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Circor International Inc
Annual Report 2019

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FY2019 Annual Report · Circor International Inc
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Transforming our business

Circassia Group plc  
(formerly Circassia Pharmaceuticals plc)
Annual Report and Accounts 2019

 
Circassia in brief
Circassia is a leading medical device business 
focused on respiratory disease. The Company 
sells its market-leading NIOX® asthma 
management products directly to specialists  
in the United States, United Kingdom,  
China, Germany and Italy, and in a wide range 
of other countries through its network of 
distribution partners. Circassia also has the  
US and Chinese commercial rights to the  
late-stage ventilator-compatible nitric oxide 
product LungFit™ PH. For more information 
please visit www.circassia.com.

Strategic report
Executive Chairman’s statement

Financial highlights 

  1 
  2  Operational highlights
  3 
  4  Operating review
 Our stakeholders
  16 
Strategy and business model
  18 
  20 
Financial review
  27  Corporate social responsibility
  34  Risks and risk management

  Corporate governance

Board of Directors

  44 
  46  Corporate governance report
  54  Audit and Risk Committee report
  60  Nomination Committee report
  63  Remuneration Committee report
  79  Directors’ report
  82 

 Statement of directors’ 
responsibilities in respect of the 
financial statements
Independent auditors’ report

  83 

  Group financial statements

  92 

  93 

  94 

  95 

  96 

  97 

 Consolidated statement  
of comprehensive income
 Consolidated statement  
of financial position
 Parent Company statement  
of financial position
 Consolidated and Parent Company 
statement of cash flows
 Consolidated statement of changes  
in equity
 Parent Company statement  
of changes in equity

  98  Notes to the financial statements
144 

 Reconciliation of alternative 
performance measures
146  Advisors and contact details

 
   
 
 
Strategic report
Executive Chairman’s statement 

The Company looks beyond this period  
of disruption with great optimism.

Good progress was made during 2019, increasing sales, controlling underlying costs and reducing net cash outflow. 
Notably, NIOX® maintained its impressive growth with sales increasing in all its direct markets and across its partner 
territories. Whilst revenues have been impacted during the recent pandemic, the potential for the underlying NIOX® 
business remains highly encouraging.
While NIOX® continued to advance, progress in the Company’s COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) 
portfolio was more nuanced.  Tudorza® revenues increased significantly during 2019, reflecting the move to 
report full in-market sales as well as increased pricing and lower rebates in the second half. However, prescription 
numbers declined and Duaklir®’s launch proved challenging in a field dominated by major pharmaceutical groups. 
Consequently, the COPD business continued to make major losses, making the significant debt owed to AstraZeneca 
in relation to these two products unsustainable. As a result, on 27 May 2020 the Company transferred the products 
back to AstraZeneca and set off the debt in its entirety.

With this transformational transaction now complete, Circassia is well placed to become a self-sustaining, cash 
generative business once the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic pass over. During the ongoing pandemic, the 
Company’s focus is firmly on maintaining its world-leading NIOX® business, serving its customers around the world 
as they support their patients with respiratory diseases. As restrictions lift, Circassia intends to return NIOX® to 
growth as quickly as possible, and with a strong underlying business and robust debt-free balance sheet the Company 
looks beyond the current period of disruption with great optimism.

To ensure access to liquidity during this period of disruption, the Company recently concluded an equity financing 
facility with two of its principal shareholders to allow it to access up to £5 million over the period to 30 November 
2020 at a price of 24.6p per share. This provides the Company with access to additional funding should this be 
required in the coming months.

Ian Johnson 
Executive Chairman

16 June 2020

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

1 

 
Alternative performance measures have been used within  
the strategic report to aid comparisons between financial years.  
A reconciliation between these and the statutory figures is 
presented on pages 144 to 145.
1 

 Constant exchange rates (CER) for 2019 represent reported 
numbers re-stated using 2018 average exchange rates; 
management believes CER comparisons better represent 
underlying performance due to currency fluctuations  
against sterling

2  Excludes depreciation and amortisation
3 
* 

 Includes cash, cash equivalents and short-term deposits
 LungFit™ PH is not an approved name and may  
not be the final commercial name

Strategic report
Operational highlights

NIOX®
—    Continued strong revenue growth with sales increasing 27%  

to £34.6 million (2018 CER1: £27.3 million)

—    Strong growth in all direct markets

  Post-period update
—    COVID-19 impact has been significant, but varied by market
—    Q1 2020 sales excluding China decreased 4% (CER, reflecting  

3 weeks of lockdown in most direct markets in March)
—    China sales fell 66% in Q1 (CER) following two months  

of lockdown

—    April and May revenues below 50% of prior year as a result  

of COVID-19 impact

—    Some early signs of recovery in several markets although  

revenues remain well below 2019 level

COPD portfolio
  Tudorza®
—    Net in-market sales totalled £27.0 million vs 2018 collaboration 

revenues of £21.5 million (CER)

—    H2 2019 revenue growth driven by price increase and rebate reductions
—    Modest fall in prescriptions with decline greater during H2 2019
  Duaklir®
—    NDA approved H1 2019 with launch Q4 2019
—    Challenging launch in market dominated by ‘big pharma’ competitors

  Post-period portfolio update
—    Strategic review determined COPD business unsustainable
—    Transformational agreement with AstraZeneca to return products 

and set off related debt of $149.9 million
—    Revenue levels largely unaffected by COVID-19

LungFit™ PH* (formerly AirNOvent)
—    US and China commercial rights acquired to late-stage nitric  

oxide product from BeyondAir (formerly AIT)

—    Notice received alleging termination and breach of agreement 

refuted in strongest terms

  Post-period update
—    BeyondAir anticipates US filing Q2 2020
—    Legal team continues to defend rights under agreement

2
2 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019
Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

 
Strategic report
Financial highlights

Key performance  
indicators £m

Revenue
R&D costs2
G&A costs2
S&M costs2
EBITDA

Loss for the year

Net cash outflow
Cash3 at year end

2019 underlying  
continuing operations

2018 underlying  
continuing operations

2019  
total

2018  
total

£62.4m 

(£6.4m) 

(£11.9m)

(£55.7m )

(£27.8m)

(£39.0m)

(£13.7m)

£27.0m

£48.3m 

(£8.6m)

(£11.1m)

(£52.5m)

(£32.8m)

(£25.9m)

(£18.8m)

£40.7m

£62.4m

(£96.8m)

(£13.0m)

(£55.7m)

(£119.3m)

(£48.3m)

(£13.7m)

£27.0m

£48.3m

(£87.2m)

(£11.5m)

(£55.4m)

(£114.7m)

(£117.1m)

(£18.8m)

£40.7m

+27%

NIOX® sales increased 27%  
to £34.6 million 

(2018 CER¹: £27.3 million)

£27.0m

Cash3 at year end was  
£27.0 million 

£62.4m

Revenues increased by  
£14.1 million to £62.4 million 

(2018: £48.3 million)

£13.7m

Net cash outflow reduced  
to £13.7 million 

(2018: £40.7 million)

(2018: £18.8 million)

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019
Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

3 
3 

 
Strategic report
Operating review

Strategic overview 
During 2019, the Company increased revenues and reduced 
its net cash outflow compared with the prior year. Notably, the 
NIOX® business continued its upward trajectory with growth 
in all of its direct markets, while a number of new distribution 
partners, approvals and launches extended its global reach.

The Company also achieved growth in its COPD business. 
This reflects the move to record  Tudorza®’s full in-market sales 
versus collaboration revenues the prior year, as well as a price 
increase and rebate reductions in the second half. However, this 
progress was offset by a challenging launch for Duaklir®, ongoing 
operating losses across the COPD portfolio and significant debt 
owed to AstraZeneca relating to the products. Consequently, 
the Board conducted a strategic review of the COPD business, 
which concluded it was unsustainable under all reasonable 
scenarios. As a result, the Company entered discussions with 
AstraZeneca and reached agreement to return the products and 
set off the associated debt in its entirety. 

This transformational transaction completed on 27 May 2020, 
leaving the Company in a strong position with a robust, debt-free 
balance sheet, market-leading global NIOX® products and a clear 
strategy to grow the business. With a renewed focus on NIOX®, 
the Company intends to expand its footprint geographically, 
enhance its customer offering to drive product utilisation and 
place greater emphasis on the use of NIOX® by clinical research 
organisations and in other alternative channels. By pursuing this 
focused strategy, the Company looks forward to transforming 
into a high-growth, cash-generative, profitable business.

4 

The Company increased 
revenues and significantly 
reduced its net cash outflow 
compared with the  
prior year.

With a renewed focus on NIOX®, the Company 
intends to expand its footprint geographically, 
enhance its customer offering to drive product 
utilisation and place greater emphasis on the use 
of NIOX® by clinical research organisations and in 
other alternative channels.

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019NIOX® asthma management products
NIOX® is a simple-to-use point-of-care system used around 
the world to help improve asthma diagnosis and management. 
NIOX® directly measures the nitric oxide exhaled in patients’ 
breath (fractional exhaled nitric oxide or FeNO), which is an 
important biomarker of the major underlying cause of asthma, 
type 2 airway inflammation. Circassia commercialises NIOX® 
through the sale of the core FeNO measurement device, which 
then generates high margin recurring revenues for sensors 
and consumables on a per test basis. NIOX® is sold directly by 
Circassia’s commercial teams in the United States, China, UK 
and Germany. In addition, Circassia sells NIOX® in nearly 50 
additional countries around the world through its international 
network of distribution partners. 
NIOX® represents a significant commercial opportunity for 
Circassia, with the global respiratory diagnostics market valued 
at $4.4 billion in 2018 and with an estimated compound annual 
growth rate (CAGR) of 6.6%. NIOX® is the leader in the FeNO 
testing market and revenues continued to grow, achieving a 
CAGR of 14% between 2016 and 2019. The Company intends to 
consolidate this leading position through geographical expansion, 
improved customer and technical services ensuring customers can 
maximise throughput and an increased focus on uptake in clinical 
studies and other alternative channels.

NIOX® directly measures 
the nitric oxide exhaled in 
patients’ breath (fractional 
exhaled nitric oxide 
or FeNO), which is an 
important biomarker of 
the major underlying cause 
of asthma, type 2 airway 
inflammation.

$4.4bn

NIOX® represents a significant 
commercial opportunity for Circassia, 
with the global respiratory diagnostics 
market valued at $4.4 billion in 2018  
and with an estimated compound 
annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.6%.

5 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019£34.6m

During 2019, NIOX® sales enjoyed 
continued strong growth 

Global revenues of £34.6 million were 27% higher 
than 2018 at constant exchange rates (CER), 
reflecting increases in each of the Company’s key 
markets.

Strategic report
Operating review, continued

Increasing sales
During 2019, NIOX® sales enjoyed continued strong growth. 
Global revenues of £34.6 million were 27% higher than 2018 
at constant exchange rates (CER), reflecting increases in each of 
the Company’s key markets. The Company’s revenues in China 
grew 136% year on year benefitting from the very significant 
investment in direct resources. In the US, NIOX® sales ended the 
year 14% ahead of the previous year, and the UK and German 
markets were 23% and 5% higher respectively (CER). The 
Company’s partner markets also performed well, with revenues 
increasing by 21% compared with the prior year (CER). Overall 
clinical sales for use by healthcare professionals were 31% higher 
in 2019 (CER), while less predictable research sales for use in 
clinical studies were down modestly (5% at CER). 
The performance of the NIOX® business in 2019 indicates that 
the business is one which is capable of delivering very attractive 
growth rates and, whilst it is currently being significantly impacted 
by the reduction in routine testing of asthma patients as a result of 
COVID-19, the Board has considerable optimism in the underlying 
growth opportunities over the medium term and beyond.

Post-period performance
In the first five months of 2020 NIOX® revenues were impacted 
in nearly all markets during the COVID-19 outbreak, although 
the extent varied by territory and timing of local restrictions. 
Global revenues declined 34% compared with the same period 
in 2019, largely driven by falls of 69% in China and 62% in 
research sales. Revenues in the US and UK slowed, decreasing 
36% and 21% respectively. The impact was lesser in Germany 
and partner markets, where sales were only 11% and 7% lower 
than the same period in 2019. In April and May 2020, revenues 
recovered modestly in a number of countries as restrictions 
were gradually lifted, but remained well below the same period 
in 2019 at both a global and local level. While it remains highly 
challenging to predict revenue trajectory, early signs of recovery 
in certain markets offer some signs of encouragement.  

6 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019As a result of the coronavirus-related downturn, the Company 
anticipates that the NIOX® business will burn cash for a period before 
becoming both profitable and cash generative in the medium term. 

On 2 June 2020, the Company announced that it had concluded 
an equity financing facility with two of its principal shareholders to  
allow it to access up to £5 million until 30 November 2020 at a 
price of 24.6p per share. This provides the Company with access to 
additional funding should this be required in the coming months.

Market expansion
Throughout 2019, Circassia maintained its focus on increasing 
market penetration in its direct sales territories. In the United 
States, payor coverage reached approximately 80% of insured lives, 
providing nearly 235 million Americans with access to NIOX®, 
and the Company was awarded a group purchasing agreement by 
leading healthcare improvement company, Premier Inc. 

In China, the team maintained its focus on market access. During 
the year, reimbursement coverage for FeNO testing continued 
to grow and now covers 16 provinces. In the UK the Company 
continued its ‘Asthma Masterclass’ programme to drive wider 
adoption in primary care. Circassia has also rolled out a new 
European promotional campaign featuring representative materials, 
website optimisation and syndicated social media content. 

In addition to the market access activities in the Company’s direct 
sales territories, Circassia continued to expand its global reach. 
NIOX® received a number of new approvals, including recently in 
Brazil, and the Company added new distribution partners in several 
markets, such as Canada, Saudi Arabia and Chile. With launches in 
additional territories, Circassia’s network of partners covers nearly 
50 countries. In addition to expanding its international footprint, the 
Company continued its programme of support for partners’ NIOX® 
promotion. This included the Company’s annual partner meeting, 
which was held at the European Respiratory Society conference, and 
at the end of 2019 Circassia launched a new portal to provide easy 
access to marketing, training, medical and regulatory resources. 

In addition to the market access activities in 
the Company’s direct sales territories, Circassia 
continued to expand its global reach. NIOX® 
received a number of new approvals, including 
recently in Brazil, and the Company added new 
distribution partners in several markets, such as 
Canada, Saudi Arabia and Chile. 

50

Circassia’s network of partners  
covers nearly 50 countries 

In addition to expanding its international footprint, 
the Company continued its programme of support 
for partners’ NIOX® promotion.

7 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Strategic report
Operating review, continued

NIOX® innovation
In 2019, NIOX® received a number of awards in recognition of 
its contribution to healthcare. In the United States, the country’s 
largest healthcare performance improvement company, Vizient 
Inc., presented Circassia with an Innovative Technology Supplier 
of the Year award for 2018, while in the UK the Association for 
Respiratory Technology & Physiology recognised the Company 
as a manufacturer of the year. 

Circassia is building on its position as the market leader, 
and at the 2019 European Respiratory Society International 
Congress the Company launched the NIOX VERO® PLUS. This 
upgrade provides customers with major enhancements, with a 
significantly larger screen and intuitive new graphical interface, 
while retaining the core NIOX VERO® FeNO technology. 
Customer feedback at the launch was highly positive, and with 
the European CE marking completed the Company plans to roll 
out the upgrade in Europe initially. 

