Principles of consolidation—The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company (and its wholly‑owned subsidiary, Emmaus Medical, Inc. and Emmaus Medical, Inc.’s wholly‑owned subsidiaries, Newfield Nutrition Corp., Emmaus Medical Japan, Inc. (“EMJ”), Emmaus Life Sciences, Co. Ltd (“ELSK”) and Emmaus Medical Europe, Ltd (“EM Europe”)). All significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated.

The Company also consolidates EJ Holdings, Inc., a Japanese corporation as a variable interest entity (VIE) on the basis that the Company is a 40% shareholder and the primary beneficiary of the VIE. The Company is deemed to be the primary beneficiary of the VIE if it has both (a) the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly affect the VIE’s economic performance and (b) the obligation to absorb losses of the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE.

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements requires the use of management estimates that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses for the reported period. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

Leases — As described below under "Recent accounting pronouncements,” we adopted ASU 2016-02 – Leases (Topic 842) (“ASU 2016-02”) as of January 1, 2019. Pursuant to ASU 2016-02, all of our leases outstanding on January 1, 2019 continued to be classified as operating leases. With the adoption of ASU 2016-02, we recorded an operating lease right-of-use asset and an operating lease liability on our balance sheet. Right-of-use lease assets represent our right to use the underlying asset during the lease term and the lease obligation represents our commitment to make lease payments arising from the lease. Right-of-use lease assets and obligations were recognized based on the present value of remaining lease payments over the lease term. As the Company’s leases do not provide an implicit rate, we have used an estimated incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at our adoption date in determining the present value of lease payments. Operating lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Variable lease costs such as common area costs and other operating costs are expensed as incurred. For all lease agreements, we combine lease and non-lease components. No right-of-use asset and related lease liability are recorded for leases with an initial term of 12 months or less.

Prior to our adoption of ASU 2016-02, when our lease agreements contained tenant improvement allowances and rent escalation clauses, we recorded a deferred rent asset or liability equal to the difference between the rent expense and the future minimum lease payments due. The lease expense related to operating leases was recognized on a straight-line basis in the statements of operations over the term of each lease. In cases where the lessor granted us leasehold improvement allowances, we capitalized the improvements as incurred and recognized it over the shorter of the lease term or the expected useful life of the improvements.

Marketable securities— The Company’s marketable securities as of December 31, 2018 consisted of the following; (a) 39,250 shares of capital stock of CellSeed, Inc., a Japanese Corporation (“CellSeed”) acquired in January 2009 at ¥680 JPY per share ($7.69 USD), which all shares were sold in June, 2019 for cash proceed of approximately $221,000; and (b) 6,643,559 shares of capital stock of Telcon RF Pharmaceutical, Inc., a Korean corporation (formerly, Telcon Inc. and herein “Telcon”) which were acquired in July 2017 for ₩36,001,446,221 KRW (equivalent to $31.8 million USD) at ₩5,419 KRW per share.

As of June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the closing prices per Telcon share on the Korean Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (“KOSDAQ”) were ₩5,730 ($4.95 USD) and ₩8,280 KRW ($7.43 USD), respectively.  As of December 31, 2018, the closing price per CellSeed share on the Tokyo Stock Exchange was ¥668 JPY ($6.07 USD),

As of June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, all shares of Telcon common stock were pledged to secure our obligations under the revised API agreement with Telcon.

As of  December 31, 2018, the 39,250 shares of CellSeed common stock were pledged to secure a $300,000 convertible note of the Company issued to Mitsubishi UFJ Capital III Limited Partnership that was due on demand and were classified as marketable securities, pledged to creditor in our balance sheet.

Other long-term liabilities—Other long-term liabilities consisted of the following at June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018 (in thousands):

On June 12, 2017, the Company entered into an API Supply Agreement (the “API Agreement”) with Telcon pursuant to which Telcon advanced to the Company approximately ₩36.0 billion KRW (approximately $31.8 million USD) in consideration for the right to supply 25% of the Company’s requirements for bulk containers of pharmaceutical grade L-glutamine (“PGLG”). The advance was accounted for a trade discount. See to Note 10 for additional details.

