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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Use of Estimates
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") requires the use of estimates and assumptions, based on judgments considered reasonable, which affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The Company bases its estimates and assumptions on historical experience, known trends and events and various other factors that management believes to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Although management believes its estimates and assumptions are reasonable when made, they are based upon information available at the time they are made. Management evaluates the estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis and, if necessary, makes adjustments. Due to the risks and uncertainties involved in the Company’s business and evolving market conditions, and given the subjective element of the estimates and assumptions made, actual results may differ from estimated results. The most significant estimates and judgments impact the fair value of intangible assets, goodwill and contingent consideration; income taxes (including the valuation allowance for deferred tax assets); research and development expenses; and going concern considerations.
Principles of Consolidation
Principles of Consolidation
The Company’s consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, its wholly owned subsidiary Viventia and its indirect subsidiaries, Viventia Bio USA Inc. and Viventia Biotech (EU) Limited. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.
Foreign Currency Translation
Foreign Currency Translation
The functional currency of the Company and each of its subsidiaries is the United States dollar.
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Concentration of Credit Risk Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Concentration of Credit RiskThe Company's cash is held on deposit in demand accounts at a large financial institution in amounts in excess of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") insurance coverage limit of $250,000 per depositor, per FDIC-insured bank, per ownership category. Restricted cash represents cash held by the Company's primary commercial bank to collateralize a letter of credit issued related to a license agreement and the credit limit on the Company's corporate credit card, and are classified as short term and long term, respectively. The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to credit risk principally consists of cash equivalents, marketable securities, and accounts receivable. The Company limited its credit risk associated with cash equivalents and marketable securities by investing in highly-rated money market funds, US government securities, and treasury securities. The Company does not believe that it is subject to any significant concentrations of credit risk from these financial institutions.
Marketable Securities Marketable SecuritiesThe Company classifies all of its marketable securities as available-for-sale. The marketable securities consist of holdings in US treasury securities and US government securities, with maturity dates ranging from March 2023 to November 2023, which is consistent with the Company's investment policy. Accordingly, these investments are recorded at fair value which is determined based on quoted market prices. Amortization and accretion of discounts and premiums are recorded as interest income. Realized gains and losses are included in other income (expense), net. Unrealized gains and losses are included in other comprehensive loss as a component of stockholder’s equity (deficit) until realized.
Property and Equipment
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are recorded at cost. Maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred, and costs of improvements and renewals are capitalized. Depreciation is recognized using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the relative assets. The Company uses an estimated useful life of five years for lab equipment, four years for furniture
and fixtures, three years for computer equipment and software and the lesser of five years or the remaining lease term for leasehold improvements.
Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets
Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets
The Company’s intangible assets consisted of indefinite-lived, acquired in-process research and development ("IPR&D") worldwide product rights to Vicineum as a result of the acquisition of Viventia in 2016. IPR&D assets acquired in a business combination are considered indefinite-lived until the completion or abandonment of the associated research and development efforts.
Indefinite-lived intangible assets are quantitatively tested for impairment at least annually during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year, or more often if indicators of impairment are present. Impairment testing of indefinite-lived intangible assets requires management to estimate the future discounted cash flows of an asset using assumptions believed to be reasonable, but which are unpredictable and inherently uncertain. Actual future cash flows may differ from the estimates used in impairment testing. The Company recognizes an impairment loss when and to the extent that the estimated fair value of an intangible asset is less than its carrying value. In addition, on a quarterly basis, the Company performs a qualitative review of its business operations to determine whether events or changes in circumstances have occurred which could indicate that the carrying value of its intangible assets was not recoverable. If an impairment indicator is identified, an interim impairment assessment is performed.
