Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Basis of Presentation	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Basis of Presentation	2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Basis of Presentation The accompanying interim consolidated financial statements and related disclosures as of September 30, 2018, and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 are unaudited and have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“GAAP”) and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for interim financial information. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. These interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Form 10-K”), filed with the SEC on March 28, 2018. The December 31, 2017 consolidated balance sheet included herein was derived from the audited financial statements as of that date but does not include all disclosures including notes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. Principles of Consolidation The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of GI Dynamics, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances are eliminated in consolidation. Use of Estimates The preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires the Company’s management to make estimates and judgments that may affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and the related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. On an ongoing basis, the Company’s management evaluates its estimates, including those related to revenue recognition, allowance for doubtful accounts, inventory valuation including reserves for excess and obsolete inventory, impairment of long-lived assets, income taxes including the valuation allowance for deferred tax assets, research and development, contingencies, valuation of warrant liabilities, estimates used to assess its ability to continue as a going concern and stock-based compensation. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. Changes in estimates are reflected in reported results in the period in which they become known. Cash and Cash Equivalents The Company considers all highly liquid investment instruments with an original maturity when purchased of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Investments qualifying as cash equivalents primarily consist of money market funds and have a carrying amount that approximates fair value. The amount of cash equivalents included in cash and cash equivalents was approximately $3.1 million at September 30, 2018 and $3.0 million at December 31, 2017, respectively. Inventory The Company states inventory at the lower of first-in, first-out cost or net realizable value. When capitalizing inventory, the Company considers factors such as status of regulatory approval, alternative use of inventory, and anticipated commercial use of the product. At September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the Company had a net inventory balance of $0. Property and Equipment Property and equipment, including leasehold improvements, are recorded at cost and are depreciated when placed in service using the straight-line method based on their estimated useful lives. Included in property and equipment are certain costs of software obtained for internal use. Costs incurred during the preliminary project stage are expensed as incurred, while costs incurred during the application development stage are capitalized and amortized over the estimated useful life of the software. The Company also capitalizes costs related to specific upgrades and enhancements when it is probable the expenditures will result in additional functionality. Maintenance and training costs related to software obtained for internal use are expensed as incurred. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the estimated useful life of the asset or the remaining lease term. Costs for capital assets not yet placed into service have been capitalized as construction in progress and will be depreciated in accordance with the above guidelines once placed into service. Maintenance and repair costs are expensed as incurred. The Company recorded a loss on disposal of $2 thousand in connection with the expiration of its office lease and the related leasehold improvements on April 13, 2018. Revenue Recognition Effective January 1, 2018, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2014-09”) using the modified retrospective method. ASU 2014-09 is a comprehensive revenue recognition standard that superseded nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance. Upon adoption, the Company discontinued revenue deferral under the sell-through model and commenced recording revenue upon delivery to distributors, net of estimated returns. Upon adoption of ASU 2014-09, there was no impact on the Company’s financial statements. The comparative financial information presented has not been restated and continues to be reported under the accounting standards in effect for those periods. Revenues include product sales, net of estimated returns. As of January 1, 2018, revenue is measured as the amount of consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for product transferred. Revenue is recognized when contractual performance obligations have been satisfied and control of the product has been transferred to the customer. In most cases, the Company has a single product delivery performance obligation. Product returns are estimated based on historical data and evaluation of current information. From January 1, 2018 to September 30, 2018, the Company did not enter into any revenue contracts with customers and did not recognize or defer any revenue related to new contracts. At September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the Company had deferred revenue of approximately $11 thousand. At December 31, 2017, following the notification by MHRA, the Company calculated an estimate for returns, reversed its revenue and recorded an accrued expense estimate of $0.2 million of product return related costs. Shipping and Handling Costs Shipping and