<?xml version="1.0" encoding="us-ascii"?><InstanceReport xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"><Version>2.4.0.8</Version><ReportLongName>117 - Disclosure - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND NATURE OF OPERATIONS (Policies)</ReportLongName><DisplayLabelColumn>true</DisplayLabelColumn><ShowElementNames>false</ShowElementNames><RoundingOption /><HasEmbeddedReports>false</HasEmbeddedReports><Columns><Column FlagID="0"><Id>1</Id><IsAbstractGroupTitle>false</IsAbstractGroupTitle><LabelSeparator>

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</LabelSeparator><Level>1</Level><ElementName>us-gaap_AccountingPoliciesAbstract</ElementName><ElementPrefix>us-gaap_</ElementPrefix><IsBaseElement>true</IsBaseElement><BalanceType>na</BalanceType><PeriodType>duration</PeriodType><IsReportTitle>false</IsReportTitle><IsSegmentTitle>false</IsSegmentTitle><IsCalendarTitle>false</IsCalendarTitle><IsEquityPrevioslyReportedAsRow>false</IsEquityPrevioslyReportedAsRow><IsEquityAdjustmentRow>false</IsEquityAdjustmentRow><IsBeginningBalance>false</IsBeginningBalance><IsEndingBalance>false</IsEndingBalance><IsReverseSign>false</IsReverseSign><FootnoteIndexer /><Cells><Cell FlagID="0" ContextID="" UnitID=""><Id>1</Id><IsNumeric>false</IsNumeric><IsRatio>false</IsRatio><DisplayZeroAsNone>false</DisplayZeroAsNone><NumericAmount>0</NumericAmount><RoundedNumericAmount>0</RoundedNumericAmount><NonNumbericText /><FootnoteIndexer /><CurrencyCode /><CurrencySymbol /><IsIndependantCurrency>false</IsIndependantCurrency><ShowCurrencySymbol>false</ShowCurrencySymbol><DisplayDateInUSFormat>false</DisplayDateInUSFormat></Cell></Cells><ElementDataType>xbrli:stringItemType</ElementDataType><SimpleDataType>string</SimpleDataType><IsTotalLabel>false</IsTotalLabel><UnitID>0</UnitID><Label>Accounting Policies [Abstract]</Label></Row><Row FlagID="0"><Id>2</Id><IsAbstractGroupTitle>false</IsAbstractGroupTitle><LabelSeparator>

