Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation and Consolidation The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) and include the Company’s accounts and those of its wholly owned Australian subsidiary, Kezar Life Sciences Australia Pty Ltd, which is a proprietary company limited by shares. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation. 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 and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include the useful lives of fixed assets, stock-based compensation, and accrued research and development costs. Management bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other market-specific relevant assumptions that management believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from those estimates. Foreign Currency Translation The functional currency of the Company’s non-U.S. subsidiary is the Australian dollar. Asset and liability balances denominated in non-U.S. dollar currency are translated into U.S. dollars using period-end exchange rates, while expenses are based upon the exchange rate at the time of the transaction, if known, or at the average rate for the period. Equity accounts, except for the change in accumulated deficit during the year, have been translated using historical exchange rates. Differences are included in stockholders’ equity as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss. Cash and Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash The Company considers all highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less at the time of purchase to be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents are stated at fair value. Restricted cash consisted of deposits at the bank held as collateral for the Company’s credit card program. The collateral requirement was removed and released in May 2018. The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash reported within the consolidated balance sheets that sum to the total of the same amounts shown in the consolidated statements of cash flows (in thousands): Year Ended December 31, 2018 2017 2016 Cash and cash equivalents $ 24,182 $ 51,033 $ 9,747 Restricted cash — 13 13 Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash shown in the statements of cash flows $ 24,182 $ 51,046 $ 9,760 Marketable Securities All marketable securities have been classified as “available-for-sale” and are carried at fair value, based upon quoted market prices. The Company considers its available-for-sale portfolio as available for use in current operations. Unrealized gains and losses, net of any related tax effects, are excluded form earnings and are included in other comprehensive income or loss and reported as a separate component of stockholders’ equity or deficit until realized. Realized gains and losses and declines in value judged to be other than temporary, if any, on available-for-sale securities are included in other income (expense), net. The cost of securities sold is based on the specific-identification method. The amortized cost of debt securities is adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity. Such amortization and accretion, together with interest on securities, are included in interest income on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations. In accordance with the Company’s investment policy, management invests to diversify credit risk and only invests in debt securities with high credit quality, including U.S. government securities. The Company regularly reviews all of its investments for other-than-temporary declines in estimated fair value. Its review includes the consideration of the cause of the impairment, including the creditworthiness of the security issuers, the number of securities in an unrealized loss position, the severity and duration of the unrealized losses, whether the Company has the intent to sell the securities and whether it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell the securities before the recovery of their amortized cost basis. When the Company determines that the decline in estimated fair value of an investment is below the amortized cost basis and the decline is other-than-temporary, it reduces the carrying value of the security and record a loss for the amount of such decline. The Company has not recorded any realized losses or declines in value judged to be other than temporary on its investments in debt securities. Concentration of Credit Risk Financial instruments that potentially expose the Company to significant concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities. The majority of the Company’s cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities are held by financial institutions in the United States, while approximately $1.0 million is held by a financial institution in Australia. Such deposits in the United States may be in excess of insured limits. Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Long-lived assets include property and equipment . The Company reviews the carrying value of long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the assets may not be recoverable. The Company recognizes an impairment loss when the total estimated future cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset and its eventual disposition are less than the carrying amount Property and Equipment Property and equipment are stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation on property and equipment is calculated on the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Furniture, laboratory and office equipment are depreciated over five to seven years. Computer equipment are depreciated over three years. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of their estimated useful lives or the related lease term. Other Assets Other assets consist of security deposits for the Company’s operating leases of office and laboratory space. Fair Value of Financial Instruments Financial assets and liabilities are recorded at fair value. The carrying amount of certain financial instruments, including cash, cash equivalents, marketable securities, other current assets, restricted cash, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, approximate fair value due to their relatively short maturities. Assets and liabilities recorded at fair value on a recurring basis in the consolidated balance sheets are categorized based upon the level of judgment associated with the inputs used to measure their fair values. Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or an exit price that would be paid to transfer a liability in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. The authoritative guidance on fair value measurements establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy for disclosure of fair value measurements as follows: Level 1 : Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. Level 2 : Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities. Level 3 : Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities. Assets and liabilities measured at fair value are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires management to make judgments and consider factors specific to the asset or liability. The Company applies fair value accounting for all financial assets and liabilities and nonfinancial assets and liabilities that are required to be recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements. The Company determines the fair value of Level 1 assets using quoted prices in active markets for identical assets. The Company reviews trading activity and pricing for Level 2 investments as of each measurement date. Level 2 inputs, which are obtained from various third-party data providers, represent quoted prices for similar assets in active markets and were derived from observable market data, or, if not directly observable, were derived from or corroborated by other observable market data. There were no transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 securities in the periods presented. In certain cases, where there is limited activity or less transparency around inputs to valuation, securities are classified as Level 3 within the valuation hierarchy. The Company does not have any assets or liabilities measured using Level 3 inputs as of December 31, 2018 and 2017. The following table summarizes our financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis (in thousands): December 31, 2018 Total Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Financial Assets: Money market funds $ 23,156 $ 23,156 $ — $ — U.S. Treasury