Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our financial statements and the related notes appearing at the end of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Some of the information contained in this discussion and analysis or set forth elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including information with respect to our plans and strategy for our business and related financing, includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. You should read “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and Item 1A. Risk Factors of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a discussion of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in the following discussion and analysis.
Overview
Introduction
We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing new chemical entities designed to alleviate pruritus by selectively targeting peripheral kappa opioid receptors, or KORs. We are developing a novel and proprietary class of product candidates, led by KORSUVA (CR845/difelikefalin), a first-in-class KOR agonist that targets KORs located in the peripheral nervous system and on immune cells.
In our KALM-1 and KALM-2 Phase 3 trials and two Phase 2 trials, KORSUVA (CR845/difelikefalin) injection (intravenous formulation) has demonstrated statistically significant reductions in itch intensity and concomitant improvement in pruritus-related quality of life measures in hemodialysis patients with moderate-to-severe CKD-aP. We have partnered with VFMCRP, a joint venture between Vifor Pharma Group and Fresenius Medical Care, and Vifor to commercialize KORSUVA (CR845/difelikefalin) injection in dialysis patients with CKD-aP in the U.S. under profit share agreements. We have partnered with VFMCRP to commercialize KORSUVA worldwide, excluding Japan (Maruishi/sub-licensee Kissei), and South Korea (CKDP).
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CR845/difelikefalin has also demonstrated statistically significant pain reduction in clinical trials in patients with moderate-to-severe acute pain in the post-operative setting, without inducing many of the undesirable side effects typically associated with currently available opioid pain therapeutics. We retain rights to all KORSUVA/CR845 formulations and indications worldwide, excluding KORSUVA (CR845/difelikefalin) injection in dialysis patients with CKD-aP under our agreements with VFMCRP and Vifor for U.S. and certain ex-U.S. territories in Japan (Maruishi/sub-licensee Kissei) and South Korea (CKDP).
The FDA has conditionally accepted KORSUVA as the trade name for CR845/difelikefalin injection. In December 2020, we submitted a NDA to the FDA for KORSUVA (CR845/difelikefalin) injection for the treatment of moderate-to-severe pruritus in hemodialysis patients, and in February 2021, the NDA was accepted by the FDA. KORSUVA’s safety and efficacy have not been fully evaluated by any regulatory authority.
We were incorporated and commenced operations in 2004, and our primary activities to date have been organizing and staffing our company, developing our product candidates, including conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials of CR845/difelikefalin-based product candidates and raising capital. To date, we have financed our operations primarily through sales of our equity and debt securities and payments from license agreements. We have no products currently available for sale, and substantially all of our revenue to date has been revenue from license agreements, although we have received nominal amounts of revenue under research grants and the sale of clinical compound.
Collaboration and License Agreements
Vifor (International) Ltd.
On October 15, 2020, we entered into the Vifor Agreement with Vifor under which we granted Vifor an exclusive license solely in the United States to use, distribute, offer for sale, promote, sell and otherwise commercialize KORSUVA (CR845/difelikefalin) injection for all therapeutic uses relating to the inhibition, prevention or treatment of itch associated with pruritus in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients in the United States. Under the Vifor Agreement, we retain all rights with respect to the clinical development of, and activities to gain regulatory approvals of, KORSUVA (CR845/difelikefalin) injection in the United States.
Under the terms of the Vifor Agreement, we received from Vifor an upfront payment of $100.0 million and an additional payment of $50.0 million for the purchase of an aggregate of 2,939,552 shares of our common stock at a price of $17.0094 per share, which represents a premium over a pre-determined average closing price of our common stock. Upon U.S. regulatory approval of KORSUVA (CR845/difelikefalin) injection, we will also be eligible to receive an additional $50.0 million common stock investment at a 20% premium to the 30-day trailing average price of our common stock as of such date. In addition, pursuant to the Vifor Agreement, we are eligible to receive payments of up to $240.0 million upon the achievement of certain sales-based milestones.
The Vifor Agreement provides full commercialization rights in dialysis clinics to Vifor in the United States under a profit-sharing arrangement. Pursuant to the profit-sharing arrangement, we will generally be entitled to 60% of the net profits (as defined in the Vifor Agreement) from sales of KORSUVA (CR845/difelikefalin) injection in the United States (excluding sales to Fresenius Medical Center dialysis clinics, compensation for which is governed by the VFMCRP Agreement) and Vifor is entitled to 40% of such net profits, subject to potential temporary adjustment in future years based on certain conditions. Under the Vifor Agreement, in consideration of Vifor’s conduct of the marketing, promotion, selling and distribution of KORSUVA (CR845/difelikefalin) injection in the United States, we will pay a marketing and distribution fee to Vifor based on the level of annual net sales. This fee will be deducted from product sales in calculating the net profits that are subject to the profit-sharing arrangement under the Vifor Agreement.
The Vifor Agreement will continue in effect until its expiration upon the cessation of commercial sale of KORSUVA (CR845/difelikefalin) injection in the United States by Vifor and its affiliates and sublicensees, or until the earlier termination of the Vifor Agreement.
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In addition, upon the earlier of: (1) the acceptance for filing of an NDA covering KORSUVA (CR845/difelikefalin) injection submitted to the FDA; or (2) October 15, 2023, the Vifor Agreement may be terminated by Vifor in its entirety, with such termination effective upon 12 months’ notice.
In connection with the Vifor Agreement, the parties entered into a separate stock purchase agreement, or the Vifor Purchase Agreement, governing the issuance of our common stock to Vifor. Pursuant to the Vifor Purchase Agreement, Vifor will not, and will not cause any direct or indirect affiliate to, during the period beginning on October 15, 2020 and ending at the close of business on the earlier of (a) October 15, 2022 and (b) the date that we publicly disclose the receipt of a complete response letter from the FDA with respect to our NDA for KORSUVA (CR845/difelikefalin) injection, or the Restricted Period, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of our common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock (including without limitation, common stock or such other securities which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by Vifor in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant) owned by Vifor as of the date hereof or acquired prior to the end of the Restricted Period (collectively with the common stock, referred to as the Lock-Up Securities, except any such sale, option or contract by and between Vifor and one of its affiliates (including Vifor Pharma Group Ltd. or VFMCRP), (ii) enter into any hedging, swap or other agreement or transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Lock-Up Securities, in cash or otherwise, (iii) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any Lock-Up Securities, or (iv) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing.
Under the Vifor Purchase Agreement, the parties also agreed that, in certain circumstances, upon the request of Vifor, the parties will enter into a registration rights agreement prior to the end of the Restricted Period that would provide Vifor (or its affiliate transferee) customary registration rights with respect to the shares of common stock issued pursuant to the stock purchase agreement following the expiration of the Restricted Period.
Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma Ltd.
In May 2018, we entered into a license agreement, or the VFMCRP Agreement, with VFMCRP, a joint venture between Vifor Pharma Group and Fresenius Medical Care, under which we granted VFMCRP a license to seek regulatory approval to commercialize, import, export, use, distribute, offer for sale, promote, sell and otherwise commercialize KORSUVA (CR845/difelikefalin) injection for all therapeutic uses to prevent, inhibit or treat itch associated with pruritus in hemodialysis and peritoneal-dialysis patients worldwide (excluding the United States, Japan and South Korea). We retain full development and commercialization rights for KORSUVA injection for the treatment of CKD-aP in dialysis patients in the U.S. except in the dialysis clinics of Fresenius Medical Care North America, or FMCNA, where we and VFMCRP will promote KORSUVA injection under a profit-sharing arrangement.
Upon entry into the VFMCRP Agreement, VFMCRP made a non-refundable, non-creditable $50 million upfront payment to us and Vifor purchased 1,174,827 shares of our common stock for $20 million, at a premium for the price of $17.024 per share. We are eligible to receive from VFMCRP regulatory and commercial milestone payments in the aggregate of up to $470 million, consisting of up to $30 million in regulatory milestones and up to $440 million in tiered commercial milestones, all of which are sales-related. We are also eligible to receive tiered double-digit royalty payments based on annual net sales, as defined, of KORSUVA (CR845/difelikefalin) injection in the licensed territories. In the United States, we and VFMCRP will promote KORSUVA (CR845/difelikefalin) injection in the dialysis clinics of FMCNA under a profit-sharing arrangement (subject to the terms and conditions of the VFMCRP Agreement) based on net FMCNA clinic sales recorded by us.
Maruishi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
In April 2013, we entered into a license agreement with Maruishi, or the Maruishi Agreement, under which we granted Maruishi an exclusive license to develop, manufacture and commercialize drug products containing CR845/difelikefalin in Japan in the acute pain and uremic pruritus fields. Maruishi has a right of first negotiation for any
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other indications for which we develop CR845/difelikefalin and, under certain conditions, Maruishi may substitute another pruritus indication for the uremic pruritus indication originally included in its license from us. If we abandon development of CR845/difelikefalin and begin development of another kappa opioid receptor agonist that is covered by the claims of the patents we licensed to Maruishi, such other agonist will automatically be included in the license to Maruishi. Maruishi is required to use commercially reasonable efforts, at its expense, to develop, obtain regulatory approval for and commercialize CR845/difelikefalin in Japan. We are required to use commercially reasonable efforts, at our expense, to develop, obtain regulatory approval for and commercialize CR845/difelikefalin in the United States.
Under the terms of the Maruishi Agreement, we received a non-refundable and non-creditable upfront license fee of $15.0 million and are eligible to receive up to an aggregate of $10.5 million in clinical development and regulatory milestones, of which $2.5 million (before contractual foreign currency exchange adjustments) has been received as of December 31, 2020. In January 2021, we met the milestone criteria, as set forth in the Maruishi Agreement, for Maruishi’s first initiation of a Phase III trial for uremic pruritus in Japan. As a result, we received a milestone payment of $2.0 million ($1.9 million after contractual foreign currency exchange adjustments) from Maruishi. We are also eligible to receive a one-time sales milestone of one billion Yen when a certain sales level is attained. We also receive a mid-double-digit percentage of all non-royalty payments received by Maruishi from its sublicensees, if any. We are also eligible to receive tiered royalties based on net sales, if any, with minimum royalty rates in the low double digits and maximum royalty rates in the low twenties. Maruishi’s obligation to pay us royalties continues, on a product-by-product basis, until the expiration of the last-to-expire licensed patent covering such product or the later expiration of any market exclusivity period. The Maruishi Agreement continues until terminated. Either we or Maruishi may terminate the Maruishi Agreement for the other party’s breach of the agreement or bankruptcy. Maruishi may terminate the agreement at any time at will. We may terminate the agreement as a whole if Maruishi challenges the licensed patent rights, and we may terminate the agreement with respect to any indication if Maruishi discontinues its development activities. In addition, in connection with the Maruishi Agreement, Maruishi made an $8.0 million equity investment in our company.
Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical Corporation
In April 2012, we entered into a license agreement with CKDP, or the CKDP Agreement, under which we granted CKDP an exclusive license to develop, manufacture and commercialize drug products containing CR845/difelikefalin in South Korea. CKDP is required to use commercially reasonable efforts, at its expense, to develop, obtain regulatory approval for and commercialize CR845/difelikefalin in South Korea. We are required to use commercially reasonable efforts, at our expense, to develop, obtain regulatory approval for and commercialize CR845/difelikefalin in the United States.
Under the terms of the CKDP Agreement, we received a non-refundable and non-creditable $0.6 million upfront payment and are eligible to receive up to an aggregate of $3.8 million in development and regulatory milestones (before South Korean withholding taxes). In May 2020, we met the milestone criteria, as set forth in the CKDP Agreement, for completion of a Phase 3 trial for uremic pruritus in the United States. As a result, in June 2020, we received a milestone payment of $0.6 million (net of South Korean withholding tax) from CKDP. As of December 31, 2020, we have received $2.3 million (before South Korean withholding tax) of development and regulatory milestones. We are also eligible to receive a mid-double-digit percentage of all non-royalty payments received by CKDP from its sublicensees, if any, and tiered royalties ranging from the high single digits to the high teens based on net sales, if any. CKDP’s obligation to pay us royalties continues, on a product-by-product basis, until the expiration of the last-to-expire licensed patent covering such product or the later expiration of any market exclusivity period. The CKDP Agreement continues until CKDP no longer has any obligation to pay us royalties on any product. Either we or CKDP may terminate the CKDP Agreement for the other party’s breach of the CKDP Agreement or bankruptcy. CKDP may terminate the CKDP Agreement if any of the licensed patent rights is invalid, unenforceable, is narrowed in scope or is deemed unpatentable, except as a result of a challenge by CKDP, or a third party commercializes a product containing a compound identical to CR845/difelikefalin without infringing any of the licensed patent rights in South Korea. We may terminate the CKDP Agreement if CKDP challenges the licensed patent rights or if a third party in South Korea owns an issued patent that claims CR845/difelikefalin and CKDP’s sale of products would infringe that patent. In addition, in connection with the CKDP Agreement, CKDP made a $0.4 million equity investment in our company.
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Manufacturing and License Agreements
Enteris Biopharma, Inc.
In August 2019, we entered into the Enteris License Agreement with Enteris. Pursuant to the Enteris License Agreement, Enteris granted to us a non-exclusive, royalty-bearing license, including the right to grant sublicenses, under certain proprietary technology and patent rights related to or covering formulations for oral delivery of peptide active pharmaceutical ingredients with functional excipients to enhance permeability and/or solubility, known as Enteris’s Peptelligence® technology, to develop, manufacture and commercialize products using such technology worldwide, excluding Japan and South Korea.
As consideration for the licensed rights under the Enteris License Agreement, we paid an upfront fee equal to $8.0 million, consisting of $4.0 million in cash and $4.0 million in shares of our common stock pursuant to the Enteris Purchase Agreement described below. As a result, we recognized $8.0 million of R&D expense related to the Enteris License Agreement during the year ended December 31, 2019.
We are also obligated, pursuant to the Enteris License Agreement, to pay Enteris (1) milestone payments upon the achievement of certain development, regulatory and commercial milestones and (2) low-single digit royalty percentages on net sales of licensed products, subject to reductions in specified circumstances. Until the second anniversary of the entry into the Enteris License Agreement, we have the right, but not the obligation, to terminate our obligation to pay any royalties under the Enteris License Agreement in exchange for a lump sum payment in cash, or the Royalty Buyout. Subject to certain conditions, we may elect to pay 50% of the lump sum due under the Royalty Buyout in shares of our common stock pursuant to the Enteris Purchase Agreement. During the year ended December 31, 2020, we paid $5.0 million to Enteris for a milestone earned during the year ended December 31, 2020 in relation to the Enteris License Agreement. As a result, we recognized $5.0 million of R&D expense related to the Enteris License Agreement during the year ended December 31, 2020.
The Enteris License Agreement will expire on a country-by-country, licensed product-by-licensed product basis upon the later of (1) the expiration (or invalidation) of all valid claims in licensed patent rights that cover such product in such country, (2) the end of the calendar quarter in which generic competition (as defined in the Enteris License Agreement) occurs for such product in such country and (3) ten years from the first commercial sale of such product.
Either party may terminate the Enteris License Agreement upon written notice if the other party has failed to remedy a material breach within 60 days (or 30 days in the case of a material breach of a payment obligation). Enteris may terminate the Enteris License Agreement upon 30 days’ written notice to us if we or any of our affiliates formally challenge the validity of any licensed patent rights or assists a third party in doing so. We may terminate the Enteris License Agreement for any reason or no reason (a) prior to receipt of first regulatory approval for a licensed product in the United States for any indication upon 30 days’ prior written notice to Enteris or (b) on or after receipt of first regulatory approval for a licensed product in the United States for any indication upon 60 days’ prior written notice to Enteris.
In connection with the Enteris License Agreement, in August 2019, we entered into the Enteris Purchase Agreement with Enteris and its affiliate, EBP Holdco LLC, collectively referred to as Purchaser, pursuant to which we issued and sold to Purchaser 170,793 shares of our common stock in a private placement. Such shares were issued in satisfaction of the $4.0 million portion of the upfront fee payable in shares of our common stock pursuant to the Enteris License Agreement and for no additional consideration, based on a purchase price of $23.42 per share, which was equal to the 30-day volume weighted average price of our common stock on August 20, 2019. In addition, if we exercise our Royalty Buyout option, we may elect to make 50% of the payment in stock by issuing additional shares of our common stock valued at the 30-day volume weighted average price of our common stock as of such exercise. Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, we effected the registration and sale of the shares issued and sold to Purchaser thereunder in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, which included the filing of a registration statement with the SEC on September 9, 2019. In addition, the Purchase Agreement includes customary representations, warranties and covenants by us.
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Patheon UK Limited
In July 2019, we entered into an MSA with Patheon UK Limited, or Patheon. The MSA governs the general terms under which Patheon, or one of its affiliates, will provide non-exclusive manufacturing services to us for the drug products specified by us from time to time. Pursuant to the MSA, we have agreed to order from Patheon at least a certain percentage of our commercial requirements for a product under a related Product Agreement. Each Product Agreement that we may enter into from time to time will be governed by the terms of the MSA, unless expressly modified in such Product Agreement.
The MSA has an initial term ending December 31, 2023, and will automatically renew after the initial term for successive terms of two years each if there is a Product Agreement in effect, unless either party gives notice of its intention to terminate the MSA at least 18 months prior to the end of the then current term.
Either party may terminate the MSA or a Product Agreement upon written notice if the other party (1) has failed to remedy a material breach within a specified time or (2) is declared insolvent or bankrupt, voluntarily files a petition of bankruptcy or assigns such agreement for the benefit of creditors. We may terminate a Product Agreement (a) upon 90 days’ prior written notice if any governmental agency takes any action that prevents us from selling the relevant product in the relevant territory, (b) upon six months’ prior written notice if we do not intend to order manufacturing services due to a product’s discontinuance in the market, or (c) upon 90 days’ prior written notice if we determine that the manufacture or supply of a product likely infringes third-party rights. Patheon may terminate the MSA or a Product Agreement (i) upon six months’ prior written notice if we assign such agreement to an assignee that is unacceptable to Patheon for certain reasons, or (ii) upon 30 days’ prior written notice if, after the first year of commercial sales, we forecast zero volume for 12 months.
The MSA contains, among other provisions, customary representations and warranties by the parties, a grant to Patheon of certain limited license rights to our intellectual property in connection with Patheon’s performance of the services under the MSA, certain indemnification rights in favor of both parties, limitations of liability and customary confidentiality provisions.
Also in July 2019, we entered into two related Product Agreements under the MSA, one with each of Patheon and Patheon Manufacturing Services LLC, or Patheon Greenville, to govern the terms and conditions of the manufacture of commercial supplies of CR845/difelikefalin injection, our lead product candidate. Pursuant to the Product Agreements, Patheon and Patheon Greenville will manufacture commercial supplies of CR845/difelikefalin injection at the Monza, Italy and Greenville, North Carolina manufacturing sites, respectively, from active pharmaceutical ingredient supplied by us. Patheon and Patheon Greenville will be responsible for supplying the other required raw materials and packaging components, and will also provide supportive manufacturing services such as quality control testing for raw materials, packaging components and finished product.
Components of Operating Results
Revenue
To date, we have not generated any revenue from product sales. Substantially all of our revenue recognized to date has consisted of upfront payments under license agreements with Vifor, VFMCRP, Maruishi and CKDP, and milestone and sub-license payments under license agreements with CKDP and Maruishi for CR845/difelikefalin, some or all of which was deferred upon receipt, as well as license agreements for CR665, our first-generation drug program for which development efforts have ceased and clinical compound sales from certain license agreements. Through December 31, 2020, we have earned a total of $6.7 million in clinical development or regulatory milestone payments and clinical compound sales from certain license agreements. We have not yet received any milestone payments under the Vifor or VFMCRP agreements or royalties under any of our collaborations.
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Research and Development (R&D)
Our R&D expenses relate primarily to the development of CR845/difelikefalin. R&D expenses consist of expenses incurred in performing R&D activities, including compensation and benefits for full-time R&D employees, clinical trial and related clinical manufacturing expenses, third-party formulation expenses, fees paid to CROs and other consultants, stock-based compensation for R&D employees and consultants and other outside expenses. Our R&D expenses also included expenses related to preclinical activities for our earlier stage programs in prior periods and may include such expenses in the future.
R&D costs are expensed as incurred. Non-refundable advance payments for goods or services to be received in the future for use in R&D activities are deferred and capitalized. The capitalized amounts are expensed as the related goods are delivered or the services are performed. Most of our R&D costs have been external costs, which we track on a program-by program basis. Our internal R&D costs are primarily compensation expenses for our full-time R&D employees. We do not track internal R&D costs on a program-by-program basis.
R&D activities are central to our business model. Product candidates in later stages of clinical development generally have higher development costs than those in earlier stages of clinical development, primarily due to the increased size and duration of later-stage clinical trials. Based on our current development plans, we presently expect that our R&D expenses for 2021 will increase over those for 2020. However, it is difficult to determine with certainty the duration and completion costs of our current or future nonclinical programs and clinical trials of our product candidates, or if, when or to what extent we will generate revenues from the commercialization and sale of any of our product candidates that obtain regulatory approval. We may never succeed in achieving regulatory approval for any of our product candidates.
The duration, costs and timing of clinical trials and development of our product candidates will depend on a variety of factors including, but not limited to:
● per patient trial costs;
● the number of patients that participate in the trials;
● the number of sites included in the trials;
● the countries in which the trial is conducted;
● the length of time required to enroll eligible patients;
● the number of doses that patients receive;
● the drop-out or discontinuation rates of patients;
● the duration of patient follow-up; and
● the efficacy and safety profile of the product candidate.
