2.	SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

A summary of the significant accounting policies followed by the Company in the preparation of the financial statements is as follows:

Use of estimates

The process of preparing financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of assets and liabilities at the date of financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates and changes in estimates may occur.

Principles of consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. and its wholly-owned subsidiary, InVivo Therapeutics Corporation. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Cash and cash equivalents

As of December 31, 2011, the Company held approximately $4,364,000 in cash and cash equivalents. From time to time, the Company may have cash balances in financial institutions in excess of insurance limits. The Company has never experienced any losses related to these balances. All of the Company’s non-interest bearing cash balances were fully insured at December 31, 2011 due to a temporary federal program in effect from December 31, 2010 through December 31, 2012. Under the program, there is no limit on the amount of insurance for eligible accounts. Beginning in 2013, insurance coverage will revert to $250,000 per depositor at each financial institution, and non-interest bearing cash balances may again exceed federally insured limits. The Company’s cash equivalents are in money market funds and certificates of deposit. The cash and cash equivalents in interest-bearing accounts and non-interest bearing accounts ineligible under the program amounted to approximately $4,231,000 as of December 30, 2011.

Restricted cash

Restricted cash of $548,000 represents a $105,000 security deposit related to the Company’s credit card account, a $50,000 minimum balance in a checking account that is required as part of a loan agreement, and a $393,000 standby letter of credit in favor of a landlord (see Note 18). This letter of credit expires December 22, 2012 and may be extended through July 31, 2023.

Property and equipment

Property and equipment are carried at cost. Depreciation expense is provided over the estimated useful lives of the assets using the straight-line method. A summary of the estimated useful lives is as follows:


Classification	Estimated Useful Life
Computer hardware		5 years
Software		3 years
Research and lab equipment		5 years

Depreciation expense for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010 was $132,162 and $39,878, respectively. Maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred, while any additions or improvements are capitalized.

Research and development expenses

Costs incurred for research and development are expensed as incurred. During 2010, the Company applied for a grant under the IRS Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project (QTDP) program. The application was approved and the Company received a grant for $244,500 under the program. This amount was recorded as a reduction in research and development expenses.

Concentrations of credit risk

The Company has no significant off-balance-sheet concentration of credit risk such as foreign exchange contracts, option contracts or other hedging arrangements. The Company may from time to time have cash in banks in excess of FDIC insurance limits.

Segment information

Operating segments are identified as components of an enterprise about which separate discrete financial information is available for evaluation by the chief operating decision maker, or decision making group, in making decisions regarding resource allocation and assessing performance. To date, the Company has viewed its operations and manages its business as principally one operating segment, which is developing and commercializing biopolymer scaffolding devices for the treatment of spinal cord injuries. As of December 31, 2011 and 2010 all of the Company’s assets were located in the United States.

Income taxes

For federal and state income taxes, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized based upon temporary differences between the financial statement and the tax basis of assets and liabilities. Deferred income taxes are based upon prescribed rates and enacted laws applicable to periods in which differences are expected to reverse. A valuation allowance is recorded when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Accordingly, the Company provides a valuation allowance, if necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to amounts that are realizable. Tax positions taken or expected to be taken in the course of preparing the Company’s tax returns are required to be evaluated to determine whether the tax positions are “more-likely-than-not” of being sustained by the applicable tax authority. Tax positions not deemed to meet a more-likely-than-not threshold would be recorded as a tax expense in the current year. There were no uncertain tax positions that require accrual or disclosure to the financial statements as of December 31, 2011 or 2010. Tax returns for all years are still open for examination.

Impairment of long-lived assets

The Company continually monitors events and changes in circumstances that could indicate that carrying amounts of long-lived assets may not be recoverable. An impairment loss is recognized when expected cash flows are less than an asset’s carrying value. Accordingly, when indicators of impairment are present, the Company evaluates the carrying value of such assets in relation to the operating performance and future undiscounted cash flows of the underlying assets. The Company’s policy is to record an impairment loss when it is determined that the carrying value of the asset may not be recoverable. No impairment charges were recorded for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010.

Share-based payments

The Company recognizes compensation costs resulting from the issuance of stock-based awards to employees, non-employees and directors as an expense in the statement of operations over the service period based on a measurement of fair value for each stock-based award. The fair value of each option grant is estimated as of the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The fair value is amortized as compensation cost on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the awards, which is generally the vesting period. Due to its limited operating history, limited number of sales of its Common Stock and limited history of its shares being publicly traded, the Company estimates its volatility in consideration of a number of factors including the volatility of comparable public companies.

Derivative instruments

The Company generally does not use derivative instruments to hedge exposures to cash-flow or market risks; however, certain warrants to purchase Common Stock that do not meet the requirements for classification as equity are classified as liabilities. In such instances, net-cash settlement is assumed for financial reporting purposes, even when the terms of the underlying contracts do not provide for a net-cash settlement. Such financial instruments are initially recorded at fair value with subsequent changes in fair value charged (credited) to operations in each reporting period. If these instruments subsequently meet the requirements for classification as equity, the Company reclassifies the fair value to equity.

Net Loss per Common Share

Basic and diluted net loss per share of Common Stock has been computed by dividing the net loss in each period by the weighted average number of shares of Common Stock outstanding during such period. For the periods presented, options, warrants and convertible securities were anti-dilutive and therefore excluded from diluted loss per share calculations.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-04, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820). The ASU provides amendments to achieve common fair value measurements and disclosure requirements in US GAAP and IFRS. The guidance clarifies and expands the disclosure pertaining to unobservable inputs used in Level 3 fair value measurements, including the disclosure of quantitative information related to (1) the valuation processes used, (2) the sensitivity of the fair value measurement to changes in unobservable inputs, and (3) use of a nonfinancial asset in a way that differs from the asset’s highest and best use. The guidance also requires that public entities disclose the level within the fair value hierarchy for assets and liabilities not measured at fair value in the statement of financial position but for which the fair value is disclosed. The amendments are to be applied prospectively and are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011 for public companies. The Company does not expect the adoption to have a material impact.