ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | NOTE 1. ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Business Activities. Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. (the Company or Neurocrine) was incorporated in California in 1992 and reincorporated in Delaware in 1996. Neurocrine Continental, Inc., is a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. The Company also has two wholly-owned Irish subsidiaries, Neurocrine Therapeutics, Ltd. and Neurocrine Europe, Ltd. both of which were formed in December 2014 and are inactive. The Company discovers, develops, and commercializes innovative and life-changing pharmaceuticals, in diseases with high unmet medical needs, through its novel research and development (R&D) platform, focused on neurological and endocrine related diseases and disorders. The Company discovered, developed, and markets INGREZZA ® ® Principles of Consolidation. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Neurocrine as well as its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. Use of Estimates. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and the accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Industry Segment and Geographic Information. The Company operates in a single industry segment – the discovery, development, and marketing of pharmaceuticals for the treatment of neurological and endocrine based diseases and disorders. The Company had no foreign based operations during any of the years presented. Cash Equivalents. The Company considers all highly liquid investments that are readily convertible into cash and have an original maturity of three months or less at the time of purchase to be cash equivalents . Short-Term and Long-Term Investments Available-for-Sale. Certain investments are classified as available-for-sale and carried at fair value, with any unrealized gains and losses reported in other comprehensive loss. The amortized cost of investments in debt securities is adjusted for the amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts to maturity, which are included in investment income and other, net. The cost of investments in debt securities sold is based on the specific identification method. Realized gains and losses, interest and dividends, and declines in value judged to be other-than-temporary, if any, on available-for-sale securities are included in investment income and other, net. Accounts Receivable. Accounts receivable are recorded net of customer allowances for prompt payment discounts, chargebacks, and any allowance for doubtful accounts. The Company estimates the allowance for doubtful accounts based on existing contractual payment terms, actual payment patterns of its customers, and individual customer circumstances. To date, an allowance for doubtful accounts has not been required. Fair Value of Financial Instruments. Certain financial instruments, including cash, cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and accrued liabilities are carried at cost, which the Company believes approximates fair value because of the short-term nature of these instruments. The $517.5 million of 2.25% convertible senior notes due May 15, 2024 (2024 Notes) were recorded at the estimated value of a similar non-convertible instrument on the date of issuance and accretes to the face value of the 2024 Notes over their 7-year term. The fair value of the 2024 Notes is estimated utilizing market quotations from an over-the-counter trading market and approximated 119% and 128% of the face value of the 2024 Notes at December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Inventory. Inventory is stated at the lower of cost or estimated net realizable value. The Company currently uses actual costing to determine the cost basis for its inventory. Inventory is valued on a first-in, first-out basis and consists primarily of third-party manufacturing costs. The Company capitalizes inventory costs associated with its products upon regulatory approval when, based on management’s judgment, future commercialization is considered probable and the future economic benefit is expected to be realized; otherwise, such costs are expensed. Prior to FDA approval of INGREZZA, all costs related to its manufacture were included in R&D expense in the period incurred. Historically, the Company’s physical inventory included active pharmaceutical ingredients produced prior to FDA approval of INGREZZA and accordingly had no cost basis as the cost associated with producing this material was expensed in the period incurred. Costs associated with the manufacture of bulk drug product, finished bottling, and other labeling activities that occurred post FDA approval of INGREZZA are included in the inventory value. The Company reduces its inventory to net realizable value for potential excess, dated, or obsolete inventory based on an analysis of forecasted demand compared to quantities on hand and any firm purchase orders, as well as product shelf life. To date, such reserves have not been significant. Property and Equipment. Property and equipment are stated at cost and depreciated over the estimated useful lives of the assets using the straight-line method. Equipment is depreciated over an average estimated useful life of 3 to 7 years. Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the shorter of their estimated useful lives or the remaining lease term. Depreciation expense was $4.0 million for 2018, $2.4 million for 2017, and $1.5 million for 2016. Impairment of Long-Lived Assets. The Company reviews long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. If indicators of impairment exist, the Company assesses the recoverability of the affected long-lived assets by determining whether the carrying value of such assets can be recovered through undiscounted future operating cash flows. If the carrying amount is not recoverable, the Company measures the amount of any impairment by comparing the carrying value of the asset to the present value of the expected future cash flows associated with the use of the asset. Revenue Recognition. The Company recognizes revenue when the customer obtains control of the product in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to receive from the customer in exchange for that product. To determine revenue recognition, 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 good transferred to the customer. Once a contract is determined to be within the scope of Accounting Standards Codification 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), at contract inception, the Company assesses the goods promised within the contract to determine those that are performance obligations