Debt and related party debt — The following table presents the effective interest rates on loans originated and refinanced in the respective periods that either had a beneficial conversion feature or an attached warrant (in thousands except for the number of warrants issued with note):

Related party notes are reflected as a separate line items in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.

Recent accounting pronouncements—In January 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-01, Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities. The ASU amendments applicable to the Company (1) supersede the guidance to classify equity securities, except equity method securities, with readily determinable fair values into trading or available-for-sale categories and require equity securities to be measured at fair value with changes in the fair value recognized through net income, (2) allow equity investments that do not have readily determinable fair values to be remeasured at fair value either upon the occurrence of an observable price change or upon identification of an impairment, (3) require assessment for impairment of equity investments without readily determinable fair values qualitatively at each reporting period, (4) eliminate the requirement to disclose the methods and significant assumptions used in calculating the fair value of financial instruments required to be disclosed for financial instruments measured at amortized cost on the balance sheet, (5) require public business entities to use the exit price notion when measuring the fair value of financial instruments for disclosure purposes, (6) require separate presentation of financial assets and financial liabilities by measurement category and form of financial asset (that is, securities or loans and receivables) on the balance sheet or the accompanying notes to the financial statements, (7) clarify that an entity should evaluate the need for a valuation allowance on a deferred tax asset related to available-for-sale securities in combination with the entity’s other deferred tax assets. This ASU was effective beginning January 1, 2018. Since then, the Company has recognized any changes in the fair value of certain equity investments in net income as prescribed by the new standard rather than in other comprehensive income. The Company recognized a cumulative effect adjustment to increase the opening balance of retained earnings as of January 1, 2018 by $41.4 million, net of $12.3 million income tax benefit. Refer to Note 5 for additional disclosures required by this ASU.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases. The amendments in this Update require a lessee to recognize in the statement of financial position a liability to make lease payments (the lease liability) and a right-of-use asset representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term for all leases with terms greater than twelve months. For leases less than twelve months, an entity is permitted to make an accounting policy election by class of underlying asset not to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities. If a lessee makes this election, it should recognize lease expense for such leases generally on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The amendments in this Update are effective for the Company for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those years, with early adoption permitted. Additionally, in July 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements and ASU No. 2018-10 Codification Improvements to Topic 842, Leases with certain targeted changes and improvements to previously issued lease accounting standard. The Company recognized operating lease liabilities of approximately $3.2 million and a right-of-use asset of approximately $2.9 million, derecognized deferred rent of approximately $286,000 and recognized the cumulative effect adjustment to increase the opening balance of accumulated deficit as of January 1, 2019 by approximately $29,000. We did not restate any financial information prior to January 1, 2019. Refer to Note 9 for additional disclosures required by this ASU.

In April 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-10, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing (“ASU 2016-10”). The amendments in ASU 2016-10 clarify identification of performance obligations and licensing implementation. The amendments do not change the core principle of the guidance in Topic 606. The effective date and transition requirements for the amendments are the same as the effective date and transition requirements in Topic 606. For public companies, this Update is effective for annual periods, including interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company adopted the new revenue standard as of January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective transition method. The adoption of ASU 2016-10 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements; however, adoption did result in significant changes to the Company’s financial statement notes.

