Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity 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 the reported amounts of income and expenses during the reporting periods. Significant estimates and assumptions reflected in these consolidated financial statements include, but are not limited to, the accrual for research and development expenses and the valuation of common shares, stock options, warrants, derivative instruments and contingent equity instruments. In addition, management’s assessment of the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern involves the estimation of the amount and timing of future cash inflows and outflows. Estimates are periodically reviewed in light of changes in circumstances, facts and experience. Changes in estimates are recorded in the period in which they become known. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Information

The accompanying consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2017, the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss and of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, and the consolidated statement of convertible preferred shares and shareholders’ equity (deficit) as of March 31, 2017 are unaudited. The unaudited interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the audited annual consolidated financial statements and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments, which include only normal recurring adjustments, necessary for the fair statement of the Company’s financial position as of March 31, 2017 and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016. The financial data and other information disclosed in these consolidated notes related to the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 are unaudited. The results for the three months ended March 31, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2017, any other interim periods or any future year or period.

Restricted Cash

As of December 31, 2016, current restricted cash consisted of $67 of cash received from investors as an advance payment for their participation in the second closing of the Company’s sale of Series A preferred shares. The Company closed the second and final tranche of its Series A preferred financing in February 2017. As a result, there was no current restricted cash as of March 31, 2017. As of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the Company’s non-current restricted cash consisted of a $60 certificate of deposit held as a security deposit in connection with the Company’s corporate credit card.

Deferred Offering Costs

The Company capitalizes certain legal, professional accounting and other third-party fees that are directly associated with in-process equity financings as deferred offering costs until such equity financings are consummated. After consummation of the equity financing, these costs are recorded in shareholders’ equity (deficit) as a reduction of proceeds generated as a result of the offering. Should the planned equity financing be abandoned, the deferred offering costs will be expensed immediately as a charge to operating expenses in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss. As of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the Company recorded deferred offering costs relating to its IPO of $2,399 and $134, respectively. The Company’s IPO was completed in May 2017 and these costs were recorded as a reduction to shareholders’ equity.

Equity Method Investments

Investments in non-public companies in which the Company owns less than a 50% equity interest and where it exercises significant influence over the operating and financial policies of the investee are accounted for using the equity method of accounting. The Company’s proportionate share of the net income or loss of the equity method investment is included in other income (expense), net in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss and results in a corresponding adjustment to the carrying value of the investment on the consolidated balance sheet. Dividends received reduce the carrying value of the investment. The Company periodically reviews the carrying value of its investment to determine if there has been an other-than-temporary decline in carrying value. A variety of factors are considered when determining if a decline in carrying value is other than temporary, including, among other factors, the financial condition and business prospects of the investee as well as the Company’s intent with regard to the investment.

Fair Value Measurements

Certain assets of the Company are carried at fair value under GAAP. Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. Valuation techniques used to measure fair value must maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. Financial assets and liabilities carried at fair value are to be classified and disclosed in one of the following three levels of the fair value hierarchy, of which the first two are considered observable and the last is considered unobservable:

Level 1— Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2—Observable inputs (other than Level 1 quoted prices), such as quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active for identical or similar assets or liabilities, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data.

Level 3—Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity that are significant to determining the fair value of the assets or liabilities, including pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies and similar techniques.

The Company’s warrant liability, derivative liability and contingent equity liability are carried at fair value, determined according to the fair value hierarchy described above (see Note 3). The carrying values of other current assets, accounts payable, accrued expenses and notes payable under a credit agreement approximate their fair values due to the short-term nature of these assets and liabilities.

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. Research and development expenses consist of costs incurred in performing research and development activities, including salaries, share-based compensation and benefits, facilities costs, depreciation, third-party license fees, and external costs of outside vendors engaged to conduct clinical development activities and clinical trials as well as to manufacture clinical trial materials. Non-refundable prepayments for goods or services that will be used or rendered for future research and development activities are deferred and capitalized. Such amounts are recognized as an expense as the goods are delivered or the related services are performed, or until it is no longer expected that the goods will be delivered or the services rendered.

Research Contract Costs and Accruals

The Company has entered into various research and development-related contracts with companies both inside and outside of the United States. These agreements are cancelable, and related payments are recorded as research and development expenses as incurred. The Company records accruals for estimated ongoing research costs. When evaluating the adequacy of the accrued liabilities, the Company analyzes progress of the studies or clinical trials, including the phase or completion of events, invoices received and contracted costs. Significant judgments and estimates are made in determining the accrued balances at the end of any reporting period. Actual results could differ from the Company’s estimates. The Company’s historical accrual estimates have not been materially different from the actual costs.