</LabelSeparator><Level>2</Level><ElementName>us-gaap_BasisOfAccountingPolicyPolicyTextBlock</ElementName><ElementPrefix>us-gaap_</ElementPrefix><IsBaseElement>true</IsBaseElement><BalanceType>na</BalanceType><PeriodType>duration</PeriodType><IsReportTitle>false</IsReportTitle><IsSegmentTitle>false</IsSegmentTitle><IsCalendarTitle>false</IsCalendarTitle><IsEquityPrevioslyReportedAsRow>false</IsEquityPrevioslyReportedAsRow><IsEquityAdjustmentRow>false</IsEquityAdjustmentRow><IsBeginningBalance>false</IsBeginningBalance><IsEndingBalance>false</IsEndingBalance><IsReverseSign>false</IsReverseSign><PreferredLabelRole>verboseLabel</PreferredLabelRole><FootnoteIndexer /><Cells><Cell FlagID="0" ContextID="P01_01_2013To06_30_2013" UnitID=""><Id>1</Id><IsNumeric>false</IsNumeric><IsRatio>false</IsRatio><DisplayZeroAsNone>false</DisplayZeroAsNone><NumericAmount>0</NumericAmount><RoundedNumericAmount>0</RoundedNumericAmount><NonNumbericText>              &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif "&gt;  &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Basis of Presentation&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  &amp;#160;&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 22.3pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements  include the accounts of the Company and its operating subsidiary,  which shall collectively be referred to as the  &amp;#8220;Company&amp;#8221;. These statements have been prepared in  accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the  United States of America for interim financial reporting and the  instructions to Form 10-Q and do not include all of the information  and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted  in the United States of America for complete financial statements.  In the opinion of the Company&amp;#8217;s management, all adjustments  (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary  for a fair presentation of the results for the interim periods have  been included. Operating results for the three and six months ended  June 30, 2013 are not necessarily indicative of the results for the  year ending December 31, 2013 or future periods. The accompanying  condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in  conjunction with the Company&amp;#8217;s audited consolidated financial  statements and related notes included in the Company&amp;#8217;s Annual  Report on Form 10-K/A filed on March 14, 2013 and available on the  website (&lt;u&gt;www.sec.gov&lt;/u&gt;) of the United States Securities and  Exchange Commission, or the SEC. The accompanying condensed  consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2012 has been derived  from the audited balance sheet as of that date included in the Form  10-K/A.&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 22.3pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  &amp;#160;&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 22.5pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  Since inception, the Company has focused primarily on organizing  and staffing, negotiating in-licensing agreements with partners,  acquiring, developing and securing its proprietary technology,  participating in regulatory discussions with the United States Food  and Drug Administration, or FDA, the European Medicines Agency, or  EMA and other regulatory agencies, undertaking preclinical trials  and clinical trials of product candidates and raising capital. In  addition, during late 2011 and early 2012, the Company conducted  activities in preparation for the planned commercial launch of  Northera but, upon receipt of the complete response letter, or CRL,  from the FDA in March 2012, brought such activities to a close. The  Company is a development stage company and has generated no revenue  since inception.&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 22.5pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  &amp;#160;&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 22.5pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 22.5pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  On July 3, 2013, the Company resubmitted its Northera New Drug  Application, or NDA, that, based upon guidance received from the  FDA, included data from Study 306B&amp;#160;and other studies. The FDA  has indicated that it would potentially consider data from Study  306B as confirmatory evidence of both the safety and efficacy of  Northera. On July 15, 2013, the Company received notification from  the FDA that the filing had been both acknowledged and accepted and  that the FDA deemed the resubmission a complete response to the CRL  and assigned a new Prescription Drug User Fee Act, or PDUFA, goal  date of January 3, 2014. However, on July 25, 2013, the FDA  notified the Company that they have noted deficiencies in the NDA  that relate primarily to the formatting of certain submitted  electronic datasets and statistical programs describing the methods  used to generate tables and listings. The deficiencies are  unrelated to study conduct, interpretability of study results, or  validity of study conclusions. The Company believes that the matter  can be resolved quickly, and expects to submit the necessary  response in August. Until the response is received by FDA, the  Agency has informed the Company that the six month review clock for  the NDA specified under PDUFA will not start. Therefore, upon a  successful resubmission with the currently requested changes sought  by the FDA, a new PDUFA date will be set by the FDA.&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 22.5pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  &amp;#160;&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 22.5pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 22.5pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  The Northera NDA, including the resubmission, includes data from  the Company&amp;#8217;s two largest completed Phase III efficacy  studies (Studies 301 and 306B), data from other randomized,  controlled trials (Study 302, Study 303 and Study 306A), an  integrated summary of efficacy for various studies, an expanded,  650-patient safety database, two long-term, open label extension  studies, a dedicated thorough QTc study and a 24-hour ambulatory  blood pressure monitoring study. The FDA has further informed the  Company that data from short-term endpoints measuring symptomatic  benefits, may be sufficient evidence of efficacy as required for  approval and that durability of response, determined by endpoints  measuring long-term symptomatic benefits, may be studied and  demonstrated in post-approval study or studies.