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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

2.   Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Principles of consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Vaccitech and those entities in which it has a controlling interest. Intercompany amounts are eliminated on consolidation. Amounts attributable to the noncontrolling interest are presented as a separate element of equity in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

Comprehensive loss

Comprehensive loss for all periods presented is comprised primarily of net income (loss) and other comprehensive loss, which solely relates to foreign currency translation adjustments.

Foreign currency translation

The Company’s reporting currency is the United States dollar. The functional currency of the parent and each subsidiary is the currency of the country and economic environment in which it is located. Assets and liabilities of each legal entity denominated or measured in a currency other than British Pounds are first translated into British pounds and consolidated. The consolidated balances are then converted into United States dollars at period-end exchange rates. Revenues and expenses are translated into British pounds, then into U.S. dollars at average exchange rates for each reporting period. Translation adjustments are reflected as accumulated other

comprehensive loss within shareholders’ equity. Gains and losses on foreign currency transactions are included in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss. The aggregate net foreign exchange gain or loss included in determining net loss was a gain of $26.4 million and gain of $0.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Segment information

Operating segments are identified as components of an enterprise about which separate discrete financial information is available for evaluation by the chief operating decision maker, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, in making decisions regarding resource allocation and assessing performance. The Company views its operations and manages its business in one operating segment, the research and development of immunotherapies and vaccines.

Noncontrolling interest

Vaccitech established VOLT with a related party. As of December 31, 2021, Vaccitech contributed cash and intellectual property with an aggregate value of $11.9 million for a 76% controlling interest. The related party contributed cash and intellectual property with an aggregate value of $3.8 million for a 24% noncontrolling interest. There were no further contributions in the year ended December 31, 2022. The contributed intellectual properties were initially recorded at investment date fair value by VOLT and immediately expensed as research and development costs. The Company accounts for the noncontrolling interest in the accompanying consolidated financial statements initially at fair value with the subsequent carrying value adjusted for the noncontrolling share of VOLT’s comprehensive loss.

Business Combinations

The Company accounts for business combinations using the acquisition method of accounting, which requires the recognition of tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed at their estimated fair values as of the business combination date. The Company allocates any excess purchase price over the estimated fair value assigned to the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed to goodwill. Contingent consideration is included within the acquisition cost and is recognized at its fair value on the acquisition date. A liability resulting from contingent consideration is remeasured to fair value at each reporting date until the contingency is resolved and changes in fair value are recognized in earnings. Transaction costs are expensed as incurred in general and administrative expenses. Results of operations and cash flows of acquired companies are included in the Company’s operating results from the date of acquisition.

Cash and cash equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with remaining maturities of three months or less on the purchase date to be cash and cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents include bank demand deposits and money market funds that are actively traded (a Level 1 input). As of December 31, 2022, and 2021 there were no cash equivalents.

Revenue

The Company recognizes revenue when its customer obtains control of promised goods or services, in an amount that reflects the consideration which the entity expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services.

The Company has entered into collaboration and license agreements, which are within the scope of Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, to discover, develop, manufacture and commercialize product candidates. The terms of these agreements typically contain multiple promises or obligations, which may include licenses, or options to obtain licenses, to product candidates or future product candidates. The Company also derives revenue from government grants.

Amounts received prior to revenue recognition are recorded as deferred revenue. Amounts expected to be recognized as revenue within the 12 months following the balance sheet date are classified as current portion of deferred revenue in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Amounts recognized as revenue, but not yet received or invoiced are generally recognized as accounts receivable.

License revenue

The Company’s arrangements may provide the collaboration partner with the right to select a target for licensing either at the inception of the arrangement or in the future. Under these arrangements, fees may be due to the Company (i) at the inception of the arrangement as an upfront fee or payment, (ii) upon the exercise of an option to acquire a license or (iii) upon extending the selection period as an extension fee or payment. If an arrangement is determined to contain customer options that allow the customer to acquire additional goods or services, the goods and services underlying the customer options are not considered to be performance obligations at the outset of the arrangement, as they are contingent upon option exercise. The Company evaluates the customer options for material rights, or options to acquire additional goods or services for fee or at a discount. If the customer options are determined to represent a material right, the material right is recognized as a separate performance obligation at the inception of the arrangement. The Company allocates the transaction price to material rights based on the relative standalone selling price, which is determined based on the identified discount and the probability that the customer will exercise the option. Amounts allocated to a material right are not recognized as revenue until, at the earliest, the option is exercised or expires.