handling costs are included in costs of revenue. Research and Development Costs Research and development costs are expensed when incurred. Research and development costs include costs of all basic research activities as well as other research, engineering, and technical effort required to develop a new product or service or make significant improvement to an existing product or manufacturing process. Research and development costs also include pre-approval regulatory and clinical trial expenses. Patent Costs The Company expenses as incurred all costs, including legal expenses, associated with obtaining patents until the patented technology becomes feasible. All costs incurred after the patented technology is feasible will be capitalized as an intangible asset. As of September 30, 2018, and December 31, 2017, no such costs had been capitalized. The Company expensed approximately $0.1 million and $0.3 of patent costs within general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Stock-Based Compensation The Company accounts for stock-based compensation in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 718, Stock Compensation (“ASC 718”), which requires that stock-based compensation be measured and recognized as an expense in the financial statements and that such expense be measured at the grant date fair value. For awards that vest based on service conditions, the Company uses the straight-line method to allocate compensation expense to reporting periods. The grant date fair value of options granted is calculated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, which requires the use of subjective assumptions including volatility, expected term and the fair value of the underlying common stock, among others. The Company periodically issues performance-based awards. For these awards, vesting will occur upon the achievement of certain milestones. When achievement of the milestone is deemed probable, the Company expenses the compensation of the respective awards over the implicit service period. Stock awards to non-employees are accounted for in accordance with ASC 505-50, Equity-Based Payments to Non-Employees (“ASC 505-50”). The measurement date for non-employee awards is generally the date performance of services required from the non-employee is complete. For non-employee awards that vest based on service conditions, the Company expenses the value of the awards over the related service period, provided they expect the service condition to be met. The Company records the expense of services rendered by non- employees based on the estimated fair value of the stock option using the Black-Scholes option pricing model over the contractual term of the non-employee. The fair value of unvested non-employee awards is remeasured at each reporting period and expensed over the vesting term of the underlying stock options on a straight-line basis. The Company adopted ASU No. 2016-09 Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting during the year ended December 31, 2017. The Company adjusted its accumulated deficit related to the accounting policy election to recognize the impact of share-based award forfeitures only as they occur rather than by applying an estimated forfeiture rate as previously required. ASU No. 2016-09 requires that this change be applied using a modified-retrospective transition method by means of a cumulative-effect adjustment to accumulated deficit as of the beginning of the fiscal year in which the guidance is adopted. As a result of this adoption, the Company recorded a decrease to accumulated deficit of approximately $28 thousand with an offset to Additional Paid in Capital as of January 1, 2018. The stock-based compensation plans provide that grantees may have the right to exercise an option prior to vesting. Shares purchased upon the exercise of unvested options will be subject to the same vesting schedule as the underlying options and are subject to repurchase at the original exercise price by the Company should the grantee discontinue providing services to the Company for any reason, prior to becoming fully vested in such shares. Impairment of Long-Lived Assets The Company regularly reviews the carrying amount of its long-lived assets to determine whether indicators of impairment may exist that warrant adjustments to carrying values or estimated useful lives. If indications of impairment exist, projected future undiscounted cash flows associated with the asset are compared to the carrying amount to determine whether the asset’s value is recoverable. If the carrying value of the asset exceeds such projected undiscounted cash flows, the asset will be written down to its estimated fair value. Loss Contingencies In accordance with ASC 450, Contingencies, the Company accrues anticipated costs of settlement, damages, and losses for loss contingencies based on historical experience or to the extent specific losses are probable and estimable. Otherwise, the Company expenses these costs as incurred. If the estimate of a probable loss is a range, and no amount within the range is more likely, the Company accrues the minimum amount of the range. Income Taxes The Company provides for income taxes under the liability method. The Company records deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the Company’s financial reporting and the tax bases of assets and liabilities measured using the enacted tax rates expected to be in effect in the years in which the differences are expected to reverse. