Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation The accompanying interim condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited and are comprised of CymaBay and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. These unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP (GAAP) and following the requirements of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for interim reporting. As permitted under those rules, certain footnotes or other financial information that are normally required by GAAP can be condensed or omitted. Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior period amounts to conform to the current year presentation. “Accrued clinical trial expenses” and “Other accrued liabilities”, which previously were reported as “Accrued liabilities” on the condensed balance sheet, are now reported as separate line items. Use of Estimates The condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP, which requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts and disclosures reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Management bases its estimates on historical experience and on assumptions believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. The estimation process often may yield a range of potentially reasonable estimates of actual future outcomes, and management must select an amount that falls within that range of reasonable estimates. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates. The Company believes significant judgment is involved in estimating revenue, stock-based compensation, accrued clinical expenses, and warrant liabilities. Fair Value of Financial Instruments The Company’s financial instruments during the periods reported consist of cash and cash equivalents, marketable securities, accounts receivable, prepaid expenses, other current assets, accounts payable, accrued interest payable, accrued expenses, the facility loan, and warrant liabilities. Fair value estimates of these instruments are made at a specific point in time based on relevant market information. These estimates may be subjective in nature and involve uncertainties and matters of significant judgment. The carrying amounts of financial instruments such as cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, prepaid expenses, other current assets, accounts payable, accrued expenses, and accrued interest payable approximate the related fair values due to the short maturities of these instruments. Based on prevailing borrowing rates available to the Company for loans with similar terms, the Company believes the fair value of the facility loan at December 31, 2017, considering level 2 inputs, approximates its carrying value. Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value are reported using a three-level fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value. This hierarchy maximizes the use of observable inputs and maximizes the use of unobservable inputs and is as follows: Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date. Level 2—Inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. Level 3—Inputs that are significant to the fair value measurement and are unobservable (i.e. supported by little market activity), which requires the reporting entity to develop its own valuation techniques and assumptions. The following tables present the fair value of the Company’s financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis using the above input categories (in thousands): As of September 30, 2018 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Fair Value Cash equivalents: Money market funds $ 40,316 $ - $ - $ 40,316 Total cash equivalents 40,316 - - 40,316 Marketable securities: Commercial paper - 70,697 - 70,697 Corporate debt securities - 39,346 - 39,346 Asset-backed securities - 28,432 - 28,432 U.S. treasury securities - 17,875 - 17,875 Total short-term investments - 156,350 - 156,350 Total assets measured at fair value $ 40,316 $ 156,350 $ - $ 196,666 As of December 31, 2017 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Fair Value Cash equivalents: Money market funds $ 12,822 $ - $ - $ 12,822 Commercial paper - 6,035 - 6,035 Total cash equivalents 12,822 6,035 - 18,857 Marketable securities: Commercial paper - 35,886 - 35,886 Corporate debt securities - 19,760 - 19,760 Asset-backed securities - 11,060 - 11,060 U.S. treasury securities - 7,450 - 7,450 Total short-term investments - 74,156 - 74,156 Total assets measured at fair value $ 12,822 $ 80,191 $ - $ 93,013 Warrant liability $ - $ - $ 6,091 $ 6,091 Total liabilities measured at fair value $ - $ - $ 6,091 $ 6,091 The Company estimates the fair value of its corporate debt, commercial paper, asset backed securities, and U.S. treasury securities by taking into consideration valuations obtained from third-party pricing services. The pricing services utilize 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, issuer credit spreads; benchmark securities; prepayment/default projections based on historical data; and other observable inputs. There were no transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 during the periods presented. Historically, the Company held a Level 3 liability associated with common stock warrants that were issued in connection with the Company’s financings completed in September and October 2013, January 2014, and August 2015. The warrants were accounted for as liabilities until their expiration in September 2018. The Company used a binomial option pricing model to value its warrant liabilities prior to September 2017. The inputs for the binomial model are similar to the