Revenue recognition

On October 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2014-09”) and changed its revenue recognition policies accordingly. The standard’s stated core principle is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. This guidance also requires an entity to disclose sufficient information to enable users of financial statements to understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. Qualitative and quantitative information is required about:

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Contracts with customers – including revenue and impairments recognized, disaggregation of revenue and information about contract balances and performance obligations (including the transaction price allocated to the remaining performance obligations).

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Significant judgments and changes in judgments – determining the timing of satisfaction of performance obligations (over time or at a point in time) and determining the transaction price and amounts allocated to performance obligations.

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Certain assets – assets recognized from the costs to obtain or fulfill a contract.

The Company’s revenue is generated primarily through collaboration research and license agreements. The terms of these agreements generally contain multiple deliverables which may include (i) licenses, (ii) research and development activities, (iii) clinical manufacturing and, (iv) product supply. The payment terms of these agreements may include nonrefundable upfront fees, payments for research and development activities, payments based upon the achievement of certain milestones, royalty payments based on product sales derived from the collaboration, and payments for supplying product. The Company typically receives upfront, nonrefundable payments when licensing its intellectual property.

The Company’s arrangements fall under ASC 808, Collaborations (“ASC 808”). ASC 808 does not address recognition or measurement matters but prescribes that entities look to other GAAP by analogy, namely ASU 2014-09. As such, the Company completed an analysis of existing contracts with the Company’s collaboration partners and assessed the differences in accounting for such contracts under ASU 2014-09 compared with current revenue accounting standards. Under the ASU 2014-09, the Company treats substantive milestones as forms of variable consideration which is recognized over the estimated performance period. Payments or reimbursements resulting from the Company’s research and development efforts are recognized as the services are performed.

The Company adopted the new accounting standard utilizing the modified retrospective method and, therefore, no adjustments were made to amounts in its prior period financial statements. The Company recorded the cumulative effect of adopting the standard as an adjustment to increase accumulated deficit by $3.6 million. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020, the Company would have recognized $4.5 million of collaboration revenues under revenue recognition guidance in effect during fiscal 2018 prior to the adoption of ASU 2014-09.

About Revenue Disclosures

Revenue disclosures under ASC 606 explain how a company identifies performance obligations, allocates transaction prices, and determines when revenue is recognized. This section is essential for understanding whether reported revenue reflects genuine economic activity or aggressive accounting choices. Analysts examine the mix of point-in-time versus over-time recognition, which directly affects revenue timing and comparability.

Key signals: rising contract liabilities (deferred revenue) suggest strong future revenue visibility, while declining contract assets may indicate slowing project milestones. Watch for variable consideration estimates — rebates, returns, and performance bonuses that require management judgment. Significant changes in disaggregated revenue by geography or product line can reveal shifting business mix before it appears in headline numbers. Compare revenue growth against contract liability growth to assess sustainability, and scrutinize any changes in the timing of recognition that coincide with earnings pressure.