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Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and the rules and regulations of the SEC. Any reference in these notes to applicable guidance is meant to refer to GAAP as found in the Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) and Accounting Standards Updates (“ASU”) promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”). 
The Company manages its operations as a single reportable segment for the purposes of assessing performance and making operating decisions.
Use of Estimates
Use of Estimates
The preparation of the Company’s financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that impact the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities in the Company’s financial statements and accompanying notes. The most significant estimates in the Company’s financial statements relate to the valuation of redeemable convertible preferred stock warrants prior to the Initial Public Offering ("IPO"), the conversion option on the convertible notes and clinical trial accruals. Although these estimates are based on the Company’s knowledge of current events and actions it may undertake in the future, actual results could differ materially from those estimates and assumptions.
Concentrations of Credit Risk
Concentrations of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to significant concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents. The Company maintains certain deposits in federally insured financial institutions in excess of federally insured limits. The Company could experience losses on the money market funds in the future.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity from the date of purchase of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents include cash in readily available checking and money market accounts.
Restricted Cash
Restricted Cash
The Company had restricted cash of $20,000 as of December 31, 2018, which was held in a certificate of deposit at the Company’s bank to secure the Company’s corporate credit card.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The carrying amounts of other receivables, prepaid expenses and other assets, accounts payable and accrued expenses and other current liabilities are reasonable estimates of their fair value because of the short maturity of these items. Based on the borrowing rates currently available to the Company for loans with similar terms, the Company believes the fair values of the term loan and operating lease liabilities and corresponding right-of-use assets approximate their respective carrying values.
Property and Equipment
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are recorded at cost and depreciated over the estimated useful lives of the assets (three to five years) using the straight-line method. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of their estimated useful lives or the lease term.
Leases
Leases
At lease commencement, the Company records a lease liability based on the present value of lease payments over the expected lease term including any options to extend the lease that the Company is reasonably certain to exercise. The Company calculates the present value of lease payments using an incremental borrowing rate as the Company's leases do not provide an implicit interest rate. The Company's incremental borrowing rate for a lease is the rate of interest it would have to pay on a collateralized basis to borrow an amount equal to the lease payments under similar terms. At the lease commencement date, the Company records a corresponding right-of-use lease asset based on the lease liability, adjusted for any lease incentives received and any initial direct costs paid to the lessor prior to the lease commencement date. The Company may enter into leases with an initial term of 12 months or less ("Short-Term Leases"). For any Short-Term Leases, the Company records the rent expense on a straight-line basis and does not record the leases on the balance sheet. The Company had no Short-Term Leases as of December 31, 2019 and 2018.
After lease commencement, the Company measures its leases as follows: (i) the lease liability based on the present value of the remaining lease payments using the discount rate determined at lease commencement and (ii) the right-of-use lease asset based on the remeasured lease liability, adjusted for any unamortized lease incentives received, any unamortized initial direct costs and the cumulative difference between rent expense and amounts paid under the lease agreement. Any lease incentives received and any initial direct costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over the expected lease term. Rent expense is recorded on a straight-line basis over the expected lease term.
Long-Lived Assets
Long-Lived Assets
The Company regularly reviews the carrying value and estimated lives of all of its long-lived assets, including property and equipment and right-of-use assets to determine whether indicators of impairment may exist which warrant adjustments to carrying values or estimated useful lives. The determinants used for this evaluation include management’s estimate of the asset’s ability to generate net positive cash flow in future periods as well as the strategic significance of the assets to the Company’s business objectives. Should an impairment exist, the impairment loss would be measured based on the extent that the estimated fair value is less than its carrying value. The Company did not recognize any impairment losses in the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018.
Preferred Stock Warrant Liability
Preferred Stock Warrant Liability
The Company previously issued freestanding warrants to purchase shares of its redeemable convertible preferred stock. Since the underlying redeemable convertible preferred stock was classified outside of permanent equity, those warrants were classified as liabilities in the accompanying balance sheet. Warrants classified as liabilities were recorded at their estimated fair value on the date of issuance and were revalued at each subsequent balance sheet date, with fair value changes recognized as increases or reductions to other income (expense) in the accompanying statements of operations. The Company estimated the fair value of these warrants using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model.
