Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiary located in Europe. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an initial maturity date at the date of purchase of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

Investment Securities

Investment Securities

Investment securities are considered to be available-for-sale and are carried at fair value. Unrealized gains and losses, if any, are reported as a separate component of stockholders’ equity. The cost of investment securities classified as available-for-sale is adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity. Such amortization and accretion are included in interest income. Realized gains and losses, if any, are also included in interest income. The cost of securities sold is based on the specific identification method.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

For financial instruments, consisting of cash and cash equivalents, accounts payable and accrued expenses included in the Company’s financial statements, the carrying amounts are reasonable estimates of fair value due to their short maturities. Estimated fair values for investment securities, which are separately disclosed elsewhere, are based on quoted market prices for the instruments or other observable inputs.

Property and Equipment

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are recorded at cost and depreciated over their estimated useful lives (generally three to ten years) using the straight line method. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of their estimated useful lives or the term of the lease by use of the straight line method. Maintenance and repair costs are expensed as incurred. When assets are retired or sold, the assets and accumulated depreciation are removed from the respective accounts and any gain or loss is recognized.

Revenues

Revenues

The Company recognizes revenues in accordance with authoritative guidance established by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). The Company’s revenues are primarily related to its collaboration agreements, which may provide for various types of payments, including upfront payments, funding of research and development, milestone payments, and licensing fees. The Company’s collaboration agreements also include potential payments for product royalties; however, the Company has not received any product royalties to date.

The Company considers a variety of factors in determining the appropriate method of accounting under its collaboration agreements, including whether the various elements can be separated and accounted for individually as separate units of accounting. Where there are multiple deliverables identified within a collaboration agreement that are combined into a single unit of accounting, revenues are deferred and recognized over the expected period of performance. The specific methodology for the recognition of the revenue is determined on a case-by-case basis according to the facts and circumstances of the applicable agreement.

Upfront, non-refundable payments that do not have stand-alone value are recorded as deferred revenue once received and recognized as revenues over the expected period of performance. Revenues from non-refundable license fees are recognized upon receipt of the payment if the license has stand-alone value, the Company does not have ongoing involvement or obligations, and the Company can determine the best estimate of the selling price for any undelivered items. When non-refundable license fees do not meet all of these criteria, the license revenues are recognized over the expected period of performance. Non-refundable payments for research funding are generally recognized as revenues over the period as the related research activities are performed. Payments for reimbursement of external development costs are generally recognized as revenues using a contingency-adjusted performance model over the expected period of performance. Payments received from grants are recognized as revenues as the related research and development is performed and when collectability has been reasonably assured.

The Company evaluates milestone payments on an individual basis and recognizes revenues from non-refundable milestone payments when the earnings process is complete and collectability is reasonably assured. Non-refundable milestone payments related to arrangements under which the Company has continuing performance obligations are recognized as revenues upon achievement of the associated milestone, provided that (i) the milestone event is substantive and its achievability was not reasonably assured at the inception of the agreement and (ii) the amount of the milestone payment is reasonable in relation to the effort expended or the risk associated with the milestone event. Where separate milestone payments do not meet these criteria, the Company recognizes revenue using a contingency-adjusted performance model over the expected period of performance.

Research and Development Expenses

Research and Development Expenses

Research and development expenses are charged to operations as incurred. Research and development expenses include, among other things, costs associated with services provided by contract organizations for preclinical development, manufacturing of clinical materials and clinical trials. The Company accrues for costs incurred as the services are being provided by monitoring the status of the trial or services provided and the invoices received from its external service providers. In the case of clinical trials, a portion of the estimated cost normally relates to the projected cost to treat a patient in the trials, and this cost is recognized based on the number of patients enrolled in the trial. Other indirect costs are generally recognized on a straight-line basis over the estimated period of the study. As actual costs become known, the Company adjusts its accruals. Certain research and development programs are funded under agreements with collaboration partners, and the Company’s costs related to these activities are included in research and development expenses.

Concentrations of Risk

Concentrations of Risk

Financial instruments, which potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk, principally consist of cash, cash equivalents, and investment securities. The Company currently invests its excess cash primarily in a money market fund, U.S. Treasury notes, and high quality, marketable debt instruments of corporations, financial institutions and government sponsored enterprises. The Company has adopted an investment policy that includes guidelines relative to credit quality, diversification and maturities to preserve principal and liquidity. The Company does not have any direct investments in auction-rate securities or securities that are collateralized by assets that include mortgages or subprime debt.

