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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2020

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Short-term Investments

The Company’s cash and cash equivalents include short-term investments with original maturities of three months or less when purchased. The Company's short-term investments are classified as “available-for-sale.” The Company includes these investments in current assets and carries them at fair value. Unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities are included in accumulated other comprehensive income. Any impairment losses related to credit losses (if any) are included in an allowance for credit losses with an offsetting entry to net loss. No impairment losses related to credit losses were recognized for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019. The cost of debt securities is adjusted for the amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity. Such amortization and accretion are included in net interest income in the condensed consolidated statements of operations. Gains and losses on securities sold are recorded based on the specific identification method and are included in net interest income in the condensed consolidated statements of operations. The Company has not incurred any realized gains or losses from sales of securities to date. The Company’s investment policy limits investments to certain types of instruments such as certificates of deposit, money market instruments, obligations issued by the U.S. government and U.S. government agencies as well as corporate debt securities, and places restrictions on maturities and concentration by type and issuer, except for securities issued by the U.S. government. Currently the Company invests excess cash only in obligations issued by the U.S. government and U.S. government agencies.

The Company maintains a required minimum balance, currently $5.5 million in a segregated bank account in connection with two letters of credit, one for $5.45 million for the benefit of the landlord for its commercial manufacturing facility used as a security deposit for the lease (See Note 9 - Leases), and a second one for $74,685 for the benefit of a utilities service provider. The total amount is classified as Restricted Cash on the Balance Sheet. The original term of the letter of credit expired on May 28, 2020; however, the term was automatically extended for an additional one-year period on May 28, 2020, and will be automatically extended for additional one-year periods, without written agreement, to May 28 in each succeeding calendar year, through at least 60 days after the lease expiration date. Further, on the expiration of the seventh year of the lease, and each anniversary date thereafter, the letter of credit may be decreased by $1,000,000, with a minimum security deposit of $1,450,000 maintained through the end of the lease term. The $74,685 letter of credit will expire on February 25, 2021, however, it will be automatically extended, without written agreement, to the expiration date of December 1, 2022. As of June 30, 2020, restricted cash consisted of $5.5 million and this amount has been classified as a non-current asset on the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets.

The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, reported within the condensed consolidated balance sheets that sum to the total of the same such amounts shown in the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows:


	June 30,		June 30,
	2020		2019
Cash and cash equivalents	$	160,614	$	76,912
Restricted cash (included in non-current assets on the condensed consolidated balance sheets)		5,525		5,450
Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	$	166,139	$	82,362

Loss per Share

Basic net loss per share is computed by dividing the net loss by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period.

Diluted net loss per share is computed by dividing the net loss by the sum of the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding and the dilutive common stock equivalent shares outstanding during the period. The Company’s potentially dilutive common stock equivalent shares, which include incremental shares of common stock issuable upon (i) the exercise of outstanding stock options, (ii) vesting of restricted stock units, and (iii) conversion of preferred stock, are only included in the calculation of diluted net loss per share when their effect is dilutive.

At June 30, 2020 and 2019, the following outstanding common stock equivalents have been excluded from the calculation of net loss per share because their impact would be anti-dilutive.


	June 30,
	2020	2019
Stock options	12,594,736	9,205,672
Series A Convertible Preferred Stock*	97,000	97,000
Series B Convertible Preferred Stock*	3,581,119	5,854,845
Restricted stock units	—	45,828
	16,272,855	15,203,345

* on an as-converted basis

The effect of potentially dilutive securities would be reflected in diluted earnings per share of common stock by application of the treasury stock method. Under the treasury stock method, an increase in the fair market value of the Company's common stock could result in a greater dilutive effect from potentially dilutive securities.

Fair Value Measurements

Under Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, fair value is defined as the price at which an asset could be exchanged, or a liability transferred in a transaction between knowledgeable, willing parties in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability. Where available, fair value is based on observable market prices or parameters or derived from such prices or parameters. Where observable prices or parameters are not available, valuation models are applied.

Assets and liabilities recorded at fair value in the Company’s financial statements are categorized based upon the level of judgment associated with the inputs used to measure their fair value. Hierarchical levels directly related to the amount of subjectivity associated with the inputs to fair valuation of these assets and liabilities, are as follows:

Level 1–These are investments where values are based on unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets in an active market that the Company has the ability to access.

Level 2–These are investments where values are based on quoted market prices in markets that are not active or model derived valuations in which all significant inputs are observable in active markets

The Company does not have fair valued assets classified under Level 2 as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019.

Level 3–These are financial instruments where values are derived from techniques in which one or more significant inputs are unobservable.

The Company does not have fair valued assets classified under Level 3 as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019.

