Summary of significant accounting policies (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2018

The accompanying financial information as of June 30, 2018 and for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017 has been prepared by the Company, without audit, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. These interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited financial statements as of December 31, 2017 and notes thereto included in the 2017 Form 10-K.

In the opinion of management, the unaudited financial information as of June 30, 2018 and for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017 reflects all adjustments, which are normal recurring adjustments, necessary to present a fair statement of financial position, results of operations and cash flows. The results of operations for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2018 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ended December 31, 2018 or for any other interim period or for any other future year.

Use of estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Significant estimates in these consolidated financial statements have been made in connection with the calculation of net product sales, certain accruals related to the Company’s research and development expenses, stock-based compensation, valuation procedures for the convertible notes, allowance for doubtful accounts, inventory, acquired intangible assets, and the provision for or benefit from income taxes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Changes in estimates are reflected in reported results in the period in which they become known.

Inventory and cost of product sales

Inventory

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost and net realizable value with cost determined on a first-in, first-out basis by product. The Company capitalizes inventory costs associated with products following regulatory approval when future commercialization is considered probable and the future economic benefit is expected to be realized. Translarna and Emflaza product which may be used in clinical development programs are included in inventory and charged to research and development expense when the product enters the research and development process and no longer can be used for commercial purposes. Inventory used for marketing efforts are charged to selling, general and administrative expense.

The following table summarizes the components of the Company’s inventory for the periods indicated:



	June 30, 2018		December 31, 2017
Raw materials	$	727	$	452
Work in progress	4,712		3,912
Finished goods	8,413		6,390
Total inventory	$	13,852	$	10,754

The Company periodically reviews its inventories for excess amounts or obsolescence and writes down obsolete or otherwise unmarketable inventory to its estimated net realizable value. The Company has not recorded any inventory write downs as of the current period. Additionally, though the Company’s product is subject to strict quality control and monitoring which it performs throughout the manufacturing processes, certain batches or units of product may not meet quality specifications resulting in a charge to cost of product sales.

Cost of product sales

Cost of product sales consists of the cost of inventory sold, manufacturing and supply chain costs, storage costs, amortization of the acquired intangible asset and royalty payments associated with net product sales.

Revenue recognition

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-9, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)”. ASU No. 2014-9 eliminated transaction- and industry-specific revenue recognition guidance under FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Subtopic 605-15, Revenue Recognition-Products (Topic 605) and replaced it with a principle-based approach for determining revenue recognition. ASC Topic 606 requires entities to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of 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. On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASC Topic 606 using the modified retrospective approach, a practical expedient permitted under Topic 606, and applied this approach only to contracts that were not completed as of January 1, 2018. The Company calculated a one-time transition adjustment of $3.3 million, which was recorded on January 1, 2018 to the opening balance of accumulated deficit, related to the product sales of Emflaza. The ASC 606 transition adjustment recorded for Emflaza resulted in sales being recognized earlier than under Topic 605, as the deferred revenue recognition model (sell-through) is not applicable under Topic 606. The one-time adjustment consisted of $3.9 million in deferred revenue offset by $0.6 million of variable consideration. The information presented for the periods prior to January 1, 2018 has not been adjusted and is reported under Topic 605.

Periods prior to January 1, 2018

The Company recognizes revenue when amounts are realized or realizable and earned. Revenue is considered realizable and earned when the following criteria are met: (1) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists; (2) delivery has occurred or services have been rendered; (3) the price is fixed or determinable; and (4) collection of the amounts due are reasonably assured.

Net product sales

Prior to the second quarter of 2017, the Company’s net product sales consisted of sales of Translarna for the treatment of nmDMD in territories outside of the U.S. The Company recognizes revenue from product sales when there is persuasive evidence that an arrangement exists, title to product and associated risk of loss has passed to the customer, the price is fixed or determinable, collectability is reasonably assured and the Company has no further performance obligations in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Subtopic 605-15, Revenue Recognition—Products.

The Company has recorded revenue on sales where Translarna is available either on a commercial basis or through a reimbursed EAP program. Orders for Translarna are generally received from hospital and retail pharmacies and the Company’s third-party partner distributors. Revenue is recognized when risk of ownership has transferred. The Company’s third-party partner distributors act as intermediaries between the Company and end users and do not typically stock significant quantities of Translarna. The ultimate payor for Translarna is typically a government authority or institution or a third-party health insurer.

