Description of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Description of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation

The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Management's Estimates

Use of Management’s Estimates

The preparation of condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

Segment Reporting

Segment Reporting

The Company has determined that it operates in a single segment which is the discovery (research), development and commercialization of human therapeutics. Revenues are generated primarily from the Company’s collaborations with GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK), located in the United Kingdom, and, through January 6, 2012, Astellas Pharma Inc. (Astellas), located in Japan. All long-lived assets are maintained in the United States.

Marketable Securities

Marketable Securities

The Company determines the appropriate classification of its marketable securities, which consist of debt securities, at the time of purchase and reevaluates such designation at each balance sheet date. All of the marketable securities are classified as available-for-sale and carried at estimated fair values and reported in either: cash equivalents, short-term investments or long-term marketable securities. Unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities are reported in the condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss). Interest, amortization of purchase premiums and discounts, and realized gains and losses on sales of marketable securities are included in interest income. The cost of securities sold is based on the specific identification method.

The Company regularly reviews all of its investments for other-than-temporary declines in fair value. The Company’s review includes the consideration of the cause of the impairment, including the creditworthiness of the security issuers, the number of securities in an unrealized loss position, the severity and duration of the unrealized losses, whether the Company has the intent to sell the securities, and whether it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell the securities before the recovery of their amortized cost basis. When the Company determines that the decline in fair value of an investment is below the amortized cost basis and the decline is other-than-temporary, the Company reduces the carrying value of the security and records a loss for the amount of such decline.

Inventories

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market value. Cost is determined using an average cost basis. Inventories include VIBATIV® active pharmaceutical ingredient and other raw materials of $4.3 million and work-in-process of $0.8 million at September 30, 2012. VIBATIV® is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drug. If information becomes available that suggests the inventories may not be realizable, the Company may be required to expense a portion or all of the capitalized inventory costs.

In May 2012, the Company entered into a Technology Transfer and Supply Agreement with Hospira Worldwide, Inc. (Hospira). The Company must obtain regulatory approval for the VIBATIV® drug product that will be manufactured at Hospira’s facility before any such product may be sold, and this regulatory approval process could extend through mid-2013.

Research and Development Costs

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs are expensed in the period that services are rendered or goods are received. Research and development costs consist of salaries and benefits, laboratory supplies and facility costs, as well as fees paid to third parties that conduct certain research and development activities on behalf of the Company, net of certain external research costs reimbursed by GSK and, through 2011, Astellas.

Fair Value of Stock-Based Compensation Awards

Fair Value of Stock-Based Compensation Awards

The Company uses the Black-Scholes-Merton option pricing model to estimate the fair value of options granted under its equity incentive plans and rights to acquire stock granted under its employee stock purchase plan (ESPP). The Black-Scholes-Merton option valuation model requires the use of assumptions, including the expected term of the award and the expected stock price volatility. The Company used the “simplified” method as described in Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 107 for the expected option term because the usage of its historical exercise data is limited due to post-IPO exercise restrictions. Beginning April 1, 2011, the Company used its historical volatility to estimate expected stock price volatility. Prior to April 1, 2011, the Company used peer company price volatility to estimate expected stock price volatility due to the Company’s limited historical common stock price volatility since its initial public offering in 2004.

Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) and Restricted Stock Awards (RSAs) are measured based on the fair market values of the underlying stock on the dates of grant.

Stock-based compensation expense was calculated based on awards ultimately expected to vest and was reduced for estimated forfeitures at the time of grant and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differed from those estimates. The Company’s estimated annual forfeiture rates for stock options, RSUs and RSAs were based on its historical forfeiture experience.

The estimated fair value of stock options, RSUs and RSAs is expensed on a straight-line basis over the expected term of the grant and the fair value of performance-contingent RSUs and RSAs is expensed using an accelerated method over the term of the award once the Company determined that it was probable that those performance milestones would be achieved.

Compensation expense for purchases under the ESPP is recognized based on the estimated fair value of the common stock on the date of offering and purchase discount percentage.

The Company has not recognized, and does not expect to recognize in the near future, any tax benefit related to employee stock-based compensation expense as a result of the full valuation allowance on the Company’s deferred tax assets including deferred tax assets related to its net operating loss carryforwards.

Foreign Currency

Foreign Currency

The Company uses the U.S. dollar as the functional currency for its foreign subsidiary. Monetary and non-monetary assets and liabilities are remeasured into U.S. dollars at the applicable period end exchange rate. Operating expenses are remeasured at average exchange rates in effect during each period, except for those expenses related to non-monetary assets which are remeasured at historical exchange rates. Gains or losses from remeasurement of foreign currency financial statements into U.S. dollars are included in the condensed consolidated statements of operations and were insignificant for all periods presented, as was the effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents.

Recently Adopted Accounting Update

Recently Adopted Accounting Update

On January 1, 2012, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2011-05, “Presentation of Comprehensive Income,” an update to Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 220, “Comprehensive Income”. This update requires that all nonowner changes in stockholders’ equity (net capital deficiency) be presented either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income (loss) or in two separate but consecutive statements. This update was effective for the Company January 1, 2012. The Company elected the two separate but consecutive statements approach.