In addition, the probability of success for each product candidate will depend on numerous factors, including competition, manufacturing capability and commercial viability. We will determine which programs to pursue and how much to fund each program in response to the scientific and clinical success of each product candidate, as well as an assessment of each product candidate’s commercial potential.
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General and Administrative
General and administrative expenses consist primarily of salaries and other related costs, including stock-based compensation, for personnel in executive, finance, accounting, legal, business development, information technology and human resources functions. Other costs include facility costs not otherwise included in R&D expenses, legal fees, insurance costs, investor relations costs, patent costs and fees for accounting and consulting services.
We anticipate that our general and administrative expenses for 2021 will generally approximate those for 2020 to support our continued R&D activities and for our product candidates. These expenses will likely include costs related to the hiring of additional personnel, fees to outside consultants, lawyers, accountants and investor relations firms. In addition, if Oral CR845/difelikefalin or any future product candidate obtains regulatory approval for marketing, we expect to incur expenses associated with building a sales and marketing team.
Other Income, Net
Other income, net consists of interest and dividend income earned on our cash, cash equivalents, marketable securities and restricted cash, realized gains and losses on the sale of marketable securities and property and equipment as well as accretion of discounts/amortization of premiums on purchases of marketable securities. In the event we record a credit loss expense on our available-for-sale debt securities, those expenses would be offset against other income.
Benefit from Income Taxes
The benefit from income taxes relates to state R&D tax credits exchanged for cash pursuant to the Connecticut R&D Tax Credit Exchange Program, which permits qualified small businesses engaged in R&D activities within Connecticut to exchange their unused R&D tax credits for a cash amount equal to 65% of the value of the exchanged credits.
Results of Operations
Comparison of the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018
Revenue
Year Ended December 31,
Dollar amounts in thousands
% change % change
License and milestone fee revenue
License and milestone fees revenue of $134.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 was related to license fees of $111.6 million earned by us in connection with the Vifor Agreement that we entered into in October 2020, license fees of $22.3 million earned by us in connection with the VFMCRP Agreement, and $0.6 million (net of South Korean withholding taxes) earned by us for achieving a development milestone under the CKDP Agreement. License and milestone fees revenue of $19.7 million and $13.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively, were related to license fees earned by us during the respective periods in connection with the VFMCRP Agreement (see Note 11 of Notes to Financial Statements, Collaboration and Licensing Agreements, in this Annual Report on Form 10-K).
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Clinical compound revenue
Clinical compound revenue of $643 thousand for the year ended December 31, 2020 was related to the sales of clinical compound to VFMCRP for $115 thousand and to Maruishi for $528 thousand. Clinical compound revenue of $140 thousand and $33 thousand for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively, related to the sale of clinical compound to Maruishi.
Research and Development Expense
Year Ended December 31,
Dollar amounts in thousands
% change % change
For the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the year ended December 31, 2019, the net decrease in direct clinical trial costs and related consultant costs primarily resulted from decreases totaling $33.2 million, mainly from activities related to the KALM-1 Phase 3 efficacy trial and the 52-week open-label extension study of KORSUVA (CR845/difelikefalin) injection in CKD patients undergoing hemodialysis, the Phase 2 efficacy trial of Oral CR845 in CKD-aP patients, the KALM-2 Phase 3 efficacy trial of KORSUVA (CR845/difelikefalin) injection in CKD patients undergoing hemodialysis, the Phase 2 efficacy trial for CLD-aP, costs associated with a supportive Phase 1 study and other license fees. Those costs were partially offset by an increase of $19.4 million, mainly from the Phase 2 efficacy trial for pruritus associated with AD, the Phase 2 efficacy and safety trial for pruritus associated with NP, costs associated with a supportive Phase 1 study, costs associated with the preparation our NDA submission and other general costs. There was also an increase of $4.1 million in clinical and commercial drug manufacturing costs. The increase in stock-based compensation expense was primarily the result of additional stock option and restricted stock unit grants to new and existing employees, as well as additional stock-based compensation expense relating to the vesting of performance-based restricted stock units that were achieved in 2020 as compared to 2019 by certain executives. The increase in other R&D operating expenses primarily resulted from a $5.0 million milestone earned by Enteris during the year ended December 31, 2020, as well as increases in payroll and related costs and cost of clinical compound sales, partially offset by the upfront payment of $8.0 million made to Enteris upon entering the Enteris License Agreement during the year ended December 31, 2019 and decreases in travel and related costs.
For the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to the year ended December 31, 2018, the net increase in direct clinical trial costs and related consultant costs primarily resulted from increases totaling $32.7 million, mainly from activities related to the two Phase 3 efficacy trials and up to 12 week Phase 3 safety trial of KORSUVA (CR845/difelikefalin) injection in CKD patients undergoing hemodialysis, the Phase 2 efficacy trial of Oral CR845 in CKD-aP patients, the Phase 2 efficacy trial for CLD-aP and the Phase 2 efficacy trial for pruritus associated with AD. There was also an increase of $1.6 million in drug manufacturing costs. Those costs were partially offset by a decrease of $9.4 million, mainly from the Phase 2/3 I.V. CR845/difelikefalin adaptive clinical trial in post-operative pain and costs associated with certain Phase 1 studies. The increase in stock-based compensation expense was primarily the result of additional stock option grants to R&D employees. The increase in other R&D operating expenses primarily resulted from the upfront payment of $8.0 million upon entering into the Enteris License Agreement and an increase in payroll and related costs associated with R&D personnel.
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The following table summarizes our R&D expenses by product candidate for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018:
Year Ended December 31,
Dollar amounts in thousands
% change % change
External research and development expenses:
General and Administrative Expense
Year Ended December 31,
Dollar amounts in thousands
% change % change
Depreciation and amortization 97 11 % 88 7 % 82
For the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the year ended December 31, 2019, the decrease in professional fees and public/investor relations expenses was primarily the result of a decrease in consultants’ costs, partially offset by increases in accounting fees. The decrease in stock-based compensation expense was primarily the result of the resignation of our former Chief Financial Officer in December 2019, a decrease in stock-based compensation expense due to fewer performance-based restricted stock units vesting during 2020 as compared to 2019, and the issuance of common stock relating to the consulting agreement that ended in 2019, partially offset by additional stock option grants and restricted stock unit grants to employees and members of our Board of Directors, including our current CFO beginning in October 2020. The increase in other G&A operating expenses was primarily the result of increases in commercial costs, insurance costs, and payroll and related costs.
For the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to the year ended December 31, 2018, the increase in professional fees and public/investor relations expenses was primarily the result of increased consultants’ costs and legal and accounting fees. The increase in stock-based compensation expense was primarily the result of additional stock option grants to G&A employees, additional stock-based compensation expense relating to restricted stock units granted to the members of our Board of Directors in June 2019, and stock-based compensation expense resulting from issuing shares of our common stock for consulting services performed during the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase in other G&A operating expenses was primarily the result of an increase in insurance costs and franchise taxes, partially offset by a decrease in rent, utilities and related costs.
Other Income, Net
Year Ended December 31,
Dollar amounts in thousands
% change % change
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For the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the year ended December 31, 2019, the decrease in other income, net was primarily due to a decrease in net accretion income and a decrease in interest income resulting from a lower yield on our lower average balance of our portfolio of investments in the 2020 period, partially offset by a realized gain of approximately $0.3 million from the sale of our available-for-sale marketable securities in the 2020 period.
For the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to the year ended December 31, 2018, the increase in other income, net was primarily due to an increase in interest and accretion income resulting from a higher average balance of our portfolio of investments in the 2019 period.
Benefit from Income Taxes
For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, pre-tax income (losses) were $7.7 million, $(107.2) million and $(74.4) million, respectively, and we recognized a benefit from income taxes of $691 thousand, $816 thousand and $389 thousand, respectively.
The benefit from income taxes relates to state R&D tax credits exchanged for cash pursuant to the Connecticut R&D Tax Credit Exchange Program, as discussed above. We recognized a full valuation allowance against deferred tax assets at December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Sources of Liquidity
Since our inception and through December 31, 2020, we have raised an aggregate of $774.5 million to fund our operations, including (1) net proceeds of $446.3 million from the sale of shares of our common stock in five public offerings, including our initial public offering; (2) proceeds of $73.3 million from the sale of shares of our convertible preferred stock and from debt financings prior to our initial public offering; (3) payments of $201.9 million under our license agreements, primarily with Vifor, VFMCRP, Maruishi, CKDP and an earlier product candidate for which development efforts ceased in 2007; and (4) net proceeds of $53.0 million from the purchase of our common stock in relation to the license agreements with Vifor and VFMCRP (see Note 11 of Notes to Financial Statements, Collaboration and Licensing Agreements, in this Annual Report on Form 10-K).
In order to fund our future operations, including our planned clinical trials, we filed the Shelf Registration Statement (File No. 333-230333), which provides for aggregate offerings of up to $300.0 million of common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants or any combination thereof and was declared effective on April 4, 2019. The securities registered under the Shelf Registration Statement include unsold securities that had been registered under our previous Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-216657) that was declared effective on March 24, 2017. To date, we have offered and sold an aggregate of approximately $145.5 million of securities under this Shelf Registration Statement. We believe that our Shelf Registration Statement provides us with the flexibility to raise additional capital to finance our operations as needed.
On July 24, 2019, we entered into an underwriting agreement with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Jefferies LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein, relating to the issuance and sale by us of up to 6,325,000 shares of our common stock, including 825,000 additional shares of common stock that the underwriters had the option to purchase, at a public offering price of $23.00 per share. We closed this offering on July 29, 2019, including the full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares of common stock. We received net proceeds of $136.5 million, after deducting $9.0 million of underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses. This offering was made by pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement, and a related prospectus supplement dated July 24, 2019, which was filed with the SEC on July 25, 2019.
We may offer additional securities under our Shelf Registration Statement from time to time in response to market conditions or other circumstances if we believe such a plan of financing is in the best interests of our stockholders.
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As of December 31, 2020, we had $251.5 million in unrestricted cash and cash equivalents and available-for-sale marketable securities. We believe our current unrestricted cash and cash equivalents and available-for-sale marketable securities will be sufficient to fund our currently anticipated operating expenses and capital expenditures into 2023, without giving effect to any potential milestone payments or potential product revenue we may receive under our licensing and collaboration agreements with Vifor, VFMCRP, Maruishi and CKDP. Our anticipated operating expenses include contractually committed costs as well as non-contractually committed clinical trial costs for trials that may be delayed or not initiated and other non-committed controllable costs.
Under the Vifor Agreement, we are eligible to receive regulatory and commercial milestone payments in the aggregate of up to $290.0 million, consisting of a $50.0 million common stock investment for a regulatory milestone and up to $240.0 million upon the achievement of certain sales-based milestones. As of December 31, 2020, we have not received any milestone payments under the Vifor Agreement.