Black-Scholes model but also incorporate other more complex inputs that, in the Company’s case, included the expected timing, probability and valuation impact of certain potential strategic events. In September 2017, the Company changed its valuation technique and began to value its warrant liability using a Black-Scholes option pricing model, the inputs for which include: exercise price of the warrants, market price of the underlying common shares, dividend yield, expected term, expected volatility, and a risk-free interest rate. Changes to any of these inputs can have a significant impact on the estimated fair value of the warrants. The following table sets forth an activity summary which includes the changes in the fair value of the Company’s Level 3 financial instruments (in thousands): For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2018 2017 Balance, beginning of period $ 6,091 $ 1,145 Change in fair value 3,710 4,996 Settlement of financial instruments (9,379 ) (279 ) Extinguishment of financial instruments (422 ) - Balance, end of period $ - $ 5,862 Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a remaining maturity of 90 days or less at the time of purchase to be cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents consist of deposits with commercial banks in checking, interest-bearing, demand money market accounts, corporate debt securities, and commercial paper. The Company invests excess cash in marketable securities with high credit ratings that are classified in Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. These securities consist primarily of corporate debt, commercial paper, asset-backed securities, and U.S. treasury securities and are classified as “available-for-sale.” The Company considers marketable securities as short-term investments if the maturity date is less than one year from the balance sheet date. The Company considers marketable securities as long-term investments if the maturity date is in excess of one year of the balance sheet date. Realized gains and losses from the sale of marketable securities, if any, are calculated using the specific-identification method. Realized gains and losses and declines in value judged to be other-than-temporary are included in interest income or expense in the statements of operations and comprehensive loss. Unrealized holding gains and losses are reported in accumulated other comprehensive loss in the balance sheets. To date, the Company has not recorded any impairment charges on its marketable securities related to other-than-temporary declines in market value. In determining whether a decline in market value is other-than-temporary, various factors are considered, including the cause, duration of time and severity of the impairment, any adverse changes in the investees’ financial condition, and the Company’s intent and ability to hold the security for a period of time sufficient to allow for an anticipated recovery in market value. The following tables summarize amortized cost, unrealized gain and loss, and fair value of the Company’s available for sale marketable securities (in thousands): Gross Gross Amortized Unrealized Unrealized Estimated Cost Gains Losses Fair Value As of September 30, 2018: Commercial paper $ 70,697 $ - $ - $ 70,697 Corporate debt securities 39,364 2 (20 ) 39,346 Asset-backed securities 28,439 - (7 ) 28,432 U.S. treasury securities 17,881 - (6 ) 17,875 $ 156,381 $ 2 $ (33 ) $ 156,350 Gross Gross Amortized Unrealized Unrealized Estimated Cost Gains Losses Fair Value As of December 31, 2017: Commercial paper $ 35,886 $ - $ - $ 35,886 Corporate debt securities 19,785 - (25 ) 19,760 Asset-backed securities 11,070 - (10 ) 11,060 U.S. treasury securities 7,459 - (9 ) 7,450 $ 74,200 $ - $ (44 ) $ 74,156 Concentrations of Risk Cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities consist of financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to a concentration of credit risk to the extent of the fair value recorded in the balance sheet. The Company invests cash that is not required for immediate operating needs primarily in highly liquid instruments that bear minimal risk. The Company has established guidelines relating to the quality, diversification, and maturities of securities to enable the Company to manage its credit risk. The Company is exposed to credit risk in the event of a default by the financial institutions holding its cash, cash equivalents and investments and issuers of investments to the extent recorded on the balance sheets. Certain materials and key components that the Company utilizes in its operations are obtained through single suppliers. Since the suppliers of key components and materials must be named in an NDA filed with the FDA for a product, significant delays can occur if the qualification of a new supplier is required. If delivery of material from the Company’s suppliers were interrupted for any reason, the Company may be unable to supply any of its product candidates for clinical trials. Leases The Company leases office space facilities under non-cancelable operating lease agreements and recognizes related rent expense on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease. Incentives granted under the Company’s facilities lease, including allowances for leasehold improvements and rent holidays, are recognized as reductions to rental expense on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease. Lessor funded leasehold improvement incentives not yet received are recorded in other current assets on the balance sheet. The Company does not assume renewals in its determination of the