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance to reflect the uncertainty associated with their ultimate realization. The Company accounts for uncertain tax positions recognized in the consolidated financial statements by applying a more-likely-than-not threshold for financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. Guarantees The Company has identified the guarantees described below as disclosable, in accordance with ASC 460, Guarantees. As permitted under Delaware law, the Company indemnifies its officers and directors for certain events or occurrences while the officer or director is, or was, serving at the Company’s request in such capacity. The maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make is unlimited; however, the Company has directors’ and officers’ insurance coverage that should limit its exposure and enable it to recover a portion of any future amounts paid. The Company is a party to a number of agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business that contain typical provisions that obligate the Company to indemnify the other parties to such agreements upon the occurrence of certain events. Such indemnification obligations are usually in effect from the date of execution of the applicable agreement for a period equal to the applicable statute of limitations. The aggregate maximum potential future liability of the Company under such indemnification provisions is uncertain. For the nine months ended September 30, 2018, and 2017, the Company had not experienced any material losses related to these indemnification obligations, and no material claims with respect thereto were outstanding. The Company does not expect significant claims related to these indemnification obligations and, consequently, concluded that the fair value of these obligations is negligible. As a result, no related reserves have been established. Issuance Costs Related to Equity and Debt The Company allocates issuance costs between the individual freestanding instruments identified on the same basis as proceeds were allocated. Issuance costs associated with the issuance of stock or equity contracts (i.e., equity-classified warrants and convertible preferred stock) are recorded as a charge against the gross proceeds of the offering. Any issuance costs associated with the issuance of liability-classified warrants are expensed as incurred. Issuance costs associated with the issuance of debt (i.e., convertible debt) is recorded as a direct reduction of the carrying amount of the debt liability but limited to the notional value of the debt. The Company accounts for debt as liabilities measured at amortized cost and amortizes the resulting debt discount to interest expense using the effective interest method over the expected term of the notes pursuant to ASC 835, Interest ("ASC 835"). To the extent that the reduction from issuance costs of the carrying amount of the debt liability would reduce the carrying amount below zero, such excess is recorded as interest expense. Embedded Conversion Features The Company evaluates embedded conversion features within convertible debt under ASC 815 “Derivatives and Hedging” to determine whether the embedded conversion feature(s) should be bifurcated from the host instrument and accounted for as a derivative at fair value with changes in fair value recorded in earnings. If the conversion feature does not require derivative treatment under ASC 815, the instrument is evaluated under ASC 470-20 “Debt with Conversion and Other Options.” Under the ASC 470-20, an entity must separately account for the liability and equity components of the convertible debt instruments that may be settled entirely or partially in cash upon conversion in a manner that reflects the issuer’s economic interest cost. The effect of ASC 470-20 on the accounting for our convertible debt instruments is that the equity component is required to be included in the additional paid-in capital section of stockholders’ equity on the consolidated balance sheets and the value of the equity component is treated as original issue discount for purposes of accounting for the debt component of the notes. As a result, we are required to record non-cash interest expense as a result of the amortization of the discounted carrying value of the convertible debt to their face amount over the term of the convertible debt. We report higher interest expense in our financial results because ASC 470-20 requires interest to include both the current period’s amortization of the debt discount and the instrument’s coupon interest. For conventional convertible debt where the rate of conversion is below market value, the Company records a "beneficial conversion feature" ("BCF") and related debt discount. When the Company records a BCF, the relative fair value of the BCF is recorded as a debt discount against the face amount of the respective debt instrument (offset to additional paid in capital) and amortized to interest expense over the life of the debt. Subsequent Events The Company evaluates events occurring after the date of its consolidated balance sheet for potential recognition or disclosure in its consolidated financial statements. There have been no subsequent events that occurred through the date the Company issued its consolidated financial statements that require disclosure in or adjustment to its consolidated financial statements. New Accounting Pronouncements From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the FASB or other standard setting bodies that are adopted by the Company as of the specified effective date. Unless otherwise discussed, the Company believes that the effect of recently issued standards that are not yet effective will not have a material effect on its consolidated financial position or results of operations upon adoption. In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09 (“ASU 2014-09”), Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in ASC Topic 605, Revenue Recognition, and most industry-specific guidance. The new standard requires that an entity recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. In July 2015, the FASB approved a one-year deferral of the effective date of this standard to annual reporting periods, and interim reporting periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company adopted this standard effective January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective method. The adoption of this guidance did not have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-11, Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory (“ASU 2015- 11”). ASU 2015-11, which simplifies