For arrangements that include sales-based milestones and royalties, and the license is deemed to be the predominant item to which the royalties relate, the Company recognizes revenue at the later of (i) when the related sales occur or (ii) when the performance obligation to which some or all of the royalty has been allocated has been satisfied (or partially satisfied). This could require management to estimate the amount of revenue to recognize in the period if the actual data for the period has not been provided.

Research and development services

The promises under the Company’s collaboration and license agreements generally include research and development services to be performed by the Company on behalf of the collaboration partner. For performance obligations that include research and development services, the Company recognizes revenue allocated to such performance obligations based on an appropriate measure of progress. The Company utilizes judgment to determine the appropriate method of measuring progress for purposes of recognizing revenue, which may include input measure such as costs incurred during the reporting period or ratably over the service period.Reimbursements from the partner are evaluated as to whether the Company acts as a principal or an agent in such relationships. The Company evaluates whether control over the underlying goods or services were obtained prior to transferring these goods or services to the collaboration partner. Where the Company does not control the goods or services prior to transferring these goods or services to the collaboration partner, such reimbursements are presented net of costs.At the inception of each arrangement that includes development milestone payments in respect of development efforts, the Company evaluates whether the development milestones are considered probable of being achieved and estimates 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 control of the Company or the licensee, such as regulatory approvals, are not considered probable of being achieved until those approvals are received. The Company evaluates factors such as the scientific, clinical, regulatory, commercial, and other risks that must be overcome to achieve the particular development milestone in making this assessment. There is judgment involved in determining whether it is probable that a significant revenue reversal would not occur.At the end of each reporting period, the Company reevaluates the probability of achievement of all development milestones subject to constraint and, if necessary, adjusts its estimate of the overall transaction price. Any such adjustments are recorded on a cumulative catch-up basis, which would affect revenues and earnings in the period of adjustment. If a milestone or other variable consideration relates specifically to the Company’s efforts to satisfy a single performance obligation or to a specific outcome from satisfying the performance obligation, the Company generally allocates the milestone amount entirely to that performance obligation once it is probable that a significant revenue reversal would not occur. To date, the Company has not recognized any development milestone revenue resulting from any of its arrangements.

Research grants

The Company receives certain government grants which support its research efforts in defined projects and include contributions towards the research and development costs. When there is reasonable assurance that the Company will comply with the conditions attached to a received grant, and when there is reasonable assurance that the grant will be received, government grants are recognized as revenue on a gross basis in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss on a systematic basis over the periods in which the Company recognizes expenses for the related costs for which the grants are intended to compensate. Government grant revenue may be subject to review by a government authority in periods subsequent to its recognition and may result in the reversal of grant revenue previously recognized. Payments received in advance of incurring reimbursable expenses are recorded as deferred revenue.

Concentrations of credit risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to significant concentration of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents and accounts receivable. Periodically, the Company maintains deposits in financial institutions in excess of government insured limits. Management believes that the Company is not exposed to significant credit risk as the Company’s deposits are held at financial institutions that management believes to be of high credit quality and the Company has not experienced any losses in these deposits. The Company’s standard payment terms are 30 days’.

The Company recognizes revenue earned in connection with the license and services provided to customers and grantors. The Company provides credit to the grantors in the normal course of providing such services based on evaluations of their financial condition and generally does not require collateral. To manage accounts receivable credit risk, the Company monitors the creditworthiness of its grantors. Historically, the Company has not experienced any credit losses related to accounts receivable and does not maintain allowances for uncollectible amounts.

Licensees and grantors that represented 10% of more of the Company’s revenue and accounted for 10% or more of accounts receivable are presented below:

    

    

Year ended 

    

Year ended

 

December 31, 

December 31, 

 

Revenue

Country

2022

2021

 

Oxford University Innovation

 

U.K.

98

%  

%

U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (“BARDA”)

 

U.S.

%  

69

%

Enara Bio

 

U.K.

%  

31

%

    

As of

    

As of

 

December 31, 

December 31, 

Accounts Receivable

Country

    

2022

    

2021

Scancell

 

U.K.

4

%  

100

%

Oxford University Innovation

U.K.