During the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, revenues from the Company’s agreements with certain collaborative partners exceeded 10 percent of its total revenues. During the year ended December 31, 2012, revenues from Allergan, Inc. and Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd. (“Meiji Seika Pharma”) comprised 23 percent and 66 percent of total revenues, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2011, revenues from Allergan, Meiji Seika Pharma and The Michael J. Fox Foundation comprised 52 percent, 25 percent and 13 percent of total revenues, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2010, revenues from Biovail Laboratories International SRL (“Biovail”), a subsidiary of Biovail Corporation, comprised 94 percent of total revenues.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation

The fair value of each employee stock option and each employee stock purchase right granted is estimated on the grant date under the fair value method using the Black-Scholes model. The estimated fair values of the stock option or purchase rights, including the effect of estimated forfeitures, are then expensed over the vesting period. The following assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of employee stock options:

	Years Ended December 31,
	2012			2011			2010
Expected volatility		98-99	%		98	%		101	%
Risk-free interest rate		1	%		1-2	%		1-3	%
Expected forfeiture rate		9	%		10	%		11	%
Expected dividend yield		0	%		0	%		0	%
Expected life of options in years		5.8-6.0			5.8			5.7

Expected Volatility. The Company considers its historical volatility and implied volatility when determining the volatility factor. Prior to 2011, the Company also utilized the historical volatility of peer companies due to a lack of trading history. Peer companies were selected based upon similar characteristics such as industry, stage of development, size and financial leverage.

Risk-Free Interest Rate. The risk-free interest rate is based on the implied yield currently available on U.S. Treasury zero-coupon issues with a remaining term approximating the expected term of the option.

Expected Forfeiture Rate. The Company considers its pre-vesting forfeiture history to determine its expected forfeiture rate.

Expected Dividend Yield. The Company has never paid any dividends and currently has no plans to do so.

Expected Life of Options. The Company considers, among other factors, its historical exercise experience to date as well as the mean time remaining to full vesting of all outstanding options and the mean time remaining to the end of the contractual term of all outstanding options.

The following assumptions were used to estimate the fair value for the offerings under the employee stock purchase plan that commenced during the indicated year:

	Years Ended December 31,
	2012			2011			2010
Expected volatility		69-137	%		64-111	%		58-152	%
Risk-free interest rate		0.1-0.3	%		0.1-0.4	%		0-1	%
Expected dividend yield		0	%		0	%		0	%
Expected life of offering in years		0.5-2.0			0.5-2.0			0.5-2.0

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

Current income tax expense or benefit represents the amount of income taxes expected to be payable or refundable for the current year. A deferred income tax asset or liability is computed for the expected future impact of differences between the financial reporting and income tax bases of assets and liabilities and for the expected future tax benefit to be derived from tax credits and loss carryforwards. Deferred income tax expense or benefit represents the net change during the year in the deferred income tax asset or liability. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.

Use of Estimates

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, the disclosure of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Long-Lived Assets

Long-Lived Assets

The Company assesses potential impairments to its long-lived assets when there is evidence that events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. An impairment loss is recognized when the estimated undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset and its eventual disposition is less than its carrying amount. The amount of the impairment loss, if any, will generally be measured as the difference between the net book value of the assets and their estimated fair values. No such impairment losses have been recorded by the Company

Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Comprehensive Income (Loss)

All components of comprehensive income (loss), including net income (loss), are reported in the financial statements in the period in which they are recognized. Comprehensive income (loss) is defined as the change in equity (net assets) of a business enterprise during a period from transactions and other events and circumstances from non-owner sources. In accordance with accounting guidance, the Company presents the impact of any fluctuations in its foreign currency translation adjustments and any unrealized gains or losses on its investment securities in a separate statement of comprehensive income (loss) for each period.

Net Income (Loss) Per Common Share

Net Income (Loss) Per Common Share

Basic earnings (loss) per common share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. For the year ended December 31, 2012, the calculation of the weighted average number of common shares outstanding includes 5.3 million shares of redeemable common stock issued during 2012. Diluted earnings (loss) per common share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period, increased to include potential dilutive common shares that were outstanding during the period. The effect of outstanding stock options and warrants is reflected, when dilutive, in diluted earnings per common share by application of the treasury stock method. The Company has excluded all outstanding stock options and warrants from the calculation of diluted net loss per common share for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011 because all such securities were antidilutive. For the year ended December 31, 2010, outstanding stock options to purchase an aggregate of 127,000 common shares were included in the weighted average common shares outstanding on a diluted basis and, therefore, are not included in the table below. Shares used in calculating basic and diluted net loss per common share exclude these potential common shares:

	Years Ended December 31,
	2012		2011		2010
	(in thousands)
Antidilutive options to purchase common stock		6,868		5,414		4,066
Antidilutive warrants to purchase common stock		4,388		4,559		848
		11,256		9,973		4,914

Segment Reporting

Segment Reporting

Management has determined that the Company operates in one business segment. All revenues for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010 were generated in the United States.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

In February 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued authoritative guidance related to reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). This guidance requires that companies present information about significant items reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) by component either on the face of the financial statements where net income is presented or as a separate disclosure in the footnotes to the financial statements. This recently issued standard is effective prospectively for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2012. The Company does not believe this recently issued accounting standard will have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.