Collaborations and grants	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Collaborations and grants
Collaborations and grants	Collaborations and grants The Company has ongoing collaborations with the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Foundation (SMA Foundation) and F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd and Hoffman- La Roche Inc. (collectively, Roche) and early stage discovery arrangements with other institutions. The following are the key terms to the Company’s (i) ongoing collaborations and (ii) early stage discovery and development arrangements. Roche and SMA Foundation In November 2011, the Company and the SMA Foundation entered into a licensing and collaboration agreement with Roche for a spinal muscular atrophy program. Under the terms of the agreement, Roche acquired an exclusive worldwide license to the Company’s spinal muscular atrophy program, which includes three compounds currently in preclinical development, as well as potential back-up compounds. The Company received a nonrefundable upfront cash payment of $30.0 million during the research term, which was terminated effective December 31, 2014, after which Roche provided the Company with funding, based on an agreed- upon full-time equivalent rate, for an agreed-upon number of full- time equivalent employees that the Company contributed to the research program. The Company applied the multiple element revenue recognition guidance in evaluating the accounting treatment of this collaboration agreement. The Company identified two possible significant deliverables in the collaboration agreement, the license and the research activities. The Company evaluated whether these significant deliverables have stand-alone value and determined that the license does not have standalone value without the ongoing research and development services given the unique nature of the technology. As such, both of these elements were combined as a single unit for accounting purposes. As a result, the Company deferred the $30.0 million upfront payment which was recognized over the estimated performance period of two years, which was the contracted research period. For the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, the Company recognized approximately $20.3 million, $0.4 million and $0.6 million respectively, in collaboration revenue. The balance of the remaining deferred upfront payment was fully recognized as of December 31, 2013. Under the agreement, the Company is eligible to receive additional payments from Roche if specified events are achieved with respect to each licensed product, including up to $135.0 million in research and development event milestones, up to $325.0 million in sales milestones upon achievement of sales events, and up to double digit royalties on worldwide annual net sales of a commercial product. The Company considers that each of the potential milestone events under the agreement would be substantive because the applicable criteria of its revenue recognition policy (see Note 2) would be satisfied. In January 2014, the Company announced the initiation of a Phase 1 clinical program in its spinal muscular atrophy collaboration with Roche and the SMA Foundation which triggered a $7.5 million milestone payment from Roche. The Company considered this milestone event substantive because the applicable criteria of its revenue recognition policy would be satisfied and recorded it as collaboration revenue for the year ended December 31, 2014. In November 2014, the Company announced the initiation of a Phase 2 study in adult and pediatric patients in its spinal muscular atrophy collaboration with Roche and the SMA Foundation (SMAF) which triggered a $10 million payment from Roche. The Company considered this milestone event substantive because the applicable criteria of its revenue recognition policy would be satisfied and recorded it as collaboration revenue for the year ended December 31, 2014. In October 2017, the Company announced that the Sunfish, a two-part clinical trial in pediatric and adult type 2 and type 3 spinal muscular atrophy initiated in the fourth quarter of 2016 with Roche and SMAF, had transitioned into the pivotal second part of its study. The achievement of this milestone triggered a $20.0 million payment to the Company from Roche. The Company considered this milestone event substantive because the applicable criteria of its revenue recognition policy would be satisfied and recorded it as collaboration revenue for the year ended December 31, 2017. Early stage collaboration and discovery agreements From time to time, the Company has arrangements with several organizations pursuant to which the Company uses its discovery technologies to help identify potential drug candidates. The Company does not take ownership of the potential compounds, but rather provides research services to the collaborator using its specialized technology platform. Generally, these arrangements are structured such that the collaborator and the Company work together to jointly select targets from which to apply its discovery technologies. The research period for the Company to apply its technology is generally three to four years. The Company will typically receive a nonrefundable, upfront cash payment and the collaborator agrees to provide funding for research activities performed on its behalf. The Company applies multiple element revenue recognition guidance in evaluating the accounting treatment for these arrangements. Generally, the two significant deliverables in these arrangements are the license and the research activities. The Company evaluates whether the deliverables have standalone value. Since the Company’s discovery technologies are highly specialized, the Company has generally determined that the license does not have standalone value without the ongoing research and development services and generally accounts for these arrangements as a single unit of accounting. There was no deferred revenue related to these arrangements as of December 31, 2017 and 2016. For the year ended December 31, 2015, the Company recognized approximately $1.8 million in collaboration revenue. The Company is eligible to receive additional payments from its early stage discovery research arrangements if the discovery compounds are ultimately developed and commercialized. The aggregate potential payments the Company is eligible for if all products are developed is $143.0 million and up to $252.0 million in sales milestones upon achievement of specified sales events and up to double digit royalties on worldwide annual net sales of the licensed product. The Company considers that each of the potential milestone events under the agreement would be substantive because the applicable criteria of its revenue recognition policy (see Note 2) would be satisfied. Grant revenue The Company receives grant funding from various institutions and governmental bodies. The grants are typically for early discovery research, and typically the grant program lasts from two to five years. The Company records revenue as the research activities are performed. If the granting agency provides for an upfront payment, the amount is deferred and recognized as revenue as the expenditures are incurred. For the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company did not recognize any grant revenue. For the years ending December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company recognized $0.9 million and $2.2 million respectively, in grant revenue.

