Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

The accompanying financial statements were prepared based on the accrual method of accounting in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

Unaudited interim financial statements

Unaudited Financial Statements

The accompanying balance sheet as of September 30, 2016 and statements of operations and comprehensive loss for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 and cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 are unaudited. These unaudited financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations for the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) for interim financial information. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete annual financial statements. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and the accompanying notes for the year ended December 31, 2015 contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 29, 2016. The unaudited interim financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the annual financial statements and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) necessary to state fairly the Company’s financial position as of September 30, 2016, the results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 and cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015. The December 31, 2015 balance sheet included herein was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures including notes required by GAAP for complete annual financial statements. The financial data and other information disclosed in these notes to the financial statements related to the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 are unaudited. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for an entire year.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Although actual results could differ from those estimates, management does not believe that such differences would be material.

Fair Value Measurements

The Company had no assets or liabilities that were measured using quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities or significant unobservable inputs (Level 2 and Level 3 assets and liabilities, respectively) as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015. The carrying value of cash held in money market funds of approximately $44.1 million and $45.5 million as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively, is included in cash and cash equivalents and approximates market values based on quoted market prices (Level 1 inputs).

Concentration of Credit Risk

Credit risk represents the risk that the Company would incur a loss if counterparties failed to perform pursuant to the terms of their agreements. Financial instruments that potentially expose the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents consist of money market funds with major financial institutions in the United States. These funds may be redeemed upon demand and, therefore, bear minimal risk. The Company does not anticipate any losses on such balances.

Revenue Recognition

From time to time, the Company is awarded reimbursement contracts for services and development grant contracts with government and non-government entities and philanthropic organizations. Under these contracts, the Company typically is reimbursed for the costs in connection with specific development activities. The Company recognizes revenue to the extent of costs incurred in connection with performance under such grant arrangements.

The Company has entered into a collaborative research and development agreement with Pfizer Inc. (Pfizer). The agreement is in the form of a license agreement (the Pfizer Agreement). The Pfizer Agreement called for a nonrefundable up-front payment and milestone payments upon achieving significant milestone events. The Pfizer Agreement also contemplates royalty payments on future sales of an approved product. There are no performance, cancellation, termination, or refund provisions in the Pfizer Agreement that contain material financial consequences to the Company.

The primary deliverable under this arrangement is an exclusive worldwide license to the Company’s rivipansel compound, but the arrangement also includes deliverables related to research and preclinical development activities to be performed by the Company on Pfizer’s behalf.

Collaborative research and development agreements can provide for one or more of up-front license fees, research payments, and milestone payments. Agreements with multiple components (deliverables or items) are evaluated according to the provisions of Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 605-25, Revenue Recognition—Multiple-Element Arrangements, to determine whether the deliverables can be separated into more than one unit of accounting. An item can generally be considered a separate unit of accounting if all of the following criteria are met: (1) the delivered item(s) has value to the customer on a stand-alone basis and (2) if the arrangement includes a general right of return relative to the delivered item(s) then delivery or performance of the undelivered item(s) is considered probable and substantially in control of the Company. Items that cannot be divided into separate units are combined with other units of accounting, as appropriate. Consideration received is allocated among the separate units based on selling price hierarchy. The selling price hierarchy for each deliverable is based on (i) vendor-specific objective evidence (VSOE), if available; (ii) third-party evidence (TPE) of selling price if VSOE is not available; or (iii) an estimated selling price, if neither VSOE nor TPE is available. Management was not able to establish VSOE or TPE for separate unit deliverables, as the Company does not have a history of entering into such arrangements or selling the individual deliverables within such arrangements separately. In addition, there may be significant differentiation in these arrangements, which indicates that comparable third-party pricing may not be available. Management determined that the selling price for the deliverables within the Pfizer Agreement should be determined using its best estimate of selling price. The process of determining the best estimate of selling price involved significant judgment on the Company’s part and included consideration of multiple factors such as estimated direct expenses, other costs, and available clinical development data.

Pursuant to ASC 605-25, each required deliverable under the Pfizer Agreement is evaluated to determine whether it qualifies as a separate unit of accounting. Factors considered in this determination include the research capabilities of Pfizer, the proprietary nature of the license and know-how, and the availability of the Company’s glycomimetics technology research expertise in the general marketplace. Based on all relevant facts and circumstances and, most significantly, on the proprietary nature of the Company’s technology and the related proprietary nature of the Company’s research services, management concluded that stand-alone value does not exist for the license, and therefore, the license is not a separate unit of accounting under the Pfizer Agreement and will be combined with the research and development services (including participation on a joint steering committee).

As such, the $22.5 million up-front payment received was recognized as revenue over the expected development period through March 2013. The determination of the length of the period over which to defer revenue and the methodology by which to recognize the related revenues is subject to judgment and estimation. Consistent with the research plan developed by and agreed to by both parties, management estimated that the research activities and participation on the joint steering committees would occur over a 1.5-year period. Revenues associated with the up-front license fee were recognized over this period using a straight-line method, which was consistent with expected completion of the research services. The research services were completed in March 2013, consistent with the expected development period.

Pursuant to ASC 605-28, Revenue Recognition—Milestone Method, at the inception of agreements that include milestone payments, the Company evaluates whether each milestone is substantive and at risk to both parties on the basis of the contingent nature of the milestone. This evaluation includes an assessment of whether (a) the consideration is commensurate with either (1) the entity’s performance to achieve the milestone, or (2) the enhancement of the value of the delivered item(s) as a result of a specific outcome resulting from the entity’s performance to achieve the milestone, (b) the consideration relates solely to past performance and (c) the consideration is reasonable relative to all of the deliverables and payment terms within the arrangement. In making this assessment, the Company evaluates factors such as scientific, regulatory, commercial and other risks that must be overcome to achieve the respective milestone, the level of effort and investment required to achieve the respective milestone and whether the milestone consideration is reasonable relative to all deliverables and payment terms in the agreement.

