Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

v3.20.2
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation and Use of Estimates

Basis of Presentation and Use of Estimates

The accompanying interim condensed financial statements of the Company are unaudited. These interim condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for interim financial information. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. The December 31, 2019 condensed balance sheet was derived from the audited financial statements as of that date but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements.

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. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and market-specific or other relevant assumptions that it believes are reasonable under the circumstances. The amounts of assets and liabilities reported in the Company’s balance sheets and the amount of expenses and income reported for each of the periods presented are affected by estimates and assumptions, which are used for, but are not limited to, determining research and development periods under multiple element arrangements, stock-based compensation expense, income taxes and certain accrued liabilities. An estimated DLOM to determine the fair value of the Company’s investment in equity securities and related liabilities was also used due to the existence of a lock-up agreement that expires in December 2020.  

The full extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic will directly or indirectly impact the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition, including revenue, expenses, manufacturing, clinical trials, research and development costs and employee-related amounts, will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain, including as a result of new information that may emerge concerning COVID-19 and the actions taken to contain it or treat COVID-19, as well as the economic impact on local, regional, national and international customers, suppliers, service providers and markets. We have made estimates of the impact of COVID-19 within our financial statements and there may be changes to those estimates in future periods. Actual results could differ from such estimates or assumptions.

The accompanying unaudited interim condensed financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the audited financial statements and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments of a normal recurring nature considered necessary to state fairly the Company's financial position, results of operations, comprehensive income (loss), and cash flows for the interim periods. The interim results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2020, or for any other future annual or interim period.

The information included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the Company's audited financial statements included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, for the year ended December 31, 2019.

Changes in Estimate

Change in Estimate

In the quarter ended March 31, 2020, the Company recorded an adjustment to revenue related to a change in estimate in connection with its Exclusive Patent License and Research Collaboration Agreement (the “2018 Merck Agreement”) with Merck, which was a related party until the closing of the Company’s public offering on May 14, 2020. The 2018 Merck Agreement provides for the joint development of up to three research programs focusing on cytokine derivatives for cancer and autoimmune disorders. Under the 2018 Merck Agreement, the Company received from Merck a non-refundable, non-creditable, upfront payment of $60.0 million in August 2018 for access to the Company’s technology and the identification and preclinical research and development of two target programs. Under ASC 606, the Company identified five performance obligations under the 2018 Merck Agreement, two of which relate to the performance of services for 1) the first target program and 2) the second target program. At the inception of the 2018 Merck Agreement, the transaction price of $60.0 million was allocated among the performance obligations using the Company’s best estimate of standalone selling price (“SSP”) for each of the associated performance obligations. Revenue allocated to the first and second target programs, which totaled $47.1 million, was being recognized on a proportion of performance basis, using the full-time equivalent (“FTE”) cost as the basis of measurement, with such performance expected to occur over an estimated service period of three years for each target program.

In March 2020, the Company adjusted revenue recognized for the first and second target programs as the parties determined additional resources should be assigned to the first target program with a reduction of resources attributed to the second target program. This resulted in a decrease in the measure of proportional performance for the first target program and an increase in the measure of proportional performance for the second target program. These adjustments collectively decreased both the Company’s revenues and net income by $0.8 million and basic and diluted net income per share by $0.03 and $0.03, respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 2020.

