| Summary of significant accounting policies (Policies) | 12 Months Ended |
| Dec. 31, 2020 |
| Accounting Policies [Abstract] | |
| Basis of presentation | Basis of presentation The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and include all adjustments necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s financial position for the periods presented. Certain prior period balances have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. These reclassifications did not have a material impact on the consolidated statements of operations, consolidated balance sheets, consolidated statements of cash flows, or notes to the consolidated financial statements. |
| Use of estimates | Use of estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Significant estimates in these consolidated financial statements have been made in connection with the calculation of net product sales, royalty revenue, certain accruals related to the Company’s research and development expenses, valuation procedures for liability for sale of future royalties, valuation procedures for the convertible notes, acquired intangible assets, fair value of the contingent consideration, and the provision for or benefit from income taxes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Changes in estimates are reflected in reported results in the period in which they become known. |
| Restricted Cash | Restricted Cash Restricted cash included in deposits and other assets on the consolidated balance sheet relates to an unconditional, irrevocable and transferable letter of credit that was entered into during the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2019 in connection with obligations under a facility lease for the Company’s leased biologics manufacturing facility in Hopewell Township, New Jersey. The amount of the letter of credit is $7.5 million, is to be maintained for a term of not less than five years and has the potential to be reduced to $3.8 million if after five years the Company is not in default of its lease. The amount is classified within deposits and other assets on the consolidated balance sheet due to the long-term nature of the letter of credit. The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash reported within the consolidated balance sheet that sum to the total of the same amounts shown in the statement of cash flows: End of Beginning of period- period- December 31, December 31, 2020 2019 Cash and cash equivalents $ 208,812 $ 288,028 Restricted cash included in deposits and other assets 7,500 7,500 Total Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash per statement of cash flows $ 216,312 $ 295,528 |
| Consolidation | Consolidation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of PTC Therapeutics, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All inter-company accounts, transactions, and profits have been eliminated in consolidation. |
| Segment and geographic information | Segment and geographic information Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise about which separate discrete information is available for evaluation by the chief operating decision maker, or decision making group, in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance. The Company views its operations and manages its business in one operating and reporting |
| Cash equivalents | Cash equivalents The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of 90 days or less at the time of purchase to be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents are carried at cost which approximates fair value due to their short-term nature. |
| Marketable securities | Marketable securities The Company considers securities with original maturities of greater than 90 days to be available for sale securities. Securities under this classification are recorded at fair value and unrealized gains and losses within accumulated other comprehensive income. The estimated fair value of the available for sale securities is determined based on quoted market prices or rates for similar instruments. In addition, the cost of debt securities in this category is adjusted for amortization of premium and accretion of discount to maturity. For available for sale debt securities in an unrealized loss position, the Company assesses whether it intends to sell or if it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis. If either of the criteria regarding intent or requirement to sell is met, the security’s amortized cost basis is written down to fair value. If the criteria are not met, the Company evaluates whether the decline in fair value has resulted from a credit loss or other factors. In making this assessment, management considers, among other factors, the extent to which fair value is less than amortized cost, any changes to the rating of the security by a rating agency, and adverse conditions specifically related to the security. If this assessment indicates that a credit loss exists, the present value of cash flows expected to be collected from the security are compared to the amortized cost basis of the security. If the present value of the cash flows expected to be collected is less than the amortized cost basis, a credit loss exists and an allowance for credit losses is recorded for the credit loss, limited by the amount that the fair value is less than the amortized costs basis. Any impairment that has not been recorded through an allowance for credit losses is recognized in other comprehensive income. For the twelve month period ended December 31, 2020, no allowance was recorded for credit losses. |
| Concentration of credit risk | Concentration of credit risk The Company’s financial instruments that are exposed to credit risks consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, available-for-sale marketable securities and accounts receivable. The Company maintains its cash and cash equivalents in bank accounts, which, at times, exceed federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any credit losses in these accounts and does not believe it is exposed to any significant credit risk on these funds. The Company’s investment policy includes guidelines on the quality of the financial institutions and financial instruments the Company is allowed to invest in, which the Company believes minimizes the exposure to concentration of credit risk. The Company is subject to credit risk from its accounts receivable related to its product sales. The payment terms are predetermined and the Company evaluates the creditworthiness of each customer or distributor on a regular basis. The Company reserves all uninsured amounts billed directly to a patient until the time of cash receipt as collectability is not reasonably assured at the time the product is received. To date, the Company has not incurred any material credit losses. |
