SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2011

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

2.     SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

• Basis of Presentation

  The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements (the "unaudited consolidated financial statements") have been prepared by the Company in United States ("U.S.") dollars and in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("U.S. GAAP") for interim financial reporting, which do not conform in all respects to the requirements of U.S. GAAP for annual financial statements. Accordingly, these condensed notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP that are contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010 (the "2010 Form 10-K"). The unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared using accounting policies that are consistent with the policies used in preparing the Company's audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2010. There have been no changes to the Company's significant accounting policies since December 31, 2010, except as described below under "Adoption of New Accounting Standards". The unaudited consolidated financial statements reflect all normal and recurring adjustments necessary for the 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 to the presentation adopted by the Company following the Merger. These reclassifications include the following:

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  costs incurred by the Company's contract research division in connection with contract research services provided to external customers, prior to its disposal in July 2010, have been reclassified from research and development expenses to cost of alliance and service revenues; and

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  amounts expensed as acquired in-process research and development ("IPR&D") have been reclassified from research and development expenses to a separate line item.

• As described in note 3, the Merger was accounted for as a business combination under the acquisition method of accounting. Biovail was both the legal and accounting acquirer in the Merger. Accordingly, the unaudited consolidated financial statements reflect the assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses of Valeant from the Merger Date.

  Use of Estimates

  In preparing the unaudited consolidated financial statements, management is required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the unaudited consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from these estimates and the operating results for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the full year.

  On an ongoing basis, management reviews its estimates to ensure that these estimates appropriately reflect changes in the Company's business and new information as it becomes available. If historical experience and other factors used by management to make these estimates do not reasonably reflect future activity, the Company's results of operations and financial position could be materially impacted.

  Adoption of New Accounting Standards

  Effective January 1, 2011, the Company has adopted on a prospective basis the provisions of the following new accounting standards:

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  Guidance on the recognition and classification of fees imposed on pharmaceutical manufacturers under the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

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  Guidance recognizing the milestone method of revenue recognition as a valid application of the proportional performance model when applied to research and development arrangements.

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  Amendments to the recognition and measurement guidance for multiple-element revenue arrangements.

  The adoption of these new standards did not have a significant impact on the unaudited consolidated financial statements.

  The Company will adopt the provisions of the following new accounting standards effective January 1, 2012:

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  Guidance that results in a consistent definition of fair value and common requirements for measurement of and disclosure about fair value between U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"). The amendments change some fair value measurement principles and disclosure requirements under U.S. GAAP. The adoption of this new guidance is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

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  Guidance requiring entities to present net income and other comprehensive income in either a single continuous statement or in two separate, but consecutive, statements of net income and other comprehensive income. The amendments do not change the components of other comprehensive income or the calculation of earnings per share. As the guidance relates only to the presentation of other comprehensive income, the adoption of this accounting standard will not have a significant impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.