, including those related to the Settlement Agreement with Mona Jr. (refer to Note 12). As of December 31, 2023, Mona Jr. has a total of 18,050,000 outstanding stock options with a weighted average exercise price of $0.40.

There were no stock option exercises during the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.

The risk-free interest rates are based on the implied yield available on U.S. Treasury constant maturities with remaining terms equivalent to the respective expected terms of the options. Expected volatility is based on the historical volatility of the Company's common stock. The Company estimates the expected term for stock options awarded to employees, non-employees, officers and directors using the simplified method in accordance with ASC Topic 718, Stock Compensation, because the Company does not have sufficient relevant historical information to develop reasonable expectations about future exercise patterns. In the future, as the Company gains historical data for the actual term over which stock options are held, the expected term may change, which could substantially change the grant-date fair value of future stock option awards, and, consequently, compensation of future grants.