Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation

The Company’s consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with GAAP. The Company’s consolidated financial statements include the results of the Company’s subsidiaries for which it has voting control but does not own 100% of the outstanding equity of the subsidiaries. For consolidated entities where the Company owns less than 100% of the subsidiary, but retains voting control, the Company records net loss attributable to non-controlling interests in its consolidated statements of operations and presents non-controlling interests as a component of stockholders’ equity on its consolidated balance sheets. All intercompany income and/or expense items are eliminated entirely in consolidation prior to the allocation of net gain/loss attributable to non-controlling interest, which is based on ownership interests as calculated quarterly for each subsidiary.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management 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 consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. The Company’s significant estimates include, but are not limited to, provisions for product returns, coupons, rebates, chargebacks, discounts, allowances and distribution fees paid by Journey to certain wholesalers, inventory realization, valuation of intangible assets, useful lives assigned to long-lived assets and amortizable intangible assets, fair value of stock options and warrants, stock-based compensation, common stock issued to acquire licenses, accrued expenses and contingencies. Due to the uncertainty inherent in such estimates, actual results may differ from these estimates.

Revenue Recognition

The Company records and recognizes revenue in a manner that depicts the transfer of 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 Company’s revenues primarily result from contracts with customers, which are generally short-term and have a single performance obligation – the delivery of product. The Company’s performance obligation to deliver products is satisfied at the point in time that the goods are received by the customer, which is when the customer obtains title to and has the risks and rewards of ownership of the products. The transaction price is the amount of consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled in exchange for transferring promised goods to a customer. The consideration promised in a contract with a customer may include fixed amounts, variable amounts, or both.

Many of the Company’s products sold are subject to a variety of deductions. Revenues are recorded net of provisions for variable consideration, including coupons, chargebacks, wholesaler fees, prompt pay discounts, specialty pharmacy discounts, managed care rebates, product returns, government rebates and other deductions customary to the pharmaceutical industry. Accruals for these provisions are presented in the consolidated financial statements as reductions to gross sales in determining net sales and as a contra asset within accounts receivable, net (if settled via credit) and other current liabilities (if paid in cash). Amounts recorded for revenue deductions can result from a complex series of judgements about future events and uncertainties and can rely heavily on estimates and assumptions. The following section briefly describes the nature of the Company’s provisions for variable consideration and how such provisions are estimated:

Coupons — The Company offers coupons on products for qualified commercially-insured parties with prescription drug co-payments. Such product sales flow through both traditional wholesaler and specialty pharmacy channels. Coupons are processed and redeemed at the time of prescription fulfilment by the pharmacy. The expected accrual reserve requires us to estimate the distribution channel inventory at period end, the expected redemption rates, and the cost per coupon claim that the Company expects to receive. The estimate of product remaining in the distribution channel is comprised of estimated inventory at the wholesaler as well as an estimate of inventory at the specialty pharmacies, which the Company estimates based upon historical ordering patterns. The estimated redemption rate is based on historical redemptions as a percentage of units sold. The cost per coupon is based on the coupon rate.

Chargebacks and Government Chargebacks The Company sells a portion of its products indirectly through wholesaler distributors to contracted indirect customers and qualified government healthcare providers. The Company enters into specific agreements with or provides discounts to these indirect customers and entities to establish pricing for the Company’s products, and in-turn, the indirect customers and entities independently purchase these products. The Company’s provision for chargebacks is based on expected sell-through levels by the Company’s wholesale customers to the indirect customers and estimated wholesaler inventory levels as well as historical chargeback rates. The Company continually monitors its reserve for chargebacks and adjusts the reserve accordingly when expected chargebacks differ from actual experience.

Wholesaler fees — The Company provides allowances to its wholesale customers for sales order management, data, and distribution services. The Company also pays administrative and other fees to certain wholesale customers consistent with pharmaceutical industry practices. The Company records a provision for these fees based on contracted rates. Assumptions used to establish the provision include contract sales volumes and average contract pricing. The Company regularly reviews the information related to these estimates and adjusts the provision accordingly.

Specialty Pharmacy Discounts — The Company has in place contractual arrangements with specialty pharmacies and provides for contractually agreed upon discounts. These discounts are recorded at the time of sale based on the customer’s contracted rate and recorded as a reduction of revenue.

Managed Care Rebates — The Company is subject to rebates in connection with its agreements with certain contracted commercial payers. The Company estimates its managed care rebates based on the Company’s estimated payer mix and the applicable contractual rebate rate. The Company’s accrual for managed care rebates is based on an estimate of future claims that the Company expects to receive, which considers an estimate for inventory in the distribution channel. The accrual is recognized at the time of sale, resulting in a reduction of gross product revenue.

