Note 4 — Financial instruments

 

The Company’s financial instruments consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, short-term deposits, marketable securities, restricted cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses.

 

Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis based on Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 fair value measurement criteria as of December 31, 2017 are as follows (in thousands):

 

 

The Company estimates the fair value of available-for-sale debt securities with the aid of a third party valuation service, which uses actual trade and indicative prices sourced from third-party providers on a daily basis to estimate the fair value.  If observed market prices are not available (for example securities with short maturities and infrequent secondary market trades), the securities are priced using a valuation model maximizing observable inputs, including market interest rates.

 

Significant concentration of credit risk

 

The Company held cash and cash equivalents of $84,043,000, marketable securities of $124,218,000 and restricted cash of $4,253,000 as of December 31, 2017.  The cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash are held with multiple banks and the Company monitors the credit rating of those banks. The Company maintains cash balances in excess of amounts insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in the United States and the U.K. Government Financial Services Compensation Scheme in the United Kingdom.

 

The Company has one customer as a result of the GSK Collaboration and License Agreement. Trade receivables were $0.2 million and $1.5 million as of December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016. Trade receivables arise in relation to the GSK Collaboration and License Agreement. The Company has been transacting with GSK since June 2014, during which time no impairment losses have been recognized. There are no amounts which are past due as of December 31, 2017.

 

Foreign exchange risk

 

The Company is exposed to foreign exchange rate risk because it currently operates in the United Kingdom and the United States.  The Company’s revenue from the GSK Collaboration and License Agreement is denominated in pounds sterling and is generated by our U.K.-based subsidiary, which has a pounds sterling functional currency. As a result, these sales are subject to translation into U.S. Dollars when the financial statements are consolidated. Expenses are generally denominated in the currency in which the Company’s operations are located, which are the United Kingdom and the United States. However, the U.K.-based subsidiary incurs significant research and development costs in U.S. dollars and, to a lesser extent, Euros.

 

The results of operations and cash flows will be subject to fluctuations due to changes in foreign currency exchange rates, which could harm the Company’s business in the future. Management seeks to minimize this exposure by maintaining currency cash balances at levels appropriate to meet foreseeable expenses in U.S. dollars and pounds sterling. To date, the Company has not used forward exchange contracts or other currency hedging products to manage exchange rate exposure, although it may do so in the future. The exchange rate as of December 31, 2017, the last business day of the reporting period, was £1.00 to $1.35.

 

Interest Rate Risk

 

Surplus cash and cash equivalents are invested in interest-bearing savings, money market funds, corporate debt securities and commercial paper from time to time.  Investments in corporate debt securities are subject to fixed interest rates.  The Company’s exposure to interest rate sensitivity is impacted by changes in the underlying U.K. and U.S. bank interest rates and the fair market value of its corporate debt securities will fall in value if market interest rates increase. Management believes that an immediate one percentage point change in interest rates would not have a material effect on the fair market value of our portfolio, and therefore does not expect the operating results or cash flows to be significantly affected by changes in market interest rates.