10-Q

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 10-Q

☒ QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2019

OR

☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from                      to                

Commission file number: 001-35986

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	26-1870780
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

3891 Ranchero Drive, Suite 150

Ann Arbor, MI 48108

(Address of principal executive office) (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:

(734) 887-3903

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share	ESPR	NASDAQ Stock Market LLC

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.  Yes ☒  No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).  Yes ☒  No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer ☒	Accelerated filer ☐
Non-accelerated filer ☐	Smaller reporting company ☐
	Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).  Yes ☐  No ☒

As of November 1, 2019, there were 27,327,409 shares of the registrant’s Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share, outstanding.

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.

INDEX

	Page
PART I — FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. Financial Statements
Condensed Balance Sheets at September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018	3
Condensed Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2019 and 2018	4
Condensed Statements of Stockholders’ Equity for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2019 and 2018	5
Condensed Statements of Cash Flows for the nine month periods ended September 30, 2019 and 2018	6
Notes to Condensed Financial Statements	7
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations	19
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk	30
Item 4. Controls and Procedures	30
PART II — OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings	31
Item 1A. Risk Factors	32
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds	32
Item 6. Exhibits	32
Signatures	34

2

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.

Condensed Balance Sheets

(in thousands, except share data)

	September 30,		December 31,
	2019		2018
	(unaudited)
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	211,978	$	36,973
Restricted cash		928		—
Short-term investments		31,883		99,050
Prepaid clinical development costs		5,653		5,275
Right of use operating lease assets		260		—
Other prepaid and current assets		2,758		1,334
Total current assets		253,460		142,632
Property and equipment, net		958		520
Intangible assets		56		56
Long-term investments		—		243
Right of use operating lease assets		796		—
Total assets	$	255,270	$	143,451
Liabilities and stockholders’ equity
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	$	23,735	$	44,893
Accrued clinical development costs		20,954		16,039
Other accrued liabilities		9,944		3,401
Deferred revenue from collaborations		2,618		—
Operating lease liabilities		267		—
Total current liabilities		57,518		64,333
Revenue interest liability		128,420		—
Operating lease liabilities		820		—
Total liabilities		186,758		64,333
Commitments and contingencies (Note 5)
Stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 5,000,000 shares authorized and no shares issued or outstanding as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018		—		—
Common stock, $0.001 par value; 120,000,000 shares authorized as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018; 27,178,230 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2019 and 26,824,859 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2018		27		27
Additional paid-in capital		701,794		677,511
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)		11		(319)
Accumulated deficit		(633,320)		(598,101)
Total stockholders’ equity		68,512		79,118
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$	255,270	$	143,451

See accompanying notes to the condensed financial statements.

3

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.

Condensed Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss

(in thousands, except share and per share data)

(unaudited)

	Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	September 30,				September 30,
	2019		2018		2019		2018
Revenues:
Collaboration Revenue	$	981	$	—	$	147,382	$	—
Total Revenues		981		—		147,382		—
Operating expenses:
Research and development	$	48,281	$	41,551	$	137,377	$	122,015
General and administrative		18,468		9,011		44,142		21,921
Total operating expenses		66,749		50,562		181,519		143,936
Loss from operations		(65,768)		(50,562)		(34,137)		(143,936)
Interest expense		(3,996)		—		(3,996)		(28)
Other income, net		1,387		651		2,914		2,193
Net loss	$	(68,377)	$	(49,911)	$	(35,219)	$	(141,771)
Net loss per common share - basic and diluted	$	(2.52)	$	(1.86)	$	(1.30)	$	(5.30)
Weighted-average shares outstanding - basic and diluted		27,171,769		26,804,026		26,995,661		26,732,733
Other comprehensive loss:
Unrealized gain on investments	$	27	$	216	$	330	$	285
Comprehensive loss	$	(68,350)	$	(49,695)	$	(34,889)	$	(141,486)

See accompanying notes to the condensed financial statements.

4

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.

Condensed Statements of Stockholders’ Equity

(in thousands, except share data)

(unaudited)

								Accumulated
				Additional				Other		Total
	Common Stock			Paid-In		Accumulated		Comprehensive		Stockholders’
	Shares	Amount		Capital		Deficit		Loss		Equity
Balance December 31, 2018	26,824,859	$	27	$	677,511	$	(598,101)	$	(319)	$	79,118
Exercise of stock options	80,218		—		1,669		—		—		1,669
Vesting of restricted stock units	3,125		—		—		—		—		—
Stock-based compensation	—		—		6,636		—		—		6,636
Other comprehensive gain	—		—		—		—		208		208
Net income	—		—		—		87,379		—		87,379
Balance March 31, 2019	26,908,202	$	27	$	685,816	$	(510,722)	$	(111)	$	175,010
Exercise of stock options	115,612		—		1,887		—		—		1,887
Exercise of warrants	5,813		—		—		—		—		—
Vesting of restricted stock units	7,025		—		—		—		—		—
Stock-based compensation	—		—		6,563		—		—		6,563
Other comprehensive gain	—		—		—		—		95		95
Net loss	—		—		—		(54,221)		—		(54,221)
Balance June 30, 2019	27,036,652	$	27	$	694,266	$	(564,943)	$	(16)	$	129,334
Exercise of stock options	137,878		—		1,201		—		—		1,201
Vesting of restricted stock units	3,700		—		—		—		—		—
Stock-based compensation	—		—		6,327		—		—		6,327
Other comprehensive gain	—		—		—		—		27		27
Net loss	—		—		—		(68,377)		—		(68,377)
Balance September 30, 2019	27,178,230	$	27	$	701,794	$	(633,320)	$	11	$	68,512

								Accumulated
				Additional				Other		Total
	Common Stock			Paid-In		Accumulated		Comprehensive		Stockholders’
	Shares	Amount		Capital		Deficit		Loss		Equity
Balance December 31, 2017	26,304,669	$	26	$	641,801	$	(396,291)	$	(845)	$	244,691
Exercise of stock options	285,413		1		9,775		—		—		9,776
Exercise of warrants	159,944		—		—		—		—		—
Vesting of restricted stock units	1,562		—		—		—		—		—
Stock-based compensation	—		—		5,921		—		—		5,921
Other comprehensive loss	—		—		—		—		(118)		(118)
Net loss	—		—		—		(46,130)		—		(46,130)
Balance March 31, 2018	26,751,588	$	27	$	657,497	$	(442,421)	$	(963)	$	214,140
Exercise of stock options	49,504		—		1,597		—		—		1,597
Vesting of restricted stock units	625		—		—		—		—		—
Stock-based compensation	—		—		5,723		—		—		5,723
Other comprehensive gain	—		—		—		—		187		187
Net loss	—		—		—		(45,730)		—		(45,730)
Balance June 30, 2018	26,801,717	$	27	$	664,817	$	(488,151)	$	(776)	$	175,917
Exercise of stock options	1,958		—		28		—		—		28
Vesting of restricted stock units	625		—		—		—		—		—
Stock-based compensation	—		—		5,495		—		—		5,495
Other comprehensive gain	—		—		—		—		216		216
Net loss	—		—		—		(49,911)		—		(49,911)
Balance September 30, 2018	26,804,300	$	27	$	670,340	$	(538,062)	$	(560)	$	131,745

See accompanying notes to the condensed financial statements.

5

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.

Condensed Statements of Cash Flows

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

	Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2019		2018
Operating activities
Net loss	$	(35,219)	$	(141,771)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation expense		218		191
Accretion of premiums and discounts on investments		(140)		(134)
Non-cash interest expense related to the revenue interest liability		3,996		—
Stock-based compensation expense		19,526		17,139
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Prepaids and other assets		(1,802)		(5,267)
Deferred revenue		2,618		—
Accounts payable		(21,158)		(1,808)
Other accrued liabilities		11,614		11,704
Net cash used in operating activities		(20,347)		(119,946)
Investing activities
Purchases of investments		(26,630)		(25,481)
Proceeds from sales/maturities of investments		94,510		127,408
Purchase of property and equipment		(781)		(46)
Net cash provided by investing activities		67,099		101,881
Financing activities
Proceeds from revenue interest liability, net of issuance costs		124,424		—
Proceeds from exercise of common stock options		4,757		11,401
Payments on long-term debt		—		(1,049)
Net cash provided by financing activities		129,181		10,352
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents		175,933		(7,713)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period		36,973		34,468
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	$	212,906	$	26,755
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Purchase of property and equipment not yet paid	$	74	$	293
Non cash right of use asset		31		—

See accompanying notes to the condensed financial statements.

6

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.

Notes to the Condensed Financial Statements

(unaudited)

1. The Company and Basis of Presentation

The Company is the Lipid Management Company, a late-stage pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing complementary, cost-effective, convenient, once-daily, oral therapies for the treatment of patients with elevated low density lipoprotein cholesterol ("LDL-C"). Through scientific and clinical excellence, and a deep understanding of cholesterol biology, the experienced Lipid Management Team at Esperion is committed to developing new LDL-C lowering therapies that will make a substantial impact on reducing global cardiovascular disease ("CVD"); the leading cause of death around the world. Bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet are targeted therapies that are being developed to significantly lower elevated LDL-C levels in patients with hypercholesterolemia, including patients inadequately treated with current lipid-modifying therapies.

On February 11, 2019, the Company submitted the Marketing Authorisation Applications (“MAAs”) for bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet to the European Medicines Agency (“EMA”). On February 21, 2019, the Company submitted the new drug application (“NDA”) for bempedoic acid and on February 26, 2019, the Company submitted the NDA for the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet to the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) for LDL-C lowering indications. On February 28, 2019, the EMA completed formal validation of the MAAs for bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet for LDL-C lowering indications. On May 5, 2019, the Company announced that the FDA accepted the NDAs for bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet for filing and regulatory review. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act (“PDUFA”) goal date for completion of the bempedoic acid NDA review is set for February 21, 2020, and the PDUFA goal date for completion of the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet NDA review is set for February 26, 2020. These dates are consistent with the Company’s expectations and reflect the standard review period. The FDA has communicated that there is no current plan to hold an advisory committee meeting to discuss the applications.

The Company is conducting a global cardiovascular outcomes trial ("CVOT")—known as Cholesterol Lowering via BEmpedoic Acid, an ACL-inhibiting Regimen (CLEAR) Outcomes. The trial is designed to evaluate whether treatment with bempedoic acid reduces the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with statin intolerance (“statin averse”) who have CVD or are at high risk for CVD. The Company initiated the CLEAR Outcomes CVOT in December 2016 and fully enrolled the study with 14,032 patients in August 2019. The primary endpoint of the study is the effect of bempedoic acid on major adverse cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, or coronary revascularization; also referred to as "four-component MACE"). CLEAR Outcomes is an event-driven trial and will conclude once the predetermined number of major adverse cardiovascular events (“MACE”) endpoints occur. Based on estimated cardiovascular event rates, the Company expects to meet the target number of events in the second half of 2022. The Company intends to use positive results from this CVOT to support submissions for a CV risk reduction indication in the U.S. and Europe.

The Company's primary activities since incorporation have been conducting research and development activities, including nonclinical, preclinical and clinical testing, performing business and financial planning, recruiting personnel, and raising capital. Accordingly, the Company has not commenced principal operations and is subject to risks and uncertainties which include the need to research, develop, and clinically test potential therapeutic products; obtain regulatory approvals for its products and commercialize them, if approved; expand its management and scientific staff; and finance its operations with an ultimate goal of achieving profitable operations.

The Company has sustained annual operating losses since inception and expects such losses to continue over the foreseeable future. While management believes current cash resources and future cash received from the Company's collaboration agreement with Daiichi Sankyo Europe GmbH ("DSE"), entered into on January 2, 2019, and from the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement (“RIPA”) with Eiger III SA LLC (“Oberland”), an affiliate of Oberland Capital LLC, and the Purchasers named therein, entered into on June 26, 2019, will fund operations for the foreseeable future, management may continue to fund operations and advance the development of the Company's product candidates through a combination of collaborations with third parties, strategic alliances, licensing arrangements, permitted debt financings, permitted royalty-based financings, and private and public and equity offerings or through other sources.

7

If adequate funds are not available, the Company may not be able to continue the development of its current or future product candidates, or to commercialize its current or future product candidates, if approved.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying condensed financial statements are unaudited and were prepared by the Company in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”). In the opinion of management, the Company has made all adjustments, which include only normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the Company’s financial position and results of operations for the interim periods presented. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform with current year presentation. Certain information and disclosures normally included in the annual financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted. These condensed interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018, and the notes thereto, which are included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018. The results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for a full year, any other interim periods or any future year or period.

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, expenses and related disclosures. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company invests its excess cash in bank deposits, money market accounts, and short-term investments. The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of 90 days or less at the time of purchase to be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents are reported at fair value.

Restricted Cash

Restricted cash consists of legally restricted amounts held by financial institutions pursuant to contractual arrangements.

Investments

Investments 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 investments classified as available-for-sale are adjusted for the amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity and recorded in other income, net. Realized gains and losses, if any, are determined using the specific identification method and recorded in other income, net. Investments with original maturities beyond 90 days at the date of purchase and which mature at, or less than twelve months from, the balance sheet date are classified as current. Investments with a maturity beyond twelve months from the balance sheet date are classified as long-term.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities consist of financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk. The Company has established guidelines for investment of its excess cash and believes the guidelines maintain safety and liquidity through diversification of counterparties and maturities.

Segment Information

The Company views its operations and manages its business in one operating segment, which is the business of researching, developing and commercializing therapies for the treatment of patients with elevated LDL-C.

8

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company’s cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and investments are carried at fair value. Financial instruments, including other prepaid and current assets, accounts payable and accrued liabilities are carried at cost, which approximates fair value. Debt is carried at amortized cost, which approximates fair value.

Property and Equipment, Net

Property and equipment are recorded at cost, less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is provided using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the respective assets, generally three to ten years. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the lesser of the lease term or the estimated useful lives of the related assets.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company reviews long-lived assets, including property and equipment, for impairment whenever events or changes in business circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be fully recoverable. An impairment loss would be recognized when estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset and its eventual disposition are less than its carrying amount. The impairment loss, if recognized, would be based on the excess of the carrying value of the impaired asset over its respective fair value. No impairment losses have been recorded through September 30, 2019.

Leases

The Company reviews all arrangements to determine if the contract contains a lease or an embedded lease using the criteria in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 842. If a lease is identified, the Company reviews the consideration in the contract and separates the lease components from the nonlease components. In addition, the Company reviews the classification of the lease between operating and finance leases. According to ASC 842, lessees should discount lease payments at the lease commencement date using the rate implicit in the lease. If the rate implicit in the lease is not readily determinable, a lessee must use its incremental borrowing rate for purposes of classifying the lease and measuring the right-of-use asset and liability. To the extent the rate is not implicit in the lease, the Company uses the incremental borrowing rate it would have to pay to borrow on a collateralized basis over a similar term in an amount equal to the lease payments in a similar economic environment.

Revenue Interest Liability

The revenue interest liability is presented net of deferred issuance costs on the condensed balance sheets. The Company imputes interest expense associated with this liability using the effective interest rate method. The effective interest rate is calculated based on the rate that would enable the debt to be repaid in full over the anticipated life of the arrangement. The interest rate on the liability may vary during the term of the agreement depending on a number of factors, including the level of forecasted net sales. The Company evaluates the interest rate quarterly based on its current net sales forecasts utilizing the prospective method.

Revenue Recognition

a. Collaboration Revenue

The Company has entered into an agreement related to its activities to develop, manufacture, and commercialize its product candidates. The Company earns collaboration revenue in connection with a collaboration agreement to develop and/or commercialize product candidates where the Company deems the collaborator to be the customer. The Company has adopted ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, and under the terms of the standard, revenue is measured as the amount of consideration expected to be entitled to in exchange for transferring promised goods or providing services to a customer. Revenue is recognized when (or as) the Company satisfies performance obligations under the terms of a contract. Depending on the terms of the arrangement, the Company may defer the recognition of all or a portion of the consideration received as the performance obligations are satisfied.

The collaboration agreement may require the Company to deliver various rights, services, and/or goods across the entire life cycle of a product or product candidate. In the agreement involving multiple goods or services promised to be transferred to a customer, the Company must assess, at the inception of the contract, whether each promise represents a separate performance obligation (i.e., is "distinct"), or whether such promises should be combined as a single performance obligation.

9

The terms of the agreement typically include consideration to be provided to the Company in the form of non-refundable up-front payments, development milestones, sales milestones, and royalties on sales of products within a respective territory.

At the inception of the contract, the transaction price reflects the amount of consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for transferring promised goods or services to its customer. In the arrangement where the Company satisfies performance obligation(s) during the regulatory phase over time, the Company recognizes collaboration revenue typically using an input method on the basis of regulatory costs incurred relative to the total expected cost which determines the extent of progress toward completion. The Company reviews the estimate of the transaction price and the total expected cost each period, and makes revisions to such estimates as necessary.

Under the Company's collaboration agreement, product sales and cost of sales may be recorded by the Company's collaborators as they are deemed to be the principal in the transaction. The Company receives royalties from the commercialization of such products, and records its share of the variable consideration, representing a percentage of net product sales, as collaboration revenue in the period in which such underlying sales occur and costs are incurred by the collaborator. The collaborator will provide the Company with estimates of its royalties for such quarter; these estimates are reconciled to actual results in the subsequent quarter, and the royalty is adjusted accordingly, as necessary.

Please refer to the discussion in Note 3 “Collaborations with Third Parties” for further discussion of the accounting related to the collaboration agreement.

Research and Development

Research and development expenses consist of costs incurred to further the Company's research and development activities and include salaries and related benefits, costs associated with clinical activities, nonclinical activities, regulatory activities, manufacturing activities to support clinical activities and commercial product manufacturing supply as the Company approaches anticipated approval, research-related overhead expenses and fees paid to external service providers that conduct certain research and development, clinical, and manufacturing activities on behalf of the Company. Research and development costs are expensed as incurred.

Accrued Clinical Development Costs

Outside research costs are a component of research and development expense. These expenses include fees paid to clinical research organizations and other service providers that conduct certain clinical and product development activities on behalf of the Company. Depending upon the timing of payments to the service providers, the Company recognizes prepaid expenses or accrued expenses related to these costs. These accrued or prepaid expenses are based on management's estimates of the work performed under service agreements, milestones achieved and experience with similar contracts. The Company monitors each of these factors and adjusts estimates accordingly.

Income Taxes

The Company utilizes the liability method of accounting for income taxes as required by ASC 740, Income Taxes. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between financial reporting and the tax basis of assets and liabilities and are measured using enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. The Company has incurred annual operating losses since inception. Accordingly, it is not more likely than not that the Company will realize a tax benefit from its deferred tax assets and as such, it has recorded a full valuation allowance.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company accounts for stock-based compensation in accordance with the provisions of ASC 718, Compensation-Stock Compensation. Accordingly, compensation costs related to equity instruments granted are recognized over the requisite service periods of the awards on a straight-line basis at the grant-date fair value calculated using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The Company accounts for forfeitures as they occur. Expense is recognized during the period the related services are rendered.

