Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2025

Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation

We consolidate entities in which we have a controlling financial interest and subsidiaries in which we hold and/or control, directly or indirectly. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation, Adaptive Biotechnologies B.V., our wholly-owned subsidiary, and Digital Biotechnologies, Inc., a subsidiary in which we had 49% ownership interest as of December 31, 2025 and have certain control rights. The remaining interest in Digital Biotechnologies, Inc., held by certain of our related parties, their related family trusts and Series A Preferred Stock owners are shown in the consolidated financial statements as noncontrolling interest. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated upon consolidation.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) requires management to make certain estimates, judgments and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the related disclosures at the date of the consolidated financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the periods presented. We base our estimates on historical experience and other relevant assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Estimates are used in several areas including, but not limited to, estimates of progress to date for certain performance obligations and the transaction price for certain contracts with customers, share-based compensation, imputing interest for our revenue interest purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”), the provision for income taxes, including related reserves, the analysis of goodwill impairment and the recoverability and impairment of long-lived assets, among others. These estimates generally involve complex issues and require judgments, involve the analysis of historical results and prediction of future trends, can require extended periods of time to resolve and are subject to change from period to period. Actual results may differ materially from management’s estimates.

Segment Information

We operate as two operating and reportable segments: Minimal Residual Disease (“MRD”) and Immune Medicine. We have determined that our chief executive officer is the chief operating decision maker (“CODM”). The CODM regularly reviews operating results and other financial information presented at the MRD and Immune Medicine segment level, as well as on a consolidated basis, to make resource allocation decisions. The MRD and Immune Medicine segments are also our two reporting units.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents are stated at fair value. Cash equivalents include only securities having an original maturity of three months or less at the time of purchase. We limit our credit risk associated with cash and cash equivalents by placing our investments with banks that we believe are highly creditworthy and with highly rated money market funds. Cash and cash equivalents primarily consist of bank deposits and investments in money market funds.

Restricted Cash

We had a restricted cash balance of $2.7 million and $2.9 million as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. Our restricted cash primarily relates to certain balances we are required to maintain under lease arrangements for certain of our facility leases.

Investments in Marketable Securities

Marketable securities are classified as available-for-sale, consist of United States (“U.S.”) government treasury and agency securities, corporate bonds and commercial paper and are reported at fair value. Unrealized holding gains and losses are reflected as a separate component of shareholders’ equity in accumulated other comprehensive gain (loss) until realized. Realized gains and losses on the sale of these securities are recognized in net income or loss. The cost of marketable securities sold is based on the specific identification method.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) has defined fair value as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability, or an exit price, in the principal or most advantageous market for that asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. The FASB established a fair value hierarchy that requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs, where available, and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. The hierarchy defines three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value:

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

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Level 2: Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

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Level 3: Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.

A financial instrument categorization within the valuation hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. In certain cases, where there is limited activity or less transparency around valuation inputs, financial instruments are classified as Level 3 within the valuation hierarchy.

Our financial instruments consist of Level 1 and Level 2 assets and have included Level 3 liabilities in the past. The carrying amounts of certain financial instruments approximate fair value due to their short maturities. We did not have any nonfinancial assets or liabilities that were measured or disclosed at fair value on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2025 or 2024.

Concentrations of Risk

We are subject to a concentration of risk from a limited number of suppliers, or in certain cases, single suppliers, for some of our laboratory instruments and materials. This risk is managed by targeting a quantity of surplus stock.

Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities are financial instruments that potentially subject us to concentrations of credit risk. We invest in money market funds, U.S. government treasury and agency securities, corporate bonds and commercial paper with high-quality accredited financial institutions.

Significant customers are those that represent more than ten percent of our total revenue or accounts receivable, net balances for the periods and as of each consolidated balance sheet date presented, respectively.

For each significant customer, revenue as a percentage of total revenue for the periods presented and accounts receivable, net as a percentage of total accounts receivable, net as of the dates presented were as follows:


	Revenue			Accounts Receivable, Net
	Year Ended December 31,			December 31,
	2025	2024	2023	2025	2024
Customer A(1)	16.3%	15.2%	*%	*%	*%
Customer B(2)	*	*	*	10.4	*
Genentech, Inc. and Roche Group(3)	16.6	*	27.8	*	*
* less than 10%

(1) The related revenue was recognized and reported by our MRD segment.

