Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Use of estimates

(a) Use of estimates:

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Significant areas of estimates include, but are not limited to, the valuation of accounts receivable, the estimated useful lives of property, plant and equipment, the recoverability of long-lived assets, the timing of revenue recognition, the determination of stock-based compensation and the assessment of contingent liabilities. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates. Estimates and assumptions are reviewed quarterly. All revisions to accounting estimates are recognized in the period in which the estimates are revised and in any future periods affected.

Cash and cash equivalents

(b) Cash and cash equivalents:

Cash equivalents are highly liquid investments that are readily convertible into cash with terms to maturity of three months or less when acquired.

Segment and geographic information

(c) Segment and geographic information:

Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise about which separate discrete information is available for evaluation by the chief operating decision maker, or decision making group, in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance. The Company views its operations and manages its business in one operating segment.

Property, plant and equipment

(d) Property, plant and equipment:

Property, plant and equipment is stated at historical cost less accumulated depreciation and/or accumulated impairment losses, if any. Subsequent costs are included in the asset’s carrying amount or recognized as a separate asset, as appropriate, only when it is probable that future economic benefits associated with the item will flow to the Company and the cost of the item can be measured reliably. All other repairs and maintenance are expensed during the financial period in which they are incurred.

Property, plant and equipment are recorded at cost and are amortized over their estimated useful lives using the straight-line method based on the following rates:

Asset	Rate
Research equipment	5 years
Office furniture and equipment	5 years
Computer equipment	3 years
Leasehold improvements	Over the lesser of lease term or estimated useful life

Impairment of long-lived assets

(e) Impairment of long-lived assets:

The Company monitors its long-lived assets for indicators of impairment. If such indicators are present, the Company assesses the recoverability of affected assets by determining whether the carrying value of such assets is less than the sum of the undiscounted future cash flows of the assets. If such assets are found not to be recoverable, the Company measures the amount of such impairment by comparing the carrying value of the assets to the fair value of the assets, with the fair value generally determined based on the present value of the expected future cash flows associated with the assets. Based on the Company's assessment of future cash flows and current operations, the Company has determined that no impairment of long-lived assets existed as of December 31, 2014 and 2013.

Concentration of credit risk and of significant customers

(f) Concentration of credit risk and of significant customers:

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to significant concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, marketable securities, and accounts receivable. Cash and cash equivalents are invested through banks and other financial institutions in Canada. Such deposits may be in excess of insured limits. The Company maintains cash and cash equivalents with various high credit quality and capitalized financial institutions.

Marketable securities are highly liquid investments with terms to maturity of greater than three months, and less than twelve months, when acquired, and include guaranteed investment certificates as well as government treasury bills and treasury notes. Marketable securities are invested through September 2015.

Accounts receivable are typically unsecured and are concentrated in the pharmaceutical industry due to the Company’s multiple collaborations. Accordingly, the Company may be exposed to credit risk generally associated with pharmaceutical companies or specific to the collaboration agreements with its significant pharmaceutical collaborators. To date, the Company has not experienced any material losses related to its receivables.

Collaborators whose collaboration research and development revenue accounted for 10% or more of total revenues were as follows:

	Year ended December 31,
	2014		2013		2012
Genentech	$	15,764	$	12,876	$	6,948
Merck		—		—		5,562
Teva		12,588		13,773		—

Financial instruments and fair value

(g) Financial instruments and fair value:

Fair value:

U.S. GAAP establishes a fair value hierarchy for inputs to be used to measure fair value of financial assets and liabilities. This hierarchy prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three levels: Level 1 (highest priority), Level 2, and Level 3 (lowest priority).

· Level 1 - Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access at the balance sheet date.

· Level 2 - Inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. Level 2 inputs include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability (i.e., interest rates, yield curves, etc.), and inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means (market corroborated inputs).

· Level 3 - Inputs are unobservable and reflect the Company’s assumptions as to what market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. The Company develops these inputs based on the best information available.

Cash equivalents and marketable securities are reflected in the accompanying financial statements at fair value using Level 1. The carrying amount of accounts receivables and accounts payable and accrued expenses approximates fair value due to the nature and short-term of those instruments.

Marketable securities are highly liquid investments with terms to maturity of greater than three months when acquired. Marketable securities have varying maturities of less than 12 months, are classified as available-for-sale investments and are measured at their fair values under Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy with unrealized holding gains or losses reported in other comprehensive income.

Revenue recognition

(h) Revenue recognition:

The Company recognizes revenue when all of the following criteria are met: (i) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists; (ii) delivery has occurred or services have been rendered; (iii) the Company’s price to the collaborator is fixed or determinable; and (iv) collectability is reasonably assured.

The Company generates revenue primarily through collaboration agreements.

Under these collaboration agreements, the Company is eligible to receive non-refundable upfront payments, funding for research and development services, milestone payments, other contingent payments and royalties. In assessing the appropriate revenue recognition related to a collaboration agreement, the Company first determines whether an arrangement includes multiple elements, such as the delivery of intellectual property rights and research and development services. Revenues associated with multiple element arrangements are attributed to the various elements based on their relative fair values or are recognized as a single unit of accounting when relative fair values are not determinable.

Upfront payments are recorded as deferred revenue on the balance sheet and are recognized as collaboration revenue over the estimated period of research performance that is consistent with the terms of the research and development obligations contained in the collaboration agreement. The Company periodically reviews the estimated period of performance based on the progress made under each arrangement.

The Company recognizes funding related to full-time equivalent staffing funded through collaboration agreements as revenue on a gross basis as it performs or delivers such related services in accordance with the agreement terms, provided that it will receive payment for such services upon standard payment terms.

The Company recognizes revenue contingent upon its achievement of a milestone in its entirety, in the period the milestone is achieved, only if the milestone meets certain criteria and is considered to be substantive.

