1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Description of Business

BioPharmX Corporation (the “Company”) is incorporated under the laws of the state of Delaware and originally incorporated on August 30, 2010 in Nevada under the name Thompson Designs, Inc. The Company has one wholly-owned subsidiary, BioPharmX, Inc., a Nevada corporation. The Company is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the dermatology market. Its focus is to develop products that treat dermatologic conditions that are not being adequately addressed or those where current therapies and approaches are suboptimal. Its strategy is to bring new products to market by identifying optimal delivery mechanisms and/or alternative applications for United States Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA) approved or well characterized active pharmaceutical ingredients, or APIs. The Company aims to reduce the time, cost and risks typically associated with new product development by utilizing APIs with demonstrated safety profiles and, when applicable, taking advantage of the regulatory approval pathway under Section 505(b)(2) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Section 505(b)(2) permits an applicant for a new product, such as a new or improved formulation or a new use of an approved product, to rely in part on literature and/or the FDA’s findings of safety and/or effectiveness for a similar previously-approved product. The Company’s approach is to identify the limitations of current treatment options and work to develop novel products using our proprietary HyantX™ topical drug delivery system.

The Company commercially launched its iodine breast health supplement, VI₂OLET, in December 2014. In November 2018, the Company divested the rights to develop, manufacture, market and sell its molecular iodine technology, including VI₂OLET. This divestiture resulted in a de minimis loss, which is included in general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss. All tangible and intangible assets related to VI₂OLET, including but not limited to existing customer and vendor arrangements, were included in this divestiture.

Since the Company’s inception, substantially all of the Company’s efforts have been devoted to developing its product candidates, including conducting preclinical and clinical trials, and providing general and administrative support for its operations. The Company has financed its operations primarily through the sale of equity and convertible notes.

Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (GAAP). The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and reported amounts of revenues and expenses recognized during the reported period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Accounts Receivable, net

Accounts receivable are related to the sale of the iodine dietary supplement, VI₂OLET, which was divested in November 2018. Accounts receivable were recorded net of cash discounts for prompt payment and return allowances. The allowance for doubtful accounts receivable recorded as of January 31, 2019 and 2018 was immaterial.

Inventories

Inventories as of January 31, 2018 were related to the iodine dietary supplement, VI₂OLET, which was divested in November 2018. Inventories were stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Cost was determined using the standard cost method which approximated actual cost on a first-in, first-out basis. The Company regularly reviewed inventory quantities in consideration of actual loss experiences, projected future demand and remaining shelf life to record a provision for inventory, which may have become obsolete or are in excess of anticipated demand or net realizable value.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Carrying amounts of certain of the Company’s financial instruments, including cash and cash equivalents, prepaid and other current assets, accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities approximate fair value due to their short maturities.

Property and Equipment, net

Property and equipment is stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is recognized using the straight-line method. Repairs and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred. Estimated useful lives in years are as follows:


		Estimated
Description		Useful Life
Furniture		5 - 7
Laboratory equipment		3 - 5
Computer and equipment		3 - 5

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company reviews long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset might not be recoverable. When such an event occurs, management determines whether there has been an impairment by comparing the anticipated undiscounted future net cash flows to the related asset’s carrying value. If an asset is considered impaired, the asset is written down to fair value, which is determined based either on discounted cash flows or appraised value, depending on the nature of the asset. The Company did not identify any impairment losses for the years ended January 31, 2019 or 2018.

Warrant Liability

The Company accounts for certain of its warrants as derivative liabilities based on provisions relating to cash settlement options. The Company recorded a liability for the fair value of the warrants at the time of issuance, and at each reporting date the warrants are revalued to the instrument’s fair value. The fair value of the warrants are estimated using the Black-Scholes pricing model. This liability is subject to fair value re-measurement until the warrants are exercised or expired, and any change in fair value is recognized as other income or expense in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue is related to the iodine dietary supplement, VI₂OLET, which was divested in November 2018. Effective February 1, 2018, the Company adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (ASC 606), using the modified retrospective transition method. The cumulative effect of the initial application of ASC 606 of approximately $2,000 was recognized as an adjustment to accumulated deficit and a decrease to deferred revenue as of February 1, 2018. The adoption of ASC 606 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet, statement of operations and comprehensive loss and statement of cash flows for the year ended January 31, 2019.

Revenue is recognized when control is transferred to the customer, which is typically upon shipment. There are no significant post-shipment obligations. Revenue is recognized at the transaction price, which includes estimates of variable consideration for reserves related to estimated product returns, pricing discounts or other concessions. These estimates are based on estimates of the amount earned or to be claimed on the related sales and are based on historical information and current contractual requirements.

