2.           Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Segments

The Company operates in only one segment. Management uses cash flow as the primary measure to manage its business and does not segment its business for internal reporting or decision-making.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of 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 financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Concentrations of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to significant concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents. The Company maintains deposits in federally insured financial institutions in excess of federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts and believes it is not exposed to significant risk on its cash.

The Company’s future results of operations involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could affect the Company’s future operating results and cause actual results to vary materially from expectations include, but are not limited to, rapid technological change, regulatory approvals, competition from current treatments and therapies and larger companies, protection of proprietary technology, strategic relationships and dependence on key individuals.

Products developed by the Company require clearances from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”) and other international regulatory agencies prior to commercial sales in their respective markets. The Company’s products may not receive the necessary clearances and if they are denied clearance, clearance is delayed or the Company is unable to maintain clearance the Company’s business could be materially adversely impacted.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity from the date of purchase of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents include cash in a readily available checking account.

Marketable securities

Marketable securities consist of equity securities of publicly traded entities, and are classified as available-for-sale and carried at fair value on the balance sheet. Changes in the fair value of marketable securities are recorded as other comprehensive income.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment, which consists of lab equipment, computer equipment, and office equipment, are stated at cost and depreciated over the estimated useful lives of the assets (three to five years) using the straight-line method.

Goodwill and In-Process Research and Development

Goodwill and an intangible asset for in-process research and development were recorded in connection with the acquisition of RFS Pharma in November 2014.  In-process research and development represents a series of awarded patents, filed patent applications and an in-process research program acquired in the acquisition of RFS Pharma that are integral to the development of the Company’s planned future products.  In-process research and development represents an indefinite-lived intangible asset.  As a result, both goodwill and in-process research and development are not amortized but are tested for impairment annually at the reporting unit level on November 30 or more frequently if events and circumstances indicate impairment may have occurred. Factors the Company considers important that could trigger an interim review for impairment include, but are not limited to, the following:

Goodwill and in-process research and development are evaluated for impairment first by a qualitative assessment to determine the likelihood of impairment. If it is determined that impairment is more likely than not, the Company will then proceed to the two step impairment test. For goodwill, the first step is to compare the fair value of the reporting unit to the carrying amount of the reporting unit and for in-process research and development to compare the fair value of the in-process research and development asset to its carrying amount (the “First Step”). If the carrying amount exceeds the fair value, a second step must be followed to calculate impairment (the “Second Step”). Otherwise, if the fair value exceeds the carrying amount, the goodwill or indefinite-lived research and development asset is not considered to be impaired as of the measurement date. In its review of the carrying value of the goodwill for its single reporting unit and its in-process research and development, the Company determines fair values of its goodwill using the market approach, and its in-process research and development asset using the income approach.

In performing the impairment valuation, the Company considered, among other factors, the Company’s intention for future use of acquired assets, analyses of historical financial performance and estimates of future performance of Cocrystal Pharma’s product candidates. The fair values of intangible assets were calculated primarily using a discounted cash flow analysis of future development costs and exit values under a number of different scenarios.  Company management estimated the probabilities of occurrence of each scenario and prepared forecast balance sheets and income statements for the combined company.  The rates utilized to discount net cash flows to their present values were based on a range of discount rates from 5.4% (rate during the active periods) to 18.4% (terminal rate).

Upon completion of the impairment evaluation, we have determined that in-process research and development assets related to our Hepatitis C programs have been impaired.  During the fourth quarter of 2015, pre-clinical studies on our lead molecule CC-1845 demonstrated higher than acceptable toxicology risk.  The Company is working to further isolate the cause(s) of these toxicology issues, but this will further delay our development timetable and lower the probability of successful outcomes upon further development.  As a result of these findings, we have determined the carrying value of our Hepatitis C in-process research and development has been impaired by $38.7 million.  We have reflected this writedown in the Research and Development operating expenses in our Consolidated Statement of Operations.

Long-Lived Assets

The Company regularly reviews the carrying value and estimated lives of all of its long-lived assets, including property and equipment, to determine whether indicators of impairment may exist which warrant adjustments to carrying values or estimated useful lives. The determinants used for this evaluation include management’s estimate of the asset’s ability to generate positive income from operations and positive cash flow in future periods as well as the strategic significance of the assets to the Company’s business objective. Should an impairment exist, the impairment loss would be measured based on the excess of the carrying amount over the asset’s fair value.

Mortgage Note Receivable

The Company records its mortgage note receivable at the amount advanced to the borrower, which includes the stated principal amount and certain loan origination and commitment fees that are recognized over the term of the mortgage note. Interest income is accrued as earned over the term of the mortgage note. The Company evaluates the collectability of both interest and principal of the note to determine whether it is impaired. The note would be considered to be impaired if, based on current information and events, the Company determined that it was probable that it would be unable to collect all amounts due according to the existing contractual terms. If the note were considered to be impaired, the amount of loss would be calculated by comparing the recorded investment to the value determined by discounting the expected future cash flows at the note’s effective interest rate or to the fair value of the Company’s interest in the underlying collateral, less the cost to sell. No impairment loss has been recognized in connection with the mortgage note receivable.