| Fixed assets | Fixed assets Fixed assets are stated at cost. Depreciation is computed starting when the asset is placed into service on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the related asset as follows: Leasehold improvements Lesser of useful life or lease term Computer equipment and software 3 years Machinery and lab equipment 7 years Furniture and fixtures 7 years |
| Inventory and cost of product sales | Inventory and cost of product sales Inventory Inventories are stated at the lower of cost and net realizable value with cost determined on a first-in, first-out basis by product. The Company capitalizes inventory costs associated with products following regulatory approval when future commercialization is considered probable and the future economic benefit is expected to be realized. Products which may be used in clinical development programs are included in inventory and charged to research and development expense when the product enters the research and development process and no longer can be used for commercial purposes. Inventory used for marketing efforts are charged to selling, general and administrative expense. Amounts related to clinical development programs and marketing efforts are immaterial. The following table summarizes the components of the Company’s inventory for the periods indicated: December 31, 2020 December 31, 2019 Raw materials $ 824 $ 874 Work in progress 8,745 9,652 Finished goods 9,128 8,759 Total inventory $ 18,697 $ 19,285 The Company periodically reviews its inventories for excess amounts or obsolescence and writes down obsolete or otherwise unmarketable inventory to its estimated net realizable value. The Company recorded write downs of $0.5 million and $0.4 million for the twelve month periods ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, primarily related to product approaching expiration. Additionally, though the Company’s product is subject to strict quality control and monitoring which it performs throughout the manufacturing processes, certain batches or units of product may not meet quality specifications resulting in a charge to cost of product sales. For the twelve month periods ended December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, these amounts were immaterial. Cost of product sales Cost of product sales consists of the cost of inventory sold, manufacturing and supply chain costs, storage costs, amortization of the acquired intangible asset, royalty payments associated with net product sales, and royalty payments to collaborative partners associated with royalty revenues and collaboration revenue related to milestones. Production costs are expensed as cost of product sales when the related products are sold or royalty revenues and collaboration revenue milestones are earned. |
| Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) | Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) consists of unrealized gains or losses on marketable securities and foreign currency translation adjustments. |
| Revenue recognition | Revenue recognition In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-9, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)”. ASU No. 2014-9 eliminated transaction- and industry-specific revenue recognition guidance under FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Subtopic 605-15, Revenue Recognition-Products (Topic 605) and replaced it with a principle-based approach for determining revenue recognition. ASC Topic 606 requires entities to recognize 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. On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASC Topic 606 using the modified retrospective approach, a practical expedient permitted under Topic 606, and applied this approach only to contracts that were not completed as of January 1, 2018. The Company calculated a one-time transition adjustment of $3.3 million, which was recorded on January 1, 2018 to the opening balance of accumulated deficit, related to the product sales of Emflaza. The ASC 606 transition adjustment recorded for Emflaza resulted in sales being recognized earlier than under Topic 605, as the deferred revenue recognition model (sell-through) is not allowed under Topic 606. The one-time adjustment consisted of $3.9 million in deferred revenue offset by $0.6 million of variable consideration. Net product revenue The Company’s net product revenue primarily consists of sales of Translarna in territories outside of the U.S. for the treatment of nmDMD and sales of Emflaza in the U.S. for the treatment of DMD. The Company recognizes revenue when its performance obligations with its customers have been satisfied. The Company’s performance obligations are to provide products based on customer orders from distributors, hospitals, specialty pharmacies or retail pharmacies. The performance obligations are satisfied at a point in time when the Company’s customer obtains control of the product, which is typically upon delivery. The Company invoices its customers after the products have been delivered and invoice payments are generally due within 30 to 90 days of the invoice date. The Company determines the transaction price based on fixed consideration in its contractual agreements. Contract liabilities arise in certain circumstances when consideration is due for goods the Company has yet to provide. As the Company has identified only one distinct performance obligation, the transaction price is allocated entirely to product sales. In determining the transaction price, a significant financing component does not exist since the timing from when the Company delivers product to when the customers pay for the product is typically less than one year. Customers in certain countries pay in advance of product