Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

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Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies Disclosure [Text Block]
1. Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
 
The Company
 
We are a pharmaceutical company developing proprietary therapeutics for the treatment of serious medical disorders. Our product development programs utilize our proprietary long-term drug delivery platform, ProNeura, and focus primarily on innovative treatments for select chronic diseases for which steady state delivery of a drug provides an efficacy and/or safety benefit. We are directly developing our product candidates and also utilize corporate, academic and government partnerships as appropriate. We operate in only one business segment, the development of pharmaceutical products. All share and per share amounts give retroactive effect to a 1 for 5.5 reverse stock split effected in September 2015. See Note 11 “Stockholders’ Equity – Reverse Stock Split.”
 
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming we will continue as a going concern.
 
In May 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) approved our Probuphine New Drug Application (“NDA”) and pursuant to our license agreement with Braeburn Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Braeburn”), as amended to date, we received a $15 million milestone payment and subsequently transferred the NDA to Braeburn.
 
At December 31, 2016, we had cash of approximately $14.0 million, which we believe is sufficient to fund our planned operations through the first quarter of 2018. We will require additional funds, either through payments from Braeburn under the license agreement or through other financing arrangements, to advance our current ProNeura development programs to later stage clinical studies and to complete the regulatory approval process necessary to commercialize any products we might develop.
 
Use of Estimates
 
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
 
Going concern assessment
 
With the implementation of FASB's new standard on going concern, Accounting Standard Update, or ASU No. 2014-15, beginning with year ended December 31, 2016 and all annual and interim periods thereafter, we will assess going concern uncertainty in our financial statements to determine if we have sufficient cash on hand and working capital, including available borrowings on loans, to operate for a period of at least one year from the date the financial statements are issued or available to be issued, which is referred to as the “look-forward period” as defined by ASU No. 2014-15. As part of this assessment, based on conditions that are known and reasonably knowable to us, we will consider various scenarios, forecasts, projections, estimates and will make certain key assumptions, including the timing and nature of projected cash expenditures or programs, and its ability to delay or curtail expenditures or programs, if necessary, among other factors. Based on this assessment, as necessary or applicable, we make certain assumptions around implementing curtailments or delays in the nature and timing of programs and expenditures to the extent we deem probable those implementations can be achieved and we have the proper authority to execute them within the look-forward period in accordance with ASU No. 2014-15.
 
Stock-Based Compensation
 
We recognize compensation expense using a fair-value based method, for all stock-based payments including stock options and restricted stock awards and stock issued under an employee stock purchase plan. These standards require companies to estimate the fair value of stock-based payment awards on the date of grant using an option pricing model. See Note 12 “Stock Plans,” for a discussion of our stock-based compensation plans. Our non-cash stock-based compensation expense related to employees and non-employee members of our Board totaled approximately $1.0 million, $1.0 million and $0.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
 
Warrants Issued in Connection with Equity Financing
 
We generally account for warrants issued in connection with equity financings as a component of equity, unless there is a deemed possibility that we may have to settle the warrants in cash. For warrants issued with deemed possibility of cash settlement, we record the fair value of the issued warrants as a liability at each reporting period and record changes in the estimated fair value as a non-cash gain or loss in the Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss).
 
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities
 
Our investment policy emphasizes liquidity and preservation of principal over other portfolio considerations. We select investments that maximize interest income to the extent possible given these two constraints. We satisfy liquidity requirements by investing excess cash in securities with different maturities to match projected cash needs and limit concentration of credit risk by diversifying our investments among a variety of high credit-quality issuers and limit the amount of credit exposure to any one issuer. The estimated fair values have been determined using available market information. We do not use derivative financial instruments in our investment portfolio.
 
All investments with original maturities of three months or less are considered to be cash equivalents. Marketable securities, consisting primarily of high-grade debt securities, U.S. government and corporate notes and bonds, and commercial paper, are classified as available-for-sale at time of purchase and carried at fair value. If the fair value of a security is below its amortized cost and we plan to sell the security before recovering its cost, the impairment is considered to be other-than-temporary. Other-than-temporary declines in fair value of our marketable securities are charged against interest income. We had money market funds of approximately $13.7 million and $7.6 million as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively, included in our cash and cash equivalents. We did not hold any marketable securities as of December 31, 2016 and 2015.
 
Property and Equipment
 
Property and equipment are recorded at cost and depreciated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets ranging from three to five years. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the lease term or the estimated useful life of the assets.
 