94

%

Allowance for credit losses

The Company evaluates its cash equivalents and accounts receivable for expected credit losses. Expected credit losses represent the portion of the amortized cost basis of a financial asset that an entity does not expect to collect. An allowance for expected credit losses is meant to reflect a risk of loss even if remote, irrespective of the expectation of collection from a particular issuer or debt security. The Company has not historically experienced any credit losses on any of its financial assets. With respect to cash equivalents and accounts receivable, given consideration of their short maturity, historical losses and the current market environment, the Company concluded there are no expected credit losses for these financial assets.

Property and equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost, net of accumulated depreciation. Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are charged to operating expenses as incurred, whereas major betterments are capitalized as additions to property and equipment. Depreciation is recorded using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets as follows:

Asset Category

    

Estimated Useful Life

Office furniture and equipment

 

3 years

Laboratory equipment

 

4 years

Leasehold improvements

 

Lesser of lease term or estimated useful lives

Intangible assets acquired through business combinations

Intangible assets consist of acquired developed technology. Intangible assets are stated at cost less accumulated amortization. Amortization is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the respective assets, which is 10 years.

Impairment of long-lived assets

The Company reviews long-lived assets to be held and used, including property and equipment , intangible assets and operating lease right-of-use assets, for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets or asset group may not be recoverable. Evaluation of recoverability is first based on an estimate of undiscounted future cash flows resulting from the use of the asset or asset group and its eventual disposition. In the event such cash flows are not expected to be sufficient to recover the carrying amount of the asset or asset group, the assets are written down to their estimated fair values. No such impairments were recorded during the year ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.

Goodwill

Goodwill represents the excess of cost over the fair value of the net tangible and intangible assets of businesses acquired in a business combination. Goodwill is not amortized but rather is tested for impairment at least annually, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of goodwill may not be recoverable. The Company has elected to first assess the qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis of determining whether it is necessary to perform the quantitative goodwill impairment test. If the Company determines that it is more likely than not that its fair value is less than its carrying amount, then the quantitative goodwill impairment test will be performed. The quantitative goodwill impairment test identifies goodwill impairment and measures the amount of goodwill impairment loss to be recognized by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount. If the fair value exceeds the carrying amount, no further analysis is required; otherwise, any excess of the goodwill carrying amount over the implied fair value is recognized as an impairment loss, and the carrying value of goodwill is written down to fair value. For the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, goodwill has been tested and there is no impairments.

Financial instruments

The Company’s financial instruments consist of cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable, certain accrued expenses, contingent consideration and short-term debt. The carrying amounts of cash, cash equivalents, accounts receivable, security deposit, accounts payable, accrued expenses and short-term debt approximate their fair value due to the short-term nature of those financial instruments.

Fair value measurements

The Company follows the guidance in ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, which defines fair value and establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are described below:

-

Level 1 – Inputs are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the reporting entity has the ability to access at the measurement date.

-

Level 2 – Valuations based on quoted prices in markets that are not active or for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly.

-

Level 3 – Prices or valuations that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable.

To the extent that valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised by the Company in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3. A financial instrument’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

Fair value is a market-based measure considered from the perspective of a market participant rather than an entity-specific measure. Therefore, even when market assumptions are not readily available, the Company’s own assumptions are set to reflect those

that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability at the measurement date. The Company uses prices and inputs that are current as of the measurement date, including during periods of market dislocation. In periods of market dislocation, the observability of prices and inputs may change for many instruments. This condition could cause an instrument to be reclassified within levels in the fair value hierarchy. There were no transfers within the fair value hierarchy during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.

Leases

Leases are accounted for under ASC 842, Leases (“ASC 842”) resulting in the recognition of lease liabilities and right-of-use assets. The Company only has operating leases. The Company has elected the practical expedient allowed under ASC 842 to account for each lease component (e.g., the right to use office space) and the associated non-lease components (e.g., maintenance services) as a single lease component. The Company also elected the short-term lease accounting policy for all asset classes; therefore, the Company is not recognizing a lease liability or right-of-use asset for any lease that, at the commencement date, has a lease term of 12 months or less and does not include an option to purchase the underlying asset that the Company is reasonably certain to exercise.

Variable lease payments such as the Company’s share of real estate taxes, utilities, and common area maintenance, are reported as non-lease operating expenses.