Adoption of New Accounting Principles

Adoption of New Accounting Principles

In December 2019, as part of its initiative to reduce complexity in the accounting standards, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (“ASU 2019-12”), which eliminates certain exceptions related to the approach for intra-period tax allocation, the methodology for calculating income taxes in an interim period and the recognition of deferred tax liabilities for outside basis differences. ASU 2019-12 also clarifies and simplifies other aspects of the accounting for income taxes. The standard is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. The Company early adopted ASU 2019-12 on January 1, 2020, and this adoption had no material impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13 (Topic 820), Fair Value Measurement: Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement, reducing certain disclosures concerning the fair value hierarchy. The guidance was effective for the Company on January 1, 2020 and did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13 (Topic 326), Financial Instruments Credit Losses, which requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to developing credit loss estimates. For public entities, ASU 2016-13 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including all interim periods within those years. As a result of the Company having elected the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards pursuant to Section 107(b) of the JOBS Act, ASU 2016-13 is effective for the Company for the fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, including all interim periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently assessing the impact that the adoption of ASU 2016-13 will have on its financial statements and related disclosures.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02 (Topic 842), Leases (“ASC 842”). ASC 842 supersedes the lease recognition requirements in ASC 840, Leases. ASC 842 clarifies the definition of a lease and requires lessees to recognize right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for all leases, including those classified as operating leases under previous lease accounting guidance. For public entities, ASU 2016-02 was effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including all interim periods within that year.  As a result of the Company having elected the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards pursuant to Section 107(b) of the JOBS Act, ASC842 will be effective for the Company on January 1, 2022.  Originally, entities were required to adopt ASC 842 using a modified retrospective transition method. However, in July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-11 (Topic 842), Leases: Targeted Improvements, which provides entities with an additional transition method. Under ASU 2018-11, entities have the option of initially applying ASC 842 at the adoption date, rather than at the beginning of the earliest period presented, and recognizing the cumulative effect of applying the new standard as an adjustment to beginning retained earnings in the year of adoption while continuing to present all prior periods under previous lease accounting guidance. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this guidance on the Company’s financial statements. The Company currently expects that its operating lease commitments will be subject to the new standard and recognized as right-of-use assets and operating lease liabilities upon adoption of this standard, which will increase the total assets and total liabilities that it reports relative to such amounts presented prior to adoption.    

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash reported within the balance sheets that sum to the total of the same amounts shown in the statements of cash flows.

 

 

 

September 30,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

 

(in thousands)

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

64,370

 

 

$

11,954

 

Restricted cash

 

 

872

 

 

 

15

 

Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash shown in the

   statements of cash flows

 

$

65,242

 

 

$

11,969

 

Investments in Equity Securities

Investments in Equity Securities

Subsequent to the closing of the initial public offering (“IPO”) of Vaxcyte, Inc. in June 2020, the fair value of Vaxcyte’s common stock became readily determinable.  As a result, beginning June 2020, Vaxcyte common stock held by the Company is measured at fair value at each reporting period based on the closing price of Vaxcyte’s common stock on the last trading day of each reporting period, adjusted for a discount for lack of marketability (DLOM), due to the lock-up agreement that expires in December 2020, with any unrealized gains and losses recorded in the Company’s statements of operations.

As of September 30, 2020, the Company held 1,634,005 shares of Vaxcyte common stock with an estimated fair value of $78.8 million. The Company recognized an unrealized gain related to Vaxcyte common stock of $29.7 million and $78.6 million for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2020, respectively.  The unrealized gain for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 was $78.8 million from the change in estimated fair value of Vaxcyte common stock, partially offset by a $0.2 million adjustment related to a revaluation of a prior preferred stock warrant converted to common stock.  See Note 3—“Fair Value Disclosures,” Note 4 — “Cash and Marketable Securities”, and Note 8—“Related Party Transactions”.

Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value Measurements

Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability, or an exit price, in the principal or most advantageous market for that asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date, and establishes a fair value hierarchy that requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs, where available, and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. The Company determined the fair value of financial assets and liabilities using the fair value hierarchy that describes three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value, as follows:

Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities;

Level 2—Inputs other than Level 1 that are observable, either directly or indirectly, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities; and

Level 3—Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.

The carrying amounts of accounts receivable, prepaid expenses, accounts payable, accrued liabilities and accrued compensation approximate fair value due to the short-term nature of these items.

The fair value of the Company’s outstanding loan (See Note 6) is estimated using the net present value of the payments, discounted at an interest rate that is consistent with market interest rate, which is a Level 2 input. The estimated fair value of the Company’s outstanding loan approximates the carrying amount, as the loan bears a floating rate that approximates the market interest rate.  

The Company’s investments in equity securities are classified as Level 2 within the fair value hierarchy while subject to a lock-up agreement that expires in December 2020.  As a result of the lock up, as of September 30, 2020, the Company has applied an estimated DLOM of 2.25%, which is a Level 2 input.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition

The Company has no products approved for commercial sale and has not generated any revenue from commercial product sales. The total revenue to date has been generated principally from collaboration and license agreements and to a lesser extent, from manufacturing, supply and services and products the Company provides to its collaboration partners.

