ACHN 2017 Annual Report

Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued) (in thousands, except per share amounts) The future minimum annual lease payments under these operating leases at December 31, 2017 are as follows: Year Ended December 31, 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 925 2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 900 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,047 Rent expense under operating leases was $811, $801 and $629 for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. From time to time, in the ordinary course of business, the Company is subject to litigation and regulatory examinations as well as information gathering requests, inquiries and investigations. As of December 31, 2017, there were no active matters. 14. Income Taxes The Company uses an asset and liability approach for financial accounting and reporting of income taxes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on temporary differences between financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities and are measured by applying enacted rates and laws to taxable years in which differences are expected to be recovered or settled. Further, the effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that the rate changes. The Company applies the provisions of ASC 740, Income Taxes, which prescribes a comprehensive model for how a company should recognize, measure, present, and disclose in its financial statements uncertain tax positions that the company has taken or expects to take on a tax return (including a decision whether to file or not file a return in a particular jurisdiction). The Company’s financial statements reflect expected future tax consequences of such positions presuming the taxing authorities’ full knowledge of the position and all relevant facts. The Company does not have any interest or penalties accrued related to uncertain tax positions as it does not have any unrecognized tax benefits. In the event the Company determines that accrual of interest or penalties is necessary in the future, the amount will be presented as a component of income taxes. On December 22, 2017, the President signed into law new legislation, known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “Tax Act”), that resulted in significant changes to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. These changes include a federal statutory rate reduction from 35% to 21%, limitation of the deduction for net operating losses to 80% of taxable income while providing that the net operating loss carryovers for years after 2017 will not expire, limitation on the amount of research and development expenses deductible per year beginning in years after 2021, reduction of the Orphan Drug Credit from 50% to 25% of qualified clinical testing expenditures, increased limitations on certain executive compensation, elimination of the Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax, and modifying or repealing other business deductions and credits. As a result of the Tax Act being signed into law, the Company recognized a provisional charge of $52,653 in the fourth quarter of 2017 related to the re-measurement of its U.S. deferred tax assets at the lower enacted corporate tax rate. Due to the history of net operating losses, the Company is in a full valuation allowance F-25