In July 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-11, Earnings Per Share (Topic 260) Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (Topic 480) Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): I. Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Down Round Features, II. Replacement of the Indefinite Deferral for Mandatorily Redeemable Financial Instruments of Certain Nonpublic Entities and Certain Mandatorily Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests with a Scope Exception (“ASU 2017-11”). The amendments in this guidance intended to reduce the complexity associated with the issuer’s accounting for certain financial instruments with characteristics of liabilities and equity. Specifically, the Board determined that a down round feature (as defined) would no longer cause a freestanding equity-linked financial instrument (or an embedded conversion option) to be accounted for as a derivative liability at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in current earnings. In addition, the Board re-characterized the indefinite deferral of certain provisions of Topic 480 to a scope exception. The re-characterization has no accounting effect. Down round features will no longer cause freestanding equity-linked financial instruments and embedded conversion options to be considered “not indexed to an entity’s own stock.” ASU 2017-11 is effective for public business entities for fiscal year beginning after December 15, 2018. All others have an additional year. Early adoption is permitted for all entities, including in an interim period. Entities may use the retrospective or modified retrospective transition method. The Company early adopted this ASU without a material impact on previously recorded balances on its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-02, Income Statement – Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (“ASU 2018-02”). ASU 2018-02 allows a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Consequently, the amendments eliminate the stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and will improve the usefulness of information reported to financial statement users. However, because the amendments only relate to the reclassification of the income tax effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the underlying guidance that requires that the effect of a change in tax laws or rates be included in income from continuing operations is not affected. ASU 2018-02 also requires certain disclosures about stranded tax effects. ASU 2018-02 is effective for all entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. ASU 2018-02 should be applied either in the period of adoption or retrospectively to each period (or periods) in which the effect of the change in the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is recognized. The adoption of ASU 2018-02 does not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-03, Technical Corrections and Improvements to Financial Instruments—Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities (“ASU 2018-03”). The amendments in ASU 2018-03 (1) clarify that an entity measuring an equity security using the measurement alternative may change its measurement approach to a fair value method in accordance with Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement, through an irrevocable election that would apply to that security and all identical or similar investments of the same issuer, (2) clarify that the adjustments made under the measurement alternative are intended to reflect the fair value of the security as of the date that the observable transaction for a similar security took place, (3) clarify that remeasuring the entire value of forward contracts and purchased options is required when observable transactions occur on the underlying equity securities, (4) clarify that when the fair value option is elected for a financial liability, the guidance in paragraph 825-10- 45-5 should be applied, regardless of whether the fair value option was elected under either Subtopic 815-15, Derivatives and Hedging— Embedded Derivatives, or 825- 10, Financial Instruments— Overall, (5) clarify that for financial liabilities for which the fair value option is elected, the amount of change in fair value that relates to the instrument specific credit risk should first be measured in the currency of denomination when presented separately from the total change in fair value of the financial liability, and then both components of the change in the fair value of the liability should be remeasured into the functional currency of the reporting entity using end-of-period spot rates, (6) clarify that the prospective transition approach for equity securities without a readily determinable fair value in the amendments in ASU 2016-01 is meant only for instances in which the measurement alternative is applied. For public business entities, ASU 2018-03 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years beginning after June 15, 2018. Public business entities with fiscal years beginning between December 15, 2017, and June 15, 2018, are not required to adopt these amendments until the interim period beginning after June 15, 2018, and public business entities with fiscal years beginning between June 15, 2018, and December 15, 2018, are not required to adopt these amendments before adopting the amendments in ASU 2016-01. The impact of the adoption of the amendments in ASU 2018-03 depends on the amount of equity securities and financial instruments subject to the amendments in this Update held by the Company at the time of adoption. The adoption of ASU 2018-03 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-07, Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting (“ASU 2018-07”), which supersedes ASC 505-05 and expands the scope of ASC 718 to include all share-based payment arranges related to the acquisition of goods and services from both nonemployees and employees. As a result, most of the guidance in ASC 718 associated with employee share-based payments, including most of its requirements related to classification and measurement, applies to nonemployee share-based payment arrangements. ASC 2018-07 is effective for all entities for fiscal year beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal year, with early adoption permitted but no earlier than the date on which an entity adopts ASC 606. The adoption of ASU 2018-07 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement (“ASU 2018-13”), which changes the fair value measurement disclosure requirements of ASC 820. The amendments in ASU 2018-13 remove some disclosures, modify others, and add some new disclosure requirements. The amendments in this ASU are effective for all entities for fiscal years, and interim period within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019 with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently assessing the impact the adoption of ASU 2018-13 will have on its consolidated financial statements and accompanying footnote disclosures.

In October 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-17, Consolidation (Topic 810) Targeted Improvements to Related Party guidance for Variable Interest Entities (“ASU 2018-17”), which amends two aspects of the related-party guidance in ASC 810. Specifically, ASU 2018-17 (1) adds an elective private-company scope exception to the variable interest entity guidance for entities under common control and (2) removes a sentence in ASC 810-10-55-37D regarding the evaluation of fees paid to decision makers to conform with the amendments in ASU 2016-17, Interest Held Through Related Parties That Are Under Common Control. The amendments in ASU 2018-17 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2018-17 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.