SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES: a. Basis of presentation The Company’s consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). b. Principles of consolidation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation. c. Use of estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of income and expenses during the reporting period. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include product returns and research and development accruals. Actual results could differ from the Company’s estimates. d. Foreign Currency Translation Transactions and balances originally denominated in dollars are presented at their original amounts. Balances in non-dollar currencies are translated into dollars using historical and current exchange rates for non-monetary and monetary balances, respectively. For non-dollar transactions and other items in the statements of operations (indicated below), the following exchange rates are used: (i) for transactions - exchange rates at transaction dates or average rates; and (ii) for other items (derived from non-monetary balance sheet items such as depreciation and amortization, etc.) - historical exchange rates. Currency transaction gains and losses are presented in financial income or expenses, as appropriate. e. Cash and cash equivalents The Company considers as cash equivalents all short-term, highly liquid investments, which include short-term bank deposits, treasury bills and money market funds with original maturities of three months or less from the date of purchase that are not restricted as to withdrawal or use and are readily convertible to known amounts of cash. f. Restricted Cash As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company had restricted cash of $0.1 million representing bank guarantees. g. Marketable securities Marketable securities with original maturities of greater than three months and remaining maturities of less than one year from the balance sheet date are classified as short-term. Marketable securities with remaining maturities of greater than one year from the balance sheet date are classified as long-term. The Company classifies all marketable securities as available-for-sale debt securities. The Company’s marketable securities are measured and reported at fair value using either quoted prices in active markets for identical securities or quoted prices in markets that are not active for identical or similar securities. Unrealized gains and losses are reported as a separate component of shareholders’ equity. The cost of securities sold is determined on a specific identification basis, and realized gains and losses, if any, are included in other income, net within the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss. h. Property and equipment 1) Property and equipment are stated at cost, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization. 2) The Company’s property and equipment are depreciated by the straight-line method on the basis of their estimated useful life. Annual rates of depreciation are as follows: Estimated Useful Life Computers 3 - 7 years Laboratory equipment 5 - 14 years Office furniture and equipment 7 - 14 years Leasehold improvements are amortized by the straight-line method over the expected lease term, which is shorter than the estimated useful life of the improvements. i. Impairment of long-lived assets The Company tests long-lived assets for impair ment whenever events or circumstances present an indication of impairment. If the sum of expected future cash flows (undiscounted and without interest charges) of the assets is less than the carrying amount of such assets, an impairment loss would be recognized. The assets would be written down to their estimated fair values, calculated based on the present value of expected future cash flows (discounted cash flows), or some other fair value measure. j. Credit losses An allowance is maintained for potential credit losses in accordance with accounting standards update ("ASU") No. 2016-13. The Company evaluates its allowance based on expected losses rather than incurred losses, which is known as the current expected credit loss (“CECL”) model. The allowance is determined using the loss rate approach and is measured on a collective (pool) basis when similar risk characteristics exist. Where financial instruments do not share risk characteristics, they are evaluated on an individual basis. The allowance is based on relevant available information, from internal and external sources, relating to past events, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts.. T rade receivable balances are written off against the allowance when it is deemed probable that the receivable will not be collected. Trade receivables, net are stated net of reserves for certain sales allowances and credit losses. Credit losses were not material for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. k. Leases The Company's lease portfolio mainly consists of office space. Leases are classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the income statement. Operating lease assets represent the Company’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term whereas lease liabilities represent the Company’s obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating lease assets and liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the consolidated balance sheet. Operating lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the expected lease term. l. Contingencies Certain conditions may exist as of the date of the consolidated financial statements, which may result in a loss to the Company, but which will only be resolved when one or more future events occur or fail to occur. The Company’s management assesses such contingent liabilities and such assessment inherently involves an exercise of judgment. In assessing loss contingencies related to legal proceedings that are pending against the Company or unasserted claims that may result in such proceedings, the Company’s management evaluates the perceived merits of any legal proceedings or unasserted claims as well as the perceived merits of the amount of relief sought or expected to be sought. Management applies the guidance in ASC 450-20-25 