The Company evaluated whether the revenue generating activities and advanced payment arrangements with customers result in the recognition of contract assets or liabilities. No such assets existed as of January 31, 2019 or February 1, 2018. As of February 1, 2018, deferred revenue was immaterial. The Company applies the practical expedient to make adjustments for a significant financing component unnecessary if, at contract inception, the Company does not expect the period between customer payment and transfer of control of the promised goods or services to the customer to exceed one year. During the year ended January 31, 2019, the Company did not have any contracts for the sale of its products with its customers with a significant financing component. The Company has elected the practical expedient to recognize the incremental costs of obtaining a contract as an expense when incurred if the amortization period of the asset that the Company otherwise would have recognized is one year or less. During the year ended January 31, 2019, the Company expensed the incremental costs of obtaining the contract as an expense when incurred as the amortization period was one year or less. Shipping costs billed to customers are recorded as revenue. Shipping and handling expense related to costs incurred to deliver product are recognized within cost of goods sold. The Company accounts for shipping and handling activities that occur after control has transferred as a fulfillment cost as opposed to a separate performance obligation, and the costs of shipping and handling are recognized concurrently with the related revenue.

Cost of Good Sold

Cost of goods sold is related to the iodine dietary supplement, VI₂OLET, which was divested in November 2018. Cost of good sold includes direct costs related to the sale of VI₂OLET, write-downs of excess and obsolete inventories and amortization of intangible assets.

Shipping and Handling Costs

Shipping and handling costs are expensed as incurred and are included in cost of goods sold.

Research and Development Expenses

Research and development expenses are expensed as incurred and consist primarily of personnel costs, including salaries, benefits and stock-based compensation, clinical studies performed by contract research organizations, product development, consulting, materials, supplies, and facilities and other overhead allocations.

Advertising Expenses

The Company expenses the costs of advertising, including promotional expenses, as incurred. Advertising expenses were approximately $10,000 and $29,000 for the years ended January 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes using the liability method whereby deferred tax asset and liability account balances are determined based on differences between financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are measured using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. Valuation allowances are established to reduce deferred tax assets when management estimates, based on available objective evidence, that it is more likely than not that the benefit will not be realized for the deferred tax assets.

The Company’s policy is to recognize interest and penalties accrued on any unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income tax expense. No interest expense was recognized during the periods presented.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company recognizes stock-based compensation for equity awards on a straight-line basis over their vesting periods based on the grant date fair value. The Company estimates the fair value of stock options granted using the Black-Scholes pricing model. This model also requires subjective assumptions, including future stock price volatility and expected time to exercise, which greatly affect the calculated values. Equity instruments issued to non-employees are recorded at their fair value on the measurement date and are subject to periodic adjustment as the underlying equity instruments vest.

Comprehensive Loss

Comprehensive loss is the change in equity of an enterprise, except those resulting from stockholder transactions. Accordingly, comprehensive loss includes certain changes in equity that are excluded from net loss. For the years ended January 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company’s comprehensive loss is equal to its net loss. There were no components of other comprehensive loss for any of the periods presented.

Net Loss Per Share

Basic net loss per share attributable to common stockholders is calculated based on the weighted average number of shares of the Company’s common stock outstanding during the period. The weighted average shares outstanding for the years ended January 31, 2019 and 2018 exclude 193,333 shares of unvested restricted common stock. Diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders is calculated based on the weighted average number of shares of the Company’s common stock outstanding and other dilutive securities outstanding during the period.

As of January 31, 2019 and 2018, approximately 182,702,000 and 215,810,000, potentially dilutive securities, respectively, were excluded from the computation of diluted loss per share because their effect on net loss per share would be anti-dilutive.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2016-02, Leases, and in July 2018, ASU No. 2018-11, Targeted Improvements, which requires entities to recognize assets and liabilities for leases with lease terms greater than twelve months. The new guidance also requires quantitative and qualitative disclosures regarding the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. The standard is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted upon issuance. The Company does not expect a material impact on the statement of operations and comprehensive loss or cash flows from the adoption of this standard.

In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-09, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting. This amendment impacts entities that change the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award. The Company adopted this guidance as of February 1, 2018 for awards that are modified after that date, and the adoption did not have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements.

In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-07, Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which simplifies the accounting for share-based payments to nonemployees by aligning it with the accounting for share-based payments to employees, with certain exceptions. The amendment is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption on its consolidated financial statements.

The Company has reviewed other recent accounting pronouncements and concluded they are either not applicable to the business, or no material effect is expected on the consolidated financial statements as a result of future adoption.