lease term unless they are deemed to be reasonably assured at the inception of the lease and begins recognizing rent expense on the date that it obtains the legal right to use and control the leased space. Deferred rent consists of the difference between cash payments and the rent expense recognized. Revenue Recognition At the inception of an arrangement, the Company evaluates if a counterparty to a contract is a customer, if the arrangement is within the scope of revenue from contracts with customers guidance, and the term of the contract. The Company recognizes revenue when its customer obtains control of promised goods or services in a contract for an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. For contracts with customers, the Company applies the following five-step model in order to determine this amount: (i) identification of the promised goods or services in the contract; (ii) determination of whether the promised goods or services are performance obligations, including whether they are distinct in the context of the contract; (iii) measurement of the transaction price, including the constraint on variable consideration; (iv) allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations; and (v) recognition of revenue when (or as) the Company satisfies each performance obligation. The Company only applies the five-step model to contracts when it is probable that the entity will collect the consideration it is entitled to in exchange for the goods or services it transfers to the customer. As part of the accounting for contracts with customers, the Company must develop assumptions that require judgment to determine the standalone selling price of each performance obligation identified in the contract. The Company then allocates the total transaction price to each performance obligation based on the estimated standalone selling prices of each performance obligation. The Company recognizes the amount of the transaction price as revenue that is allocated to the respective performance obligation when the performance obligation is satisfied or as it is satisfied. Generally, the Company's performance obligations are transferred to customers at a point in time, typically upon delivery. The Company enters into collaboration arrangements, under which it licenses certain rights to its intellectual property to third parties. The terms of these agreements may include payment to the Company of one or more of the following: nonrefundable, upfront license fees; development and commercial milestone payments; funding of research and/or development activities; and royalties on net sales of licensed products. Revenues that result from these payments are classified as collaborative revenues except for royalties on net sales of licensed products, which are classified as royalty revenues. For each collaboration agreement that results in revenues, the Company identifies all material promised goods and services, which may include one or more of the following: a license to intellectual property and know-how, research and development services, and other transition support services. Promised goods or services are considered to be separate performance obligations if they are distinct. To determine the transaction price to be allocated to each performance obligation, in addition to any upfront payment, the Company estimates the amount of variable consideration at the outset of the contract either utilizing the expected value or most likely amount method, depending on the facts and circumstances relative to the contract. The Company constrains (reduces) the estimates of variable consideration such that it is probable that a significant reversal of previously recognized revenue, deferred revenue, or other amounts will not occur in future reporting periods. When determining if variable consideration should be constrained, management considers whether there are factors outside the Company’s control that increase the likelihood of a significant reversal of previously recognized revenue and revenue-related amounts in future reporting periods. These estimates are re-assessed each reporting period as necessary depending on the facts and circumstances of each contract. Once the estimated transaction price is established, amounts are allocated to identified performance obligations. The transaction price is generally allocated to each separate performance obligation on a relative standalone selling price (SSP) basis. The Company must develop assumptions that require judgment to determine the SSP to account for these agreements. To determine the SSP the Company’s assumptions may include (i) assumptions regarding the probability of obtaining marketing approval for the drug candidate, (ii) estimates regarding the timing of and the expected costs to develop and commercialize the drug candidate, (iii) estimates of future cash flows from potential product sales with respect to the drug candidate and (iv) appropriate discount and tax rates. SSPs used to perform the initial allocation are not updated after contract inception. The Company does not include a financing component to its estimated transaction price at contract inception unless it estimates that certain performance obligations will not be satisfied within one year. Upfront License Fees: If a license to the Company’s intellectual property is determined to be distinct from the other performance obligations identified in the arrangement, the Company recognizes revenues from nonrefundable, upfront license fees based on the relative value prescribed to the license compared to the total value of the arrangement. The