10

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In November 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2018-08, which clarifies that certain transactions between collaborative arrangement participants should be accounted for as revenue under ASC 606 when the collaborative arrangement participant is a customer in the context of a unit of account. The standard is effective for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted, included in any interim period, provided an entity has already adopted ASC 606 or does so concurrently with the adoption of this guidance. The Company early adopted this guidance as of January 1, 2019, and implemented the new guidance in its consideration of the accounting for the DSE collaboration signed on January 2, 2019. Refer to Note 3 “Collaborations with Third Parties” and the Collaboration Revenue accounting policy above for further information.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, which was amended by subsequent updates (collectively the “lease standard” or “ASC 842”), and is intended to improve financial reporting about leasing transactions. The updated guidance requires a lessee to recognize assets and liabilities for leases with lease terms of more than twelve months. The Company adopted the standard on January 1, 2019 using the modified retrospective method. Results for the reporting period beginning after December 31, 2018 have been presented in accordance with the standard, while results for prior periods have not been adjusted. The Company recognized $1.0 million and $1.0 million of operating lease assets and operating lease liabilities, respectively, on the Company’s balance sheets as of January 1, 2019, primarily related to the lease agreement for the Company’s principal executive office. Refer to Note 9 “Leases” for more information on the Company’s leases.

There have been no other material changes to the significant accounting policies previously disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.

3. Collaborations with Third Parties

Agreement Terms

On January 2, 2019, the Company entered into a license and collaboration agreement with DSE. Pursuant to the agreement, the Company granted DSE exclusive commercialization rights to bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet in the European Economic Area and Switzerland (“DSE Territory”). DSE will be responsible for commercialization in the DSE Territory. The Company remains responsible for clinical development, regulatory and manufacturing activities for the licensed products globally, including in the DSE Territory.

Pursuant to the agreement, the consideration consists of a $150.0 million upfront cash payment as well as $150.0 million cash payment to the Company upon first commercial sales in the DSE Territory. The Company is also eligible to receive a substantial additional regulatory milestone payment upon the grant of the marketing authorisation in the European Union for the CV risk reduction label, depending on the range of relative risk reduction in the CLEAR Outcomes study. In addition, the Company is eligible to receive additional sales milestone payments related to total net sales achievements for DSE in the DSE Territory. Finally, the Company will receive tiered fifteen percent (15%) to twenty-five percent (25%) royalties on net DSE Territory sales.

The agreement calls for both parties to participate in a Joint Collaboration Committee (the “JCC”). The JCC is comprised of executive management from each company and the Company will lead in all aspects related to development and DSE will lead in all aspects related to commercialization in the DSE Territory.

Collaboration Revenue

The Company considered the guidance under ASC 606 and concluded that the agreement was in the scope of ASC 606. The Company concluded that the upfront payment of $150.0 million should be included in the transaction price and related to the following performance obligations under the agreement: 1) the license to the Company’s intellectual property and 2) the obligation to provide ongoing regulatory and development activities. The Company used the adjusted market assessment approach in determining the standalone selling price of the Company’s intellectual property and the expected cost plus margin approach in determining the standalone selling price of the Company’s obligation to provide ongoing regulatory and development activities. Accordingly, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, the Company recognized $1.0 million and $147.4 million of collaboration revenue related to the $150.0 million upfront payment, respectively. The $147.4 million relates to the performance obligations for the license to the Company’s intellectual property and a portion of ongoing regulatory and development activities conducted during the period

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ended September 30, 2019, in the amounts of $144.4 million and $3.0 million, respectively. The remaining $2.6 million of the upfront payment was deferred as of September 30, 2019 due to an on-going performance obligation related to the ongoing regulatory efforts related to the MAA in the DSE Territory. This deferred revenue will be recognized ratably over the period leading up to the approval of the MAA acceptance by the EMA.

All future potential milestone amounts were not included in the transaction price, as they were all determined to be fully constrained following the concepts of ASC 606 due to the fact that such amounts hinge on regulatory approval. Additionally, the Company expects that any consideration related to royalties and sales-based milestones will be recognized when the subsequent sales occur.

The Company has not yet recognized any revenue for milestone payments as the related regulatory and commercial milestones have not yet been achieved.

4. Warrants

In connection with the Credit Facility entered into in June 2014, the Company issued a warrant to purchase 8,230 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $15.19. The warrant was recorded at fair value of $0.1 million to additional paid-in-capital in accordance with ASC 815-10 based upon the allocation of the debt proceeds. During the nine months ended September 30, 2019, 8,230 warrants were net exercised for 5,813 shares of the Company’s common stock. As of September 30, 2019, the Company has no warrants outstanding.

5. Commitments and Contingencies

On January 12, 2016, a purported stockholder of the Company filed a putative class action lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, against the Company and Tim Mayleben, captioned Kevin L. Dougherty v. Esperion Therapeutics, Inc., et al. (No. 16-cv-10089). The lawsuit alleges that the Company and Mr. Mayleben violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and SEC Rule 10b-5 by allegedly failing to disclose in an August 17, 2015, public statement that the FDA would require a cardiovascular outcomes trial before approving the Company’s lead product candidate. The lawsuit seeks, among other things, compensatory damages in connection with an allegedly inflated stock price between August 18, 2015, and September 28, 2015, as well as attorneys' fees and costs. On May 20, 2016, an amended complaint was filed in the lawsuit and on July 5, 2016, the Company filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint. On December 27, 2016, the court granted the Company’s motion to dismiss with prejudice and entered judgment in the Company’s favor. On January 24, 2017, the plaintiffs in this lawsuit filed a motion to alter or amend the judgment. In May 2017, the court denied the plaintiff’s motion to alter or amend the judgment. On June 19, 2017, the plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and on September 14, 2017, they filed their opening brief in support of the appeal. The appeal was fully briefed on December 7, 2017, and it was argued before the Sixth Circuit on March 15, 2018. On September 27, 2018, the Sixth Circuit issued an opinion in which it reversed the district court's dismissal and remanded for further proceedings. On October 11, 2018, the Company filed a petition for rehearing en banc and, on October 23, 2018, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals directed plaintiffs to respond to that petition. On December 3, 2018, the Sixth Circuit denied the Company's petition for en banc rehearing, and on December 11, 2018, the case was returned to the federal district court by mandate from the Sixth Circuit. On December 26, 2018, the Company filed an answer to the amended complaint, and on March 28, 2019, the Company filed its amended answer to the amended complaint. The Company is unable to predict the outcome of this matter and is unable to make a meaningful estimate of the amount or range of loss, if any, that could result from an unfavorable outcome.

On December 15, 2016, a purported stockholder of the Company filed a derivative lawsuit in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware against Tim Mayleben, Roger Newton, Mary McGowan, Nicole Vitullo, Dov Goldstein, Daniel Janney, Antonio Gotto Jr., Mark McGovern, Gilbert Omenn, Scott Braunstein, and Patrick Enright. The Company is named as a nominal defendant. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants breached their fiduciary duties to the Company when they made or approved improper statements on August 17, 2015, regarding the Company’s lead product candidate’s path to FDA approval, and failed to ensure that reliable systems of internal controls were in place at the Company. On February 8, 2019, the Company and defendants filed a motion to dismiss the derivative lawsuit. On April 23, 2019, the plaintiff filed an opposition to the motion to dismiss the derivative lawsuit, and the Company filed a reply brief on May 15, 2019. The lawsuit seeks, among other things, any damages sustained by the Company as a result of the defendants’ alleged breaches of fiduciary duties, including damages related to the above-referenced securities class action, an order directing the Company to take all necessary actions to reform and improve its corporate governance and internal procedures, restitution from the defendants, and attorneys’ fees and costs. The Company is unable to predict the outcome of this

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matter and is unable to make a meaningful estimate of the amount or range of loss, if any, that could result from an unfavorable outcome.

On May 7, 2018, a purported stockholder of the Company filed a putative class action lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, captioned Kevin Bailey v. Esperion Therapeutics, Inc., et al. (No. 18-cv-11438). An amended complaint was filed on October 22, 2018, against the Company and certain directors and officers. The amended complaint alleges violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and SEC Rule 10b-5 based on allegedly making false and misleading statements and omissions about the safety and tolerability of bempedoic acid, and specifically facts and circumstances surrounding the Phase 3 trial results for bempedoic acid that the Company announced on May 2, 2018. On November 13, 2018, the Company filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint, and that motion was fully briefed on December 18, 2018. The lawsuit sought, among other things, compensatory damages in connection with an allegedly inflated stock price between February 22, 2017, and May 22, 2018, as well as attorneys’ fees and costs. On February 19, 2019, the court granted the Company’s motion to dismiss with prejudice and entered judgment in the Company’s favor.

There have been no other material changes to the Company’s contractual obligations and commitments and contingencies outside the ordinary course of business from those previously disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 other than the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement disclosed in Note 8 “Liability Related to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement.”

6. Investments

The following table summarizes the Company’s cash equivalents and investments:

	September 30, 2019
			Gross		Gross		Estimated
	Amortized		Unrealized		Unrealized		Fair
	Cost		Gains		Losses		Value
	(in thousands)
Cash equivalents:
Money market funds	$	55,199	$	—	$	—	$	55,199
Short-term investments:
Certificates of deposit		245		—		—		245
U.S. treasury notes		31,627		11		—		31,638
Total	$	87,071	$	11	$	—	$	87,082

	December 31, 2018
			Gross		Gross		Estimated
	Amortized		Unrealized		Unrealized		Fair
	Cost		Gains		Losses		Value
	(in thousands)
Cash equivalents:
Money market funds	$	34,526	$	—	$	—	$	34,526
Short-term investments:
Certificates of deposit		3,873		—		(7)		3,866
U.S treasury notes		44,897		—		(142)		44,755
U.S. government agency securities		50,598		—		(169)		50,429
Long-term investments:
Certificates of deposit		244		—		(1)		243
Total	$	134,138	$	—	$	(319)	$	133,819

At September 30, 2019, remaining contractual maturities of investments classified as current on the balance sheets were less than 12 months and at December 31, 2018, remaining contractual maturities of investments classified as long-term were less than two years.

During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, other income, net in the statements of operations includes interest income on investments of $1.2 million and $2.6 million, and income for the accretion of premiums and discounts on investments of $0.2 million and $0.3 million, respectively. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, other income,

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net in the statements of operations includes interest income on investments of $0.6 million and $2.1 million, and income for the accretion of premiums and discounts on investments of less than $0.1 million and $0.1 million, respectively.

There were no unrealized gains or losses on investments reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss to other income in the statements of operations during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018.

7. Fair Value Measurements

The Company follows accounting guidance that emphasizes that fair value is a market-based measurement, not an entity-specific measurement. Fair value is defined as “the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.” Fair value measurements are defined on a three level hierarchy:

Level 1 inputs:	Quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets;
Level 2 inputs:	Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted market prices for similar assets or liabilities or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by market data; and
Level 3 inputs:	Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and require the reporting entity to develop assumptions that market participants would use when pricing the asset or liability.

The following table presents the Company’s financial assets and liabilities that have been measured at fair value on a recurring basis:

Description	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
	(in thousands)
September 30, 2019
Assets:
Money market funds	$	55,199	$	55,199	$	—	$	—
Investments:
Certificates of deposit		245		245		—		—
U.S. treasury notes		31,638		31,638		—		—
Total assets at fair value	$	87,082	$	87,082	$	—	$	—
December 31, 2018
Assets:
Money market funds	$	34,526	$	34,526	$	—	$	—
Investments:
Certificates of deposit		4,109		4,109		—		—
U.S. treasury notes		44,755		44,755		—		—
U.S. government agency securities		50,429		—		50,429		—
Total assets at fair value	$	133,819	$	83,390	$	50,429	$	—

At September 30, 2019, the fair value of the $128.4 million revenue interest liability is based on the Company’s current estimates of future revenues expected to be paid to Eiger III SA LLC (“Oberland”), an affiliate of Oberland Capital LLC, over the life of the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement (“RIPA”). The liability is considered a Level 3 input based on the three level hierarchy. Refer to Note 8 for further information.

There were no transfers between Levels 1, 2 or 3 during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018.

8. Liability Related to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement

On June 26, 2019, the Company entered into a RIPA with Oberland, as agent for purchasers party thereto (the “Purchasers”), and the Purchasers named therein, to obtain financing in respect to the commercialization and further development of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet and other working capital needs. Pursuant to the RIPA, the Company received $125.0 million at closing, less certain issuance costs. The Company will also be entitled to receive up to approximately $75.0 million

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in subsequent installments subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the RIPA: (i) $25.0 million upon certain regulatory approval of its product candidates and (ii) $50.0 million, at the Company’s option, upon reaching $100.0 million trailing worldwide six-month net sales any time prior to December 31, 2021 (the “Third Payment”).

As consideration for such payments, the Purchasers will have a right to receive certain revenue interests (the “Revenue Interests”) from the Company based upon net sales of the Company’s certain products, once approved, which will be tiered payments initially ranging from 2.5% to 7.5% of the Company’s net sales in the covered territory (the “Covered Territory”); provided that (a) if annual net sales equal or exceed $350.0 million by December 31, 2021 (the “Sales Threshold”), the initially tiered revenue interest rate will be decreased to a single rate of 2.5% of the Company’s net sales in the Covered Territory, beginning on January 1, 2022, and (b) if annual net sales equal or exceed the Sales Threshold and if the Purchasers receive 100% of their invested capital by December 31, 2024, the revenue interest rate will be decreased to a single rate of 0.4% of the Company’s net sales in the Covered Territory beginning on January 1, 2025. If the Third Payment is drawn down by the Company, the applicable royalty rates will increase by one-third. The Covered Territory is the United States, but is subject to expand to include the world-wide net sales if the Company’s annual U.S. net sales are less than $350.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The U.S. net sales milestone thresholds are not to be taken as financial guidance. The Purchasers’ rights to receive the Revenue Interests shall terminate on the date on which the Purchasers have received Revenue Interests payments of 195% of the then aggregate purchase price (the “Cumulative Purchaser Payments”) paid to the Company, unless the RIPA is terminated earlier.

Under the RIPA, the Company has an option (the “Call Option”) to terminate the RIPA and repurchase future Revenue Interests at any time upon advance written notice. Additionally, the Purchasers have an option (the “Put Option”) to terminate the RIPA and to require the Company to repurchase future Revenue Interests upon enumerated events such as a bankruptcy event, an uncured material breach, a material adverse effect or a change of control. If the Put Option is exercised prior to the first anniversary of the closing date by the Purchasers (except pursuant to a change of control), the required repurchase price will be 120% of the Cumulative Purchaser Payments (minus all payments Company has made to the Purchasers in connection with the Revenue Interests). In all other cases, if the Put Option or the Call Option are exercised, the required repurchase price will be 175% of the Cumulative Purchaser Payments (minus all payments Company has made to the Purchasers in connection with the Revenue Interests), if such option is exercised prior to the third anniversary of the closing date, and 195% of the Cumulative Purchaser Payments (minus all payments Company has made to the Purchasers in connection with the Revenue Interests), if such option is exercised thereafter.

In addition, the RIPA contains various representations and warranties, information rights, non-financial covenants, indemnification obligations and other provisions that are customary for a transaction of this nature.

In connection with the arrangement, the Company recorded a liability, referred to as the “Revenue interest liability” in the condensed balance sheets, of $128.4 million, net of $0.6 million of unamortized issuance costs in connection with the RIPA. The Company imputes interest expense associated with this liability using the effective interest rate method. The effective interest rate is calculated based on the rate that would enable the debt to be repaid in full over the anticipated life of the arrangement. The interest rate on this liability may vary during the term of the agreement depending on a number of factors, including the level of forecasted net sales. The Company evaluates the interest rate quarterly based on its current net sales forecasts utilizing the prospective method. Future payments under the RIPA may range from $0.1 million in the next year to a maximum total payment of $243.8 million beyond one year. Per the terms of the agreement, every $100 million of net sales generated, less than or equal to $250 million in an annual aggregate, would result in a repayment obligation of approximately $7.5 million at the stated repayment rate in the first year. In the future, as net sales thresholds set forth in the agreement are met and the repayment percentage rate changes, the amount of the obligation and timing of payment is likely to change. As products are not yet approved for sale, the exact timing or amounts of repayment is likely to change each reporting period. A significant increase or decrease in net sales will materially impact the revenue interest liability, interest expense and the time period for repayment. The Company recorded approximately $4.0 million in interest expense related to this arrangement for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019.

The fair value of the revenue interest liability upon entering into the RIPA was $125.0 million, with an effective annual imputed interest rate of 12.6%. The Company incurred $0.6 million of issuance costs in connection with the RIPA, which will be amortized to interest expense over the estimated term of the RIPA. Payments made to Oberland as a result of the Company's net sales will reduce the revenue interest liability.

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The following table summarizes the revenue interest liability activity during the nine months ended September 30, 2019:

	(in thousands)
Revenue interest liability at June 26, 2019	$	125,000
Interest expense recognized		3,996
Capitalized issuance costs		(576)
Revenue interest liability at September 30, 2019	$	128,420

9. Stock Compensation

2017 Inducement Equity Plan

In May 2017, the Company’s board of directors approved the 2017 Inducement Equity Plan (the “2017 Plan”). The number of shares of common stock available for awards under the 2017 Plan was set to 750,000, with any shares of common stock that are forfeited, cancelled, held back upon the exercise or settlement of an award to cover the exercise price or tax withholding, reacquired by the Company prior to vesting, satisfied without the issuance of common stock, or otherwise terminated (other than by exercise) under the 2017 Plan added back to the shares of common stock available for issuance under the 2017 Plan.

2013 Stock Option and Incentive Plan

In May 2015, the Company's stockholders approved the amended and restated 2013 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (as amended, the “2013 Plan”). The number of shares of common stock available for awards under the 2013 Plan was set to 2,975,000 shares, plus (i) shares of common stock that are forfeited, cancelled, held back upon the exercise or settlement of an award to cover the exercise price or tax withholding, reacquired by the Company prior to vesting, satisfied without the issuance of common stock or otherwise terminated (other than by exercise) under the 2013 Plan and the Company's 2008 Incentive Stock Option and Restricted Stock Plan are added back to the shares of common stock available for issuance under the 2013 Plan, and (ii) on January 1, 2016, and each January 1, thereafter, the number of shares of common stock reserved and available for issuance under the 2013 Plan will be cumulatively increased by 2.5% of the number of shares of common stock outstanding on the immediately preceding December 31, or such lesser number of shares of common stock determined by the compensation committee.

The 2017 Plan provides for the granting of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards, restricted stock units (“RSUs”), unrestricted stock awards and dividend equivalent rights. The 2013 Plan provides for the granting of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards, RSUs, unrestricted stock awards, cash-based awards, performance share awards and dividend equivalent rights. The Company incurs stock-based compensation expense related to stock options and RSUs. The fair value of RSUs is determined by the closing market price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. The fair value of stock options is calculated using a Black-Scholes option pricing model. The Company accounts for stock-based compensation in accordance with the provisions of ASC 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation. Accordingly, compensation costs related to equity instruments granted are recognized over the requisite service periods of the awards on a straight-line basis at the grant-date fair value. In accordance with the adoption of ASU 2016-09, the Company accounts for forfeitures as they occur.