the measurement of inventories valued under most methods, including the Company’s inventories valued under FIFO — the first-in, first-out cost method. Inventories valued under LIFO — the last-in, first-out method — are excluded. Under this new guidance, inventories valued under these methods would be valued at the lower of cost and net realizable value, with net realizable value defined as the estimated selling price less reasonable costs to sell the inventory. This guidance is effective for annual reporting beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within the year of adoption, with early application permitted. The Company adopted this standard on January 1, 2017. The adoption of this guidance did not have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, "Financial Instruments - Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities," which addresses the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of financial assets and liabilities. This ASU primarily affects the accounting for equity investments, financial liabilities under the fair value option and the presentation and disclosure requirements for financial instruments. In addition, this ASU clarifies the valuation allowance assessment when recognizing deferred tax assets resulting from unrealized losses on available-for-sale debt securities. This standard became effective on January 1, 2018. This standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures for the nine months ended September 30, 2018. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), or ASU 2016-02. ASU 2016-02 requires that lessees recognize in the statement of financial position for all leases (with the exception of short-term leases) a lease liability, which is a lessee’s obligation to make lease payments arising from a lease, measured on a discounted basis, and a right-of-use asset, which is an asset representing the lessee’s right to use the underlying asset for the lease term. ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. Lessees must apply a modified retrospective transition approach for leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements. The modified retrospective approach would not require any transition accounting for leases that expired before the earliest comparative period presented. Lessees may not apply a full retrospective transition approach. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting (“ASU 2016-09”). ASU 2016-09 will simplify the income tax consequences, accounting for forfeitures and classification on the statements of consolidated cash flows. ASU 2016-09 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods, with early adoption permitted. The Company elected to adopt ASU 2016-09 in the first quarter of 2017 retrospectively to January 1, 2017. As a result of adopting ASU No. 2016-09 during the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company adjusted its accumulated deficit related to the accounting policy election to recognize the impact of share-based award forfeitures only as they occur rather than by applying an estimated forfeiture rate as previously required. ASU No. 2016-09 requires that this change be applied using a modified-retrospective transition method by means of a cumulative-effect adjustment to accumulated deficit as of the beginning of the fiscal year in which the guidance is adopted. As a result of this adoption, the Company recorded a decrease to accumulated deficit of approximately $28 thousand with an offset to Additional Paid-in Capital as of January 1, 2017. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments (a consensus of the Emerging Issues Task Force), or ASU 2016-15. The amendments in ASU 2016-15 address eight specific cash flow issues and apply to all entities that are required to present a statement of cash flows under FASB Accounting Standards Codification 230, Statement of Cash Flows. The amendments in ASU 2016-15 are effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption during an interim period. We have evaluated the impact of ASU No. 2016-15 and noted it had no impact on our consolidated financial statements for the nine months ended September 30, 2018. In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issue Task Force), or ASU 2016-18. This new standard addresses the diversity that exists in the classification and presentation of changes in restricted cash on the statement of cash flows. The amendments in ASU 2016-18 require that a statement of cash flows explain the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents, and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. Therefore, amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within the year of adoption, with early adoption permitted. Our consolidated financial statements reflect this standard for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017. In July 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-11, “Earnings Per Share (ASC 260) Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (ASC 480) Derivatives and Hedging (ASC 815),” which addresses the complexity of accounting for certain financial instruments with down round features. Down round features are features of certain equity-linked instruments (or embedded features) that result in the strike price being reduced on the basis of the pricing of future equity offerings. Current accounting guidance creates cost and complexity for entities that issue financial instruments (such as warrants and convertible instruments) with down round features that require fair value measurement of the entire instrument or conversion option. For public business entities, the amendments in Part I of ASU 2017-11 are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company has chosen to early adopt this standard on April 1, 2018 with retroactive restatement of comparative periods. The Company has concluded that the retroactive provisions of ASU 2017-11 had no impact on the accounting for the Company’s previously outstanding warrant which had been issued to the warrant holder as stock compensation.