Under the VFMCRP Agreement, we are eligible to receive regulatory and commercial milestone payments in the aggregate of up to $470.0 million, consisting of up to $30.0 million in regulatory milestones and up to $440.0 million in tiered commercial milestones, all of which are sales-related. We are also eligible to receive tiered double-digit royalty payments based on annual net sales, as defined in the VFMCRP Agreement, of CR845/difelikefalin injection in the Licensed Territories. As of December 31, 2020, we have not received any milestone payments under the VFMCRP Agreement.
Under the Maruishi Agreement, we are also potentially eligible to earn up to an aggregate of $6.0 million in clinical development milestones and $4.5 million in regulatory milestones, before any foreign exchange adjustment, as well as tiered royalties, with percentages ranging from the low double digits to the low twenties, based on net sales of products containing CR845/difelikefalin in Japan, if any, and share in any sub-license fees. As of December 31, 2020, we have received milestone payments of $2.5 million before contractual foreign currency exchange adjustments under the Maruishi Agreement. In January 2021, we met the milestone criteria, as set forth in the Maruishi Agreement, for Maruishi’s first initiation of a Phase III trial for uremic pruritus in Japan. As a result, we received a milestone payment of $2.0 million ($1.9 million after contractual foreign currency exchange adjustments) from Maruishi.
Under the CKDP Agreement, we are potentially eligible to earn up to an aggregate of $2.3 million in clinical development milestones and $1.5 million in regulatory milestones, before South Korean withholding tax, as well as tiered royalties with percentages ranging from the high single digits to the high teens, based on net sales of products containing CR845/difelikefalin in South Korea, if any, and share in any sub-license fees. In May 2020, the criteria for revenue recognition for a milestone event set forth in the CKDP Agreement was achieved, and we recorded $0.6 million (net of South Korean withholding tax) as license and milestone fees revenue during the year ended December 31, 2020 relating to the milestone payment received from CKDP. As of December 31, 2020, $2.3 million (before South Korean withholding tax) of development and regulatory milestones have been received under the CKDP Agreement.
Our ability to earn these payments and their timing is dependent upon the outcome of I.V. and Oral CR845/difelikefalin development activities and, potentially, commercialization. However, our receipt of any further such amounts is uncertain at this time and we may never receive any more of these amounts.
Funding Requirements
Our primary uses of capital have been, and we expect will continue to be, compensation and related expenses, third-party clinical R&D services and clinical costs. In the past, we have also previously used capital for laboratory and related supplies.
Since inception, we have incurred significant operating and net losses. We incurred net losses of $106.4 million and $74.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. As of December 31, 2020, we had an accumulated deficit of $392.3 million. Although we generated net income for the year ended December 31, 2020 as a result of a commercial license transaction, we expect to continue to incur significant expenses and operating and net losses in the foreseeable future, as we continue to develop and seek marketing approval for I.V. and Oral CR845/difelikefalin. Our financial results may fluctuate significantly from quarter to quarter and year to year, depending
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on the timing of our clinical trials, the receipt of additional milestone payments, if any, under our licensing and collaborations with Vifor, VFMCRP, Maruishi and CKDP, the receipt of payments under any future collaborations and/or licensing agreements we may enter into, and our expenditures on other R&D activities.
We anticipate that our expenses may increase as we:
● conduct R&D of any potential future product candidates;
● maintain, expand and protect our global intellectual property portfolio;
● hire additional clinical, quality control and scientific personnel; and
The successful development of any of our product candidates is highly uncertain. As such, at this time, we cannot reasonably estimate or know the nature, timing and costs of the efforts that will be necessary to complete the development of I.V. CR845/difelikefalin, Oral CR845/difelikefalin or our other current and future programs. We are also unable to predict when, if ever, we will generate any further material net cash inflows from CR845/difelikefalin. This is due to the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with developing medicines, including the uncertainty of:
● successful enrollment in, and completion of clinical trials;
● receipt of marketing approvals from applicable regulatory authorities;
● achieving meaningful penetration in the markets which we seek to serve; and
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A change in the outcome of any of these variables with respect to the development of I.V. CR845/difelikefalin, Oral CR845/difelikefalin or any of our future product candidates would significantly change the costs and timing associated with the development of that product candidate. Further, the timing of any of the above may be impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, introducing additional uncertainty.
Because our product candidates are still in clinical development and the outcome of these efforts is uncertain, we cannot estimate the actual amounts necessary to successfully complete the development and commercialization of all our product candidates or whether, or when, we may achieve profitability. Until such time, if ever, as we can generate substantial product revenues, we expect to finance our cash needs through a combination of equity or debt financings and collaboration arrangements, including our existing licensing and collaboration agreements with Vifor, VFMCRP, Maruishi and CKDP.
We will require additional capital beyond our current balances of cash and cash equivalents and available-for-sale marketable securities and anticipated amounts as described above, and this additional capital may not be available when needed, on reasonable terms, or at all, and our ability to raise additional capital may be adversely impacted by potential worsening global economic conditions and the recent disruptions to and volatility in the credit and financial markets in the United States and worldwide resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. If we are not able to do so, we could be required to postpone, scale back or eliminate some, or all, of these objectives. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the future sale of equity or convertible debt, the ownership interest of our stockholders will be diluted, and the terms of these securities may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect the rights of our existing common stockholders. If we raise additional funds through the issuance of debt securities, these securities could contain covenants that would restrict our operations. If we raise additional funds through collaboration arrangements in the future, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to our technologies, future revenue streams or product candidates or grant licenses on terms that may not be favorable to us. If we are unable to raise additional funds through equity or debt financings when needed, we may be required to delay, limit, reduce or terminate our drug development or future commercialization efforts or grant rights to develop and market product candidates that we would otherwise prefer to develop and market ourselves.
Outlook
Based on timing expectations and projected costs for our current clinical development plans, which include conducting supportive Phase 1 trials, Phase 2 trials, and Phase 3 trials of Oral KORSUVA (CR845/difelikefalin) in patients with pruritus associated with CKD, CLD, AD, and NP, we expect that our existing cash and cash equivalents and available-for-sale marketable securities as of December 31, 2020 will be sufficient for us to fund our currently anticipated operating expenses and capital expenditures into 2023, without giving effect to any potential milestone payments or potential product revenue we may receive under our collaboration agreements with VFMCRP, Maruishi and CKDP. Our anticipated operating expenses include contractually committed costs as well as non-contractually committed clinical trial costs for trials that may be delayed or not initiated and other non-committed controllable costs. Because the process of testing product candidates in clinical trials is costly and the timing of progress in these trials is uncertain, it is possible that the assumptions upon which we have based this estimate may prove to be wrong, and we could use our capital resources sooner than we presently expect.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017
On December 22, 2017, the TCJA was enacted in the United States. Under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, or GAAP, the effect of a change in tax rates and tax law is recorded discretely as a component of the income tax provision related to continuing operations in the period of enactment. Under the TCJA, among other provisions, the maximum Federal corporate tax rate is reduced from 35% to 21% for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017.
Accounting Standards Codification, or ASC, section 740, Income Taxes, requires deferred tax assets and liabilities to be measured at the enacted tax rate expected to apply when temporary differences are to be realized or settled. Therefore, at the date of enactment, we reduced deferred tax assets by $25.9 million based on the revised tax rate, which required a re-assessment of the related valuation allowance. Based on expected net losses into the foreseeable future, we
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will currently continue to record a 100% valuation allowance against our deferred tax assets. The corresponding reduction in the valuation allowance as a result of the re-measurement of deferred tax assets and liabilities was also recorded to continuing operations in the tax provision. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, we did not have any foreign subsidiaries and the international aspects of the TCJA are not applicable for the respective periods.
In addition, NOLs arising in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, can be carried forward indefinitely but carryback is generally prohibited. The use of such NOL carryforwards for taxable years beginning after 2020 is limited to 80% of taxable income. NOLs generated before January 1, 2018 will not be subject to the taxable income limitation and will continue to have a two-year carryback and 20-year carryforward period.
On December 22, 2017, Staff Accounting Bulletin 118, or SAB 118, was issued by the SEC due to the complexities involved in accounting for the TCJA. SAB 118 requires us to include in our financial statements a reasonable estimate of the impact of the TCJA on earnings to the extent such estimate has been determined. Accordingly, our U.S. provision for income tax for 2017 was based on the reasonable estimate guidance provided by SAB 118. We finalized the accounting for the TCJA as of December 31, 2018, which resulted in insignificant adjustments.
The CARES Act of 2020 and Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021
On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 2020, or the CARES Act (H.R. 748), which was further expanded with the signing of the Consolidation Appropriations Act of 2021 (H.R. 133) on December 27, 2020. The CARES Act (and December expansion) includes a variety of economic and tax relief measures intended to stimulate the economy, including loans for small businesses, payroll tax credits/deferrals, and corporate income tax relief. Due to our history of tax loss carryforwards and full valuation allowance, the CARES Act did not have a significant effect to the income tax provision, as the corporate income tax relief was directed towards cash taxpayers.
Cash Flows
The following is a summary of the net cash flows provided by (used in) our operating, investing and financing activities for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018:
Year Ended December 31,
Dollar amounts in thousands
Net cash used in operating activities $ (5,487) $ (109,225) $ (22,301)
Net cash used in operating activities
Net cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2020 consisted primarily of a $7.4 million cash outflow from net changes in operating assets and liabilities and a $6.5 million cash outflow from net non-cash charges, partially offset by net income of $8.4 million (which includes $111.6 million of licensing and milestone fees revenue from the Vifor Agreement). Net non-cash charges primarily consisted of a decrease of $22.3 million in deferred revenue associated with our VFMCRP Agreement, partially offset by stock-based compensation expense of $14.8 million and the amortization expense component of lease expense of $0.8 million relating to our Stamford operating leases. The change in operating assets and liabilities primarily consisted of a cash outflow of $3.2 million from an increase in prepaid expenses, primarily related to an increase in prepaid clinical costs, a cash outflow of $2.8 million from a decrease in accounts payable and accrued expenses, and a cash outflow of $1.1 million relating to operating lease liabilities associated with our Stamford operating leases.
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Net cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2019 consisted primarily of a net loss of $106.4 million and a $3.8 million cash outflow from net non-cash charges, partially offset by a $0.9 million cash inflow from net changes in operating assets and liabilities. Net non-cash charges primarily consisted of a decrease of $19.7 million in deferred revenue associated with our VFMCRP Agreement and $1.4 million related to accretion of available-for-sale securities, partially offset by stock-based compensation expense of $12.6 million and a noncash expense of $4.0 million related to the Enteris License Agreement. The change in operating assets and liabilities primarily consisted of a cash inflow of $6.0 million from an increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses, partially offset by a cash outflow of $4.1 million from an increase in prepaid expense, primarily related to an increase in prepaid clinical costs and a cash outflow of $0.9 million from operating lease liability relating to lease payments made for the Stamford Lease as a result of our adoption of ASC 842: Leases.