During the second quarter of 2022, the Company observed an evolution of the current market treatment paradigm in NMIBC, with substantial uptake of intravesical chemotherapy (monotherapy and combination therapy) during the ongoing BCG shortage. The Company has also experienced a sustained decline in share price and a resulting decrease in its market capitalization. On July 15, 2022, the Company made the strategic decision to voluntarily pause further development of Vicineum in the United States. The decision was based on a thorough reassessment of Vicineum following discussions with the FDA, which had implications on the size, timeline, and costs of an additional Phase 3 clinical trial for the treatment of NMIBC. Management updated the discounted cash flow model using the market participant approach and considered preliminary terms of potential partnering deal to conclude the fair value of its intangible asset of Vicineum E.U. rights. The Company concluded that the carrying value of its intangible asset of Vicineum E.U. rights of $14.7 million was fully impaired as of June 30, 2022 and was reduced to zero in the second quarter of 2022.
In August 2021, the Company received a Complete Response Letter ("CRL") from the FDA regarding its BLA for Vicineum for the treatment of NMIBC, its lead product candidate. In the CRL, the FDA determined that it could not approve the BLA for Vicineum in its present form and provided recommendations specific to additional clinical/statistical data and analyses in addition to chemistry, manufacturing, and controls ("CMC") issues pertaining to a recent pre-approval inspection and product quality. Given the inherent uncertainty in the development plans for Vicineum (and Vysyneum in the EMA) as a result of the CRL and the withdrawal of the Company's marketing authorization application ("MAA"), an interim impairment analysis was conducted in the third quarter of 2021, which concluded that the carrying value of the Company’s intangible asset of Vicineum United States rights was fully impaired as of September 30, 2021. The $31.7 million of impairment charges were due to delays in the expected start of commercialization and lower probabilities of success, combined with higher operating expenses expected to be incurred prior to commercialization, resulting in lower expected future cash flows estimated in the United States market.
Goodwill
Goodwill
Goodwill on the Company's consolidated balance sheets is the result of the Company’s acquisition of Viventia in September 2016 and represents the difference between the purchase price and the fair value of the identifiable tangible and intangible net assets acquired under the acquisition method of accounting. Goodwill is not amortized; rather than recording periodic amortization, goodwill is quantitatively tested for impairment at least annually during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year, or more often if indicators of impairment are present. Impairment testing of goodwill requires management to estimate the future discounted cash flows of a reporting unit using assumptions believed to be reasonable, but which are unpredictable and inherently uncertain. Actual future cash flows may differ from the estimates used in impairment testing. If the fair value of the equity of a reporting unit exceeds the reporting unit’s carrying value, including goodwill, then goodwill is considered not to be impaired. The Company recognizes a goodwill impairment when and to the extent that the fair value of the equity of a reporting unit is less than the reporting unit's carrying value, including goodwill. The Company has only one reporting unit. In addition, on a quarterly basis, the Company performs a qualitative review of its business operations to determine whether events or changes in circumstances have occurred which could have a material adverse effect on the estimated fair value of each reporting unit and thus indicate a potential impairment of the goodwill carrying value. If an impairment indicator is identified, an interim impairment assessment is performed.
During the second quarter of 2022, the Company observed continued trends in its market capitalization as compared to the carrying value of its single reporting unit as well as changes in certain assumptions in the fair value of the business including market share, size, length and cost of a clinical trial, and time to potential market launch. The Company identified these changes as potential impairment indicators and performed a quantitative impairment analysis in advance of its typical annual assessment
date of October 1. The Company reassessed the underlying assumptions used to develop its revenue projections, which were then used as significant inputs to determine the fair value of equity. The Company updated its revenue forecast models based on further expected launch delays in both United States and outside of the United States ("OUS") regions. The Company also recently observed an evolution of the current treatment paradigm in NMIBC, with substantial uptake of intravesical chemotherapy (monotherapy and combination therapy) during the ongoing BCG shortage resulting in lower projected peak market share for Vicineum. The Company also considered other factors including the preliminary valuations of strategic alternatives during the fair value assessment. As a result of the interim impairment test, the Company concluded that the carrying value of its goodwill of $13.1 million was fully impaired as of June 30, 2022.