United States COPD portfolio
Tudorza® (aclidinium bromide), a long-acting muscarinic 
antagonist (LAMA), and Duaklir® (aclidinium bromide / 
formoterol fumarate), a LAMA / LABA combination (long-
acting muscarinic antagonist / long-acting beta agonist), 
are both approved in the United States for the maintenance 
treatment of COPD. Throughout 2019 Circassia held the US 
commercial rights to the products under its 2017 agreement 
with AstraZeneca. 

8 

In the United States, the 
country’s largest healthcare 
performance improvement 
company, Vizient Inc., 
presented Circassia with 
an Innovative Technology 
Supplier of the Year award 
for 2018.

The UK the Association for Respiratory Technology 
& Physiology recognised Circassia as a manufacturer 
of the year.

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Tudorza®
At the end of 2018, Circassia exercised its option for the full 
US rights to  Tudorza® and consequently recorded the product’s 
total in-market sales throughout 2019. During the first half of 
the year the Company launched a dedicated COPD sales force, 
and at the end of June  Tudorza®’s licence transferred to Circassia 
providing the opportunity to introduce new distribution, pricing 
and patient access strategies. Additionally, in H1 2019 the 
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the expansion 
of  Tudorza®’s label to include COPD exacerbation reduction 
data and data demonstrating cardiovascular safety in patients with 
cardiovascular disease / risk factors. 

Tudorza® sales
During 2019,  Tudorza® net in-market revenues totalled £27.0 
million, compared with the £21.5 million recorded in 2018 
(CER) under the Company’s previous product collaboration 
with AstraZeneca. This significant increase reflects the difference 
in revenue reporting (collaboration revenue versus in-market 
sales), as well as an increase in the wholesale acquisition cost, 
reduction in rebates and move away from unfavourable contracts 
during the second half of the year. With the introduction of 
these measures, H2 2019 net revenues increased by 90% 
compared with H1 2019. However, despite this revenue growth 
prescriptions declined modestly during the year, with an 
acceleration in the last six months. 

Duaklir®
In the first half of 2019, the FDA approved Duaklir® for sale 
in the United States. Its label includes exacerbation reduction 
data and a 24-hour profile demonstrating FEV1 improvement 
providing the product with a number of competitive advantages. 

Throughout 2019 Circassia 
held the US commercial 
rights to the products under 
its 2017 agreement with 
AstraZeneca. 

During 2019,  Tudorza® 
net in-market revenues 
totalled £27.0 million, 
compared with the 
£21.5 million recorded 
in 2018 (CER) under 
the Company’s previous 
product collaboration with 
AstraZeneca.

9 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Strategic report
Operating review, continued

At the end of October 2019, the Company launched Duaklir® 
at the American College of Chest Physicians’ CHEST Annual 
Meeting 2019 in New Orleans. With complementary positioning 
alongside  Tudorza®, Circassia leveraged its newly introduced 
COPD business model and dedicated team to commercialise 
Duaklir® across the country. 
Since its launch, Duaklir® prescriptions have struggled to 
gain traction in a market dominated by major multi-national 
pharmaceutical companies. As a result, revenues remain below 
expectations, with 2019 sales following the product’s launch in 
October totalling £0.8 million. 

Post-period update
Following the launch of Duaklir® the Company conducted a wide-
ranging strategic review of its US COPD business. This concluded 
that despite the increase in  Tudorza® revenues the portfolio 
continued to incur significant operating losses. Given these ongoing 
losses the Company would likely need to raise additional funding 
to support the business, with no certainty on what terms this 
would be available, if at all. The strategic review also considered a 
range of alternative courses, including greatly reducing the size and 
scale of the COPD business, but under all reasonable scenarios it 
remained highly unlikely Circassia would be able to refinance the 
loan owed to AstraZeneca, which with accrued interest totalled 
approximately $150.9 million on the date of completion. 

As a result, in April 2020 Circassia and AstraZeneca agreed 
to terminate the companies’ 2017 development and 
commercialisation agreement relating to the products. Upon 
termination AstraZeneca acquired the US commercial rights to 
Tudorza® and Duaklir®, with the consideration equal to and set 
off against the entire loan and accrued interest owed by Circassia. 

10 

At the end of October 2019, the Company launched 
Duaklir® at the American College of Chest Physicians’ 
CHEST Annual Meeting 2019 in New Orleans.

In April 2020 Circassia and 
AstraZeneca agreed to 
terminate the companies’ 
2017 development and 
commercialisation agreement 
relating to the products.

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Under the transfer 
arrangements agreed with 
AstraZeneca, Circassia 
anticipates that the COPD 
business will be cash 
positive during the run-
off period, which will 
significantly reduce the 
Company’s cash burn 
and allow it to focus its 
resources on expanding 
its world-leading NIOX® 
business.

The transaction completed on 27 May 2020. Under the product 
acquisition agreement, Circassia will continue to sell  Tudorza® 
and Duaklir® with the support of AstraZeneca until the end 
of March 2021, ensuring patient supply is uninterrupted. At 
the end of this run-off period the products will transfer to 
AstraZeneca. 

This agreement will transform Circassia’s business. Under 
the transfer arrangements agreed with AstraZeneca, Circassia 
anticipates that the COPD business will be cash positive 
during the run-off period, which will significantly reduce the 
Company’s cash burn and allow it to focus its resources on 
expanding its world-leading NIOX® business. The transaction 
accelerates the Company’s transition towards becoming  
a cash-generative, self-sustaining business. 

LungFit™ PH (previously AirNOvent)
In January 2019, Circassia acquired the US and Chinese 
commercial rights to AirNOvent (now LungFit™ PH) from 
AIT Therapeutics Inc. (now BeyondAir Inc.). LungFit™ PH is 
a late-stage ventilator-compatible system that uses an electric 
voltage to produce nitric oxide from the nitrogen and oxygen in 
air. Inhaled nitric oxide is approved in the United States for use 
in the treatment of hypoxic respiratory failure associated with 
persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). 
PPHN is potentially fatal and its management can be complex, 
involving a number of treatments including the use of oxygen 
and inhaled nitric oxide. 

11 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019During the latter part of 
2019, and the first months 
of 2020, Circassia has 
focused on building a self-
sustaining business.

Strategic report
Operating review, continued

Agreement status
Under the terms of the companies’ agreement, Circassia issued 
BeyondAir $10.5 million in new ordinary shares as consideration 
for upfront and milestone payments. Additional milestones, 
which are payable in cash or shares, include a payment of $12.6 
million on FDA approval in the treatment of hypoxic respiratory 
failure associated with PPHN, and a further $1.05 million on the 
product’s launch in China. Royalties will also be payable on gross 
profits from product sales. 

Under the terms of the agreement, BeyondAir is responsible 
for the product’s development, manufacture and US regulatory 
filing, and it currently anticipates submitting an application 
for Premarket Approval (PMA) in Q2 2020 for use in the 
treatment of PPHN. Circassia is responsible for the product’s 
commercialisation following approval. 

At the end of 2019, BeyondAir issued a notice stating that it 
had terminated the companies’ agreement for material breach. 
Circassia strongly disputes and intends to challenge BeyondAir’s 
allegations and its purported termination. The Company has 
retained counsel and intends to take steps to enforce its rights 
under the agreement. 

Corporate progress
During the latter part of 2019, and the first months of 2020, 
Circassia has focused on building a self-sustaining business. It 
has made good progress, culminating in the recent transaction 
with AstraZeneca to transfer the Company’s loss-making COPD 
business and focus its resources on its market-leading NIOX® 
products. The Company has also significantly strengthened its 
Board, transferred trading in its shares to AIM in February 2019 
and changed its name to better reflect its business in May 2020. 

12 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Board changes
With the completion of the Company’s transition into a 
commercially-focused business, the Board has evolved significantly 
to drive the next step in Circassia’s development. During 2019, 
the Company’s Senior Vice President of R&D, Rod Hafner, 
stepped down as an Executive Director following 11 years in the 
role. At the same time, the Company appointed Jonathan Emms 
as Chief Operating Officer to further strengthen its commercial 
expertise and oversee its operational and commercial strategy. 
Prior to joining Circassia, Jonathan was Chief Commercial Officer 
for Pfizer’s Internal Medicines organisation and gained significant 
respiratory experience at GSK where he held a number of 
positions. Earlier in the year, Russ Cummings retired as a Non-
Executive Director after 12 years in the role. 

At the end of 2019, Circassia announced the retirement of 
CEO and Co-Founder, Steve Harris, after 13 years leading 
the Company, and of Chairman Dr Francesco Granata who 
had previously informed the Board of his intention to retire. 
Concurrently, Circassia appointed a highly-experienced life 
science company director, Ian Johnson, as Executive Chairman. 
He is currently Non-Executive Chairman of Redcentric PLC and 
a Non-Executive Director of Ergomed PLC. He was previously 
Executive Chairman of Bioquell PLC and Non-Executive 
Chairman of Quantum Pharma PLC, Cyprotex PLC and Celsis 
Group Ltd, following a number of years as CEO of Biotrace 
International PLC. 

The Company’s executive team was joined by new Chief 
Financial Officer Michael Roller in January 2020 following 
the previous CFO, Julien Cotta, stepping down from the role. 
Michael is a highly experienced Finance Director and life science 
company Director and was previously Group Finance Director of 
Bioquell PLC and Corin Group PLC. 

With the completion of the 
Company’s transition into 
a commercially-focused 
business, the Board has 
evolved significantly to drive 
the next step in Circassia’s 
development.

13 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Strategic report
Operating review, continued

At the start of March 2020, the Board was further strengthened 
with the addition of Garry Watts as Senior Independent Director 
and Non-Executive Director. Garry is an experienced Chairman 
and Director, is currently Non-Executive Chairman of Spire 
Healthcare Group PLC and was Chairman of BTG PLC until its 
sale to Boston Scientific in 2019. 

The Board wishes to thank all of the previous directors for their 
significant contributions to the development of the Company 
over many years and welcomes the new team to Circassia. 
The newly constituted Board brings significant commercial, 
corporate and financial expertise to the Company as Circassia 
drives towards self-sustainability, building shareholder value and 
a profitable cash-generative business. 

Additionally, the Board wishes to thank the wider Circassia team 
for their hard work and considerable efforts during 2019 and in 
this ongoing time of significant change in the business and more 
broadly with the challenge of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. 
Following the end of this period of disruption, the Board looks 
forward to greater stability when the Circassia team can continue 
its focus on building an exciting high-growth business. 

Company name change
Following the agreement in April 2020 to transfer  Tudorza® 
and Duaklir® to AstraZeneca, the Company sought shareholder 
approval to change its name to Circassia Group plc. This change 
reflects the transformation in the Company’s business and its 
exclusive focus on its world-leading NIOX® products rather 
than pharmaceutical products. On 30 April 2020, shareholders 
granted permission and the name change has been formally 
adopted by the Company. 

14 

The newly constituted 
Board brings significant 
commercial, corporate and 
financial expertise to the 
Company as Circassia drives 
towards self-sustainability, 
building shareholder value 
and a profitable cash-
generative business. 

Following the agreement in April 2020 to 
transfer  Tudorza® and Duaklir® to AstraZeneca, the 
Company sought shareholder approval to change  
its name to Circassia Group plc. 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Summary and outlook
During 2019, Circassia continued to make progress, particularly 
in its core global NIOX® business where sales grew across all 
its key markets. While progress in the US COPD business was 
more nuanced,  Tudorza® revenues increased following the 
introduction of targeted new strategies and the move away from 
the previous collaboration arrangement to full commercial 
control. However, this growth was tempered by a challenging 
launch for Duaklir®, ongoing losses across the COPD portfolio 
and significant debt relating to the products. As a result, the 
recent agreement to transfer the products back to AstraZeneca 
will immediately transform the Company and its prospects. 

This transaction leaves Circassia debt-free with a robust balance 
sheet and provides the opportunity to focus its resources 
exclusively on growing its market-leading NIOX® business. With 
a strong commercial team and distribution partners in nearly 50 
further countries, Circassia is well placed to pursue its goal of 
building a cash-generative, profitable business. 

During the remainder of the year, the Company intends to build 
on this position, supporting its customers, controlling underlying 
costs and driving down corporate expenditure to further protect 
its balance sheet. While it remains challenging to predict short-
term business performance during the coronavirus pandemic, 
early signs of recovery offer some encouragement and beyond 
this period of disruption the Company anticipates a return to 
strong revenue growth in the medium to long-term, creating 
value for customers, patients, employees and shareholders alike. 

During 2019, Circassia 
continued to make progress, 
particularly in its core global 
NIOX® business where 
sales grew across all its key 
markets.

With a strong commercial 
team and distribution 
partners in nearly 50 further 
countries, Circassia is well 
placed to pursue its goal of 
building a cash-generative, 
profitable business.

15 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Strategic report
Our stakeholders

Companies Act 2006  
section 172(1) statement
Circassia believes that the success of the Group depends on 
positive engagement with its stakeholders. Reflecting this 
importance, the Board carefully considers the interests of its 
various stakeholder groups in its decision making. Through 
effective engagement, the Group aims to understand its 
stakeholders, allowing the Board to include issues that are 
important to each group in its discussions. 

This approach to stakeholder engagement allows Circassia to 
continue supplying its important healthcare products to its 
patients and partners, providing high quality employment for 
colleagues, working effectively with suppliers, respecting the 
environment and local communities, maintaining high standards 
of professional conduct and building a sustainable, high value 
business for shareholders. 

The following table sets out Circassia’s main stakeholders, 
the areas of its business relating to each and the Group’s 
engagement on the important issues. While the table provides 
a comprehensive overview, a number of the areas covered and 
the progress during the year, are explored in more detail in 
this Annual Report and Accounts, in particular in the Strategic 
Report and Corporate Governance sections. 

16 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

Stakeholders
Patients, healthcare professionals and payors
Circassia provides innovative products to help 
healthcare professionals around the world improve 
patients’ health. The success of the business is only 
possible by continuing to meet the high standards 
expected by these important customers.

Partners
In markets where Circassia has no direct presence its 
success relies on partners who provide its products to 
local healthcare professionals. 

Employees
Circassia’s worldwide team of employees drives the 
Group’s business forward. These colleagues provide the 
broad range of expertise required to build  
a successful business. 

Suppliers
Circassia outsources a number of important functions to a 
range of suppliers. In particular, the Group’s products are 
manufactured and distributed by third-parties.

Local communities and environment
As a responsible business Circassia recognises the 
importance of local communities and the global  
environment to its success.

Shareholders
The support of the Company’s shareholders is an 
important factor in building a strong, sustainable 
business. Shareholders also play a key role in monitoring 
and safeguarding Circassia’s corporate governance. 

Key factors

Engagement

2019 progress

–  Effective products

–  High quality products

–  Safe products

–  Customer experience and 

support

–  Provide value

–  Partnership approach

–  Promotional support

–  Robust product supply

Circassia’s products meet stringent regulatory requirements to  

ensure their safety and efficacy. The Group has dedicated teams of 

regulatory and quality experts supporting its product supply and 

provides a customer support service in the markets where it sells 

directly. Circassia prices its products to reflect the value they provide.

–  Record product sales

–  Regulatory approvals and  

launches in several markets 

–  Product upgrade launched  

to improve user experience

Circassia works with an international network of partners to sell  

–  New partners welcomed  

its products. Through its dedicated partner team the Group provides a 

in several countries

range of promotional materials and commercial support, including  

an annual partnership meeting and holds regular updates to resolve  

any issues. 

–  Launch of new partner portal 

providing access to promotional 

materials and support

–  Annual partner meeting

–  Opportunity to make  

a difference

–  Open communication

–  Development and progression

–  Flexible working

Circassia’s employees are crucial to the ongoing provision of its important 

–  Series of townhall update 

healthcare products and the whole team helps make a difference to patients’ 

meetings for all employees

lives. The Group holds regular update meetings across the organisation and 

provides ongoing news updates. Circassia supports ongoing development 

of employees with annual plans and individual targets. The Group operates 

local flexible working and has a clear diversity and equality policy ensuring 

–  Diversity and inclusion

recruitment and progression is based on merit alone. 

