NOTE 2—SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of presentation—The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP codified in the Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) and Accounting Standards Updates (“ASU”) of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”).

Going concern— The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the basis that the Company will continue as a going concern. The Company had net loss of approximately $54.8 million and $72.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. In addition, the Company has a significant amount of notes payable and other obligations due within the next twelve months and is projecting that its operating losses and expected capital needs, including the expected costs relating to the commercialization of Endari®, will exceed its existing cash balances and cash expected to be generated from operations for the foreseeable future. In order to meet the Company’s expected obligations, the Company will need to raise additional funds through equity and debt financings or licensing or other strategic agreements. The Company has no understanding or arrangement for any additional financing, and there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to complete any additional equity or debt financings on favorable terms, or at all, or enter into licensing or other strategic arrangements. Due to the uncertainty of the Company’s ability to meet its current operating and capital expenses, there is substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, as the continuation and expansion of its business is dependent upon obtaining further financing, successful and sufficient market acceptance of its products, and achieving a profitable level of operations. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of these uncertainties.

Principles of consolidation—The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company (and EMI Holding and its wholly‑owned subsidiary, Emmaus Medical Inc., and Emmaus Medical, Inc’s wholly‑owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated.

Estimates—Financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP require management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Significant assumptions made by management include those relating to revenue recognition on product sales, the estimated useful lives of equipment, impairment of assets, the variables used to calculate the valuation of conversion features, stock options and warrants, and estimated accruals on an ongoing basis. The Company’ base’s its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that management believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ from those estimates under different assumptions or conditions. To the extent there are material differences between these estimates and actuals, the Company’s financial statements will be affected.

Revenue recognition— Effective January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers using the modified retrospective transition methods. The adoption of ASC 606 did not have a material impact on the measurement or on the recognition of revenue of contracts for which all revenue had not been recognized as of January 1, 2018, therefore no cumulative adjustment has been made to the opening balance of accumulated deficit at the beginning of 2018. Since January 2018, the Company has generated revenues primarily through the sale of Endari® as a treatment for SCD.

Net revenues from Endari® sales are recognized upon transfer to our distributors and specialty pharmacy providers. Distributors resell our products to other pharmacy and specialty pharmacy providers, health care providers, hospitals, and clinics. In addition to agreements with these distributors, we enter into contractual arrangements with specialty pharmacy providers, in-office dispensing providers, physician group purchasing organizations, pharmacy benefits managers and government entities that provide for government-mandated or privately negotiated rebates, chargebacks and discounts with respect to the purchase of our products. These various discounts, rebates, and chargebacks are referred to as “variable consideration.” Revenue from product sales is recorded net of variable consideration.

Under ASC 606, the Company recognizes revenue when its customers obtain control of the Company's product, which typically occurs on delivery. Revenue is recognized in an amount that reflects the consideration that the Company expects to receive in exchange for the product, or transaction price. To determine revenue recognition for contracts with customers within the scope of ASC 606, the Company performs the following 5 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 Company’s performance obligations in the contract; and (v) recognize revenue when (or as) the Company satisfies the relevant performance obligations.

Revenue from product sales is recorded at the transaction price, net of estimates for variable consideration consisting of sales discounts, returns, government rebates, chargebacks and commercial discounts. Variable consideration is estimated using the expected-value amount method, which is the sum of probability-weighted amounts in a range of possible transaction prices. Actual variable consideration may differ from the Company's estimates. If actual results vary from the Company's estimates, the Company adjusts the variable consideration in the period such variances become known, which would affect net revenues in that period. The following are our significant categories of variable consideration:

Sales Discounts: The Company provides its customers prompt payment discounts and from time to time offers additional one-time discounts that are recorded as a reduction of revenues in the period the revenues are recognized.

Product Returns: The Company offers its distributors a right to return product purchased directly from the Company, which is principally based upon (i) overstocks, (ii) inactive product or non-moving product due to market conditions, and (iii) expired products. Product return allowances are estimated and recorded at the time of sale.

Government Rebates: The Company is subject to discount obligations under state Medicaid programs and the Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage gap program. The Company’s management estimates Medicaid and Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage gap rebates based upon a range of possible outcomes that are probability-weighted for the estimated payor mix. These reserves are recorded in the same period the related revenues are recognized, resulting in a reduction of product revenues and the establishment of a current liability that is included as an accounts payable and accrued expenses in our balance sheet. The liability for these rebates consists primarily of estimates of claims expected to be received in future periods related to recognized revenues.

Chargebacks and Discounts: Chargebacks for fees and discounts represent the estimated obligations resulting from contractual commitments to sell products to certain specialty pharmacy providers, in-office dispensing providers, group purchasing organizations, and government entities at prices lower than the list prices charged to distributors. The distributors charge the Company for the difference between what they pay for the products and the Company’s contracted selling price to these specialty pharmacy providers, in-office dispensing providers, group purchasing organizations, and government entities. In addition, we have contractual agreements with pharmacy benefit managers who charge us for rebates and administrative fee in connection with the utilization of product. These reserves are established in the same period that the related revenues are recognized, resulting in a reduction of revenues. Chargeback amounts are generally determined at the time of resale of products by the distributors.