Net cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2018 consisted primarily of a net loss of $74.0 million, partially offset by a $50.5 million cash inflow from net non-cash charges and a $1.2 million inflow from net changes in operating assets and liabilities. Net non-cash charges primarily consisted of an increase in deferred revenue of $42.0 million related to the VFMCRP Agreement and stock-based compensation expense of $10.1 million, partially offset by $1.8 million related to amortization/accretion of available-for-sale securities. The net change in operating assets and liabilities primarily consisted of a cash inflow of $5.1 million from an increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses, partially offset by cash outflows of $3.2 million from an increase in prepaid expense, primarily related to an increase in prepaid clinical costs, and cash outflows of $0.8 million related to an increase in other receivables.
Net cash used in investing activities
Net cash used in investing activities was $20.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, which primarily included cash outflows of $232.9 million for the purchases of available-for-sale marketable securities, partially offset by cash inflows of $171.4 million from maturities and redemptions of available-for-sale marketable securities and proceeds of $41.6 million from sales of available-for-sale marketable securities.
Net cash used in investing activities was $30.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, which primarily included cash outflows of $286.1 million for the purchases of available-for-sale marketable securities, partially offset by $255.6 million from maturities and redemptions of available-for-sale marketable securities.
Net cash used in investing activities was $82.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, which primarily included cash outflows of $337.9 million for the purchase of available-for-sale marketable securities, partially offset by cash inflows of $175.3 million from maturities of available-for-sale marketable securities and $79.8 million from the sale of available-for-sale marketable securities.
Net cash provided by financing activities
Net cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2020 consisted of proceeds of $38.4 million from the sale of our common stock relating to the Vifor Agreement and $0.7 million received from the exercise of stock options.
Net cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2019 consisted of gross proceeds of $145.5 million from our issuance and sale of our common stock in July 2019, partially offset by $9.0 million of underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses paid by us during the year ended December 31, 2019, and proceeds of $6.1 million received from the exercise of stock options.
Net cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2018 consisted of gross proceeds of $98.3 million from our issuance and sale of our common stock in July 2018, partially offset by $6.3 million of underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses paid by us during the year ended December 31, 2018, proceeds of $14.6 million from the sale of our common stock relating to the VFMCRP Agreement and $4.2 million received from the exercise of stock options.
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Contractual Obligations
The following table summarizes our significant contractual obligations as of December 31, 2020 (in thousands):
Payment Due for the Year Ending December 31,
Contractual obligations and commitments at December 31, 2020 also included the Enteris License Agreement, which we entered into in August 2019, and the MSA we entered into with Patheon in July 2019. However, we have no material non-cancelable purchase commitments with these contract manufacturers or service providers, as we have generally contracted on a cancelable purchase order basis. Therefore, these were not included in the table above. Furthermore, milestone payments potentially owed by us in connection with the Enteris License Agreement were not included in the table above as these milestone events may or may not be achieved.
See Note 17 of Notes to Financial Statements, Commitments and Contingencies, in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for details about our contractual obligations and commitments, and Note 7 of Notes to Financial Statements, Restricted Cash, in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for details about our letter of credit associated with our Stamford operating leases.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We did not have during the periods presented, and we do not currently have, any off-balance sheet arrangements, as defined under SEC rules.
Critical Accounting Policies and Significant Judgments and Estimates
Our management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations is based upon our financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates, judgments and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the balance sheets and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances at the time such estimates are made. Actual results and outcomes may differ materially from our estimates, judgments and assumptions. We periodically review our estimates in light of changes in circumstances, facts and experience. The effects of material revisions in estimates are reflected in the financial statements prospectively from the date of the change in estimate.
We define our critical accounting policies as those accounting principles generally accepted in the United States that require us to make subjective estimates and judgments about matters that are uncertain and are likely to have a material impact on our financial condition and results of operations as well as the specific manner in which we apply those principles. We believe the critical accounting policies used in the preparation of our financial statements which require significant estimates and judgments are as follows:
Revenue Recognition
On January 1, 2018, we adopted Accounting Standards Update, or ASU, 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), or ASC 606, as amended by ASU 2016-08, 2016-10, 2016-12 and 2016-20 using the full retrospective method. Under ASC 606, we recognize revenue in an amount that reflects the consideration to which we expect to be entitled in exchange for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. To determine revenue recognition for contracts with customers that are within the scope of ASC 606, we perform the following steps: (1) identify the contract with the customer, (2) identify the performance obligations in the contract, (3) determine the transaction price, (4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract, and (5) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. We concluded that upon adoption of ASC 606, as amended, there was no impact on our results of operations, financial position or cash flows for any period presented
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from our only two revenue-related contracts, which were in effect at that time: the CKDP Agreement or the Maruishi Agreement.
We have entered into agreements to license our intellectual property, or IP, related to CR845/difelikefalin to develop, manufacture and/or commercialize drug products. These agreements typically contain multiple performance obligations, including licenses of IP and R&D services. Payments to us under these agreements may include nonrefundable license fees, payments for research activities, payments based upon the achievement of certain milestones and royalties on any resulting net product sales.
We identify agreements as contracts that create enforceable rights and obligations when the agreement is approved by the parties, identifies the rights of the parties and the payment terms, has commercial substance and it is probable that we will collect the consideration to which we will be entitled in exchange for the goods and services that will be transferred to the customer. The counterparty is considered to be a customer when it has contracted with us to obtain goods and services that are the output of our ordinary activities (i.e., development of pharmaceutical products) in exchange for consideration.
A performance obligation is a promise to transfer distinct goods or services to a customer. Performance obligations that are both capable of being distinct and distinct within the context of the contract are considered to be separate performance obligations. Performance obligations are capable of being distinct if the counterparty is able to benefit from the good or service on its own or together with other resources that are readily available to it. Performance obligations are distinct within the context of the contract when each performance obligation is separately identifiable from each other; i.e., we are not using the goods or services as inputs to produce or deliver the combined output or outputs specified by the customer; one or more of the goods or services does not significantly modify or customize one of the other goods or services in the contract; and goods or services are not highly interdependent or not highly interrelated. Performance obligations that are not distinct are accounted for as a single performance obligation over the period that goods or services are transferred to the customer. The determination of whether performance obligations in a contract are distinct may require significant judgment.
The transaction price is the amount of consideration that we expect to be entitled to in exchange for transferring promised goods or services to the customer based on the contract terms at inception of a contract. There is a constraint on inclusion of variable consideration related to licenses of IP, such as milestone payments or sales-based royalty payments, in the transaction price if there is uncertainty at inception of the contract as to whether such consideration will be recognized in the future because it is probable that there will be a significant reversal of revenue in the future when the uncertainty is resolved. The determination of whether or not it is probable that a significant reversal of revenue will occur in the future depends on the likelihood and magnitude of the reversal. Factors that could increase the likelihood or magnitude of a reversal of revenue include (a) the susceptibility of the amount of consideration to factors outside the entity’s influence, such as the outcome of clinical trials, the timing of initiation of clinical trials by the counterparty and the approval of drug product candidates by regulatory agencies, (b) situations in which the uncertainty is not expected to be resolved for a long period of time, and (c) level of our experience in the field. When it becomes probable that events will occur, for which variable consideration was constrained at inception of the contract, we allocate the related consideration to the separate performance obligations in the same manner as described below.
At inception of a contract, we allocate the transaction price to the distinct performance obligations based upon their relative standalone selling prices. Standalone selling price is the price at which an entity would sell a promised good or service separately to a customer. The best evidence of standalone selling price is an observable price of a good or service when sold separately by an entity in similar circumstances to similar customers. Since we typically do not have such evidence, we estimate standalone selling price so that the amount that is allocated to each performance obligation equals the amount that we expect to receive for transferring goods or services. The methods that we use to make such estimates include (1) the adjusted market assessment approach, under which we forecast and analyze CR845/difelikefalin in the appropriate market, the phase of clinical development as well as considering recent similar license arrangements within the same phase of clinical development, therapeutic area, type of agreement, etc. and (2) the expected cost of satisfying the performance obligations plus a margin, or the expected cost plus a margin approach.
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We recognize revenue when, or as, we satisfy a performance obligation by transferring a promised good or service to a customer and the customer obtains control of the good or service. Revenue related to the grant of a license that is a distinct performance obligation and that is deemed to be functional IP is recognized at the point in time that we have the right to payment for the license, the customer has legal title to the license and can direct the use of the license (for example, to grant sublicenses), the customer has the significant risks and rewards of ownership of the license and the customer has accepted the asset (license) by signing the license agreement.
Recognition of revenue related to R&D services that are a distinct performance obligation or that are combined with granting of a license as a single performance obligation is deferred at inception of a contract and is recognized as those services are performed based on the costs incurred as a percentage of the estimated total costs to be incurred to complete the performance obligation.
Milestone payments are considered to be variable consideration and are not included in the transaction price at inception of the contract if it is uncertain that the milestone will be achieved. Rather, when it becomes probable that the milestone will be achieved and, therefore, there will not be a significant reversal of revenue in future periods, the respective amount to be earned is included in the transaction price, allocated to the distinct performance obligations based on their relative standalone selling price and recognized as revenue, as described above. Sales milestones and sales-based royalty payments related to a license of IP are recognized as revenue when the respective sales occur.
See Note 2 of Notes to Financial Statements, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies – Revenue Recognition, and Note 12 of Notes to Financial Statements, Revenue Recognition, in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further details about our critical accounting estimates for revenue recognition for our significant contracts.
Stock-Based Compensation
We grant stock options to employees, non-employee directors and non-employee consultants as compensation for services performed. Employee and non-employee members of the Board of Directors’ awards of stock-based compensation are accounted for in accordance with ASC 718, Compensation -Stock Compensation, or ASC 718. ASC 718 requires all share-based payments to employees and non-employee directors, including grants of stock options, to be recognized in the Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) based on their grant date fair values. The grant date fair value of stock options is estimated using the Black-Scholes option valuation model. On January 1, 2019, we used the Black-Scholes option valuation model to remeasure the fair value of all outstanding unvested options that had been granted to non-employee consultants in accordance with ASU 2018-07, Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718), Improvements to Non-employee Share-Based Payment Accounting. For all share-based payments granted to employees and non-employees, compensation cost relating to awards with service-based graded vesting schedules is recognized using the straight-line method over the requisite service period.
Using this model, fair value is calculated based on (i) the fair value or market price of our common stock on the grant date; (ii) expected volatility of our common stock price, (iii) the periods of time over which employees and non-employee directors are expected to hold their options prior to exercise (expected term), (iv) expected dividend yield on our common stock, and (v) risk-free interest rates.
The assumptions for expected volatility and the expected term of stock options used in computing the fair value of option awards reflect our best estimates but involve uncertainties related to market and other conditions, many of which are outside of our control. Changes in any of these assumptions may materially affect the fair value of stock options granted and the amount of stock-based compensation recognized in future periods.
See Note 2 of Notes to Financial Statements, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies – Stock-Based Compensation, in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further details about our critical accounting estimates for stock-based compensation.
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Accounting Pronouncements Recently Adopted; Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted
Please refer to Note 2 of Notes to Financial Statements, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.