–  Local focus groups  

for employee feedback

–  Training on Code of Conduct  

and related policies, including 

diversity and equality

–  Annual development plans 

and flexible working policies 

implemented

–  Long-term partnerships

–  Collaborative approach

–  Fair terms of business

The Group has a number of long-term collaborations with  

third-parties for the supply of its products. Circassia’s supply chain  

team holds regular meetings with suppliers to ensure close working  

and treats its partners with respect and fairness. 

–  Dedicated supply chain team  

in place

–  Ongoing meetings with suppliers

–  Quality employer

–  Contribution to science base

–  Minimal environmental impact

Circassia provides high quality, well remunerated employment in  

each of its local markets. The Group adheres to high standards of 

professional conduct and enforces a strict code of conduct. Circassia 

contributes to science in its area of expertise, providing healthcare training 

in a number of countries, and supporting clinical research through the 

provision of its products. As a business focused on commercialisation,  

the Group has a limited environmental impact, which it endeavours  

to minimise through a number of initiatives such as local recycling and 

home working policies.

–  Broad range of quality 

employment

–  Expansion of Asthma Masterclass 

training for health workers

–  Recycling maintained across 

organisation

–  Strategy and business model

Circassia meets with shareholders throughout the year to outline its 

–  Series of investor meetings

–  Financial progress

–  Clear communication

strategy and business plans and provides the market with regular updates 

on its commercial and financial progress, including via its interim and 

annual reports. The Executive Chairman is available to meet shareholders 

and its Annual General Meeting provides all members with the opportunity 

to meet senior management. 

–  Annual shareholder meeting

–  Publication of business updates

 
Stakeholders

Key factors

Engagement

2019 progress

Patients, healthcare professionals and payors

Circassia provides innovative products to help 

healthcare professionals around the world improve 

patients’ health. The success of the business is only 

possible by continuing to meet the high standards 

expected by these important customers.

Partners

In markets where Circassia has no direct presence its 

success relies on partners who provide its products to 

local healthcare professionals. 

Employees

Circassia’s worldwide team of employees drives the 

Group’s business forward. These colleagues provide the 

broad range of expertise required to build  

a successful business. 

Suppliers

Circassia outsources a number of important functions to a 

range of suppliers. In particular, the Group’s products are 

manufactured and distributed by third-parties.

Local communities and environment

As a responsible business Circassia recognises the 

importance of local communities and the global  

environment to its success.

Shareholders

The support of the Company’s shareholders is an 

important factor in building a strong, sustainable 

business. Shareholders also play a key role in monitoring 

and safeguarding Circassia’s corporate governance. 

–  Effective products
–  High quality products
–  Safe products
–  Customer experience and 

support

–  Provide value

–  Partnership approach
–  Promotional support
–  Robust product supply

Circassia’s products meet stringent regulatory requirements to  
ensure their safety and efficacy. The Group has dedicated teams of 
regulatory and quality experts supporting its product supply and 
provides a customer support service in the markets where it sells 
directly. Circassia prices its products to reflect the value they provide.

–  Record product sales
–  Regulatory approvals and  
launches in several markets 
–  Product upgrade launched  
to improve user experience

Circassia works with an international network of partners to sell  
its products. Through its dedicated partner team the Group provides a 
range of promotional materials and commercial support, including  
an annual partnership meeting and holds regular updates to resolve  
any issues. 

–  Opportunity to make  

a difference

–  Open communication
–  Development and progression
–  Flexible working
–  Diversity and inclusion

Circassia’s employees are crucial to the ongoing provision of its important 
healthcare products and the whole team helps make a difference to patients’ 
lives. The Group holds regular update meetings across the organisation and 
provides ongoing news updates. Circassia supports ongoing development 
of employees with annual plans and individual targets. The Group operates 
local flexible working and has a clear diversity and equality policy ensuring 
recruitment and progression is based on merit alone. 

–  New partners welcomed  

in several countries

–  Launch of new partner portal 

providing access to promotional 
materials and support
–  Annual partner meeting

–  Series of townhall update 
meetings for all employees

–  Local focus groups  

for employee feedback

–  Training on Code of Conduct  
and related policies, including 
diversity and equality

–  Annual development plans 

and flexible working policies 
implemented

–  Long-term partnerships
–  Collaborative approach
–  Fair terms of business

The Group has a number of long-term collaborations with  
third-parties for the supply of its products. Circassia’s supply chain  
team holds regular meetings with suppliers to ensure close working  
and treats its partners with respect and fairness. 

–  Dedicated supply chain team  

in place

–  Ongoing meetings with suppliers

–  Quality employer
–  Contribution to science base
–  Minimal environmental impact

Circassia provides high quality, well remunerated employment in  
each of its local markets. The Group adheres to high standards of 
professional conduct and enforces a strict code of conduct. Circassia 
contributes to science in its area of expertise, providing healthcare training 
in a number of countries, and supporting clinical research through the 
provision of its products. As a business focused on commercialisation,  
the Group has a limited environmental impact, which it endeavours  
to minimise through a number of initiatives such as local recycling and 
home working policies.

–  Broad range of quality 

employment

–  Expansion of Asthma Masterclass 

training for health workers
–  Recycling maintained across 

organisation

–  Strategy and business model
–  Financial progress
–  Clear communication

Circassia meets with shareholders throughout the year to outline its 
strategy and business plans and provides the market with regular updates 
on its commercial and financial progress, including via its interim and 
annual reports. The Executive Chairman is available to meet shareholders 
and its Annual General Meeting provides all members with the opportunity 
to meet senior management. 

–  Series of investor meetings
–  Annual shareholder meeting
–  Publication of business updates

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

17 

 
Strategic report
Strategy and business model 

Strategy and objectives

Circassia’s strategy has three components:

1.  Market novel life sciences products directly  

in key markets and through partners elsewhere.

2.  Pursue opportunities to build a portfolio  

of products where possible.

3.  Deliver products to the market in support  

of strategic objectives 1 and 2.

The Group continues to pursue its objectives. It sells its NIOX® 
products directly in the US, China, UK and Germany, and has 
launched a modest sales presence in Italy. Circassia’s products 
are also commercialised in nearly 50 additional countries by its 
network of partners. 

The Group continues to consider business development 
opportunities where there is a strategic fit with its capabilities 
and a realistic prospect of success. Circassia also maintains a focus 
on innovation and launched its NIOX VERO® PLUS upgrade in 
the second half of 2019. 

Business model
The Group’s business model focuses resources on product 
commercialisation. Consequently, Circassia retains in-house 
expertise in marketing, sales, commercial operations, product 
support, regulatory, quality, medical affairs, device development 
and corporate functions. The Group outsources other areas of its 
business, including product manufacture and commercialisation 
in partner markets beyond its  
direct sales territories. 

18 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

The Group continues  
to pursue its objectives.  
It sells its NIOX® products 
directly in the US, China, 
UK and Germany.

Circassia also maintains a focus on innovation and 
launched its NIOX VERO® PLUS upgrade in the 
second half of 2019. 

The Group’s business 
model focuses resources on 
product commercialisation. 

In-house
We retain in-house expertise  
in marketing, sales, commercial  
operations, product support, regulatory,  
quality, medical affairs, device  
development and corporate  
functions.

Manufa

c
t
u

r
i

n

g

Outsourced
We outsource a number of functions to external 
experts, including product manufacture and 
commercialisation in partner markets  
beyond our direct sales territories. 

t

r

o

p

p

u

Product s

n

mercialisatio

C
om

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

19 

In the coming year, the 
Group will be simplified in 
order to achieve its objective 
of becoming a profitable and 
cash generative business. 

Financial review 
Strategic report
Financial review 

On 27 May 2020, the Group handed back the rights to its 
COPD products to AstraZeneca. The COPD business is 
presented below as a continuing activity of the Group as it did 
not meet the criteria at the balance sheet date to be classified 
as a discontinued operation. In 2020, it will be presented as a 
discontinued operation and the Group will report as continuing 
activities both the results of its NIOX® business and, separately, 
its corporate costs.

The table opposite sets out the Group’s results for the year 
ended 31 December 2019, separated into continuing and 
discontinued operations. Continuing operations are further 
divided into underlying and non-underlying operations. 
Continuing underlying operations include revenues from sales 
of  Tudorza®, Duaklir® and NIOX®, as well as the costs of the 
underlying business.

Non-underlying operations include irregular and non-recurring 
expenditure, such as those relating to the reorganisation of 
the Board and Senior Management Team and other non-cash 
gains and losses relating to the deferred consideration payable 
to AstraZeneca. Discontinued operations include direct costs 
and overheads associated with the in-house respiratory pipeline 
which ceased in April 2018 and residual costs from the allergy 
programmes for which all development ceased in April 2017. 

20 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Underlying 
operations 
£m
62.4 
(16.2)
46.2 
74%
(19.1)
(57.5)
(12.6)
(27.8)
(43.0)
(3.5)
(3.5)
0.2 
(49.8)
10.8 
(39.0)

Non-
underlying 
operations 
£m
– 
– 
– 
–
(90.4)
– 
(1.1)
(91.5)
(91.5)
97.5 
(15.3)
– 
(9.3)
– 
(9.3)

Total 
continuing 
£m
62.4 
(16.2)
46.2 
74%
(109.5)
(57.5)
(13.7)
(119.3)
(134.5)
94.0 
(18.8)
0.2 
(59.1)
10.8 
(48.3)

Dis- 
continued 
operations1 
£m
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

Revenue
Cost of sales
Gross profit
Gross margin
Research and development 
Sales and marketing
Administrative expenditure
EBITDA
Operating loss
Other gains and (losses)
Finance costs
Finance income
Loss before tax
Taxation
Loss for the financial year
Cash2

1 Disclosed as a single amount in the condensed interim consolidated statement of comprehensive income. 
2 Includes cash, cash equivalents and short-term deposits.

2019

Total 
£m 
62.4 
(16.2)
46.2 
74%
(109.5)
(57.5)
(13.7)
(119.3)
(134.5)
94.0 
(18.8)
0.2 
(59.1)
10.8 
(48.3)
27.0

Underlying 
operations 
£m
48.3 
(8.9)
39.4 
82%
(10.8)
(54.4)
(11.4)
(32.8)
(37.2)
1.9 
(0.1)
0.3 
(35.1)
9.2 
(25.9)

Non- 
underlying 
operations 
£m
– 
– 
– 
–
– 
(2.9)
(0.3)
(3.2)
(3.2)
(5.6)
(11.9)
– 
(20.7)
– 
(20.7)

Total 
continuing 
£m
48.3 
(8.9)
39.4 
82%
(10.8)
(57.3)
(11.7)
(36.0)
(40.4)
(3.7)
(12.0)
0.3 
(55.8)
9.2 
(46.6)

Dis- 
continued 
operations1 
£m
– 
– 
– 
– 
(78.6)
– 
(0.1)
(78.7)
(78.7)
(0.1)
– 
– 
(78.8)
8.3 
(70.5)

2018

Total 
£m
48.3 
(8.9)
39.4 
82%
(89.4)
(57.3)
(11.8)
(114.7)
(119.1)
(3.8)
(12.0)
0.3 
(134.6)
17.5 
(117.1)
40.7

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

21 
21 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Strategic report
Financial review, continued

Revenue
Circassia’s revenues of £62.4 million (2018: £48.3 million) 
include NIOX® sales of £34.6 million (2018: £27.4 million), 
Tudorza® revenues of £27.0 million (2018: £20.9 million)  
and Duaklir® revenues of £0.8 million (2018: £nil). 
NIOX® revenues include sales for use in clinical practice of  
£30.5 million (2018: £23.4 million), sales for use in pharmaceutical 
company research of £3.6 million (2018: £3.7 million) and other 
revenues such as freight of £0.5 million (2018: £0.3 million). 

Gross profit
Gross margin decreased from 82% to 74%. This was mainly 
due to taking commercial control of sales of  Tudorza® from 
1 January 2019. During 2018, contribution of revenues from 
AstraZeneca had a 100% gross margin due to the agreement 
structure, whereas in 2019, a gross margin of 74% was  
achieved. Gross profit on NIOX® sales was £25.5 million  
(2018: £18.5 million), with a gross margin of 74% (2018: 68%). 
This increase is due to the impact of higher margin direct sales  
in China and the weakening of sterling against the dollar.

Sales and marketing
Sales and marketing costs increased to £57.5 million  
(2018: £57.3 million). This was mainly as a result of significant 
expansion of commercial operations in China and higher 
marketing expenditure following the acquisition of the  Tudorza® 
licence on 1 January 2019, and the launch of Duaklir® in 
October 2019. This is offset by the previous year’s restructuring 
of the US field force into dedicated NIOX® and COPD  
teams. Sales and marketing costs of £2.9 million included  
in non-underlying continuing operations in 2018 represents  
the reorganisation cost of the US field force. 

22 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

 29.2%

Revenues 

During 2019 revenues continued to grow,  
increasing 29% to £62.4 million.

 17.5%

Gross profit 

During 2019 gross profit increased from £39.4 
million in 2018 to £46.2 million.

74%

Gross margin on NIOX®

Gross margin on NIOX® increased from  
68% in 2018 to 74%.

 Gross margin on NIOX® 
increased from 68% to 
74%. This was mainly due to 
the impact of higher margin 
direct sales in China and the 
weakening of sterling against 
the dollar. 

R&D activities
Research and development activities include the costs  
associated with regulatory, quality and medical affairs support for 
marketed products, device development, and depreciation and 
amortisation. Research and development costs from underlying 
operations increased to £19.1 million (2018: £10.8 million) due 
to amortisation charged on COPD intangible assets, offset by 
significantly lower headcount.

Research and development costs of £90.4 million included in 
non-underlying continuing operations relates to an impairment 
charge for the  Tudorza®, Duaklir® and LungFit™ PH licences. 
Discontinued operations in 2018 included costs relating to the 
in-house respiratory pipeline of £78.6 million, most of which 
related to an impairment charge of the associated intangible 
assets. The impairment costs had no impact on cash. 

Administrative expenditure
Underlying administrative expenditure, which includes 
overheads relating to corporate functions, centrally  
managed support functions and corporate costs, increased  
to £12.6 million (2018: £11.4 million). This was mainly due  
to the higher senior management headcount for part of the  
year, and higher one-off legal and professional fees.

Administrative expenses of £1.1 million included in non-
underlying continuing operations represents the reorganisation 
cost of the Board and other members of senior management  
in 2019, and in 2018, the costs associated with the transfer  
of the Company’s shares to AIM.

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

23 

Strategic report
Financial review, continued

Other gains and (losses)
Other gains increased to £94.0 million (2018: £3.8 million loss). 
This was mainly due to the change in fair value of contingent 
royalty consideration payable to AstraZeneca for future sales of 
Duaklir® and  Tudorza®, and to Beyond Air for future sales of 
LungFit™ PH.

£94.0m

Other gains 

Other gains increased to £93.5 million 
from £3.8 million loss in 2018.

Net finance costs 
Net finance costs were £18.6 million (2018: £11.7 million) 
for the year. This mainly relates to a non-cash charge to the 
income statement for the period, reflecting the difference in 
the discounted and actual deferred consideration payable to 
AstraZeneca recorded on the balance sheet. The discounted 
amount reflects the time value of money. Also included  
is £2.6 million (2018: £ nil) of interest charged on the  
loan from AstraZeneca.