(2) The related accounts receivable, net balance was reported by both our MRD and Immune Medicine segments.

(3) The related revenue was recognized and reported by both our MRD and Immune Medicine segments.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable consists of amounts due from customers for services performed. We review our accounts receivable for credit impairment and regularly analyze the status of significant past due receivables to determine if any will potentially be uncollectible to estimate the amount of allowance necessary to reduce accounts receivable to its estimated net realizable value.

Inventory

Inventory consists of laboratory materials and supplies used in lab analysis. We capitalize inventory when purchased and record expense upon order fulfillment for servicing revenue or utilization in our research and development laboratories. Inventory is valued at the lower of cost or market on a first-in, first-out basis. We periodically perform obsolescence assessments and write-off any inventory that is no longer usable. Long-term inventory of $0.6 million and $1.5 million was included within the other assets balance on the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment consists of computer equipment, computer software, laboratory equipment, leasehold improvements, furniture and office equipment and assets under construction. Property and equipment are recorded at cost and depreciation is recognized using the straight-line method based on estimated useful life. Maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred and costs of improvements are capitalized.

Useful lives assigned to property and equipment are as follows:


Laboratory equipment		3 years to 7 years
Leasehold improvements		Shorter of estimated useful life or remaining lease term
Computer equipment and software		3 years to 5 years
Furniture and office equipment		3 years to 7 years

We review long-lived assets for impairment annually or whenever events or circumstances indicate the carrying amount of an asset or asset group may not be recoverable. Gains and losses from asset disposals and impairment losses, if incurred, are classified within the consolidated statements of operations in accordance with the use of the asset or asset group, if not separately stated within its own financial statement line item. See Note 15, Restructurings and Note 10, Leases for more information regarding the impairment losses recognized during the year ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

Intangible Assets

Intangible assets acquired in a business combination are recognized separately from goodwill and are initially recognized at their fair value at the acquisition date, which is regarded as their cost.

Intangible assets may also result from the purchase of assets and intellectual property in a transaction that does not qualify as a business combination. Intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives on a straight-line basis which approximates their usage pattern. Intangible assets are reviewed for impairment at least annually or if indicators of potential impairment exist. We have not recognized any impairment losses on intangible assets.

Goodwill

Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the net amount of attributed identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination measured at fair value. We assess goodwill for impairment annually on October 1, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances would more likely than not reduce the fair value of one or both of our reporting units below its respective carrying value. We evaluate goodwill for impairment by first assessing qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of one or both of our reporting units is less than its respective carrying amount. If we so determine, or if we choose to bypass the qualitative assessment, we perform a quantitative goodwill impairment test. If impairment exists, the carrying value of the allocated goodwill is reduced to its fair value through an impairment charge recorded in the consolidated statements of operations. To date, we have not recognized any impairment of goodwill.

Leases

We determine if an arrangement contains a lease at inception. We have operating lease agreements for the laboratory, office and warehouse facilities that we occupy. Operating lease right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and operating lease liabilities are recognized at the date the underlying asset becomes available for our use and are based on the present value of the future minimum lease payments over the lease term. ROU assets also include any initial direct costs incurred and any lease payments made at or before the lease commencement date, less lease incentives received. As our leases generally do not provide an implicit interest rate, the present value of our future minimum lease payments is determined using our incremental borrowing rate. This rate is an estimate of the collateralized borrowing rate we would incur on our future lease payments over a similar term and is based on the information available to us at the lease commencement date, or as of January 1, 2020 for commenced leases that existed as of our adoption of Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842).

Certain of our leases contain options to extend or terminate the lease; lease terms are adjusted for these options only when it is reasonably certain we will exercise these options. Our lease agreements do not contain residual value guarantees or covenants.

We have made a policy election regarding our real estate leases not to separate nonlease components from lease components, to the extent they are fixed. Nonlease components that are not fixed are expensed as incurred as variable lease expense. Our leases for laboratory, office and warehouse facilities typically include variable nonlease components, such as common-area maintenance costs. We have also elected not to record on the consolidated balance sheets a lease that has a lease term of twelve months or less and does not contain a purchase option that we are reasonably certain to exercise.