The following table summarizes the activity relating to the Company’s options to purchase common stock for the nine months ended September 30, 2019:

		Weighted-Average		Weighted-Average
		Exercise		Remaining	Aggregate
	Number of	Price		Contractual	Intrinsic
	Options	Per Share		Term (Years)	Value
					(in thousands)
Outstanding at December 31, 2018	5,303,723	$	37.01	7.42	$	83,473
Granted	542,875	$	46.95
Forfeited or expired	(419,628)	$	47.06
Exercised	(333,708)	$	14.26
Outstanding at September 30, 2019	5,093,262	$	38.73	6.63	$	45,443

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The following table summarizes information about the Company’s stock option plan as of September 30, 2019:

		Weighted-Average		Weighted-Average
		Exercise		Remaining	Aggregate
	Number of	Price		Contractual	Intrinsic
	Options	Per Share		Term (Years)	Value
					(in thousands)
Vested and expected to vest at September 30, 2019	5,093,262	$	38.73	6.63	$	45,443
Exercisable at September 30, 2019	3,142,954	$	33.05	5.31	$	39,711

During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, the Company recognized $5.5 million and $18.1 million, respectively, of stock-based compensation expense related to stock options. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, the Company recognized $5.3 million and $16.6 million, respectively, of stock-based compensation expense related to stock options. As of September 30, 2019, there was $55.6 million of unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to unvested options, which will be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.8 years.

The following table summarizes the activity relating to the Company’s RSUs for the nine months ended September 30, 2019:

		Weighted-Average
	Number of	Fair Value Per
	RSUs	Share
Outstanding and unvested at December 31, 2018	37,475	$	66.96
Granted	168,579	$	41.28
Vested	(13,850)	$	66.24
Outstanding and unvested at September 30, 2019	192,204	$	44.48

During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, the Company recognized $0.8 million and $1.4 million, respectively, of stock-based compensation expense related to RSUs. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, the Company recognized $0.2 million and $0.5 million, respectively, of stock-based compensation expense related to RSUs. As of September 30, 2019, there was $7.6 million of unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to unvested RSUs, which will be recognized over a weighted-average period of 3.0 years.

10. Leases

The Company has operating leases primarily related to the Company’s principal executive office, automobile leases and other IT related equipment. The lease for the principal executive office has a lease term of 5 years and the automobile leases and IT equipment leases primarily have a term of 3 years. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, the Company recognized $0.1 million and $0.2 million, respectively, of operating lease costs, recognized on the Condensed Statements of Operations, and paid cash for the amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities of $0.1 million and $0.2 million, respectively, which were included in operating cash flows on the Condensed Statements of Cash Flows. At September 30, 2019, the weighted-average remaining lease term of operating leases was 3.8 years and the weighted average discount rate was 7.6%. There were no right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations in the nine months ended September 30, 2019. The Company had no additional operating and finance leases that have not yet commenced as of September 30, 2019.

The following table summarizes the Company’s future maturities of operating lease liabilities as of September 30, 2019:

	(in thousands)
2019	$	88
2020		338
2021		321
2022		299
2023		217
Total lease payments		1,263
Less imputed interest		176
Total	$	1,087

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The following table summarizes supplemental balance sheet information related to leases as of September 30, 2019:

Operating Leases	(in thousands)
Right of use operating lease assets (short-term)	$	260
Right of use operating lease assets (long-term)		796
Total right of use operating lease assets	$	1,056
Operating lease liabilities (short-term)	$	267
Operating lease liabilities (long-term)		820
Total lease obligations under operating leases	$	1,087

11. Income Taxes

There was no provision for income taxes for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, because the Company has incurred annual operating losses since inception. At September 30, 2019, the Company continues to conclude that it is not more likely than not that the Company will realize the benefit of its deferred tax assets due to its history of losses. Accordingly, a full valuation allowance has been applied against the net deferred tax assets.

12. Net Loss Per Common Share

Basic net loss per share is calculated by dividing net loss by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period, without consideration for common stock equivalents. Diluted net loss per share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted-average number of common stock equivalents outstanding for the period, including shares that potentially could be dilutive if they were exercised during the period, determined using the treasury-stock method. For purposes of this calculation, warrants for common stock, stock options and unvested RSUs are considered to be common stock equivalents and are only included in the calculation of diluted net loss per share when their effect is dilutive.

The shares outstanding at the end of the respective periods presented below were excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share due to their anti-dilutive effect:

	September 30,	December 31,
	2019	2018
Warrants for common stock	—	8,230
Common shares under option	5,093,262	5,303,723
Unvested RSUs	192,204	37,475
Total potential dilutive shares	5,285,466	5,349,428

13. Statements of Cash Flows

The following table provides a reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash presented on the Condensed Balance Sheets to the same amounts presented on the Condensed Statements of Cash Flows on September 30, 2019 and 2018.

	September 30,		September 30,
	2019		2018
Cash and cash equivalents	$	211,978	$	26,755
Restricted cash		928		—
Total cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash shown on the Condensed Statements of Cash Flows	$	212,906	$	26,755

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Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our condensed financial statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 and other filings that we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act). These forward-looking statements are based on our management’s belief and assumptions and on information currently available to management. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements relate to future events, including our clinical development plans, or our future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, including in relation to the clinical development or regulatory approval of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements, including in relation to the clinical development or regulatory approval of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet, expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of words such as, but not limited to, “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar terminology. These statements are only predictions. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which are, in some cases, beyond our control and that could materially affect results. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, those referred to or discussed in or incorporated by reference into the section titled “Risk Factors” included in Item 1A of Part II of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties occur, or if our underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual events or results may vary significantly from those implied or projected by the forward-looking statements. No forward-looking statement is a guarantee of future performance.

The forward-looking statements in this report represent our views as of the date of this quarterly report. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements.

Overview

Corporate Overview

We are the Lipid Management Company, a late-stage pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing complementary, cost-effective, convenient, once-daily, oral therapies for the treatment of patients with elevated low density lipoprotein cholesterol, or LDL-C. Through scientific and clinical excellence, and a deep understanding of cholesterol biology, the experienced Lipid Management Team at Esperion is committed to developing new LDL-C lowering therapies that will make a substantial impact on reducing global cardiovascular disease, or CVD; the leading cause of death around the world. Bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet are targeted therapies that are being developed to significantly lower elevated LDL-C levels in patients with hypercholesterolemia, including patients inadequately treated with current lipid-modifying therapies.

On February 11, 2019, we submitted the Marketing Authorisation Applications, or MAAs, for bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet to the European Medicines Agency, or EMA. On February 21, 2019, we submitted the new drug application, or NDA, for bempedoic acid and on February 26, 2019, we submitted the NDA for the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet to the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, for LDL-C lowering indications. On February 28, 2019, the EMA completed formal validation of the MAAs for bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet for LDL-C lowering indications. On May 5, 2019, we announced that the FDA accepted the NDAs for bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet for filing and regulatory review. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act, or PDUFA, goal date for completion of the bempedoic acid NDA review is set for February 21, 2020, and the PDUFA goal date for completion of the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet NDA review is set for February 26, 2020. These dates are consistent with our

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expectations and reflect the standard review period. The FDA has communicated that there is no current plan to hold an advisory committee meeting to discuss the applications.

On January 2, 2019, we entered into a license and collaboration agreement with Daiichi Sankyo Europe GmbH, or DSE. Pursuant to the agreement, we have granted DSE exclusive commercialization rights to bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet in the European Economic Area and Switzerland, or the DSE Territory. DSE will be responsible for commercialization in the DSE Territory. We remain responsible for clinical development, regulatory and manufacturing activities for the licensed products globally, including in the DSE Territory. Pursuant to the agreement, the consideration consists of a $150.0 million upfront cash payment as well as $150.0 million cash payment upon first commercial sales in the DSE Territory. We are also eligible to receive a substantial additional regulatory milestone payment upon the grant of the marketing authorisation in the European Union for the CV risk reduction label, depending on the range of relative risk reduction in the CLEAR Outcomes study. In addition, we are eligible to receive additional sales milestone payments. Finally, we will receive tiered fifteen percent (15%) to twenty-five percent (25%) royalties on net DSE Territory sales.

On June 26, 2019, we entered into a Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement, or RIPA, with Eiger II SA LLC, or Oberland, an affiliate of Oberland Capital LLC, and the Purchasers named therein. Pursuant to the RIPA, Oberland paid us $125.0 million on closing, less certain issuance costs, and, subject to the RIPA, we are eligible for an additional $25.0 million upon certain regulatory approval of our product candidates and $50.0 million at our option upon reaching certain sales thresholds. As consideration for the payments, Oberland has the right to receive certain revenue interests from us based on the net sales of certain products, once approved, which will be tiered payments initially ranging from 2.5% to 7.5% of our net sales in the covered territory. The initial mid-single digit repayment rate on U.S. revenue steps down to less than one percent rate upon certain revenue achievements. Esperion reacquires 100% revenue rights upon repayment completion. Refer to Note 8 “Liability Related to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement” in the Notes to the Condensed Financial Statements for further information.

We are conducting a global cardiovascular outcomes trial, or CVOT, – known as Cholesterol Lowering via BEmpedoic Acid, an ACL-inhibiting Regimen (CLEAR) Outcomes. The trial is designed to evaluate whether treatment with bempedoic acid reduces the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with statin intolerance, or statin averse, who have CVD or are at high risk for CVD. We initiated the CLEAR Outcomes CVOT in December 2016 and fully enrolled the study with 14,032 patients in August 2019. The primary endpoint of the study is the effect of bempedoic acid on major adverse cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, or coronary revascularization; also referred to as "four-component MACE"). CLEAR Outcomes is an event-driven trial and will conclude once the predetermined number of major adverse cardiovascular events, or MACE, endpoints occur. Based on estimated cardiovascular event rates, we expect to meet the target number of events in the second half of 2022. We intend to use positive results from this CVOT to support submissions for a CV risk reduction indication in the U.S. and Europe.

We were incorporated in Delaware in January 2008, and commenced our operations in April 2008. Since our inception, we have focused substantially all of our efforts and financial resources on developing bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet. We have funded our operations to date primarily through proceeds from sales of preferred stock, convertible promissory notes and warrants, public offerings of common stock, the incurrence of indebtedness, through collaborations with third parties and revenue interest purchase agreements, and we have incurred losses in each year since our inception.

We do not have any products approved for sale. To date, we have not generated any revenue from the sales of bempedoic acid or the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet. Our net losses were $68.4 and $49.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively, and were $35.2 million and $141.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. All of our prior net losses resulted from costs incurred in connection with research and development programs, general and administrative costs associated with our operations. We expect to incur significant expenses and operating losses for the foreseeable future. We expect our expenses to increase in connection with our ongoing activities, including, among others:

● completing the clinical development activities for the CLEAR Outcomes CVOT;

● seeking regulatory approvals for bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet;

● commercializing bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet, if approved; and

● operating as a public company.

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Accordingly, we may need additional financing to support our continuing operations and further the development of our product candidates. We may seek to fund our operations and further development activities through collaborations with third parties, strategic alliances, licensing arrangements, permitted debt financings, permitted public or private equity offerings or through other sources. Adequate additional financing may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all. Our failure to raise capital as and when needed would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and our ability to pursue our business strategy or continue operations. We will need to generate significant revenues to achieve profitability, and we may never do so.

Product Overview

Bempedoic acid is our lead, non-statin, oral, once-daily, LDL-C lowering therapeutic candidate, currently under regulatory review by the FDA and the EMA. With a targeted mechanism of action, bempedoic acid is a first-in-class, ATP Citrate Lyase, or ACL, inhibitor that lowers LDL-C by reducing cholesterol biosynthesis and up-regulating the LDL receptor. Bempedoic acid has also been observed to reduce high sensitivity C-reactive protein, or hsCRP, a key marker of inflammation associated with cardiovascular disease. Completed Phase 3 studies conducted in more than 4,000 patients, with over 2,600 patients treated with bempedoic acid, demonstrated up to 18 percent placebo corrected LDL-C lowering when used with moderate- and high-intensity statins and 21 to 28 percent placebo corrected LDL-C lowering when used with low dose or no background statin.

Through the complementary mechanisms of action of inhibition of cholesterol synthesis (bempedoic acid) and inhibition of cholesterol absorption (ezetimibe), the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet is a non-statin, orally available, once-daily, LDL-C lowering therapeutic candidate, currently under review by the FDA and EMA. Inhibition of ACL by bempedoic acid lowers LDL-C by reducing cholesterol biosynthesis and up-regulating the LDL receptor. Inhibition of Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1 by ezetimibe results in reduced absorption of cholesterol from the gastrointestinal tract, thereby reducing delivery of cholesterol to the liver. Phase 3 data demonstrated that this combination resulted in a 29 percent placebo corrected LDL-C lowering when used with maximally tolerated statins, a 44 percent LDL-C lowering when used with no background statin (post-hoc analysis), and a 34 percent reduction in hsCRP.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2019, we incurred $86.9 million in expenses related to our CLEAR Outcomes CVOT, our open-label extension study, and our 1002FDC-058 study.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2018, we incurred $90.1 million in expenses related to the four studies in our global pivotal Phase 3 LDL-C lowering program, our CLEAR Outcomes CVOT, our 1002FDC-053 study, our open-label extension study, our 1002FDC-058 study and our Phase 2 (1002-39) clinical study of bempedoic acid when added-on to an injectable proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitor, or PCSK9i, therapy in patients with hypercholesterolemia.

Program Developments

Results from the initial clinical study of the 100 mg modified release formulation of bempedoic acid demonstrated consistent twenty nine percent (29%) LDL-C lowering, with approximately one-half the active pharmaceutical ingredient of the current 180 mg bempedoic acid tablet, as well as favorable safety and Pharmacokinetics, or PK, parameters. These results provide initial proof-of-concept for the modified release formulation of bempedoic acid to increase efficacy, extend the patent life of the bempedoic acid franchise into 2038 while utilizing a 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway to approval, and reduce manufacturing costs.

1002FDC-058 – Phase 2 efficacy and safety study of the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet in patients with hypercholesterolemia and Type 2 Diabetes

On August 29, 2019, we announced top-line results from the Phase 2 bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet study (1002-058). The 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled, parallel group multicenter study evaluated the efficacy and safety of the bempedoic acid 180 mg / ezetimibe 10 mg combination tablet compared to ezetimibe 10 mg and placebo in patients with both hypercholesterolemia and type 2 diabetes being treated with stable diabetes. Patients enrolled were on stable background diabetes medication and washed out of lipid modifying therapy. The study was conducted in 28 sites in North America and a total of 179 patients were randomized 1:1:1 to receive the bempedoic acid 180 mg / ezetimibe 10 mg combination tablet, ezetimibe 10 mg or placebo. The co-primary objectives included assessments of LDL-C lowering of the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet versus ezetimibe and placebo. The secondary objectives included assessments of hemoglobin A1c, or HbA1c, hsCRP, non-HDL-C,

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total cholesterol, or TC, and apolipoprotein B, or apoB, after 12 weeks of treatment as well as characterizing the safety and tolerability of the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet versus ezetimibe and placebo.

The 12-week study met its primary endpoints as well as key secondary endpoints, including that the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet:

● Significantly lowered LDL-C by 40 percent compared to placebo (p<0.001);

● Reduced hsCRP, an important marker of inflammation associated with cardiovascular disease, by 25 percent (p<0.001);

● No worsening of glycemic control;

● Had overall adverse events, or AEs, comparable to placebo;

● Had no increase in muscle-related AEs, serious adverse events, discontinuations due to AEs or elevations in liver function tests, or LFTs; and

● Achieved LDL-C levels of <70 mg/dl and an LDL-C reduction of >50 percent in approximately 40 percent of patients.

Ongoing Clinical Studies

Open-Label Extension of Study 1—Global pivotal Phase 3 long-term safety and tolerability study in patients with hypercholesterolemia on maximally tolerated background lipid-modifying therapy

Safety data will be obtained from an open-label extension study which completed enrollment of 1,462 of the 2,230 patients enrolled in Study 1 in March 2018. Initiated in February 2017, this open-label extension study will evaluate the long-term safety of bempedoic acid 180 mg in high CVD risk patients with hypercholesterolemia and with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, or ASCVD, and/or heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, or HeFH, whose LDL-C is not adequately controlled with current lipid-modifying therapies, and who are taking maximally tolerated statin therapy. This open-label extension study will be conducted at approximately 100 sites included in the parent study in the U.S., Canada and Europe. The primary objective is to assess the long-term safety in patients treated with bempedoic acid for up to 1.5 years. Secondary objectives include evaluating the 52- and 78-week effects of bempedoic acid on lipid and cardiometabolic risk markers, including LDL-C, non-HDL-C, total cholesterol, apoB and hsCRP. The open-label extension study will be completed around year-end 2019.

Global Cardiovascular Outcomes Trial—CLEAR Outcomes

CLEAR Outcomes is a Phase 3, event driven, randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study designed to evaluate whether treatment of bempedoic acid reduces the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with statin intolerance, or who are considered statin averse, who have cardiovascular disease or are at high risk for cardiovascular disease. The primary endpoint of the study is the effect of bempedoic acid on major adverse cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, or coronary revascularization; also referred to as "four-component MACE"). CLEAR Outcomes is designed to provide 90 percent power to detect an approximately 15 percent relative risk reduction in the primary endpoint in the bempedoic acid treatment group as compared to the placebo group and is expected to complete with a minimum of 1,620 patients experiencing the primary endpoint.

The study over-enrolled with 14,032 patients with hypercholesterolemia and high cardiovascular disease risk at over 1,200 sites in 32 countries. Eligible patients at high risk (LDL-C >100 mg/dL in primary prevention) for cardiovascular disease or with cardiovascular disease (LDL-C between 100 mg/dL to 190 mg/dL in secondary prevention) and who are only able to tolerate less than the lowest approved daily starting dose of a statin and considered “statin averse”, were randomized to receive bempedoic acid 180 mg once-daily or placebo. The expected average baseline LDL-C level in all patients is between 135 mg/dL and 140 mg/dL.

CLEAR Outcomes will conclude once the predetermined number of MACE endpoints occur. We initiated CLEAR Outcomes in December 2016 and completed enrollment in August 2019. The expected average treatment duration will be 3.75 years with a minimum treatment duration of approximately 2.25 years. Based on estimated cardiovascular event rates, we expect to meet the target

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number of events in the second half of 2022. The study is intended to support our submissions for a CV risk reduction indication in the U.S. and Europe.

Financial Operations Overview

Revenue

To date, we have not generated any revenue from product sales. In the future, we may never generate revenue from the sale of bempedoic acid or the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet or other product candidates. In the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, we recognized $1.0 million and $147.4 million of revenue associated with the $150.0 million upfront payment from our collaboration agreement with DSE. We expect to recognize the remaining $2.6 million ratably over the period leading up to the approval of the MAA acceptance by the EMA due to an ongoing performance obligation related to the ongoing regulatory efforts for the MAA in the DSE Territory. If we fail to complete the development of bempedoic acid or the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet or any other product candidates and secure approval from regulatory authorities, our ability to generate future revenue and our results of operations and financial position will be adversely affected.

Research and Development Expenses

Since our inception, we have focused our resources on our research and development activities, including conducting nonclinical, preclinical and clinical studies. Our research and development expenses consist primarily of costs incurred in connection with the development of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet, which include:

● expenses incurred under agreements with consultants, contract research organizations, or CROs, and investigative sites that conduct our preclinical and clinical studies;

● the cost of acquiring, developing and manufacturing clinical study materials and commercial product manufacturing supply as we approach anticipated approval, including the procurement of ezetimibe in our continued development of our bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet;

● employee-related expenses, including salaries, benefits, stock-based compensation and travel expenses;

● allocated expenses for rent and maintenance of facilities, insurance and other supplies; and

● costs related to compliance with regulatory requirements.

