Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

v3.19.1
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation [Policy Text Block]
Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation
 
The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries, EyeGate Pharma S.A.S. and Jade Therapeutics, Inc. (“Jade”), collectively referred to as “the Company”. All inter-company balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. These Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for interim financial information. Certain information and disclosures normally included in Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or eliminated. Accordingly, these unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the annual financial statements of the Company as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018.
Unaudited Interim Financial Information [Policy Text Block]
Unaudited Interim Financial Information
 
The accompanying interim financial statements and related disclosures are unaudited, have been prepared on the same basis as the annual financial statements and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments, which consist of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations for the periods presented. The year-end balance sheet was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. The results of operations for an interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year or for any other future year or interim period.
Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]
Use of Estimates
 
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make significant estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting periods. The Company makes significant estimates and assumptions in recording the accruals for its clinical trial and research activities, establishing the useful lives of intangible assets and property and equipment, and conducting impairment reviews of long-lived assets. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and various other assumptions that it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Although the Company monitors and regularly assesses these estimates, actual results could differ significantly from these estimates. The Company records changes in estimates in the period that it becomes aware of the change.
Research and Development Expense, Policy [Policy Text Block]
 
Research and Development Expenses
 
The Company expenses research and development (“R&D”) expenditures as incurred. R&D expenses are comprised of costs incurred in performing R&D activities, including salaries, benefits, facilities, research-related overhead, sponsored research costs, contracted services, license fees, expenses related to generating, filing, and maintaining intellectual property, and other external costs. Because the Company believes that, under its current process for developing its products, the viability of the products is essentially concurrent with the establishment of technological feasibility, no costs have been capitalized to date.
In Process Research and Development, Policy [Policy Text Block]
In-process Research and Development
 
The Company records in-process R&D projects acquired in asset acquisitions that have not reached technological feasibility and which have no alternative future use. For in-process R&D projects acquired in business combinations, the Company capitalizes the in-process R&D project and periodically evaluates this asset for impairment until the R&D process has been completed. Once the R&D process is complete, the Company amortizes the R&D asset over its remaining useful life. At March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, there is $3,912,314 of in-process R&D, as part of intangible assets and in-process R&D on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet.
Intangible Assets, Policy [Policy Text Block]
Intangible Assets
 
The Company records intangible assets acquired in asset acquisitions of proprietary technology. The Company capitalizes intangible assets, amortizes them over the estimated useful life, and periodically evaluates the assets for impairment. At March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, there is $237,500 and $243,750 of net intangible assets, respectively, as part of intangible assets and in-process R&D on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet.
Accrued Clinical Expenses [Policy Text Block]
Accrued Clinical Expenses
 
As part of the Company’s process of preparing the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, the Company is required to estimate its accrued expenses. This process includes reviewing open contracts and purchase orders, communicating with its applicable personnel to identify services that have been performed on its behalf and estimating the level of service performed and the associated costs incurred for the service when the Company has not yet been invoiced or otherwise notified of actual costs. The majority of the Company’s service providers invoice monthly in arrears for services performed. The Company makes estimates of its accrued expenses as of each balance sheet date in the financial statements based on facts and circumstances known at the time. The Company periodically confirms the accuracy of these estimates with the service providers and makes adjustments if necessary.
Related Party Transactions [Policy Text Block]
Related Party Transactions
 
The Company has entered into certain related-party transactions, making payments for services to one vendor, eight consultants and two public universities for the three months ending March 31, 2019, all of whom also are stockholders of the Company. These transactions generally are ones that involve a stockholder or option holder of the Company to whom we also make payments during the year, typically as a consultant or a service provider. The amounts recorded or paid are not material to the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
Earnings Per Share, Policy [Policy Text Block]
Net Income (Loss) per Share
 
Basic net income (loss) per share is computed by dividing net income (loss) available to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted net income (loss) per share is computed by dividing net income (loss) available to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period plus potential dilutive common equivalent shares.
 