The Company’s financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments, all of which are reported at their respective fair value on its condensed consolidated balance sheets.

As of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis are categorized in the table below based upon the lowest level of significant input to the valuations (in thousands):


	Assets at Fair Value as of June 30, 2020
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
U.S. treasury securities	$	340,698	$	—	$	—	$	340,698
U.S. government agency securities		270,567		—		—		270,567
Total	$	611,265	$	—	$	—	$	611,265


	Assets at Fair Value as of December 31, 2019
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
US treasury securities	$	242,249	$	—	$	—	$	242,249
US government agency securities		50,863		—		—		50,863
Total	$	293,112	$	—	$	—	$	293,112

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 contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant estimates include the assumptions made in valuing stock instruments issued for services and used in measuring operating right-of-use assets and operating lease liabilities, valuation of short-term investments, accounting for potential liabilities, and the valuation allowance associated with the Company’s deferred tax assets.

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Iovance Biotherapeutics Manufacturing LLC and Iovance Biotherapeutics GmbH. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. The U.S. dollar is the functional currency for all of the Company's consolidated operations.

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability method whereby deferred tax assets are recognized for deductible temporary differences, and deferred tax liabilities are recognized for taxable temporary differences. Temporary differences are the differences between the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and their tax bases. 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 be realized. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are adjusted for the effects of changes in tax laws and rates on the date of enactment.

ASC Topic 740-10-30 clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements and prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. ASC Topic 740-10-40 provides guidance on de-recognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure, and transition. The Company will classify as income tax expense any interest and penalties. The Company has no material uncertain tax positions for any of the reporting periods presented.

On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) was enacted and signed into law, and GAAP requires recognition of the tax effects of new legislation during the reporting period that includes the enactment date. The CARES Act, among other things, includes changes to the tax provisions that benefits business entities and makes certain technical corrections to the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The tax relief measures for business include a five-year net operating loss (“NOL”) carrybacks, suspension of annual deduction limitation of 80% taxable income from net operating losses generated in a tax year beginning after December 31, 2017, changes in the deductibility of interest, acceleration of alternative minimum tax credit refunds, payroll tax relief, and technical correction to allow accelerated deductions for qualified improvement property. The CARES Act also provides other non-tax benefits to assist those impacted by the pandemic. The Company evaluated the impact of the CARES Act and determined no material tax provision impact for the quarter ended June 30, 2020.

Leases

The Company determines if an arrangement includes a lease at inception. Operating leases are included in its condensed consolidated balance sheet as Operating lease right-of-use assets and Operating lease liabilities as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019. Operating lease right-of-use assets represent the Company’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and operating lease liabilities represent the Company’s obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating lease right-of-use assets and liabilities are recognized at the lease commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. In determining the net present value of lease payments, the Company uses an estimated incremental borrowing rate that is applicable to the Company based on the information available at the later of the lease commencement date or the date of adoption of Accounting Standard Update (ASU) No. 2016-02 and ASU No. 2018-10, Leases (together “Topic 842”). The operating lease right-of-use assets also include any lease payments made less lease incentives. The Company’s leases may include options to extend or terminate the lease, which is considered in the lease term when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise any such options. Lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the expected lease term. The Company has elected not to apply the recognition requirements of Topic 842 for short-term leases.

For lease agreements entered into after the adoption of Topic 842 that include lease and non-lease components, such components are generally accounted for separately.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company periodically grants stock options to employees in non-capital raising transactions as compensation for services rendered. The Company accounts for stock option grants to employees based on the authoritative guidance provided by the FASB where the value of the award is measured on the date of grant and recognized over the vesting period. Upon the adoption of ASU No. 2018-07, Compensation-Stock Compensation (“Topic 718”), the Company accounts for stock option grants to non-employees in a similar manner as stock option grants to employees except for the term used in the grant date fair value, therefore no longer requiring a re-measurement at the then-current fair values at each reporting date until the shares underlying the options have vested. The non-employee awards that contain a performance condition that affects the quantity or other terms of the award are measured based on the outcome that is probable.

The fair value of the Company's common stock option grants is estimated using a Black-Scholes option pricing model, which uses certain assumptions related to risk-free interest rates, expected volatility, expected life of the common stock options, and future dividends. The stock-based compensation expense is recorded based upon the value derived from the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The assumptions used in the Black-Scholes option pricing model could materially affect compensation expense recorded in future periods.

The Company has in the past issued restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and restricted stock awards (“RSAs”) as part of its share-based compensation programs. The Company measures the compensation cost with respect to RSUs and RSAs issued to employees based upon the estimated fair value of the equity instruments at the date of the grant, which is recognized as an expense over the period during which an employee is required to provide services in exchange for the awards.