We expense research and development costs as incurred. To date, substantially all of our research and development work has been related to bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet. Costs for certain development activities, such as clinical studies, are recognized based on an evaluation of the progress to completion of specific tasks using data such as patient enrollment, clinical site activations or information provided to us by our vendors. Our direct research and development expenses consist principally of external costs, such as fees paid to investigators, consultants, central laboratories and CROs in connection with our clinical studies. We do not allocate acquiring and manufacturing clinical study materials, salaries, stock-based compensation, employee benefits or other indirect costs related to our research and development function to specific programs.

Our research and development expenses are expected to continue in the foreseeable future as they relate to our ongoing CLEAR Outcomes CVOT, our NDA and MAA submissions, commercial product manufacturing supply as we approach anticipated approval and any other development programs or additional indications we choose to pursue. We cannot determine with certainty the duration and completion costs associated with the ongoing or future clinical studies of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet. Also, we cannot conclude with certainty if, or when, we will generate revenue from the commercialization and sale of bempedoic acid or the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet, if ever. We may never succeed in obtaining regulatory approval for bempedoic acid or the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet. The duration, costs and timing associated with the development and commercialization of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet will depend on a variety of factors, including uncertainties associated with the results of our clinical studies and our ability to obtain regulatory approval. For example, if the FDA or another regulatory authority were to require us to conduct clinical studies beyond those that we currently anticipate will be required for the completion of clinical development or post-commercialization clinical studies of bempedoic acid or the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet, or if we experience significant delays in

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enrollment in any of our clinical studies, we could be required to expend significant additional financial resources and time on the completion of clinical development or post-commercialization clinical studies of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet.

General and Administrative Expenses

General and administrative expenses primarily consist of salaries and related costs for personnel, including stock-based compensation, associated with our executive, accounting and finance, commercial, operational and other administrative functions. Other general and administrative expenses include facility-related costs, communication expenses and professional fees for legal, patent prosecution, protection and review, consulting and accounting services.

We anticipate that our general and administrative expenses will increase in the future in connection with the continued research and development and commercialization of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet, increases in our headcount, expansion of our information technology infrastructure, and increased expenses associated with being a public company and complying with exchange listing and Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, requirements. These increases will likely include higher legal, compliance, accounting and investor and public relations expenses.

Interest Expense

Interest expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 was related to our RIPA with Oberland. Costs during the nine months ended September 30, 2018 consists primarily of costs associated with our credit facility and non-cash interest costs associated with the amortization of the related debt discount, deferred issuance costs and final payment fee.

Other Income, Net

Other income, net, primarily relates to interest income and the accretion or amortization of premiums and discounts earned on our cash, cash equivalents and investment securities.

Critical Accounting Policies and Significant Judgments and Estimates

Our discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based on our financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities in our financial statements. We evaluate our estimates and judgments on an ongoing basis, including those related to accrued expenses and stock-based compensation. We base our estimates on historical experience, known trends and events, contractual milestones and other various factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Our actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

Revenue Recognition - Collaboration Revenue

We have entered into an agreement related to our activities to develop, manufacture, and commercialize our product candidates. We earn collaboration revenue in connection with a collaboration agreement to develop and/or commercialize product candidates where we deem the collaborator to be our customer. We have adopted ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, and under the terms of the standard, revenue is measured as the amount of consideration we expect to be entitled to in exchange for transferring promised goods or providing services to a customer. Revenue is recognized when (or as) we satisfy performance obligations under the terms of a contract. Depending on the terms of the arrangement, we may defer the recognition of all or a portion of the consideration received as the performance obligations are satisfied.

The collaboration agreement may require us to deliver various rights, services, and/or goods across the entire life cycle of a product or product candidate. In the agreement involving multiple goods or services promised to be transferred to a customer, we must assess, at the inception of the contract, whether each promise represents a separate performance obligation (i.e., is "distinct"), or whether such promises should be combined as a single performance obligation.

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The terms of the agreement typically include consideration to be provided to us in the form of non-refundable up-front payments, development milestones, sales milestones, and royalties on sales of products within a respective territory.

At the inception of the contract, the transaction price reflects the amount of consideration we expect to be entitled to in exchange for transferring promised goods or services to our customer. In the arrangement where we satisfy performance obligation(s) during the regulatory phase over time, we recognize collaboration revenue typically using an input method on the basis of our regulatory costs incurred relative to the total expected cost which determines the extent of our progress toward completion. We review the estimate of the transaction price and the total expected cost each period, and make revisions to such estimates as necessary.

Under our collaboration agreement, product sales and cost of sales may be recorded by our collaborators as they are deemed to be the principal in the transaction. We receive royalties from the commercialization of such products, and record our share of the variable consideration, representing a percentage of net product sales, as collaboration revenue in the period in which such underlying sales occur and costs are incurred by our collaborator. Our collaborator will provide us with estimates of our royalties for such quarter; these estimates are reconciled to actual results in the subsequent quarter, and the royalty is adjusted accordingly, as necessary.

Revenue Interest Liability

We have entered into a RIPA to support the commercialization and further development of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet and provide for other working capital needs. The revenue interest liability related to the RIPA is presented net of deferred issuance costs on the condensed balance sheets. The Company imputes interest expense associated with this liability using the effective interest rate method and is presented as interest expense on the condensed statements of operations. The effective interest rate is calculated based on the rate that would enable the debt to be repaid in full over the anticipated life of the arrangement. The interest rate on the liability may vary during the term of the agreement depending on a number of factors, including the level of forecasted net sales. The Company evaluates the interest rate quarterly based on its current net sales forecasts utilizing the prospective method. A significant increase or decrease in net sales will materially impact the revenue interest liability, interest expense and the time period for repayment. Issuance costs in connection with the RIPA are amortized to interest expense over the estimated term of the RIPA.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In November 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, issued Accounting Standard Update, or ASU, 2018-08, which clarifies that certain transactions between collaborative arrangement participants should be accounted for as revenue under Accounting Standards Codification, or ASC, 606 when the collaborative arrangement participant is a customer in the context of a unit of account. The standard is effective for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted, included in any interim period, provided an entity has already adopted ASC 606 or does so concurrently with the adoption of this guidance. We early adopted this guidance as of January 1, 2019, and implemented the new guidance in our consideration of the accounting for the DSE collaboration signed on January 2, 2019. Refer to Note 2 “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” and Note 3 “Collaborations with Third Parties” in the Notes to the Condensed Financial Statements for further information.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, which was amended by subsequent updates (collectively the “lease standard” or “ASC 842”), and is intended to improve financial reporting about leasing transactions. The updated guidance requires a lessee to recognize assets and liabilities for leases with lease terms of more than twelve months. We adopted this standard on January 1, 2019 using the modified retrospective method. Results for the reporting period beginning after December 31, 2018 have been presented in accordance with the standard, while results for prior periods have not been adjusted. We recognized $1.0 million and $1.0 million of operating lease assets and operating lease liabilities, respectively, on our balance sheets as of January 1, 2019, primarily related to the lease agreement for our principal executive office. Refer to Note 9 “Leases” in the Notes to the Condensed Financial Statements for further information.

There have been no other material changes to the significant accounting policies previously disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.

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Results of Operations

Comparison of the Three Months Ended September 30, 2019 and 2018

The following table summarizes our results of operations for the three months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018:

	Three Months Ended September 30,
	2019		2018		Change
	(unaudited, in thousands)
Revenue:
Collaboration revenue	$	981	$	—	$	981
Operating Expenses:
Research and development		48,281		41,551		6,730
General and administrative		18,468		9,011		9,457
Loss from operations		(65,768)		(50,562)		(15,206)
Interest expense		(3,996)		—		(3,996)
Other income, net		1,387		651		736
Net loss	$	(68,377)	$	(49,911)	$	(18,466)

Revenue

Collaboration revenue recognized from our collaboration agreement with DSE for the three months ended September 30, 2019 was $1.0 million. Revenue was attributable to the ongoing performance obligation from our collaboration agreement signed on January 2, 2019 related to the ongoing regulatory efforts for the MAA in the DSE Territory.

Research and development expenses

Research and development expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2019, were $48.3 million, compared to $41.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2018, an increase of $6.7 million. The increase in research and development expenses was primarily attributable to clinical development costs for bempedoic acid, including costs to support the ongoing CLEAR CVOT, commercial product manufacturing supply as we approach anticipated approval, and increases in our headcount and stock-based compensation expense.

General and administrative expenses

General and administrative expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2019, were $18.5 million, compared to $9.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2018, an increase of $9.5 million. The increase in general and administrative expenses was primarily attributable to costs to support public company operations, including costs to support pre-commercialization activities, further increases in our headcount and stock-based compensation expense, and other costs to support our growth.

Interest Expense

Interest expense for the three months ended September 30, 2019, was $4.0 million. Interest expense was related to our RIPA with Oberland.

Other income, net

Other income, net for the three months ended September 30, 2019, was $1.4 million, compared to $0.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2018, an increase of $0.7 million. This increase was primarily related to an increase in interest income earned on our cash, cash equivalents and investment securities.

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Comparison of the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2019 and 2018

The following table summarizes our results of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018:

	Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2019		2018		Change
	(unaudited, in thousands)
Revenue:
Collaboration revenue	$	147,382	$	—	$	147,382
Operating Expenses:
Research and development		137,377		122,015		15,362
General and administrative		44,142		21,921		22,221
Loss from operations		(34,137)		(143,936)		109,799
Interest expense		(3,996)		(28)		(3,968)
Other income, net		2,914		2,193		721
Net loss	$	(35,219)	$	(141,771)	$	106,552

Revenue

Collaboration revenue recognized from our collaboration agreement with DSE for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 was $147.4 million. Revenue was attributable to the initial recognition of the upfront payment from our collaboration agreement signed on January 2, 2019 and the ongoing performance obligation from the ongoing regulatory efforts for the MAA in the DSE Territory.

Research and development expenses

Research and development expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2019, were $137.4 million, compared to $122.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, an increase of $15.4 million. The increase in research and development expenses was primarily attributable to clinical development costs for bempedoic acid, including costs to support the ongoing CLEAR CVOT, commercial product manufacturing supply as we approach anticipated approval, regulatory submissions and increases in our headcount and stock-based compensation expense.

General and administrative expenses

General and administrative expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2019, were $44.1 million, compared to $21.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, an increase of $22.2 million. The increase in general and administrative expenses was primarily attributable to costs to support public company operations, including costs to support pre-commercialization activities, further increases in our headcount and stock-based compensation expense, and other costs to support our growth.

Interest Expense

Interest expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2019, was $4.0 million, compared to less than $0.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2018. Interest expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 was related to our RIPA with Oberland. Interest expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 was related to our credit facility with Oxford Finance LLC.

Other income, net

Other income, net for the nine months ended September 30, 2019, was $2.9 million, compared to $2.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, an increase of $0.7 million. This increase was primarily related to an increase in interest income earned on our cash, cash equivalents and investment securities.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

We have funded our operations to date primarily through proceeds from sales of preferred stock, convertible promissory notes and warrants, public offerings of common stock, the incurrence of indebtedness, milestone payments from collaboration agreements and revenue interest purchase agreements. Pursuant to the license and collaboration agreement with DSE signed on

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January 2, 2019, we received an upfront cash payment of $150.0 million from DSE and are eligible for substantial additional sales and regulatory milestone payments and royalties. Pursuant to the RIPA with Oberland, we received an upfront cash payment of $124.4 million, net of issuance costs, and are eligible for an additional $25.0 million upon certain regulatory approval of our product candidates and $50.0 million at our option upon reaching certain sales thresholds. In return, Oberland will have a right to receive revenue interests based on net sales of our product candidates. To date, we have not generated any revenue from product sales and we anticipate that we will incur losses for the foreseeable future.

As of September 30, 2019, our primary sources of liquidity were our cash and cash equivalents and available-for-sale investments, which totaled $212.0 million and $31.9 million, respectively. We invest our cash equivalents and investments in highly liquid, interest-bearing investment-grade and government securities to preserve principal.

The following table summarizes the primary sources and uses of cash for the periods presented below:

	Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2019		2018
	(in thousands)
Cash used in operating activities	$	(20,347)	$	(119,946)
Cash provided by investing activities		67,099		101,881
Cash provided by financing activities		129,181		10,352
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	$	175,933	$	(7,713)

Operating Activities

We have incurred and expect to continue to incur, significant costs in the areas of research and development, regulatory and other clinical study costs, associated with the development of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet and our operations.

Net cash used in operating activities totaled $20.3 million for nine months ended September 30, 2019, consisting of the $150.0 million upfront payment from the DSE collaboration offset by cash used to fund the development of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet, adjusted for non-cash expenses such as stock-based compensation expense, interest expense related to our RIPA with Oberland, depreciation and amortization and changes in working capital. Net cash used in operating activities totaled $120.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2018. The primary use of our cash for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 was to fund the development of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet, adjusted for non-cash expenses such as stock-based compensation expense, depreciation and amortization and changes in working capital.

Investing Activities

Net cash provided by investing activities of $67.1 million and $101.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively, consisted primarily of proceeds from the sale and maturities of highly liquid, interest-bearing investment-grade and government securities.

Financing Activities

Net cash provided by financing activities of $129.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 related primarily to the upfront cash received from the RIPA with Oberland. Net cash provided by financing activities of $10.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 related primarily to proceeds from exercise of our common stock options.

Plan of Operations and Funding Requirements

We expect to continue to incur significant expenses and operating losses for the foreseeable future in connection with our ongoing CLEAR Outcomes CVOT, NDA and MAA submissions and commercial launch activities. Pursuant to the license and collaboration agreement with DSE, we received an upfront cash payment of $150.0 million from DSE and are eligible for substantial additional sales and regulatory milestone payments and royalties, including an additional $150.0 million upon first commercial sale in the DSE Territory. Pursuant to the RIPA with Oberland, we received an upfront cash payment of $125.0 million and may be eligible for an additional $25.0 million upon regulatory approval of either of our product candidates and $50.0 million at our option upon

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reaching certain sales thresholds. In return, Oberland will have a right to receive revenue interest payments from us based on net sales of certain of our products. We estimate that current cash resources and proceeds to be received in the future under the DSE collaboration agreement and the RIPA with Oberland are sufficient to fund operations through the expected approvals of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet and the commercialization of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet, if approved for LDL-C lowering indications. We may, however, need to secure additional cash resources to continue to fund the commercialization and further development of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet. We have based these estimates on assumptions that may prove to be wrong, and we may use our available capital resources sooner than we currently expect. Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with the development and commercialization of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet and the extent to which we entered and may enter into collaborations with pharmaceutical partners regarding the development and commercialization of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet, we are unable to estimate the amounts of increased capital outlays and operating expenses associated with completing the development and commercialization of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet. Our future funding requirements will depend on many factors, including, but not limited to:

● our ability to successfully develop and commercialize bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet or other product candidates;

● the costs, timing and outcomes of our CLEAR Outcomes CVOT and other ongoing clinical studies of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet;

● the time and cost necessary to obtain regulatory approvals for bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet, if at all;

● our ability to establish a sales, marketing and distribution infrastructure to commercialize bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet or our ability to establish any future collaboration or commercialization arrangements on favorable terms, if at all;

● our ability to realize the intended benefits of our existing and future collaboration and partnerships;

● the costs of preparing, filing and prosecuting patent applications, maintaining and enforcing our intellectual property rights and defending intellectual property-related claims; and

● the implementation of operational and financial information technology.

Until such time, if ever, as we can generate U.S. substantial product revenues, we expect to finance our cash needs through a combination of collaborations with third parties, strategic alliances, licensing arrangements, permitted debt financings, permitted royalty-based financings and equity offerings or other sources. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the ownership interest of our stockholders will be diluted, and the terms of these securities may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect your rights as a common stockholder. Debt financing, if available and permitted under the terms of our RIPA, may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting our ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures or declaring dividends. If we raise additional funds through collaborations, strategic alliances or licensing arrangements with pharmaceutical partners or royalty-based financing arrangements, such as the collaboration arrangement with DSE and the RIPA with Oberland, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to our technologies, future revenue streams or grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us. For instance, as part of the RIPA with Oberland, Oberland has the right to receive certain revenue interests from us based on the net sales of certain products, once approved, and we have granted Oberland a senior security interest in certain of our assets. If our cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to allow us to make required payments, we may have to reduce or delay capital expenditures, sell assets or seek additional capital. If we raise funds by selling additional equity, such sale would result in dilution to our stockholders. If we are unable to raise additional funds through equity or permitted debt financings or through collaborations, strategic alliances or licensing arrangements or permitted royalty-based financing arrangements when needed, we may be required to delay, limit, reduce or terminate our product development or future commercialization efforts or grant rights to develop and market bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet that we would otherwise prefer to develop and market ourselves.

29

Contractual Obligations and Commitments

On June 26, 2019, we entered into a RIPA with Oberland. Pursuant to the RIPA, Oberland paid us $125.0 million at closing, less certain issuance costs, and, subject to the terms and conditions of the RIPA, we are eligible for an additional $25.0 million upon certain regulatory approval of our product candidates and $50.0 million at our option upon reaching certain sales thresholds. As consideration for the payments, Oberland has the right to receive certain revenue interests from us based on the net sales of certain products, once approved, which will be tiered payments initially ranging from 2.5% to 7.5% of our net sales in the covered territory (as detailed in the RIPA). The initial mid-single digit repayment rate on U.S. revenue steps down to less than one percent rate upon certain revenue achievements. Esperion reacquires 100% revenue rights upon repayment completion. We recorded the proceeds from the RIPA as a liability on the consolidated balance sheets and are accounting for the RIPA under the effective-interest method over the estimated life of the RIPA. Refer to Note 8 “Liability Related to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement” in the Notes to the Condensed Financial Statements for further information.

There have been no other material changes to our contractual obligations and commitments outside the ordinary course of business from those previously disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We do not currently have, nor did we have during the periods presented, any off-balance sheet arrangements as defined by Securities and Exchange Commission rules.

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

We had cash and cash equivalents and available-for-sale investments of approximately $212.0 million and $31.9 million at September 30, 2019, and $37.0 million and $99.3 million at December 31, 2018, respectively. The primary objectives of our investment activities are to preserve principal, provide liquidity and maximize income without significantly increasing risk. Our primary exposure to market risk relates to fluctuations in interest rates which are affected by changes in the general level of U.S. interest rates. Given the short-term nature of our cash and cash equivalents, we believe that a sudden change in market interest rates would not be expected to have a material impact on our financial condition and/or results of operation. We do not have any foreign currency or other derivative financial instruments.

We do not believe that our cash, cash equivalents and available-for-sale investments have significant risk of default or illiquidity. While we believe our cash and cash equivalents do not contain excessive risk, we cannot provide absolute assurance that in the future our investments will not be subject to adverse changes in market value. In addition, we maintain significant amounts of cash and cash equivalents at one or more financial institutions that are in excess of federally insured limits.

We contract with CROs and investigational sites globally. We are therefore subject to fluctuations in foreign currency rates in connection with these agreements. We do not hedge our foreign currency exchange rate risk. We do not believe that fluctuations in foreign currency rates have had a material effect on our results of operations during the nine months ended September 30, 2019.

Inflation generally affects us by increasing our cost of labor and clinical study costs. We do not believe that inflation has had a material effect on our results of operations during the nine months ended September 30, 2019.

We have entered into a revenue interest purchase agreement. Our primary exposure to market risk is that the interest rate on the liability may vary during the term of the agreement depending on a number of factors, including the level of forecasted net sales. A significant increase or decrease in net sales will materially impact the revenue interest liability, interest expense and the time period for repayment. We do not believe a change in interest rate has had a material effect on our results of operations during the nine months ended September 30, 2019.