Leases — The Company adopted ASU 2016-02 – Leases (Topic 842) (“ASC 842”) as of January 1, 2019. Pursuant to ASC 842, all of the Company’s leases outstanding on January 1, 2019 continued to be classified as operating leases. With the adoption of ASU 2016-02, the Company recorded a right-of-use asset and an operating lease liability on our balance sheet. Right-of-use assets represent our right to use the underlying asset during the lease term and the operating lease liabilities represent the Company commitment to make lease payments arising from the lease. Right-of-use assets and operating lease liabilities 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, the Company has 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.

Cash and cash equivalents—Cash and cash equivalents include short‑term securities with original maturities of less than ninety days. The Company maintains its cash and cash equivalents at insured financial institutions, the balances of which may, at times, exceed federally insured limits. Management believes that the risk of loss due to the concentrations is minimal.

Accounts Receivable— Accounts receivables are primarily due from product sales to customers. The Company makes judgements as to its ability to collect outstanding receivables and provides an allowance for receivables when collection becomes doubtful. Provisions are made based upon a specific review of all significant outstanding invoices and the quality and age of those invoices. The Company believes the credit risks associated with its customers are not significant.

Inventories—Inventories are valued based on first‑in, first‑out and at the lesser of cost or net realizable value. Work‑in‑process inventories consist of L‑glutamine for the Company’s products that has not yet been packaged and labeled for sale. All raw material purchases during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 were from one vendor.

Prepaid expenses and other current assets— Prepaid expenses and other current assets consist primarily of cost paid for future services or refunds from vendors which will occur within a year. Prepaid expenses include prepayment in insurance, subscription services, consulting and other services which are being amortized over the contract terms or recognized upon services are performed.

Property and equipment— Equipment, Furniture and fixtures are recorded at historical cost and amortized on a straight‑line basis over their estimated useful lives of five to seven years. Leasehold improvements are recorded at historical cost and amortized on a straight‑line basis over the shorter of their estimated useful lives or the lease terms. Maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred, while major additions and improvements are capitalized. Gains and losses on disposition are included in other income (expenses), if any.

Impairment of long‑lived assets—The Company evaluates the carrying value of its long‑lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that such carrying values may not be recoverable. The Management uses its best judgment based on the current facts and circumstances relating to the Company’s business when determining whether any significant impairment factors exist.

If the Company determines that the carrying values of long‑lived assets may not be recoverable based upon the existence of one or more indicators of impairment, the Company performs an undiscounted cash flow analysis to determine if impairment exists. If impairment exists, the Company measures the impairment based on the difference between the asset’s carrying amount and its fair value, and the impairment is charged to the consolidated statement of operations in the period in which the long‑lived asset impairment is determined to have occurred. No impairment existed as of December 31, 2019 and 2018.

Research and development—Research and development consists of expenditures for the research and development of new products and technologies, which primarily involve contract research, payroll‑related expenses and other related supplies. Research and development costs are expensed as incurred.

Share‑based compensation—The Company recognizes compensation cost for share‑based compensation awards over the service term of the recipients of the share‑based awards. The fair value of share‑based compensation is calculated using the Black‑Scholes‑Merton pricing model. The Black‑Scholes‑Merton model requires subjective assumptions regarding future stock price volatility and expected time to exercise, which greatly affect the calculated values. The expected term of awards granted is calculated using the simplified method allowed under the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Staff Accounting Bulletin Nos. 107 and 110. The risk‑free rate selected to value any grant is based on the U.S. Treasury rate on the grant date that corresponds to the expected term of the award. Prior to the Merger, the Company common stock was not publicly traded. Therefore, the expected volatility was based on the historical volatility of common stock of comparable publicly traded companies.

Income taxes—The Company accounts for income taxes under the asset and liability method, wherein deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to the 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 the enactment occurs. A valuation allowance is provided for certain deferred tax assets if it is more likely than not that the Company will not realize tax assets through the generation of future taxable income for the related jurisdictions.

When tax returns are filed, it is highly probable that some positions taken would be sustained upon examination by the taxing authorities, while others are subject to uncertainty about the merits of the position taken or the amount of the position that would be ultimately sustained. The benefit of a tax position is recognized in the financial statements in the period during which, based on all available evidence, management believes it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained upon examination, including the resolution of appeals or litigation processes, if any. Tax positions taken are not offset or aggregated with other positions. Tax positions that meet the more‑likely‑than‑not recognition threshold are recorded at the largest amount of tax benefit that is more than 50 percent likely of being realized upon examination by the applicable taxing authority. The portion of the benefits associated with tax positions taken that exceeds the amount measured as described above is reflected as a liability for unrecognized tax benefits along with any associated interest and penalties that would be payable to the taxing authorities upon examination.                                 