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Basis of Presentation

The accompanying interim consolidated financial statements and related disclosures as of September 30, 2018, and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 are unaudited and have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“GAAP”) and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for interim financial information. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. These interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Form 10-K”), filed with the SEC on March 28, 2018. The December 31, 2017 consolidated balance sheet included herein was derived from the audited financial statements as of that date but does not include all disclosures including notes required by GAAP for complete financial statements.

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of GI Dynamics, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances are eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires the Company’s management to make estimates and judgments that may affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and the related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. On an ongoing basis, the Company’s management evaluates its estimates, including those related to revenue recognition, allowance for doubtful accounts, inventory valuation including reserves for excess and obsolete inventory, impairment of long-lived assets, income taxes including the valuation allowance for deferred tax assets, research and development, contingencies, valuation of warrant liabilities, estimates used to assess its ability to continue as a going concern and stock-based compensation. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. Changes in estimates are reflected in reported results in the period in which they become known.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investment instruments with an original maturity when purchased of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Investments qualifying as cash equivalents primarily consist of money market funds and have a carrying amount that approximates fair value. The amount of cash equivalents included in cash and cash equivalents was approximately $3.1 million at September 30, 2018 and $3.0 million at December 31, 2017, respectively.

Inventory

The Company states inventory at the lower of first-in, first-out cost or net realizable value. When capitalizing inventory, the Company considers factors such as status of regulatory approval, alternative use of inventory, and anticipated commercial use of the product. At September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the Company had a net inventory balance of $0.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment, including leasehold improvements, are recorded at cost and are depreciated when placed in service using the straight-line method based on their estimated useful lives.

Included in property and equipment are certain costs of software obtained for internal use. Costs incurred during the preliminary project stage are expensed as incurred, while costs incurred during the application development stage are capitalized and amortized over the estimated useful life of the software. The Company also capitalizes costs related to specific upgrades and enhancements when it is probable the expenditures will result in additional functionality. Maintenance and training costs related to software obtained for internal use are expensed as incurred.

Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the estimated useful life of the asset or the remaining lease term. Costs for capital assets not yet placed into service have been capitalized as construction in progress and will be depreciated in accordance with the above guidelines once placed into service. Maintenance and repair costs are expensed as incurred. The Company recorded a loss on disposal of $2 thousand in connection with the expiration of its office lease and the related leasehold improvements on April 13, 2018.

Revenue Recognition

Effective January 1, 2018, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2014-09”) using the modified retrospective method. ASU 2014-09 is a comprehensive revenue recognition standard that superseded nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance. Upon adoption, the Company discontinued revenue deferral under the sell-through model and commenced recording revenue upon delivery to distributors, net of estimated returns. Upon adoption of ASU 2014-09, there was no impact on the Company’s financial statements. The comparative financial information presented has not been restated and continues to be reported under the accounting standards in effect for those periods.

Revenues include product sales, net of estimated returns. As of January 1, 2018, revenue is measured as the amount of consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for product transferred. Revenue is recognized when contractual performance obligations have been satisfied and control of the product has been transferred to the customer. In most cases, the Company has a single product delivery performance obligation. Product returns are estimated based on historical data and evaluation of current information.

From January 1, 2018 to September 30, 2018, the Company did not enter into any revenue contracts with customers and did not recognize or defer any revenue related to new contracts.

At September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the Company had deferred revenue of approximately $11 thousand.

At December 31, 2017, following the notification by MHRA, the Company calculated an estimate for returns, reversed its revenue and recorded an accrued expense estimate of $0.2 million of product return related costs.

Shipping and Handling Costs

Shipping and handling costs are included in costs of revenue.

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs are expensed when incurred. Research and development costs include costs of all basic research activities as well as other research, engineering, and technical effort required to develop a new product or service or make significant improvement to an existing product or manufacturing process.

Research and development costs also include pre-approval regulatory and clinical trial expenses.

