Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES  
Nature of Operations

 

 

We were incorporated in the state of Delaware on June 14, 1996. We are engaged in the discovery and development of novel, small-molecule drugs for the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, as well as muscle disorders.

Basis of Presentation

 

 

Our accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (U.S. GAAP), for interim financial information and pursuant to the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (Securities Act). Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. These unaudited condensed financial statements include only normal and recurring adjustments that we believe are necessary to fairly state our financial position and the results of our operations and cash flows. Interim-period results are not necessarily indicative of results of operations or cash flows for a full-year or any subsequent interim period. The balance sheet at December 31, 2013 has been derived from audited financial statements at that date, but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. Because all of the disclosures required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements are not included herein, these interim unaudited condensed financial statements and the notes accompanying them should be read in conjunction with our audited financial statements and the notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013.

 

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Recent accounting pronouncements

 

 

In August 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standard Update (ASU) No. 2014-15 — Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern under Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Subtopic 205-40, Presentation of Financial Statements — Going Concern. ASU No. 2017-15 provides guidance about management’s responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern and to provide related footnote disclosures. Management’s evaluation should be based on relevant conditions and events that are known and reasonably knowable at the date that the financial statements are issued (or at the date that the financial statements are available to be issued when applicable). Substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern exists when relevant conditions and events, considered in the aggregate, indicate that it is probable that the entity will be unable to meet its obligations as they become due within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued (or available to be issued). ASU No. 2017-15 is effective for the annual period ending after December 15, 2016 and early adoption is permitted. We will evaluate the guidance under ASU No. 2014-15 and present the required disclosures on our financial statements at the time of adoption.

 

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09 — Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which supersedes the revenue recognition requirements under ASC Topic 605, Revenue Recognition, and most industry-specific guidance under the ASC. The core principle of the ASU No. 2014-09 is that an entity should recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 defines a five step process to achieve this core principle and, in doing so, it is possible more judgment and estimates may be required within the revenue recognition process than required under existing U.S. GAAP including identifying performance obligations in the contract, estimating the amount of variable consideration to include in the transaction price and allocating the transaction price to each separate performance obligation.  ASU No. 2014-09 also requires additional disclosures to enable users of financial statements to understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts.  ASU No. 2014-09 will be effective fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016 and early adoption is not permitted. ASU No. 2014-09 allows for either full retrospective or modified retrospective adoption. We are currently evaluating the potential impact of the adoption of ASU No. 2014-09 on our financial statements and cannot estimate the impact of adoption at this time.

Stock award plans

 

 

We have three stock option plans, our 2011 Equity Incentive Plan (2011 Plan), 2000 Equity Incentive Plan (2000 Plan) and 2000 Non-Employee Directors’ Stock Option Plan (Directors’ Plan), that provide for granting to our officers, directors and all other employees and consultants options to purchase shares of our common stock. We also have our Employee Stock Purchase Plan (Purchase Plan), where eligible employees can purchase shares of our common stock at a price per share equal to the lesser of 85% of the fair market value on the first day of the offering period or 85% of the fair market value on the purchase date. The fair value of each option award is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model which considered our stock price, as well as assumptions regarding a number of complex and subjective variables. These variables include, but are not limited to, volatility, expected term, risk-free interest rate and dividends. We estimate volatility over the expected term of the option using historical share price performance. For expected term, we take into consideration our historical data of options exercised, cancelled and expired. The risk-free rate is based on the U.S. Treasury constant maturity rate. We have not paid and do not expect to pay dividends in the foreseeable future. In order to calculate stock- based compensation expense, we also estimate the forfeiture rate using our historical experience with options that cancel before they vest. We review our forfeiture rates each quarter and make any necessary changes to our estimates. We use the straight-line attribution method over the requisite employee service period for the entire award in recognizing stock-based compensation expense. In the first quarter of 2014, we granted certain performance-based stock options to purchase shares of our common stock which will vest upon the achievement of certain performance-based conditions. For the portion of the performance-based stock options of which the performance condition is considered probable of achievement, we recognized stock-based compensation expense on the related estimated fair value of such options on straight-line basis from the date of grant up to the date when we expect the performance condition will be probably achieved. For the performance conditions that are not considered probable of achievement at the grant date or upon quarterly evaluation period, prior to the event actually occurring, we will recognize the related stock-based compensation expense when the event occurs or when we can determine that the performance condition is probable of achievement.  In those cases, we will recognize the change in estimate at the time we determine the condition is probable of achievement (by recognizing stock-based compensation expense as cumulative catch-up as if we had estimated at the grant date that the performance condition will be achieved) and recognize the remaining compensation cost up to the date when we expect the performance condition will be probably achieved, if any.

Net loss per share

 

 

Basic net loss per share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Diluted net loss per share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period and the number of additional shares of common stock that would have been outstanding if potentially dilutive securities had been issued. Potentially dilutive securities include a warrant to purchase our common shares and stock options and shares issuable under our stock award plans. The dilutive effect of these potentially dilutive securities is reflected in diluted earnings per share by application of the treasury stock method. Under the treasury stock method, an increase in the fair market value of our common stock can result in a greater dilutive effect from potentially dilutive securities.

 

During the periods presented, we had securities which could potentially dilute basic loss per share, but were excluded from the computation of diluted net loss per share, as their effect would have been antidilutive. These securities consist of the following (in thousands):

 

 

 

September 30,

 

 

 

2014

 

2013

 

Outstanding options

 

17,336 

 

15,473 

 

Warrant

 

200 

 

200 

 

Purchase Plan

 

103 

 

52 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17,639 

 

15,725 

 

 

Research and development accruals

 

 

We have various contracts with third parties related to our research and development activities. Costs that are incurred but not billed to us as of the end of the period are accrued. We make estimates of the amounts incurred in each period based on the information available to us and our knowledge of the nature of the contractual activities generating such costs. Clinical trial contract expenses are accrued based on units of activity. Expenses related to other research and development contracts, such as research contracts, toxicology study contracts and manufacturing contracts are estimated to be incurred generally on a straight-line basis over the duration of the contracts. Raw materials and study materials purchased for us by third parties are expensed at the time of purchase.