Right-of-use assets represent the Company’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent the Company’s obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Right-of-use assets and liabilities are recognized at the lease commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. As the Company’s leases typically do not provide an implicit rate, the Company uses an estimate of its incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at the lease commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments.

Right-of-use assets also include the effect of any lease payments made and exclude lease incentives. The lease terms may include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise that option. Operating lease expense is recognized as part of total operating expenses on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The difference between the value of the right of use asset and lease liability is due to the reclassification of prepaid rent and unamortized lease incentives.

Research and development

Research and development costs are expensed as incurred on an accruals basis. Research and development costs include payroll and personnel expense (including share-based compensation), consulting costs, external contract research and development expenses, raw materials, drug product manufacturing costs, and allocated overheads including depreciation and amortization, facility costs, and utilities. Research and development costs that are paid in advance of performance are capitalized as a prepaid expense and amortized over the service period as the services are provided.

Clinical trial costs

Clinical trial costs are a component of research and development expenses. The Company accrues and expenses clinical trial activities performed by third parties based on an evaluation of the progress to completion of specific tasks using data such as patient enrollment, clinical site activation, and other information provided to the Company by its vendors.

Patent and licensing costs

Patent and licensing costs are expensed as incurred because their realization is uncertain.

Embedded derivatives

The Company reviews the terms of convertible loan notes and other financing arrangements to determine whether there are embedded derivative instruments, including embedded conversion options that are required to be bifurcated and accounted for separately as a derivative financial instrument.

Derivative financial instruments are initially measured at fair value, and then re-valued at each reporting date, with changes in the fair value reported as charges or credits to consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss. To the extent that the initial fair

values of the freestanding and/or bifurcated derivative instrument exceed the total proceeds received an immediate charge to the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss is recognized to initially record the derivative instrument at fair value.

The discount from the face value of the convertible loan notes resulting from allocating some or all of the proceeds to the derivative instruments, together with the stated rate of interest on the instrument, is amortized over the life of the instrument through periodic charges to consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss, using the effective interest method.

Embedded derivatives bifurcated are presented along with the host contract on the balance sheets.

Ordinary shares

Ordinary shares are classified in shareholders’ equity and represent issued share capital.

Additional paid-in capital

Additional paid-in capital is classified in shareholders’ equity deficit and represents the share premium account, where the difference between the price paid per share and the nominal value is recognized. The equity element of share based compensation is also recognized in additional paid in capital.

Share based compensation

The Company grants options over ordinary shares and restricted shares units to employees or Non-Executive Directors and accounts for share based compensation using the grant date fair value. Share based compensation awards are classified in the accompanying statements of operations based on the function to which the related services are provided. For service-based awards, compensation expense is generally recognized over the requisite service period of the awards, usually the vesting period. The Company applies the “multiple option” method of allocating expense. In applying this method, each vesting tranche of an award is treated as a separate grant and recognized on a straight-line basis over that tranche’s vesting period. For performance-based awards where the vesting of the awards may be accelerated upon the achievement of certain milestones, vesting and the related share-based compensation is recognized as an expense when it is probable the milestone will be met. Assumptions used in the option pricing model include the following:

Expected volatility. The Company lacks sufficient company-specific historical and implied volatility information for its ordinary shares. Therefore, it estimates its expected share volatility based on the available historical volatility of the Company since IPO, and publicly traded peer companies. The Company expects to transition to its own volatility when it has adequate historical data of its own traded share price.

Expected term. The expected term of the Company’s share options has been determined utilizing the “simplified” method for awards that qualify as “plain-vanilla” options. The “simplified” method was determined to be appropriate as the Company does not have sufficient historical exercise data to provide a reasonable basis upon which to estimate expected term due to the limited period of time its equity shares have been publicly traded.

Risk-free interest rate. The risk-free interest rate is determined by reference to the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant of the award for time periods that are approximately equal to the expected term of the award.

Expected dividend. Expected dividend yield of zero is based on the fact that the Company has never paid cash dividends on ordinary shares and does not expect to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.

The Company has elected to recognize the effect of forfeitures on share-based compensation when they occur. Any differences in compensation recognized at the time of forfeiture are recorded as a cumulative adjustment in the period where the forfeiture occurs.

When awards are modified, the Company compares the fair value of the affected award measured immediately prior to modification to its value after modification. To the extent that the fair value of the modified award exceeds the original award, the incremental fair value of the modified award is recognized as compensation on the date of modification for vested awards, and over the remaining vesting period for unvested awards.