In connection with the Company’s IPO in October 2018, all warrants were either exercised or converted into warrants to purchase common stock, at which time the liability was reclassified to stockholders’ equity.
Preclinical And Clinical Trial Accruals
Preclinical and Clinical Trial Accruals
The Company accrues and expenses amounts incurred in connection with preclinical studies and clinical trial activities performed by third parties based upon estimates of the proportion of work completed over the life of the individual trial and subject enrollment rates in accordance with agreements with clinical research organizations, contract manufacturing organizations and clinical trial sites. The Company determines the estimates by reviewing contracts, vendor agreements and purchase orders, and through discussions with internal clinical personnel and external service providers as to the progress or stage of completion of trials or services and the agreed-upon fee to be paid for such services. However, actual costs and timing of clinical trials are highly uncertain, subject to risks and may change depending upon a number of factors, including the Company’s clinical development plan.
Management makes estimates of the Company’s accrued expenses as of each balance sheet date in the Company’s financial statements based on facts and circumstances known to the Company at that time. If the actual timing of the performance of services or the level of effort varies from the estimate, the Company will adjust the accrual accordingly. Nonrefundable advance payments for goods and services, including fees for process development or manufacturing and distribution of clinical supplies that will be used in future research and development activities, are deferred and recognized as expense in the period that the related goods are consumed or services are performed.
Research and Development Expenses
Research and Development Expense
Research and development costs are expensed as incurred.
Stock-Based Compensation
Stock-Based Compensation
The Company measures and recognizes compensation expense for all stock-based compensation based on the estimated fair value at the date of grant. Currently, the Company’s stock-based awards consist only of stock options; however, future grants under the Company’s equity compensation plan may also consist of shares of restricted stock, restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, performance awards and performance units. The Company also maintains an employee stock purchase program under which it may issue shares. The Company estimates the fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model, which requires the use of estimates. The Company recognizes stock-based compensation cost for ratably vesting stock options on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the award and records forfeitures in the period in which they occur.
The Black-Scholes option-pricing model requires the input of subjective assumptions, including the risk-free interest rate, the fair value of the underlying common stock (for option grants prior to the IPO), the expected dividend yield of the Company’s common stock, the expected volatility of the price of the Company’s common stock, and the expected term of the option. These estimates involve inherent uncertainties and the application of management’s judgment. If factors change and different assumptions are used, the Company’s stock-based compensation expense could be materially different in the future. 
Income Taxes
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes under the asset and liability method, which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined on the basis of the differences between the financial statements and tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.
The Company recognizes net deferred tax assets to the extent that the Company believes these assets are more likely than not to be realized. In making such a determination, management considers all available positive and negative evidence, including future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, tax-planning strategies, and results of recent operations. If management determines that the Company would be able to realize its deferred tax assets in the future in excess of their net recorded amount, management would make an adjustment to the deferred tax asset valuation allowance, which would reduce the provision for income taxes.
The Company records uncertain tax positions on the basis of a two-step process whereby (1) management determines whether it is more likely than not that the tax positions will be sustained on the basis of the technical merits of the position and (2) for those tax positions that meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, management recognizes the largest amount of tax benefit that is more than 50% likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement with the related tax authority. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits, if any, within income tax expense, and any accrued interest and penalties are included within the related tax liability line.
Grant Revenues
Grant Revenue
Grant revenue is derived from government grants that support the Company’s efforts on specific research projects. The Company has determined that the government agencies providing grants to the Company are not customers. The Company recognizes grant revenue when there is reasonable assurance of compliance with the conditions of the grant and reasonable assurance that the grant revenue will be received.
Revenue Under Collaborative Agreement
Revenue Under Collaborative Agreement
The Company generates revenues from payments received under a collaborative agreement. Under such collaboration agreements, the Company recognizes revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to partners in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. To determine revenue recognition for contracts with partners, the Company performs the following five steps: (i) identifies the promised goods or services in the contract; (ii) identifies the performance obligations in the contract, including whether they are distinct in the context of the contract; (iii) determines the transaction price, including the constraint on variable consideration; (iv) allocates the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (v) recognizes revenue when (or as) the Company satisfies the performance obligations.