The fair value of RSUs and RSAs is based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the grant date.

Total stock-based compensation expense related to all of the Company’s stock-based awards was recorded on the statements of operations as follows (in thousands):


	Three Months Ended				Six Months Ended
	June 30,				June 30,
	2020		2019		2020		2019
Research and development	$	5,465	$	2,720	$	9,783	$	5,421
General and administrative		5,072		3,706		10,166		6,851
Total stock-based compensation expenses	$	10,537	$	6,426	$	19,949	$	12,272

Total stock-based compensation expenses broken down based on each individual instrument were as follows (in thousands):


	Three Months Ended				Six Months Ended
	June 30,				June 30,
	2020		2019		2020		2019
Stock option expenses	$	10,492	$	6,359	$	19,837	$	12,138
Restricted stock unit expenses		45		67		112		134
Total stock-based compensation expenses	$	10,537	$	6,426	$	19,949	$	12,272

Preferred Stock

The Company applies the accounting standards for distinguishing liabilities from equity when determining the classification and measurement of its preferred stock. Preferred stock subject to mandatory redemption are classified as liability instruments and are measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable preferred stock (including preferred stock that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) are classified as temporary equity. At all other times, preferred stock is classified as stockholders’ equity.

Convertible Instruments

The Company applies the accounting standards for derivatives and hedging and for distinguishing liabilities from equity when accounting for hybrid contracts that feature conversion options. The accounting standards require companies to bifurcate conversion options from their host instruments and account for them as free-standing derivative financial instruments according to certain criteria. The criteria include circumstances in which (i) the economic characteristics and risks of the embedded derivative instrument are not clearly and closely related to the economic characteristics and risks of the host contract, (ii) the hybrid instrument that embodies both the embedded derivative instrument and the host contract is not re-measured at fair value under otherwise applicable generally accepted accounting principles with changes in fair value reported in earnings as they occur and (iii) a separate instrument with the same terms as the embedded derivative instrument would be considered a derivative instrument. The derivative is subsequently marked to market at each reporting date based on current fair value, with the changes in fair value reported in results of operations.

Conversion options that contain variable settlement features such as provisions to adjust the conversion price upon subsequent issuances of equity or equity linked securities at exercise prices more favorable than that featured in the hybrid contract generally result in their bifurcation from the host instrument.

The Company also records, when necessary, deemed dividends for the intrinsic value of the conversion options embedded in preferred stock based upon the difference between the fair value of the underlying common stock at the commitment date of the transaction and the effective conversion price embedded in the preferred stock.

Recent Accounting Standards

Financial Instruments

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses, and also issued subsequent amendments to the initial guidance, ASU 2018-19, ASU 2019-04, ASU 2019-05, ASU 2019-11, and ASU 2020-03 (collectively, Topic 326), to introduce a new impairment model for recognizing credit losses on financial instruments based on an estimate of current expected credit losses (“CECL”). Under Topic 326, an entity is required to estimate CECL on available-for-sale (“AFS”) debt securities only when the fair value is below the amortized cost of the asset and is no longer based on an impairment being “other-than-temporary”. Topic 326 also requires the impairment calculation on an individual security level and requires an entity use present value of cash flows when estimating the CECL. The credit-related losses are required to be recognized through earnings and non-credit related losses are reported in other comprehensive income. In April 2019, the FASB further clarified the scope of Topic 326 and addressed issues related to accrued interest receivable balances, recoveries, variable interest rates and prepayment. Topic 326 will be effective for public entities in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The new guidance requires modified retrospective application to all outstanding instruments, with a cumulative effect adjustment recorded to opening retained earnings as of the beginning of the first period in which the guidance becomes effective. The Company adopted this guidance on January 1, 2020, however, the adoption of this new guidance did not have any material impact on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

Cloud Computing Arrangements

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other-Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40) Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract (ASU 2018-15). The guidance requires a customer in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract to follow the internal use software guidance to determine which implementation costs to defer and recognize as an asset. It therefore requires a customer to defer potentially significant implementation costs incurred in a cloud computing arrangement that were often expensed as incurred under the legacy GAAP and recognize them as expense over the term of the hosting arrangement. ASU 2018-15 is effective for fiscal years beginning subsequent to December 15, 2019. The Company adopted this guidance on January 1, 2020. There was no impact on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheets and statements of operations as of and for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020. However, the Company believes it will have a material impact on its condensed consolidated balance sheets and statements of operations in the future by deferring recognition of costs as it prepares to invest in information technology infrastructure for its commercial manufacturing build-out.

Subsequent Event

Subsequent Events

The Company’s management evaluates events that have occurred after the balance sheet date but before the financial statements are issued. See Note 11 Subsequent Event.