Item 4. Controls and Procedures

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

We maintain disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports that we file or submit under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 is (1) recorded, processed, summarized, and reported

30

within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms and (2) accumulated and communicated to our management, including our President and Chief Executive Officer, who is our principal executive officer, and our Chief Financial Officer, who is our principal financial officer, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

As of September 30, 2019, our management, with the participation of our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934). Our management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving their objectives, and management necessarily applies its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures. Our principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded based upon the evaluation described above that, as of September 30, 2019, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective at the reasonable assurance level.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

During the three months ended September 30, 2019, we implemented certain additional controls in connection with the ongoing accounting for our revenue interest liability with Oberland.

PART II — OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1. Legal Proceedings

On January 12, 2016, a purported stockholder of our company filed a putative class action lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, against us and Tim Mayleben, captioned Kevin L. Dougherty v. Esperion Therapeutics, Inc., et al. (No. 16-cv-10089). The lawsuit alleges that we and Mr. Mayleben violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and SEC Rule 10b-5 by allegedly failing to disclose in an August 17, 2015, public statement that the FDA would require a cardiovascular outcomes trial before approving our lead product candidate. The lawsuit seeks, among other things, compensatory damages in connection with an allegedly inflated stock price between August 18, 2015, and September 28, 2015, as well as attorneys’ fees and costs. On May 20, 2016, an amended complaint was filed in the lawsuit and on July 5, 2016, we filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint. On December 27, 2016, the court granted our motion to dismiss with prejudice and entered judgment in our favor. On January 24, 2017, the plaintiffs in this lawsuit filed a motion to alter or amend the judgment. In May 2017, the court denied the plaintiff’s motion to alter or amend the judgment. On June 19, 2017, the plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and on September 14, 2017, they filed their opening brief in support of the appeal. The appeal was fully briefed on December 7, 2017, and it was argued before the Sixth Circuit on March 15, 2018. On September 27, 2018, the Sixth Circuit issued an opinion in which it reversed the district court’s dismissal and remanded for further proceedings. On October 11, 2018, we filed a petition for rehearing en banc and, on October 23, 2018, the Sixth Circuit of Appeals directed plaintiffs to respond to that petition. On December 3, 2018, the Sixth Circuit denied our petition for en banc rehearing, and on December 11, 2018, the case was returned to the federal district court by mandate from the Sixth Circuit. On December 26, 2018, we filed our answer to the amended complaint, and on March 28, 2019, we filed our amended answer to the amended complaint. We are unable to predict the outcome of this matter and are unable to make a meaningful estimate of the amount or range of loss, if any, that could result from an unfavorable outcome.

On December 15, 2016, a purported stockholder of our company filed a derivative lawsuit in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware against Tim Mayleben, Roger Newton, Mary McGowan, Nicole Vitullo, Dov Goldstein, Daniel Janney, Antonio Gotto Jr., Mark McGovern, Gilbert Omenn, Scott Braunstein, and Patrick Enright. Our company is named as a nominal defendant. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants breached their fiduciary duties to the company when they made or approved improper statements on August 17, 2015, regarding our lead product candidate’s path to FDA approval, and failed to ensure that reliable systems of internal controls were in place at our company. On February 8, 2019, we and the defendants filed a motion to dismiss the derivative lawsuit. On April 23, 2019, the plaintiff filed an opposition to the motion to dismiss the derivative lawsuit, and we filed a reply brief on May 15, 2019. The lawsuit seeks, among other things, any damages sustained by us as a result of the defendants’ alleged breaches of fiduciary duties, including damages related to the above-referenced securities class action, an order directing us to take all necessary actions to reform and improve our corporate governance and internal procedures, restitution from the defendants, and attorneys’ fees and costs. We are unable to predict the outcome of this matter and are unable to make a meaningful estimate of the amount or range of loss, if any, that could result from an unfavorable outcome.

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On May 7, 2018, a purported stockholder of our company filed a putative class action lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, captioned Kevin Bailey v. Esperion Therapeutics, Inc., et al. (No. 18-cv-11438). An amended complaint was filed on October 22, 2018, against us and certain directors and officers. The amended complaint alleges violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and SEC Rule 10b-5 based on allegedly making false and misleading statements and omissions about the safety and tolerability of bempedoic acid, and specifically facts and circumstances surrounding the Phase 3 trial results for bempedoic acid that we announced on May 2, 2018. On November 13, 2018, we filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint, and that motion was fully briefed on December 18, 2018. The lawsuit sought, among other things, compensatory damages in connection with an allegedly inflated stock price between February 22, 2017, and May 22, 2018, as well as attorneys’ fees and costs. On February 19, 2019, the court granted our motion to dismiss with prejudice and entered judgment in our favor.

There have been no other material changes to our legal proceedings outside the ordinary course of business from those previously disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.

In the future, we may become party to legal matters and claims arising in the ordinary course of business, the resolution of which we do not anticipate would have a material adverse impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Except for the historical information contained herein or incorporated by reference, this report and the information incorporated by reference contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements include projections about our accounting and finances, plans and objectives for the future, future operating and economic performance and other statements regarding future performance. These statements are not guarantees of future performance or events. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed in this report. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed in Part I, Item 2 entitled "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and elsewhere throughout this report and in any documents incorporated in this report by reference.

You should consider carefully the risk factors set forth in Part I, Item 1A in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 and in Part II, Item 1A of our Quarterly Report for the quarter ended June 30, 2019, and in all of the other information included or incorporated in this report and other filings that we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission. If any of the previously identified risks, either alone or taken together, or other risks not presently known to us or that we currently believe to not be significant, develop into actual events, then our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects could be materially adversely affected. If that happens, the market price of our common stock could decline, and stockholders may lose all or part of their investment.

Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

None.

Item 6. Exhibits

The exhibits filed or furnished as part of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are set forth on the Exhibit Index, which Exhibit Index is incorporated herein by reference.

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EXHIBIT INDEX

		Incorporated by Reference to:
Exhibit No.	Description	Form or Schedule	Exhibit No.	Filing Date with SEC	SEC File Number
3.1	Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant.	S-1/A	3.2	6/12/2013	333-188595
3.2	Amended and Restated By-Laws of the Registrant.	S-1/A	3.4	6/12/2013	333-188595
4.1	Specimen Common Stock Certificate of the Registrant.	S-1/A	4.1	6/12/2013	333-188595
31.1*	Certification of Principal Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) and Rule 15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
31.2*	Certification of Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) and Rule 15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.1+	Certification of Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
101.SCH*	Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
101.CAL*	Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
101.LAB*	Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
101.PRE*	Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
101.DEF*	Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
104*	Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as inline XBRL with applicable taxonomy extension information contained in Exhibits 101.*)

*    Filed herewith.

+    The certification furnished in Exhibit 32.1 hereto is deemed to be furnished with this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and will not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, except to the extent that the Registrant specifically incorporates it by reference.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

	ESPERION THERAPEUTICS, INC.
November 6, 2019	By:	/s/ Tim M. Mayleben
		Tim M. Mayleben
		President and Chief Executive Officer
		(Principal Executive Officer)
November 6, 2019	By:	/s/ Richard B. Bartram
		Richard B. Bartram
		Chief Financial Officer
		(Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

34

EX-31.1

Exhibit 31.1

Certification

I, Tim M. Mayleben certify that:

1.       I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2019, of Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.;

2.       Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3.       Based on my knowledge, the financial statements and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4.       I am responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

a.       Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

b.       Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

c.       Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

d.       Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

5.       I have disclosed, based on my most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

a.       All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

b.       Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

Date: November 6, 2019	/s/ Tim M. Mayleben
	Tim M. Mayleben
	President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)

EX-31.2

Exhibit 31.2

Certification

I, Richard B. Bartram, certify that:

1.       I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2019, of Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.;

2.       Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3.       Based on my knowledge, the financial statements and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4.       I am responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

a.       Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

b.       Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

c.       Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

d.       Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

5.       I have disclosed, based on my most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

a.       All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

b.       Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

November 6, 2019	/s/ Richard B. Bartram
	Richard B. Bartram
	Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

EX-32.1

Exhibit 32.1

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO

18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,

AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO

SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

In connection with the quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) for the period ended September 30, 2019, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), each of the undersigned officers of Esperion Therapeutics, Inc., hereby certify, pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, that, to my knowledge as of the date hereof:

1)       the Report which this statement accompanies fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and

2)       the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

Date: November 6, 2019	/s/ Tim M. Mayleben
	Tim M. Mayleben
	President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)
	/s/ Richard B. Bartram
	Richard B. Bartram
	Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

XML

Liability Related to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Liability Related to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement

Schedule of revenue interest liability

	(in thousands)
Revenue interest liability at June 26, 2019	$	125,000
Interest expense recognized		3,996
Capitalized issuance costs		(576)
Revenue interest liability at September 30, 2019	$	128,420

XML

Statements of Cash Flows (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Statements of Cash Flows

Schedule of reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash presented on the Condensed Balance Sheets to the same amounts presented on the Condensed Statements of Cash Flows

	September 30,		September 30,
	2019		2018
Cash and cash equivalents	$	211,978	$	26,755
Restricted cash		928		—
Total cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash shown on the Condensed Statements of Cash Flows	$	212,906	$	26,755

XML

Commitments and Contingencies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

5. Commitments and Contingencies

On January 12, 2016, a purported stockholder of the Company filed a putative class action lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, against the Company and Tim Mayleben, captioned Kevin L. Dougherty v. Esperion Therapeutics, Inc., et al. (No. 16-cv-10089). The lawsuit alleges that the Company and Mr. Mayleben violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and SEC Rule 10b-5 by allegedly failing to disclose in an August 17, 2015, public statement that the FDA would require a cardiovascular outcomes trial before approving the Company’s lead product candidate. The lawsuit seeks, among other things, compensatory damages in connection with an allegedly inflated stock price between August 18, 2015, and September 28, 2015, as well as attorneys' fees and costs. On May 20, 2016, an amended complaint was filed in the lawsuit and on July 5, 2016, the Company filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint. On December 27, 2016, the court granted the Company’s motion to dismiss with prejudice and entered judgment in the Company’s favor. On January 24, 2017, the plaintiffs in this lawsuit filed a motion to alter or amend the judgment. In May 2017, the court denied the plaintiff’s motion to alter or amend the judgment. On June 19, 2017, the plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and on September 14, 2017, they filed their opening brief in support of the appeal. The appeal was fully briefed on December 7, 2017, and it was argued before the Sixth Circuit on March 15, 2018. On September 27, 2018, the Sixth Circuit issued an opinion in which it reversed the district court's dismissal and remanded for further proceedings. On October 11, 2018, the Company filed a petition for rehearing en banc and, on October 23, 2018, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals directed plaintiffs to respond to that petition. On December 3, 2018, the Sixth Circuit denied the Company's petition for en banc rehearing, and on December 11, 2018, the case was returned to the federal district court by mandate from the Sixth Circuit. On December 26, 2018, the Company filed an answer to the amended complaint, and on March 28, 2019, the Company filed its amended answer to the amended complaint. The Company is unable to predict the outcome of this matter and is unable to make a meaningful estimate of the amount or range of loss, if any, that could result from an unfavorable outcome.

On December 15, 2016, a purported stockholder of the Company filed a derivative lawsuit in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware against Tim Mayleben, Roger Newton, Mary McGowan, Nicole Vitullo, Dov Goldstein, Daniel Janney, Antonio Gotto Jr., Mark McGovern, Gilbert Omenn, Scott Braunstein, and Patrick Enright. The Company is named as a nominal defendant. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants breached their fiduciary duties to the Company when they made or approved improper statements on August 17, 2015, regarding the Company’s lead product candidate’s path to FDA approval, and failed to ensure that reliable systems of internal controls were in place at the Company. On February 8, 2019, the Company and defendants filed a motion to dismiss the derivative lawsuit. On April 23, 2019, the plaintiff filed an opposition to the motion to dismiss the derivative lawsuit, and the Company filed a reply brief on May 15, 2019. The lawsuit seeks, among other things, any damages sustained by the Company as a result of the defendants’ alleged breaches of fiduciary duties, including damages related to the above-referenced securities class action, an order directing the Company to take all necessary actions to reform and improve its corporate governance and internal procedures, restitution from the defendants, and attorneys’ fees and costs. The Company is unable to predict the outcome of this

matter and is unable to make a meaningful estimate of the amount or range of loss, if any, that could result from an unfavorable outcome.

On May 7, 2018, a purported stockholder of the Company filed a putative class action lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, captioned Kevin Bailey v. Esperion Therapeutics, Inc., et al. (No. 18-cv-11438). An amended complaint was filed on October 22, 2018, against the Company and certain directors and officers. The amended complaint alleges violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and SEC Rule 10b-5 based on allegedly making false and misleading statements and omissions about the safety and tolerability of bempedoic acid, and specifically facts and circumstances surrounding the Phase 3 trial results for bempedoic acid that the Company announced on May 2, 2018. On November 13, 2018, the Company filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint, and that motion was fully briefed on December 18, 2018. The lawsuit sought, among other things, compensatory damages in connection with an allegedly inflated stock price between February 22, 2017, and May 22, 2018, as well as attorneys’ fees and costs. On February 19, 2019, the court granted the Company’s motion to dismiss with prejudice and entered judgment in the Company’s favor.

There have been no other material changes to the Company’s contractual obligations and commitments and contingencies outside the ordinary course of business from those previously disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 other than the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement disclosed in Note 8 “Liability Related to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement.”

XML

Stock Compensation

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Stock Compensation

Stock Compensation

9. Stock Compensation

2017 Inducement Equity Plan

In May 2017, the Company’s board of directors approved the 2017 Inducement Equity Plan (the “2017 Plan”). The number of shares of common stock available for awards under the 2017 Plan was set to 750,000, with any shares of common stock that are forfeited, cancelled, held back upon the exercise or settlement of an award to cover the exercise price or tax withholding, reacquired by the Company prior to vesting, satisfied without the issuance of common stock, or otherwise terminated (other than by exercise) under the 2017 Plan added back to the shares of common stock available for issuance under the 2017 Plan.

2013 Stock Option and Incentive Plan

In May 2015, the Company's stockholders approved the amended and restated 2013 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (as amended, the “2013 Plan”). The number of shares of common stock available for awards under the 2013 Plan was set to 2,975,000 shares, plus (i) shares of common stock that are forfeited, cancelled, held back upon the exercise or settlement of an award to cover the exercise price or tax withholding, reacquired by the Company prior to vesting, satisfied without the issuance of common stock or otherwise terminated (other than by exercise) under the 2013 Plan and the Company's 2008 Incentive Stock Option and Restricted Stock Plan are added back to the shares of common stock available for issuance under the 2013 Plan, and (ii) on January 1, 2016, and each January 1, thereafter, the number of shares of common stock reserved and available for issuance under the 2013 Plan will be cumulatively increased by 2.5% of the number of shares of common stock outstanding on the immediately preceding December 31, or such lesser number of shares of common stock determined by the compensation committee.

The 2017 Plan provides for the granting of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards, restricted stock units (“RSUs”), unrestricted stock awards and dividend equivalent rights. The 2013 Plan provides for the granting of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards, RSUs, unrestricted stock awards, cash-based awards, performance share awards and dividend equivalent rights. The Company incurs stock-based compensation expense related to stock options and RSUs. The fair value of RSUs is determined by the closing market price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. The fair value of stock options is calculated using a Black-Scholes option pricing model. The Company accounts for stock-based compensation in accordance with the provisions of ASC 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation. Accordingly, compensation costs related to equity instruments granted are recognized over the requisite service periods of the awards on a straight-line basis at the grant-date fair value. In accordance with the adoption of ASU 2016-09, the Company accounts for forfeitures as they occur.

The following table summarizes the activity relating to the Company’s options to purchase common stock for the nine months ended September 30, 2019:

		Weighted-Average		Weighted-Average
		Exercise		Remaining	Aggregate
	Number of	Price		Contractual	Intrinsic
	Options	Per Share		Term (Years)	Value
					(in thousands)
Outstanding at December 31, 2018	5,303,723	$	37.01	7.42	$	83,473
Granted	542,875	$	46.95
Forfeited or expired	(419,628)	$	47.06
Exercised	(333,708)	$	14.26
Outstanding at September 30, 2019	5,093,262	$	38.73	6.63	$	45,443

The following table summarizes information about the Company’s stock option plan as of September 30, 2019:

		Weighted-Average		Weighted-Average
		Exercise		Remaining	Aggregate
	Number of	Price		Contractual	Intrinsic
	Options	Per Share		Term (Years)	Value
					(in thousands)
Vested and expected to vest at September 30, 2019	5,093,262	$	38.73	6.63	$	45,443
Exercisable at September 30, 2019	3,142,954	$	33.05	5.31	$	39,711

During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, the Company recognized $5.5 million and $18.1 million, respectively, of stock-based compensation expense related to stock options. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, the Company recognized $5.3 million and $16.6 million, respectively, of stock-based compensation expense related to stock options. As of September 30, 2019, there was $55.6 million of unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to unvested options, which will be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.8 years.

The following table summarizes the activity relating to the Company’s RSUs for the nine months ended September 30, 2019:

		Weighted-Average
	Number of	Fair Value Per
	RSUs	Share
Outstanding and unvested at December 31, 2018	37,475	$	66.96
Granted	168,579	$	41.28
Vested	(13,850)	$	66.24
Outstanding and unvested at September 30, 2019	192,204	$	44.48

During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, the Company recognized $0.8 million and $1.4 million, respectively, of stock-based compensation expense related to RSUs. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, the Company recognized $0.2 million and $0.5 million, respectively, of stock-based compensation expense related to RSUs. As of September 30, 2019, there was $7.6 million of unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to unvested RSUs, which will be recognized over a weighted-average period of 3.0 years.

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Statements of Cash Flows

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Statements of Cash Flows

Statements of Cash Flows

13. Statements of Cash Flows

The following table provides a reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash presented on the Condensed Balance Sheets to the same amounts presented on the Condensed Statements of Cash Flows on September 30, 2019 and 2018.