delivery. In those instances, payment and delivery typically occur in the same month. The Company records product sales net of any variable consideration, which includes discounts, allowances, rebates related to Medicaid and other government pricing programs, and distribution fees. The Company uses the expected value or most likely amount method when estimating its variable consideration, unless discount or rebate terms are specified within contracts. The identified variable consideration is recorded as a reduction of revenue at the time revenues from product sales are recognized. These estimates for variable consideration are adjusted to reflect known changes in factors and may impact such estimates in the quarter those changes are known. Revenue recognized does not include amounts of variable consideration that are constrained. For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018, net product sales outside of the United States were $194.4 million, $190.3 million, and $171.0 million respectively, and net product sales in the United States were $139.0 million, $101.0 million, and $92.0 million respectively. In relation to customer contracts, the Company incurs costs to fulfill a contract but does not incur costs to obtain a contract. These costs to fulfill a contract do not meet the criteria for capitalization and are expensed as incurred. Upon adoption of ASC Topic 606 on January 1, 2018, the Company elected the following practical expedients: ● Portfolio Approach – the Company applied the Portfolio Approach to contract reviews within its identified revenue streams that have similar characteristics, and the Company believes this approach would not differ materially than if applying ASC Topic 606 to each individual contract. ● Significant Financing Component – the Company expects the period between when it transfers a promised good or service to a customer and when the customer pays for the good or service to be one year or less. ● Immaterial Performance Obligations – the Company disregards promises deemed to be immaterial in the context of the contract. ● Shipping and Handling Activities – the Company considers any shipping and handling costs that are incurred after the customer has obtained control of the product as a cost to fulfill a promise. Shipping and handling costs associated with finished goods delivered to customers are recorded as a selling expense. Collaboration and royalty revenue The terms of these agreements typically include payments to the Company of one or more of the following: nonrefundable, upfront license fees; milestone payments; research funding and royalties on future product sales. In addition, the Company generates service revenue through agreements that generally provide for fees for research and development services and may include additional payments upon achievement of specified events. At the inception of a collaboration arrangement, the Company needs to first evaluate if the arrangement meets the criteria in ASC Topic 808 “Collaborative Arrangements” to then determine if ASC Topic 606 is applicable by considering whether the collaborator meets the definition of a customer. If the criteria are met, the Company assesses the promises in the arrangement to identify distinct performance obligations. For licenses of intellectual property, the Company assesses, at contract inception, whether the intellectual property is distinct from other performance obligations identified in the arrangement. If the licensing of intellectual property is determined to be distinct, revenue is recognized for nonrefundable, upfront license fees when the license is transferred to the customer and the customer can use and benefit from the license. If the licensing of intellectual property is determined not to be distinct, then the license will be bundled with other promises in the arrangement into one distinct performance obligation. The Company needs to determine if the bundled performance obligation is satisfied over time or at a point in time. If the Company concludes that the nonrefundable, upfront license fees will be recognized over time, the Company will need to assess the appropriate method of measuring proportional performance. For milestone payments, the Company assesses, at contract inception, whether the development or sales-based milestones are considered probable of being achieved. If it is probable that a significant revenue reversal will occur, the Company will not record revenue until the uncertainty has been resolved. Milestone payments that are contingent upon regulatory approval are not considered probable of being achieved until the applicable regulatory approvals or other external conditions are obtained as such conditions are not within the Company’s control. If it is probable that a significant revenue reversal will not occur, the Company will estimate the milestone payments using the most likely amount method. The Company will re-assess the development and sales-based milestones each reporting period to determine the probability of achievement. The Company recognizes royalties from product sales at the later of when the related sales occur or when the performance obligation to which the royalty has been allocated has been satisfied. If it is probable that a significant revenue reversal will not occur, the Company will estimate the royalty payments using the most likely amount method. The Company recognizes revenue for reimbursements of research and development costs under collaboration agreements as the services are performed. The Company records these reimbursements as revenue and not as a reduction of research and development expenses as the Company has the risks and rewards as the principal in the research and development activities. |
| Allowance for doubtful accounts | Allowance for doubtful accounts The Company maintains an allowance for estimated losses resulting from the inability of its customers to make required payments. The Company estimates uncollectible amounts based upon current customer receivable balances, the age of customer receivable balances, the customer’s financial condition and current economic trends. The Company also assesses whether an allowance for expected credit losses may be required. For the twelve month period ended December 31, 2020, no allowance was recorded for credit losses. The allowance for doubtful accounts was $0.1 million as of December 31, 2020 and $0.3 million as of December 31, 2019. For the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, bad debt expense was immaterial. |