revenue is recognized when the license is transferred to the collaborator and the collaborator is able to use and benefit from the license. For licenses that are not distinct from other obligations identified in the arrangement, the Company utilizes judgment to assess the nature of the combined performance obligation to determine whether the combined performance obligation is satisfied over time or at a point in time. If the combined performance obligation is satisfied over time, the Company applies an appropriate method of measuring progress for purposes of recognizing revenue from nonrefundable, upfront license fees. The Company evaluates the measure of progress each reporting period and, if necessary, adjusts the measure of performance and related revenue recognition. Development and Regulatory Milestone Payments : Depending on facts and circumstances, the Company may conclude that it is appropriate to include the milestone in the estimated transaction price using the most likely amount method or that it is appropriate to fully constrain the milestone. A milestone payment is included in the transaction price in the reporting period that the Company concludes that it is probable that recording revenue in the period will not result in a significant reversal in amounts recognized in future periods. The Company may record revenues from certain milestones in a reporting period before the milestone is achieved if the Company concludes that achievement of the milestone is probable and that recognition of revenue related to the milestone will not result in a significant reversal in amounts recognized in future periods. The Company records a corresponding contract asset when this conclusion is reached. Until that determination is made, milestone payments that have not been included in the transaction price to date are fully constrained. The Company re-evaluates the probability of achievement of such development milestones and any related constraint each reporting period. The Company adjusts its estimate of the overall transaction price, including the amount of collaborative revenue that it has recorded, if necessary. Sales-based Milestone and Royalty Payments: The Company’s collaborators may be required to pay the Company sales-based milestone payments or royalties on future sales of commercial products. The Company recognizes revenues related to sales-based milestone and royalty payments upon the later to occur of (i) achievement of the collaborator’s underlying sales or (ii) satisfaction of any performance obligation(s) related to these sales, in each case assuming the license to the Company’s intellectual property is deemed to be the predominant item to which the sales-based milestones and/or royalties relate. Common Stock Warrant Liability Historically, the Company’s outstanding common stock warrants issued in connection with certain equity and debt financings that occurred in 2013 through 2015 were classified as liabilities in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets because of certain contractual terms that preclude equity classification. As of September 30, 2018, all outstanding warrants related to these financings had been exercised or had expired. Upon expiration, the remaining fair value of the liability was extinguished and credited to other income (expense), net in the Company’s condensed consolidated statement of operations. Prior to expiration, the Company estimated the fair value of common stock warrants at each reporting period until the exercise of the warrants, at which time the liability was revalued and reclassified to stockholders’ equity. The determination of fair value of these common stock warrants required management to make certain assumptions regarding subjective input variables such as timing, probability and valuation impact of certain potential strategic events, expected term, dividends, expected volatility and risk-free interest rates. Stock-Based Compensation Employee and director stock-based compensation is measured at fair value on the grant date of the award. Compensation cost is recognized as expense on a straight-line basis over the vesting period for stock options with time-based vesting and on an accelerated basis for stock options with performance conditions. For stock options with performance conditions, the Company evaluates the probability of achieving performance conditions at each reporting date. The Company begins to recognize the expense when it is deemed probable that the performance conditions will be met. The Company uses the Black-Scholes option pricing model to determine the fair value of stock option awards. The determination of fair value for stock-based awards using an option-pricing model requires management to make certain assumptions regarding subjective input variables such as expected term, dividends, volatility and risk-free interest rate. The Company is also required to make estimates as to the probability of achieving the specific performance criteria. If actual results are not consistent with the Company’s assumptions and judgments used in making these estimates, the Company may be required to increase or decrease compensation expense, which could be material to the Company’s results of operations. Equity awards granted to non-employees are valued using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. Stock-based compensation expense for nonemployee services is subject to remeasurement at each reporting date as the underlying equity instruments vest and is recognized as an expense over the period during which services are received. Net Loss Per Common Share Basic net