&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  &amp;#160;&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 22.3pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  While recent guidance from the FDA, including an indication that it  would review data from Study 306B, is encouraging, the FDA was  clear that Study 306B data remains subject to a thorough review,  including review of clinical datasets and sensitivity analyses. In  this regard, the FDA has indicated that it might conduct audits of  clinical sites, and audits of the contract research organization,  or CRO, involved in the study and the sponsor to validate the  integrity of data included in the resubmission. The FDA further  indicated that approval using data from Study 306B in support of  efficacy claims for Northera would only be possible should such  data provide substantial evidence of efficacy, thereby  establishing, in a second, strongly-positive, confirmatory trial,  that Northera is safe and effective for the treatment of Neurogenic  OH. As such, the FDA is under no obligation to approve Northera if  they are not adequately satisfied with the conclusions drawn from  the data presented or other analyses conducted. The Company cannot  provide any assurance that the FDA will approve Northera. The FDA  might find the Northera NDA, despite the additional data from Study  306B and other studies, insufficient to allow a marketing approval  for Northera and require additional clinical evidence from  additional randomized controlled trials. Alternatively, the FDA  might choose to approve Northera with a requirement for a  post-approval efficacy study. Accordingly, the Company plans to  initiate an additional clinical study of Northera in Neurogenic OH  and anticipate&amp;#160;patient enrollment would begin in the fourth  quarter of 2013.&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 22.3pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  &amp;#160;&lt;/div&gt;  &lt;/div&gt;  &lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 22.5pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  In additional discussions, the FDA has indicated that the revised  Northera NDA will likely be reviewed by the Cardiovascular and  Renal Drug Advisory Committee, or CRDAC and the Company intends to  prepare rigorously for this possibility.&amp;#160; Further, in  addressing the possibility of accelerated approval based on trials  to date, which have provided favorable data for the acute use only  for Northera, the FDA reemphasized that another clinical study to  demonstrate durability of effect would be required under such a  scenario.&amp;#160; As discussed above, the Company has worked and will  continue to work with the FDA on the planned clinical study that  would begin patient enrollment in the fourth quarter of 2013 to be  able to meet that requirement if needed.&amp;#160; The FDA also  indicated that they required new bioequivalence data for a 300mg  formulation of Northera that we had developed for commercialization  and had not been used in any clinical trials. Accordingly, in June  2013 the Company completed such a 300mg bioequivalence study and  has included data from that study in the revised Northera NDA to  support a request for approval of commercial distribution of a  300mg formulation.&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 22.5pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  &amp;#160;&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 22.5pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  The Company has sustained operating losses since its inception and  expects that such losses could continue for the foreseeable future.  Management plans to continue financing the Company&amp;#8217;s  operations, as necessary, with equity issuances, debt arrangements,  strategic alliances or other arrangements of a collaborative  nature. If adequate funds are not available, the Company may be  required to delay, reduce the scope of, or eliminate one or more of  its research or development programs, delay or scale back certain  activities including its commercialization program, or limit or  cease operations in which event its business, financial condition  and results of operations would be materially harmed.&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 22.3pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  &amp;#160;&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 22.5pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  Management believes that capital resources available at June 30,  2013 will be sufficient to meet the Company&amp;#8217;s operating needs  into the third quarter of 2014. This estimate assumes the planned  costs of currently ongoing clinical activity and a planned new  trial of Northera that could begin patient enrollment as early as  the fourth quarter of 2013 with significant initial spending in the  third quarter of 2013. In addition to the initial costs of a new  clinical trial, this estimate also assumes various costs related to  the 2013 resubmission of the Northera NDA and the costs to plan and  prepare for a potential meeting of the CRDAC. The costs of  additional activities related to, or subsequent to, a possible  approval of Northera, or the commercialization of Northera should  it be approved, have not been included in this guidance.&lt;/div&gt;  &lt;/div&gt;        </NonNumbericText><FootnoteIndexer /><CurrencyCode /><CurrencySymbol /><IsIndependantCurrency>false</IsIndependantCurrency><ShowCurrencySymbol>false</ShowCurrencySymbol><DisplayDateInUSFormat>false</DisplayDateInUSFormat></Cell></Cells><ElementDataType>nonnum:textBlockItemType</ElementDataType><SimpleDataType>na</SimpleDataType><ElementDefenition>Disclosure of accounting policy for basis of accounting, or basis of presentation, used to prepare the financial statements (for example, US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, Other Comprehensive Basis of Accounting, IFRS).</ElementDefenition><ElementReferences>No definition available.</ElementReferences><IsTotalLabel>false</IsTotalLabel><UnitID>0</UnitID><Label>Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block]</Label></Row><Row FlagID="0"><Id>3</Id><IsAbstractGroupTitle>false</IsAbstractGroupTitle><LabelSeparator>