We review our right-of-use assets for impairment annually or whenever events or circumstances indicate the carrying amount of an asset or asset group may not be recoverable. Impairment losses are classified within the consolidated statements of operations in accordance with the use of the asset or asset group, if not separately stated within its own financial statement line item. See Note 15, Restructurings and Note 10, Leases for more information regarding the right-of-use asset and related long-lived asset impairment losses recognized during the year ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

Lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the terms of the leases. Incentives granted under our facilities leases, including rent holidays, are recognized as adjustments to lease expense on a straight-line basis over the terms of the leases.

Revenue Interest Liability, Net and Related Imputed Interest

The revenue interest liability balance associated with the Purchase Agreement that we entered into in September 2022 is presented net of unamortized issuance costs on the consolidated balance sheets. We impute our associated interest expense using the effective interest rate method. We calculate an effective interest rate which will amortize our related obligation to zero over the anticipated repayment period. The effective interest rate may vary during the term of the agreement depending on a number of factors, including changes in forecasted GAAP revenues. We evaluate the effective interest rate quarterly based on both achieved and forecasted revenues, utilizing the prospective method. A significant increase or decrease in or changes in timing of forecasted revenue will prospectively impact our interest expense and the time period for repayment.

Revenue Recognition

For all revenue-generating contracts, we perform the following steps to determine the amount of revenue to be recognized: (1) identify the contract or contracts; (2) determine whether the promised goods or services are performance obligations, including whether they are distinct in the context of the contract; (3) measure the transaction price, including the constraint on variable consideration; (4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations based on estimated selling prices; and (5) recognize revenue when (or as) we satisfy each performance obligation.

We derive revenue by providing diagnostic and research services in our MRD and Immune Medicine business areas. Our MRD revenue consists of revenue generated from (1) providing our clonoSEQ report to clinical customers; (2) providing MRD sample testing services to biopharmaceutical customers and certain academic institutions, including investigator-led clinical trials; and (3) providing our clonoSEQ report or results to certain international laboratory sites through technology transfers. Our Immune Medicine revenue consists of revenue generated from (1) providing sample testing services for our commercial research product, Adaptive Immunosequencing; (2) data licensing and target discovery services; and (3) our former collaboration with Genentech, Inc. (“Genentech”) under the worldwide collaboration and license agreement with Genentech (the “Genentech Agreement”).

For agreements where we provide our clonoSEQ report to ordering physicians, we have identified one performance obligation: the delivery of a clonoSEQ report. We bill and receive payments for these transactions from commercial, government and medical institution payors. As payment from the respective payors may vary based on the various reimbursement rates and patient responsibilities, we consider the transaction price to be variable and record an estimate of the transaction price, subject to the constraint for variable consideration, as revenue at the time of delivery. The estimate of transaction price is based on historical and expected reimbursement rates with the various payors, which are monitored in subsequent periods and adjusted, as necessary, based on actual collection experience.

Regarding our clonoSEQ coverage under Medicare, we bill an episode of treatment when we deliver the first eligible test report. This billing contemplates all necessary tests required during a patient’s treatment cycle, which is currently estimated at approximately four tests per patient, including the initial sequence identification test. Revenue recognition commences at the time the initial billable test report is delivered and is based upon cumulative tests delivered to date. We estimate the number of tests we expect to deliver over a patient’s treatment cycle based on historical testing frequencies for patients by indication. These estimates are subject to change as we develop more information about utilization over time. Any unrecognized revenue from the initial billable test is recorded as deferred revenue and is recognized either as we deliver our estimate of the remaining tests in a patient’s treatment cycle or when the likelihood becomes remote that a patient will receive additional testing. In certain cases, we continue to provide services and incur costs for patients who exceed our number of estimated tests.

