| Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 1. B asis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Description of Business and Basis of Presentation
Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated was incorporated in the State of Delaware in May 1998 , and our headquarters are located in Menlo Park, California. We are a pharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of medications for the treatment of severe metabolic, oncologic, and psychiatric disorders that are associated with the activity of the hormone cortisol. In 2012, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Korlym ® (mifepristone) 300 mg Tablets as a once-daily oral medication for treatment of hyperglycemia secondary to hypercortisolism in adult patients with endogenous Cushing’s syndrome who have type 2 diabetes mellitus or glucose intolerance and have failed surgery or are not candidates for surgery. We have discovered and patented three families of selective cortisol modulators , consisting of more than 300 distinct compounds, and we are developing them to treat a broad range of disorders.
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying unaudited condensed balance sheet as of September 30, 2015 and the condensed statements of comprehensive loss for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 and the condensed statements of cash flows for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2015 or any other period. These financial statements and notes should be read in conjunction with the financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2014 included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K. The accompanying balance sheet as of December 31, 2014 has been derived from audited financial statements at that date.
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. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.
We evaluate our estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis, including those related to revenue recognition, inventory, accrued liabilities, clinical trial accruals, stock-based compensation and the timing of payments with respect to our long-term capped royalty obligation, which determines our interest expense. We base our estimates on relevant experience and on other specific assumptions that we believe are reasonable.
Fair Value Measurements
We categorize financial instruments in a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the information used to develop assumptions for measuring fair value. The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 input), then to quoted prices in non-active markets or in active markets for similar assets or liabilities, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, and inputs that are not directly observable, but that are corroborated by observable market data for the asset or liability (Level 2 input), then the lowest priority to unobservable inputs, for example, our own data about the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability (Level 3 input). Fair value is a market-based measurement, not an entity-specific measurement, and a fair value measurement should therefore be based on the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
We consider all highly liquid investments purchased with maturities of three months or less from the date of purchase to be cash equivalents . Cash equivalents are carried at fair value as measured using Level 1 inputs, which approximates cost. As of September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, all of our funds were held in checking and money market fund accounts maintained at major U.S. financial institutions.
Inventory
We value our inventories at the lower of cost or net realizable value. We determine the cost of inventory using the specific identification method, which approximates a first-in, first-out basis. We write down inventory that has become obsolete or has a cost basis in excess of its expected net realizable value. Any expired inventory is disposed of and the related costs are recognized as cost of sales in the statement of comprehensive income ( loss ) .
Inventory amounts that are not expected to be consumed within 12 months following the balance sheet date are classified as strategic inventory, a noncurrent asset.
We expense the manufacturing costs for product candidates incurred prior to regulatory approval as research and development expense as we incur them. When regulatory approval of a product is obtained, we begin capitalizing manufacturing costs related to the approved product into inventory, provided such product is produced by an FDA approved facility.
Long-term Obligation
In August 2012, we entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement (Financing Agreement) with Biopharma Secured Debt Fund II Sub, S.à r.l (Biopharma), a private limited liability company organized under the laws of Luxembourg. Under the terms of the Financing Agreement, we received $ 30.0 million from Biopharma, which upon receipt we recorded as a long-term obligation. In return, we are obligated to make payments to Biopharma totaling $ 45.0 million. These payments equal a percentage of (i) our net product sales, which include sales from any product containing mifepristone or any of our proprietary selective GR antagonists (Covered Products) and (ii) cash or cash equivalents received from any licensing transaction or co-promotion arrangement involving Covered Products, including any upfront or milestone payments, if any, (togethe r, Korlym Receipts). Once we have paid Biopharma a total of $45.0 million, no more payments will be due and the obligation will be extinguished .
We recognize a portion of each quarterly payment under the Financing Agreement as interest expense, which we determine by calculating the interest rate to Biopharma implied by the stream of quarterly payments we expect to make. The amount shown on our balance sheet as the current portion is an estimate of the amount we expect to repay Biopharma in the 12 months following September 30, 2015. We record the balance of the outstanding portion of the obligation as a long-term liability.
The amount and timing of our estimated quarterly payments to Biopharma are subject to significant uncertainty and are likely to change. Any changes in our assumed payment stream will change the accretion of interest expense and our split between the current and long-term portions of the obligation, although the total we will pay Biopharma is fixed at $45.0 million.
See Note 3, Long-Term Obligation , for additional information regarding this agreement.
Net Product Revenue
We primarily sell Korlym directly to patients through Dohmen Life Science Services (Dohmen), a specialty pharmacy. Prior authorization and confirmation of coverage by the patients’ private or government insurance plan or by a third-party charity, such as the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD – discussed below), is a prerequisite for Dohmen to ship Korlym. We recognize revenue upon the delivery of our products to these patients.
We donate cash to NORD, an independent non-profit organization that provides patients who meet certain eligibility requirements with financial assistance for the treatment of Cushing’s syndrome, which treatment may include Korlym. We do not include in revenue amounts attributable to our donations to NORD.
We estimate our net product revenue by deducting from our gross product revenue (a) estimated government rebates and chargebacks and (b) allowances for our patient assistance program.
Government Rebates and Chargebacks: We are obligated to provide to government programs, including Medicaid, rebates and chargebacks on our product sales to eligible patients. We deduct the estimated amount of these rebates and chargebacks from our gross product revenue. We estimate rebates and chargebacks by applying the applicable rate to eligible sales reported by a specialty pharmacy.
Allowances for Patient Assistance Program: We provide financial assistance to eligible patients whose insurance policies require them to pay high deductibles and co-payments. We calculate the cost of assistance by applying our program guidelines to the eligible sales in the period.
Research and Development
Research and development expenses consist of direct expenses, such as the cost of clinical trials, pre-clinical studies, the development of second-generation compounds, manufacturing development, preparations for submissions to the FDA or other regulatory agencies, and the related overhead expenses. We expense as incurred nonrefundable payments to third parties and our cost of acquiring technologies and materials used in research and development that have no alternative future use.
We base our cost accruals for clinical trials, research and preclinical activities on estimates of work completed under service agreements, milestones achieved, patient enrollment and past experience with similar contracts. Our estimates of work completed and associated cost accruals include our assessments of information from third-party contract research organizations and the overall status of clinical trial and other development and administrative activities.
Stock-Based Compensation
We account for stock-based compensation related to option grants to employees and directors under the fair value method, based on the value of the award at the grant date as determined using the Black-Scholes option valuation model. For service-based awards, we recognize expense over the requisite service period.
We recognize the expense of options granted to non-employees based on the fair-value based measurement of the option grants at the time of vesting. For service-based awards, we recognize expense over the requisite service period.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncement
In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued a new standard on revenue recognition from contracts with customers. This standard's core principle is that a reporting entity will recognize revenue when it transfers 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 July 9, 2015, FASB delayed the effective date of this standard by one year. The standard will be effective for us beginning in the first quarter of 2018. Early application is permitted in 2017. |