Dilutive common equivalent shares consist of stock options, warrants, and preferred stock and are calculated using the treasury stock method, which assumes the repurchase of common shares at the average market price during the period. Under the treasury stock method, options and warrants will have a dilutive effect when the average price of common stock during the period exceeds the exercise price of options or warrants. Stock options in the amount of 2,777,416 and warrants in the amount of 31,772,340 were excluded from the calculation of diluted net income per share since they did not have a dilutive effect. Common equivalent shares do not qualify as participating securities. In periods where the Company records a net loss, potential common stock equivalents are not included in the calculation of diluted net loss per share as their effect would be anti-dilutive. 
 
 
 
March 31,

2019

(unaudited)
 
 
March 31,

2018

(unaudited)
 
Common Stock Warrants
 
 
40,844,086
 
 
 
9,455,961
 
Employee Stock Options
 
 
2,777,416
 
 
 
2,167,003
 
Preferred Stock
 
 
12,787,500
 
 
 
-
 
Total Shares of Common Stock Issuable
 
 
56,409,002
 
 
 
11,622,964
 
Fair Value of Financial Instruments, Policy [Policy Text Block]
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
 
The carrying amounts of all current assets and current liabilities approximate their fair values due to the short-term nature of these items. As of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the fair value of the Company’s contingent consideration was $1,210,000 and $1,210,000, respectively.
 
At March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company had no other assets or liabilities that are subject to fair value methodology and estimation in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
Revenue Recognition, Policy [Policy Text Block]
Revenue Recognition
 
The Company’s revenues are generated primarily through arrangements which generally contain multiple elements, or deliverables, including licenses and R&D activities to be performed by the Company on behalf of the licensor or grantor. Payments to EyeGate under these arrangements typically include one or more of the following: (1) nonrefundable, upfront license fees, (2) funding of discovery research efforts on a full-time equivalent basis, (3) reimbursement of research, development and intellectual property costs, (4) milestone payments, and (5) royalties on future product sales.
 
On July 9, 2015, the Company entered into an exclusive, worldwide licensing agreement with a subsidiary of Bausch Health Companies, Inc. (“BHC”), through which the Company granted to BHC an exclusive, worldwide commercial and manufacturing right to the Company’s EGP-437 Combination Product in the field of anterior uveitis, as well as a right of last negotiation to license its EGP-437 Combination Product for indications other than anterior uveitis (the “BHC Agreement”). Under the BHC Agreement, BHC paid to the Company an initial upfront payment of $1.0 million and the Company was eligible to receive milestone payments totaling up to $32.5 million, upon and subject to the achievement of certain specified development and commercial progress of the EGP-437 Combination Product for the treatment of anterior uveitis. The Company received milestone payments totaling $5.4 million through March 31, 2019. The Company received payments both when it crossed certain thresholds on the way to each milestone, as well as once it achieved each milestone. The Company is entitled to retain all of these payments. Effective March 14, 2019, this license agreement was voluntarily terminated by BHC reinstating to the Company all of the rights and privileges of the EGP-437 platform. Upon termination of this agreement, all amounts remaining in deferred revenue were recognized as revenue, as the Company no longer had any remaining performance obligations.
 
On February 21, 2017, the Company entered into another exclusive, worldwide licensing agreement with a subsidiary of BHC (the “New BHC Agreement”), through which the Company granted BHC exclusive, worldwide commercial and manufacturing rights to its EGP-437 Combination Product in the field of ocular iontophoretic treatment for post-operative ocular inflammation and pain in ocular surgery patients (the “New Field”). Under the New BHC Agreement, BHC paid the Company an initial upfront payment of $4.0 million, and the Company was eligible to receive milestone payments totaling up to approximately $99.0 million, upon and subject to the achievement of certain specified developmental and commercial progress of the EGP-437 Combination Product for the New Field. The Company received milestone payments totaling $3.4 million through March 31, 2019. The Company received payments both when it crossed certain thresholds on the way to each milestone, as well as once it achieved each milestone. The Company is entitled to retain all of these payments. Effective March 14, 2019, this license agreement was voluntarily terminated by BHC reinstating to the Company all of the rights and privileges of the EGP-437 platform. Upon termination of this agreement, all amounts remaining in deferred revenue were recognized as revenue, as the Company no longer had any remaining performance obligations.
 