The contract transaction price for agreements we enter into with biopharmaceutical customers to further develop and commercialize their therapeutics may consist of a combination of non-refundable upfront fees, separately priced MRD testing fees and milestone fees earned upon our customers’ achievement of certain regulatory approvals. Depending on the contract, these agreements include single or multiple performance obligations. Such performance obligations include providing services to support our customers’ therapeutic development efforts, including regulatory support where our technology is intended to be utilized as part of our customers’ registrational trials, developing analytical plans for our data, participating on joint committees, assisting in completing a regulatory submission and providing MRD testing services related to customer-provided samples for our customers' regulatory submissions. Generally, the support services, excluding MRD testing services, are not distinct within the context of the contract and thus are accounted for as a single performance obligation. The transaction price allocated to the respective performance obligations is estimated using a standalone selling price for the estimated MRD testing services. When MRD sample testing services are separately priced customer options, we assess if a material right exists and, if not, the customer option to purchase additional MRD sample testing services is not considered part of the contract. We recognize revenue related to MRD testing services over time using an output method based on the proportion of sample results delivered relative to the total amount of sample results expected to be delivered, when expected to be a faithful depiction of progress. When an output method based on the proportion of sample results delivered is not expected to be a faithful depiction of progress, we utilize an input method using a cost-based model based on estimates of effort completed. Selecting the measure of progress and estimating progress to date requires significant judgment. Except for any non-refundable upfront fees, the other forms of compensation represent variable consideration. At contract inception, we fully constrain any consideration related to regulatory milestones, as the achievement of such milestones is subject to third-party regulatory approval and the customers’ own submission decision-making. Variable consideration related to regulatory milestones is estimated using the most likely amount method, where variable consideration is constrained until it is probable that a significant reversal of cumulative revenue will not occur. Milestone payments for regulatory approvals, which are not within our customers’ control, are not considered probable of being achieved until those approvals are received. Determining whether regulatory milestone payments are probable is an area that requires significant judgment. In making this assessment, we evaluate scientific, clinical, regulatory and other risks, as well as the level of effort and investment required to achieve the respective milestone.

For biopharmaceutical customers who utilize either our MRD or Adaptive Immunosequencing services, contracts typically include an amount billed in advance of services (“upfront”) and subsequent billings as sample results are delivered to the customer. Upfront amounts received are recorded as deferred revenue, which we recognize as revenue upon satisfaction of performance obligations. We have identified two typical performance obligations under the terms of our research service contracts: (1) the delivery of our MRD data or Adaptive Immunosequencing for customer provided samples; and (2) related data analysis. We recognize revenue for both identified performance obligations as sample results are delivered to the customer. In periods where our sample estimates are reduced or a customer project is cancelled and, in either case, we have remaining related deferred revenue, we recognize revenue using a cumulative catch-up approach based on the proportion of samples delivered to date relative to the total samples expected to be delivered.

For our data licensing agreement, we provide non‑exclusive licenses to specified T cell receptor (“TCR”) dataset tranches. We identified one performance obligation: the delivery of the respective TCR dataset tranche. We recognize revenue upon delivery of such licensed data. We also have the right to receive additional consideration upon the renewal or exercise of additional TCR dataset tranche licenses. These do not represent material rights, and as such, will be accounted for when and if exercised.

For our target discovery agreement, we received an initial upfront payment and rights to additional consideration upon the delivery of completed disease-specific TCRs pursuant to a research plan. We identified two distinct performance obligations: (1) to provide Adaptive immunosequencing services for customer provided specimens; and (2) the delivery of the disease-specific TCRs with the associated license rights. The consideration allocated to each of the respective performance obligations is recognized as revenue upon the delivery of the respective datasets. If the customer elects to further develop therapeutics, we may be eligible to receive additional development, commercial and sales milestones that could total up to $877.5 million. All such development, commercial and sales‑based milestone payments are fully constrained until the underlying triggering events occur. The customer is solely responsible for any subsequent development costs following the conclusion of the research plan.

Contract Balances

In certain circumstances, billing may occur prior to services being performed. Upfront payments are recorded as deferred revenue, or contract liabilities. We classify deferred revenue as current when we expect our performance obligations will be completed within the next twelve months; however, we do not control the timing of customer provided samples. For service and collaboration activities, excluding those related to the Genentech Agreement (for which we have no remaining deferred revenue balances as of December 31, 2025), we assess the performance obligations and recognize deferred revenue as current or non-current based upon forecasted delivery times, which are customer coordinated. In certain circumstances, a customer project may be cancelled or terminated prior to the delivery of all related services covered by a customer’s upfront payment. In these circumstances, we recognize revenue when sufficient evidence is obtained that a reversal of revenue is not probable. We also recognize revenue when our estimate of total samples to be provided under certain of our agreements is reduced or, in the case of contract balances related to Medicare, when the likelihood becomes remote that a patient will receive additional testing. See Note 3, Revenue for our former deferred revenue policy related to the Genentech Agreement.

Share-Based Compensation

Share-based compensation includes compensation expense for stock option, restricted stock unit and market-based restricted stock unit grants made to employees and non-employees. It represents the grant date fair value of the grants and is recognized over the requisite service period of the awards, usually the vesting period, on a straight-line basis, net of actual forfeitures. We estimate the grant date fair value of stock option and market-based restricted stock unit grants using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model and the Monte Carlo valuation model, respectively.