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</LabelSeparator><Level>2</Level><ElementName>us-gaap_UseOfEstimates</ElementName><ElementPrefix>us-gaap_</ElementPrefix><IsBaseElement>true</IsBaseElement><BalanceType>na</BalanceType><PeriodType>duration</PeriodType><IsReportTitle>false</IsReportTitle><IsSegmentTitle>false</IsSegmentTitle><IsCalendarTitle>false</IsCalendarTitle><IsEquityPrevioslyReportedAsRow>false</IsEquityPrevioslyReportedAsRow><IsEquityAdjustmentRow>false</IsEquityAdjustmentRow><IsBeginningBalance>false</IsBeginningBalance><IsEndingBalance>false</IsEndingBalance><IsReverseSign>false</IsReverseSign><PreferredLabelRole>verboseLabel</PreferredLabelRole><FootnoteIndexer /><Cells><Cell FlagID="0" ContextID="P01_01_2013To06_30_2013" UnitID=""><Id>1</Id><IsNumeric>false</IsNumeric><IsRatio>false</IsRatio><DisplayZeroAsNone>false</DisplayZeroAsNone><NumericAmount>0</NumericAmount><RoundedNumericAmount>0</RoundedNumericAmount><NonNumbericText>              &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif "&gt;  &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Use of Estimates&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; TEXT-INDENT: 22.5pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  The preparation of 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 the  disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date of the financial  statements as well as the reported expenses during the reporting  periods. On an ongoing basis, management evaluates its estimates  and judgments. Management bases estimates on its historical  experience and on various other factors that it believes are  reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the  basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and  liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources.  Actual results might differ from these estimates under different  assumptions or conditions.&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; TEXT-INDENT: 22.5pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  &amp;#160;&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; TEXT-INDENT: 22.5pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  Significant estimates and assumptions are required related to the  estimated costs and estimated percentages of completion of research  and development activities that are outsourced to third-party  contractors, the valuation of assets and stock-based compensation.  Some of these judgments can be subjective and complex, and,  consequently, actual results may differ from these estimates. For  any given individual estimate or assumption made by the Company,  there may also be other estimates or assumptions that are  reasonable. Although the Company believes that its estimates and  assumptions are reasonable, they are based upon information  available at the time the estimates and assumptions were made and  actual results may differ significantly from such estimates.&lt;/div&gt;  &lt;/div&gt;        </NonNumbericText><FootnoteIndexer /><CurrencyCode /><CurrencySymbol /><IsIndependantCurrency>false</IsIndependantCurrency><ShowCurrencySymbol>false</ShowCurrencySymbol><DisplayDateInUSFormat>false</DisplayDateInUSFormat></Cell></Cells><ElementDataType>nonnum:textBlockItemType</ElementDataType><SimpleDataType>na</SimpleDataType><ElementDefenition>Disclosure of accounting policy for the use of estimates in the preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.</ElementDefenition><ElementReferences>Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