when assessing losses resulting from contingencies. If the assessment of a contingency indicates that it is probable that a material loss has been incurred and the amount of the liability can be estimated, then the estimated liability is recorded as accrued expenses in the Company’s financial statements. If the assessment indicates that a potential material loss contingency is not probable but is reasonably possible, or is probable but cannot be estimated, then the nature of the contingent liability, together with an estimate of the range of possible loss if determinable and material are disclosed. Loss contingencies considered to be remote by management are generally not disclosed unless they involve guarantees, in which case the guarantees are disclosed. m. Share-based compensation The Company accounts for employees’ and directors’ share-based payment awards classified as equity awards using the grant-date fair value method. The fair value of share-based payment transactions is recognized as an expense over the requisite service period using the straight-line method. Forfeitures are recognized as they occur. Share-based payments related to the employee share purchase plan (“ESPP”) are recognized based on the fair value of each award estimated on the first day of the offering period and recognized as an expense over the offering period using the straight-line method. The Company elected to recognize compensation costs for awards conditioned only on continued service that have a graded vesting schedule using the straight-line method. n. Revenue recognition The Company accounts for its revenue transactions under Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. In accordance with ASC Topic 606, the Company recognizes revenues when its customers obtain control of its product for an amount that reflects the consideration it expects to receive from its customers in exchange for that product. To determine revenue recognition for contracts that are determined to be in scope of ASC Topic 606, the Company performs the following five steps: (i) identify the contract(s) with a customer; (ii) identify the performance obligations in the contract; (iii) determine the transaction price; (iv) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (v) recognize revenue when (or as) the Company satisfies the performance obligation. The Company only applies the five-step model to contracts when it is probable that the Company will collect the consideration it is entitled to in exchange for the goods or services it transfers to the customer. Once the contract is determined to be within the scope of ASC Topic 606, the Company assesses the goods or services promised within each contract and determines those that are performance obligations and assesses whether each promised good or service is distinct. The Company then recognizes as revenue the amount of the transaction price that is allocated to the respective performance obligation when such performance obligation is satisfied. As a result of the disposition of the MST Franchise in January 2022, the Company no longer has any revenue generating products; however, it still may receive royalty revenues from the sale of specified products (see Note 4, Discontinued Operations). Royalty Revenues and Collaboration Agreements The Company is entitled to royalty payments with respect to sales of a product developed by a customer in collaboration with the Company. This product was not part of the MST Franchise that was sold in January 2022. Royalties are recognized as revenue when the product is sold by the customer. Revenues in the amount of $0.4 million and $0.5 million were recorded during the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. For collaboration agreements under ASC 606, the Company identifies the contract, identifies the performance obligations, determines the transaction price, allocates the contract transaction price to the performance obligations, and recognizes the revenue when (or as) the performance obligation is satisfied. The Company identifies the performance obligations included within the agreement and evaluate which performance obligations are distinct. Upfront payments for licenses are evaluated to determine if the license is capable of being distinct from the obligations to participate on certain development and/or commercialization committees with the collaboration partners and supply manufactured drug product for clinical trials. For performance obligations that are satisfied over time, the Company utilizes the input method and revenue is recognized by consistently applying a method of measuring progress toward complete satisfaction of that performance obligation. The Company periodically reviews its estimated periods of performance based on the progress under each arrangement and accounts for the impact of any changes in estimated periods of performance on a prospective basis. Milestone payments are a form of variable consideration as the payments are contingent upon achievement of a substantive event. Milestone payments are estimated and included in the transaction price when the Company determines that it is probable that there will not be a significant reversal of cumulative revenue recognized in future periods. Product Revenues, net The Company’s net product revenues were generated through sales of AMZEEQ, which was approved by the FDA in October 2019 and was commercially launched in the United States in January 2020, and ZILXI, which was approved by the FDA in May 2020 and was commercially launched in the United States in October 2020. The Company sold the MST Franchise on January 12, 2022 and, as such, the Company no longer generates revenue from the sale of these products. The following is a description of the Company's accounting policies related to the sales of AMZEEQ and ZILXI. Product sales The Company’s customers were a limited number of national and select regional wholesalers (the “distributors”) and certain independent and specialty pharmacies (together, the “customers”). These distributors would subsequently resell the product, primarily to retail pharmacies that dispense the product to patients. Net product revenue was typically recognized when customers obtained control of the