Advertising

Advertising costs are expensed as incurred. Advertising expenses were $4.1 million, $6.1 million and $8.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

Cost of Revenue

Cost of revenue includes the cost of materials, personnel-related expenses (including salaries, benefits and share-based compensation), shipping and handling expenses, equipment costs, allocated facility costs associated with processing samples and professional support costs related to our service revenue activities. Allocated facility costs include depreciation of laboratory equipment, as well as allocated facility occupancy and information technology costs. Costs associated with processing samples are recorded as expense, regardless of the timing of revenue recognition.

Research and Development Expenses

Research and development expenses consist of laboratory materials costs, personnel-related expenses (including salaries, benefits and share-based compensation), equipment costs, allocated facility and information technology costs and contract service expenses. Research and development activities support further development and refinement of existing assays and products, discovery of new technologies and investments in our immune medicine platform. We also include in research and development expenses the costs associated with software development of applications to support future commercial opportunities, as well as development activities to support laboratory scaling and workflow. Additionally, a component of our research and development expenses are costs supporting clinical and analytical validations to obtain regulatory approval for future clinical products and services. Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. Upfront payments for goods or services that will be used or rendered for future research and development activities are deferred and capitalized, then are recognized as an expense as the goods are consumed or the related services are performed. Costs to support the Genentech Agreement were also a component of our research and development expenses.

Sales and Marketing Expenses

Sales and marketing expenses include personnel-related expenses (including salaries, benefits and share-based compensation) for commercial sales, product and account management, marketing, reimbursement, medical education and business development personnel that support commercialization of our platform products. In addition, these expenses include external costs such as advertising expenses, customer education and promotional expenses, market analysis expenses, conference fees, travel expenses and allocated facility and information technology costs.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Expenses

Impairment of long-lived assets expenses include our impairment charges for certain leased office and laboratory space, related long-lived assets (including leasehold improvements and laboratory equipment) and long-lived assets associated with our halted software enhancements.

Interest Expense

Interest expense includes costs associated with our revenue interest liability and noncash interest costs associated with the amortization of the related deferred issuance costs. We impute interest expense using the effective interest rate method. We calculate an effective interest rate which will amortize our related obligation to zero over the anticipated repayment period. A significant increase or decrease in or changes in timing of forecasted revenue will prospectively impact our interest expense.

Income Taxes

Income taxes are accounted for under the liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to the differences between the consolidated financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases, and the operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Valuation allowances are established when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized.

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured at the consolidated balance sheet date using the enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities due to a change in tax rates is recognized in the period such tax rate changes are enacted. Our net deferred tax assets are fully offset by a valuation allowance, because of our history of losses.

We recognize the effect of income tax positions only if those positions are more likely than not of being sustained upon examination.

Net Loss Per Share Attributable to Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation Common Shareholders

We calculate basic net loss per share attributable to our common shareholders by dividing net loss attributable to us by our weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding for the period. The diluted net loss per share attributable to our common shareholders is computed by giving effect to all potential dilutive common stock equivalents outstanding for the period determined using the treasury stock method. For purposes of this calculation, outstanding stock options, nonvested restricted stock units outstanding, nonvested performance-based restricted stock units outstanding and the maximum nonvested market-based restricted stock units outstanding eligible to be earned are considered common stock equivalents but have been excluded from the calculation of diluted net loss per share attributable to our common shareholders, as their effect is anti-dilutive.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements and New Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures (“ASU 2023-09”), which primarily intends to enhance the rate reconciliation and income taxes paid disclosures. This guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024. Early adoption is permitted and the guidance is to be applied prospectively; retrospective application is permitted. We retrospectively adopted this guidance in fiscal year 2025, which resulted in updated and incremental income tax disclosures. See Note 16, Income Taxes for more information.

New Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU No. 2024-03, Income Statement — Reporting Comprehensive Income — Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40): Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses, which intends to improve financial reporting by requiring disclosure of additional information about specific expense categories. This guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2026 and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2027. Early adoption is permitted and the guidance is to be applied prospectively and may be applied retrospectively. We are currently evaluating the impact of this guidance on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

Adaptive Biotechnologies Corp 10-K