Patent Costs

The Company expenses as incurred all costs, including legal expenses, associated with obtaining patents until the patented technology becomes feasible. All costs incurred after the patented technology is feasible will be capitalized as an intangible asset. As of September 30, 2018, and December 31, 2017, no such costs had been capitalized. The Company expensed approximately $0.1 million and $0.3 of patent costs within general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company accounts for stock-based compensation in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 718, Stock Compensation (“ASC 718”), which requires that stock-based compensation be measured and recognized as an expense in the financial statements and that such expense be measured at the grant date fair value.

For awards that vest based on service conditions, the Company uses the straight-line method to allocate compensation expense to reporting periods. The grant date fair value of options granted is calculated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, which requires the use of subjective assumptions including volatility, expected term and the fair value of the underlying common stock, among others.

The Company periodically issues performance-based awards. For these awards, vesting will occur upon the achievement of certain milestones. When achievement of the milestone is deemed probable, the Company expenses the compensation of the respective awards over the implicit service period.

Stock awards to non-employees are accounted for in accordance with ASC 505-50, Equity-Based Payments to Non-Employees (“ASC 505-50”). The measurement date for non-employee awards is generally the date performance of services required from the non-employee is complete. For non-employee awards that vest based on service conditions, the Company expenses the value of the awards over the related service period, provided they expect the service condition to be met. The Company records the expense of services rendered by non- employees based on the estimated fair value of the stock option using the Black-Scholes option pricing model over the contractual term of the non-employee. The fair value of unvested non-employee awards is remeasured at each reporting period and expensed over the vesting term of the underlying stock options on a straight-line basis. The Company adopted ASU No. 2016-09 Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting during the year ended December 31, 2017. The Company adjusted its accumulated deficit related to the accounting policy election to recognize the impact of share-based award forfeitures only as they occur rather than by applying an estimated forfeiture rate as previously required. ASU No. 2016-09 requires that this change be applied using a modified-retrospective transition method by means of a cumulative-effect adjustment to accumulated deficit as of the beginning of the fiscal year in which the guidance is adopted. As a result of this adoption, the Company recorded a decrease to accumulated deficit of approximately $28 thousand with an offset to Additional Paid in Capital as of January 1, 2018.

The stock-based compensation plans provide that grantees may have the right to exercise an option prior to vesting. Shares purchased upon the exercise of unvested options will be subject to the same vesting schedule as the underlying options and are subject to repurchase at the original exercise price by the Company should the grantee discontinue providing services to the Company for any reason, prior to becoming fully vested in such shares.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company regularly reviews the carrying amount of its long-lived assets to determine whether indicators of impairment may exist that warrant adjustments to carrying values or estimated useful lives. If indications of impairment exist, projected future undiscounted cash flows associated with the asset are compared to the carrying amount to determine whether the asset’s value is recoverable. If the carrying value of the asset exceeds such projected undiscounted cash flows, the asset will be written down to its estimated fair value.

Loss Contingencies

In accordance with ASC 450, Contingencies, the Company accrues anticipated costs of settlement, damages, and losses for loss contingencies based on historical experience or to the extent specific losses are probable and estimable. Otherwise, the Company expenses these costs as incurred. If the estimate of a probable loss is a range, and no amount within the range is more likely, the Company accrues the minimum amount of the range.

Income Taxes

The Company provides for income taxes under the liability method. The Company records deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the Company’s financial reporting and the tax bases of assets and liabilities measured using the enacted tax rates expected to be in effect in the years in which the differences are expected to reverse. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance to reflect the uncertainty associated with their ultimate realization.

The Company accounts for uncertain tax positions recognized in the consolidated financial statements by applying a more-likely-than-not threshold for financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return.

Guarantees

The Company has identified the guarantees described below as disclosable, in accordance with ASC 460, Guarantees.

As permitted under Delaware law, the Company indemnifies its officers and directors for certain events or occurrences while the officer or director is, or was, serving at the Company’s request in such capacity. The maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make is unlimited; however, the Company has directors’ and officers’ insurance coverage that should limit its exposure and enable it to recover a portion of any future amounts paid.