loss per share of common stock is based on the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Diluted net loss per share of common stock is calculated as the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding adjusted to include the assumed exercises of stock options and common stock warrants, if dilutive. The calculation of diluted loss per share also requires that, to the extent the average market price of the underlying shares for the reporting period exceeds the exercise price of the common stock warrants and the presumed and actual exercise or expiration of such securities are dilutive to net loss per share for the period, adjustments to net loss used in the calculation are required to remove the change in fair value of the common stock warrant liability for the period. Likewise, adjustments to the denominator are required to reflect the related dilutive shares. In all periods presented, the Company’s stock options and incentive awards outstanding at the end of each period were excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share because their effects were antidilutive. The Company’s computation of basic and diluted net loss per share is as follows (in thousands, except share and per share amounts): Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended September 30, September 30, 2018 2017 2018 2017 Numerator: Net loss allocated to common stock-basic $ (18,563 ) $ (8,234 ) $ (53,099 ) $ (22,514 ) Adjustments for revaluation and extinguishment of common stock warrants (1,462 ) - (422 ) - Net loss allocated to common stock-diluted $ (20,025 ) $ (8,234 ) $ (53,521 ) $ (22,514 ) Denominator: Weighted average number of common stock shares outstanding - basic 59,121,600 40,035,690 57,255,666 31,848,536 Dilutive securities: Common stock warrants 266,180 - 42,439 - Weighted average number of common stock shares outstanding - diluted 59,387,780 40,035,690 57,298,105 31,848,536 Net loss per share - basic: $ (0.31 ) $ (0.21 ) $ (0.93 ) $ (0.71 ) Net loss per share - diluted: $ (0.34 ) $ (0.21 ) $ (0.93 ) $ (0.71 ) The following table shows the total outstanding common stock equivalents considered anti-dilutive and therefore excluded from the computation of diluted net loss per share (in thousands): Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended September 30, September 30, 2018 2017 2018 2017 Common stock warrants - 1,604 - 1,604 Common stock options 5,365 3,788 5,365 3,788 Performance-based stock options 205 305 205 305 Incentive awards 130 226 130 226 5,700 5,923 5,700 5,923 Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers Accounting Standards Update 2017-09 In May 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued ASU No. 2017-09, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718) - Scope of Modification Accounting Accounting Standards Update 2016-15 In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230: Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments) Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 On December 22, 2017, the U.S. federal government enacted the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Tax Act). The Tax Act contains, among other things, significant changes to corporate taxation, including reduction of the corporate tax rate from a top marginal rate of 35% to a flat rate of 21% for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, limitation of the deduction for net operating losses to 80% of current year taxable income and elimination of net operating loss carrybacks, implementing a territorial tax system, and requiring a mandatory one-time tax on U.S. owned undistributed foreign earnings and profits known as the transition tax. In December 2017, the SEC staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118, Income Tax Accounting Implications of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements SEC Securities Act Release No. 33-10532 In August 2018, the SEC adopted amendments to certain disclosure requirements in Securities Act Release No. 33-10532, Disclosure Update and Simplification Accounting Standards Update 2018-13 In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework – Accounting Standards Update 2018-07 In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-07, Compensation – Stock Compensation – Accounting Standards Update 2016-02 and 2018-11 In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The Company will adopt this standard on January 1, 2019 using the modified retrospective approach with a cumulative effect adjustment to accumulated deficit at the beginning of the period of adoption. The Company will also adopt certain practical expedients provided by ASU 2018-11. Management is in the process of inventorying and scoping the Company’s population of leased assets in order to assess the impact of Topic 842. Topic 842 is expected to impact the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements as the Company has certain operating lease arrangements for which it is the lessee. The Company is currently evaluating the impact adoption of Topic 842 will have on its financial position and results of operations but anticipates the recognition of additional assets and corresponding liabilities on its condensed consolidated balance sheet related to leases. The adoption of this accounting standard update is also expected to impact the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statement disclosures. Accounting Standards Update 2017-11 In July 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-11, Earnings Per Share Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity Derivatives and Hedging |