In May 2017, the Company began the commercialization of Emflaza in the U.S. The Company recorded product revenue related to the sales of Emflaza in the U.S. in accordance with ASC 605-15, when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred and title of the product and associated risk of loss has passed to the customer, the price is fixed or determinable and collection from the customer has been reasonably assured. Due to the early stage of the product launch, the Company determined that it was not able to reliably make certain estimates, including returns, necessary to recognize product revenue upon shipment to distributors. As a result, the Company recorded net product revenue for Emflaza using a deferred revenue recognition model (sell-through). Under the deferred revenue model, the Company does not recognize revenue until Emflaza is shipped to the specialty pharmacy.

The Company records revenue net of estimated third-party discounts and rebates. Allowances are recorded as a reduction of revenue at the time revenues from product sales are recognized. These allowances are adjusted to reflect known changes in factors and may impact such allowances in the quarter those changes are known.

Collaboration and grant revenue

The terms of these agreements typically include payments to the Company of one or more of the following: nonrefundable, upfront license fees; milestone payments; research funding and royalties on future product sales. In addition, the Company generates service revenue through agreements that generally provide for fees for research and development services and may include additional payments upon achievement of specified events.

The Company evaluates all contingent consideration earned, such as a milestone payment, using the criteria as provided by ASC 605-28, Revenue Recognition—Milestone Method. At the inception of a collaboration arrangement, the Company evaluates if a milestone payment is substantive. The criteria requires that (1) the Company determines if the milestone is commensurate with either its performance to achieve the milestone or the enhancement of value resulting from its activities to achieve the milestone; (2) the milestone be related to past performance; and (3) the milestone be reasonable relative to all deliverable and payment terms of the collaboration arrangement. If these criteria are met then the contingent milestones can be considered a substantive milestone and will be recognized as revenue in the period that the milestone is achieved. The Company recognizes royalties as earned in accordance with the terms of various research and collaboration agreements. If not substantive, the contingent consideration is allocated to the existing units of accounting based on relative selling price and recognized following the same basis previously established for the associated unit of accounting.

The Company recognizes revenue for reimbursements of research and development costs under collaboration agreements as the services are performed. The Company records these reimbursements as revenue and not as a reduction of research and development expenses as the Company has the risks and rewards as the principal in the research and development activities.

Periods commencing January 1, 2018

The Company's net product revenue consists of sales of Translarna in territories outside of the U.S. and sales of Emflaza in the U.S., both for the treatment of DMD.

Net product revenue

The Company recognizes revenue when its performance obligations with its customers have been satisfied. The Company’s performance obligations are to provide Translarna or Emflaza based on customer orders from distributors, hospitals, specialty pharmacies or retail pharmacies. The performance obligations are satisfied at a point in time when the Company’s customer obtains control of either Translarna or Emflaza, which is typically upon delivery. The Company invoices its customers after the products have been delivered and invoice payments are generally due within 30 to 90 days of invoice date. The Company determines the transaction price based on fixed consideration in its contractual agreements. Contract liabilities arise in certain circumstances when consideration is due for goods the Company has yet to provide. As the Company has identified only one distinct performance obligation, the transaction price is allocated entirely to either product sales of Translarna or Emflaza. In determining the transaction price, a significant financing component does not exist since the timing from when the Company delivers product to when the customers pay for the product is typically less than one year. Customers in certain countries pay in advance of product delivery. In those instances, payment and delivery typically occur in the same month.

The Company records product sales net of any variable consideration, which includes discounts, allowances, rebates and distribution fees. The Company uses the expected value or most likely amount method when estimating its variable consideration, unless discount or rebate terms are specified within contracts. Historically, returns of Translarna and Emflaza are immaterial to the financial statements. The identified variable consideration is recorded as a reduction of revenue at the time revenues from product sales are recognized. These estimates for variable consideration are adjusted to reflect known changes in factors and may impact such estimates in the quarter those changes are known. Revenue recognized does not include amounts of variable consideration that are constrained.

In relation to customer contracts, the Company incurs costs to fulfill a contract but does not incur costs to obtain a contract. These costs to fulfill a contract do not meet the criteria for capitalization and are expensed as incurred.

Upon adoption of ASC Topic 606 on January 1, 2018, the Company elected the following practical expedients:


•	Portfolio Approach - the Company applied the Portfolio Approach to contract reviews within its identified revenue streams that have similar characteristics and the Company believes this approach would not differ materially than if applying ASC Topic 606 to each individual contract.