| Liability for sale of future royalties | Liability for sale of future royalties On July 17, 2020, the Company, RPI Intermediate Finance Trust (“RPI”), and, for the limited purposes set forth in the agreement, Royalty Pharma PLC, entered into a Royalty Purchase Agreement (the “Royalty Purchase Agreement”). Pursuant to the Royalty Purchase Agreement, the Company sold to RPI 42.933% (the “Assigned Royalty Payment”) of the Company’s right to receive sales-based royalty payments (the “Royalty”) on worldwide net sales of Evrysdi and any other product developed pursuant to the License and Collaboration Agreement (the “License Agreement”), dated as of November 23, 2011, by and among the Company, Roche and, for the limited purposes set forth therein, the SMA Foundation under the SMA program. In consideration for the sale of the Assigned Royalty Payments, RPI paid the Company $650.0 million in cash consideration. The Company has retained a 57.067% interest in the Royalty and all economic rights to receive the remaining potential regulatory and sales milestone payments under the License Agreement, which milestone payments equal $355.0 million in the aggregate as of December 31, 2020. The Royalty Purchase Agreement will terminate 60 days following the earlier of the date on which Roche is no longer obligated to make any payments of the Royalty pursuant to the License Agreement and the date on which RPI has received $1.3 billion in respect of the Assigned Royalty Payments. The cash consideration obtained pursuant to the Royalty Purchase Agreement is classified as debt and is recorded as “liability for sale of future royalties-current” and “liability for sale of future royalties-noncurrent” on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet based on the timing of the expected payments to be made to RPI. The fair value for the liability for sale of future royalties at the time of the transaction was based on the Company’s estimates of future royalties expected to be paid to RPI over the life of the arrangement, which was determined using forecasts from market data sources, which are considered Level 3 inputs. The liability will be amortized using the effective interest method over the life of the arrangement, in accordance with the respective guidance. The Company will utilize the prospective method to account for subsequent changes in the estimated future payments to be made to RPI. Refer to Note 8 for further details. |
| Leases | Leases The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception. This determination generally depends on whether the arrangement conveys to the Company the right to control the use of an explicitly or implicitly identified fixed asset for a period of time in exchange for consideration. Control of an underlying asset is conveyed to the Company if the Company obtains the rights to direct the use of and to obtain substantially all of the economic benefits from using the underlying asset. The Company has lease agreements which include lease and non-lease components, which the Company accounts for as a single lease component for all leases. Operating and finance leases are classified as right of use ("ROU") assets, short term lease liabilities, and long term lease liabilities. Operating and finance lease ROU assets and lease liabilities are recognized at the commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. ROU assets are Variable lease payments associated with the Company’s leases are recognized when the event, activity, or circumstance in the lease agreement on which those payments are assessed occurs. Variable lease payments are presented in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations in the same line item as expense arising from fixed lease payments for operating leases. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the consolidated balance sheet and the Company recognizes lease expense for these leases on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company applies this policy to all underlying asset categories. A lessee is required to discount its unpaid lease payments using the interest rate implicit in the lease or, if that rate cannot be readily determined, its incremental borrowing rate. As most of the Company’s leases do not provide an implicit rate, the Company uses its incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at the commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. The Company gives consideration to its recent debt issuances as well as publicly available data for instruments with similar characteristics when calculating its incremental borrowing rates. The lease term for all of the Company’s leases includes the non-cancellable period of the lease plus any additional periods covered by either a Company option to extend (or not to terminate) the le |
| Research and development costs | Research and development costs Research and development expenses include the clinical development costs associated with the Company’s product development programs and research and development costs associated with the Company’s discovery programs. These expenses include internal research and development costs and the costs of research and development conducted on behalf of the Company by third parties, including sponsored university-based research agreements and clinical study vendors. All research and development costs are expensed as incurred. Costs incurred in obtaining technology licenses are charged immediately to research and development expense if the technology licensed has not reached technological feasibility and has no alternative future uses. Advance payments made for goods and services that will be used in future research and development activities are deferred if the contracted party has not yet performed the related activities. The amount deferred is then recognized as expense when the research and development activities are performed. The deferred research and development advance payments were $4.7 million and $4.5 million as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. |
