XML 32 R7.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.3.0.814
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Cash and Cash Equivalents—The Company considers all short-term investments purchased with a maturity of three months or less when acquired to be cash equivalents.

Investments Available-for-Sale Available-for-sale securities are carried at fair value, with the unrealized gains and losses reported in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). The amortized cost of debt securities is adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity. The amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts is included in interest income. Realized gains and losses and declines in value judged to be other-than-temporary, if any, on available-for-sale securities are included in other income (expense). The cost of securities sold is based on the specific identification method. Interest and dividends on securities classified as available-for-sale are included in interest income. Securities with maturity dates of 12 months or less from the date of purchase are classified as short-term investments and securities with maturity dates of more than 12 months are classified as long-term investments.

Concentration of Credit Risk—The Company’s financial instruments that are exposed to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments. Periodically, the Company maintains deposits in government insured financial institutions in excess of government insured limits. The Company invests its cash balances in financial institutions that it believes have high credit quality and has not experienced any losses on such accounts and does not believe it is exposed to significant credit risk.

Patent Costs The Company expenses all costs as incurred in connection with patent applications (including direct application fees, and the legal and consulting expenses related to making such applications) and such costs are included in general and administrative expenses in the accompanying condensed statements of operations.

Convertible Preferred Stock—The Company’s Series A preferred and Series B preferred were classified as temporary equity instead of stockholders’ equity (deficit) in accordance with authoritative guidance for the classification and measurement of potentially redeemable securities, as the stock was conditionally redeemable at the holder’s option upon certain change in control events that were outside the Company’s control, including the liquidation, sale, or transfer of control of the Company.

Income Taxes—The Company follows the FASB Accounting Standards Codification, or ASC, 740 Income Taxes, or ASC 740, in reporting deferred income taxes. The ASC 740 requires a company to recognize deferred tax liabilities and assets for expected future income tax consequences of events that have been recognized in the Company’s financial statements. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on temporary differences between financial statement carrying amounts and the tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in the years in which the temporary differences are expected to reverse. Valuation allowances are provided if, based on the weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.

The Company accounts for uncertain tax positions pursuant to ASC 740, which prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement process for financial statement recognition of uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. If the tax position meets this threshold, the benefit to be recognized is measured as the tax benefit having the highest likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement with the taxing authority. The Company recognizes interest accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits and penalties in the provision for income taxes.

Research and Development Costs—Research and development expenses consist of wages, benefits and stock-based compensation charges for research and development employees, scientific consultant fees, facilities and overhead expenses, laboratory supplies, manufacturing expenses, and preclinical and clinical trial costs.  The Company accrues clinical trial expenses based on work performed which relies on estimates of total costs incurred based on patient enrollment, completion of studies, and other events.

Costs incurred in purchasing technology assets and intellectual property are charged to research and development expense if the technology has not been conclusively proven to be feasible and has no alternative future use.

Stock-based Compensation— The Company accounts for stock-based compensation expense related to employee stock options, restricted stock grants, and employee stock purchase plan rights by estimating the fair value on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model.  For awards subject to time-based vesting conditions, stock-based compensation expense is recognized ratably over the requisite service period of the awards, net of estimated forfeitures. The Company accounts for stock options granted to non-employees using the fair value approach. These option grants are subject to periodic revaluation over their vesting terms.

Net Loss Per Share—Basic net loss per share is computed by dividing the net loss by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period, without consideration for potentially dilutive securities. Diluted net loss per share is computed by dividing the net loss by the weighted-average number of common shares and dilutive common stock equivalents outstanding for the period determined using the treasury-stock and if-converted methods. Dilutive common stock equivalents are comprised of convertible preferred stock, convertible notes payable, unvested restricted common stock subject to repurchase, options outstanding under the Company’s stock option plan, and shares to be purchased under the Company’s employee stock purchase plan. For all periods presented, there is no difference in the number of shares used to calculate basic and diluted shares outstanding due to the Company’s net loss position.

The following table sets forth the outstanding potentially dilutive securities that have been excluded in the calculation of diluted net loss per share because to do so would be anti-dilutive (in common stock equivalent shares):

 

 

September 30,

 

 

2015

 

 

2014

 

Convertible preferred stock (in common stock equivalent shares)

 

-

 

 

 

3,839,604

 

Common stock options issued and outstanding

 

1,407,466

 

 

 

914,062

 

Common stock subject to repurchase

 

207,250

 

 

 

49,433

 

Total

 

1,614,716

 

 

 

4,803,099

 

 

Fair Value of Financial Instruments— The Company follows authoritative guidance with respect to fair value reporting issued by the FASB for financial assets and liabilities, which defines fair value, provides guidance for measuring fair value and requires certain disclosures. The guidance does not apply to measurements related to share-based payments. The guidance discusses valuation techniques, such as the market approach (comparable market prices), the income approach (present value of future income or cash flow), and the cost approach (cost to replace the service capacity of an asset or replacement cost). The guidance establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three broad levels.

The Company’s financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents, marketable securities, accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued liabilities and warrants to purchase common stock. Fair value estimates of these instruments are made at a specific point in time based on relevant market information. These estimates may be subjective in nature and involve uncertainties and matters of significant judgment and therefore cannot be determined with precision. The carrying amount of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and accrued liabilities are generally considered to be representative of their respective fair values because of the short-term nature of those instruments. The fair value of marketable securities is based upon market prices quoted on the last day of the fiscal period or other observable market inputs.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards—The Company has evaluated the recent accounting pronouncements through the date of this filing, and management does not expect adoption of such pronouncements to have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.