Collaborations and grants

The Company has ongoing collaborations with the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Foundation (SMA Foundation) and F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd and Hoffman- La Roche Inc. (collectively, Roche) and early stage discovery arrangements with other institutions. The following are the key terms to the Company’s (i) ongoing collaborations and (ii) early stage discovery and development arrangements.

Roche and SMA Foundation

In November 2011, the Company and the SMA Foundation entered into a licensing and collaboration agreement with Roche for a spinal muscular atrophy program. Under the terms of the agreement, Roche acquired an exclusive worldwide license to the Company’s spinal muscular atrophy program, which includes three compounds currently in preclinical development, as well as potential back-up compounds. The Company received a nonrefundable upfront cash payment of $30.0 million during the research term, which was terminated effective December 31, 2014, after which Roche provided the Company with funding, based on an agreed- upon full-time equivalent rate, for an agreed-upon number of full- time equivalent employees that the Company contributed to the research program.

The Company applied the multiple element revenue recognition guidance in evaluating the accounting treatment of this collaboration agreement. The Company identified two possible significant deliverables in the collaboration agreement, the license and the research activities. The Company evaluated whether these significant deliverables have stand-alone value and determined that the license does not have standalone value without the ongoing research and development services given the unique nature of the technology. As such, both of these elements were combined as a single unit for accounting purposes. As a result, the Company deferred the $30.0 million upfront payment which was recognized over the estimated performance period of two years, which was the contracted research period. For the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, the Company recognized approximately $20.3 million, $0.4 million and $0.6 million respectively, in collaboration revenue. The balance of the remaining deferred upfront payment was fully recognized as of December 31, 2013.

Under the agreement, the Company is eligible to receive additional payments from Roche if specified events are achieved with respect to each licensed product, including up to $135.0 million in research and development event milestones, up to $325.0 million in sales milestones upon achievement of sales events, and up to double digit royalties on worldwide annual net sales of a commercial product.

The Company considers that each of the potential milestone events under the agreement would be substantive because the applicable criteria of its revenue recognition policy (see Note 2) would be satisfied.

In January 2014, the Company announced the initiation of a Phase 1 clinical program in its spinal muscular atrophy collaboration with Roche and the SMA Foundation which triggered a $7.5 million milestone payment from Roche. The Company considered this milestone event substantive because the applicable criteria of its revenue recognition policy would be satisfied and recorded it as collaboration revenue for the year ended December 31, 2014.

In November 2014, the Company announced the initiation of a Phase 2 study in adult and pediatric patients in its spinal muscular atrophy collaboration with Roche and the SMA Foundation (SMAF) which triggered a $10 million payment from Roche. The Company considered this milestone event substantive because the applicable criteria of its revenue recognition policy would be satisfied and recorded it as collaboration revenue for the year ended December 31, 2014.

In October 2017, the Company announced that the Sunfish, a two-part clinical trial in pediatric and adult type 2 and type 3 spinal muscular atrophy initiated in the fourth quarter of 2016 with Roche and SMAF, had transitioned into the pivotal second part of its study. The achievement of this milestone triggered a $20.0 million payment to the Company from Roche. The Company considered this milestone event substantive because the applicable criteria of its revenue recognition policy would be satisfied and recorded it as collaboration revenue for the year ended December 31, 2017.

Early stage collaboration and discovery agreements

From time to time, the Company has arrangements with several organizations pursuant to which the Company uses its discovery technologies to help identify potential drug candidates. The Company does not take ownership of the potential compounds, but rather provides research services to the collaborator using its specialized technology platform.

Generally, these arrangements are structured such that the collaborator and the Company work together to jointly select targets from which to apply its discovery technologies. The research period for the Company to apply its technology is generally three to four years. The Company will typically receive a nonrefundable, upfront cash payment and the collaborator agrees to provide funding for research activities performed on its behalf.

The Company applies multiple element revenue recognition guidance in evaluating the accounting treatment for these arrangements. Generally, the two significant deliverables in these arrangements are the license and the research activities. The Company evaluates whether the deliverables have standalone value. Since the Company’s discovery technologies are highly specialized, the Company has generally determined that the license does not have standalone value without the ongoing research and development services and generally accounts for these arrangements as a single unit of accounting.

There was no deferred revenue related to these arrangements as of December 31, 2017 and 2016. For the year ended December 31, 2015, the Company recognized approximately $1.8 million in collaboration revenue.

The Company is eligible to receive additional payments from its early stage discovery research arrangements if the discovery compounds are ultimately developed and commercialized. The aggregate potential payments the Company is eligible for if all products are developed is $143.0 million and up to $252.0 million in sales milestones upon achievement of specified sales events and up to double digit royalties on worldwide annual net sales of the licensed product.

Grant revenue

The Company receives grant funding from various institutions and governmental bodies. The grants are typically for early discovery research, and typically the grant program lasts from two to five years. The Company records revenue as the research activities are performed. If the granting agency provides for an upfront payment, the amount is deferred and recognized as revenue as the expenditures are incurred. For the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company did not recognize any grant revenue. For the years ending December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company recognized $0.9 million and $2.2 million respectively, in grant revenue.