| Fair value of financial instruments | Fair value of financial instruments The Company follows the fair value measurement rules, which provides guidance on the use of fair value in accounting and disclosure for assets and liabilities when such accounting and disclosure is called for by other accounting literature. These rules establish a fair value hierarchy for inputs to be used to measure fair value of financial assets and liabilities. This hierarchy prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three levels: Level 1 (highest priority), Level 2, and Level 3 (lowest priority). ● Level 1—Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access at the balance sheet date. ● Level 2—Inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. Level 2 inputs include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability (i.e., interest rates, yield curves, etc.), and inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means (market corroborated inputs). ● Level 3—Inputs are unobservable and reflect the Company’s assumptions as to what market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. The Company develops these inputs based on the best information available. Cash equivalents, marketable securities, and equity investments are reflected in the accompanying financial statements at fair value. The carrying amount of receivables and accounts payable and accrued expenses approximates fair value due to the short-term nature of those instruments. |
| Share-based compensation | Share-based compensation The Company measures the cost of employee services received in exchange for an award of equity instruments based on the grant date fair value of the award. Restricted stock awards are measured based on the fair market values of the underlying stock on the dates of grant. For service type awards, share-based compensation expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the period during which the employee is required to provide service in exchange for the entire award. For awards that vest or begin vesting upon achievement of a performance condition, the Company estimates the likelihood of satisfaction of the performance condition and recognizes compensation expense when achievement of the performance condition is deemed probable using an accelerated attribution model. The fair value of options is calculated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model to determine the fair value of stock options on the date of grant based on key assumptions such as expected volatility and expected term. The Company historically estimated the expected volatility of share options based on a historical volatility analysis of peers that were similar to the Company with respect to industry, stage of life cycle, size, and financial leverage. Starting in the third quarter of 2019 and continuing forward, the expected volatility of options was estimated based on the Company’s historical stock volatility. The Company historically used the “simplified method” to determine the expected term of options. Under this method, the expected term represents the average of the vesting period and the contractual term. Starting in the third quarter of 2019 and continuing forward, the expected term of options was estimated based on the Company’s historical exercise data. The risk-free rate of the option is based on U.S. Government Securities Treasury Constant Maturities yields at the date of grant for a term similar to the expected term of the option. In connection with the adoption of ASU 2016-9, the Company made a policy election to continue its methodology for estimating its forfeiture rate. |
| Foreign currency | Foreign currency The functional currencies of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries primarily are the local currencies of the country in which the subsidiary operates. The Company also has an intercompany loan which is recorded on a non-U.S. subsidiary and denominated in U.S. dollars. The loan is remeasured into local currency using the exchange rate as of the balance sheet date. The Company’s asset and liability accounts, including the intercompany loan, are translated using the current exchange rate as of the balance sheet date. Stockholders’ equity accounts are translated using historical rates at the balance sheet date. Revenue and expense accounts are translated using a weighted average exchange rate over the period ended on the balance sheet date. Adjustments resulting from the translation of the financial statements of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries into U.S. dollars are accumulated as a separate component of stockholders’ equity within other comprehensive income. Gains or losses resulting from transactions denominated in foreign currencies are included in other income or expense, within the consolidated statements of income. For the twelve month period ended December 31, 2020, the Company recorded an unrealized foreign exchange gain of $54.6 million from the remeasurement of the intercompany loan. |
| Net (loss) income per share | Net (loss) income per share Basic net (loss) income per share is calculated by dividing the net (loss) income attributable to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period, without consideration for common stock equivalents. Diluted net income per share is calculated by dividing the net income attributable to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of common share equivalents outstanding for the period determined using the treasury-stock method and the if-converted method. During periods in which the Company incurs net losses, both basic and diluted loss per share is calculated by dividing the net loss by the weighted average shares outstanding—potentially dilutive securities are excluded from the calculation because their effect would be anti-dilutive. Dilutive common stock equivalents are comprised of options and unvested restricted stock outstanding under the Company’s stock option plans. |