The Company makes judgments which affect the periods over which the Company recognized revenue, including modifying such periods based on any amendments to its collaboration agreements.

Research and development costs

(i) Research and development costs:

Research and development costs are expensed in the period in which they are incurred.

Clinical trial expenses

(j) Development activity costs:

Certain development activity costs, such as preclinical costs, manufacturing costs and clinical trial costs, are a component of research and development costs and include fees paid to contract research organizations, investigators and other vendors who conduct certain product development activities on behalf of the Company. The amount of expenses recognized in a period related to service agreements is based on estimates of the work performed using an accrual basis of accounting. These estimates are based on patient enrollment, services provided and goods delivered, contractual terms and experience with similar contracts. The Company monitors these factors and adjusts the estimates accordingly. Prepaid expenses or accrued liabilities are adjusted if payments to service providers differ from estimates of the amount of service completed in a given period.

Share-based compensation

(k) Share-based compensation:

The Company grants stock options to employees, directors and consultants pursuant to a stock option plan described in Note 11. Compensation expense is recorded for stock options issued to employees and non-employees using the fair value method with a corresponding increase in additional paid-in capital. Any consideration received on exercise of stock options and the purchase of shares is credited to share capital.

Under the fair value based method, share-based payments to non-employees are measured at the fair value of the equity instruments issued, and the awards are periodically re-measured during the vesting period as the options are earned. Any changes therein are recognized over the period and in the same manner as if the Company had paid cash instead of paying with or using equity instruments. The fair value of stock-based awards to employees is measured at the grant date and amortized over the vesting period.

Stock options issued to employees are recorded at the fair value of stock options determined at the date of the grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model and a single option award approach and are expensed on a straight-line basis over the vesting period of the options. In determining the expense, the Company deducts the number of options that are expected to be forfeited at the time of a grant and revises this estimate, if necessary, in subsequent years if actual forfeitures differ from those estimated. Any amounts paid by employees on exercise of the stock options and subsequent purchase of shares are credited to share capital.

Net income (loss) per share

(l) Net income (loss) per share:

Basic net income (loss) per common share is computed by dividing the net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted net income (loss) per common share is computed by adjusting net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders to reallocate undistributed earnings based on the potential impact of dilutive securities. For periods in which the Company has reported net losses, diluted net loss per common share is the same as basic net loss per common share, since dilutive common shares are not assumed to have been issued if their effect is anti-dilutive. For the year ended December 31, 2014, outstanding stock options of 154,057 (December 31, 2013 – 42,592) were excluded from the calculation of net income per common share because their inclusion would be anti-dilutive. As the Company reported a net loss attributable to common shareholders for the year ended December 31, 2012, all stock options and subscription rights were anti-dilutive and were excluded from the diluted weighted average shares for that period.

Prior to the Company’s IPO, net income (loss) per share was calculated under the two-class method as the Company had outstanding shares that met the definition of participating securities. The two-class method determines net income (loss) per share for each class of common and participating securities according to dividends declared or accumulated and participation rights in undistributed earnings. The two-class method requires income available to common shareholders for the period to be allocated between common and participating securities based upon their respective rights to receive dividends as if all income for the period had been distributed.

Prior to the Company’s IPO, the Company’s then-outstanding redeemable convertible preferred shares contractually entitled the holders of such shares to participate in dividends, but did not contractually require the holders of such shares to participate in losses of the Company. Accordingly, in periods in which the Company reported a net loss or a net loss attributable to common shareholders resulting from preferred share dividends or accretion, net losses were not allocated to participating securities. All of the outstanding redeemable convertible preferred shares converted to common shares upon the consummation of the Company’s IPO.

Foreign currency translation

(m) Foreign currency translation:

The Company’s functional currency is the Canadian dollar and the Company’s reporting currency is the U.S. dollar. The Company initially records foreign currency transactions using the exchange rates prevailing at the dates of the transactions. At the balance sheet date, results of operations and cash flows are translated into the functional currency at average exchange rates during the period, and monetary assets and liabilities are translated at end of period exchange rates. Non-monetary assets and liabilities and equity transactions are translated at historical exchange rates. The effects of exchange rate fluctuations on translating foreign currency monetary assets and liabilities into Canadian dollars are included in the statement of operations as foreign exchange gain (loss).

At the balance sheet date, results of operations and cash flows are translated into the U.S. dollar reporting currency at average exchange rates during the period, and assets and liabilities are translated at end of period exchange rates, except for equity transactions, which are translated at historical exchange rates. The effects of exchange rate fluctuations on translating functional currency assets and liabilities into U.S. dollars are accumulated as a separate component in other accumulated comprehensive income (loss) as cumulative translation adjustment.

Income taxes

(n) Income taxes:

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and net operating loss and credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured at rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences and carryforwards are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in the statement of operations in the period that includes the enactment date. A valuation allowance is recorded when it is not more likely than not that all, or a portion of the net deferred tax assets will be realized.

Deferred tenant inducements

(o) Deferred tenant inducements:

Deferred tenant inducements, which include leasehold improvements paid for by the landlord and free rent, are recorded as liabilities on the balance sheet and recognized as a reduction of rent expense on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease.

Deferred financing fees

(p) Deferred financing fees:

Deferred financing fees, which primarily consist of direct incremental legal and accounting fees relating to the IPO, were capitalized. The deferred financing fees were offset against IPO proceeds upon consummation of the offering in November 2014. At December 31, 2013, $2,739 was capitalized and deferred. There were no remaining amounts deferred at December 31, 2014.

Comparative figures

(q) Comparative figures:

Certain comparative figures have been reclassified to conform to the financial statement presentation adopted for the current year.