Taxation
Taxation for the year was a credit of £10.8 million  
(2018: £17.5 million). Included in underlying continuing 
operations is an R&D tax credit of £0.1 million  
(2018: £1.0 million) which is lower than the previous  
year because of a decrease in qualifying R&D expenditure.  
Also included is a deferred tax credit of £10.7 million  
(2018: £8.2 million) which has arisen on an increase in 
recognised carried-forward tax losses in the Group. 

The taxation credit relating to discontinued operations  
in the previous financial year of £8.3 million was mainly  
due to a reduction in the deferred tax liability following the 
impairment of intangible assets in the respiratory pipeline.

24 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

Other gains increased  
to £94.0 million from a 
loss of 3.8 million in 2018. 
This was mainly due to 
the change in fair value 
of contingent royalty 
consideration payable to 
AstraZeneca for future sales 
of Duaklir® and  Tudorza®, 
and to Beyond Air for future  
sales of LungFit™ PH.

Loss after tax and loss per share
Basic loss per share for the period was 13p (2018: 34p loss) 
reflecting a loss of £48.3 million (2018: £117.1 million), with the 
decrease mainly due to a higher impairment of intangible assets in 
the previous financial year. Loss per share for continuing operations 
stayed constant at 13p (2018: 14p loss) reflecting a loss for the 
financial period of £39.0 million (2018: £25.9 million loss). 

Statement of financial position
The Group’s net assets at 31 December 2019 were £84.8 million 
(2018: £125.9 million). The decrease was mainly due to 
impairment of the COPD intangible assets and associated 
goodwill, combined with a lower cash balance and higher  
trade and other payables. 

Current liabilities at the end of the period were £41.3 million 
(31 December 2018: £124.4 million). The decrease was mainly 
due to settlement of deferred non-contingent consideration 
to AstraZeneca. This was offset by the issue of a five year loan, 
which is classified as a non-current liability. On 27 May 2020, 
the  Tudorza® and Duaklir® licences were handed back to 
AstraZeneca and the loan was set off in its entirety. 

Total tax assets at 31 December 2019 were £0.2 million  
(31 December 2018: £4.0 million), representing the R&D tax 
credit due from HM Revenue and Customs. An R&D tax credit 
of £3.9 million was received in October 2019.

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

25 

The NIOX® business 
will form the Group’s 
continuing activities and has 
good growth potential in 
the medium term, although 
2020 results will be affected 
by the impact of the 
COVID-19 pandemic. 

Strategic report
Financial review, continued

Cash flow
The Group’s cash position, including cash equivalents, decreased 
from £40.7 million at 31 December 2018 to £27.0 million at  
31 December 2019. 

Cash used in operations decreased to £28.9 million  
(2018: £51.3 million), reflecting higher revenues and a net 
decrease in the overall cost base of the business. 

Other significant cashflows included purchases of intangible assets 
of £10.0 million (2018: £0.3 million), receipt of an R&D tax 
credit of £3.9 million (2018: £10.9 million) and proceeds from 
the issue of share capital of £8.0 million (2018: £20.4 million). 

Outlook
In the coming year, the Group will be simplified in order to 
achieve its objective of becoming a profitable and cash generative 
business. The NIOX® business will form the Group’s continuing 
activities and has good growth potential in the medium term, 
although 2020 results will be affected by the impact of the 
COVID-19 pandemic. The Group plans to remain focused  
on cost control and anticipates a significant reduction in the  
core cost base during the coming year. 

Michael Roller 
Chief Financial Officer

16 June 2020

26 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

Strategic report
Corporate social responsibility

The Board has responsibility for all matters relating to corporate 
social responsibility. The directors recognise the importance of 
corporate social responsibility and seek to take account of the 
interests of all the Group’s stakeholders, including its investors, 
customers, suppliers, partners, and employees when operating 
the business. The Board believes that fostering an environment in 
which employees act in an ethical and socially responsible fashion 
is critical to its long-term success. The Group strives to be a 
good corporate citizen and respects the laws of the countries in 
which it operates.

People
Attracting, motivating and retaining a highly skilled workforce is 
key to the Group’s long-term success. The policies put in place 
by the Group accord with best practice, and stipulate that there 
should be equal opportunities and an absence of discrimination 
for all employees.

Values
Our values, and the behaviours that underpin them, describe the 
culture of our business.

Passion
Our passion for delivering products to improve patients’ lives 
energises us to attain our goals.

Recognition
We recognise and acknowledge the contribution of teams and 
individuals in achieving our goals.

Integrity
We act with honesty and fairness at all times and always strive to do 
the right thing.

Attracting, motivating and retaining  
a highly skilled workforce is key to the  
Group’s long-term success.

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

27 

 
The Group does not have 
formal diversity quotas but 
recognises that a diverse 
employee profile is of 
significant benefit.

Strategic report
Corporate social responsibility, continued

Drive
We set ambitious goals and go for them, believing this drives 
extraordinary behaviour.

Effectiveness
We understand key business drivers and manage our resources 
effectively.

Diversity
The importance of diversity within the Group is also reflected 
in its policies and procedures. The Group does not have formal 
diversity quotas but recognises that a diverse employee profile is 
of significant benefit.

The table below shows the gender profile at different levels of 
the Group as at 31 December 2019.

Member

Male

Female

Total

% Male % Female

plc Board including Non-
Executive Directors
Employees in other senior 
executive positions

Directors of subsidiary 
companies not included in 
above

Total Senior Managers 
excluding directors

All other employees

Total

4

3

–

8

2

1

–

2

183

198

147

152

6

4

67%

33%

75%

25%

10

330

350

80%

55%

57%

20%

45%

43%

28 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
The Group appoints, trains, 
develops and promotes 
employees on the basis of 
merit alone.

Employee welfare and involvement
Employees are regularly provided with information about the 
Group, for example through regular ‘open house’ sessions 
at which the Executive Chairman and/or COO and other 
members of the management team present on various topics 
such as strategic and operational progress and employee-related 
policies. Feedback is frequently sought by line managers and the 
Senior Management Team through team meetings. 

Employment, training, career development 
and promotion of disabled persons
The Board recognises the value of diversity at all levels of the 
Group. The Group has an Equal Treatment, Equal Opportunities 
and Diversity policy which extends to the Board. This provides 
that the Group will employ and promote employees on the 
basis of their abilities and qualifications without regard to age, 
disability, gender, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy  
and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or 
national origins), religion or belief or sexual orientation. The 
Group appoints, trains, develops and promotes on the basis of 
merit alone.

29 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019The Group continuously 
monitors its health and 
safety policy and practices 
to ensure they are robust, 
appropriate, and reflect 
changes in best practice.

Strategic report
Corporate social responsibility, continued

Health and safety
The Group is committed to protecting the health and safety of 
its employees and endeavours to maintain an effective health and 
safety culture.

The Group provides ongoing training to individuals who are 
responsible for health and safety and all staff are notified of 
health and safety practices. The Group continuously monitors its 
health and safety policy and practices to ensure they are robust, 
appropriate, and reflect changes in best practice.

Ethical and social policies
The Group is a pharmaceutical and medical devices group and 
accordingly operates in a highly regulated ethical framework. It 
complies fully with these laws and regulations. The Group has a 
clear anti-bribery policy which is monitored by the Compliance 
department.

Sunshine Act
The Group is committed to promoting transparency of its 
relationships with healthcare providers. It collects, tracks and 
reports payments to healthcare professionals and organisations 
in compliance with the US Physician Payment Sunshine Act and 
equivalent legislation in other countries such as France.

30 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Human rights
The Group support the UN Universal Declaration of Human 
Rights and recognises the obligation to promote universal 
respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental 
freedoms for all, without distinction. The Group complies with 
all applicable human rights laws.

Product development
The Group commissions third-party laboratories to conduct the 
minimum necessary pre-clinical product safety testing in animal 
models as required by regulatory authorities before commencing 
clinical studies. The Group works according to the 3Rs policy relating 
to preclinical testing (Refine, Reduce, Replace).

Environment
The Group is committed to minimising the impact of its 
activities on the environment. The majority of the Group’s 
employees operate out of modern office suites, although it 
also occupies laboratory space in Oxford and has warehouses 
in Uppsala, Sweden and Morrisville, USA. Accordingly, the 
Group believes that efficient use of energy and materials in those 
premises, and responsible disposal of hazardous waste, are the 
most important means of climate protection currently available 
to it. Office-based initiatives to reduce waste have also been 
adopted, which include recycling of paper waste, cans, plastics, 
batteries and printer toners/cartridges. The Group does not 
possess or make use of corporate jets or private planes.

The Group believes that 
efficient use of energy and 
materials in those premises, 
and responsible disposal of 
hazardous waste, are the 
most important means of 
climate protection currently 
available to it.

31 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019250t

CO2 equivalent emissions 
Emissions for 2019 are higher than those in 2018 due 
to being in the Beijing office in China for a full year 
(lease entered at the beginning of October 2018). 
The Group’s emissions are largely a function of the 
heating and lighting of leased office premises.

Strategic report
Corporate social responsibility, continued

Greenhouse gas emission
This section of the Annual Report and Accounts constitutes the 
Group’s disclosure of its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 
accordance with the Companies Act 2006 (Strategic Report 
and Directors’ Report Regulations 2013). The Group considers 
that its current activities have a low environmental impact. 
Nonetheless, it still actively seeks to make energy savings in a 
fashion which is environmentally responsible and cost effective.

Emissions for 2019 are higher than those in 2018 due to being 
in the Beijing office in China for a full year (lease entered at the 
beginning of October 2018). The Group’s emissions are largely a 
function of the heating and lighting of leased office premises.

CO2 equivalent emissions – scope 2 (tonnes)
Intensity ratio (kg/m2 of office space)

2019 

250
50

2018 

 194
 40

GHG emissions are reported in metric tonnes of carbon dioxide 
equivalents and calculated using the Defra conversion factors.

Gas and electricity usage information has been obtained from 
purchase invoices and verified by reference to meter readings.

In order to express annual emissions in relation to a quantifiable 
factor associated with the Group’s business, an intensity ratio 
has been calculated which shows emissions reported per square 
metre of the office space occupied by the Group. This is shown in 
the table above.

32 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
Political and charitable donations
The Group does not make political or charitable donations, 
although charitable fundraising by employees is encouraged.

Slavery and human trafficking statement
The Group is committed to combatting slavery and human 
trafficking.

As part of its initiative to identify and mitigate risks it performs 
due diligence on potential suppliers and distributors and protects 
whistleblowers, who can raise concerns anonymously through 
an externally provided reporting service. The Group’s suppliers 
and distributors are provided with its Partner Code of Conduct 
which makes it clear that the Group expects them to comply 
with the requirements of the Modern Slavery Act.

As part of the Group's 
initiative to identify and 
mitigate risks it performs 
due diligence on potential 
suppliers and distributors 
and protects whistleblowers, 
who can raise concerns 
anonymously through 
an externally provided 
reporting service. 

33 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Strategic report
Risks and risk management 

The management of risks is a key responsibility of the Board of Directors. The Board ensures that the risks taken by 
the Group are understood and are appropriate in the light of its strategy and objectives, and that internal controls are 
in place to effectively identify, assess, and manage important risks.

The risk management strategy adopted by the Group has a number of facets. A risk register has been created and is 
updated on an annual basis by those individuals in the business who manage risks on a day to day basis. This identifies 
each risk, assesses the likelihood of its occurrence and the level of impact on the business. This process is coordinated by 
the Chief Financial Officer. The register is reviewed by the Senior Management Team and subsequently reviewed by the 
Audit and Risk Committee and reported to the Board.

There is a particular emphasis on ensuring that the risk appetite of the Board is fully understood by the Senior Management 
Team. The register also sets out activities and controls which are designed to mitigate the identified risks, and again the 
Board and the Senior Management Team analyse these mitigation strategies and ensure that the approach taken is consistent 
with the nature and degree of risks which are considered acceptable by the Board. Aside from the review, risk owners across 
the business are responsible for reporting any significant issues on an ongoing basis to the Senior Management Team and for 
ensuring that other members of their teams are aware of the risk management process. 

The risk management system is designed to manage risks, rather than eliminate them at the expense of achieving 
corporate objectives. Accordingly, it can only provide a reasonable and not an absolute assurance against material 
misstatement or loss.

Principal risks
The main risks relevant to the Group have been identified on the following pages, together with an explanation of how 
they are managed and controlled. Some risks are common across the pharmaceutical industry, while others reflect the 
Group’s specific strategy. The Group considers all of these risks relevant to any decision to invest in it.

34 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

Commercial success
The Group’s competitors, many of whom have considerably greater financial and human resources, may develop 
safer or more effective products or be able to compete more effectively in the markets targeted by the Group. New 
companies may enter these markets and novel products and technologies may become available which are more 
commercially successful than those being developed by the Group.
The Group’s NIOX MINO® and NIOX VERO® devices compete in Europe with products made by Bedfont Limited, 
Bosch Healthcare Solutions GmbH (based in Germany), and Spirosure Inc. (headquartered in the United States). 
In China, a competing product is supplied to the market by Sunvou Medical. In the United States, Spirosure Inc.’s 
product has been approved by the FDA and is, therefore, a potential competitor to the Group’s NIOX VERO® device.
The Group may not be able to sell its products profitably if reimbursement from third party payers such as private 
health insurers and government health authorities is restricted or not available. For example, it may prove difficult 
to build a strong enough economic case based on the burden of illness and population impact. Third party payers are 
increasingly managing costs to both their organisations as well as patients, and as a result pharmaceutical products 
in competitive markets can be denied or limited in terms of coverage and reimbursement. Moreover, even if the 
products can be sold profitably, they may not be accepted by patients and the medical community.

The Group has expanded its operations significantly in China and moved to a direct sales model. However, there is 
no guarantee that this will lead to commercial success in the Chinese market. The economic system of China is very 
different from the economies of developed countries in many respects, including government involvement, level of 
development, growth rate, control of foreign trade and allocation of resources. Any changes to the political, economic 
and social conditions in China or in the policies of the Chinese government may have a material adverse impact on the 
Group’s business in China. 

Outside the United States, United Kingdom, China, Italy and Germany the Group relies on distributors to sell its 
NIOX® devices and such relationships must be carefully managed in order to ensure the commercialisation services 
provided are of a sufficiently high quality and an appropriate level of resources is applied by the distributor to the 
marketing of the devices.

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

35 

Strategic report
Risks and risk management, continued

Other factors that may undermine the Group’s efforts to commercialise its products include: the inability to train and 
retain effective sales and marketing personnel; a failure to persuade prescribers to prescribe products; and higher costs 
of marketing and promotion than are anticipated by the Group.

Mitigating activities
The Group continues to apply significant resources to sales of the NIOX® device. In the United States there is a 
dedicated commercial team, including sales representatives, selling NIOX®. The products are also sold directly by 
the Group’s teams in China, the United Kingdom, Italy and Germany who manage local commercialisation activities. 
Partner markets, where products are sold through distributors, are managed by an experienced Senior Director of 
Partner Management.

Compliance with healthcare regulations
The Group must comply with complex regulations in relation to the marketing of its device and drug products.  
These regulations are strictly enforced. Failure by the Group (or its commercial partners) to comply with relevant 
legislation and regulations, including the US False Claims Act, Anti-Kickback Statute and the US Foreign and Corrupt 
Practices Act and regulations relating to data privacy (amongst others) and similar legislation in countries outside  
the United States, such as China, may result in criminal and civil proceedings against the Group.