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</LabelSeparator><Level>2</Level><ElementName>us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpensePolicy</ElementName><ElementPrefix>us-gaap_</ElementPrefix><IsBaseElement>true</IsBaseElement><BalanceType>na</BalanceType><PeriodType>duration</PeriodType><IsReportTitle>false</IsReportTitle><IsSegmentTitle>false</IsSegmentTitle><IsCalendarTitle>false</IsCalendarTitle><IsEquityPrevioslyReportedAsRow>false</IsEquityPrevioslyReportedAsRow><IsEquityAdjustmentRow>false</IsEquityAdjustmentRow><IsBeginningBalance>false</IsBeginningBalance><IsEndingBalance>false</IsEndingBalance><IsReverseSign>false</IsReverseSign><PreferredLabelRole>verboseLabel</PreferredLabelRole><FootnoteIndexer /><Cells><Cell FlagID="0" ContextID="P01_01_2013To06_30_2013" UnitID=""><Id>1</Id><IsNumeric>false</IsNumeric><IsRatio>false</IsRatio><DisplayZeroAsNone>false</DisplayZeroAsNone><NumericAmount>0</NumericAmount><RoundedNumericAmount>0</RoundedNumericAmount><NonNumbericText>              &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif "&gt;  &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Research and Development&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  &amp;#160;&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 22.5pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  Research and development expenditures are expensed based upon the  estimated percentage of completion at the financial statement date  applied against estimated amounts to complete the project. The  Company often contracts with third-party CROs to facilitate,  coordinate and perform agreed upon research and development  activities. Estimates are calculated, maintained and presented to  the Company by CROs and are then subjected to rigorous periodic  internal review and analysis to ensure reasonableness of the  estimates. Such review includes difficult, subjective and complex  judgments, particularly in instances of studying orphan drug  candidates where prior clinical activity is limited, providing  little or no historical cost information. Given the highly variable  nature of the costs involved in the completion of a clinical or  pre-clinical trial, fluctuations in costs estimates can occur at  any time during the trial or at its conclusion based on a number of  factors including, but not limited to, the rate at which  investigator sites are identified, the locations of those sites (US  versus International), the timing of site activations, the rate at  which patients are enrolled into a trial, changes to the number of  sites and/or patients that are targeted for the trial, the  timelines for trial completion and changes in scope of the actions  to be taken by the contractor.&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 22.5pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  &amp;#160;&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 22.5pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  Given that the recognition of expense related to the  Company&amp;#8217;s contracted research and development activities  comprise a significant component of reported expenses during any  given period, such fluctuations can be material to the results of  operations and/or the carrying value of assets and liabilities. The  estimates to complete each contracted project are also used in the  determination and disclosure of contractual obligations of the  Company providing a snapshot of estimated cash requirements arising  from future contractual payment obligations based upon the best  information available at the time the financial statements are  published.&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 22.5pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  &amp;#160;&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 22.5pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  To ensure that such estimates allow research and development costs  to be expensed as incurred, the Company measures expense based on  estimated work performed for the underlying contract, typically  utilizing a percentage-of-completion approach, and records prepaid  assets or accrues expenses on a monthly basis for such activities  based on the measurement of liability from expense recognition and  the receipt of invoices. Contracts for research and development  programs typically call for the payment of fees for services at the  initiation of the contract and/or upon the achievement of certain  milestones.&amp;#160; In the event that the Company prepays fees for  future milestones, the Company records the prepayment as a prepaid  asset and amortizes the asset into research and development expense  over the period of time the contracted research and development  services are performed.&amp;#160; Most fees are incurred throughout the  contract period and are expensed based on their estimated  percentage of completion at a particular date. Although such fees  may fluctuate during the life of a research and development  program, such fluctuations are generally based on changes in or  delays in the timelines for study completion.&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  &amp;#160;&amp;#160;&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  These contracts generally include pass through fees.&amp;#160; Pass  through fees include, but are not limited to, regulatory expenses,  investigator fees, travel costs, and other miscellaneous costs  including shipping and printing fees.&amp;#160; Because these fees are  incurred at various times during the contract term and they are  used throughout the contract term, the Company records a monthly  expense estimate to recognize the fees during the contract  period.&amp;#160; Fees incurred to set up the clinical trial are  expensed during the setup period. Estimating the costs of  pass-through expenses for a contracted research and development  program can be difficult and complex. Judgments used in the  development of these estimates are based on a number of  considerations, including the input of the CRO, the costs of  previous clinical trials, estimates of patient recruitment rates,  estimates of drop-out rates and estimates of site identification  and activation rates. Estimates of investigator payments, lab  costs, database development and management and adverse event  reporting are based on parameters such as number of office visits,  laboratory requirements, screening failure rates, location of the  investigator site and the patient related factors discussed above.  Historically, the Company has experienced fluctuations in the  estimates of these costs and has implemented rigorous review  processes to ensure reliability of estimates. Fluctuations that  have occurred previously have been in the range of +/- 5% of total  program costs and the Company would anticipate that similar  fluctuations could occur in the future. Depending on the size of  the trial, the estimated costs to complete and the volume of  overall research and development activities during any given  period, such fluctuations could be material to the results of  operations and financial position (see Note 7).&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  &amp;#160;&lt;/div&gt;    &lt;div style="clear:both;FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt;TEXT-INDENT: 22.5pt; MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"&gt;  Costs related to the acquisition and retention of technology rights  and patents for which development work is still in process are  expensed as incurred and considered a component of research and  development costs.&lt;/div&gt;  &lt;/div&gt;        </NonNumbericText><FootnoteIndexer /><CurrencyCode /><CurrencySymbol /><IsIndependantCurrency>false</IsIndependantCurrency><ShowCurrencySymbol>false</ShowCurrencySymbol><DisplayDateInUSFormat>false</DisplayDateInUSFormat></Cell></Cells><ElementDataType>nonnum:textBlockItemType</ElementDataType><SimpleDataType>na</SimpleDataType><ElementDefenition>Disclosure of accounting policy for costs it has incurred (1) in a planned search or critical investigation aimed at discovery of new knowledge with the hope that such knowledge will be useful in developing a new product or service, a new process or technique, or in bringing about a significant improvement to an existing product or process; or (2) to translate research findings or other knowledge into a plan or design for a new product or process or for a significant improvement to an existing product or process.</ElementDefenition><ElementReferences>Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

 -Publisher FASB

 -Name Accounting Standards Codification

 -Topic 235

 -SubTopic 10

 -Section 50

 -Paragraph 3

 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&amp;oid=6367646&amp;loc=d3e18780-107790



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

 -Publisher FASB

 -Name Accounting Standards Codification

 -Topic 730

 -SubTopic 10

 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&amp;trid=2127266



Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

 -Publisher FASB

 -Name Accounting Standards Codification

 -Glossary Research and Development

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