Based on the annual testing and quarterly reviews performed, the Company concluded that there was no goodwill impairment during the year ended December 31, 2021.
Contingent Consideration
Contingent Consideration
The Company uses a discounted cash flow model to estimate the fair value of the contingent consideration liability each reporting period, which represents the present value of projected future cash flows associated with regulatory approval milestones and royalties on net sales due to the selling shareholders of Viventia Bio Inc. as a result of the Viventia Acquisition in September 2016. See "Note 1. Description of Business" above for additional information. Contingent consideration is measured at its estimated fair value on a recurring basis at each reporting period, with fluctuations in value resulting in a non-cash charge to earnings (or loss) during the period. The estimated fair value measurement is based on significant unobservable inputs (Level 3 within the fair value hierarchy), including internally developed financial forecasts, probabilities of success and timing of certain milestone events and achievements, which are inherently uncertain. Actual future cash flows may differ from the assumptions used to estimate the fair value of contingent consideration. The valuation of contingent consideration requires the use of significant assumptions and judgments, which management believes are consistent with those that would be made by a market participant. Management reviews its assumptions and judgments on an ongoing basis as additional market and other data is obtained, and any future changes in the assumptions and judgments utilized by management may cause the estimated fair value of contingent consideration to fluctuate materially, resulting in earnings volatility.
The estimated fair value of its contingent consideration was determined using probabilities of successful achievement of regulatory milestones and commercial sales, the period in which these milestones and sales were expected to be achieved through 2033, the level of commercial sales of Vicineum then-forecasted for the United States, Europe, Japan, China and other potential markets. Earnouts were determined using an earnout rate of 2% on all commercial net sales of Vicineum through December 2033. The discount rate applied to the 2% earnout was derived from the Company's estimated weighted-average cost of capital, which has fluctuated from 9.3% as of December 31, 2021. Milestone payments constitute debt-like obligations, and therefore a high-yield debt index rate was applied to the milestones in order to determine the estimated fair value. This index rate was 8.0% as of December 31, 2021.
On July 15, 2022, the Company made the strategic decision to voluntarily pause further development of Vicineum in the United States. The decision was based on a thorough reassessment of Vicineum following discussions with the FDA, which had implications on the size, timeline, and costs of an additional Phase 3 clinical trial for the treatment of NMIBC. The Company continues to believe that Vicineum has benefits for patients and healthcare providers that can be maximized through a company with a larger infrastructure, and as such, it is seeking a partner for the further development of Vicineum. Accordingly, during the second quarter of 2022, the Company concluded that it is no longer expected to pay related milestone and earnout payments to the former shareholders of Viventia, with the exception of the potential 2% earnout payment related to China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan (collectively, “Greater China”) region since those territory rights had been out-licensed. Qilu Pharmaceutical, Co., Ltd. ("Qilu") held the exclusive license to develop Vicineum in the Greater China region, and accordingly, the $1.8 million estimated earnout payment in the Greater China region remained as long-term contingent consideration as of June 30, 2022.
During the third quarter of 2022, Qilu informed the Company that it no longer intended to commercialize Vicineum, due to additional effort and costs required to gain regulatory approval in that region without prior US approval. As such, the Company and Qilu were in the process of negotiating a termination of the Qilu License Agreement, which was terminated on December 23, 2022. Accordingly, the Company concluded that it no longer expected to owe any future earnout payments related to the Greater China region and reduced its remaining $1.8 million of contingent consideration liabilities to zero as of September 30, 2022.
Leases
Leases
The Company accounts for operating leases under ASC Topic 842, Leases. The Company’s lease portfolio as of December 31, 2022 includes a property lease for its headquarters in Cambridge, MA. The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at the inception of the contract and has made a policy election to not separate out non-lease components from lease components, for all classes of underlying assets. The asset components of the Company’s operating leases are recorded as operating lease right-of-use assets and reported within other assets on the Company's consolidated balance sheet. The short-term and long-term
liability components are recorded in other current liabilities and other liabilities, respectively, on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet. As of December 31, 2022, the Company did not have any finance leases.