Mitigating activities
The Group has an internal Compliance function, which is managed by the Chief Compliance Officer together with 
dedicated Compliance resources in the United States and China. The Chief Compliance Officer has a direct reporting 
line to the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee. Activities in this area are reviewed by the Senior Management Team 
on a quarterly basis. The Compliance function works with a network of external advisers in the relevant territories  
to ensure local regulations are understood. Robust processes are in place to ensure that sales compliance requirements 
are met and any failures or allegations of failure are swiftly investigated. This includes training of employees,  
ride-alongs with sales representatives, due diligence on distributors and suppliers prior to contracting with  
them, compliance oversight of sampling activities, and audits of distributors and suppliers.

36 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

Regulatory approvals
The Group may not obtain regulatory approval for its products and devices that are in development. Even where 
products are approved, subsequent regulatory difficulties may arise, or the conditions relating to the approval may  
be more onerous or restrictive than the Group expects, or existing approvals might be withdrawn.

The pharmaceutical and medical device industries are highly regulated. Regulatory authorities across the world 
enforce a range of laws and regulations which govern the testing, approval, manufacturing, labelling  
and marketing of such products. Stringent standards are imposed which relate to the quality, safety and efficacy of 
these products. These requirements are a major determinant of whether it is commercially feasible to develop a drug 
substance or medical device given the time, expertise, and expense which must be invested, and whether it is possible 
to commercialise products effectively or at all. Moreover, approval in one territory offers no guarantee that regulatory 
approval will be obtained in any other territory.

If the Group acquires further development-stage products, it may be necessary to successfully complete supporting 
clinical studies to support applications to regulatory authorities for the grant of regulatory approval. Clinical studies 
are typically expensive, complex and time-consuming, and have uncertain outcomes. Conditions in which clinical 
studies are conducted differ, and results achieved in one set of conditions could be different from the results achieved 
in different conditions or with different subject populations. Regulatory authorities or institutional review boards  
may suspend or terminate clinical studies at any time if the subjects participating in such studies are being exposed  
to unacceptable health risks or may require additional studies to be performed. Difficulties or delays in the enrolment 
of subjects could result in significant delays in the completion of those studies and even in their abandonment.
The Group already holds regulatory approvals for its NIOX MINO® and NIOX VERO® devices in certain key 
countries such as the United States, Japan, China, the United Kingdom and Germany but approvals are still  
pending for the VERO® in a number of other countries. Delays or complications in any of these regulatory  
applications could adversely affect the Group’s business.

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

37 

Strategic report
Risks and risk management, continued

The Group relies on partners, such as third party sub-contractors and service providers for the execution of most 
aspects of development programmes. Failure of these third parties to provide services of a suitable quality within 
acceptable timeframes – for example due to technical reasons or bankruptcy of the provider – may cause the failure 
or delay of these development programmes. Even where approval is obtained, regulatory authorities may still impose 
significant restrictions on the indicated uses or marketing of a product or impose costly, ongoing requirements for 
post-marketing surveillance or post-approval studies or may even withdraw the approval if new concerns over safety 
and efficacy arise.

Mitigating activities
The Group manages its regulatory risk by employing highly experienced professionals who, where appropriate,  
will commission advice from external advisers and consult with the regulatory authorities on the design of any  
pre-clinical and clinical programmes that may be required. These in-house experts would ensure that high quality 
protocols and other documentation are submitted during the regulatory process, and that well-reputed contract 
research organisations with global capabilities are retained to manage the trials. 

Unforeseen side effects
Unforeseen side effects may result from the use of the Group’s products and devices.

There is a risk of adverse reactions with all drugs and there is a risk that the malfunction of a medical diagnostic  
or device may have an adverse impact on patients. If any of the Group’s products are found to cause adverse reactions 
or unacceptable side effects or risk of misdiagnosis, then product sales may be adversely impacted, and, in extreme 
circumstances, it may prove necessary to suspend sale and/or withdraw the product from the market.

Adverse events or unforeseen side effects or device malfunction may also potentially lead to product liability claims 
being raised against the Group as the seller of the product.

38 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

Mitigating activities
The Group’s medical devices are subject to rigorous testing procedures. A robust device vigilance plan is in place to 
ensure any safety issues are identified and reported. Insurance is in place to cover product liability claims which may 
arise during the conduct of clinical trials or sales of the Group’s NIOX MINO® and NIOX VERO® products and sales  
of  Tudorza® and Duaklir®.
AstraZeneca administers the global safety database for  Tudorza® and Duaklir® and will continue to do so until the 
licences are transferred back to AstraZeneca.

Supply chain
The Group relies on third parties for the supply of key materials, finished products and services, including shipping. 
Problems at these contractors, such as technical issues, contamination, and regulatory actions may lead to delays or 
even loss of supply or inadequate supply of these materials, products and services either prior to launch or during 
commercialisation. Some materials may only be available from one source, as is currently the case for the NIOX® 
devices and the sensors contained in those devices, and regulatory requirements may make substitution costly and 
time-consuming.

Mitigating activities
Audits of contractors are routinely conducted according to procedures set out in the Group’s quality system. Dual 
sourcing is investigated where this is practicable. Manufacturing sites are well established FDA-approved facilities.

Research and development risks
The Group relies upon its collaborations with PHC Corporation for the development of the NIOX® device and upon 
IT Dr. Gambert GmbH for the development of the sensors contained in the NIOX® devices.

Mitigating activities
The development collaboration with PHC Corporation is managed by steering committees which include 
representatives from the Group. 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

39 

Strategic report
Risks and risk management, continued

Intellectual property, know how, and trade secrets
The Group may be subject to challenges relating to the validity of its patents or third-party patents to which it has 
rights. If these challenges are successful then the Group may be exposed to generic competition.

The Group could also be sued for infringement of third party patent rights. If these actions are successful then 
it would have to pay substantial damages and potentially remove its products from the market. Such litigation, 
particularly in the United States, involves significant costs and uncertainties.

It is possible that the Group will not be able to secure intellectual property protection, or sufficient protection, in 
relation to products which are acquired or in development. Similarly, a failure by the Group to maintain or renew key 
patents would lead to the loss of such protection. In both cases the potential of the Group to earn revenue from its 
products could be compromised as it would be less difficult for third parties to copy the products.

The Group may rely upon know how and trade secrets to protect its products and maintain a competitive advantage. 
This may be especially important where patent protection is limited or lacking. Conversely, the Group may be subject 
to claims that its employees or agents have wrongfully used or disclosed the confidential information of third parties 
which could lead to damages or injunctions which affect particular products.

The Group licenses certain intellectual property rights from third parties. If the Group fails to comply with its 
obligations under these licence agreements it may enable the other party to terminate the agreement.

Mitigating activities
Important products are covered by a range of different patents or patent families and attacks on patents are defended 
using expert external patent attorneys and lawyers. A robust system is in place which ensures patents are renewed 
on time. Third party patent filings are monitored to ensure the Group continues to have freedom to operate and 
oppositions are filed where this is considered expedient. Confidential information (both belonging to the Group and to 
third parties) is protected through use of confidential disclosure agreements with third parties, and suitable provisions 
relating to confidentiality and intellectual property exist in the Group’s employment contracts.

Licences are monitored for compliance with their terms.

40 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

Organisational capabilities and capacity
The Group may be unable to successfully implement its plans for growth if it does not attract and retain employees 
with the requisite capabilities and experience, in appropriate numbers. The Group depends on the skills and 
experience of its current management team and employees, and is generally subject to competition for, and may  
fail to retain, skilled personnel.

Existing employees, investigators, consultants and commercial partners may engage in misconduct or improper 
activities, including non-compliance with regulatory standards and laws.

Where the Group acquires complementary technologies, products, or businesses it may not be able to integrate those 
acquisitions effectively or realise their expected benefits.

The Group may be vulnerable to disruption and damage as a result of failures of its computer systems.

Mitigating activities
Remuneration packages for employees are competitive, and incentive plans based on the contingent award of shares 
are in place to attract, motivate and retain staff.

Disciplinary and whistleblowing policies exist to address misconduct by employees and officers.

To address IT and cyber risks, a disaster recovery plan has been developed.

Data is backed up daily on off-site servers and the Group operates from a number of physically separate sites.  
In addition, the Group maintains up to date anti-virus, anti-malware and anti-spyware software.

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

41 

Strategic report
Risks and risk management, continued

Financial operations
The Group has incurred significant losses since the inception of its various businesses. However it anticipates that it 
should become profit making once the  Tudorza® and Duaklir® licences are transferred back to AstraZeneca and the 
effects of COVID-19 on the short term trading of the NIOX® business have ceased. 
Foreign exchange fluctuations may adversely affect the Group’s results and financial condition. The Group records  
its transactions and prepares its financial statements in pounds sterling, but a significant proportion of its income  
and expenditure is in United States dollar, Swedish krona, euros and Chinese yuan.

Mitigating activities
At the end of each year, the Board reviews and approves a budget for the following year and reviews the 10 year 
plan. As part of the review the Board considers the robustness of the Group taking into account its current position, 
potential future developments, the principal risks facing it, and the effectiveness of mitigation plans and controls. 
The review also encompasses the potential impact of significant credible scenarios on the business model and future 
performance of the business.

Forward purchases of foreign currencies may be made when it is considered necessary to do so in order to mitigate 
specific foreign exchange risks. 

42 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

Brexit
There continues to be political and economic uncertainties following the United Kingdom leaving the European 
Union (EU) on 31 January 2020. The Group continues to face a range of risks associated with this decision. For 
example, the vote to leave the EU may lead to changes in the regulatory system by which medical devices and 
pharmaceutical products are approved for use. The Group’s NIOX® product is currently CE marked in accordance 
with European regulations and it is possible that this registration will need to be changed in some way once the United 
Kingdom has left the EU, to permit sales of the device to continue in the United Kingdom. 

Brexit may also result in restrictions on the movement of people which may make it harder for the Group to attract 
the talent it needs to support the business. The general economic uncertainty created by the process may also make it 
harder to enter into strategic partnerships with European companies.

The uncertainties surrounding Brexit also caused a significant depreciation in the value of sterling and continue to 
result in further foreign exchange volatility. This may affect the Group as indicated in the more general risk relating  
to financial operations set out above.

Mitigating activities
The Group continues to monitor developments relating to Brexit and receives updates from its legal and regulatory 
advisers on a frequent basis. The Group already has established subsidiaries in Germany (Circassia AG), Italy  
(Circassia srl), and Sweden (Circassia AB), where the Group’s NIOX® inventory for the EU and other markets  
outside the United States is held, so the Group will still have a presence in the EU even after Brexit comes into effect. 
In the event of extreme disruption, product could be shipped to the UK from the US warehouse to mitigate EU-UK 
border issues.

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

43 

Corporate governance 
Board of Directors

Ian Johnson 
Executive Chairman 

Michael Roller 
Chief Financial Officer 

 Jonathan Emms 
Chief Operating Officer 

Ian Johnson joined Circassia as Executive 
Chairman on 5 December 2019. Ian has spent 
his business career in life science and was 
founder and CEO of Biotrace International 
PLC, which was a listed company until its  
sale to 3M in December 2006. Most recently 
Ian was Executive Chairman of Bioquell PLC, 
which was acquired by Ecolab Inc.  
in January 2019. Prior to this Ian was non-
executive Chairman of Quantum Pharma PLC, 
Cyprotex PLC and Celsis Group Ltd. He has 
also served on the boards of various other public 
and private companies including the AIM traded 
companies, Evans Analytical Group, MyCelx 
Technologies Corporation and AOI Medical 
Inc. Ian studied at Cardiff University obtaining a 
BSc and MSc in Microbiology. He is a chartered 
biologist, and a fellow of the Royal Society of 
Biology and the Institute of Directors.

Michael Roller joined Circassia as Chief 
Financial Officer on 9 January 2020. Michael is 
a highly experienced Finance Director and life 
sciences company Director. He was previously 
Group Finance Director of Bioquell PLC, Corin 
Group PLC and Genus PLC and is currently 
a Non-Executive Director of Filtronic PLC. 
In addition, Michael has held a number of 
senior finance roles in a broad range of public 
and private companies. Michael completed 
his training at KPMG and is a Chartered 
Accountant and member of the ICAEW. He 
graduated from Merton College, Oxford with a 
BA in History. 

Jonathan Emms joined Circassia as Chief 
Commercial Officer on 2 September 2019. 
Jonathan brings significant senior-level 
experience of the global pharmaceutical 
industry to Circassia. Prior to joining the 
Company, he was Chief Commercial Officer 
for Pfizer’s Internal Medicines organisation, 
where he led commercial activities across the 
company’s global operations. Previously, he 
held a number of senior positions at Pfizer, 
including Head of Marketing for its Global 
Established Pharmaceutical Business and Head 
of Marketing for Specialty Care, Europe, and 
oversaw the UK launch of Spiriva® under the 
company’s co-promotion agreement with 
Boehringer Ingelheim. He was also Country 
Manager in the UK, Pfizer’s largest affiliate 
outside the United States, where he had 
responsibility for manufacturing, research and 
commercial operations and during his tenure 
was elected President of the Association of the 
British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). Prior 
to his time at Pfizer, Jonathan held several roles 
of increasing responsibility at GSK, where 
he gained significant respiratory experience, 
including leading the UK launch of Serevent®  
in COPD. He holds a BSc in Materials 
Technology from Coventry University, UK.

44 
44 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Garry Watts 
Senior Independent Director and  
Non-Executive Director

Garry Watts joined Circassia as a Non-Executive 
Director and its Senior Independent Director 
on 2 March 2020. Garry brings to the Company 
extensive Board-level experience gained in the 
healthcare sector. He is currently Non-Executive 
Chairman of Spire Healthcare Group plc and 
was until recently Non-Executive Chairman at 
BTG plc prior to its sale to Boston Scientific. 
He was previously CEO of SSL International 
plc, Finance Director at Medeva plc and a 
Director at Celltech Group plc. In addition to 
his executive roles, Garry was a Non-Executive 
Director at Protherics plc and a Non-Executive 
member of the Board of the UK Medicines 
and Healthcare Regulatory Agency for over 15 
years, for which he was awarded an MBE. Garry  
is a chartered accountant and former partner at 
KPMG and is a member of the ICAEW.

Jo LeCouilliard 
Non-Executive Director 

 Sharon Curran 
Non-Executive Director 

Jo LeCouilliard was appointed to the Board as 
an Independent Non-Executive Director on 
8 February 2018. She has 25 years’ healthcare 
management experience gained in Europe, the 
US and Asia. Much of her career has been in 
pharmaceuticals at GlaxoSmithKline where, 
amongst other roles, she headed the US vaccines 
business and Asia Pacific Pharmaceuticals 
business and led a program to modernise the 
commercial model. She was previously Chief 
Operating Officer at the BMI group of private 
hospitals in the UK. She was a non-executive 
director at Frimley Park NHS Foundation Trust 
in the UK and at the Duke NUS Medical School 
in Singapore. Jo is currently a Non-Executive 
Director at the UK listed companies Alliance 
Pharma plc, Cello Health plc and at the Italian 
listed pharmaceutical company, Recordati S.p.a. 
Jo is a graduate of Cambridge University and  
a Chartered Accountant.

Sharon Curran was appointed to the Board as 
an Independent Non-Executive Director on 
8 February 2018. She was most recently Vice 
President, Global Customer Excellence & 
Specialty at Abbvie Inc., and brings extensive 
commercial and specialty pharmaceutical 
experience to the Company. She has held a 
number of senior roles during her career, 
including Vice President, Specialty, Global 
Marketing & Commercial Operations at Abbvie, 
Global Brand Director, Anesthesia at Abbott 
and Division Head, Ireland at Eli Lilly. She 
holds an Executive Master of Science, Business 
Administration from Trinity College Dublin and 
a Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology from 
Dublin City University.