Interest Rate Risk
We invest a majority of our cash reserves in a variety of available-for-sale marketable securities, including investment-grade debt instruments, principally corporate bonds, commercial paper, municipal bonds and direct obligations of the U.S. government and U.S. government-sponsored entities, and in cash equivalents. See Note 3 of Notes to Financial Statements, Available-for-Sale Marketable Securities, in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for details about our available-for-sale marketable securities.
As of December 31, 2020, we had invested $219.8 million of our cash reserves in such marketable securities. Those marketable securities include $219.8 million of investment grade debt instruments with a yield of approximately 0.32% and maturities through December 2023. As of December 31, 2019, we had invested $199.9 million of our cash reserves in such marketable securities. Those marketable securities include $199.9 million of investment grade debt instruments with a yield of approximately 2.08% and maturities through December 2021.
We maintain an investment portfolio in accordance with our investment policy, which includes guidelines on acceptable investment securities, minimum credit quality, maturity parameters, and concentration and diversification. The primary objectives of our investment policy are to preserve principal, maintain proper liquidity and to meet operating needs. Our investments are subject to interest rate risk and will decrease in value if market interest rates increase. However, due to the conservative nature of our investments and relatively short duration, we do not believe we are materially exposed to changes in interest rates related to our investments. As a result, we do not currently use interest rate derivative instruments to manage exposure to interest rate changes.
Duration is a sensitivity measure that can be used to approximate the change in the fair value of a security that will result from a change in interest rates. Applying the duration model, a hypothetical 100 basis point, or 1%, increase in interest rates as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, would have resulted in immaterial decreases in the fair values of our portfolio of marketable securities at those dates.
Credit Quality Risk
Although our investments are subject to credit risk, our investment policy specifies credit quality standards for our investments and limits the amount of credit exposure from any single issue, issuer or type of investment. Nonetheless, deterioration of the credit quality of an investment security subsequent to purchase may subject us to the risk of not being able to recover the full principal value of the security. For the year end December 31, 2020, we did not record any charges to credit loss expense for our available-for-sale securities. For the year ended December 31, 2019, we did not record any charges for other-than-temporary impairments of our available-for-sale securities. (Refer to Note 2 of Notes to Financial Statements, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies – Marketable Securities, in this Annual Report on Form 10-K).
As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, we did not have material balances of receivables on our Balance Sheets.
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Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
Cara Therapeutics, Inc.
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
PAGE
Reports of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 101
Financial Statements:
Balance Sheets 104
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) 105
Statements of Stockholders’ Equity 106
Statements of Cash Flows 107
Notes to Financial Statements 108
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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of Cara Therapeutics, Inc.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of Cara Therapeutics, Inc. (the Company) as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the related statements of comprehensive income (loss), stockholders' equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2020, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company at December 31, 2020 and 2019, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2020, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework)and our report dated February 25, 2021 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Critical Audit Matter
The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective or complex judgments. The communication of the critical audit matter does not alter in any way our opinion on the financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the account or disclosure to which it relates.
Revenue Recognition
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/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
We have served as the Company's auditor since 2006.
Stamford, Connecticut
February 25, 2021
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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of Cara Therapeutics, Inc.
Opinion on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
We have audited Cara Therapeutics, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020, based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework) (the COSO criteria). In our opinion, Cara Therapeutics, Inc. (the Company) maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020, based on the COSO criteria.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the balance sheets of the Company as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the related statements of comprehensive income (loss), stockholders' equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2020, and the related notes and our report dated February 25, 2021 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
Basis for Opinion
The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.
Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed 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. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
Stamford, Connecticut
February 25, 2021
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CARA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
BALANCE SHEETS
(amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
Assets
Current assets:
Operating lease right-of-use assets 4,279 3,036
Marketable securities, non-current 70,565 63,159
Property and equipment, net 840 700
Liabilities and stockholders’ equity
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued expenses $ 16,881 $ 19,665
Operating lease liabilities, current 1,602 967
Current portion of deferred revenue — 22,262
Operating lease liabilities, non-current 3,673 3,352
Commitments and contingencies (Note 17) — —
Stockholders’ equity:
Accumulated other comprehensive income 73 170
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 271,157 $ 232,959
See Notes to Financial Statements.
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CARA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
(amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
Year Ended December 31,
Revenue:
Clinical compound revenue 643 140 33
Operating expenses:
Income (loss) before benefit from income taxes 7,719 (107,189) (74,402)
Net income (loss) per share:
Weighted average shares:
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax of $0:
See Notes to Financial Statements.
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CARA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
(amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
Accumulated
Additional Other Total
Common Stock Paid-in Accumulated Comprehensive Stockholders’
Shares Amount Capital Deficit Income (Loss) Equity
Stock-based compensation expense — — 7,785 — — 7,785
Modification of equity awards — — 616 — — 616
Net loss — — — (74,013) — (74,013)
Other comprehensive loss — — — — (44) (44)
Stock-based compensation expense — — 10,587 — — 10,587
Shares issued upon exercise of stock options 555,847 1 6,105 — — 6,106
Shares issued for consulting services 10,195 — 197 — — 197
Other comprehensive income — — — — 284 284
Stock-based compensation expense — — 12,486 — — 12,486
Shares issued upon exercise of stock options 55,852 — 691 — — 691
Other comprehensive loss — — — — (97) (97)
See Notes to Financial Statements.
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CARA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(in thousands)
Year Ended December 31,
Operating activities
Modification of equity awards — — 616
Depreciation and amortization 209 198 370
Amortization expense component of lease expense 806 601 —
Deferred rent costs — — (156)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Income tax receivable (691) (152) 67
Accounts payable and accrued expenses (2,784) 6,043 5,116
Operating lease liabilities (1,093) (879) —
Investing activities
Purchases of property and equipment (349) (18) (73)
Financing activities
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options 691 6,106 4,194
Noncash investing and financing activities
See Notes to Financial Statements.
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CARA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
1. Business
Cara Therapeutics, Inc., or the Company, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical corporation formed on July 2, 2004. The Company is focused on developing and commercializing new chemical entities designed to alleviate pruritus by selectively targeting peripheral kappa opioid receptors. The Company’s primary activities to date have been organizing and staffing the Company, developing its product candidates and raising capital.
As of December 31, 2020, the Company has raised aggregate net proceeds of approximately $519,600 from several rounds of equity financing, including its initial public offering, or IPO, which closed in February 2014 and four follow-on public offerings of common stock, which closed in July 2019, July 2018, April 2017 and August 2015, respectively, and the issuance of convertible preferred stock and debt prior to the IPO. The Company had also received approximately $201,893 under its license agreements for CR845/difelikefalin, primarily with Vifor (International) Ltd., or Vifor, Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma Ltd., or VFMCRP, Maruishi Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., or Maruishi, and Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical Corp., or CKDP, and an earlier product candidate for which development efforts ceased in 2007. Additionally, in October 2020, the Company received net proceeds of $38,449 from the issuance and sale of 2,939,552 shares of the Company’s common stock to Vifor in connection with the Company’s license agreement with Vifor. Furthermore, in May 2018, the Company received net proceeds of $14,556 from the issuance and sale of 1,174,827 shares of the Company’s common stock to Vifor in connection with the Company’s license agreement with VFMCRP (see Note 11, Collaboration and Licensing Agreements).
As of December 31, 2020, the Company had unrestricted cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities of $251,490 and an accumulated deficit of $392,317. The Company has incurred substantial net losses and negative cash flows from operating activities in nearly every fiscal period since inception and expects this trend to continue for the foreseeable future. The Company recognized net income of $8,410 and had net cash used in operating activities of $5,487 for the year ended December 31, 2020.
The Company is subject to risks common to other life science companies including, but not limited to, uncertainty of product development and commercialization, lack of marketing and sales history, development by its competitors of new technological innovations, dependence on key personnel, market acceptance of products, product liability, protection of proprietary technology, ability to raise additional financing, and compliance with the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, and other government regulations. If the Company does not successfully commercialize any of its product candidates, it will be unable to generate recurring product revenue or achieve profitability.
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally-accepted accounting principles in the United States or GAAP, requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, as of the date of the financial statements as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The more significant estimates include the fair value of marketable securities that are classified as level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, the periods over which certain revenues will be recognized, including licensing and collaborative revenue recognized from non-refundable up-front and milestone payments, the determination of prepaid research and development, or R&D, clinical costs and accrued research projects, the amount of non-cash compensation costs related to share-based payments to employees and non-employees and the periods over which those costs are expensed, the incremental borrowing rate used in lease calculations and the likelihood of realization of deferred tax assets.
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CARA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted business operations across the globe. Estimates and assumptions about future events and their effects cannot be determined with certainty and therefore require the exercise of judgment. As of the date of issuance of these financial statements, the Company is not aware of any specific event or circumstance that would require the Company to update its estimates, assumptions and judgments or revise the reported amounts of assets and liabilities or the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. These estimates, however, may change as new events occur and additional information is obtained, and are recognized in the financial statements as soon as they become known.
Actual results could differ materially from the Company’s estimates and assumptions.
Concentrations of Credit Risk
Financial instruments, which potentially subject the Company to significant concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash equivalents and marketable securities. The Company invests its cash reserves in money market funds or high-quality marketable securities in accordance with its investment policy. The stated objectives of its investment policy are to preserve capital, provide liquidity consistent with forecasted cash flow requirements, maintain appropriate diversification and generate returns relative to these investment objectives and prevailing market conditions. The Company’s investment policy includes guidelines on acceptable investment securities, limits interest-bearing security investments to certain types of debt and money market instruments issued by the U.S. government and institutions with investment grade credit ratings and places restrictions on maturities and concentration by asset class and issuer. The Company’s cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities are held by four major financial institutions. In accordance with the Company’s policies, the Company monitors exposure with its counterparties. The Company also maintains deposits in federally insured financial institutions in excess of federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts and management believes that the Company is not exposed to significant credit risk due to the financial position of the depository institutions in which those deposits are held.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand, demand deposits, deposits with banks and highly liquid money market funds with holdings of cash and other investments with original maturities of three months or less.
Marketable Securities
On January 1, 2020, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update, or ASU, No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326), Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, or ASU 2016-13, which replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology in prior GAAP that delays recognition of a credit loss until it is probable that such loss has been incurred, with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates.
The Company deems certain of its investments to be marketable securities if the investment, or in the case of money market funds, the securities underlying the money market fund, meet the definition of a debt security in Accounting Standards Codification, or ASC, section 320-10-20. The Company considers its marketable securities to be available-for-sale, which are its only financial instruments that are within the scope of ASU 2016-13 as of December 31, 2020. The Company’s investments in marketable securities, including U.S. Treasury securities, U.S. government agency obligations, corporate bonds, commercial paper, and municipal bonds are highly rated by Moody’s and S&P and have maturities primarily of less than one year but no longer than three years. Accordingly, credit risk associated with the Company’s available-for-sale debt security portfolio is mitigated.