Income taxes

The financial statements reflect provisions for income taxes in the United Kingdom and foreign jurisdictions. Deferred tax assets and liabilities represent future tax consequences of temporary differences between the financial statement carrying amounts and the tax basis of assets and liabilities and for loss carryforwards using enacted tax rates expected to be in effect in the years in which the differences reverse. A valuation allowance is recorded when it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.

The Company determines whether it is more likely than not that a tax position will be sustained upon examination. If it is not more likely than not that a position will be sustained, none of the benefit attributable to the position is recognized. The tax benefit to be recognized for any tax position that meets the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold is calculated as the largest amount that is more than 50% likely of being realized upon resolution of the contingency. The Company accounts for interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions as part of its provision for income taxes. To date, the Company has not incurred interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions nor has it recorded any unrecognized tax benefits.

Research and development incentives

In the United Kingdom, the Company is entitled to a research and development tax relief for small and medium-sized enterprises which allows for an enhanced deduction rate of 230% on qualifying research and development expenditure (the tax relief). If the Company incurs tax losses, the Company is entitled to surrender the lesser of unrelieved tax loss sustained and the tax relief. As the realization of the tax relief does not depend on our generation of future taxable income or the Company’s ongoing tax status or tax position, the Company does not consider the tax relief as an element of income tax accounting under ASC 740, Income taxes and records the tax relief as a form of government grant or assistance. For the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company recognized research and development incentives of $1.2 million and $4.0 million respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2022, the recognized research and development incentives was restricted by the available tax losses in the UK for the period.

Net income/ (loss) per share

Basic net income/ (loss) per share is computed by dividing the net income/(loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders by the weighted-average number of ordinary shares outstanding for the reporting period without consideration for potentially dilutive securities. Net income/ (loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders is computed as if all net income/ (loss) for the period had been distributed. During periods in which the Company incurred a net loss, the Company allocates no net loss to participating securities because they do not have a contractual obligation to share in the net loss of the Company.

The Company computes diluted net income/ (loss) per ordinary share after giving consideration to all potentially dilutive ordinary equivalents, including stock options outstanding during the period, except where the effect of such non-participating securities would be antidilutive.

Diluted net income/ (loss) per share is computed by dividing the net income/ (loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders by the weighted-average number of ordinary shares and dilutive ordinary share equivalents outstanding for the period, determined using the treasury-stock and if-converted methods.

Contingent liabilities

A provision for contingent liabilities is recorded when it is both probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. With respect to legal matters, provisions are reviewed and adjusted to reflect the impact of negotiations, estimated settlements, legal rulings, advice of legal counsel and other information and events pertaining to a particular matter. The Company is a party to certain litigation and disputes arising in the normal course of business. As of December 31, 2022, the Company does not expect that such matters will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by FASB or other standard setting bodies that the Company adopts as of the specified effective date. The Company qualifies as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 and has elected not to “opt out” of the extended transition related to complying with new or revised accounting standards,

which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different applications dates for public and nonpublic companies, the Company can adopt the new or revised standard at the time nonpublic companies adopt the new or revised standard and can do so until such time the Company either (i) irrevocably elects to “opt out” of such extended transition period or (ii) no longer qualifies as an emerging growth company.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740)—Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (“ASU 2019-12”). The ASU simplifies the accounting for income taxes by eliminating certain exceptions to the guidance in ASC 740, Income Taxes, related to the approach for allocating income tax expense or benefit for the year to continuing operations, discontinued operations, other comprehensive income, and other charges or credits recorded directly to shareholders’ equity; the methodology for calculating income taxes in an interim period; and the recognition of deferred tax liabilities for outside basis differences. On January 1, 2022, the Company adopted ASU 2019-12 on a prospective basis, with no material impact on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In November 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-10, Government Assistance (Topic 832) — Disclosures by Business Entities about Government Assistance (“ASU 2021-10”), which increases the transparency of government assistance including the disclosure of the types of assistance, an entity’s accounting for assistance, and the effect of the assistance on an entity’s financial statements. The adoption of ASU 2021-10 on January 1, 2022 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations, cash flows, or disclosures.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

We have reviewed all recently issued standards and have determined that such standards will not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements or do not otherwise apply to our current operations.