Changes in Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Accounting Changes And Error Corrections [Abstract]

Changes in significant accounting policies

4. Changes in significant accounting policies:

(a) Leases:

The Company adopted the new lease standard (Accounting Standards Codification “ASC” 842), effective January 1, 2019, using the transition method under which previously presented financial statements are not restated and the cumulative effect of adopting the new lease standard on leases existing as of, or entered into after January 1, 2019, is recognized by an adjustment to retained earnings at the effective date. Consequently, comparative periods have been accounted for in accordance with the previous lease standard and the disclosures are in accordance with ASC 840.

In addition, the Company elected to apply the package of practical expedients which allows entities not to reassess its previous conclusions about lease identification, lease classification, and initial direct costs. The Company elected not to use hindsight to determine lease terms and to not separate non-lease components from the associated lease component. The new lease standard only impacted the Company’s one operating lease for its premises. Adoption of the new lease standard resulted in recognition of a right-of-use asset of $1,333 and a lease liability of $1,453, as of January 1, 2019. The difference between the right-of-use asset and lease liability relates to the balance of deferred tenant inducements. In addition, a cumulative effect adjustment of $175 was recorded to opening retained earnings. The adoption of the new lease standard did not materially impact the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss or the consolidated statement of cash flows. For additional disclosure and detail, see note 8 below.

(b) Collaborative Agreements:

In November 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update  (“ASU”) 2018-18, Collaborative Arrangements (Topic 808): Clarifying the Interaction between Topic 808 and Topic 606. These amendments make targeted improvements to accounting for collaborative arrangements by clarifying that certain transactions between collaborative arrangement participants should be accounted for as revenue under Topic 606 when the collaborative arrangement participant is a customer in the context of a unit of account. In those situations, all the guidance in Topic 606 should be applied, including recognition, measurement, presentation, and disclosure requirements. In addition, unit-of-account guidance in Topic 808 was aligned with the guidance in Topic 606 (that is, a distinct good or service) when an entity is assessing whether the collaborative arrangement or a part of the arrangement is within the scope of Topic 606. The Company has early adopted this standard in the fourth quarter of 2019 on a retrospective basis to the date of initial application of Topic 606. The adoption of the standard had no impact on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets, consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss and consolidated statements of cash flows.