	September 30,		September 30,
	2019		2018
Cash and cash equivalents	$	211,978	$	26,755
Restricted cash		928		—
Total cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash shown on the Condensed Statements of Cash Flows	$	212,906	$	26,755

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Leases (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)
Leases
Operating lease costs	$ 100	$ 200
Cash paid for the amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities	$ 100	$ 200
Weighted-average remaining lease term of operating leases	3 years 9 months 18 days	3 years 9 months 18 days
Weighted average discount rate	7.60%	7.60%
Right of use assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations		$ 0
Future maturities of operating lease liabilities
2019	$ 88	88
2020	338	338
2021	321	321
2022	299	299
2023	217	217
Total lease payments	1,263	1,263
Less imputed interest	176	176
Total	1,087	1,087
Supplemental balance sheet information related to leases
Right of use operating lease assets (short-term)	260	260
Right of use operating lease assets (long-term)	796	796
Total right of use operating lease assets	1,056	1,056
Operating lease liabilities (short-term)	267	267
Operating lease liabilities (long-term)	820	820
Total lease obligations under operating leases	$ 1,087	$ 1,087
Principal executive office
Leases
Lease term	5 years	5 years
Automobile leases and IT equipment leases
Leases
Lease term	3 years	3 years

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Investments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018
Investments
Gross Unrealized Gains	$ 11		$ 11
Gross Unrealized Losses					$ (319)
Total, Amortized Cost	87,071		87,071		134,138
Total, Estimated Fair Value	87,082		87,082		133,819
Accretion (amortization) of premiums and discounts on investments			140	$ 134
Other income, net	1,387	$ 651	2,914	2,193
Interest Income
Investments
Interest income on investments	1,200	600	2,600	2,100
Other income, net
Investments
Accretion (amortization) of premiums and discounts on investments	200		300	100
Other income, net | Maximum
Investments
Accretion (amortization) of premiums and discounts on investments		100
Reclassification out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)
Investments
Other income, net	0	$ 0	0	$ 0
Short-term investments | Certificates of deposit
Investments
Investments, Amortized Cost	245		245		3,873
Gross Unrealized Losses					(7)
Investments, Estimated Fair Value	245		245		3,866
Short-term investments | U.S. treasury notes
Investments
Investments, Amortized Cost	31,627		31,627		44,897
Gross Unrealized Gains	11		11
Gross Unrealized Losses					(142)
Investments, Estimated Fair Value	31,638		31,638		44,755
Short-term investments | U.S. government agency securities
Investments
Investments, Amortized Cost					50,598
Gross Unrealized Losses					(169)
Investments, Estimated Fair Value					50,429
Long-term investments | Certificates of deposit
Investments
Investments, Amortized Cost					244
Gross Unrealized Losses					(1)
Investments, Estimated Fair Value					243
Money market funds
Investments
Cash equivalents	55,199		55,199		34,526
Cash equivalents, Estimated Fair Value	$ 55,199		$ 55,199		$ 34,526

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Condensed Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - $ / shares	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Condensed Balance Sheets
Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.001	$ 0.001
Preferred stock, shares authorized	5,000,000	5,000,000
Preferred stock, shares issued	0	0
Preferred stock, shares outstanding	0	0
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.001	$ 0.001
Common stock, shares authorized	120,000,000	120,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	27,178,230	26,824,859
Common stock, shares outstanding	27,178,230	26,824,859

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The Company and Basis of Presentation

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

The Company and Basis of Presentation

The Company and Basis of Presentation

1. The Company and Basis of Presentation

The Company is the Lipid Management Company, a late-stage pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing complementary, cost-effective, convenient, once-daily, oral therapies for the treatment of patients with elevated low density lipoprotein cholesterol ("LDL-C"). Through scientific and clinical excellence, and a deep understanding of cholesterol biology, the experienced Lipid Management Team at Esperion is committed to developing new LDL-C lowering therapies that will make a substantial impact on reducing global cardiovascular disease ("CVD"); the leading cause of death around the world. Bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet are targeted therapies that are being developed to significantly lower elevated LDL-C levels in patients with hypercholesterolemia, including patients inadequately treated with current lipid-modifying therapies.

On February 11, 2019, the Company submitted the Marketing Authorisation Applications (“MAAs”) for bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet to the European Medicines Agency (“EMA”). On February 21, 2019, the Company submitted the new drug application (“NDA”) for bempedoic acid and on February 26, 2019, the Company submitted the NDA for the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet to the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) for LDL-C lowering indications. On February 28, 2019, the EMA completed formal validation of the MAAs for bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet for LDL-C lowering indications. On May 5, 2019, the Company announced that the FDA accepted the NDAs for bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet for filing and regulatory review. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act (“PDUFA”) goal date for completion of the bempedoic acid NDA review is set for February 21, 2020, and the PDUFA goal date for completion of the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet NDA review is set for February 26, 2020. These dates are consistent with the Company’s expectations and reflect the standard review period. The FDA has communicated that there is no current plan to hold an advisory committee meeting to discuss the applications.

The Company is conducting a global cardiovascular outcomes trial ("CVOT")—known as Cholesterol Lowering via BEmpedoic Acid, an ACL-inhibiting Regimen (CLEAR) Outcomes. The trial is designed to evaluate whether treatment with bempedoic acid reduces the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with statin intolerance (“statin averse”) who have CVD or are at high risk for CVD. The Company initiated the CLEAR Outcomes CVOT in December 2016 and fully enrolled the study with 14,032 patients in August 2019. The primary endpoint of the study is the effect of bempedoic acid on major adverse cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, or coronary revascularization; also referred to as "four-component MACE"). CLEAR Outcomes is an event-driven trial and will conclude once the predetermined number of major adverse cardiovascular events (“MACE”) endpoints occur. Based on estimated cardiovascular event rates, the Company expects to meet the target number of events in the second half of 2022. The Company intends to use positive results from this CVOT to support submissions for a CV risk reduction indication in the U.S. and Europe.

The Company's primary activities since incorporation have been conducting research and development activities, including nonclinical, preclinical and clinical testing, performing business and financial planning, recruiting personnel, and raising capital. Accordingly, the Company has not commenced principal operations and is subject to risks and uncertainties which include the need to research, develop, and clinically test potential therapeutic products; obtain regulatory approvals for its products and commercialize them, if approved; expand its management and scientific staff; and finance its operations with an ultimate goal of achieving profitable operations.

The Company has sustained annual operating losses since inception and expects such losses to continue over the foreseeable future. While management believes current cash resources and future cash received from the Company's collaboration agreement with Daiichi Sankyo Europe GmbH ("DSE"), entered into on January 2, 2019, and from the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement (“RIPA”) with Eiger III SA LLC (“Oberland”), an affiliate of Oberland Capital LLC, and the Purchasers named therein, entered into on June 26, 2019, will fund operations for the foreseeable future, management may continue to fund operations and advance the development of the Company's product candidates through a combination of collaborations with third parties, strategic alliances, licensing arrangements, permitted debt financings, permitted royalty-based financings, and private and public and equity offerings or through other sources.

If adequate funds are not available, the Company may not be able to continue the development of its current or future product candidates, or to commercialize its current or future product candidates, if approved.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying condensed financial statements are unaudited and were prepared by the Company in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”). In the opinion of management, the Company has made all adjustments, which include only normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the Company’s financial position and results of operations for the interim periods presented. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform with current year presentation. Certain information and disclosures normally included in the annual financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted. These condensed interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018, and the notes thereto, which are included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018. The results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for a full year, any other interim periods or any future year or period.

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Net Loss Per Common Share

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Net Loss Per Common Share

Net Loss Per Common Share

12. Net Loss Per Common Share

Basic net loss per share is calculated by dividing net loss by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period, without consideration for common stock equivalents. Diluted net loss per share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted-average number of common stock equivalents outstanding for the period, including shares that potentially could be dilutive if they were exercised during the period, determined using the treasury-stock method. For purposes of this calculation, warrants for common stock, stock options and unvested RSUs are considered to be common stock equivalents and are only included in the calculation of diluted net loss per share when their effect is dilutive.

The shares outstanding at the end of the respective periods presented below were excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share due to their anti-dilutive effect:

	September 30,	December 31,
	2019	2018
Warrants for common stock	—	8,230
Common shares under option	5,093,262	5,303,723
Unvested RSUs	192,204	37,475
Total potential dilutive shares	5,285,466	5,349,428

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Warrants

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Warrants

Warrants

4. Warrants

In connection with the Credit Facility entered into in June 2014, the Company issued a warrant to purchase 8,230 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $15.19. The warrant was recorded at fair value of $0.1 million to additional paid-in-capital in accordance with ASC 815-10 based upon the allocation of the debt proceeds. During the nine months ended September 30, 2019, 8,230 warrants were net exercised for 5,813 shares of the Company’s common stock. As of September 30, 2019, the Company has no warrants outstanding.

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Liability Related to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Liability Related to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement

Liability Related to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement

8. Liability Related to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement

On June 26, 2019, the Company entered into a RIPA with Oberland, as agent for purchasers party thereto (the “Purchasers”), and the Purchasers named therein, to obtain financing in respect to the commercialization and further development of bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet and other working capital needs. Pursuant to the RIPA, the Company received $125.0 million at closing, less certain issuance costs. The Company will also be entitled to receive up to approximately $75.0 million

in subsequent installments subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the RIPA: (i) $25.0 million upon certain regulatory approval of its product candidates and (ii) $50.0 million, at the Company’s option, upon reaching $100.0 million trailing worldwide six-month net sales any time prior to December 31, 2021 (the “Third Payment”).

As consideration for such payments, the Purchasers will have a right to receive certain revenue interests (the “Revenue Interests”) from the Company based upon net sales of the Company’s certain products, once approved, which will be tiered payments initially ranging from 2.5% to 7.5% of the Company’s net sales in the covered territory (the “Covered Territory”); provided that (a) if annual net sales equal or exceed $350.0 million by December 31, 2021 (the “Sales Threshold”), the initially tiered revenue interest rate will be decreased to a single rate of 2.5% of the Company’s net sales in the Covered Territory, beginning on January 1, 2022, and (b) if annual net sales equal or exceed the Sales Threshold and if the Purchasers receive 100% of their invested capital by December 31, 2024, the revenue interest rate will be decreased to a single rate of 0.4% of the Company’s net sales in the Covered Territory beginning on January 1, 2025. If the Third Payment is drawn down by the Company, the applicable royalty rates will increase by one-third. The Covered Territory is the United States, but is subject to expand to include the world-wide net sales if the Company’s annual U.S. net sales are less than $350.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The U.S. net sales milestone thresholds are not to be taken as financial guidance. The Purchasers’ rights to receive the Revenue Interests shall terminate on the date on which the Purchasers have received Revenue Interests payments of 195% of the then aggregate purchase price (the “Cumulative Purchaser Payments”) paid to the Company, unless the RIPA is terminated earlier.

Under the RIPA, the Company has an option (the “Call Option”) to terminate the RIPA and repurchase future Revenue Interests at any time upon advance written notice. Additionally, the Purchasers have an option (the “Put Option”) to terminate the RIPA and to require the Company to repurchase future Revenue Interests upon enumerated events such as a bankruptcy event, an uncured material breach, a material adverse effect or a change of control. If the Put Option is exercised prior to the first anniversary of the closing date by the Purchasers (except pursuant to a change of control), the required repurchase price will be 120% of the Cumulative Purchaser Payments (minus all payments Company has made to the Purchasers in connection with the Revenue Interests). In all other cases, if the Put Option or the Call Option are exercised, the required repurchase price will be 175% of the Cumulative Purchaser Payments (minus all payments Company has made to the Purchasers in connection with the Revenue Interests), if such option is exercised prior to the third anniversary of the closing date, and 195% of the Cumulative Purchaser Payments (minus all payments Company has made to the Purchasers in connection with the Revenue Interests), if such option is exercised thereafter.

In addition, the RIPA contains various representations and warranties, information rights, non-financial covenants, indemnification obligations and other provisions that are customary for a transaction of this nature.

In connection with the arrangement, the Company recorded a liability, referred to as the “Revenue interest liability” in the condensed balance sheets, of $128.4 million, net of $0.6 million of unamortized issuance costs in connection with the RIPA. The Company imputes interest expense associated with this liability using the effective interest rate method. The effective interest rate is calculated based on the rate that would enable the debt to be repaid in full over the anticipated life of the arrangement. The interest rate on this liability may vary during the term of the agreement depending on a number of factors, including the level of forecasted net sales. The Company evaluates the interest rate quarterly based on its current net sales forecasts utilizing the prospective method. Future payments under the RIPA may range from $0.1 million in the next year to a maximum total payment of $243.8 million beyond one year. Per the terms of the agreement, every $100 million of net sales generated, less than or equal to $250 million in an annual aggregate, would result in a repayment obligation of approximately $7.5 million at the stated repayment rate in the first year. In the future, as net sales thresholds set forth in the agreement are met and the repayment percentage rate changes, the amount of the obligation and timing of payment is likely to change. As products are not yet approved for sale, the exact timing or amounts of repayment is likely to change each reporting period. A significant increase or decrease in net sales will materially impact the revenue interest liability, interest expense and the time period for repayment. The Company recorded approximately $4.0 million in interest expense related to this arrangement for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019.

The fair value of the revenue interest liability upon entering into the RIPA was $125.0 million, with an effective annual imputed interest rate of 12.6%. The Company incurred $0.6 million of issuance costs in connection with the RIPA, which will be amortized to interest expense over the estimated term of the RIPA. Payments made to Oberland as a result of the Company's net sales will reduce the revenue interest liability.

The following table summarizes the revenue interest liability activity during the nine months ended September 30, 2019:

	(in thousands)
Revenue interest liability at June 26, 2019	$	125,000
Interest expense recognized		3,996
Capitalized issuance costs		(576)
Revenue interest liability at September 30, 2019	$	128,420

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Condensed Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 211,978	$ 36,973
Restricted cash	928
Short-term investments	31,883	99,050
Prepaid clinical development costs	5,653	5,275
Right of use operating lease assets	260
Other prepaid and current assets	2,758	1,334
Total current assets	253,460	142,632
Property and equipment, net	958	520
Intangible assets	56	56
Long-term investments		243
Right of use operating lease assets	796
Total assets	255,270	143,451
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	23,735	44,893
Accrued clinical development costs	20,954	16,039
Other accrued liabilities	9,944	3,401
Deferred revenue from collaborations	2,618
Operating lease liabilities	267
Total current liabilities	57,518	64,333
Revenue interest liability	128,420
Operating lease liabilities	820
Total liabilities	186,758	64,333
Commitments and contingencies (Note 5)
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 5,000,000 shares authorized and no shares issued or outstanding as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018
Common stock, $0.001 par value; 120,000,000 shares authorized as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018; 27,178,230 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2019 and 26,824,859 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2018	27	27
Additional paid-in capital	701,794	677,511
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	11	(319)
Accumulated deficit	(633,320)	(598,101)
Total stockholders' equity	68,512	79,118
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 255,270	$ 143,451

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Condensed Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Operating activities
Net loss	$ (35,219)	$ (141,771)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation expense	218	191
Accretion of premiums and discounts on investments	(140)	(134)
Non-cash interest expense related to the revenue interest liability	3,996
Stock-based compensation expense	19,526	17,139
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Prepaids and other assets	(1,802)	(5,267)
Deferred revenue	2,618
Accounts payable	(21,158)	(1,808)
Other accrued liabilities	11,614	11,704
Net cash used in operating activities	(20,347)	(119,946)
Investing activities
Purchases of investments	(26,630)	(25,481)
Proceeds from sales/maturities of investments	94,510	127,408
Purchase of property and equipment	(781)	(46)
Net cash provided by investing activities	67,099	101,881
Financing activities
Proceeds from revenue interest liability, net of issuance costs	124,424
Proceeds from exercise of common stock options	4,757	11,401
Payments on long-term debt		(1,049)
Net cash provided by financing activities	129,181	10,352
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	175,933	(7,713)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	36,973	34,468
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	212,906	26,755
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Purchase of property and equipment not yet paid	74	$ 293
Non cash right of use asset	$ 31

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Income Taxes (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Provision for income taxes
Provision for income taxes	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0

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Fair Value Measurements - Recurring (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018
Assets:
Total, Estimated Fair Value	$ 87,082		$ 87,082		$ 133,819
Transfer of assets between levels	0	$ 0	0	$ 0
Transfer of liabilities between levels	0	$ 0	0	$ 0
Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement (RIPA) | Oberland
Liabilities:
Fair value of the revenue interest liability	128,400		128,400
Recurring fair value measurement
Assets:
Money market funds	55,199		55,199		34,526
Total, Estimated Fair Value	87,082		87,082		133,819
Recurring fair value measurement | U.S. treasury notes
Assets:
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	31,638		31,638		44,755
Recurring fair value measurement | U.S. government agency securities
Assets:
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure					50,429
Recurring fair value measurement | Certificates of deposit
Assets:
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	245		245		4,109
Recurring fair value measurement | Level 1
Assets:
Money market funds	55,199		55,199		34,526
Total, Estimated Fair Value	87,082		87,082		83,390
Recurring fair value measurement | Level 1 | U.S. treasury notes
Assets:
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	31,638		31,638		44,755
Recurring fair value measurement | Level 1 | Certificates of deposit
Assets:
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	$ 245		$ 245		4,109
Recurring fair value measurement | Level 2
Assets:
Total, Estimated Fair Value					50,429
Recurring fair value measurement | Level 2 | U.S. government agency securities
Assets:
Investments, Fair Value Disclosure					$ 50,429

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Fair Value Measurements (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Fair Value Measurements

Schedule of the Company's financial assets and liabilities that have been measured at fair value on a recurring basis

Description	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
	(in thousands)
September 30, 2019
Assets:
Money market funds	$	55,199	$	55,199	$	—	$	—
Investments:
Certificates of deposit		245		245		—		—
U.S. treasury notes		31,638		31,638		—		—
Total assets at fair value	$	87,082	$	87,082	$	—	$	—
December 31, 2018
Assets:
Money market funds	$	34,526	$	34,526	$	—	$	—
Investments:
Certificates of deposit		4,109		4,109		—		—
U.S. treasury notes		44,755		44,755		—		—
U.S. government agency securities		50,429		—		50,429		—
Total assets at fair value	$	133,819	$	83,390	$	50,429	$	—

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Net Loss Per Common Share (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Net Loss Per Common Share

Schedule of the shares outstanding were excluded from the calculation of diluted net income (loss) per share due to their anti-dilutive effect

	September 30,	December 31,
	2019	2018
Warrants for common stock	—	8,230
Common shares under option	5,093,262	5,303,723
Unvested RSUs	192,204	37,475
Total potential dilutive shares	5,285,466	5,349,428

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Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Statements of Cash Flows
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 211,978	$ 36,973	$ 26,755
Restricted cash	928
Total cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash shown on the Condensed Statements of Cash Flows	$ 212,906	$ 36,973	$ 26,755	$ 34,468

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Condensed Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Revenues:
Total Revenues	$ 981		$ 147,382
Type of Revenue	espr:CollaborationRevenueMember		espr:CollaborationRevenueMember
Operating expenses:
Research and development	$ 48,281	$ 41,551	$ 137,377	$ 122,015
General and administrative	18,468	9,011	44,142	21,921
Total operating expenses	66,749	50,562	181,519	143,936
Loss from operations	(65,768)	(50,562)	(34,137)	(143,936)
Interest expense	(3,996)		(3,996)	(28)
Other income, net	1,387	651	2,914	2,193
Net loss	$ (68,377)	$ (49,911)	$ (35,219)	$ (141,771)
Net loss per common share - basic and diluted	$ (2.52)	$ (1.86)	$ (1.30)	$ (5.30)
Weighted-average shares outstanding - basic and diluted	27,171,769	26,804,026	26,995,661	26,732,733
Other comprehensive loss:
Unrealized gain on investments	$ 27	$ 216	$ 330	$ 285
Comprehensive loss	$ (68,350)	$ (49,695)	$ (34,889)	$ (141,486)

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Stock Compensation (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	May 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018	May 31, 2017
Stock compensation
Weighted-average period over which remaining unrecognized compensation cost will be recognized				2 years 9 months 18 days
Number of Options
Outstanding at the beginning of period (in shares)				5,303,723
Granted (in shares)				542,875
Forfeited or expired (in shares)				(419,628)
Exercised (in shares)				(333,708)
Outstanding at the end of the period (in shares)		5,093,262		5,093,262		5,303,723
Weighted-Average Exercise Price Per Share
Outstanding at the beginning of period (in dollars per share)				$ 37.01
Granted (in dollars per share)				46.95
Forfeited or expired (in dollars per share)				47.06
Exercised (in dollars per share)				14.26
Outstanding at the end of the period (in dollars per share)		$ 38.73		$ 38.73		$ 37.01
Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Term (Years)
Outstanding at the end of the period				6 years 7 months 17 days		7 years 5 months 1 day
Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Outstanding at the end of the period (in dollars)		$ 45,443		$ 45,443		$ 83,473
Information about the stock option plan
Number of Options, vested and expected to vest (in shares)		5,093,262		5,093,262
Number of Options, exercisable (in shares)		3,142,954		3,142,954
Weighted-Average Exercise Price Per Share, vested and expected to vest (in dollars per share)		$ 38.73		$ 38.73
Weighted-Average Exercise Price Per Share, exercisable (in dollars per share)		$ 33.05		$ 33.05
Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Term, vested and expected to vest				6 years 7 months 17 days
Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Term, exercisable				5 years 3 months 21 days
Aggregate Intrinsic Value, vested and expected to vest (in dollars)		$ 45,443		$ 45,443
Aggregate Intrinsic Value, exercisable (in dollars)		39,711		39,711
Additional disclosures
Unrecognized stock-based compensation expense (in dollars)		55,600		55,600
Stock options
Stock compensation
Stock-based compensation expense		5,500	$ 5,300	18,100	$ 16,600
RSUs
Stock compensation
Stock-based compensation expense		800	$ 200	1,400	$ 500
Unrecognized stock-based compensation expense		$ 7,600		$ 7,600
Weighted-average period over which remaining unrecognized compensation cost will be recognized				3 years
Number of Options
Outstanding and unvested at the beginning of period (in shares)				37,475
Granted (in shares)				168,579
Vested (in shares)				(13,850)
Outstanding and unvested at the ending of period (in shares)		192,204		192,204		37,475
Weighted-Average Exercise Price Per Share
Outstanding and unvested at the beginning of period (in dollars per share)				$ 66.96
Granted (in dollars per share)				41.28
Vested (in dollars per share)				66.24
Outstanding and unvested at the at the end of the period (in dollars per share)		$ 44.48		$ 44.48		$ 66.96
2017 Inducement Equity Plan | Maximum
Stock compensation
Shares reserved and approved for issuance							750,000
2013 Stock Option and Incentive Plan
Stock compensation
Percentage of increase in the number of shares reserved and available for issuance	2.50%
2013 Stock Option and Incentive Plan | Maximum
Stock compensation
Shares reserved and approved for issuance	2,975,000

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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, expenses and related disclosures. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company invests its excess cash in bank deposits, money market accounts, and short-term investments. The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of 90 days or less at the time of purchase to be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents are reported at fair value.