Product Returns — Consistent with industry practice, the Company offers customers a right to return any unused product. The customer’s right of return commences six months prior to product expiration date and ends one year after product expiration date. Products returned for expiration are reimbursed at current wholesale acquisition cost or indirect contract price. The Company estimates the amount of its product sales that may be returned by the Company’s customers and accrues this estimate as a reduction of revenue in the period the related product revenue is recognized. The Company estimates products returns as a percentage of sales to its customers. The rate is estimated by using historical sales information, including its visibility and estimates into the inventory remaining in the distribution channel.

Collaboration Revenue

The Company’s collaboration revenue includes service revenue, license fees and future contingent milestone-based payments. Collaboration revenue is recognized for contracted R&D services performed for its customers over time. The Company measures its progress using an input method based on the effort expended or costs incurred toward the satisfaction of the Company’s performance obligation. The Company estimates the amount of effort to be expended, including the time it will take to complete the activities, or the costs that may be incurred in a given period, relative to the estimated total effort or costs to satisfy the performance obligation. This results in a percentage that is multiplied by the transaction price to determine the amount of revenue the Company recognizes each period. This approach requires the use of estimates and judgement. If the Company’s estimates or judgements change over the course of the collaboration, they may affect the timing and amount of revenue that is recognized in the current and future periods.

Fair Value Measurement

The Company follows accounting guidance on fair value measurements for financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis. Under the accounting guidance, fair value is defined as an exit price, representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. As such, fair value is a market-based measurement that should be determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or a liability.

The accounting guidance requires fair value measurements be classified and disclosed in one of the following three categories:

Level 1:

Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2:

Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices for similar assets or liabilities that are directly or indirectly observable in the marketplace.

Level 3:

Unobservable inputs which are supported by little or no market activity and that are financial instruments whose values are determined using pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies, or similar techniques, as well as instruments for which the determination of fair value requires significant judgment or estimation.

The fair value hierarchy also requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. Assets and liabilities measured at fair value are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires management to make judgments and consider factors specific to the asset or liability.

Certain of the Company’s financial instruments are not measured at fair value on a recurring basis but are recorded at amounts that approximate their fair value due to their liquid or short-term nature, such as accounts payable, accrued expenses and other current liabilities.

Segment Reporting

The Company operates in two operating and reportable segments, Dermatology Product Sales and Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Product Development. The Company evaluates the performance of each segment based on operating profit or loss. There is no inter-segment allocation of interest expense and income taxes.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents at December 31, 2023 and 2022, consisted of cash and certificates of deposit in institutions in the United States. The Company maintains its cash and cash equivalent balances with high-quality financial institutions and, consequently, the Company believes that such funds are currently adequately protected against credit risk. At times, portions of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents may be uninsured or in deposit accounts that exceed Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) limits, though the Company customarily invests a significant portion of its cash in Certificate of Deposit Account Registry Service (“CDARS”) accounts to maximize FDIC insurance coverage across its holdings. As of December 31, 2023, the Company had not experienced losses on these accounts, and management believes the Company is not exposed to significant risk on such accounts. The Company’s cash equivalents and investments may comprise money market funds that are invested in U.S. Treasury obligations, corporate debt securities, U.S. Treasury obligations and government agency securities.  The Company has no significant off-balance sheet risk such as foreign exchange contracts, option contracts or other foreign hedging arrangements.

Property and Equipment

Computer equipment, furniture and fixtures and machinery and equipment are recorded at cost and depreciated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of each asset. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the estimated useful lives or the term of the respective leases.

Intangible Assets

The Company’s finite-lived intangible assets consist of intangible assets acquired by Journey. Intangible assets are reported at cost, less accumulated amortization. Intangible assets with finite lives are amortized over their estimated useful lives, which represents the estimated life of the product. Amortization is calculated primarily using the straight-line method.