•	Significant Financing Component - the Company expects the period between when it transfers a promised good to a customer and when the customer pays for the good or service to be one year or less.


•	Immaterial Performance Obligations - the Company disregards promises deemed to be immaterial in the context of the contract.


•	Shipping and Handling Activities - the Company considers any shipping and handling costs that are incurred after the customer has obtained control of the product as a cost to fulfill a promise.

Shipping and handling costs associated with finished goods delivered to customers are recorded as a selling expense.

Collaboration revenue

At the inception of a collaboration arrangement, the Company needs to first evaluate if the arrangement meets the criteria in ASC Topic 808 “Collaborative Arrangements” to then determine if ASC Topic 606 is applicable by considering whether the collaborator meets the definition of a customer. If the criteria are met, the Company assesses the promises in the arrangement to identify distinct performance obligations.

For licenses of intellectual property, the Company assesses, at contract inception, whether the intellectual property is distinct from other performance obligations identified in the arrangement. If the licensing of intellectual property is determined to be distinct, revenue is recognized for nonrefundable, upfront license fees when the license is transferred to the customer and the customer can use and benefit from the license. If the licensing of intellectual property is determined not to be distinct, then the license will be bundled with other promises in the arrangement into one distinct performance obligation. The Company needs to determine if the bundled performance obligation is satisfied over time or at a point in time. If the Company concludes that the nonrefundable, upfront license fees will be recognized over time, the Company will need to assess the appropriate method of measuring proportional performance.

For milestone payments, the Company assesses, at contract inception, whether the development or sales-based milestones are considered probable of being achieved. If it is probable that a significant revenue reversal will occur, the Company will not record revenue until the uncertainty has been resolved. Milestone payments that are contingent upon regulatory approval are not considered probable of being achieved until the applicable regulatory approvals or other external conditions are obtained as such conditions are not within the Company's control. If it is probable that a significant revenue reversal will not occur, the Company will estimate the milestone payments using the most likely amount method. The Company will re-assess the development and sales-based milestones each reporting period to determine the probability of achievement.

Allowance for doubtful accounts

The Company maintains an allowance for estimated losses resulting from the inability of its customers to make required payments. The Company estimates uncollectible amounts based upon current customer receivable balances, the age of customer receivable balances, the customer’s financial condition and current economic trends.

Income Taxes

On December 22, 2017, the U.S. government enacted the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the 2017 Tax Act), which significantly revises U.S. tax law by, among other provisions, lowering the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate to 21%, imposing a mandatory one-time transition tax on previously deferred foreign earnings, and eliminating or reducing certain income tax deductions. The Global Intangible Low-tax Income (GILTI) provisions of the 2017 Tax Act require the Company to include in its U.S. income tax return foreign subsidiary earnings in excess of an allowable return on the foreign subsidiary’s tangible assets. The Company has elected to account for GILTI tax in the period in which it is incurred, and therefore has not provided any deferred tax impacts of GILTI in its consolidated financial statements for the period ended June 30, 2018.

ASC 740, Income Taxes requires the effects of changes in tax laws to be recognized in the period in which the legislation is enacted. However, due to the complexity and significance of the 2017 Tax Act’s provisions, the SEC issued SAB 118, which allows companies to record the tax effects of the 2017 Tax Act on a provisional basis based on a reasonable estimate, and then, if necessary, subsequently adjust such amounts during a limited measurement period as more information becomes available. The measurement period ends when a company has obtained, prepared, and analyzed the information necessary to finalize its accounting, but cannot extend beyond one year from enactment. The 2017 Tax Act does not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements since its deferred temporary differences are fully offset by a valuation allowance and the Company does not have any significant off shore earnings from which to record the mandatory transition tax. However, given the significant complexity of the 2017 Tax Act, anticipated guidance from the U.S. Treasury about implementing the 2017 Tax Act, and the potential for additional guidance from the SEC or the FASB related to the 2017 Tax Act, these estimates may be adjusted during the measurement period. The Company continues to analyze the changes in certain income tax deductions, assess calculations of earnings and profits in certain foreign subsidiaries, including if those earnings which are held in cash or other assets and gather additional data to compute the full impacts on the Company’s deferred and current tax assets and liabilities.