As of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company had no unrecognized tax benefits, and the Company had no positions which, in the opinion of management, would be reversed if challenged by a taxing authority. In the event the Company is assessed interest and/or penalties, such amounts will be classified as income tax expense in the financial statements.

Comprehensive income (loss)—Comprehensive income (loss) includes net loss and other comprehensive income (loss) relating to foreign translation adjustments of the Company’s subsidiaries.

Marketable securities— The Company to measure all equity investments that do not result in consolidation and are not accounted for under the equity method at fair value and recognize any changes in earnings. The Company uses quoted market prices to determine the fair value of equity securities with readily determinable fair values. For equity securities without readily determinable fair values, the Company has elected the measurement alternative under which the Company measures these investments at cost minus impairment, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer. Management assesses each of these investments on an individual basis. Additionally, on a quarterly basis, management is required to make a qualitative assessment of whether the investment is impaired; however, the Company is not required to determine the fair value of these investments unless impairment indicators existed. When impairment indicators exist, the Company generally uses discounted cash flow analyses to determine the fair value.

Equity Method Investment – The Company owns 40% of the capital shares of EJ Holdings. A variable interest entity (“VIE”) such as EJ Holdings is to be consolidated by its primary beneficiary if the Company has both a) the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and b) the obligation to absorb losses of, or the right to receive benefits from, the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE. The Company determined that it does not meet the power criterion for consolidating EJ Holdings and, accordingly, accounts for its variable interest in EJ Holdings under the equity method. See Note 6 for additional details.    

Foreign Currency Translation—The Company’s reporting currency is the U.S. dollar. The functional currencies of its foreign subsidiaries are the primary currencies within the counties in which they operate. Assets and liabilities of their operations are translated into U.S. dollars at period‑end exchange rates, and revenues, if any, and expenses are translated into U.S. dollars at average exchange rates in effect during each reporting period. Adjustments resulting from the translation are reported in other comprehensive income or loss.

Financial Instruments—Financial instruments included in the financial statements are comprised of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, investment in marketable securities, marketable securities pledged to creditor, long-term investment at cost, accounts receivable, note receivable, warrant derivative liabilities, accounts payable, certain accrued liabilities, convertible notes payable, notes payable, conversion feature liabilities and other contingent liabilities. The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued liabilities approximate their fair values due to the short‑term nature of those instruments.

Fair value measurements—The Company defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Company measures fair value under a framework that provides a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are described as follows:

Level 1: Inputs to the valuation methodology are unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets.

Level 2: Inputs to the valuation methodology include:

Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets;

Quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in inactive markets;

Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability;

Inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means.

If the asset or liability has a specified (contractual) term, the Level 2 inputs must be observable for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.

Level 3: Inputs to the valuation methodology are unobservable and significant to the fair value measurement.

The asset’s or liability’s fair value measurement level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Valuation techniques used need to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. The carrying values of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivables, other current assets, account payable and accrued expenses and revolving line of credit approximate fair value due to the short-term maturity of those instruments. The fair value assigned to marketable securities is determined by obtaining quoted prices on nationally recognized securities exchanges and are classified as Level 1 investments as of December 31, and. The fair value of the Company’s debt instruments is not materially different from their carrying values as presented. The fair value of the Company’s convertible debt instruments was determined based on Level 2 inputs. The carrying value of the debt was discounted based on allocating proceeds to other financial instruments within the arrangement as discussed in Note 8.

Beneficial conversion features of convertible notes payable - The convertible feature of certain notes payable provides for a conversion rate that is below market value. Such feature is normally characterized as a Beneficial Conversion Feature or BCF. The Company measures the estimated fair value of the BCF when the conversion feature is not required to be separately accounted from the notes payable. The value of BCF is recorded as a discount from the face amount of the notes and amortized to interest expense over the term of the notes.

Net loss per share—In accordance with ASC 260, “Earnings per Share,” the basic loss per common share is computed by dividing net loss available to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding. Dilutive loss per share is computed in a manner similar to the basic loss per common share except that the denominator is increased to include the number of additional common shares that would have been outstanding if the potential common shares had been issued and if the additional common shares were dilutive. As of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, there were 12,933,664 shares and 17,406,715 shares, respectively of potentially dilutive securities outstanding. None of the potentially dilutive securities were included in the calculation of diluted loss per share since their effect would be anti‑dilutive for all periods presented.

Segment reporting—The Company operates in one reportable segment.

Recent accounting pronouncements— In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13—Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, which represents a new credit loss standard that will change the impairment model for most financial assets and certain other financial instruments. Specifically, this guidance will require entities to utilize a new “expected loss” model as it relates to trade and other receivables. In addition, entities will be required to recognize an allowance for estimated credit losses on available-for-sale debt securities, regardless of the length of time that a security has been in an unrealized loss position. This guidance was effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those annual reporting periods. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is evaluating the impact of this new standard on its financial statements and related disclosures.

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 this Update removes some disclosures, modifies 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 assessing the impact the adoption of ASU 2018-13 will have on its consolidated financial statements and accompanying footnote disclosures.