Collaboration revenue

The Company derives revenue from collaboration arrangements, under which the Company may grant licenses to its collaboration partners to further develop and commercialize its proprietary product candidates. The Company may also perform research and development activities under the collaboration agreements. Consideration under these contracts generally includes a nonrefundable upfront payment, development, regulatory and commercial milestones and other

contingent payments, and royalties based on net sales of approved products. Additionally, the collaborations may provide options for the customer to acquire from the Company materials and reagents, clinical product supply or additional research and development services under separate agreements.

The Company assesses which activities in the collaboration agreements are considered distinct performance obligations that should be accounted for separately. The Company develops assumptions that require judgement to determine whether the license to the Company’s intellectual property is distinct from the research and development services or participation in activities under the collaboration agreements.

At the inception of each agreement, the Company determines the arrangement transaction price, which includes variable consideration, based on the assessment of the probability of achievement of future milestones and contingent payments and other potential consideration. The Company also evaluates estimates of our resources, which are used as the basis of measurement for revenue to be recognized on a proportion of performance basis.

For arrangements that include multiple performance obligations, the Company allocates the transaction price to the identified performance obligations based on SSP of each distinct performance obligation. In instances where SSP is not directly observable, the Company develops assumptions that require judgment to determine the SSP for each performance obligation identified in the contract. These key assumptions may include FTE, personnel effort, estimated costs, discount rates and probabilities of clinical development and regulatory success.

Upfront Payments: For collaboration arrangements that include a nonrefundable upfront payment, if the license fee and research and development services cannot be accounted for as separate performance obligations, the transaction price is deferred and recognized as revenue over the expected period of performance using a cost-based input methodology. The Company uses judgement to assess the pattern of delivery of the performance obligation.  In addition, amounts paid in advance of services being rendered may result in an associated financing component to the upfront payment.  Accordingly, the interest on such borrowing cost component will be recorded as interest expense and revenue, based on an appropriate borrowing rate applied to the value of services to be performed by the Company over the estimated service performance period.

License Grants: For collaboration arrangements that include a grant of a license to the Company’s intellectual property, the Company considers whether the license grant is distinct from the other performance obligations included in the arrangement. For licenses that are distinct, the Company recognizes revenues from nonrefundable, upfront payments and other consideration allocated to the license when the license term has begun and the Company has provided all necessary information regarding the underlying intellectual property to the customer, which generally occurs at or near the inception of the arrangement.

Milestone and Contingent Payments: At the inception of the arrangement and at each reporting date thereafter, the Company assesses whether it should include any milestone and contingent payments or other forms of variable consideration in the transaction price using the most likely amount method. If it is probable that a significant reversal of cumulative revenue would not occur upon resolution of the uncertainty, the associated milestone value is included in the transaction price. At the end of each subsequent reporting period, the Company re-evaluates the probability of achievement of each such milestone and any related constraint and, if necessary, adjusts its estimate of the overall transaction price. Since milestone and contingent payments may become payable to the Company upon the initiation of a clinical study or filing for or receipt of regulatory approval, the Company reviews the relevant facts and circumstances to determine when the Company should update the transaction price, which may occur before the triggering event. When the Company updates the transaction price for milestone and contingent payments, the Company allocates the changes in the total transaction price to each performance obligation in the agreement on the same basis as the initial allocation. Any such adjustments are recorded on a cumulative catch-up basis in the period of adjustment, which may result in recognizing revenue for previously satisfied performance obligations in such period. The Company’s collaborators generally pay milestones and contingent payments subsequent to achievement of the triggering event.

Research and Development Services: For amounts allocated to the Company’s research and development obligations in a collaboration arrangement, the Company recognizes revenue over time using a cost-based input methodology, representing the transfer of goods or services as activities are performed over the term of the agreement.

Materials Supply: The Company provides materials and reagents, clinical materials and services to certain of its collaborators under separate agreements. The consideration for such services is generally based on FTE personnel effort used to manufacture those materials reimbursed at an agreed upon rate in addition to agreed-upon pricing for the provided materials. The amounts billed are recognized as revenue as the performance obligations are met by the Company.