| Business combinations and asset acquisitions | Business combinations and asset acquisitions The Company evaluates acquisitions of assets and other similar transactions to assess whether or not the transaction should be accounted for as a business combination or asset acquisition by first applying a screen to determine if substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or group of similar identifiable assets. If the screen is met, the transaction is accounted for as an asset acquisition. If the screen is not met, further determination is required as to whether or not the Company has acquired inputs and processes that have the ability to create outputs, which would meet the requirements of a business. If determined to be a business combination, the Company accounts for the transaction under the acquisition method of accounting as indicated in ASU 2017-01, “Business Combinations”, which requires the acquiring entity in a business combination to recognize the fair value of all assets acquired, liabilities assumed, and any non-controlling interest in the acquiree and establishes the acquisition date as the fair value measurement point. Accordingly, the Company recognizes assets acquired and liabilities assumed in business combinations, including contingent assets and liabilities, and non-controlling interest in the acquiree based on the fair value estimates as of the date of acquisition. In accordance with ASC 805, the Company recognizes and measures goodwill as of the acquisition date, as the excess of the fair value of the consideration paid over the fair value of the identified net assets acquired. The consideration for the Company’s business acquisitions may include future payments that are contingent upon the occurrence of a particular event or events. The obligations for such contingent consideration payments are recorded at fair value on the acquisition date. The contingent consideration obligations are then evaluated each reporting period. Changes in the fair value of contingent consideration, other than changes due to payments, are recognized as a gain or loss and recorded within the change in the fair value of deferred and contingent consideration in the consolidated statements of operations. If determined to be an asset acquisition, the Company accounts for the transaction under ASC 805-50, which requires the acquiring entity in an asset acquisition to recognize assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on the cost to the acquiring entity on a relative fair value basis, which includes transaction costs in addition to consideration given. No gain or loss is recognized as of the date of acquisition unless the fair value of noncash assets given as consideration differs from the assets’ carrying amounts on the acquiring entity’s books. Consideration transferred that is noncash will be measured based on either the cost (which shall be measured based on the fair value of the consideration given) or the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed, whichever is more reliably measurable. Goodwill is not recognized in an asset acquisition and any excess consideration transferred over the fair value of the net assets acquired is allocated to the identifiable assets based on relative fair values. Contingent consideration payments in asset acquisitions are recognized when the contingency is resolved and the consideration is paid or becomes payable (unless the contingent consideration meets the definition of a derivative, in which case the amount becomes part of the basis in the asset acquired). Upon recognition of the contingent consideration payment, the amount is included in the cost of the acquired asset or group of assets. |
| Finite-lived intangible assets | Finite-lived intangible assets The Company records the fair value of purchased intangible assets with finite useful lives as of the transaction date of a business combination or asset acquisition. Purchased intangible assets with finite useful lives are amortized to their estimated residual values over their estimated useful lives. |
| Impairment of long-lived assets | Impairment of long-lived assets The Company monitors its long-lived assets and finite-lived intangibles for indicators of impairment. If such indicators are present, the Company assesses the recoverability of affected assets by determining whether the carrying value of such assets is less than the sum of the undiscounted future cash flows of the assets. If such assets are found not to be recoverable, the Company measures the amount of such impairment by comparing the carrying value of the assets to the fair value of the assets, with the fair value generally determined based on the present value of the expected future cash flows associated with the assets. The Company believes that no impairment of long-lived assets exists as of December 31, 2020. |
| Indefinite-lived intangible assets | Indefinite-lived intangible assets Indefinite-lived intangible assets consist of IPR&D. IPR&D acquired directly in a transaction other than a business combination is capitalized if the projects will be further developed or have an alternative future use; otherwise they are expensed. The fair values of IPR&D projects and license agreement assets acquired in business combinations are capitalized. Several methods may be used to determine the estimated fair value of the IPR&D and license agreement asset acquired in a business combination. The Company utilizes the "income method” and uses estimated future net cash flows that are derived from projected sales revenues and estimated costs. These projections are based on factors such as relevant market size, patent protection, and expected pricing and industry trends. The estimated future net cash flows are then discounted to the present value using an appropriate discount rate. These assets are treated as indefinite-lived intangible assets until completion or abandonment of the projects, at which time the assets are amortized over the remaining useful life or written off, as appropriate. Intangible assets with indefinite lives, including IPR&D, are tested for impairment if impairment indicators arise and, at a minimum, annually. However, an entity is permitted to first assess qualitative factors to determine if a quantitative impairment test is necessary. Further testing is only required if the entity determines, based on the qualitative assessment, that it is more likely than not that an indefinite-lived intangible asset’s fair value is less than its carrying amount. Otherwise, no further impairment testing is required. The indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment test consists of a one-step analysis that compares the fair value of the intangible asset with its carrying amount. If the carrying amount of an intangible asset exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess. The Company considers many factors in evaluating whether the value of its intangible assets with indefinite lives may not be recoverable, including, but not limited to, expected growth rates, the cost of equity and debt capital, general economic conditions, the Company’s outlook and market performance of the Company’s industry and recent and forecasted financial performance. |