During the ordinary course of business, the Company has entered into certain licenses and asset purchase agreements. Potential milestone payments for achieving sales targets or regulatory development milestones are recorded when it is probable of achievement. Upon a milestone payment being achieved, the milestone payment will be capitalized and amortized over the remaining useful life for approved products and expensed for milestones prior to FDA approval. Royalty payments are recorded as cost of goods sold as sales are recognized.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company reviews long-lived assets, including intangible assets with finite useful lives, for impairment at least annually or whenever events or changes in business circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be fully recoverable (a “triggering event”). Factors that the Company considers in deciding when to perform an impairment review include significant underperformance of the long-lived asset in relation to expectations, significant negative industry or economic trends, and significant changes or planned changes in the use of the assets. If an impairment review is performed to evaluate a long-lived asset for recoverability, the Company compares forecasts of undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use and eventual disposition of the long-lived asset to its carrying value. An impairment loss would be recognized when estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from the use of an asset are less than its carrying amount. The impairment loss would be based on the excess of the carrying value of the impaired asset over its fair value, determined based on discounted cash flows. During the year ended December 31, 2023, Journey recorded an intangible asset impairment charge of $3.1 million during the year ended December 31, 2023. This non-cash charge was recorded to selling, general and administrative expenses on the consolidated statements of operations. The Company did not record any impairment loss on long-lived assets for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Restricted Cash

The Company records cash held in trust or pledged to secure certain debt obligations as restricted cash. As of December 31, 2023, the Company had $2.4 million of restricted cash representing pledges to secure letters of credit in connection with certain office leases and an undertaking posted by Cyprium to secure potential damages in an injunctive proceeding.  As of December 31, 2022, the Company had $2.7 million of restricted cash representing pledges to secure letters of credit in connection with certain office leases.  

The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash from the consolidated balance sheets to the consolidated statements of cash flows as of the dates presented:

December 31, 

2023

2022

Cash and cash equivalents

    

$

80,927

    

$

178,266

Restricted cash

 

2,438

 

2,688

Total cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash

$

83,365

$

180,954

Inventories

The Company’s inventory consists of raw materials, work-in-process and finished goods supporting Journey’s sales of dermatology products. Inventories are recorded at the lower of cost or net realizable value, with cost determined on a first-in, first-out basis. The Company periodically reviews the composition of inventory in order to identify excess, obsolete, slow-moving or otherwise non-saleable items taking into account anticipated future sales compared with quantities on hand, and the remaining shelf life of goods on hand. If non-saleable items are observed and there are no alternate uses for the inventory, the Company records a write-down to net realizable value in the period that the decline in value is first recognized. The Company’s inventory reserves were $0.3 million and $0.4 million at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Accounts Receivable, Net

The Company’s accounts receivable consists of amounts due from customers to Journey related to dermatological product sales and have standard payment terms. For certain customers, the accounts receivable for the customer are net of prompt payment or specialty pharmacy discounts. The Company monitors the financial performance and creditworthiness of its customers so that it can properly assess and respond to changes in their credit profile. The Company reserves against accounts receivable for estimated losses that may arise from a customer’s inability to pay, and any amounts determined to be uncollectible are written off against the reserve when it is probable that the receivable will not be collected. The Company has historically not experienced significant credit losses. The allowance for doubtful accounts was $0.5 million and $0.4 million at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Research and Development

Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. Advance payments for goods and services that will be used in future research and development activities are expensed when the activity has been performed or when the goods have been received rather than when the payment is made. Upfront and milestone payments due to third parties that perform research and development services on the Company’s behalf will be expensed as services are rendered or when the milestone is achieved.

Research and development costs primarily consist of personnel related expenses, including salaries, benefits, travel, and other related expenses, stock-based compensation, payments made to third parties for license and milestone costs related to in-licensed products and technology, payments made to third party contract research organizations for preclinical and clinical studies, investigative sites for clinical trials, consultants, the cost of acquiring and manufacturing clinical trial materials, and costs associated with regulatory filings, laboratory costs and other supplies.

In accordance with ASC 730-10-25-1, Research and Development, costs incurred in obtaining technology licenses are charged to research and development expense if the technology licensed has not reached commercial feasibility and has no alternative future use. Such licenses purchased by the Company require substantial completion of research and development, regulatory and marketing approval efforts in order to reach commercial feasibility and has no alternative future use. Accordingly, the total purchase price for the licenses acquired is reflected in research and development – licenses acquired in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Contingencies

The Company records accruals for contingencies and legal proceedings expected to be incurred in connection with a loss contingency when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount can be reasonably estimated.

If a loss contingency is not probable but is reasonably possible, or is probable but cannot be estimated, the nature of the contingent liability, together with an estimate of the range of possible loss if determinable and material, would be disclosed.