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

45 
45 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Corporate governance 
Corporate governance report

Dear shareholders,
On behalf of the Board, I am pleased to present Circassia’s Corporate governance report for the year ended  
31 December 2019. 

I am delighted to join Circassia at this important time in the Company’s development. I believe Circassia has great 
potential and I look forward to working with the whole team to achieve this ambition.

There have been several developments to the Board during the year. Most notably, our CEO and Co-Founder, Steve 
Harris, retired following 13 years of leading the business. Subsequently, in January 2020, Julien Cotta stepped down 
from his role of CFO and Executive Director and has been succeeded by Michael Roller. I would like to thank our 
outgoing Chairman, Dr Francesco Granata, and Steve Harris, for the strong leadership they have provided over many 
years, and Julien Cotta for his significant contribution to the Company over many years.

Our long-serving Non-Executive Director, Russell Cummings, decided not to stand for re-election, and Ms Lota Zoth 
and Dr Heribert Staudinger retired from the Board following the transfer to AIM. In addition, Dr Rod Hafner also 
stepped down from the Board. We are very grateful to Russell and Rod for their significant contributions over  
the years and we extend our thanks to Lota and Heribert for the excellent support and guidance they have provided. 

High standards of corporate governance are fundamental to our business and are implemented and supported through 
appropriate internal policies and procedures. The responsibility for ensuring this framework is effective lies with the 
Board, and we are constantly striving to improve standards while building a successful company.

Maintaining good communication with our shareholders is extremely important to us. During the year the Executive 
Directors have held a number of meetings with investors and current shareholders and presented at several 
conferences which were attended by existing and potential shareholders. 

Ian Johnson 
Executive Chairman

16 June 2020

46 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Corporate Governance Statement

Statement of Compliance with the Quoted Companies Alliance (QCA)  
Corporate Governance Code (the ‘Code’)
Circassia Group plc adopts compliance with the QCA Corporate Governance Code and confirms that the Group is 
fully compliant. This report follows the structure of these guidelines and explains how we have applied the guidance. 

1) Establish a strategy and business model which promotes long-term value for shareholders
The Group’s values are stated within the Corporate social responsibility report on page 27 and the Group’s strategy 
and business model are explained in detail in the Strategic report on pages 18 to 19.

2) Seek to understand and meet shareholder needs and expectations

Dialogue with shareholders 
I, the Executive Chairman (previously Steven Harris, Chief Executive Officer), am responsible for the day to day 
management of the Group and for implementing the strategy which has been reviewed and approved by the Board.  
I am also responsible for ensuring effective communication with shareholders, brokers, and analysts.

Shareholder presentations, which include information on our markets and strategy, are available to all stakeholders  
on the Group’s website. In addition to statutory reporting of material matters, the Group publishes general news  
on products, technologies and commercial opportunities on the Group’s website.

The Board maintains regular communication with shareholders. Meetings between material shareholders and  
the Executive Directors take place throughout the year. The Executive Chairman and other directors are available  
to meet with major shareholders on request.

All meetings with shareholders are held in a manner which ensures price sensitive information which has not been 
made available to shareholders generally, is protected from disclosure.

The Executive Chairman (previously Chief Executive Officer) and the Chief Financial Officer give annual and  
bi-annual presentations to institutional investors and analysts. These presentations are available on the website.  
Annual and interim reports and all press releases are also published on the website as are the terms of reference  
of the three Board Committees and matters reserved for the Board. Paper copies of the report and accounts are 
mailed to those shareholders who have elected to receive them in hard copy.

Annual General Meeting 
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) provides an opportunity for all shareholders to meet Board members  
and ask about the proposed resolutions and the business in general.

Notice of the AGM is posted to shareholders no less than 21 clear days prior to the date of the AGM and is also 
available to shareholders on the website at www.circassia.com. The letter accompanying the notice will include details 
of the proposed resolutions and an explanation of their content.

At the AGM the number of proxy votes cast for, against, or abstaining from each resolution will be disclosed.  
Results of voting are announced to the market and posted on the website as soon as possible after the AGM.

The Group does not currently consider it appropriate to introduce mandatory poll voting on all resolutions put  
to the shareholders but will keep this position under review.

47 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Corporate governance 
Corporate governance report, continued

3) Take into account wider stakeholder and social responsibilities  
and their implications for long-term success
The Group is aware of its corporate social responsibilities and the need to maintain effective working relationships across 
a range of stakeholder groups. These include the Group’s employees, partners, suppliers and regulatory authorities.

The Group’s operations and working methodologies take account of the need to balance the needs of all stakeholder 
groups while maintaining focus on the Board’s primary responsibility to promote the success of the Group for the 
benefit of its members as a whole.

The Group endeavours to take account of feedback received from stakeholders, making amendments to working 
arrangements and operational plans where appropriate and where such amendments are consistent with the Group’s 
longer-term strategy.

The Group takes due account of any impact that its activities may have on the environment and seeks to minimise this 
impact wherever possible. Through the various procedures and systems it operates, the Group ensures full compliance 
with health and safety and environmental legislation relevant to its activities.

The Group’s Corporate social responsibility report can be found on page 27.

4) Embed effective risk management, considering both opportunities and threats,  
throughout the organisation

Risk management system
A description of the risk management system is set out in the Strategic report. The system is designed to manage risks, 
not to eliminate them completely, and can only provide a reasonable degree of assurance against material misstatement 
or loss. Inherent in the concept of reasonable assurance is the recognition that the cost of a control procedure should 
not exceed its anticipated benefits.

The Group’s principal risks are outlined in the Strategic report on page 34.

Internal controls
The Audit and Risk Committee reviews the Group’s risks and mitigating actions on an annual basis and makes 
recommendations to the Board where improvements are required. The efficacy of control systems is reviewed by the 
full Board as required by the Code.

The Board confirms that it has conducted a review of the Group’s risk management and internal controls systems, 
including financial, operational and compliance controls and has found them to be effective.

5) Maintain the board as a well-functioning, balanced team led by the chair

The role of the Board
The Board is responsible for the leadership and long-term success of the business. It has a schedule of matters which 
are reserved for its review. These include the review and approval of strategic plans, financial statements and budgets, 
financing, acquisitions and disposals, major capital expenditure, dividend policy, making key risk decisions, monitoring 
risks and compliance, monitoring health, safety and environmental performance, and Executive remuneration and 
appointments.

At each meeting, the Board assesses the progress of the Group when measured against its objectives, particularly those 
which relate to its commercial performance, and reviews financial performance against the budget.

48 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Roles and responsibilities
The Board currently comprises the Executive Chairman, two Executive Directors, one Senior Independent Director, 
and two Non-Executive Directors. The biographies of the current members of the Board are set out on pages 44 to 45 
of this report.

The Executive Directors have direct responsibility for the business operations of the Group. The Non-Executive 
Directors, by virtue of their wide range of industry experience and skills, bring an informed view to the decision-
making process.

The Board is supported by three committees (the Audit and Risk Committee; the Nomination Committee; and the 
Remuneration Committee) that have the necessary skills and knowledge to discharge their duties and responsibilities 
effectively.

The Non-Executive Directors are expected to devote such time as is necessary for the proper performance of their 
duties. The Executive Directors are full time employees of the Company.

Chairman
I, the Executive Chairman, am responsible for the leadership of the Board and its effectiveness by ensuring that:

—  the agenda for meetings is appropriate, and the Board is provided with the information it needs for high quality 

decision making in a timely fashion;

—  the Board plays a full and constructive role in shaping the strategy of the Group;

—  the Board environment is productive and utilises the skills and experience of all members;

—  the Board complies with the appropriate standards of corporate governance;

—  the Committees are properly structured and resourced;

—  the performance of the Board, its Committees, and individual directors is evaluated each year; and

—  there is effective communication with shareholders, brokers, and analysts.

I am also responsible for the day to day management of the Group and for implementing the strategy which has been 
reviewed and approved by the Board. 

The Executive Chairman (previously Chairman) and the Non-Executive Directors met in the absence of the Executive 
Directors at the end of each Board meeting which occurred in 2019.

Non-Executive Directors
The role of the Non-Executive Directors, and of the Committees of which they are members, is to scrutinise  
the performance of management, satisfy themselves that the financial and risk control mechanisms are robust,  
and determine appropriate levels of Executive pay. They have wide ranging experience of industry and bring  
their judgement to bear in the decision-making process of the Board.

Their seniority and range of skills ensure that no one individual can dominate this process.

Independence
The Board considers itself to be sufficiently independent. The Code suggests that a board should have at least two 
independent Non-Executive Directors. As at the date of signing this report, there are three Non-Executive Directors 
(including the Senior Independent Director), all of whom are deemed to be independent. 

Board meetings
The Board aims to meet at least four times during the year, with monthly conference calls taking place in the 
intervening period. Additional meetings may be arranged where urgent matters arise. These additional meetings  
may be held by telephone.

49 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Corporate governance 
Corporate governance report, continued

The table below sets out the attendance of the directors, while they were Board members, at scheduled meetings 
which occurred during the year to 31 December 2019.

Committee  
Memberships

Independent 
status

Executive Directors
Steven Harris3
Julien Cotta
Jonathan Emms4
Rod Hafner5
Ian Johnson6
Non-Executive Directors
Francesco Granata7
Russell Cummings8
Lota Zoth9
Jo LeCouilliard
Heribert Staudinger11
Sharon Curran

n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a

N(Chair)
–
A, R(Chair)
N(Chair)10, A(Chair), R
N
N12, A13, R(Chair)14

n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a

Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

Board

5 (5)
5 (5)
3 (3)
2 (2)
1 (1)

4 (4)
2 (2)
0 (0)
5 (5)
0 (0)
5 (5)

Nomination  
Committee

Audit and Risk 
Committee

Remuneration 
Committee

2 (2)1
2 (2)2
–
–
–

1 (1)
–
–
2 (2)
0 (0)
1 (1)

3 (3)1
3 (3)2
–
–
–

–
1 (1)1
0 (0)
3 (3)
–
3 (3)

2 (2)1
2 (2)2
–
–
–

1 (1)1
2 (2)1
0 (0)
2 (2)
–
2 (2)

N = Nomination Committee, R = Remuneration Committee, A = Audit Committee
Figures in brackets represent the total number of meetings occurring during the year to 31 December 2019 when the director was in office.
1  By invitation.
2  In the capacity of Secretary to the Committee.
3  Until 31 December 2019, when he retired from the Board. 
4  From 2 September 2019, when he was appointed as Chief Operating Officer. 
5  Until 2 September 2019, when he retired from the Board.
6  From 5 December 2019, when he was appointed as Executive Chairman of the Board.
7  Until 5 December 2019, when he stepped down as Chairman of the Board.
8  Until 7 June 2019, when he retired from the Board (not having put himself forward for re-election at the AGM).
9  Until 4 February 2019, when she retired from the Board following the transfer to AIM.
10 From 5 December 2019, when she was promoted to Chair of the Nomination Committee.
11 Until 4 February 2019, when he retired from the Board following the transfer to AIM.
12 From 5 December 2019, when she was appointed as a member of the Nomination Committee.
13 From 4 February 2019, when she was appointed as a member of the Audit and Risk Committee.
14 From 4 February 2019, when she was promoted from member to Chair of the Remuneration Committee.

6) Ensure that between them the directors have the necessary up-to-date experience, skills and 
capabilities

Appointments to the Board
The procedure for appointment of new directors to the Board is formal, rigorous and transparent. The process is led 
by the Nomination Committee. Shortlisted candidates are interviewed by members of the Nomination Committee 
before a recommendation is made to the Board.

The biographies of the current members of the Board are set out on pages 44 to 45 of this report.

The Board is satisfied that, between the directors, it has an effective and appropriate balance of skills, experience and 
time to perform its duties. 

50 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
Advisors
The Board obtains independent assistance and advice from external advisors if deemed necessary. 

Diversity
The Board recognises the value of diversity at all levels of the Group. The Group has an Equal Treatment, Equal 
Opportunities and Diversity policy which extends to the Board.

Further information around the Group’s diversity can be found within the Corporate social responsibility report on 
page 27.

Induction and training
Upon appointment, each director receives a comprehensive induction package which includes written materials 
relevant to their responsibilities. In addition, meetings are organised with other Board members and with members  
of the Group’s management team.

All directors have direct access to the advice of the Company Secretary. Whenever it is considered necessary, the 
Company Secretary can arrange the appointment of professional advisers at the Group’s expense to assist Board 
members in their roles.

Directors receive frequent updates on commercial developments affecting the business as well as regulatory and 
legislative changes. Directors are invited, during the annual evaluation procedure, to identify any training which  
they feel might benefit them.

Information
In advance of each Board meeting, directors receive a full agenda and a comprehensive set of papers which include 
commercial and functional reports. A procedure is in place to ensure that these materials are delivered to the Board  
in a timely fashion. Senior employees of the business regularly attend meetings in order to enhance the Non-Executive 
Directors’ understanding of current issues and give them the opportunity to ask detailed questions.

7) Evaluate board performance based on clear and relevant objectives,  
seeking continuous improvement 

Performance evaluation 
Formal Board evaluations are carried out once a year, and informal evaluations are carried out on a continuing basis 
throughout the year. The formal evaluation commences with the circulation of a written questionnaire which is 
prepared by the Company Secretary. This invites directors to rate and comment on the performance of the Board in 
a number of areas, including the conduct of Board meetings; the standard and timeliness of information; the balance 
of skills of the members of the Board; the roles and responsibilities of individual directors; and compliance with good 
corporate governance practices. A detailed, anonymised analysis of these responses is then prepared by the Company 
Secretary and reviewed and discussed by the Board who then debate the responses and agree upon the actions required.

The most recent Board evaluation concluded that the Board was operating effectively. Areas highlighted for 
improvement included the Company Secretary role being undertaken by someone other than an Executive Director, 
and the composition of the Board being a majority of Non-Executive Directors. The QCA code requires a minimum 
of two independent Non-Executive Directors. The current Board composition is made up of three independent Non-
Executive Directors, including Garry Watts, the newly appointed Senior Independent Director. This composition is 
deemed effective for the current strategy and direction of the company, and therefore there are currently no plans 
to further increase the number of Non-Executive Directors. Plans are in place to separate the roles of Company 
Secretary and CFO at the appropriate time. 

The Nomination Committee is responsible for overseeing succession planning requirements, including the identification 
and assessment of potential Board candidates and making recommendations to the Board for its approval. All continuing 
directors stand for re-election on an annual basis. External recruitment is currently the most likely source of immediate 
replacements for any of the Executive Directors.

51 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Corporate governance 
Corporate governance report, continued

8) Promote a corporate culture that is based on ethical values and behaviours
The Board aims to lead by example and do what is in the best interests of the Group, its stakeholders and shareholders. 
The Executive Directors strive to act in a manner which is professional and ethical and has published its ethical policies 
for all employees to observe and comply with.

9) Maintain governance structures and processes that are fit for purpose  
and support good decision-making by the Board

Board Committees
The Board has three Committees to which it delegates specific responsibilities; the Audit and Risk Committee;  
the Nomination Committee; and the Remuneration Committee. The reports of these Committees and details  
of their composition form part of the Corporate governance report. Each Committee has full terms of reference 
which have been approved by the Board and also appear on the website at www.circassia.com. These terms of 
reference are reviewed annually. The Board provides the Committees with sufficient resources, including access  
to external advisers, as may be required in order to fulfil their roles.

Nomination Committee
The Code requires that a majority of the members of the Committee should be Independent Non-Executive Directors 
and the Committee should be chaired by the Chairman or an Independent Non-Executive Director. 

From 1 January 2019 until 4 February 2019 the Committee comprised Dr Francesco Granata (Chairman and Chair  
of the Committee); Dr Heribert Staudinger, and Ms Jo LeCouilliard. All members are considered to be independent.