securities 25,692 25,692 — — Commercial paper 19,190 — 19,190 — Corporate debt securities 20,451 — 20,451 — Government agency bonds 17,917 — 17,917 — Total $ 106,406 $ 48,848 $ 57,558 $ — December 31, 2017 Total Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Financial Assets: Money market funds $ 50,242 $ 50,242 $ — $ — Total $ 50,242 $ 50,242 $ — $ — Research and Development Costs Research and development costs are expensed as incurred and consist primarily of salaries and benefits, stock-based compensation expense, lab supplies and facility costs, as well as fees paid to nonemployees and entities that conduct certain research and development activities on the Company’s behalf and expenses incurred in connection with license agreements. Nonrefundable advance payments for goods or services to be received in the future for use in research and development activities are capitalized and then expensed as the related goods are delivered or the services are performed. The Company accrues for estimated costs of research and development activities conducted by third-party service providers, which include the conduct of preclinical and clinical studies and contract manufacturing activities. The Company estimates the amount of work completed through discussions with internal personnel and external service providers as to the progress or stage of completion of the services and the agreed-upon fee to be paid for such services. The Company makes significant judgments and estimates in determining the accrued balance in each reporting period. As actual costs become known, the Company adjusts the accrued estimates. Although the Company does not expect the estimates to be materially different from amounts actually incurred, the status and timing of services performed, the number of patients enrolled and the rate of patient enrollment may vary from the Company’s estimates and could result in the Company reporting amounts that are too high or too low in any particular period. The Company’s accrued expenses are dependent, in part, upon the receipt of timely and accurate reporting from clinical research organizations and other third-party service providers. To date, there have been no material differences from the Company’s accrued expenses to actual expenses. Research and Development Tax Incentive The Company is eligible under the AusIndustry Research and Tax Development Tax Incentive Program to obtain a cash amount from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). The tax incentive is available to the Company on the basis of specific criteria with which the Company must comply related to research and development expenditures in Australia. These research and development tax incentives are recognized as contra research and development expense when the right to receive has been attained and funds are considered to be collectible. The Company recognized $5,000, $499,000 and $385,000 as a reduction of research and development expenses for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively, in connection with the research and development tax incentive from the ATO. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the research and development tax credit receivable was $5,000 and $498,000, respectively, which is included in other current assets in the consolidated balance sheets. Stock-Based Compensation Stock-based awards issued to employees and directors, including stock options, are recorded at fair value as of the grant date using the Black-Scholes option pricing model and recognized as expense on a straight line-basis over the employee’s or director’s requisite service period (generally the vesting period). The Company accounts for forfeitures as they occur by reversing any expense recognized for unvested awards. Stock-based awards and stock options issued to nonemployee consultants are recorded at fair value as of the grant date using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The unearned portion of the stock-based compensation is remeasured at each reporting period using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, and the resulting change in fair value is recognized in the statements of operations over the remaining period the related services are rendered. Income Taxes Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. 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. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. The Company records a valuation allowance against deferred tax assets if it is more likely than not that a portion or all of the asset will not be realized in future periods. In making such determination, the Company considers all available positive and negative evidence, including future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, tax planning strategies and recent financial operations. The Company recognizes benefits of uncertain tax positions if it is more likely than not that such positions will be sustained upon examination based solely on their technical merits, as the largest amount of benefit that is more likely than not to be realized upon the ultimate settlement. The Company’s policy is to recognize interest and penalties related to the underpayment of income taxes as a component of income tax expense or benefit. To date, there have been no interest charges or penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits. Net Loss per Share Basic net loss per share is calculated by dividing the net loss by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period, without consideration for potentially dilutive securities. Diluted net loss per share is the same as basic net loss per share for the periods presented since the effects of potentially dilutive securities are antidilutive given the net loss of the Company. Accounting Pronouncements Adopted in 2018 In May 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2017-09, Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting New Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted Leases (Topic 842) In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements The Company expects to adopt the new standard on January 1, 2019 and use the effective date as its date of initial application. Consequently, financial information will not be updated and the disclosures required under the new standard will not be provided for dates and periods before January 1, 2019. The Company expects that this standard will have a material effect on its financial statements. While the Company continues to assess all of the effects of adoption, it currently believes the most significant effects relate to (1) the recognition of new right-of-use (ROU) assets and lease liabilities on its balance sheet for its operating lease for its headquarters at 4000 Shoreline Court, South San Francisco; and (2) providing significant new disclosures about its leasing activities. On adoption, the Company currently expects to recognize an operating lease liability of approximately $7.1 million based on the present value of the remaining minimum rental payments under current leasing standards for existing operating leases. The operating lease ROU asset of approximately $4.2 million consists of the amount of the initial measurement of lease liability, net of the unamortized lease incentives previously received of approximately $2.9 million that are currently recorded as deferred rent liabilities on its consolidated balance sheet. The new standard also provides practical expedients for an entity’s ongoing accounting. The Company currently expects to elect the short-term lease recognition exemption for all leases that qualify. This means, for those leases that qualify, the Company will not recognize ROU assets or lease liabilities, and this includes not recognizing ROU assets or lease liabilities for existing short-term leases of those assets in transition. The Company will not elect the practical expedient to not separate lease and non-lease components for all of its leases. Other recent accounting announcements In June 2016, FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326) In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-07, Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718) 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 The amendment of ASU No. 2018-13 removes disclosure requirements from Topic 820 in the areas of (1) the amount of and reasons for transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy; (2) the policy for timing of transfers between levels, and (3) the valuation processes for Level 3 fair value measurements. |