Restricted Cash

Restricted cash consists of legally restricted amounts held by financial institutions pursuant to contractual arrangements.

Investments

Investments 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 investments classified as available-for-sale are adjusted for the amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity and recorded in other income, net. Realized gains and losses, if any, are determined using the specific identification method and recorded in other income, net. Investments with original maturities beyond 90 days at the date of purchase and which mature at, or less than twelve months from, the balance sheet date are classified as current. Investments with a maturity beyond twelve months from the balance sheet date are classified as long-term.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities consist of financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk. The Company has established guidelines for investment of its excess cash and believes the guidelines maintain safety and liquidity through diversification of counterparties and maturities.

Segment Information

The Company views its operations and manages its business in one operating segment, which is the business of researching, developing and commercializing therapies for the treatment of patients with elevated LDL-C.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company’s cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and investments are carried at fair value. Financial instruments, including other prepaid and current assets, accounts payable and accrued liabilities are carried at cost, which approximates fair value. Debt is carried at amortized cost, which approximates fair value.

Property and Equipment, Net

Property and equipment are recorded at cost, less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is provided using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the respective assets, generally three to ten years. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the lesser of the lease term or the estimated useful lives of the related assets.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company reviews long-lived assets, including property and equipment, for impairment whenever events or changes in business circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be fully recoverable. An impairment loss would be recognized when estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset and its eventual disposition are less than its carrying amount. The impairment loss, if recognized, would be based on the excess of the carrying value of the impaired asset over its respective fair value. No impairment losses have been recorded through September 30, 2019.

Leases

The Company reviews all arrangements to determine if the contract contains a lease or an embedded lease using the criteria in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 842. If a lease is identified, the Company reviews the consideration in the contract and separates the lease components from the nonlease components. In addition, the Company reviews the classification of the lease between operating and finance leases. According to ASC 842, lessees should discount lease payments at the lease commencement date using the rate implicit in the lease. If the rate implicit in the lease is not readily determinable, a lessee must use its incremental borrowing rate for purposes of classifying the lease and measuring the right-of-use asset and liability. To the extent the rate is not implicit in the lease, the Company uses the incremental borrowing rate it would have to pay to borrow on a collateralized basis over a similar term in an amount equal to the lease payments in a similar economic environment.

Revenue Interest Liability

The revenue interest liability is presented net of deferred issuance costs on the condensed balance sheets. The Company imputes interest expense associated with this liability using the effective interest rate method. The effective interest rate is calculated based on the rate that would enable the debt to be repaid in full over the anticipated life of the arrangement. The interest rate on the liability may vary during the term of the agreement depending on a number of factors, including the level of forecasted net sales. The Company evaluates the interest rate quarterly based on its current net sales forecasts utilizing the prospective method.

Revenue Recognition

a. Collaboration Revenue

The Company has entered into an agreement related to its activities to develop, manufacture, and commercialize its product candidates. The Company earns collaboration revenue in connection with a collaboration agreement to develop and/or commercialize product candidates where the Company deems the collaborator to be the customer. The Company has adopted ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, and under the terms of the standard, revenue is measured as the amount of consideration expected to be entitled to in exchange for transferring promised goods or providing services to a customer. Revenue is recognized when (or as) the Company satisfies performance obligations under the terms of a contract. Depending on the terms of the arrangement, the Company may defer the recognition of all or a portion of the consideration received as the performance obligations are satisfied.

The collaboration agreement may require the Company to deliver various rights, services, and/or goods across the entire life cycle of a product or product candidate. In the agreement involving multiple goods or services promised to be transferred to a customer, the Company must assess, at the inception of the contract, whether each promise represents a separate performance obligation (i.e., is "distinct"), or whether such promises should be combined as a single performance obligation.

The terms of the agreement typically include consideration to be provided to the Company in the form of non-refundable up-front payments, development milestones, sales milestones, and royalties on sales of products within a respective territory.

At the inception of the contract, the transaction price reflects the amount of consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for transferring promised goods or services to its customer. In the arrangement where the Company satisfies performance obligation(s) during the regulatory phase over time, the Company recognizes collaboration revenue typically using an input method on the basis of regulatory costs incurred relative to the total expected cost which determines the extent of progress toward completion. The Company reviews the estimate of the transaction price and the total expected cost each period, and makes revisions to such estimates as necessary.

Under the Company's collaboration agreement, product sales and cost of sales may be recorded by the Company's collaborators as they are deemed to be the principal in the transaction. The Company receives royalties from the commercialization of such products, and records its share of the variable consideration, representing a percentage of net product sales, as collaboration revenue in the period in which such underlying sales occur and costs are incurred by the collaborator. The collaborator will provide the Company with estimates of its royalties for such quarter; these estimates are reconciled to actual results in the subsequent quarter, and the royalty is adjusted accordingly, as necessary.

Please refer to the discussion in Note 3 “Collaborations with Third Parties” for further discussion of the accounting related to the collaboration agreement.

Research and Development

Research and development expenses consist of costs incurred to further the Company's research and development activities and include salaries and related benefits, costs associated with clinical activities, nonclinical activities, regulatory activities, manufacturing activities to support clinical activities and commercial product manufacturing supply as the Company approaches anticipated approval, research-related overhead expenses and fees paid to external service providers that conduct certain research and development, clinical, and manufacturing activities on behalf of the Company. Research and development costs are expensed as incurred.

Accrued Clinical Development Costs

Outside research costs are a component of research and development expense. These expenses include fees paid to clinical research organizations and other service providers that conduct certain clinical and product development activities on behalf of the Company. Depending upon the timing of payments to the service providers, the Company recognizes prepaid expenses or accrued expenses related to these costs. These accrued or prepaid expenses are based on management's estimates of the work performed under service agreements, milestones achieved and experience with similar contracts. The Company monitors each of these factors and adjusts estimates accordingly.

Income Taxes

The Company utilizes the liability method of accounting for income taxes as required by ASC 740, Income Taxes. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between financial reporting and the tax basis of assets and liabilities and are measured using enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. The Company has incurred annual operating losses since inception. Accordingly, it is not more likely than not that the Company will realize a tax benefit from its deferred tax assets and as such, it has recorded a full valuation allowance.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company accounts for stock-based compensation in accordance with the provisions of ASC 718, Compensation-Stock Compensation. Accordingly, compensation costs related to equity instruments granted are recognized over the requisite service periods of the awards on a straight-line basis at the grant-date fair value calculated using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The Company accounts for forfeitures as they occur. Expense is recognized during the period the related services are rendered.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In November 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2018-08, which clarifies that certain transactions between collaborative arrangement participants should be accounted for as revenue under ASC 606 when the collaborative arrangement participant is a customer in the context of a unit of account. The standard is effective for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted, included in any interim period, provided an entity has already adopted ASC 606 or does so concurrently with the adoption of this guidance. The Company early adopted this guidance as of January 1, 2019, and implemented the new guidance in its consideration of the accounting for the DSE collaboration signed on January 2, 2019. Refer to Note 3 “Collaborations with Third Parties” and the Collaboration Revenue accounting policy above for further information.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, which was amended by subsequent updates (collectively the “lease standard” or “ASC 842”), and is intended to improve financial reporting about leasing transactions. The updated guidance requires a lessee to recognize assets and liabilities for leases with lease terms of more than twelve months. The Company adopted the standard on January 1, 2019 using the modified retrospective method. Results for the reporting period beginning after December 31, 2018 have been presented in accordance with the standard, while results for prior periods have not been adjusted. The Company recognized $1.0 million and $1.0 million of operating lease assets and operating lease liabilities, respectively, on the Company’s balance sheets as of January 1, 2019, primarily related to the lease agreement for the Company’s principal executive office. Refer to Note 9 “Leases” for more information on the Company’s leases.

There have been no other material changes to the significant accounting policies previously disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.

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Warrants (Details) - Warrants for common stock - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2014
Warrants
Number of warrants exercised	8,230
Warrants outstanding	0
Common stock
Warrants
Warrants exercisable into stock (in shares)		8,230
Exercise price (in dollars per share)		$ 15.19
Fair value of warrants		$ 0.1
Number of shares issued upon exercise of warrants	5,813

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Investments

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Investments

Investments

6. Investments

The following table summarizes the Company’s cash equivalents and investments:

	September 30, 2019
			Gross		Gross		Estimated
	Amortized		Unrealized		Unrealized		Fair
	Cost		Gains		Losses		Value
	(in thousands)
Cash equivalents:
Money market funds	$	55,199	$	—	$	—	$	55,199
Short-term investments:
Certificates of deposit		245		—		—		245
U.S. treasury notes		31,627		11		—		31,638
Total	$	87,071	$	11	$	—	$	87,082

	December 31, 2018
			Gross		Gross		Estimated
	Amortized		Unrealized		Unrealized		Fair
	Cost		Gains		Losses		Value
	(in thousands)
Cash equivalents:
Money market funds	$	34,526	$	—	$	—	$	34,526
Short-term investments:
Certificates of deposit		3,873		—		(7)		3,866
U.S treasury notes		44,897		—		(142)		44,755
U.S. government agency securities		50,598		—		(169)		50,429
Long-term investments:
Certificates of deposit		244		—		(1)		243
Total	$	134,138	$	—	$	(319)	$	133,819

At September 30, 2019, remaining contractual maturities of investments classified as current on the balance sheets were less than 12 months and at December 31, 2018, remaining contractual maturities of investments classified as long-term were less than two years.

During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, other income, net in the statements of operations includes interest income on investments of $1.2 million and $2.6 million, and income for the accretion of premiums and discounts on investments of $0.2 million and $0.3 million, respectively. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, other income,

net in the statements of operations includes interest income on investments of $0.6 million and $2.1 million, and income for the accretion of premiums and discounts on investments of less than $0.1 million and $0.1 million, respectively.

There were no unrealized gains or losses on investments reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss to other income in the statements of operations during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018.

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Leases

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Leases

Leases

10. Leases

The Company has operating leases primarily related to the Company’s principal executive office, automobile leases and other IT related equipment. The lease for the principal executive office has a lease term of 5 years and the automobile leases and IT equipment leases primarily have a term of 3 years. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, the Company recognized $0.1 million and $0.2 million, respectively, of operating lease costs, recognized on the Condensed Statements of Operations, and paid cash for the amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities of $0.1 million and $0.2 million, respectively, which were included in operating cash flows on the Condensed Statements of Cash Flows. At September 30, 2019, the weighted-average remaining lease term of operating leases was 3.8 years and the weighted average discount rate was 7.6%. There were no right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations in the nine months ended September 30, 2019. The Company had no additional operating and finance leases that have not yet commenced as of September 30, 2019.

The following table summarizes the Company’s future maturities of operating lease liabilities as of September 30, 2019:

	(in thousands)
2019	$	88
2020		338
2021		321
2022		299
2023		217
Total lease payments		1,263
Less imputed interest		176
Total	$	1,087

The following table summarizes supplemental balance sheet information related to leases as of September 30, 2019:

Operating Leases	(in thousands)
Right of use operating lease assets (short-term)	$	260
Right of use operating lease assets (long-term)		796
Total right of use operating lease assets	$	1,056
Operating lease liabilities (short-term)	$	267
Operating lease liabilities (long-term)		820
Total lease obligations under operating leases	$	1,087

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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, expenses and related disclosures. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company invests its excess cash in bank deposits, money market accounts, and short-term investments. The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of 90 days or less at the time of purchase to be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents are reported at fair value.

Restricted Cash

Restricted Cash

Restricted cash consists of legally restricted amounts held by financial institutions pursuant to contractual arrangements.

Investments

Investments

Investments 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 investments classified as available-for-sale are adjusted for the amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity and recorded in other income, net. Realized gains and losses, if any, are determined using the specific identification method and recorded in other income, net. Investments with original maturities beyond 90 days at the date of purchase and which mature at, or less than twelve months from, the balance sheet date are classified as current. Investments with a maturity beyond twelve months from the balance sheet date are classified as long-term.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Concentration of Credit Risk

Cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities consist of financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk. The Company has established guidelines for investment of its excess cash and believes the guidelines maintain safety and liquidity through diversification of counterparties and maturities.

Segment Information

Segment Information

The Company views its operations and manages its business in one operating segment, which is the business of researching, developing and commercializing therapies for the treatment of patients with elevated LDL-C.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company’s cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and investments are carried at fair value. Financial instruments, including other prepaid and current assets, accounts payable and accrued liabilities are carried at cost, which approximates fair value. Debt is carried at amortized cost, which approximates fair value.

Property and Equipment, Net

Property and Equipment, Net

Property and equipment are recorded at cost, less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is provided using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the respective assets, generally three to ten years. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the lesser of the lease term or the estimated useful lives of the related assets.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company reviews long-lived assets, including property and equipment, for impairment whenever events or changes in business circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be fully recoverable. An impairment loss would be recognized when estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset and its eventual disposition are less than its carrying amount. The impairment loss, if recognized, would be based on the excess of the carrying value of the impaired asset over its respective fair value. No impairment losses have been recorded through September 30, 2019.

Leases

Leases

The Company reviews all arrangements to determine if the contract contains a lease or an embedded lease using the criteria in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 842. If a lease is identified, the Company reviews the consideration in the contract and separates the lease components from the nonlease components. In addition, the Company reviews the classification of the lease between operating and finance leases. According to ASC 842, lessees should discount lease payments at the lease commencement date using the rate implicit in the lease. If the rate implicit in the lease is not readily determinable, a lessee must use its incremental borrowing rate for purposes of classifying the lease and measuring the right-of-use asset and liability. To the extent the rate is not implicit in the lease, the Company uses the incremental borrowing rate it would have to pay to borrow on a collateralized basis over a similar term in an amount equal to the lease payments in a similar economic environment.

Revenue Interest Liability

Revenue Interest Liability

The revenue interest liability is presented net of deferred issuance costs on the condensed balance sheets. The Company imputes interest expense associated with this liability using the effective interest rate method. The effective interest rate is calculated based on the rate that would enable the debt to be repaid in full over the anticipated life of the arrangement. The interest rate on the liability may vary during the term of the agreement depending on a number of factors, including the level of forecasted net sales. The Company evaluates the interest rate quarterly based on its current net sales forecasts utilizing the prospective method.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition

a. Collaboration Revenue

The Company has entered into an agreement related to its activities to develop, manufacture, and commercialize its product candidates. The Company earns collaboration revenue in connection with a collaboration agreement to develop and/or commercialize product candidates where the Company deems the collaborator to be the customer. The Company has adopted ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, and under the terms of the standard, revenue is measured as the amount of consideration expected to be entitled to in exchange for transferring promised goods or providing services to a customer. Revenue is recognized when (or as) the Company satisfies performance obligations under the terms of a contract. Depending on the terms of the arrangement, the Company may defer the recognition of all or a portion of the consideration received as the performance obligations are satisfied.

The collaboration agreement may require the Company to deliver various rights, services, and/or goods across the entire life cycle of a product or product candidate. In the agreement involving multiple goods or services promised to be transferred to a customer, the Company must assess, at the inception of the contract, whether each promise represents a separate performance obligation (i.e., is "distinct"), or whether such promises should be combined as a single performance obligation.

The terms of the agreement typically include consideration to be provided to the Company in the form of non-refundable up-front payments, development milestones, sales milestones, and royalties on sales of products within a respective territory.

At the inception of the contract, the transaction price reflects the amount of consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for transferring promised goods or services to its customer. In the arrangement where the Company satisfies performance obligation(s) during the regulatory phase over time, the Company recognizes collaboration revenue typically using an input method on the basis of regulatory costs incurred relative to the total expected cost which determines the extent of progress toward completion. The Company reviews the estimate of the transaction price and the total expected cost each period, and makes revisions to such estimates as necessary.

Under the Company's collaboration agreement, product sales and cost of sales may be recorded by the Company's collaborators as they are deemed to be the principal in the transaction. The Company receives royalties from the commercialization of such products, and records its share of the variable consideration, representing a percentage of net product sales, as collaboration revenue in the period in which such underlying sales occur and costs are incurred by the collaborator. The collaborator will provide the Company with estimates of its royalties for such quarter; these estimates are reconciled to actual results in the subsequent quarter, and the royalty is adjusted accordingly, as necessary.

Please refer to the discussion in Note 3 “Collaborations with Third Parties” for further discussion of the accounting related to the collaboration agreement.

Research and Development

Research and Development

Research and development expenses consist of costs incurred to further the Company's research and development activities and include salaries and related benefits, costs associated with clinical activities, nonclinical activities, regulatory activities, manufacturing activities to support clinical activities and commercial product manufacturing supply as the Company approaches anticipated approval, research-related overhead expenses and fees paid to external service providers that conduct certain research and development, clinical, and manufacturing activities on behalf of the Company. Research and development costs are expensed as incurred.