| Goodwill | Goodwill Goodwill represents the amount of consideration paid in excess of the fair value of net assets acquired as a result of the Company’s business acquisitions accounted for using the acquisition method of accounting. Goodwill is not amortized and is subject to impairment testing at a reporting unit level on an annual basis or when a triggering event occurs that may indicate the carrying value of the goodwill is impaired. The Company reassess its reporting units as part of its annual segment review. As of December 31, 2020, the Company concluded that it continues to operate as one reporting unit. An entity is permitted to first assess qualitative factors to determine if a quantitative impairment test is necessary. Further testing is only required if the entity determines, based on the qualitative assessment, that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. The Company performed an annual test for goodwill as of October 1, 2020 and concluded that no impairment exists as of December 31, 2020. |
| Income Taxes | Income taxes O Additionally, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, or OECD, the EC, and individual taxing jurisdictions where the Company and its affiliates do business have recently focused on issues related to the taxation of multinational corporations. The OECD has released its comprehensive plan to create an agreed set of international rules for fighting base erosion and profit shifting. In addition, the OECD, the EC and individual counties are examining changes to how taxing rights should be allocated among countries considering the digital economy. As a result, the tax laws in the U.S. and other countries in which PTC and its affiliates do business could change on a prospective or retroactive basis and any such changes could materially adversely affect the Company’s business. On December 22, 2017, the U.S. government enacted the 2017 Tax Act, which significantly revises U.S. tax law by, among other provisions, lowering the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate to 21%, imposing a mandatory one-time transition tax on previously deferred foreign earnings, and eliminating or reducing certain income tax deductions. The Global Intangible Low-tax Income ("GILTI") provisions of the 2017 Tax Act require the Company to include in its U.S. income tax return foreign subsidiary earnings in excess of an allowable return on the foreign subsidiary’s tangible assets. The Company has elected to account for GILTI tax in the period in which it is incurred, and therefore has not provided any deferred tax impacts of GILTI in its consolidated financial statements for the period ended December 31, 2020. In December 2017, the SEC staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118, Income Tax Accounting Implications of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (SAB 118), which allowed the Company to record provisional amounts during a measurement period not to extend beyond one year of the enactment date. As a result of the reduction in the U.S. corporate income tax rate, the Company revalued its ending net deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2017. In the fourth quarter of 2018, the Company completed its analysis to determine the effect of the Tax Act and recorded no further adjustments. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and net operating loss and credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured at rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences and carryforwards are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in the statement of operations in the period that includes the enactment date. A valuation allowance is recorded when it is not more likely than not that all or a portion of the net deferred tax assets will be realized. In August 2018, the Company recorded a deferred tax liability in conjunction with the Agilis Merger, further discussed in Notes 1 and 3, of $122.0 million, related to the tax basis difference in the In-Process Research and Development, or IPR&D, indefinite-lived intangibles acquired. The Company’s policy is to record a deferred tax liability related to acquired IPR&D which may eventually be realized either upon amortization of the asset when the research is completed and a product is successfully launched or the write-off of the asset if it is abandoned or unsuccessful. The $650.0 million cash consideration received from RPI pursuant to the Royalty Purchase Agreement was treated as taxable income in the current year and resulted in a current tax provision of $25.0 million related to state income taxes after considering the state NOL and tax credits. The Company did not generate a federal income tax liability after considering the federal NOLs. |