and assesses whether each promised good is distinct. The Company then recognizes as revenue the amount of the transaction price that is allocated to the respective performance obligation when (or as) the performance obligation is satisfied. Product Sales, Net. The Company’s product sales consist of sales of INGREZZA in the U.S. INGREZZA was approved by the FDA on April 11, 2017 and the Company commenced shipments of INGREZZA to specialty pharmacies (SPs) and a specialty distributor (SD) (collectively, customers) in April 2017. The SPs dispense product to a patient based on the fulfillment of a prescription and the SD sells product to closed-door pharmacies and government facilities. The Company’s agreements with the customers provide for transfer of title to the product at the time the product is delivered to the customers. In addition, except for limited circumstances, the customers have no right of product return. Product sales are recognized when the customers obtain control of the Company’s product, typically upon delivery to the customers. Revenue from product sales are recorded at the net sales price (transaction price), which includes an estimate of variable consideration for which reserves are established and which results from contractual discounts, returns, chargebacks, rebates, co-pay assistance, and other allowances relating to sales of the Company’s products. These reserves are based on the amounts earned or to be claimed on the related sales and are classified as reductions of accounts receivable (if the amounts are payable to the customers) or a current liability (if the amounts are payable to parties other than the customers). Where appropriate, these estimates take into consideration a range of possible outcomes that are probability-weighted for relevant factors such as the Company’s historical experience, current contractual and statutory requirements, specific known market events and trends, industry data, and forecasted customer buying and payment patterns. Overall, these reserves reflect the Company’s best estimates of the amount of consideration to which it is entitled based on the terms of the contract. The amount of variable consideration that is included in the transaction price may be constrained and is included in the net sales price only to the extent that it is probable that a significant reversal in the amount of the cumulative revenue recognized will not occur in a future period. Actual amounts of consideration ultimately received may differ from the Company’s estimates. If actual results in the future vary from the Company’s estimates, the Company will adjust these estimates, which would affect net product revenue and earnings in the period such variances become known. Shipping and handling costs related to the Company’s product sales are included in sales, general and administrative expenses. Collaborative and Other Revenue. The Company enters into collaboration and licensing agreements under which it licenses certain rights to its product candidates to third parties. The terms of these arrangements typically include payment to the Company of one or more of the following: non-refundable, up-front license fees; development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments; payments for manufacturing supply services; and royalties on net sales of licensed products. As part of the accounting for these arrangements, the Company develops assumptions that require judgment to determine the stand-alone selling price for each performance obligation identified in the contract. The Company uses key assumptions to determine the stand-alone selling price, which may include forecasted revenues, development timelines, reimbursement rates for personnel costs, discount rates, and probabilities of technical and regulatory success. Royalty Revenue : For arrangements that include sales-based royalties, including milestone payments based on the level of sales, and the license is deemed to be the predominant item to which the royalties relate, the Company recognizes revenue at the later of (i) when the related sales occur, or (ii) when the performance obligation to which some or all of the royalty has been allocated has been satisfied (or partially satisfied). Sales-based royalties for ORILISSA are calculated as a percentage of AbbVie net sales as defined in the Company’s agreement with AbbVie. Each quarterly period, sales-based royalties are recorded based on estimated quarterly net sales of ORILISSA. Differences between actual results and estimated amounts are adjusted for in the period in which they become known, which typically follows the quarterly period in which the estimate was made. Licenses of Intellectual Property : If the license to the Company’s intellectual property embedded within a collaboration and/or licensing arrangement is determined to be distinct from the other performance obligations identified in the arrangement, the Company recognizes revenues from non-refundable, up-front fees allocated to the license when the license is transferred to the licensee and the licensee is able to use and benefit from the license. For licenses that are bundled with other promises, the Company utilizes judgment to assess the nature of the combined performance obligation to determine whether the obligation is satisfied over time or at a point in time and, if over time, the appropriate method of measuring progress for purposes of recognizing revenue from non-refundable, up-front fees. The Company evaluates the measure of progress each reporting period and, if necessary, adjusts the measure of performance and related revenue recognition. The Company receives payments from its licensees based on billing schedules established in each agreement. Up-front payments and fees are recorded as deferred revenue upon receipt, or when due, and may require deferral of revenue recognition to a future period until the Company performs its obligations under these arrangements. Amounts are recorded as accounts receivable when the Company’s right to consideration is unconditional. Milestone Payments : At the inception of each arrangement that includes development, commercialization, and regulatory milestone payments, the Company evaluates whether the milestones are considered probable of being reached and estimates the amount to be included in the transaction price using the most likely amount method. Performance milestone payments represent a form of variable consideration. If it is probable that a significant revenue reversal would not occur, the associated milestone value is included in the transaction price. Milestone payments that are not within the Company’s control or that of