Revenue Recognition
 
We generate revenue principally from collaborative research and development arrangements, technology licenses, and government grants. Consideration received for revenue arrangements with multiple components is allocated among the separate units of accounting based on their respective selling prices. The selling price for each unit is based on vendor-specific objective evidence, or VSOE, if available, third party evidence if VSOE is not available, or estimated selling price if neither VSOE nor third party evidence is available. The applicable revenue recognition criteria are then applied to each of the units. 
 
Revenue is recognized when the four basic criteria of revenue recognition are met: (1) a contractual agreement exists; (2) transfer of technology has been completed or services have been rendered; (3) the fee is fixed or determinable; and (4) collectability is reasonably assured. For each source of revenue, we comply with the above revenue recognition criteria in the following manner:
 
Technology license agreements typically consist of non-refundable upfront license fees, annual minimum access fees or royalty payments. Non-refundable upfront license fees and annual minimum payments received with separable stand-alone values are recognized when the technology is transferred or accessed, provided that the technology transferred or accessed is not dependent on the outcome of our continuing research and development efforts.
 
 
Royalties earned are based on third-party sales of licensed products and are recorded in accordance with contract terms when third-party results are reliably measurable and collectability is reasonably assured. We no longer recognize royalty income related to the Fanapt royalty payments received from Novartis (see Note 8, “Royalty Liability” for further discussion).
 
 
Government grants, which support our research efforts in specific projects, generally provide for reimbursement of approved costs as defined in the notices of grants. Grant revenue is recognized when associated project costs are incurred.
 
 
Collaborative arrangements typically consist of non-refundable and/or exclusive technology access fees, cost reimbursements for specific research and development spending, and various milestone and future product royalty payments. If the delivered technology does not have stand-alone value, the amount of revenue allocable to the delivered technology is deferred. Non-refundable upfront fees with stand-alone value that are not dependent on future performance under these agreements are recognized as revenue when received, and are deferred if we have continuing performance obligations and have no evidence of fair value of those obligations. Cost reimbursements for research and development spending are recognized when the related costs are incurred and when collections are reasonably expected. Payments received related to substantive, performance-based “at-risk” milestones are recognized as revenue upon achievement of the clinical success or regulatory event specified in the underlying contracts, which represent the culmination of the earnings process. Amounts received in advance are recorded as deferred revenue until the technology is transferred, costs are incurred, or a milestone is reached.
 
Research and Development Costs and Related Accrual
 
Research and development expenses include internal and external costs. Internal costs include salaries and employment related expenses, facility costs, administrative expenses and allocations of corporate costs. External expenses consist of costs associated with outsourced clinical research organization activities, sponsored research studies, product registration, patent application and prosecution, and investigator sponsored trials. We also record accruals for estimated ongoing clinical trial costs. Clinical trial costs represent costs incurred by CROs and clinical sites. These costs are recorded as a component of research and development expenses. Under our agreements, progress payments are typically made to investigators, clinical sites and CROs. We analyze the progress of the clinical trials, including levels of patient enrollment, invoices received and contracted costs when evaluating the adequacy of accrued liabilities. Significant judgments and estimates must be made and used in determining the accrued balance in any accounting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates under different assumptions. Revisions are charged to expense in the period in which the facts that give rise to the revision become known.
 
Net Income (Loss) Per Share
 
Basic net income (loss) per share excludes the effect of dilution and is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted-average number of shares outstanding for the period. Diluted net income (loss) per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue shares were exercised into shares. In calculating diluted net income (loss) per share, the numerator is adjusted for the change in the fair value of the warrant liability (only if dilutive) and the denominator is increased to include the number of potentially dilutive common shares assumed to be outstanding during the period using the treasury stock method.
 
The following table sets forth the reconciliation of the numerator and denominator used in the computation of basic and diluted net income (loss) per common share for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014: 
 
 
 
Years ended December 31,
 
(in thousands, except per share amounts)
 
2016
 
2015
 
2014
 
Numerator:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net income (loss) used for basic earnings per share
 
$
5,135
 
$
(11,279)
 
$
(2,403)
 
Less change in fair value of warrant liability
 
 
825
 
 
 
 
1,083
 
Net income (loss) used for diluted earnings per share
 
$
4,310
 
$
(11,279)
 
$
(3,486)
 
Denominator:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic weighted-average outstanding common shares
 
 
20,744
 
 
20,053
 
 
17,057
 
Effect of dilutive potential common shares resulting from options
 
 
141
 
 
 
 
3
 
Effect of dilutive potential common shares resulting from warrants
 
 
574
 
 
 
 
 