Accrued Clinical Development Costs

Accrued Clinical Development Costs

Outside research costs are a component of research and development expense. These expenses include fees paid to clinical research organizations and other service providers that conduct certain clinical and product development activities on behalf of the Company. Depending upon the timing of payments to the service providers, the Company recognizes prepaid expenses or accrued expenses related to these costs. These accrued or prepaid expenses are based on management's estimates of the work performed under service agreements, milestones achieved and experience with similar contracts. The Company monitors each of these factors and adjusts estimates accordingly.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

The Company utilizes the liability method of accounting for income taxes as required by ASC 740, Income Taxes. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between financial reporting and the tax basis of assets and liabilities and are measured using enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. The Company has incurred annual operating losses since inception. Accordingly, it is not more likely than not that the Company will realize a tax benefit from its deferred tax assets and as such, it has recorded a full valuation allowance.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company accounts for stock-based compensation in accordance with the provisions of ASC 718, Compensation-Stock Compensation. Accordingly, compensation costs related to equity instruments granted are recognized over the requisite service periods of the awards on a straight-line basis at the grant-date fair value calculated using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The Company accounts for forfeitures as they occur. Expense is recognized during the period the related services are rendered.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In November 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2018-08, which clarifies that certain transactions between collaborative arrangement participants should be accounted for as revenue under ASC 606 when the collaborative arrangement participant is a customer in the context of a unit of account. The standard is effective for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted, included in any interim period, provided an entity has already adopted ASC 606 or does so concurrently with the adoption of this guidance. The Company early adopted this guidance as of January 1, 2019, and implemented the new guidance in its consideration of the accounting for the DSE collaboration signed on January 2, 2019. Refer to Note 3 “Collaborations with Third Parties” and the Collaboration Revenue accounting policy above for further information.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, which was amended by subsequent updates (collectively the “lease standard” or “ASC 842”), and is intended to improve financial reporting about leasing transactions. The updated guidance requires a lessee to recognize assets and liabilities for leases with lease terms of more than twelve months. The Company adopted the standard on January 1, 2019 using the modified retrospective method. Results for the reporting period beginning after December 31, 2018 have been presented in accordance with the standard, while results for prior periods have not been adjusted. The Company recognized $1.0 million and $1.0 million of operating lease assets and operating lease liabilities, respectively, on the Company’s balance sheets as of January 1, 2019, primarily related to the lease agreement for the Company’s principal executive office. Refer to Note 9 “Leases” for more information on the Company’s leases.

There have been no other material changes to the significant accounting policies previously disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.

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Stock Compensation (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Stock Compensation

Summary of activity relating to the Company's options to purchase common stock

		Weighted-Average		Weighted-Average
		Exercise		Remaining	Aggregate
	Number of	Price		Contractual	Intrinsic
	Options	Per Share		Term (Years)	Value
					(in thousands)
Outstanding at December 31, 2018	5,303,723	$	37.01	7.42	$	83,473
Granted	542,875	$	46.95
Forfeited or expired	(419,628)	$	47.06
Exercised	(333,708)	$	14.26
Outstanding at September 30, 2019	5,093,262	$	38.73	6.63	$	45,443

Summary of information about the Company's stock option plan

		Weighted-Average		Weighted-Average
		Exercise		Remaining	Aggregate
	Number of	Price		Contractual	Intrinsic
	Options	Per Share		Term (Years)	Value
					(in thousands)
Vested and expected to vest at September 30, 2019	5,093,262	$	38.73	6.63	$	45,443
Exercisable at September 30, 2019	3,142,954	$	33.05	5.31	$	39,711

Summary of activity relating to the Company's RSUs

		Weighted-Average
	Number of	Fair Value Per
	RSUs	Share
Outstanding and unvested at December 31, 2018	37,475	$	66.96
Granted	168,579	$	41.28
Vested	(13,850)	$	66.24
Outstanding and unvested at September 30, 2019	192,204	$	44.48

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The Company and Basis of Presentation (Details)	1 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2019 item
The Company and Basis of Presentation
Number of patients enrolled in the global cardiovascular outcomes trial ("CVOT")	14,032

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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) segment	Jan. 01, 2019 USD ($)
Segment Information
Number of operating segments | segment	1
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
Impairment losses	$ 0
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Operating lease assets	1,056,000
Operating lease liabilities	$ 1,087,000
ASU 2016-02
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Operating lease assets		$ 1,000,000.0
Operating lease liabilities		$ 1,000,000.0
Property and equipment | Minimum
Property and Equipment, Net
Estimated useful lives	3 years
Property and equipment | Maximum
Property and Equipment, Net
Estimated useful lives	10 years

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Investments (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Investments

Summary of the Company's cash equivalents and investments

	September 30, 2019
			Gross		Gross		Estimated
	Amortized		Unrealized		Unrealized		Fair
	Cost		Gains		Losses		Value
	(in thousands)
Cash equivalents:
Money market funds	$	55,199	$	—	$	—	$	55,199
Short-term investments:
Certificates of deposit		245		—		—		245
U.S. treasury notes		31,627		11		—		31,638
Total	$	87,071	$	11	$	—	$	87,082

	December 31, 2018
			Gross		Gross		Estimated
	Amortized		Unrealized		Unrealized		Fair
	Cost		Gains		Losses		Value
	(in thousands)
Cash equivalents:
Money market funds	$	34,526	$	—	$	—	$	34,526
Short-term investments:
Certificates of deposit		3,873		—		(7)		3,866
U.S treasury notes		44,897		—		(142)		44,755
U.S. government agency securities		50,598		—		(169)		50,429
Long-term investments:
Certificates of deposit		244		—		(1)		243
Total	$	134,138	$	—	$	(319)	$	133,819

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Leases (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Leases

Schedule of future maturities of operating lease liabilities

The following table summarizes the Company’s future maturities of operating lease liabilities as of September 30, 2019:

	(in thousands)
2019	$	88
2020		338
2021		321
2022		299
2023		217
Total lease payments		1,263
Less imputed interest		176
Total	$	1,087

Schedule of supplemental balance sheet information related to leases

The following table summarizes supplemental balance sheet information related to leases as of September 30, 2019:

Operating Leases	(in thousands)
Right of use operating lease assets (short-term)	$	260
Right of use operating lease assets (long-term)		796
Total right of use operating lease assets	$	1,056
Operating lease liabilities (short-term)	$	267
Operating lease liabilities (long-term)		820
Total lease obligations under operating leases	$	1,087

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Liability Related to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement - Summary (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jun. 26, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019
Liability Related to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement
Revenue interest liability at June 26, 2019		$ 128,420	$ 128,420	$ 128,420
Capitalized issuance costs				(600)
Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement (RIPA)
Liability Related to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement
Theoretical amount of net sales generated to illustrate estimated payments at the initial repayment rate in the first year				100,000
The maximum of future aggregate annual net sales threshold for repayment obligation at the initial stated repayment rate as per agreement in the first year.				250,000
Illustrated estimated payments at the initial repayment rate based on a theoretical amount of net sales generated in the first year				7,500
Revenue interest liability at June 26, 2019	$ 125,000
Interest expense recognized		4,000	3,996	4,000
Capitalized issuance costs			(576)	(600)
Revenue interest liability at September 30, 2019		$ 128,420	$ 128,420	128,420
Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement (RIPA) | Minimum
Liability Related to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement
Future payments under revenue interest purchase agreement over the next year				100
Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement (RIPA) | Maximum
Liability Related to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement
Future payments under revenue interest purchase agreement				$ 243,800
Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement (RIPA) | Oberland
Liability Related to the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement
Proceeds from revenue interest liability	125,000
Total amount of subsequent installment, subject to RIPA terms and conditions	75,000
Amount of subsequent installment, subject to regulatory approval	25,000
Amount of subsequent installment, subject to achievement of Sales Threshold	50,000
Milestone amount for worldwide sales to receive the Third Payment	$ 100,000
Consecutive number of months sales must be at or above milestone amount	6 months
Revenue interest rate which will take effect if annual net sales equals or exceeds the Sales Threshold by December 31, 2021	2.50%
Initial revenue interest rate	7.50%
Minimum amount of annual net sales to qualify for reduced revenue interest rate by December 31, 2021	$ 350,000
Percentage of invested capital received by December 31, 2024, to qualify for second reduced revenue interest rate	100.00%
Revenue interest rate if annual net sales equal or exceed the Sales Threshold and if the Purchasers receive 100% of their invested capital by December 31, 2024	0.40%
Percentage of increase in royalty rate upon drawdown of third payment	33.33%
Percentage of revenue interests payment on which agreement terminates	195.00%
Percentage of revenue interests payment on which agreement terminates, if prior to the anniversary of the closing date, if put option is exercised	120.00%
Percentage of revenue interests payment on which agreement terminates, prior to the third anniversary of the closing date, if put option is exercised	175.00%
Percentage of revenue interests payment on which agreement terminates, after the third anniversary of the closing date, if put option is exercised	195.00%
Effective annual imputed interest rate (as a percent)	12.60%
Revenue interest liability at June 26, 2019	$ 125,000

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Collaborations with Third Parties

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Collaborations with Third Parties

Collaborations with Third Parties

3. Collaborations with Third Parties

Agreement Terms

On January 2, 2019, the Company entered into a license and collaboration agreement with DSE. Pursuant to the agreement, the Company granted DSE exclusive commercialization rights to bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid / ezetimibe combination tablet in the European Economic Area and Switzerland (“DSE Territory”). DSE will be responsible for commercialization in the DSE Territory. The Company remains responsible for clinical development, regulatory and manufacturing activities for the licensed products globally, including in the DSE Territory.

Pursuant to the agreement, the consideration consists of a $150.0 million upfront cash payment as well as $150.0 million cash payment to the Company upon first commercial sales in the DSE Territory. The Company is also eligible to receive a substantial additional regulatory milestone payment upon the grant of the marketing authorisation in the European Union for the CV risk reduction label, depending on the range of relative risk reduction in the CLEAR Outcomes study. In addition, the Company is eligible to receive additional sales milestone payments related to total net sales achievements for DSE in the DSE Territory. Finally, the Company will receive tiered fifteen percent (15%) to twenty-five percent (25%) royalties on net DSE Territory sales.

The agreement calls for both parties to participate in a Joint Collaboration Committee (the “JCC”). The JCC is comprised of executive management from each company and the Company will lead in all aspects related to development and DSE will lead in all aspects related to commercialization in the DSE Territory.

Collaboration Revenue

The Company considered the guidance under ASC 606 and concluded that the agreement was in the scope of ASC 606. The Company concluded that the upfront payment of $150.0 million should be included in the transaction price and related to the following performance obligations under the agreement: 1) the license to the Company’s intellectual property and 2) the obligation to provide ongoing regulatory and development activities. The Company used the adjusted market assessment approach in determining the standalone selling price of the Company’s intellectual property and the expected cost plus margin approach in determining the standalone selling price of the Company’s obligation to provide ongoing regulatory and development activities. Accordingly, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, the Company recognized $1.0 million and $147.4 million of collaboration revenue related to the $150.0 million upfront payment, respectively. The $147.4 million relates to the performance obligations for the license to the Company’s intellectual property and a portion of ongoing regulatory and development activities conducted during the period

ended September 30, 2019, in the amounts of $144.4 million and $3.0 million, respectively. The remaining $2.6 million of the upfront payment was deferred as of September 30, 2019 due to an on-going performance obligation related to the ongoing regulatory efforts related to the MAA in the DSE Territory. This deferred revenue will be recognized ratably over the period leading up to the approval of the MAA acceptance by the EMA.

All future potential milestone amounts were not included in the transaction price, as they were all determined to be fully constrained following the concepts of ASC 606 due to the fact that such amounts hinge on regulatory approval. Additionally, the Company expects that any consideration related to royalties and sales-based milestones will be recognized when the subsequent sales occur.

The Company has not yet recognized any revenue for milestone payments as the related regulatory and commercial milestones have not yet been achieved.

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Collaborations with Third Parties (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Jan. 02, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019
Collaborations with Third Parties
Total Revenues		$ 981	$ 147,382
Deferred revenue, Upfront payments		$ 2,600	2,600
License for the intellectual property
Collaborations with Third Parties
Total Revenues			144,400
Ongoing regulatory and development activities
Collaborations with Third Parties
Total Revenues			$ 3,000
Collaborative Arrangement | Daiichi Sankyo Europe GmbH ("DSE")
Collaborations with Third Parties
Upfront cash payment	$ 150,000
Cash payment to the Company upon first commercial sales in the DSE Territory	$ 150,000
Collaborative Arrangement | Daiichi Sankyo Europe GmbH ("DSE") | Minimum
Collaborations with Third Parties
Percentage of royalties to be received on the net sales	15.00%
Collaborative Arrangement | Daiichi Sankyo Europe GmbH ("DSE") | Maximum
Collaborations with Third Parties
Percentage of royalties to be received on the net sales	25.00%

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Document and Entity Information - shares	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Nov. 01, 2019
Document and Entity Information
Document Type	10-Q
Document Quarterly Report	true
Document Period End Date	Sep. 30, 2019
Document Transition Report	false
Entity Registrant Name	Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
Entity File Number	001-35986
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	DE
Entity Tax Identification Number	26-1870780
Entity Address, Address Line One	3891 Ranchero Drive, Suite 150
Entity Address, City or Town	Ann Arbor
Entity Address, State or Province	MI
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	48108
City Area Code	734
Local Phone Number	887-3903
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock
Trading Symbol	ESPR
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		27,327,409
Entity Central Index Key	0001434868
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2019
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q3
Amendment Flag	false

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Net Loss Per Common Share - Calculation of diluted net loss per share (Details) - shares	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Net Income (Loss) Per Common Share
Total potential dilutive shares	5,285,466	5,349,428
Warrants for common stock
Net Income (Loss) Per Common Share
Total potential dilutive shares		8,230
Stock options
Net Income (Loss) Per Common Share
Total potential dilutive shares	5,093,262	5,303,723
Unvested RSUs
Net Income (Loss) Per Common Share
Total potential dilutive shares	192,204	37,475

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Condensed Statements of Stockholders' Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Common Stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Accumulated Deficit	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Total
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 26	$ 641,801	$ (396,291)	$ (845)	$ 244,691
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017	26,304,669
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Exercise of stock options	$ 1	9,775			9,776
Exercise of stock options (in shares)	285,413
Exercise of warrants (in shares)	159,944
Vesting of restricted stock units (in shares)	1,562
Stock-based compensation		5,921			5,921
Other comprehensive gain (loss)				(118)	(118)
Net income (loss)			(46,130)		(46,130)
Balance at Mar. 31, 2018	$ 27	657,497	(442,421)	(963)	214,140
Balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2018	26,751,588
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 26	641,801	(396,291)	(845)	244,691
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017	26,304,669
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net income (loss)					(141,771)
Balance at Sep. 30, 2018	$ 27	670,340	(538,062)	(560)	131,745
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2018	26,804,300
Balance at Mar. 31, 2018	$ 27	657,497	(442,421)	(963)	214,140
Balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2018	26,751,588
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Exercise of stock options		1,597			1,597
Exercise of stock options (in shares)	49,504
Vesting of restricted stock units (in shares)	625
Stock-based compensation		5,723			5,723
Other comprehensive gain (loss)				187	187
Net income (loss)			(45,730)		(45,730)
Balance at Jun. 30, 2018	$ 27	664,817	(488,151)	(776)	175,917
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2018	26,801,717
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Exercise of stock options		28			28
Exercise of stock options (in shares)	1,958
Vesting of restricted stock units (in shares)	625
Stock-based compensation		5,495			5,495
Other comprehensive gain (loss)				216	216
Net income (loss)			(49,911)		(49,911)
Balance at Sep. 30, 2018	$ 27	670,340	(538,062)	(560)	131,745
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2018	26,804,300
Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 27	677,511	(598,101)	(319)	$ 79,118
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018	26,824,859				26,824,859
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Exercise of stock options		1,669			$ 1,669
Exercise of stock options (in shares)	80,218
Vesting of restricted stock units (in shares)	3,125
Stock-based compensation		6,636			6,636
Other comprehensive gain (loss)				208	208
Net income (loss)			87,379		87,379
Balance at Mar. 31, 2019	$ 27	685,816	(510,722)	(111)	175,010
Balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019	26,908,202
Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 27	677,511	(598,101)	(319)	$ 79,118
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018	26,824,859				26,824,859
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Exercise of stock options (in shares)					333,708
Net income (loss)					$ (35,219)
Balance at Sep. 30, 2019	$ 27	701,794	(633,320)	11	$ 68,512
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019	27,178,230				27,178,230
Balance at Mar. 31, 2019	$ 27	685,816	(510,722)	(111)	$ 175,010
Balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019	26,908,202
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Exercise of stock options		1,887			1,887
Exercise of stock options (in shares)	115,612
Exercise of warrants (in shares)	5,813
Vesting of restricted stock units (in shares)	7,025
Stock-based compensation		6,563			6,563
Other comprehensive gain (loss)				95	95
Net income (loss)			(54,221)		(54,221)
Balance at Jun. 30, 2019	$ 27	694,266	(564,943)	(16)	129,334
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019	27,036,652
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Exercise of stock options		1,201			1,201
Exercise of stock options (in shares)	137,878
Vesting of restricted stock units (in shares)	3,700
Stock-based compensation		6,327			6,327
Other comprehensive gain (loss)				27	27
Net income (loss)			(68,377)		(68,377)
Balance at Sep. 30, 2019	$ 27	$ 701,794	$ (633,320)	$ 11	$ 68,512
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019	27,178,230				27,178,230

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Fair Value Measurements

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value Measurements

7. Fair Value Measurements

The Company follows accounting guidance that emphasizes that fair value is a market-based measurement, not an entity-specific measurement. Fair value is defined as “the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.” Fair value measurements are defined on a three level hierarchy:

Level 1 inputs:	Quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets;
Level 2 inputs:	Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted market prices for similar assets or liabilities or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by market data; and
Level 3 inputs:	Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and require the reporting entity to develop assumptions that market participants would use when pricing the asset or liability.

The following table presents the Company’s financial assets and liabilities that have been measured at fair value on a recurring basis:

Description	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
	(in thousands)
September 30, 2019
Assets:
Money market funds	$	55,199	$	55,199	$	—	$	—
Investments:
Certificates of deposit		245		245		—		—
U.S. treasury notes		31,638		31,638		—		—
Total assets at fair value	$	87,082	$	87,082	$	—	$	—
December 31, 2018
Assets:
Money market funds	$	34,526	$	34,526	$	—	$	—
Investments:
Certificates of deposit		4,109		4,109		—		—
U.S. treasury notes		44,755		44,755		—		—
U.S. government agency securities		50,429		—		50,429		—
Total assets at fair value	$	133,819	$	83,390	$	50,429	$	—

At September 30, 2019, the fair value of the $128.4 million revenue interest liability is based on the Company’s current estimates of future revenues expected to be paid to Eiger III SA LLC (“Oberland”), an affiliate of Oberland Capital LLC, over the life of the Revenue Interest Purchase Agreement (“RIPA”). The liability is considered a Level 3 input based on the three level hierarchy. Refer to Note 8 for further information.

There were no transfers between Levels 1, 2 or 3 during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018.

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Income Taxes

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

11. Income Taxes

There was no provision for income taxes for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, because the Company has incurred annual operating losses since inception. At September 30, 2019, the Company continues to conclude that it is not more likely than not that the Company will realize the benefit of its deferred tax assets due to its history of losses. Accordingly, a full valuation allowance has been applied against the net deferred tax assets.