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CARA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
ASU 2016-13 modifies the prior other-than-temporary impairment model for available-for-sale debt securities by requiring (1) estimating expected credit losses (the portion of the amortized cost basis of a financial asset that the Company does not expect to collect) only when the fair value is below the amortized cost of the asset; (2) recording a credit loss without regard to the length of time a security has been in an unrealized loss position; (3) limiting the measurement of the credit loss to the difference between the security’s amortized cost basis and its fair value; and (4) presenting credit losses as an allowance rather than as a write-down, which will allow the Company to record reversals of credit losses in current period net income, a practice that was previously prohibited.
The Company reviews each of its available-for-sale marketable securities for unrealized losses (declines in fair value below its amortized cost basis) at each balance sheet date presented in its financial statements and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the amortized cost basis of an asset may not be recoverable. In accordance with the adoption of ASU 2016-13, the Company is required to determine whether any portion of the unrealized loss for any available-for-sale debt security is due to a credit loss, and if so, to measure the amount of the credit loss.
The Company will rely on both qualitative and quantitative factors to determine whether the unrealized loss for each available-for-sale debt security at any balance sheet date is due to a credit loss.
Qualitative factors may include a credit downgrade, severity of the decline in fair value below amortized cost and other adverse conditions related specifically to the security, as well as the intent to sell the security, or whether the Company will more likely than not be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis. The Company’s assessment of whether a security is impaired could change in the future due to new developments or changes in assumptions related to any particular security. If material qualitative factors indicate that a credit loss has occurred, the Company will determine the magnitude of that credit loss using a discounted cash flow model or other quantitative method.
If the Company intends to sell the security or it is more likely than not that the Company will be forced to sell the security before recovery of the amortized cost of the security, the entire unrealized loss is deemed to be a credit loss, which is recognized in net income (loss). Otherwise, the portion of the unrealized loss that is due to a credit loss will be recorded as an allowance for credit loss, which will offset the balance of marketable securities and as credit loss expense within other income, net. The portion of the unrealized loss that is not due to a credit loss as well as all unrealized gains will be recorded in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss). There was no cumulative effect adjustment as a result of the adoption of ASU 2016-13 on January 1, 2020 (see Note 3, Available-for-Sale Marketable Securities, and Note 10, Fair Value Measurements).
Accrued interest receivables are excluded from the Company’s amortized cost bases for its available-for-sale marketable securities and are included within other receivables. The Company’s policy is to not measure an allowance for credit losses on accrued interest receivable balances at each reporting period since it elects to write off uncollectible accrued interest receivable balances as credit loss expense in a timely manner, which is by maturity date for all categories of its debt securities.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The Company applies fair value accounting for all financial assets and liabilities that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis. The Company defines fair value as the price that would be received from selling an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. When determining the fair value measurements for assets and liabilities which are required to be recorded at fair value, the Company considers the principal or most advantageous market in which it would transact and the market-based risk measurements or assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, such as risks inherent in valuation techniques, transfer restrictions and credit risks.
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CARA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
The Company’s financial instruments consist of cash, cash equivalents, available-for-sale marketable securities, prepaid expenses, restricted cash, accounts payable and accrued liabilities. The fair values of cash, cash equivalents, prepaid expenses, restricted cash, accounts payable and accrued liabilities approximate their carrying values due to the short-term nature of these financial instruments. Available-for-sale marketable securities are reported as marketable securities at their fair values, based upon pricing of securities with the same or similar investment characteristics as provided by third-party pricing services, as described below.
The valuation techniques used by the Company are based on observable and unobservable inputs. Observable inputs reflect readily obtainable data from independent sources, while unobservable inputs reflect the Company’s assumptions about the inputs that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability and are developed based on the best information available in the circumstances.
The Company classifies its investments in a fair value hierarchy that is intended to increase consistency and comparability in fair value measurements and related disclosures. The fair value hierarchy is divided into three levels based on the source of inputs as follows:
The Company records transfers between levels in the hierarchy by assuming that the transfer occurred at the end of the quarter or year-to-date period.
Valuation Techniques - Level 2 Inputs
The Company estimates the fair values of its financial instruments categorized as level 2 in the fair value hierarchy, including U.S. Treasury securities, U.S. government agency obligations, corporate bonds, commercial paper and municipal bonds, by taking into consideration valuations obtained from third-party pricing services. The pricing services use industry standard valuation models, including both income- and market-based approaches, for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly, to estimate fair value. These inputs include reported trades of and broker/dealer quotes on the same or similar securities, benchmark yields, issuer credit spreads, benchmark securities, and other observable inputs. The Company obtains a single price for each financial instrument and does not adjust the prices obtained from the pricing service.
The Company validates the prices provided by its third-party pricing services by reviewing their pricing methods, obtaining market values from other pricing sources and comparing them to the share prices presented by the third-party pricing services. After completing its validation procedures, the Company did not adjust or override any fair value measurements provided by its pricing services as of December 31, 2020 or December 31, 2019.
Property and Equipment, net
Property and equipment (consisting of computer, office and laboratory equipment, furniture and fixtures and leasehold improvements) are stated at cost, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization of leasehold improvements. Depreciation and amortization are calculated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful
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CARA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
lives of the respective assets. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the lesser of their useful lives or the life of the lease.
Asset Category Useful Lives
Computer and office equipment 5 years
Short-term laboratory equipment 2 years
Furniture and fixtures 7 years
The Company reviews the recorded values of property and equipment for impairment whenever events or changes in business circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset or group of assets may not be fully recoverable.
Revenue Recognition
On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), or ASC 606, as amended by ASU 2016-08, 2016-10, 2016-12 and 2016-20 using the full retrospective method. Under ASC 606, the Company recognizes revenue in an amount that reflects the consideration to which it expects to be entitled in exchange for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. To determine revenue recognition for contracts with customers that are within the scope of ASC 606, the Company performs the following steps: (1) identifies the contract with the customer, (2) identifies the performance obligations in the contract, (3) determines the transaction price, (4) allocates the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract, and (5) recognizes revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. The Company concluded that upon adoption of ASC 606, as amended, there was no impact on its results of operations, financial position or cash flows for any period presented from its only two revenue-related contracts, which were in effect at that time: the CKDP Agreement or the Maruishi Agreement (see Note 11, Collaboration and Licensing Agreements and Note 12, Revenue Recognition).
The Company has entered into agreements to license its intellectual property, or IP, related to CR845/difelikefalin to develop, manufacture and/or commercialize drug products. These agreements typically contain multiple performance obligations, including licenses of IP and R&D services. Payments to the Company under these agreements may include nonrefundable license fees, payments for research activities, payments based upon the achievement of certain milestones and royalties on any resulting net product sales.
The Company identifies agreements as contracts that create enforceable rights and obligations when the agreement is approved by the parties, identifies the rights of the parties and the payment terms, has commercial substance and it is probable that the Company will collect the consideration to which it will be entitled in exchange for the goods and services that will be transferred to the customer. The counterparty is considered to be a customer when it has contracted with the Company to obtain goods and services that are the output of the Company’s ordinary activities (i.e., development of pharmaceutical products) in exchange for consideration.
A performance obligation is a promise to transfer distinct goods or services to a customer. Performance obligations that are both capable of being distinct and distinct within the context of the contract are considered to be separate performance obligations. Performance obligations are capable of being distinct if the counterparty is able to benefit from the good or service on its own or together with other resources that are readily available to it. Performance obligations are distinct within the context of the contract when each performance obligation is separately identifiable from each other; i.e., the Company is not using the goods or services as inputs to produce or deliver the combined output or outputs specified by the customer; one or more of the goods or services does not significantly modify or customize one of the other goods or services in the contract; and goods or services are not highly interdependent or not highly interrelated. Performance obligations that are not distinct are accounted for as a single performance obligation over the period that
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CARA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
goods or services are transferred to the customer. The determination of whether performance obligations in a contract are distinct may require significant judgment.
The transaction price is the amount of consideration that the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for transferring promised goods or services to the customer based on the contract terms at inception of a contract. There is a constraint on inclusion of variable consideration related to licenses of IP, such as milestone payments or sales-based royalty payments, in the transaction price if there is uncertainty at inception of the contract as to whether such consideration will be recognized in the future because it is probable that there will be a significant reversal of revenue in the future when the uncertainty is resolved. The determination of whether or not it is probable that a significant reversal of revenue will occur in the future depends on the likelihood and magnitude of the reversal. Factors that could increase the likelihood or magnitude of a reversal of revenue include (a) the susceptibility of the amount of consideration to factors outside the entity’s influence, such as the outcome of clinical trials, the timing of initiation of clinical trials by the counterparty and the approval of drug product candidates by regulatory agencies, (b) situations in which the uncertainty is not expected to be resolved for a long period of time, and (c) level of the Company’s experience in the field. When it becomes probable that events will occur, for which variable consideration was constrained at inception of the contract, the Company allocates the related consideration to the separate performance obligations in the same manner as described below.
At inception of a contract, the Company allocates the transaction price to the distinct performance obligations based upon their relative standalone selling prices. Standalone selling price is the price at which an entity would sell a promised good or service separately to a customer. The best evidence of standalone selling price is an observable price of a good or service when sold separately by an entity in similar circumstances to similar customers. Since the Company typically does not have such evidence, it estimates standalone selling price so that the amount that is allocated to each performance obligation equals the amount that the Company expects to receive for transferring goods or services. The methods that the Company uses to make such estimates include (1) the adjusted market assessment approach, under which the Company forecasts and analyzes CR845/difelikefalin in the appropriate market, the phase of clinical development as well as considering recent similar license arrangements within the same phase of clinical development, therapeutic area, type of agreement, etc. and (2) the expected cost of satisfying the performance obligations plus a margin, or the expected cost plus a margin approach.
The Company recognizes revenue when, or as, it satisfies a performance obligation by transferring a promised good or service to a customer and the customer obtains control of the good or service. Revenue related to the grant of a license that is a distinct performance obligation and that is deemed to be functional IP is recognized at the point in time that the Company has the right to payment for the license, the customer has legal title to the license and can direct the use of the license (for example, to grant sublicenses), the customer has the significant risks and rewards of ownership of the license and the customer has accepted the asset (license) by signing the license agreement.
Recognition of revenue related to R&D services that are a distinct performance obligation or that are combined with granting of a license as a single performance obligation is deferred at inception of a contract and is recognized as those services are performed based on the costs incurred as a percentage of the estimated total costs to be incurred to complete the performance obligation.
Milestone payments are considered to be variable consideration and are not included in the transaction price at inception of the contract if it is uncertain that the milestone will be achieved. Rather, when it becomes probable that the milestone will be achieved and, therefore, there will not be a significant reversal of revenue in future periods, the respective amount to be earned is included in the transaction price, allocated to the distinct performance obligations based on their relative standalone selling price and recognized as revenue, as described above. Sales milestones and sales-based royalty payments related to a license of IP are recognized as revenue when the respective sales occur.