Weighted-average shares outstanding—diluted
 
 
21,459
 
 
20,053
 
 
17,060
 
Net income (loss) per common share:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic
 
$
0.25
 
$
(0.56)
 
$
(0.14)
 
Diluted
 
$
0.20
 
$
(0.56)
 
$
(0.20)
 
 
The table below presents common shares underlying stock options and warrants that are excluded from the calculation of the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding used for the calculation of diluted net income (loss) per common share. These are excluded from the calculation due to their anti-dilutive effect for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014: 
 
 
 
Years ended December 31,
 
(in thousands)
 
2016
 
2015
 
2014
 
Weighted-average anti-dilutive common shares resulting from options and awards
 
 
1,286
 
 
1,346
 
 
1,254
 
Weighted-average anti-dilutive common shares resulting from warrants
 
 
 
 
231
 
 
425
 
 
 
 
1,286
 
 
1,577
 
 
1,679
 
 
Comprehensive Income (Loss)
 
Comprehensive income and loss for the periods presented is comprised solely of our net income and loss. Comprehensive income for the year ended December 31, 2016 was $5.1 million. Comprehensive loss for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 was $ 11.3 million and $2.4 million, respectively.
 
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
 
In August 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, issued Accounting Standards Update, or ASU, No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments, addressing eight specific cash flow issues in an effort to reduce diversity in practice. The amended guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 31, 2017, and for interim periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted. We do not expect the amended guidance to have a material impact on its statements of cash flows.
 
In June 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-12, Accounting for Share-Based Payments When the Terms of an Award Provide That a Performance Target Could Be Achieved after the Requisite Service Period (“ASU 2014-12”). The standard provides guidance that a performance target that affects vesting of a share-based payment and that could be achieved after the requisite service condition is a performance condition. ASU 2014-12 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015. The adoption of this ASU did not have a significant impact on our financial statements.
 
In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2014-09”), which supersedes nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance under U.S. GAAP. The core principle of ASU 2014-09 is to recognize revenues when promised goods or services are transferred to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which an entity expects to be entitled for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 defines a five step process to achieve this core principle and, in doing so, more judgment and estimates may be required within the revenue recognition process than are required under existing U.S. GAAP.
  
The standard is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods therein, using either of the following transition methods: (i) a full retrospective approach reflecting the application of the standard in each prior reporting period with the option to elect certain practical expedients, or (ii) a retrospective approach with the cumulative effect of initially adopting ASU 2014-09 recognized at the date of adoption (which includes additional footnote disclosures). We are currently evaluating the impact of our pending adoption of ASU 2014-09 on our financial statements and have not yet determined the method by which we will adopt the standard.
 
Subsequent Events
 
We have evaluated events that have occurred subsequent to December 31, 2016 and through the date that the financial statements are issued.
 
Fair Value Measurements
 
We measure the fair value of financial assets and liabilities based on authoritative guidance which defines fair value, establishes a framework consisting of three levels for measuring fair value, and requires disclosures about fair value measurements. Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. There are three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value:
 
Level 1 – quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;
Level 2 – quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets or inputs that are observable;
Level 3 – inputs that are unobservable (for example cash flow modeling inputs based on assumptions).
 
Financial instruments, including receivables, accounts payable and accrued liabilities are carried at cost, which we believe approximates fair value due to the short-term nature of these instruments. The $13.7 million and $7.6 million fair values of money market funds as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 included in our cash and cash equivalents, are classified as Level 1 and were derived from quoted market prices as active markets for these instruments exists. Our warrant liabilities are classified within level 3 of the fair value hierarchy because the value is calculated using significant judgment based on our own assumptions in the valuation of these liabilities.
 
As a result of the fair value adjustment of the warrant liabilities, during the year ended December 31, 2016 we recorded a non-cash gain on decreases in the fair value of $825,000 and during the year ended December 31, 2015 we recorded a non-cash loss on increases in the fair value of $4,512,000 in our Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss). See Note 9, “Warrant Liability” for further discussion on the calculation of the fair value of the warrant liability.
  
The following table rolls forward the fair value of the Company’s warrant liability, the fair value of which is determined by Level 3 inputs for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 (in thousands):
 
 
 
December 31,
 
 
 
2016
 
2015
 
Fair value, beginning of period
 
$
1,444
 
$
5,578
 
Reclassification of Class A and Underwriter warrants to equity
 
 
 
 
(8,646)
 
Change in fair value
 
 
(825)
 
 
4,512
 
Fair value, end of period
 
$
619
 
$
1,444