the licensee, such as regulatory approvals, are not considered probable of being achieved until those approvals are received. The transaction price is then allocated to each performance obligation on a relative stand-alone selling price basis, for which the Company recognizes revenue as or when the performance obligations under the contract are satisfied. At the end of each subsequent reporting period, the Company re-evaluates the probability of achievement of such development milestones and any related constraint, and if necessary, adjusts its estimate of the overall transaction price. Any such adjustments are recorded on a cumulative catch-up basis, which would affect milestone and license fees revenues and earnings in the period of adjustment. Manufacturing Supply Services : Arrangements that include a promise for future supply of drug substance or drug product for either clinical development or commercial supply at the licensee’s discretion are generally considered as options. The Company assesses if these options provide a material right to the licensee and if so, they are accounted for as separate performance obligations. Concentration of Credit Risk. The Company does not currently have any of its own manufacturing facilities, and therefore it depends on an outsourced manufacturing strategy for the production of INGREZZA for commercial use and for the production of its product candidates for clinical trials. The Company has contracts in place with one third-party manufacturer that is approved for the commercial production of INGREZZA’s capsules at 2 separate sites and one third-party manufacturer that is approved for the production of INGREZZA’s active pharmaceutical ingredient. Although there are potential sources of supply other than the Company’s existing suppliers, any new supplier would be required to qualify under applicable regulatory requirements. The Company has entered into distribution agreements with a limited number of SPs and SDs, and all of the Company’s product sales are to these customers. The Company’s 3 largest customers represented 93% of the Company’s product revenue for the year ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 and substantially all of the Company’s accounts receivable balance at December 31, 2018 and 2017. Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash, cash equivalents, investments, and accounts receivables. The Company established guidelines to limit its exposure to credit risk by placing investments with high credit quality financial institutions, diversifying its investment portfolio and placing investments with maturities that maintain safety and liquidity. Cost of Sales. Cost of sales includes third-party manufacturing, transportation, freight, and indirect overhead costs associated with the manufacture and distribution of INGREZZA, sales-based license costs on AbbVie net sales of ORILISSA, as defined in the Company’s agreement with AbbVie, and period costs resulting from certain inventory manufacturing services and variances and adjustment charges. A portion of the costs associated with the manufacture of INGREZZA sold to date was expensed as R&D prior to the FDA’s approval of INGREZZA and is therefore excluded from cost of sales during this period. Research and Development Expenses. R&D expenses consist primarily of salaries, payroll taxes, employee benefits, and share-based compensation charges for those individuals involved in ongoing research and development efforts; as well as scientific consulting fees, preclinical and clinical trial costs, R&D facilities costs, laboratory supply costs, and depreciation of scientific equipment. All such costs are charged to R&D expense as incurred. These expenses result from the Company’s independent R&D efforts, as well as efforts associated with collaborations, in-licenses, and third-party funded research arrangements. Advertising Expense. In connection with the FDA approval and commercial launch of INGREZZA in April 2017, the Company began to incur advertising costs, which are expensed when services are performed, or goods are delivered. The Company incurred advertising costs related to its marketed product, INGREZZA, of $20.5 million in 2018 and $10.1 million in 2017. Share-Based Compensation. The Company grants stock options to purchase its common stock to eligible employees and directors and also grants certain employees restricted stock units (RSUs) and performance-based restricted stock units (PRSUs). Additionally, the Company allows employees to participate in an employee stock purchase plan (ESPP). The Company estimates the fair value of stock options and shares to be issued under the ESPP using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model on the date of grant. Restricted stock units are valued based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. The fair value of equity instruments expected to vest are recognized and amortized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the award, which is generally 3 to 4 years; however, certain provisions in the Company’s equity compensation plans provide for shorter vesting periods under certain circumstances. The fair value of shares to be issued under the ESPP are recognized and amortized on a straight-line basis over the purchase period, which is generally 6 months. Additionally, the Company granted certain PRSUs that vest upon the achievement of certain pre-defined company-specific performance-based criteria. Expense related to these PRSUs is generally recognized ratably over the expected performance period once the pre-defined performance-based criteria for vesting becomes probable. Net Income (Loss) Per Share. Basic net income (loss) per share is computed using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net income per share is computed using the weighted average number of common and potentially dilutive shares outstanding during the period, including the potentially dilutive shares resulting from the conversion of the 2024 Notes, and excluding the effect of stock options and restricted stock outstanding for periods when their effect is anti-dilutive, using the treasury stock method. Convertible debt instruments that may be settled entirely or partly in cash (such as the 2024 Notes) may, in certain circumstances where the borrower has the ability and intent to settle in cash, be accounted for under the treasury stock method. The Company issued the 2024 Notes with a combination settlement feature, which the Company has the ability and intent to use upon conversion of the notes, to settle the principal amount of debt for cash and the excess of the principal portion in shares of its common stock. As a result, of the approximately 6.8 million shares underlying the 2024 Notes, only the shares required to settle the excess of the principal portion would be considered dilutive under the treasury stock method. Further, approximately 0.3 million PRSUs have been excluded from the calculation of diluted net income per share as the performance condition has not been achieved. In loss periods, basic net loss per share and diluted net loss per share are identical because the otherwise dilutive potential common shares become anti-dilutive and are therefore excluded. Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements. In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Account Standards Update (ASU) No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)”, which supersedes all existing revenue recognition requirements, including most industry-specific guidance. This new standard amends the guidance for the recognition of revenue from contracts with customers to transfer goods and services. The FASB subsequently issued additional, clarifying standards to address issues arising from implementation of the new revenue recognition standard. The Company adopted this standard on January 1, 2018, using the modified retrospective method, and applied the standard only to contracts that were not completed prior to January 1, 2018. The adoption of the new revenue standard did not change the Company’s revenue recognition. As the Company did not identify any accounting changes that impacted the amount of reported revenues with respect to product revenues, or revenue from collaboration and license agreements, no adjustment to retained earnings was required upon adoption. In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash”, which clarifies the presentation of restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in the statements of cash flows. Under this ASU, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents are included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning and end-of-period total amounts presented on the statements of cash flows. This ASU is intended to reduce diversity in practice in the classification and presentation of changes in restricted cash on the statement of cash flows. This ASU requires that the statement of cash flows explain the change in total cash and equivalents and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning and end-of-period total amounts. This ASU also requires a reconciliation between the total of cash and equivalents and restricted cash presented on the statement of cash flows and the cash and equivalents balance presented on the balance sheet. This amended guidance was retrospectively adopted on January 1, 2018 and requires that cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash reported on the consolidated statements of cash flows now includes restricted cash of $5.5 million as of December 31, 2018 and $4.5 million as of December 31, 2017, as well as previously reported cash and cash equivalents. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)”, which requires lessees to recognize leases on the balance sheet and disclose key information about leasing arrangements. Topic 842 establishes a right-of-use (ROU) model that requires a lessee to recognize a ROU asset and lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases with a term longer than 12 months. Topic 842 also requires disclosures to meet the objective of enabling users of financial statements to assess the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. Topic 842 is effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2019, using a modified retrospective approach, with early adoption permitted. An entity may choose to use either the effective date or the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements as the date of initial application. The Company expects to adopt Topic 842 on January 1, 2019, using a modified retrospective approach, and to choose the effective date as the date of initial application. Consequently, financial information will not be updated, and the disclosures required under Topic 842 will not be provided for dates and periods prior to January 1, 2019. Topic 842 provides a number of optional practical expedients and accounting policy elections. The Company expects to elect the package of practical expedients requiring no reassessment of whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain leases, the lease classification of any expired or existing leases, or initial direct costs for any existing leases. Further, the Company expects to elect accounting policies not to apply the recognition requirements under Topic 842 to any of the Company’s short-term leases, instead recognizing the lease payments in profit or loss on a straight-line basis over the lease term, and to account for each separate lease and associated nonlease components as a single lease component for all of its leases. The Company expects Topic 842 will have a material effect on its consolidated balance sheets. However, the Company does not expect Topic 842 will have a material effect on its consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss) or consolidated statements of cash flows. While the Company continues to assess all of the effects of adoption, the most significant effects relate to (1) the recognition of right-of-use (ROU) assets of approximately $49 million and lease liabilities of approximately $69 million, primarily resulting from leases of office and laboratory space; (2) the recognition of an existing deferred gain on a sale of real estate of approximately $8 million as a cumulative-effect adjustment to equity; (3) the derecognition of deferred rent of approximately $20 million for certain lease incentives received; and (4) significant new disclosure requirements. In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-07, “Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting”, which expands the scope of Topic 718 to include share-based payment transactions for acquiring goods and services from nonemployees and applies to all share-based payment transactions in which a grantor acquires goods or services to be used or consumed in a grantor’s own operations by issuing share-based payment awards. This ASU does not apply to share-based payments used to effectively provide financing to the issuer or awards granted in conjunction with selling goods or services to customers as part of a contract accounted for under Topic 606. This update is effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within that fiscal year. The Company does not expect this update will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. |