In December 2015, Cocrystal Pharma, Inc. issued notice of default letters to 580 Garcia Properties, Daniel Fisher and Sharon Fisher for failure to remit certain payments on a promissory note executed between the parties in June, 2014.  Cocrystal Pharma, Inc. also exercised a failure to pay provision within that note to escalate the interest rate from 7.24% to 11.24%.  As of March 9, 2016, the additional amounts due Cocrystal Pharma, Inc. total approximately $245,000. Due to the contingent nature of this default action, Cocrystal Pharma, Inc. has not recorded a receivable for this amount in its 2015 financial statements.

Grant Revenue and Accounts Receivable

Research and development grants are recorded as revenue when there is reasonable assurance that the Company has complied with all conditions necessary to achieve the grants, collectability is reasonably assured, and as the expenditures are incurred.  Accounts receivable represents amounts due under research and development grants that have not yet been received.

Research and Development Expenses

All research and development costs are expensed as incurred.

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes under the asset and liability method. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are measured using enacted tax rates and laws that are expected to be in effect when the differences are expected to be recovered or settled. Realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon future taxable income. A valuation allowance is recognized if it is more likely than not that some portion or all of a deferred tax asset will not be realized based on the weight of available evidence, including expected future earnings. The Company recognizes an uncertain tax position in its financial statements when it concludes that a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination based solely on its technical merits. Only after a tax position passes the first step of recognition will measurement be required. Under the measurement step, the tax benefit is measured as the largest amount of benefit that is more likely than not to be realized upon effective settlement. This is determined on a cumulative probability basis. The full impact of any change in recognition or measurement is reflected in the period in which such change occurs. The Company elects to accrue any interest or penalties related to income taxes as part of its income tax expense.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company recognizes compensation expense using a fair-value-based method for costs related to stock-based payments, including stock options. The fair value of options awarded to employees is measured on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model and is recognized as expense, net of a forfeiture rate, over the requisite service period on a straight-line basis.

Use of the Black-Scholes option pricing model requires the input of subjective assumptions including expected volatility, expected term, and a risk free interest rate. The Company estimates volatility using market comparable entities since the Company’s common stock has limited trading history and limited observable volatility of its own. The expected term of the options is estimated by using the Securities and Exchange Commission Staff Bulletin No. 107’s Simplified Method for Estimate Expected Term.  The risk free interest rate is estimated using comparable published federal funds rates.

 Common Stock Purchase Warrants and Other Derivative Financial Instruments

We classify as equity any contracts that require physical settlement or net-share settlement or provide us a choice of net-cash settlement or settlement in our own shares (physical settlement or net-share settlement) provided that such contracts are indexed to our own stock as defined in ASC 815-40, Contracts in Entity's Own Equity. We classify as assets or liabilities any contracts that require net-cash settlement (including a requirement to net cash settle the contract if an event occurs and if that event is outside our control) or give the counterparty a choice of net-cash settlement or settlement in shares (physical settlement or net-share settlement). We assess classification of our common stock purchase warrants and other free standing derivatives at each reporting date to determine whether a change in classification between assets and liabilities is required.

Our derivative instruments consisting of warrants to purchase our common stock were valued using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, using the following assumptions at December 31, 2015:

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In August 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-15, Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern (ASU 2014-15). ASU 2014-15 requires management to determine whether substantial doubt exists regarding the entity’s going concern presumption, which generally refers to an entity’s ability to meet its obligations as they become due. If substantial doubt exists but is not alleviated by management’s plan, the footnotes must specifically state that “there is substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the financial statements are issued”. In addition, if substantial doubt exists, regardless of whether such doubt was alleviated, entities must disclose (a) principal conditions or events that raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern (before consideration of management’s plans, if any); (b) management’s evaluation of the significance of those conditions or events in relation to the entity’s ability to meet its obligations; and (c) management’s plans that are intended to mitigate the conditions or events that raise substantial doubt, or that did alleviate substantial doubt, about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern. If substantial doubt has not been alleviated, these disclosures should become more extensive in subsequent reporting periods as additional information becomes available. In the period that substantial doubt no longer exists (before or after considering management’s plans), management should disclose how the principal conditions and events that originally gave rise to substantial doubt have been resolved. The ASU applies prospectively to all entities for annual periods ending after December 15, 2016, and to annual and interim periods thereafter. Early adoption is permitted. The Company has not adopted the provisions of this ASU.  Upon adoption, the Company will use this guidance to evaluate going concern.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases.  The new standard establishes a right-of-use (ROU) model that requires a lessee to record a ROU asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases with a term longer than 12 months.  Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the income statement.  The Company is currently evaluating the impact of its pending adoption of the new standard on its consolidated financial statements.