In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09,
Revenues from Contracts with Customers
(“Topic 606”), as subsequently amended, that outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most recent revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The core principle of the revenue model is that an entity recognizes revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. This standard is effective for public companies for years ending after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted.
 
The Company did not elect to early adopt and adopted the new standard on January 1, 2018, using the modified retrospective method, which resulted in a cumulative effect adjustment in the amount of $9.5 million to beginning 2018 accumulated deficit and to deferred and unbilled revenue for the BHC contracts impacted by the adoption of the new standard. The changes to the method and/or timing of the Company’s revenue recognition associated with the adoption of the new standard primarily relate to the determination that there is one performance obligation in each contract with BHC and that the license combined with the R&D services is the performance obligation.
 
The Company recognizes revenue when its customer obtains control of promised services, in an amount that reflects the consideration which the Company expects to receive in exchange for those services. To determine whether arrangements are within the scope of this new guidance, the Company performs the following five steps: (i) identifies the contract with a customer; (ii) identifies the performance obligations in the contract; (iii) determines the transaction price; (iv) allocates the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (v) recognizes revenue when (or as) the Company satisfies its performance obligation. The Company applies the five-step model to contracts when it is probable that the Company will collect the consideration it is entitled to in exchange for the goods or services it transfers to the customer. Upon adoption of ASU No. 2014-09, the Company recognizes revenue from the transaction price applied to each single performance obligation over time as milestones are reached for each performance obligation. The Company only recognizes revenue on those milestones that are within the Company’s control and any constrained variable consideration that requires regulatory approval will only be included in the transaction price when performance is complete.
 
The below table represents the changes in the Company’s contract liabilities:
 
 
 
March 31,

2019
 
 
December 31,

2018
 
Contract Liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Deferred Revenue
 
$
-
 
 
$
2,686,000
 
 
 
 
Three Months

Ended
 
 
 
March 31,

2019
 
Revenue recognized in the period from:
 
 
 
Amounts included in contract liability at the beginning of the period
 
$
2,686,000
 
 
In addition, the Company may receive government grant funds for specified ocular therapeutic research activities. Revenue under these grants will be recorded when the Company performs the activities specified by the terms of each grant and is entitled to the funds.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
 
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02,
Leases
, which is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. Under ASU No. 2016-02, lessees are required to recognize for all leases at the commencement date a lease liability, which is a lessee’s obligation to make lease payments arising from a lease measured on a discounted basis, and the right-to-use assets, which are asset that represents the lessee’s right to use or control the use of a specified asset for the lease term. The Company adopted the new standard effective January 1, 2019 using the modified retrospective method and recorded right-of-use leased assets and corresponding liabilities of approximately $0.137 million in the first quarter of 2019.
 
On January 26, 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04,
Intangibles
Goodwill and Other
, which simplifies the accounting for goodwill impairment. The guidance removes Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test, which requires a hypothetical purchase price allocation. A goodwill impairment will now be the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill. All other goodwill impairment guidance will remain largely unchanged. Entities will continue to have the option to perform a qualitative assessment to determine if a quantitative impairment test is necessary. The same one-step impairment test will be applied to goodwill at all reporting units, even those with zero or negative carrying amounts. Entities will be required to disclose the amount of goodwill at reporting units with zero or negative carrying amounts. The new standard is effective for the Company on January 1, 2020. The new standard is required to be applied prospectively. Early adoption is permitted for any impairment tests performed after January 1, 2017. The Company did not early adopt ASU No. 2017-04 prior to its December 2018 impairment evaluation and is evaluating the effect that ASU No. 2017-04 will have on its Consolidated Financial Statements and related disclosures.