On 4 February 2019, Dr Heribert Staudinger retired from the Board following the transfer to AIM.

On 5 December 2019, Dr Francesco Granata retired from the Board, and Ms Jo LeCouilliard was promoted to 
Chair of the Nomination Committee. Subsequently, Ms Sharon Curran was appointed as member of the Nomination 
Committee.

The Committee is therefore made up of Independent Non-Executive Directors and complies with the requirements  
of the Code.

Remuneration Committee
The Code advises that an effective Committee should comprise Non-Executive Directors, all of whom should be 
independent.

For the period from 1 January 2019 until 4 February 2019, the Committee members were: Ms Lota Zoth  
(Chair of the Committee) and Ms Jo LeCouilliard. All members are considered to be independent. 

On 4 February 2019, Ms Lota Zoth retired from the Board following the transfer to AIM, and Ms Sharon Curran  
was appointed as Chair of the Remuneration Committee.

As at the date of signing this report, the Committee is made up of two Non-Executive Directors. The Board considers 
that the size and composition of the Committee is appropriate for the size of the Company. 

The Committee is therefore made up of Independent Non-Executive Directors and complies with the requirements  
of the Code.

52 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Audit and Risk Committee
The Code recommends that the Committee should be made up of Independent Non-Executive Directors, with the 
size of the Committee being proportionate to the complexity of the company and its business and the risks it faces.

For the period from 1 January 2019 until 4 February 2019, the Committee members were: Jo LeCouilliard  
(Chair of the Committee); and Ms Lota Zoth. All members are considered to be independent. 

On 4 February 2019, Ms Lota Zoth retired from the Board following the transfer to AIM, and Ms Sharon Curran  
was appointed as a member of the Audit and Risk Committee.

The Committee is therefore made up of Independent Non-Executive Directors and complies with the recommendations 
of the Code.

10) Communicate how the Company is governed and is performing by maintaining  
a dialogue with shareholders and other relevant stakeholders 
The Board believes that corporate governance is more than just a set of guidelines; rather it is a framework which 
underpins the core values for running the business in which we all believe. The Board has formal responsibilities and 
agendas and three sub-committees; in addition, strong informal relations are maintained between Executive and 
Non-Executive Directors. Non-Executive Directors meet with other senior managers and give advice and assistance 
between meetings. Board dinners are held from time to time to provide opportunities for broader discussions.

The Executive Chairman (previously Chief Executive Officer) and Chief Financial Officer regularly meet with 
investors after results announcements have been made and at other shareholder participant events. They also meet 
regularly with the Group’s Nomad/broker and discuss any shareholder feedback – the Board is briefed accordingly.

All directors attend the AGM and engage both formally and informally with shareholders during and after the meeting. 
The results of voting at the AGM are communicated to shareholders via RNS and on the Group’s website.

The Executive Chairman (previously Chief Executive Officer) and the Chief Financial Officer make presentations to 
institutional shareholders and analysts each year immediately following the release of interim and full year results.  
The slides used for such presentations are made available on the Group’s website under the financial reports section.

53 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Corporate governance  
Audit and Risk Committee report

Dear shareholders,
On behalf of the Board I am pleased to present Circassia’s Audit and Risk Committee report for the year ended  
31 December 2019.

This report sets out how the Committee has discharged its responsibilities under the Quoted Companies Alliance 
Code (the “Code”). It also contains a summary of the activities of the Committee throughout the year.

Jo LeCouilliard 
Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee

16 June 2020

54 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Responsibilities
The Committee has responsibility for monitoring the integrity of the financial statements of the Group and for reviewing 
the effectiveness of the Group’s internal control systems and risk management systems, including reviewing its risk profile.

Accordingly, the Committee performs a review of the interim and annual financial statements, considering whether the 
accounting policies have been applied properly and consistently and whether the disclosures made in the Annual Report and 
Accounts are compliant with financial reporting standards and with corporate governance and regulatory requirements.

The Committee also manages the relationship with the external auditors on behalf of the Board. It monitors the 
independence of the auditor and reviews the effectiveness of the audit procedure. The Committee makes recommendations 
to the Board regarding the appointment of the external auditors and reviews their terms of engagement. The Committee 
has access to the services of the external auditors and where appropriate challenges the views of the external auditors.

If necessary, the Committee may appoint external accounting and legal advisers to assist it with its work.

The Group markets approved medical devices to healthcare professionals in a number of markets around the world 
and after taking full commercial control of  Tudorza® and launching Duaklir®, the Group also promotes two approved 
medicines in the United States.

Compliance with healthcare laws and regulations has therefore become and will continue to be a key risk area for the 
business. The Chief Compliance Officer has a direct reporting line to the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee and 
provides updates in this area to her.

The Committee’s terms of reference are available on the Company’s website. They cover issues such as membership 
and the frequency of meetings, together with requirements for a quorum and the right to attend meetings. The duties 
of the Committee as set out in the terms of reference include: financial and regulatory reporting; internal controls; 
evaluating the need for an internal audit function; external audit; risk management; and reporting responsibilities.

Membership
The names of the members of the Audit and Risk Committee, their dates of appointment and the number of meetings 
attended during the year are set out in the table below:

Member

L S Zoth (resigned 4 February 2019)
J LeCouilliard (Chair of the Committee)
S Curran

Date appointed

27 February 2015
30 May 2018
30 May 2018

Meetings attended (held)

0 (0)
3 (3)
3 (3)

Ms Lota Zoth was a member of the Audit and Risk Committee until 4 February 2019, when she retired from the 
Board following the transfer to AIM. 

Upon joining the Board on 2 March 2020, Garry Watts became a member of the Audit and Risk Committee. 

The Code provides that all members of the Audit and Risk Committee should be Independent Non-Executive Directors. 
The Board considers that all members are independent and therefore this requirement has been satisfied. 

The biographies of the current members of the Audit and Risk Committee are set out on pages 44 to 45 of this report.

Ms Jo LeCouilliard, Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee, is a Chartered Accountant and a member of the ICAEW. 
She has recent and relevant experience which enables her to understand the risks facing the business, be able to 
challenge the financial position and performance of the Company and make recommendations to the board. 

The Company Secretary acts as the Secretary to the Committee. The Executive Chairman (previously the Chief 
Executive Officer) attends Committee meetings at the invitation of the Chair. The Committee meets with the external 
auditors at least once a year in the absence of management. 

55 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
Corporate governance  
Audit and Risk Committee report, continued

A summary of the matters considered by the Committee since the last financial statements is shown in the table below 
and explained in further detail in the subsequent text: 

Area of review

Financial reporting

Activities undertaken

Review of the interim and full year results.

Consideration of whether the Annual Report is fair, balanced and understandable. 

Review of the external auditors’ report for the full year results.

Review of significant accounting judgements and estimates (see overleaf).

Review of anticipated changes in accounting standards and their impact.

Review of the going concern basis of preparation of the financial statements. 

External auditor

Review of the external auditors’ independence.

Review of the auditors’ compliance with ethical and professional guidance on audit partner rotation.

Assessment of the effectiveness of the audit process.

Recommendation regarding reappointment of the auditors.

Risk management and  
internal control

Review of risk, risk management systems, internal controls and the whistleblowing policy.

Review of compliance activities.

Governance

Review of the Committee’s terms of reference. 

Financial reporting
During the year to 31 December 2019 and up to the date of this report, the Committee reviewed the interim report 
and accounts for the period ended 30 June 2019 and the preliminary announcement and Annual Report and Accounts 
for the year ended 31 December 2019.

Significant accounting matters
The Committee considered the following key accounting issues, judgements and disclosures during the course of the year:
— Measurement of  Tudorza® revenue deductions
— Measurement of Duaklir® contingent royalty consideration
— Assessment of the possible impairment of goodwill and intangible assets

— Assessment of the possible impairment of investments in subsidiaries and intercompany receivables

— Going concern and the impact of COVID-19

Measurement of  Tudorza® revenue deductions
Since commencing invoicing of  Tudorza® sales on 1 July 2019, Circassia must estimate the rebates and chargebacks that 
are expected to be paid and also a refund liability for the amount of consideration received for which the entity does not 
expect to be entitled. The liability relating to these revenue deductions is re-estimated at the end of each period with 
gains/losses recognised through the statement of comprehensive income. The value of the rebate accrual is calculated 
by taking into account specific contract provisions, coupled with expected performance. The value of the refund liability 
is calculated based on historical information. A liability of £12.9 million was recognised on the statement of financial 
position as at 31 December 2019.

56 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
Measurement of Duaklir® contingent royalty consideration
As part of the collaboration agreement entered into in April 2017 between Circassia and AstraZeneca, Circassia is 
liable to pay royalties to AstraZeneca on future sales of Duaklir® in the United States. There is some uncertainty over 
the final amount of future sales and thus royalties due and therefore actual outcomes could differ significantly from the 
estimates made. Under IFRS 3, these royalties were initially classified as additional consideration and recognised as an 
IPR&D asset with a corresponding contingent liability. The value of the IPR&D asset and corresponding liability was 
calculated by management using a tax-effected NPV of the future royalty cash outflows at the date of the transaction. 
During 2019, the sales performance of Duaklir® was well below internal forecasts and as such management concluded 
that future sales of Duaklir® were expected to remain low in the short-term and therefore as at 31 December 2019, 
the royalty liability has been remeasured to £nil resulting in a £51.4 million credit in ‘other gains and losses’. This sales 
underperformance led to the decision to hand the licences back to AstraZeneca, with the agreement completed and 
the licences handed back on 27 May 2020. 

Assessment of the possible impairment of goodwill and intangible assets 
In line with IAS 36 Impairment of Assets, the carrying value of each cash generating unit (CGU) including the allocated 
goodwill was tested for impairment. Impairment assessments were performed on each CGU (NIOX®, COPD and 
LungFit™ PH) and at an individual intangible asset level.
On 19 December 2019, BeyondAir announced it is terminating the agreement for the commercial licence of LungFit™ PH. 
The Company disputes and intends to challenge BeyondAir’s actions. At this time, however, the Company has concluded 
that impairment is required to the LungFit™ PH CGU intangible assets of £44.0 million. See note 17 for further details.
During 2019, the sales performance of  Tudorza® and Duaklir® was well below internal forecasts and as such 
management concluded that impairment was required to the COPD CGU. This resulted in an impairment  
of £4.1 million to goodwill and £42.1 million to intangible assets. This sales underperformance led to the decision  
to hand the licences back to AstraZeneca, with the agreement completed and the licences handed back on  
27 May 2020. See notes 16 and 17 for further details.

Assessment of the possible impairment of investments in subsidiaries and intercompany receivables
In line with IAS 36 Impairment of Assets, the carrying value of each investment held by Circassia Group plc in 
its subsidiaries was tested for impairment. Management concluded that further impairment was required to the 
investments held in Circassia Limited and Circassia Pharmaceuticals Inc. This is related to the impairment of the 
COPD CGU as discussed above. This resulted in an impairment of £12.5 million. See note 17 for further details.

In line with IFRS 9, the carrying value of intercompany receivable balances owed to Circassia Group plc by its 
subsidiaries was assessed measuring expected credit losses by using a range of probability weighted scenarios for the 
recoverability of the balances. Management concluded that a further provision was required to the intercompany 
receivable balances with Circassia Limited and Circassia Pharmaceuticals Inc. This resulted in an additional provision of 
£256.4 million being recognised. See notes 2 and 21 for further details.

Going concern the impact of COVID-19
In assessing the appropriateness of the going concern assumption, the Board has considered the availability of funding  
alongside the possible cash requirements of the Group and Company, taking into account the unprecedented circumstances 
caused by COVID-19. 

The Board has prepared cash flow forecasts for a period of 18 months from the date of approval of these financial 
statements. This base case scenario includes the benefits of actions already taken by management to mitigate the 
trading downsides brought about by COVID-19, for example, restrictions on travel, limiting new hires and reducing 
discretionary spend as well as utilising the equity facility agreed with significant shareholders. This base case assumes 
that sales of NIOX® will gradually build back towards pre-COVID-19 levels of trade (94% of the value of budgeted 
sales) by December 2020. Under this base case scenario, the Group is expected to continue to have sufficient 
resources beyond 12 months from the approval of the financial statements.

57 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Corporate governance  
Audit and Risk Committee report, continued

The most extreme downside scenario modelled the impact of no recovery from current levels of NIOX® sales up until 
December 2020, rising to around 76% of pre-COVID-19 sales in December 2021 and remaining at this level for the 
foreseeable future. In addition, this assumes a gradual reduction of current  Tudorza® revenue down to a reduction to 
80% of current levels by the end of 2020, when it is expected that the run off period for this activity will cease. These 
reductions in revenue would be offset by significant mitigating cost reductions and cash protection actions, within the 
control of the Board, commencing in September 2020 (for example significant salary cuts for Board members, non-
payment of discretionary bonuses and the reduction in size of certain central functions by the end of 2020). In this 
scenario the Group remains cash positive beyond 12 months from the approval of the financial statements.

After due consideration, the directors have concluded that there is a reasonable expectation that the Group has 
adequate resources to continue in operational existence for at least 12 months from the date of this report. 

Risk management and internal control
The Board has overall responsibility for the review of the Group’s risk management framework and the level of risk 
which is acceptable in order to achieve its strategic objectives. The Committee, on behalf of the Board, undertakes the 
detailed monitoring of the risk management framework and system of internal controls and reports to the Board on 
their suitability and efficacy annually.

In order to discharge its duties in this respect, the Committee receives and reviews reports from the Group’s 
management team.

The Committee continues to assess what is an acceptable level of risk in key areas and the best strategy for mitigating 
those risks given the cost and time constraints which exist.

During the year, as is required by the Code, the Committee performed a detailed assessment of the principal risks 
faced by the Group and how these are managed and mitigated. An annual review of the effectiveness of the Group’s 
monitoring and review systems was carried out at the December Committee meeting. 

Whistleblowing
A confidential whistleblowing procedure exists to enable employees to raise concerns regarding possible improprieties in 
relation to financial or other matters. This procedure has been communicated to all staff. Reports can be made through an 
online tool or a telephone helpline operated by a third-party provider. The Committee has reviewed these arrangements 
and is satisfied that the current procedure allows for proportionate and independent investigation of such disclosures and 
for appropriate follow up actions to be taken. In accordance with the current policy, concerned employees may raise 
matters directly with the Compliance team or directly with the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee.

Anti-corruption and anti-bribery
The Group has an anti-corruption and anti-bribery policy which has been communicated to all staff. This policy 
ensures full compliance with the UK Bribery Act 2010, the US Foreign Corruption Practices Act and other major 
anti-corruption legislation. The policy extends to carrying out due diligence on new key business partners who are 
judged to be acting on behalf of the Group in high risk areas.

Internal audit
This year, the Committee considered again whether there is a need for an internal audit function and concluded that, 
given the scale of operations at this time, it is not currently necessary. The Board accepted this recommendation. This 
decision will be kept under review.

58 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019External auditors

Effectiveness
The effectiveness of the external audit process is reviewed annually by the Committee. This review encompasses an 
examination of the independence, qualifications, capabilities and remuneration of the auditor. If issues are identified 
which may affect the effectiveness of the process, then actions will be agreed. No such issues were identified in the 
year to 31 December 2019 or up to the date of this report.

At the end of the audit for the year ended 31 December 2019, the Committee formally evaluated the performance of 
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) who had been reappointed as auditors following a tender carried out in 2016 for 
the audit of the 2017 financial year.