Right-of-use assets and operating lease liabilities are recognized based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term at the commencement date. The Company uses an incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments, if an implicit rate of return is not provided with the lease contract. Operating lease right-of-use assets are adjusted for incentives received.
Operating lease costs are recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term, in accordance with ASC 842, and also include variable operating costs incurred during the period. Lease costs also include amounts related to short-term leases.
Research and Development Costs
Research and Development Costs
Research and development activities are expensed in the period incurred. Research and development expenses consist of both internal and external costs associated with all basic research activities, clinical development activities and technical efforts required to develop a product candidate. Internal research and development consist primarily of personnel costs, including salaries, benefits and share-based compensation, facilities leases, research-related overhead, pre-approval regulatory and clinical trial costs, manufacturing and other contracted services, license fees and other external costs.
In certain circumstances, the Company is required to make advance payments to vendors for goods or services that will be received in the future for use in research and development activities. In such circumstances, the advance payments are recorded as prepaid assets and expensed when the activity has been performed or when the goods have been received.
Stock-Based Compensation
Share-Based Compensation
The Company recognizes the grant-date fair value of share-based awards granted as compensation as expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period of the award. To date, the Company has not issued awards where vesting is subject to market conditions. From time to time, the Company has granted to its executives' stock option awards which contain both performance-based and service-based vesting criteria. Performance milestone events are specific to the Company’s corporate goals, including certain clinical development objectives related to the new clinical trial, regulatory and financial objectives. Share-based compensation expense associated with performance-based vesting criteria is recognized using the accelerated attribution method if the performance condition is considered probable of achievement in management’s judgment. The fair value of stock options is estimated at the time of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, which requires the use of inputs and assumptions such as the fair value of the underlying stock, exercise price of the option, expected term, risk-free interest rate, expected volatility and dividend yield.
The fair value of each grant of options during the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020 was determined using the following methods and assumptions:
Expected Term. Given the plain vanilla nature of the options granted by the Company, the expected term is determined using the "simplified" method, as prescribed in SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin ("SAB") No. 107 ("SAB 107"), whereby the expected life equals the arithmetic average of the vesting term (generally four years) and the original contractual term (ten years) of the option, taking into consideration multiple vesting tranches.
Risk-Free Interest Rate. The risk-free rate is based on the interest rate payable on United States Treasury securities in effect at the time of grant for a period that is commensurate with the assumed expected term.
Expected Volatility. The expected volatility is based on historical volatilities of a representative group of publicly traded biopharmaceutical companies, including the Company's own volatility, which were commensurate with the assumed expected term, as prescribed in SAB 107.
Dividend Yield. The dividend yield is 0% because the Company has never declared or paid, and for the foreseeable future does not expect to declare or pay, a dividend on its common stock.
Income Taxes
Income Taxes
Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and net operating loss ("NOL") and research and development credit ("R&D credit") carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in operations in the period that includes the enactment date. A valuation allowance is recorded to the extent it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.
Unrecognized income tax benefits represent income tax positions taken on income tax returns that have not been recognized in the financial statements. The Company recognizes the benefit of an income tax position only if it is more likely than not
(greater than 50%) that the tax position will be sustained upon tax examination, based solely on the technical merits of the tax position. Otherwise, no benefit is recognized. The tax benefits recognized are measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions as income tax expense in its consolidated statements of operations. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company did not have any uncertain tax positions.
Revenue Recognition
Revenue Recognition
The Company recorded revenue from former out-license agreements and OUS business development partnership agreements, including the former license agreement (the “Roche License Agreement”) with F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd and Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. (collectively, “Roche”) and its former OUS partnerships. Under each of these agreements, the Company granted the counterparty an exclusive license to develop and commercialize the underlying licensed product. These agreements contain up-front license fees, development and regulatory milestone payments, sales-based milestone payments, and sales-based royalty payments.