Company’s products, which occurred at a point in time, typically upon delivery of product to the customers. The Company evaluated the creditworthiness of its customers to determine whether it was probable that a significant reversal in the amount of the cumulative revenue recognized will not occur. The Company did not assess whether a contract had a significant financing component if the expectation was such that the period between the transfer of the promised goods to the customer and the receipt of payment would be less than one year. Standard credit terms did not exceed 75 days. The Company expensed incremental costs of obtaining a contract as and when incurred if the expected amortization period of the asset that would have been recognized is one year or less or the amount is immaterial. Shipping and handling costs related to the Company’s product sales were included in selling, general and administrative expenses. Product revenue was recorded net of distribution fees, trade discounts, allowances, rebates, copay program coupons, chargebacks, estimated returns and other incentives. These reserves were classified as either reductions of accounts receivable or as current liabilities. The estimates of reserves established for variable consideration reflect contractual and statutory requirements, known market events and trends, industry data and forecasted customer mix. The transaction price, which includes variable consideration reflecting the impact of discounts and allowances, was subject to constraint and was included in the net product revenues only to the extent that it was probable that a significant reversal of the amount of the cumulative revenues recognized would not occur in a future period. Product Sales Provisions Provisions for distribution fees, trade discounts and chargebacks are reflected as a reduction to trade receivables, net on the consolidated balance sheet. All other provisions, including rebates, other discounts and return provisions are reflected as a liability within accrued expenses on the consolidated balance sheet. The revenue reserve accrual was $2.3 million and $2.7 million as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. Under the terms of the Asset Purchase Agreement, the Company retained and is responsible for historical liabilities of the commercial business operations based on events occurring prior to the sale other than those liabilities expressly assumed by Journey. Distribution Fees and Trade Discounts and Allowances The Company paid fees for distribution services and for certain data that distributors provided to the Company and generally provided discounts on sales to its distributors for prompt payment. These fees and discounts were contractual in nature and the Company expected its distributors to earn these fees and discounts, and accordingly deducted the full amount of these fees and discounts from its gross product revenues at the time such revenues were recognized. Rebates, Chargebacks and Other Discounts Product sales made under managed-care and governmental pricing programs in the United States were subject to rebates. Managed Care rebates related to contractual agreements to sell products to managed care organizations and pharmacy benefit managers at contractual rebate percentages in exchange for volume and/or market share. Chargebacks related to contractual agreements to sell products to government agencies and other indirect customers at contractual prices that are lower than the list prices the Company charges wholesalers. When these government agencies or other indirect customers purchased products through wholesalers at these reduced prices, the wholesaler charged the Company for the difference between the prices they paid the Company and the prices at which they sold the products to the indirect customers. The Company estimated the rebates and chargebacks it expected to be obligated to provide and deducted these estimated amounts from its gross product revenue at the time the revenue was recognized. The Company's estimates were based upon (i) the Company's contracts, (ii) estimates regarding the payor mix based on third-party data and utilization, (iii) inventory held by distributors and (iv) estimates of inventory held at the retail channel. Other discounts included the Company’s co-pay assistance coupon programs for commercially-insured patients meeting certain eligibility requirements. The calculation of the accrual for co-pay assistance is based on an estimate of claims and the cost per claim that the Company expected to pay associated with product that had been recognized as revenue. Product Returns Consistent with industry practice, customers were generally allowed to return products within a specified period of time before and after its expiration date. The Company estimated the amount of product that would be returned and deducted these estimated amounts from its gross revenue at the time the revenue was recognized. T he information utilized to estimate the returns provision included: (i) actual return history (ii) historical return industry information regarding rates for comparable pharmaceutical products and product portfolios , (iii) external data with respect to inventory levels in the wholesale distribution channel, (iv) external data with respect to prescription demand for products and (v) remaining shelf lives of products at the date of sale. Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities The Company did not have any contract assets (unbilled receivables) related to product sales as of December 31, 2023 or 2022, as customer invoicing generally occured before or at the time of revenue recognition. The Company did not have any contract assets (unbilled receivables) related to its license revenues as of December 31, 2023 or 2022. The Company did not have any contract liabilities as of December 31, 2023 or 2022, as the Company did not receive payments in advance of fulfilling its performance obligations to its customers. o. Collaboration arrangements The Company analyzes its collaboration arrangements to assess whether they are within the scope of ASC Topic 808, Collaborative Arrangements (ASC 808), to determine whether such arrangements involve joint operating activities performed by parties that are both active participants in the activities and exposed to significant risks and rewards that are dependent on the commercial success of such activities. To the extent the arrangement is within the scope of ASC 808, the Company will assess whether aspects of the arrangement between it and their collaboration partner are within the scope of other accounting literature. p. Research and development costs Research and development expenses include costs directly attributable to the conduct of research and development programs, including the cost of clinical trials, clinical trial supplies, salaries, share-based compensation expenses, payroll taxes and other employee benefits, lab expenses, consumable equipment and consulting fees. All costs associated with research and developments are expensed as incurred. q. Fair value measurement Fair value is based on the price that would be received from the sale of an asset or that would be paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In order to increase consistency and comparability in fair value measurements, the guidance establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes observable and unobservable inputs used to measure fair value into three broad levels, which are described as follows: Level 1: Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for assets or liabilities. The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to Level 1 inputs. Level 2: Observable prices that are based on inputs not quoted on active markets, but corroborated by market data or active market data of similar or identical assets or liabilities. Level 3: Unobservable inputs are used when little or no market data is available. The fair value hierarchy gives the lowest priority to Level 3 inputs. In determining fair value, the Company utilizes valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs to the extent possible and considers counterparty credit risk in its assessment of fair value. r. Income taxes: • Deferred taxes Income taxes are computed using the asset and liability method. Under the asset and liability method, deferred income tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are measured using the currently enacted tax rates and laws. A valuation allowance is recognized to the extent that it is more likely than not that the deferred taxes will not be realized in the foreseeable future. Given the Company’s losses, the Company has provided a full valuation allowance with respect to its deferred tax assets. • Uncertainty in income tax The Company follows a two-step approach in recognizing and measuring uncertain tax positions. The first step is to evaluate the tax position for recognition by determining if the available evidence indicates that it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained based on technical merits. If this threshold is met, the second step is to measure the tax position as the largest amount that has more than a 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. s. Net loss per share Net loss per share, basic and diluted, is computed on the basis of the net loss from continuing operations for the period divided by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net loss per share is based upon the weighted average number of common stock and of common stock equivalents outstanding when dilutive. The following stock options, restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and warrants were excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share because their effect would have been anti-dilutive for the periods presented (data presented as numbers of shares): Year ended December 31, 2023 2022 Outstanding stock options and RSUs 1,205,516 313,403 Warrants 27,509 27,509 t. Discontinued Operations The Company accounted for the sale of the MST Franchise in accordance with ASC 205, Discontinued Operations, and ASU No. 2014-08, Reporting of Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity . The Company followed the held-for-sale criteria as defined in ASC 360 Property, Plant and Equipment and ASC 205. ASC 205 requires that a component of an entity that has been disposed of or is classified as held for sale and has operations and cash flows that can be clearly distinguished from the rest of the entity be reported as assets held for sale and discontinued operations. In the period a component of an entity has been disposed of or classified as held for sale, the results of operations for the periods presented are reclassified into separate line items in the consolidated statements of operations. Assets and liabilities are also reclassified into separate line items on the related consolidated balance sheets for the periods presented. Non-cash items presented in the statement of cash flows and related to discontinued operations are presented in Note 4 - Discontinued Operations. ASU 2014-08 requires that only a disposal of a component of an entity, or a group of components of an entity, that represents a strategic shift that has, or will have, a major effect on the reporting entity’s operations and financial results be reported in the consolidated financial statements as discontinued operations. ASU 2014-08 also provides guidance on the financial statement presentations and disclosures of discontinued operations. Due to the sale of the MST Franchise during the first quarter of 2022, in accordance with ASC 205, the Company has classified the results of the MST Franchise as discontinued operations in its consolidated statements of operations and cash flows for all periods presented (see Note 4, Discontinued Operations). All disposed assets and liabilities associated with the MST Franchise were therefore classified as assets and liabilities of discontinued operations in the Company's consolidated balance sheets for the periods presented. All amounts included in the notes to the consolidated financial statements relate to continuing operations unless otherwise noted. u. Concentration of credit risks Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentration of credit risk consist principally of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, marketable securities and accounts receivables. The Company deposits cash