For revenue from such collaborative agreements, the Company generally collects an upfront license payment from the collaboration partner and is also entitled to receive event-based payments subject to the collaboration partner's achievement of specified development, regulatory and sales-based milestones. In addition, the Company is generally entitled to royalties if products under the collaboration are commercialized. Although such agreements are in form structured as collaborative agreements, for accounting purposes they represent contracts with partners that are not subject to accounting literature on collaborative arrangements. If the Company grants to collaboration partners a license to the Company’s intellectual property, the Company does not develop assets jointly with the collaboration partner and does not share in significant risks of their development or commercialization activities.
Transaction price for a contract represents the amount to which the Company is entitled in exchange for providing goods and services to the partner. Transaction price does not include amounts subject to uncertainties unless it is probable that there will be no significant reversal of revenue when the uncertainty is resolved. Apart from the upfront license payment, all other fees the Company may earn under such collaborative agreements are subject to significant uncertainties of product development. Achievement of many of the event-based development and regulatory milestones may not be probable until such milestones are actually achieved. This generally relates to milestones such as obtaining marketing authorization approvals and successful completion of clinical trials. With respect to other development milestones, e.g. dosing of a first patient in a clinical trial, achievement could be considered probable prior to its actual occurrence, based on the progress towards commencement of the trial. The Company does not include any amounts subject to uncertainties into the transaction price until it is probable that the amount will not result in a significant reversal of revenue in the future. At the end of each reporting period, the Company re-evaluates the probability of achievement of such milestones and any related constraint, and if necessary, adjusts the estimate of the overall transaction price.
Because such agreements generally only have one type of performance obligation, a license, which is generally all transferred at the same time as agreement inception, allocation of the transaction price among multiple performance obligations is not required.
Upfront amounts allocated to licenses are recognized as revenue when the licenses are transferred to the collaboration partners. Development milestones and other fees are recognized in revenue when their occurrence becomes probable.
Net Loss Per Share
Net Loss Per Share
Basic net loss per share is calculated by dividing the net loss by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net loss per share is computed by dividing the net loss by the weighted-average number of common shares and common share equivalents outstanding for the period. Common stock equivalents are only included when their effect is dilutive. The Company’s potentially dilutive securities, which include redeemable convertible preferred stock, warrants and outstanding stock options under the Company’s stock option plan, have been excluded from the computation of diluted net loss per share as they would be anti-dilutive. For all periods presented, there is no difference in the number of shares used to compute basic and diluted shares outstanding due to the Company’s net loss position.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases. This update amended the current accounting guidance for lease transactions. Under the new guidance, a lessee is required to recognize both assets and liabilities for any leases with terms in excess of twelve months. Additionally, certain qualitative and quantitative disclosures are required in the financial statements. The Company adopted ASU 2016-02 in the first quarter of 2019 using a modified retrospective transition method as of the effective date as permitted by the amendments in ASU 2018-11. As a result, the Company was not required to adjust comparative prior-period financial information for the effects of the standard or make the new required lease disclosures for periods before the date of adoption. The Company elected to adopt the package of transition practical expedients and, therefore, did not reassess (1) whether existing or expired contracts contain a lease, (2) lease classification for existing or expired leases or (3) the accounting for initial direct costs that were previously capitalized. The Company did not elect the practical expedient to use hindsight for leases existing at the adoption date. Further, the Company does not expect the amendments in ASU 2018-01, Land Easement Practical Expedient to have an effect on its financial statements because the Company does not enter into land easement arrangements. The adoption of the new leasing standards did not affect retained earnings and other components of equity as of December 31, 2018. Upon adoption in the first quarter of 2019, the Company recorded right-of-use assets and corresponding lease liabilities of $2.0 million.
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement - Disclosure Framework (Topic 820): Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. The updated guidance improves the disclosure requirements on fair value measurements. The updated guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for any removed or modified disclosures. The Company is currently assessing the timing and impact of adopting the updated provisions.