Share-Based Compensation

The Company measures stock options granted to employees and directors based on the fair value on the date of the grant and recognizes compensation expense of those awards, over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period of the respective award. Forfeitures are accounted for as they occur. Generally, the Company issues stock options with only service-based vesting conditions and records the expense for these awards using the straight-line method. The Company has not issued any stock options with performance-based vesting conditions.

For share-based awards granted to consultants and non-employees, compensation expense is recognized over the period during which services are rendered by such consultants and non-employees until completed. At the end of each financial reporting period prior to completion of the service, the fair value of these awards is remeasured using the then-current fair value of the Company’s common shares and updated assumption inputs in the Black-Scholes option-pricing model.

The Company classifies share-based compensation expense in its consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss in the same manner in which the award recipient’s payroll costs are classified or in which the award recipient’s service payments are classified.

The fair value of each stock option grant is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. Prior to May 2017, the Company was a private company and, accordingly, lacks company-specific historical and implied volatility information for its shares. Therefore, it estimates its expected share price volatility based on the historical volatility of publicly traded peer companies and expects to continue to do so until such time as it has adequate historical data regarding the volatility of its own traded share price. The expected term of the Company’s stock options has been determined utilizing the “simplified” method for awards that qualify as “plain-vanilla” options. The expected term of stock options granted to non-employees is equal to the contractual term of the option award. The risk-free interest rate is determined by reference to the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant of the award for time periods approximately equal to the expected term of the award. Expected dividend yield is based on the fact that the Company has never paid cash dividends on common shares and does not expect to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.

Warrant Liability

In connection with entering into a credit agreement (see Note 7), the Company agreed to issue warrants to purchase common shares to two of the Company’s directors in connection with a guarantee of its obligations under the agreement (see Note 7). The Company classifies the warrants as a liability on its consolidated balance sheet because each warrant represents a freestanding financial instrument that is not indexed to the Company’s own shares. The warrant liability was initially recorded at fair value upon entering into the credit agreement and is subsequently remeasured to fair value at each reporting date. Changes in the fair value of the warrant liability are recognized as a component of other income (expense), net in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss. Changes in the fair value of the warrant liability will continue to be recognized until the warrants are exercised, expire or qualify for equity classification.

Derivative Liability

The Company’s license agreement with Yale University (“Yale”) (see Note 12) provides for a change-of-control payment to Yale upon the occurrence of a change-of-control event, as defined in the agreement, including an IPO. The Company classifies the change-of-control payment obligation as a liability on its consolidated balance sheet because it represents a contingent obligation to pay a variable amount of cash that may be based, in part, on the value of the Company’s own shares. The derivative liability was initially recorded at fair value upon entering into the license agreement and is subsequently remeasured to fair value at each reporting date. Changes in the fair value of the derivative liability are recognized as a component of other income (expense), net in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss.

In April 2017, the agreement with Yale was amended such that if the change-of-control event is an IPO, the change-of-control payment shall be due to Yale on the first trading day when Yale is free to sell its equity interest in the Company and the change-of-control fee shall be reduced by the dollar value of Yale’s equity interest in the Company on the first trading day when Yale is free to sell its equity interest in the Company. Yale’s equity interest in the Company is subject to a lock-up agreement, which generally restricts Yale’s shares from being traded until October 31, 2017 and accordingly, the amount due to Yale in connection with the change-of-control provision of the agreement, if any, will be determined upon expiration of the lock-up period. The Company will continue to remeasure the derivative liability to fair value at each reporting date and will recognize changes in the fair value of the derivative liability until the expiration of the lock-up agreement in October 2017 (see Note 17).

Contingent Equity Liability

The Company’s license agreements with AstraZeneca and BMS (see Note 12) require the Company to issue shares of capital stock upon the occurrence of specified financing or change-of-control events or development milestones, as defined in the agreements. In each agreement, the class and number of shares to be issued upon a triggering event were not known upon entering into the license agreements; however, the dollar amount of the shares to be issued upon a triggering event is fixed. The Company classifies these contingent obligations to issue shares as a liability on its consolidated balance sheet because each represents an obligation to issue a variable number of shares for a fixed dollar amount. Each contingent equity liability was initially recorded at fair value upon entering into each respective agreement and is subsequently remeasured to fair value at each reporting date. Changes in the fair values of the contingent equity liabilities are recognized as a component of other income (expense), net in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss. Changes in the fair value of the contingent equity liabilities will continue to be recognized until the occurrence of a respective triggering event. In May 2017, upon closing of the IPO, the conditions for issuing shares to BMS and AstraZeneca under the terms of the respective license agreements were satisfied, and accordingly, the Company issued 1,345,374 and 538,149 common shares, respectively, to BMS and AstraZeneca. The contingent equity liabilities were remeasured to fair value in the aggregate amount of $32,020 immediately prior to the completion of the IPO, and upon issuance of the common shares, the contingent equity liabilities were reclassified to shareholders’ equity (see Note 17).