Leases

The Company accounts for its leases under ASC 842, Leases. Under this guidance, arrangements meeting the definition of a lease are classified as operating or financing leases and are recorded on the consolidated balance sheet as both a right-of-use asset and lease liability, calculated by discounting fixed lease payments over the lease term at the rate implicit in the lease or the Company's incremental borrowing rate. Lease liabilities are increased by interest and reduced by payments each period, and the right-of-use asset is amortized over the lease term. For operating leases, interest on the lease liability and the amortization of the right-of-use asset result in straight-line rent expense over the lease term. For finance leases, interest on the lease liability and the amortization of the right-of-use asset results in front-loaded expense over the lease term. Variable lease expenses are recorded when incurred.

In calculating the right-of-use asset and lease liability, the Company elects to combine lease and non-lease components. The Company continues to account for leases in the prior period consolidated financial statements under ASC Topic 840, Leases.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company expenses stock-based compensation to employees and non-employees over the requisite service period based on the estimated grant-date fair value of the awards and forfeitures, which are recorded upon occurrence. The Company estimates the fair value of stock option grants using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The assumptions used in calculating the fair value of stock-based awards represent management’s best estimates and involve inherent uncertainties and the application of management’s judgment.

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes under ASC 740, Income Taxes (“ASC 740”). ASC 740 requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for both the expected impact of differences between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities and for the expected future tax benefit to be derived from tax loss and tax credit carry forwards. ASC 740 additionally requires a valuation allowance to be established when it is more likely than not that all or a portion of deferred tax assets will not be realized.

 

ASC 740 also clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements and prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement process for financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. ASC 740 also provides guidance on de-recognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim period, disclosure and transition. Based on the Company’s evaluation, as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company has recorded a liability related to an uncertain tax position of $0.8 million and $0.7 million, respectively. The 2019 through 2021 tax years are the only periods subject to examination upon filing of appropriate tax returns. The Company believes that its income tax positions and deductions would be sustained on audit and does not anticipate any adjustments that would result in a material change to its financial position.

 

The Company’s policy for recording interest and penalties associated with audits is to record such expense as a component of income tax expense. As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company accrued interest related to uncertain tax positions of $0.1 million and approximately $32,000, respectively. Management is currently unaware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals or material deviations from its position.

Net Loss Per Common Share

Basic and diluted net loss per share attributed to common stockholders is calculated by dividing the net loss attributed to Fortress (less the Series A Preferred Dividend) by the weighted-average number of shares of Common Stock outstanding during the period, not including unvested restricted stock, and without consideration for Common Stock equivalents. Diluted net loss per share is the same as the basic loss per share due to net losses incurred in all periods.

Non-Controlling Interests

The Company records net loss attributable to non-controlling interests in its consolidated statements of operations and presents non-controlling interests as a component of stockholders’ equity on its consolidated balance sheets. All intercompany income and/or expense items are eliminated entirely in consolidation prior to the allocation of net gain/loss attributable to non-controlling interest, which is based on a quarterly calculation of ownership interests for each relevant subsidiary.

Subsidiary preferred shares and Class A common shares, if issued, are included in the ownership calculation on a 1:1 basis consistent with how the relevant contractual agreements provide for the allocation and distribution of earnings. These shares, if any, are convertible at Fortress’ election on a 1:1 basis into common stock (with adjustments for stock splits, if any) and upon conversion would have the same voting rights as the common stock. Only preferred stock and Class A common stock held by Fortress have majority voting rights, which rights would terminate upon conversion into common stock. The Company allocates the subsidiaries’ net loss/income to the non-controlling interest on a quarterly basis, and the

calculation of non-controlling interest ownership percentage is determined as the average of the prior quarter and the current quarter’s non-controlling ownership interest.

The Company continually assesses whether changes to existing relationships or future transactions may result in the consolidation or deconsolidation of subsidiaries and/or partner companies.

Comprehensive Loss

The Company’s comprehensive loss is equal to its net loss for all periods presented.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures The amendments in ASU 2023-07 improve reportable segment disclosure requirements through enhanced disclosures about significant segment expenses. The amendments introduce a new requirement to disclose significant segment expenses regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker (“CODM”), extend certain annual disclosures to interim periods, clarify that single reportable segment entities must apply ASC 280 in its entirety, permit more than one measure of segment profit or loss to be reported under certain conditions, and require disclosure of the title and position of the CODM. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. Early adoption will be permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new standard on its consolidated financial statements.

In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures, which expands disclosures in an entity’s income tax rate reconciliation table and disclosures regarding cash taxes paid both in the U.S. and foreign jurisdictions. The update will be effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new standard on its consolidated financial statements.