The Company is a party to a number of agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business that contain typical provisions that obligate the Company to indemnify the other parties to such agreements upon the occurrence of certain events. Such indemnification obligations are usually in effect from the date of execution of the applicable agreement for a period equal to the applicable statute of limitations. The aggregate maximum potential future liability of the Company under such indemnification provisions is uncertain.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2018, and 2017, the Company had not experienced any material losses related to these indemnification obligations, and no material claims with respect thereto were outstanding. The Company does not expect significant claims related to these indemnification obligations and, consequently, concluded that the fair value of these obligations is negligible. As a result, no related reserves have been established.

Issuance Costs Related to Equity and Debt

The Company allocates issuance costs between the individual freestanding instruments identified on the same basis as proceeds were allocated. Issuance costs associated with the issuance of stock or equity contracts (i.e., equity-classified warrants and convertible preferred stock) are recorded as a charge against the gross proceeds of the offering. Any issuance costs associated with the issuance of liability-classified warrants are expensed as incurred. Issuance costs associated with the issuance of debt (i.e., convertible debt) is recorded as a direct reduction of the carrying amount of the debt liability but limited to the notional value of the debt. The Company accounts for debt as liabilities measured at amortized cost and amortizes the resulting debt discount to interest expense using the effective interest method over the expected term of the notes pursuant to ASC 835, Interest ("ASC 835"). To the extent that the reduction from issuance costs of the carrying amount of the debt liability would reduce the carrying amount below zero, such excess is recorded as interest expense.

Embedded Conversion Features

The Company evaluates embedded conversion features within convertible debt under ASC 815 “Derivatives and Hedging” to determine whether the embedded conversion feature(s) should be bifurcated from the host instrument and accounted for as a derivative at fair value with changes in fair value recorded in earnings. If the conversion feature does not require derivative treatment under ASC 815, the instrument is evaluated under ASC 470-20 “Debt with Conversion and Other Options.” Under the ASC 470-20, an entity must separately account for the liability and equity components of the convertible debt instruments that may be settled entirely or partially in cash upon conversion in a manner that reflects the issuer’s economic interest cost. The effect of ASC 470-20 on the accounting for our convertible debt instruments is that the equity component is required to be included in the additional paid-in capital section of stockholders’ equity on the consolidated balance sheets and the value of the equity component is treated as original issue discount for purposes of accounting for the debt component of the notes. As a result, we are required to record non-cash interest expense as a result of the amortization of the discounted carrying value of the convertible debt to their face amount over the term of the convertible debt. We report higher interest expense in our financial results because ASC 470-20 requires interest to include both the current period’s amortization of the debt discount and the instrument’s coupon interest.

For conventional convertible debt where the rate of conversion is below market value, the Company records a "beneficial conversion feature" ("BCF") and related debt discount. When the Company records a BCF, the relative fair value of the BCF is recorded as a debt discount against the face amount of the respective debt instrument (offset to additional paid in capital) and amortized to interest expense over the life of the debt.

Subsequent Events

The Company evaluates events occurring after the date of its consolidated balance sheet for potential recognition or disclosure in its consolidated financial statements. There have been no subsequent events that occurred through the date the Company issued its consolidated financial statements that require disclosure in or adjustment to its consolidated financial statements.

New Accounting Pronouncements

From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the FASB or other standard setting bodies that are adopted by the Company as of the specified effective date. Unless otherwise discussed, the Company believes that the effect of recently issued standards that are not yet effective will not have a material effect on its consolidated financial position or results of operations upon adoption.