The Company determines whether the out-license agreements and OUS business development partnership agreements are in scope of ASC 606, which it adopted as of January 1, 2018. Under ASC 606, in determining the appropriate amount of revenue to be recognized as the Company fulfills its obligations under these agreements, management performs the following steps:
1) Identification of the contract;
2) Determination of whether the promised goods or services are performance obligations including whether they are distinct in the context of the contract;
3) Measurement of the transaction price, including the constraint on variable consideration;
4) Allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations; and
5) Recognition of revenue when or as the Company satisfies each performance obligation.
Development and Regulatory Milestones and Other Payments
At the inception of an arrangement that includes development milestone payments, management evaluates whether the development milestones are considered probable of being reached and estimate the amount to be included in the transaction price using the most likely amount method. If it is probable that a significant revenue reversal would not occur, the associated development milestone value is included in the transaction price. Development milestone payments that are not within the Company's control or the licensee's control, such as regulatory approvals, are not considered probable of being achieved until those approvals are received. For payments pursuant to sales milestones and royalty payments, the Company will not recognize revenue until the subsequent sale of a licensed product occurs. For arrangements with one than one performance obligations, the milestones are generally allocated entirely to the license performance obligation, as (1) the terms of milestone and royalty payments relate specifically to the license and (2) allocating milestones and royalties to the license performance obligation is consistent with the overall allocation objective, because management’s estimate of milestones and royalties approximates the standalone selling price of the license.
Comprehensive Loss
Comprehensive Loss
Comprehensive loss includes net loss and other comprehensive loss. For the year ended December 31, 2022, other comprehensive loss included changes in unrealized income and loss on marketable securities. For the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 comprehensive loss was equal to net loss.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Adopted in 2022
In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06, Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity ("ASU 2020-06"). ASU 2020-06 simplifies the complexity associated with applying US GAAP for certain financial instruments with characteristics of both liability and equity. More specifically, the amendments focus on the guidance for convertible instruments and derivative scope exception for contracts in an entity’s own equity. The ASU also amends the diluted earnings per share ("EPS") guidance, including the requirement to use the if-converted method for all convertible instruments. ASU 2020-06 is effective for public companies for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2021, and should be applied on a full or modified retrospective basis. The Company adopted this guidance on a modified retrospective basis effective January 1, 2022 and it did not have an impact on the Company's financial position, results of operations including per-share amounts, or cash flows.
In May 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-04, Earnings Per Share (Topic 260), Debt—Modifications and Extinguishments (Subtopic 470-50), Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718), and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Issuer’s Accounting for Certain Modifications or Exchanges of Freestanding Equity-Classified Written Call Options ("ASU 2021-04"). ASU 2021-04 clarifies and reduces diversity in an issuer’s accounting for modifications or exchanges of freestanding equity-classified written call options (for example, warrants) that remain equity classified after modification or exchange. ASU 2021-04 is effective for public companies for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2021, and should be applied on a prospective basis. The Company adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2022 and it did not have an impact on the Company's financial position, results of operations including per-share amounts, or cash flows.
Other recent accounting pronouncements issued, but not yet effective, are not expected to be applicable to the Company or have a material effect on the consolidated financial statements upon future adoption.
Fair Value Measurement
The carrying values of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, prepaid expenses and other current assets, and accounts payable on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets approximated their fair values as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 due to their short-term nature.
Certain of the Company’s financial instruments are measured at fair value using a three-level hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value. This fair value hierarchy prioritizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs. The three levels of inputs used to measure fair value are as follows:
Level 1:    Inputs are quoted prices for identical instruments in active markets,
Level 2:    Inputs are quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; or model-derived valuations whose inputs are observable or whose significant value drivers are observable.
Level 3:    Inputs are unobservable and reflect the Company’s own assumptions, based on the best information available, including the Company’s own data.