and cash equivalents with highly rated financial institutions and, as a matter of policy, limits the amounts of credit exposure to any single financial institution. In addition, all marketable securities carry a high credit rating or are government insured. The Company has not experienced any material credit losses in these accounts and does not believe it is exposed to significant credit risk on these instruments. Existing royalty receivables relate to one customer, but do not present a credit risk due to immaterial nature. Restricted cash as of December 31, 2023 was $0.1 million which does not present a credit risk due to its immaterial nature. v. Employee Retention Tax Credit In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) was signed into law, providing numerous tax provisions and other stimulus measures, including employee retention tax credits (“ERTC”). The ERTC was a refundable tax credit against certain employment taxes for qualifying businesses retaining employees on their payroll during the COVID-19 pandemic and allowed eligible employers to claim a refundable tax credit against the employer share of Social Security tax equal to 70% of the qualified wages they paid to employees, initially from March 27, 2020 until June 30, 2021, and extended through September 30, 2021. During 2022, the Company filed returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and claimed credits totaling $1.3 million. During the first quarter of 2023, the Company received the full $1.3 million. As there is no authoritative guidance under U.S. GAAP on accounting for government assistance to for-profit business entities, the Company has accounted for the ERTC by analogy to International Accounting Standard, Accounting for Government Grants and Disclosure of Government Assistance (“IAS 20”). The ERTC filings remain open to examination by the IRS until April 2025, and as such the Company has recorded the $1.3 million received within other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2023 until such a time that the Company has reasonable assurance that the conditions associated with the grants have been met. w. Warrants The Company accounts for warrants as either equity-classified or liability-classified instruments based on an assessment of the warrant’s specific terms and applicable authoritative guidance in ASC Topic 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (“ASC 480”) and ASC Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging (“ASC 815”). The assessment considers whether the warrants are freestanding financial instruments pursuant to ASC 480, meet the definition of a liability pursuant to ASC 480, and whether the warrants meet all of the requirements for equity classification under ASC 815, including whether the warrants are indexed to the Company’s own common stock, among other conditions for equity classification. This assessment, which requires the use of professional judgment, is conducted at the time of warrant issuance and as of each subsequent reporting period end date while the warrants are outstanding. For issued warrants that meet all of the criteria for equity classification, the warrants are required to be recorded as a component of additional paid-in capital at the time of issuance. For issued warrants that do not meet all the criteria for equity classification, the warrants are required to be recorded at their initial fair value on the date of issuance, and each balance sheet date thereafter. Changes in the estimated fair value of the warrants are recognized as a non-cash gain or loss on the statements of operations. Liability-classified warrants are required to be accounted for at fair value both on the date of issuance and on subsequent accounting period ending dates, with all changes in fair value after the issuance date recorded as a component of other income, net in the statements of operations. As of December 31, 2023 all of the Company's outstanding warrants were equity-classified warrants. x. Newly issued and recently adopted accounting pronouncements : Recent Accounting Guidance Issued: In June 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments ” (ASU 2016-13), which requires companies to measure credit losses of financial instruments, including customer accounts receivable and marketable securities, utilizing a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. Subsequent to the issuance of ASU 2016-13, the FASB issued several additional Accounting Standard Updates to clarify implementation guidance, provide narrow-scope improvements and provide additional disclosure guidance. As a smaller reporting company, the Company adopted ASU 2016-13 effective January 1, 2023, and there was no material impact on the consolidated financial statements upon adoption. In March 2020, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2020-04, " Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting " (ASU 2020-04), which provides guidance to alleviate the burden in accounting for reference rate reform by allowing certain expedients and exceptions in applying generally accepted accounting principles to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions impacted by reference rate reform. The provisions of ASU 2020-04 apply only to those transactions that reference LIBOR or another reference rate expected to be discontinued due to reference rate reform. Adoption of the provisions of ASU 2020-04 was optional through December 31, 2022. In December 2022, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2022-06, " Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Deferral of the Sunset Date of Topic 848" (ASU 2022-06), which provides extension of the sunset date of Topic 848 from December 31, 2022, to December 31, 2024. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2020-04 and ASU 2022-06 on its consolidated financial statements. Currently, the Company does not expect the adoption of the new standard to have a material impact to the consolidated financial statements. In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 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”), which simplifies the accounting for convertible instruments by eliminating the requirement to separately account for embedded |