| Recently issued accounting standards | Recent accounting pronouncements In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, “Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity.” ASU 2020-06 simplifies the accounting for convertible instruments by removing certain separation models in Subtopic 470- 20, Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options, for convertible instruments. Under ASU 2020-06, the embedded conversion features no longer are separated from the host contract for convertible instruments with conversion features that are not required to be accounted for as derivatives under Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, or that do not result in substantial premiums accounted for as paid-in capital. Consequently, a convertible debt instrument will be accounted for as a single liability measured at its amortized cost and a convertible preferred stock will be accounted for as a single equity instrument measured at its historical cost, as long as no other features require bifurcation and recognition as derivatives. By removing those separation models, the interest rate of convertible debt instruments typically will be closer to the coupon interest rate when applying the guidance in Topic 835, Interest. The amendments under ASU 2020-06 also include revisions related to the derivatives scope exception for contracts in an entity’s own equity and earnings per share. The amendments under ASU 2020-06 are effective for public business entities that meet the definition of a SEC filer, excluding entities eligible to be smaller reporting companies as defined by the SEC, for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, including interim periods within those fiscal years. For all other entities, the amendments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, but no earlier than fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The FASB specified that an entity should adopt the guidance as of the beginning of its annual fiscal year. The Company expects to adopt this guidance when effective and is currently assessing what effect the adoption of ASU 2020-06 will have on its consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Impact of recently adopted accounting pronouncements In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12,"Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes”. ASU 2019-12 simplifies the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740. The amendments also improve consistent application of and simplify GAAP for other areas of Topic 740 by clarifying and amending the existing guidance. For public business entities, the guidance is effective for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2020. For all other entities, it is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021 and interim periods in annual periods beginning after December 15, 2022. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in any interim period. The Company early adopted this guidance January 1, 2020. The adoption of the guidance did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments — Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments”. This standard requires financial assets measured at amortized cost basis to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. This standard is effective for public companies who are SEC filers for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those years. In November 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-11, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses, which expands the scope of the practical expedient that allows entities to exclude the accrued interest component of amortized cost from various disclosures required by ASC 326 to also include certain disclosures required by ASC 320. Entities that elect to apply the practical expedient must disclose the total amount of accrued interest that they exclude from their disclosures of amortized cost. The amendments have the same effective dates as ASU 2016-13 (Topic 326) for entities that have not yet adopted that standard. The Company adopted ASU 2016-13 and ASU 2019-11 effective January 1, 2020. The adoption of the guidance did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements. The Company has updated its accounting policy for marketable securities within this Note as well as its fair value note (Note 4) with additional disclosures as required by the standard upon adoption. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, "Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820), Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement". This standard eliminates certain disclosure requirements for fair value measurements for all entities, requires public entities to disclose certain new information and modifies some disclosure requirements. The new guidance is effective for all entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and for interim periods within those fiscal years. An entity is permitted to early adopt either the entire standard or only the provisions that eliminate or modify requirements. Entities can elect to early adopt in interim periods, including periods for which they have not yet issued financial statements or made their financial statements available for issuance. The Company adopted this guidance January 1, 2020. The adoption of the guidance did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements. The Company has updated its fair value note (Note 4) with additional and modified disclosures as required by the standard upon adoption. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15,"Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract". ASU 2018-15 requires a customer in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract to follow the internal-use software guidance in Accounting Standards Codification 350-40 to determine which implementation costs to defer and recognize as an asset. For public business entities, the guidance is effective for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2019. For all other entities, it is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020 and interim periods in annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in any interim period for all entities. The Company adopted this guidance January 1, 2020. The adoption of the guidance did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. In November 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-18,"Collaborative Arrangements (Topic 808): Clarifying the Interaction between Topic 808 and Topic 606”. ASU 2018-18 provides guidance on whether certain transactions between collaborative arrangement participants should be accounted for with revenue under Topic 606. For public business entities, the guidance is effective for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2019. For all other entities, it is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020 and interim periods in annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in any interim period for all entities. The Company adopted this guidance January 1, 2020. The adoption of the guidance did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. |
