Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

(a)          Basis of presentation

The condensed consolidated financial statements of Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc and its subsidiaries and other financial information included in this Quarterly Report are unaudited and have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and are presented in U.S. dollars. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions between the Company and its subsidiaries have been eliminated on consolidation.

The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements presented in this Quarterly Report should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 25, 2021 (the “Annual Report”). The balance sheet as of December 31, 2020 was derived from audited consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. The Company’s significant accounting policies are described in Note 2 to those consolidated financial statements.

Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted from these interim financial statements. However, these interim financial statements include all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, which are, in the opinion of management, necessary to fairly state the results of the interim period. The interim results are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the full year.

(b)          Use of estimates in interim financial statements

The preparation of interim financial statements, in conformity with U.S. GAAP and SEC regulations, requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the interim financial statements and reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Estimates and assumptions are primarily made in relation to valuation allowances relating to deferred tax assets, revenue recognition, and estimation of the incremental borrowing rate for operating leases. If actual results differ from the Company’s estimates, or to the extent these estimates are adjusted in future periods, the Company’s results of operations could either benefit from, or be adversely affected by, any such change in estimate.

(c)          Fair value measurements

The Company is required to disclose information on all assets and liabilities reported at fair value that enables an assessment of the inputs used in determining the reported fair values. The fair value hierarchy prioritizes valuation inputs based on the observable nature of those inputs. The hierarchy defines three levels of valuation inputs:

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

Level 2 - Inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly

Level 3 - Unobservable inputs that reflect the Company's own assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability

The carrying amounts of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses approximate fair value because of the short-term nature of these instruments. The fair value of marketable securities, which are measured at fair value on a recurring basis is detailed in Note 6, Fair value measurements.

(d)          New accounting pronouncements

Recently adopted

Convertible instruments and contracts in an entity’s own stock

On January 1, 2021, the Company adopted ASU 2020-06 - Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity's Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40)—Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity's Own Equity, which simplifies the accounting for convertible instruments and contracts in an entity’s own stock. The guidance was adopted on a modified retrospective basis, whereby the guidance is applied to transactions outstanding as of the beginning of the fiscal year in which the guidance is adopted. The guidance has not had a material impact on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements.

To be adopted in future periods

Measurement of credit losses on financial instruments

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13 - Financial Instruments - Credit losses, which replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology for financial instruments in current GAAP with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. The guidance is effective for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2020, including interim periods within that fiscal year. In November 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-10 which resulted in the postponement of the effective date of the new guidance for eligible smaller reporting companies (as defined by the SEC), including the Company, at that time to the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2023; however, earlier adoption is permitted, and the Company may choose to implement the guidance in an earlier fiscal year. The guidance must be adopted using a modified-retrospective approach and a prospective transition approach is required for debt securities for which an other-than-temporary impairment had been recognized before the effective date. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the guidance on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

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