Non-refundable development and regulatory milestones that are expected to be achieved as a result of the Company’s efforts during the period of substantial involvement are recognized as revenue upon the achievement of the milestone, assuming all other revenue recognition criteria are met. Milestones that are not considered substantive because the Company does not contribute effort to the achievement of such milestones are generally achieved after the period of substantial involvement and are recognized as revenue upon achievement of the milestone, as there are no undelivered elements remaining and no continuing performance obligation, assuming all other revenue recognition criteria are met. In May 2014, the Company recognized $15.0 million in revenue as a result of the first non-refundable milestone payment received from Pfizer. In June 2015, the Company recognized $20.0 million in revenue as a result of Pfizer dosing the first patient in the Phase 3 clinical trial of rivipansel, which triggered the second non-refundable milestone payment.

Accrued Liabilities

The Company is required to estimate accrued liabilities as part of the process of preparing its financial statements. The estimation of accrued liabilities involves identifying services that have been performed on the Company’s behalf, and then estimating the level of service performed and the associated cost incurred for such services as of each balance sheet date. Accrued liabilities include professional service fees, such as for lawyers and accountants, contract service fees, such as those under contracts with clinical monitors, data management organizations and investigators in conjunction with clinical trials, and fees to contract manufacturers in conjunction with the production of clinical materials. Pursuant to the Company’s assessment of the services that have been performed, the Company recognizes these expenses as the services are provided. Such assessments include: (i) an evaluation by the project manager of the work that has been completed during the period; (ii) measurement of progress prepared internally and/or provided by the third-party service provider; (iii) analyses of data that justify the progress; and (iv) the Company’s judgment.

Research and Development Costs

Except for payments made in advance of services, research and development costs are expensed as incurred. For payments made in advance, the Company recognizes research and development expense as the services are rendered. Research and development costs primarily consist of salaries and related expenses for personnel, laboratory supplies and raw materials, sponsored research, depreciation of laboratory facilities and leasehold improvements, and utilities costs related to research space. Other research and development expenses include fees paid to consultants and outside service providers including clinical research organizations and clinical manufacturing organizations.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-based payments are accounted for in accordance with the provisions of ASC 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation. The fair value of stock-based payments is estimated, on the date of grant, using the Black-Scholes-Merton model. The resulting fair value is recognized ratably over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period of the option.

The Company has elected to use the Black-Scholes-Merton option pricing model to value any options granted. The Company will reconsider use of the Black-Scholes-Merton model if additional information becomes available in the future that indicates another model would be more appropriate or if grants issued in future periods have characteristics that prevent their value from being reasonably estimated using this model.

A discussion of management’s methodology for developing some of the assumptions used in the valuation model follows:

Expected Dividend Yield—The Company has never declared or paid dividends and has no plans to do so in the foreseeable future.

Expected Volatility—Volatility is a measure of the amount by which a financial variable such as share price has fluctuated (historical volatility) or is expected to fluctuate (expected volatility) during a period. Prior to the Company’s initial public offering, there was not a market for the Company’s shares. The Company utilizes the historical volatilities of a peer group (e.g., several public entities of similar size, complexity, and stage of development), along with the Company’s historical volatility since its initial public offering, to determine its expected volatility.

Risk-Free Interest Rate—This is the U.S. Treasury rate for the week of each option grant during the year, having a term that most closely resembles the expected life of the option.

Expected Term—This is a period of time that the options granted are expected to remain unexercised. Options granted have a maximum term of 10 years. The Company estimates the expected life of the option term to be 6.25 years. The Company uses a simplified method to calculate the average expected term.

Expected Forfeiture Rate—The forfeiture rate is the estimated percentage of options granted that is expected to be forfeited or canceled on an annual basis before becoming fully vested. The Company estimates the forfeiture rate based on turnover data with further consideration given to the class of the employees to whom the options were granted.

Equity instruments issued to nonemployees are accounted for under the provisions of ASC 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation, and ASC 505-50, Equity—Equity-Based Payments to Non-Employees. Accordingly, the estimated fair value of the equity instrument is recorded on the earlier of the performance commitment date or the date the services are completed and are marked to market during the service period.

Net (Loss) Income Per Common Share

Net Loss Per Common Share

Basic net loss per common share is determined by dividing net loss by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period, without consideration of common stock equivalents. Diluted net loss per share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted-average number of common stock equivalents outstanding for the period. The treasury stock method is used to determine the dilutive effect of the Company’s stock options, restricted stock units and warrants.

Basic and diluted net loss per common share is computed as follows:


	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2016		2015		2016		2015
Net loss	$	(7,854,693)	$	(7,168,071)	$	(23,481,241)	$	(3,887,795)
Basic and diluted net loss per common share	$	(0.34)	$	(0.38)	$	(1.14)	$	(0.20)
Basic and diluted weighted average common shares outstanding		23,049,347		19,025,623		20,638,129		18,999,705

The following potentially dilutive securities outstanding have been excluded from the computation of diluted weighted average common shares outstanding, as they would be anti-dilutive:



	Three Months Ended September 30,		Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2016	2015	2016	2015
Warrants	555,412	590,595	555,412	590,595
Stock options and restricted stock units	2,815,166	2,250,008	2,815,166	2,250,008

Comprehensive Loss

Comprehensive loss comprises net loss and other changes in equity that are excluded from net loss. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, the Company’s net loss equaled comprehensive net loss and, accordingly, no additional disclosure is presented.