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CARA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
Research and Development (R&D) Expenses
R&D costs are charged to expense as incurred. Costs incurred under agreements with third parties are charged to expense as incurred in accordance with the specific contractual performance terms of such agreements. R&D expenses include, among other costs, compensation and other personnel-related costs, including consultant costs, and costs to conduct clinical trials using clinical research organizations, or CRO’s, which include upfront, milestone and monthly expenses as well as reimbursement for pass through costs. The amount of clinical trial expense recognized in any period varies depending on the duration and progress of each clinical trial, including the required level of patient enrollment, the rate at which patients actually enroll in and drop-out of the clinical trial, and the number of sites involved in the trial as well as the activities to be performed by the sites each period. R&D costs also include costs to manufacture product candidates and clinical supplies, laboratory supplies costs, facility-related costs and stock-based compensation for R&D personnel. Non-refundable R&D advance payments are deferred and capitalized as prepaid R&D expense. The capitalized amounts are expensed as the related goods are delivered or services are performed. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company recorded $11,286 and $8,498 as prepaid R&D expense, respectively.
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability method. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are measured using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. Deferred income tax assets are reduced, as necessary, by a valuation allowance when management determines it is more likely than not that some or all of the tax benefits will not be realized.
There were no material uncertain tax positions taken as of December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019. The Company does not have any interest or penalties accrued related to tax positions as it does not have any unrecognized tax benefits. In the event the Company determines that accrual of interest or penalties are necessary in the future, the amount will be presented as a component of interest expense.
Stock-Based Compensation
The Company grants stock options to employees, non-employee members of the Company’s Board of Directors and non-employee consultants as compensation for services performed. All share-based payments, including grants of stock options, are recognized based on their grant date fair values. The grant date fair value of stock options is estimated using the Black-Scholes option valuation model.
Using this model, fair value is calculated based on assumptions with respect to (i) the fair value or market price of the Company’s common stock on the grant date; (ii) expected volatility of the Company’s common stock price, (iii) the periods of time over which employees and members of the Company’s Board of Directors or non-employee consultants are expected to hold their options prior to exercise (expected term), (iv) expected dividend yield on the Company’s common stock, and (v) risk-free interest rates.
The Company’s common stock has been traded on a public exchange only since January 31, 2014. Since that time, exercises of stock options have been limited due to various factors, including fluctuations in the Company’s stock price to below the exercise prices of awards and blackout periods during which exercises are not allowed, among others. Therefore, the Company believes that as of December 31, 2020, it does not have sufficient company-specific information available to determine the expected term based on its historical data. As a result, the expected term of stock options granted is determined using the average of the vesting period and term (6.25 years), an accepted method for the Company’s option grants under the SEC’s Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 110, Share-Based Payment.
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NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
During the period from January 31, 2014 to December 31, 2018, the Company’s stock had not traded on a public exchange for a sufficient period of time to approximate its expected term (as noted above). Therefore, the Company calculated the volatility for stock options granted using an analysis of guideline companies for the year ended December 31, 2018. Volatility calculated in this manner was in the range of 83% - 93% for stock options granted during the year ended December 31, 2018.
Beginning on January 1, 2019, the Company determined that it had sufficient company-specific trading activity of its common stock available to use that activity exclusively to calculate the volatility of the Company’s common stock. Volatility calculated in this manner was in the range of 72% - 75% for stock options granted during the year ended December 31, 2020, and 71% - 75% for stock options granted during the year ended December 31, 2019. Volatility of the Company’s common stock from January 31, 2014 to December 31, 2018 was 75%, which was determined to be comparable to the method using guideline companies during the year ended December 31, 2018.
The expected dividend yield is zero as the Company has never paid dividends and does not currently anticipate paying any in the foreseeable future. Risk-free interest rates are based on quoted U.S. Treasury rates for securities with maturities approximating the option’s expected term.
Prior to January 1, 2019, the Company accounted for stock options granted to non-employee consultants under ASC 505-50, Equity-Based Payments to Non-Employees. As such, the Company estimated the fair value of each option to non-employees using the Black-Scholes model, with the expected term of stock options granted to non-employees initially equal to the options’ maximum contractual life of ten years, at issuance. On each subsequent reporting date until performance was complete, the Company revalued all outstanding options granted to non-employee consultants during the vesting period of each tranche. Under ASC 505-50, upon re-measurement of each award, income or expense was recognized during its vesting term.
On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASU 2018-07, Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718), Improvements to Non-employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, or ASU 2018-07, which expanded the scope of ASC 718 to include share-based payment transactions for acquiring goods and services from non-employees. As a result, the fair value of all outstanding unvested stock options that had been granted to non-employees as of January 1, 2019 was remeasured on that date. The adoption of ASU 2018-07 did not have a material effect on the Company’s results of operations, financial position or cash flows because grants of stock options to nonemployees have been insignificant.
Compensation cost for all share-based payments granted with service-based graded vesting schedules is recognized using the straight-line method over the requisite service period.
Income (Loss) Per Share
The Company computes basic net income (loss) per share by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding. Diluted net income (loss) per share includes the potential dilutive effect of common stock equivalents as if such securities were converted or exercised during the period, when the effect is dilutive. Common stock equivalents may include outstanding stock options and restricted stock units, which are included under the treasury stock method when dilutive. For the quarter and year ended December 31, 2020, the Company included the effects of dilutive shares that were outstanding in the denominator as their inclusion was dilutive due to the Company’s net income for the period. For each of the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company excluded the effects of potentially dilutive shares that were outstanding during those respective periods from the denominator as their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive due to the Company’s net losses for those periods.
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NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
Segment Reporting
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 in making decisions regarding resource allocation and assessing performance. The Company views its operations and manages its business as one operating segment, which includes all activities related to the discovery and development of novel therapeutics to treat serious medical conditions, including pruritus and pain.
Leases
Prior to January 1, 2019, the Company recognized rent expense for operating leases on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease, beginning on the date the Company took possession of the property. Rent expense included the base amounts stated in the lease agreement as well as the effect of reduced or free rent and rent escalations. At lease inception, the Company determined the lease term by assuming the exercise of those renewal options that are reasonably assured because of the significant economic penalty that exists for not exercising those options. The exercise of renewal options is at the Company’s sole discretion. The expected lease term was one of the factors used to determine whether a lease was classified as operating or capital and was used to calculate the straight-line rent expense. The difference between the cash paid to the landlord and the amount recognized as rent expense on a straight-line basis was included in deferred rent and classified within long-term liabilities. Lease incentives made by landlords to or on behalf of the Company for leasehold improvements were recorded as deferred rent and classified as long-term liabilities. Deferred rent related to landlord incentives was amortized using the straight-line method over the lease term as an offset to rent expense for the year ended December 31, 2018.
On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASC 842, Leases, or ASC 842, under which it elected not to adjust prior comparative periods, which are reported under ASC 840. In addition, the Company elected to adopt both the practical expedient to use hindsight when determining the lease term and the package of practical expedients available under ASC 842, including:
● Lease classification is grandfathered
● No reassessment of initial direct costs
Upon adoption of ASC 842, the Company had only one lease, the Stamford Lease (see Note 17, Commitments and Contingencies: Leases), which is included in operating lease right-of-use assets, or ROU assets, operating lease liabilities – current and operating lease liabilities – non-current.
In general, the Company determines if a contract, at its inception, is a lease or contains a lease based on whether the contract conveys the right to control the use of identified property, plant, or equipment (an identified asset) for a period of time in exchange for consideration. To determine whether a contract conveys the right to control the use of an identified asset for a period of time, the Company assesses whether, throughout the period of use, it has both the right to obtain substantially all of the economic benefits from use of the identified asset, and the right to direct the use of the identified asset. Both of these criteria are met by the Stamford Lease.
Under ASC 842, the Company determines the amount of the operating lease liability based on the present value of the future minimum lease payments over the remaining lease term. The amount of the operating lease ROU asset is equal to the amount of the lease liability, less accrued rent and lease incentives received from the landlord. Initial direct costs were deemed to be immaterial.
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NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)
Since the Stamford Lease does not provide an implicit interest rate, the Company used an annual incremental borrowing rate of 7% based on the information available at the date of adoption for the purpose of determining the lease liability during the term of the lease.
As noted above, upon adoption of ASC 842, the Company used hindsight in determining the term of the Stamford Lease. Although the Stamford Lease is renewable for onefive-year term, upon inception of the lease the renewal term was not included in the lease term since it was not reasonably certain that the Company will exercise that option. Accordingly, the lease term of the Stamford Lease was not adjusted upon adoption of ASC 842 to determine the operating lease ROU asset and operating lease liability.
The Stamford Lease contains both a lease and non-lease component which are accounted for separately. The Company allocates the consideration to the lease and the non-lease component on a relative standalone price basis. Lease expense under ASC 842 is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term in the Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss).
There was no cumulative effect adjustment as a result of the adoption of ASC 842 on January 1, 2019, which reflects the difference between the amount of lease expense under ASC 842 that would have been recognized from inception of the Stamford Lease through December 31, 2018 and the amount of rent expense actually recognized under ASC 840 during that same period.
In June 2020, the Company entered into an amendment to the Stamford Lease to add additional office space, or the Lease Amendment. The term of the Lease Amendment began when renovation of the additional space was completed and the Company took possession of the additional space in October 2020, or the Amendment Commencement Date, and ends on December 31, 2023. The Lease Amendment is also renewable for onefive-year term, although this renewable period is not included as part of the lease term as defined in ASC 842 since it is not reasonably certain that the Company will exercise that option. The Lease Amendment contains both a lease and non-lease component which are accounted for separately. The Company allocates the consideration to the lease and non-lease component on a relative standalone price basis. The rent for the Lease Amendment is at market rate as of the signing of the Lease Amendment. The Lease Amendment requires monthly lease payments, including rent escalations, during the lease term. The Company began paying rent for the Lease Amendment on the Amendment Commencement Date.
The Company accounted for the terms and conditions of the Lease Amendment as a lease modification, as defined in ASC 842, because it grants an additional right-of-use to an underlying asset (the new additional space). Under ASC 842, a lease modification can result in either a new lease that is accounted for separately from the original lease or as a single modified lease. The Lease Amendment is accounted for separately from the original Stamford Lease because the Lease Amendment grants the right-of-use to additional space and the price of the additional right-of-use is commensurate with its standalone price as no discounts were provided to the Company. Furthermore, there were no material changes to the original Stamford Lease.
As of the Amendment Commencement Date, the Company recorded the lease liability for the Lease Amendment as the sum of the present value of the future minimum lease payments over the term for the new lease. Since the Lease Amendment does not provide an implicit interest rate, the Company used an incremental borrowing rate of 7%, which is based on the rate that the Company could obtain in the market for a fully collateralized loan equal to the term of the Lease Amendment. The Company also recorded a ROU asset equal to the amount of the lease liability, as no lease incentives were identified in the Lease Amendment. During the term of the Lease Amendment, interest expense will be calculated using the effective interest method and the ROU asset will be amortized on a straight-line basis over the lease term, and both will be recorded as lease expense.
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NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)