Net Loss per Share Attributable to Common Shareholders of Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.

The Company follows the two-class method when computing net income (loss) per share as the Company has issued shares that meet 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. Net income (loss) per share attributable to common shareholders is calculated based on net income (loss) attributable to Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd. and excludes net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interests for relevant periods.

Basic net income (loss) per share attributable to common shareholders 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) attributable to common shareholders is computed by adjusting net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders to reallocate undistributed earnings based on the potential impact of dilutive securities. Diluted net income (loss) per share attributable to common shareholders is computed by dividing the diluted net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period, including potential dilutive common shares. For purpose of this calculation, outstanding options, warrants to purchase common shares, convertible preferred shares and contingently issuable equity are considered potential dilutive common shares.

The Company’s convertible preferred shares contractually entitle the holders of such shares to participate in dividends but contractually do not require the holders of such shares to participate in losses of the Company. Accordingly, in periods in which the Company reports a net loss attributable to common shareholders, diluted net loss per share attributable to common shareholders is the same as basic net loss per share attributable to common shareholders, since dilutive common shares are not assumed to have been issued if their effect is anti-dilutive.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805) — Clarifying the Definition of a Business (“ASU 2017-01”). ASU 2017-01 finalizes previous proposals regarding shareholder concerns that the definition of a business is applied too broadly. The guidance assists entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions of assets or of businesses. The amendments are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those periods. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that the adoption of ASU 2017-01 will have on its consolidated financial statements.

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfer of Assets Other than Inventory (“ASU 2016-16”), which requires the recognition of the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset, other than inventory, when the transfer occurs. The standard is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that the adoption of ASU 2016-16 will have on its consolidated financial statements.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows: Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments (“ASU 2016-15”), to address diversity in practice in how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. The standard is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that the adoption of ASU 2016-15 will have on its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“ASU 2016-02”), which sets out the principles for the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of leases for both parties to a contract (i.e., lessees and lessors). The new standard requires lessees to apply a dual approach, classifying leases as either finance or operating leases based on the principle of whether or not the lease is effectively a financed purchase by the lessee. This classification will determine whether lease expense is recognized based on an effective interest method or on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease, respectively. A lessee is also required to record a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for all leases with a term of greater than 12 months regardless of their classification. Leases with a term of 12 months or less will be accounted for similar to existing guidance for operating leases today. ASU 2016-02 (Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 842) supersedes the previous leases standard, ASC 840, Leases. The standard is effective for public entities for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018 and for interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that the adoption of ASU 2016-02 will have on its consolidated financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) (“ASU 2014-09”), which supersedes existing revenue recognition guidance under GAAP. The standard’s core principle is that a company will recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The standard defines a five-step process to achieve this principle, and will require companies to use more judgment and make more estimates than under the current guidance. The Company expects that these judgments and estimates will include identifying performance obligations in the customer contract, estimating the amount of variable consideration to include in the transaction price and allocating the transaction price to each separate performance obligation. ASU 2014-09 also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Deferral of the Effective Date, which delays the effective date of ASU 2014-09 such that the standard is effective for public entities for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017 and for interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption of the standard is permitted for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-08, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Principal versus Agent Considerations (“ASU 2016-08”), which further clarifies the implementation guidance on principal versus agent considerations in ASU 2014-09. In April 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-10, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing, clarifying the implementation guidance on identifying performance obligations and licensing. Specifically, the amendments in this update reduce the cost and complexity of identifying promised goods or services and improve the guidance for determining whether promises are separately identifiable. The amendments in this update also provide implementation guidance on determining whether an entity’s promise to grant a license provides a customer with either a right to use the entity’s intellectual property (which is satisfied at a point in time) or a right to access the entity’s intellectual property (which is satisfied over time). In May 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-12, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients (“ASU 2016-12”), which clarifies the objective of the collectability criterion, presentation of taxes collected from customers, non-cash consideration, contract modifications at transition, completed contracts at transition and how guidance in ASU 2014-09 is retrospectively applied. ASU 2016-08, ASU 2016-10 and ASU 2016-12 have the same effective dates and transition requirements as ASU 2014-09. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that the adoption that these standards will have on its consolidated financial statements, if and when it generates revenue.