In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09 (“ASU 2014-09”), Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in ASC Topic 605, Revenue Recognition, and most industry-specific guidance. The new standard requires that an entity recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. In July 2015, the FASB approved a one-year deferral of the effective date of this standard to annual reporting periods, and interim reporting periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company adopted this standard effective January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective method. The adoption of this guidance did not have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-11, Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory (“ASU 2015- 11”). ASU 2015-11, which simplifies the measurement of inventories valued under most methods, including the Company’s inventories valued under FIFO — the first-in, first-out cost method. Inventories valued under LIFO — the last-in, first-out method — are excluded. Under this new guidance, inventories valued under these methods would be valued at the lower of cost and net realizable value, with net realizable value defined as the estimated selling price less reasonable costs to sell the inventory. This guidance is effective for annual reporting beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within the year of adoption, with early application permitted. The Company adopted this standard on January 1, 2017. The adoption of this guidance did not have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, "Financial Instruments - Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities," which addresses the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of financial assets and liabilities. This ASU primarily affects the accounting for equity investments, financial liabilities under the fair value option and the presentation and disclosure requirements for financial instruments. In addition, this ASU clarifies the valuation allowance assessment when recognizing deferred tax assets resulting from unrealized losses on available-for-sale debt securities. This standard became effective on January 1, 2018. This standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures for the nine months ended September 30, 2018.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), or ASU 2016-02. ASU 2016-02 requires that lessees recognize in the statement of financial position for all leases (with the exception of short-term leases) a lease liability, which is a lessee’s obligation to make lease payments arising from a lease, measured on a discounted basis, and a right-of-use asset, which is an asset representing the lessee’s right to use the underlying asset for the lease term. ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. Lessees must apply a modified retrospective transition approach for leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements. The modified retrospective approach would not require any transition accounting for leases that expired before the earliest comparative period presented. Lessees may not apply a full retrospective transition approach. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting (“ASU 2016-09”). ASU 2016-09 will simplify the income tax consequences, accounting for forfeitures and classification on the statements of consolidated cash flows. ASU 2016-09 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods, with early adoption permitted. The Company elected to adopt ASU 2016-09 in the first quarter of 2017 retrospectively to January 1, 2017. As a result of adopting ASU No. 2016-09 during the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company adjusted its accumulated deficit related to the accounting policy election to recognize the impact of share-based award forfeitures only as they occur rather than by applying an estimated forfeiture rate as previously required. ASU No. 2016-09 requires that this change be applied using a modified-retrospective transition method by means of a cumulative-effect adjustment to accumulated deficit as of the beginning of the fiscal year in which the guidance is adopted. As a result of this adoption, the Company recorded a decrease to accumulated deficit of approximately $28 thousand with an offset to Additional Paid-in Capital as of January 1, 2017.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments (a consensus of the Emerging Issues Task Force), or ASU 2016-15. The amendments in ASU 2016-15 address eight specific cash flow issues and apply to all entities that are required to present a statement of cash flows under FASB Accounting Standards Codification 230, Statement of Cash Flows. The amendments in ASU 2016-15 are effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption during an interim period. We have evaluated the impact of ASU No. 2016-15 and noted it had no impact on our consolidated financial statements for the nine months ended September 30, 2018.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issue Task Force), or ASU 2016-18. This new standard addresses the diversity that exists in the classification and presentation of changes in restricted cash on the statement of cash flows. The amendments in ASU 2016-18 require that a statement of cash flows explain the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents, and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. Therefore, amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within the year of adoption, with early adoption permitted. Our consolidated financial statements reflect this standard for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017.

In July 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-11, “Earnings Per Share (ASC 260) Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (ASC 480) Derivatives and Hedging (ASC 815),” which addresses the complexity of accounting for certain financial instruments with down round features. Down round features are features of certain equity-linked instruments (or embedded features) that result in the strike price being reduced on the basis of the pricing of future equity offerings. Current accounting guidance creates cost and complexity for entities that issue financial instruments (such as warrants and convertible instruments) with down round features that require fair value measurement of the entire instrument or conversion option. For public business entities, the amendments in Part I of ASU 2017-11 are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company has chosen to early adopt this standard on April 1, 2018 with retroactive restatement of comparative periods. The Company has concluded that the retroactive provisions of ASU 2017-11 had no impact on the accounting for the Company’s previously outstanding warrant which had been issued to the warrant holder as stock compensation.