Recently issued accounting standards

In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-2, “Leases (Topic 842)”. This standard will require organizations that lease assets with lease terms of more than 12 months to recognize assets and liabilities for the rights and obligations created by those leases on their balance sheets. The ASU will also require new qualitative and quantitative disclosures to help investors and other financial statement users better understand the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. The standard is effective for public companies for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Company expects to adopt this guidance when effective and is currently assessing what effect the adoption of ASU No. 2016-2 will have on its consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments — Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments”. This standard requires financial assets measured at amortized cost basis to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. This standard is effective for public companies who are SEC filers for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those years. The Company expects to adopt this guidance when effective and is assessing what effect the adoption of ASU 2016-13 will have on its consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes.

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, "Income Statement — Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income". This standard permits the reclassification of tax effects stranded in other comprehensive income as a result of tax reform to retained earnings related to the change in federal tax rate in addition to other stranded effects that relate to the Tax Cuts and Job Act ("the Act") but do not directly relate to the change in the federal rate. ASU 2018-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years with early adoption permitted for periods for which financial statements have not yet been issued or made available for issuance. The Company expects to adopt this guidance when effective and is currently assessing what effect the adoption of ASU No. 2018-02 will have on its consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes.

In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-07, "Compensation — Stock Compensation (Topic 718), Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting". This standard expands the scope of ASC 718 to include share-based payments granted to nonemployees in exchange for goods or services used or consumed in the entity’s own operations and supersedes the guidance in ASC 505-50. The ASU retains the existing cost attribution guidance, which requires entities to recognize compensation cost for nonemployee awards in the same period and in the same manner they would if they paid cash for the goods or services, but it moves the guidance to ASC 718. ASU 2018-07 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years with early adoption permitted for periods for which financial statements have not yet been issued or made available for issuance. The Company expects to adopt this guidance when effective and is currently assessing what effect the adoption of ASU No. 2018-07 will have on its consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes.

Impact of recently adopted accounting pronouncements

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)”. ASU No. 2014-09 eliminated transaction- and industry-specific revenue recognition guidance under FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Subtopic 605-15, Revenue Recognition-Products and replaced it with a principle-based approach for determining revenue recognition. ASC Topic 606 requires entities to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of 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. On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASC Topic 606 using the modified retrospective approach and applied this approach only to contracts that were not completed as of January 1, 2018. The Company calculated a one-time transition adjustment of $3.3 million, which was recorded on January 1, 2018 to deferred revenue and accumulated deficit, related to the product sales of Emflaza. The information presented for the periods prior to January 1, 2018 has not been restated and is reported under ASC Topic 605.

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, “Financial Instruments — Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities”. This standard enhances the reporting model for financial instruments, which includes amendments to address aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure. The new guidance affects all reporting organizations (whether public or private) that hold financial assets or owe financial liabilities. The Company adopted ASU 2016-01 during the three months ended March 31, 2018. In March 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-04, "Investments - Debt Securities (Topic 320) and Regulated Operations (Topic 980): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to the SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin ("SAB") No. 117 and SEC Release No. 33-9273 (SEC Update)". This standard supersedes SEC paragraphs in ASC 320, Investments- Debt Securities, as a result of the issuance of SAB 117 and also updates the Codification for a 2011 SEC release and is effective when a registrant adopts ASU 2016-01, which in the case of the Company was during the three months ended March 31, 2018. The adoption of these standards did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations for the period ended and as of June 30, 2018.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments”. This standard clarifies the presentation of certain specific cash flow issues in the Statement of Cash Flows. The Company adopted ASU 2016-15 during the three months ended March 31, 2018. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations for the period ended and as of June 30, 2018.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash”. This standard requires entities to show the changes in the total of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows and no longer present transfers between cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows. The Company adopted ASU 2016-18 during the three months ended March 31, 2018. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations for the period ended and as of June 30, 2018.

In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-09, "Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting". This standard clarifies when changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award must be accounted for as a modification, with entities applying the modification accounting guidance if the value, vesting conditions or classification of the award changes. In addition to all disclosures about modifications that are required under the current guidance, entities will be also required to disclose that compensation expense has not changed if applicable. The Company adopted ASU 2017-09 during the three months ended March 31, 2018. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations for the period ended and as of June 30, 2018.

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for income taxes, which may include its accounting policies for recognizing and measuring deferred tax assets and liabilities and related valuation allowances, recognizing investment tax credits, operating loss carryforwards, tax credit carryforwards, and other carryforwards, methodologies for determining its effective income tax rate and the characterization of interest and penalties in the financial statements.

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