To conduct this evaluation, the Committee completed a questionnaire to assess the robustness of the audit process, 
quality of its delivery, quality of reporting and quality of the individuals and service. Moreover, the Committee takes 
into account the quality of its interactions with the auditor in forming a view on their effectiveness.

Independence
The Group’s external auditor, PwC is engaged to express its opinion on the Group’s and the Company’s financial statements.

The Committee is responsible for reviewing the independence and objectivity of the external auditor. Each year 
the external auditor confirms its policies for ensuring its independence and provides the Committee with written 
confirmation that they continue to be independent.

The Committee pays careful regard to whether non-audit work is carried out by the auditor to ensure that the 
provision of such additional services does not impair its independence or objectivity.

A formal process exists for approving the use of the auditor for non-audit work. The auditor should not be appointed to 
provide non-audit services which might put the auditor in the position of auditing its own work or create a mutual interest 
between the Group and the auditor or result in the auditor acting as an advocate, manager, or employee of the Group.

The total fees paid to the auditor are shown in note 9 of the financial statements. During the year, the Group paid 
£1,356 to PwC in respect of non-audit services for an accounting research tool subscription. 

In summary, the Committee confirms that the Group has received an independent audit service in the year  
to 31 December 2019 and up to the date of this report.

Audit partner rotation
PwC adheres to a rotation policy which complies with the ethical standards of the Audit Practices Board (the “APB”) and 
the audit partner is rotated every five years. Miles Saunders, the current audit partner, was appointed for the year ending  
31 December 2019 and is not due for rotation until after the completion of the audit for the year ending 31 December 2023.

Tendering
PwC has been the Company’s auditor since the year ended 31 December 2007. The Committee is actively  
monitoring developments arising from the EU audit reform framework and the Competition and Markets Authority. 
In view of those developments, the Committee conducted an audit tender process during the course of 2016 and 
recommended PwC for re-appointment by shareholders at the 2017 AGM.

Committee evaluation
An internal review of the effectiveness of the Committee was carried out in December 2019 as part of the process of 
evaluating Board effectiveness. The findings of the evaluation were debated by the Board and a list of actions agreed.

Jo LeCouilliard 
Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee

16 June 2020

59 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Corporate governance 
Nomination Committee report

Dear shareholders,
On behalf of the Board, I am pleased to present Circassia’s Nomination Committee report for the year ended  
31 December 2019. The key objective of the Committee is to ensure the Board is made up of a range of individuals 
who together have the appropriate mixture of skills and experience to lead the Group.

There has been a significant change to the composition of the Board during the period. Two of our Non-Executive 
Directors, Dr Heribert Staudinger and Ms Lota Zoth, retired from the Board in February following the transfer to 
AIM. Subsequently, Mr Russell Cummings decided not to stand for re-election at the AGM. In September, Dr Rod 
Hafner stepped down from the Board and the Board appointed a new COO, Jonathan Emms.

Following Dr Francesco Granata and Steve Harris announcing their intentions to retire from the Board, Ian Johnson 
was appointed as Executive Chairman effective from 5 December 2019. Subsequently, in January 2020, Julien 
Cotta stepped down from his role of CFO and Executive Director and has been succeeded by Michael Roller. 
Following these changes, which saw the Board reduce to 5 members, the Nomination Committee recommended 
the appointment of Garry Watts as Senior Independent Director. Garry joined the Board in March 2020 and became 
a member of the Audit and Risk Committee and the Remuneration Committee. He will replace me as Chair of the 
Nomination Committee with effect from 17 June 2020.

Further details of the Nomination Committee’s activities are set out below.

Jo LeCouilliard 
Chair of the Nomination Committee

16 June 2020

60 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Responsibilities
The Committee reviews the size, structure and composition of the Board and the Committees, evaluating the balance 
of skills, experience, independence and diversity of the Board as a whole. On the basis of this evaluation, it will then 
make recommendations to the Board on any appointments. As part of this process, the Committee will prepare a 
description of the skills, experience and other characteristics required and identify through a transparent procedure, 
individuals who are capable of filling those roles.

The Committee also plans for the orderly succession of directors to the Board and recommends to the Board the 
membership and chairmanship of the Audit and Risk and Remuneration Committees.

The full terms of reference of the Committee can be found on the website.

Membership
The names of the members of the Nomination Committee, their dates of appointment and the number of meetings 
attended during the year are set out in the table below:

Member

Dr Francesco Granata (Chair of the Committee until 5 December 2019)
Ms Jo LeCouilliard (Chair of the Committee from 5 December 2019)
Dr Heribert Staudinger (resigned 4 February 2019)
Ms Sharon Curran

Date appointed

21 February 2014
30 May 2018
30 May 2018
5 December 2019

Meetings attended (held)

1 (1)
2 (2)
0 (0)
2 (2)

Dr Heribert Staudinger resigned from the Nomination Committee and the Board on 4 February 2019 following the 
transfer to AIM.

On 5 December 2019, Dr Francesco Granata retired from the Board, and Ms Jo LeCouilliard was promoted to Chair 
of the Nomination Committee. Subsequently, Ms Sharon Curran was appointed as a member of the Nomination 
Committee.

Upon joining the Board on 2 March 2020, Garry Watts became a member of the Nomination Committee. He will 
take over the position of Chair of the Nomination Committee effective from 17 June 2020.

The Company Secretary acts as Secretary to the Committee.

The Executive Chairman (previously Chief Executive Officer) may attend meetings by invitation.

The Committee is empowered to obtain external professional advice to assist in the performance of its duties. 
However, during the year the Committee did not require any external services except for the search activities which 
are described below.

61 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
Corporate governance 
Nomination Committee report, continued

Primary responsibilities
In accordance with its terms of reference, the Nomination Committee’s primary responsibilities include: 

—  leading the process for Board appointments and making recommendations to the Board;

—  regularly reviewing the Board structure, size and composition (including skills, knowledge, independence, 

experience and diversity), recommending any necessary changes;

—  considering plans for orderly succession for appointments to the Board and to senior management to maintain an 

appropriate balance of skills and experience within the Company and to ensure progressive refreshing of the Board;

—  keeping under review the leadership needs of the Group, both executive and non-executive, to ensure the 

organisation competes efficiently in the marketplace; and 

—  being responsible for identifying and nominating, for the approval of the Board, candidates to fill Board vacancies as 

and when they arise.

Committee activities during the year
The principal activities during the year were:

—  Executive Chairman appointment: The Nomination Committee carried out a recruitment process to identify 

suitable candidates to succeed Dr Franceso Granata as Chairman and Steve Harris as CEO. Recruitment searches 
were carried out based on criteria agreed by the Nomination Committee. All directors met with the final 
candidate. Following its deliberations, the Nomination Committee recommended to the Board to appoint Ian 
Johnson as Executive Chairman.

—  Reviewing Board composition: The Nomination Committee had met during the period to discuss the Board’s 

size and composition in relation to the various Board appointments noted above. Following its deliberations, the 
Nomination Committee recommended to the Board to appoint Garry Watts as Senior Independent Director and 
Non-Executive Director and he joined the Board in March 2020.

—  Performance evaluation: The Committee’s effectiveness was reviewed as part of the Board’s performance evaluation 
process which was carried out during the final quarter of the year under review. This evaluation concluded that the 
Committee was continuing to function effectively.

— Chief Operating Officer appointment: The Nomination Committee carried out a recruitment process to identify 

suitable candidates for the position of Chief Operating Officer based on criteria agreed by the Nomination 
Committee. All directors met with the final candidate. Following its deliberations, the Nomination Committee 
recommended to the Board to appoint Jonathan Emms as Chief Operating Officer commencing 2 September 2019.

—  Chief Financial Officer appointment: The Nomination Committee carried out a recruitment process to identify 
suitable candidates to succeed Julien Cotta as Chief Financial Officer based on criteria agreed by the Nomination 
Committee. All directors met with the final candidate. Following its deliberations, the Nomination Committee 
recommended to the Board to appoint Michael Roller as Chief Financial Officer commencing 9 January 2020.

62 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

Corporate governance 
Remuneration Committee report

Dear shareholders,
On behalf of the Board, I am pleased to present Circassia’s Remuneration Committee report for the year ended 31 
December 2019. This report complies with the regime set out in the Quoted Company Alliance Code (‘the Code’) and 
will be presented for the consideration and approval of Shareholders at the Annual General Meeting on 26 June 2020.

Accordingly, it consists of three parts:

(i)  an annual statement which summarises the remuneration policy and explains the business context in which the 

Committee’s main decisions were taken;

(ii)  the annual report on remuneration which sets out details of and the rationale for the remuneration provided to the 

Group’s directors during the 2019 financial year; and

(iii) the Directors’ remuneration policy.

The annual report on remuneration is subject to an advisory vote at the AGM.

Annual statement

Remuneration policy
The remuneration policy, which was approved by Shareholders at the 2019 AGM, aims to reward Executive Directors 
for performance, and for delivery of shareholder value judged against transparent and demanding criteria. It is 
consistent with Circassia’s current vision, strategy, risk appetite, culture and philosophy. As part of this policy a 
significant proportion of potential remuneration is linked to the achievement of corporate objectives.

Share incentive arrangements have been in effect since 2014 and are intended to closely align the interests of the 
Executive Directors with those of Shareholders.

Recent developments and Remuneration Committee decisions

Appointment of COO
Jonathan Emms joined the Board as COO in September 2019 and on 17 October 2019 received an award under the 
Performance Share Plan having a vesting period of 3 years and an additional holding period of 2 years, other than for 
the sale of shares to satisfy any tax liability created on exercise. The value of the award was equal to his salary in line 
with the remuneration policy. An additional award for the same value was made on 1 May 2020, further details of 
which can be found overleaf. The COO is also eligible to participate in an annual bonus. 50% of any award will be 
deferred into shares for three years and will be subject to forfeiture in certain circumstances. 

Appointment of Executive Chairman and other management changes
As discussed in the Chairman’s Statement, Ian Johnson joined the Board as Executive Chairman on 5 December 2019 
and Michael Roller replaced Julien Cotta as CFO after the financial year end in January 2020. 

The Board decided that these management changes were necessary in the long-term interests of the Company and its 
stakeholders. The remuneration packages agreed with Messrs Johnson and Roller are exceptions to the Company’s 
approved policy. Their packages were determined by the Remuneration Committee in consultation with and 
support from, principal shareholders in the Group and have subsequently been approved by shareholder vote at an 
Extraordinary General Meeting held on 30 April 2020.

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019

63 

Corporate governance 
Remuneration Committee report, continued

Both Messrs Roller and Johnson are incentivised through a significant option grant which will pay out only if the 
Company’s share price trebles from its average level in the 10 days immediately preceding the appointment of Ian 
Johnson. On 19 December 2019, Ian Johnson was granted a nil-cost share option, which will vest on the third 
anniversary of the date of grant and is exercisable until the tenth anniversary of that date. Vesting is subject to either 
the Company’s share price reaching 62.4p, equating to three times the average closing price for an ordinary share for 
the 10 dealing days immediately preceding the grant date, for at least 30 consecutive dealing days or a liquidity event 
occurring above this level. On his appointment, after the year-end, Michael Roller was granted a nil-cost share option 
on similar terms.

The base salaries of Messrs Johnson and Roller are significantly lower at £300,000 and £220,000, respectively than 
the salaries of their predecessors and, unlike other Executive Directors, they are not eligible for an annual bonus. Both 
Messrs Johnson and Roller receive an expenses allowance of £10,000 per annum. 

Details of the share option grants made to Ian Johnson, Michael Roller and to other Executive Directors are set out in 
the annual report on remuneration on page 68. 

Statement of consideration of shareholder views
We have engaged with and consulted our principal shareholders, who listened carefully and offered constructive 
responses to our proposed remuneration policy for 2019 onwards and the actions taken by the Committee referred to 
above. I am grateful to those with whom we have engaged for their support.

The Committee will continue its shareholder engagement programme and will consult with our principal shareholders 
on future material changes in policy.

Shareholder approval
The annual report on remuneration will be the subject of an advisory vote at the AGM on 23 July 2020.

Sharon Curran 
Chair of the Remuneration Committee

16 June 2020

64 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Annual report on remuneration
This section describes the remuneration outcomes for the Executive Directors for the year ended 31 December 2019 
in accordance with the remuneration policy applicable to that year. The Company’s future remuneration policy is 
described in the following section of this report, entitled Directors’ remuneration policy. 

Members of the Remuneration Committee
The names of the members of the Remuneration Committee, their dates of appointment, and the number of meetings 
attended during the year are set out in the table below:

Member

Ms Lota Zoth (resigned 4 February 2019)
Ms Sharon Curran1
Ms Jo LeCouilliard

Date appointed

27 February 2015
30 May 2018
30 May 2018

Meetings attended (held)

0 (0)
2 (2)
2 (2)

1 Ms Sharon Curran replaced Ms Lota Zoth as Chair of the Remuneration Committee on 4 February 2019 when Ms Lota Zoth resigned from the Board.

Upon joining the Board on 2 March 2020, Garry Watts became a member of the Remuneration Committee.

All members are considered to be independent and therefore the Committee complied with the requirements of the 
QCA Code that all members of the Remuneration Committee are to be Independent Non-Executive Directors. 

Single total figure of remuneration for each director (audited)
The table below shows the remuneration for each person who has served as a director of Circassia Group plc at any 
time during the year:

For the year ended 31 December 2019:

Salary and fees  
£’000

Pension 
£’000

Benefits 
£’000

Annual bonus 
£’000

LTIP/PSP1 
£’000

Payments for  
loss of office2 
£’000

Executive Directors
Ian Johnson
Steven Harris
Julien Cotta
Rod Hafner3
Jonathan Emms

Non-Executive Directors
Francesco Granata
Russell Cummings
Lota Zoth
Jo LeCouilliard
Sharon Curran
Heribert Staudinger

Total

12 
420 
281 
167 
103 

138 
26 
6 
70 
58 
4 

1,285 

– 
49 
22 
23 
5 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

99 

– 
2 
2 
1 
1 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

6 

– 
105 
69 
73 
– 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

247

– 
15 
8 
8 
– 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

31 

Total 
£’000

12 
1,023 
774 
368 
109 

175 
26 
6 
70 
58 
4 

– 
432 
392 
96 
– 

37 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

957 

2,625 

65 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
Corporate governance 
Remuneration Committee report, continued

For the year ended 31 December 2018:

Executive Directors
Steven Harris
Julien Cotta
Rod Hafner

Non-Executive Directors
Francesco Granata
Russell Cummings
Jean-Jacques Garaud
Lota Zoth
Marvin Samson
Jo LeCouilliard
Sharon Curran
Heribert Staudinger

Total

Salary and fees  
£’000

Pension 
£’000

Benefits 
£’000

Annual bonus 
£’000

LTIP/PSP1 
£’000

Total 
£’000

422
264
284

151
47
27
71
29
55
49
46

63
40
43

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

1,445

146

2
2
2

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

6

169
121
122

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

412

13
7
13

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

33

669
434
464

151
47
27
71
29
55
49
46

2,042

1  The amount shown relates to the gain, being the market value on the vesting date less the exercise price in respect of awards which vested during the relevant year
2 

 Payments for loss of office is the total amount of compensation for loss of office paid to or receivable by the person,  
and Any other payments paid to or receivable by the person in connection with the termination of qualifying services

3  Remuneration has been pro-rated to 2 September 2019, being the date he stepped down from the Board

Annual bonus for the year to 31 December 2019
Performance objectives are agreed by the Board at the beginning of the year and the Remuneration Committee 
determines the proportion of bonus payable to each Executive Director in the event that the objective is achieved. The 
Remuneration Committee determines at the beginning of the year following the bonus year, the extent to which the 
objective has been achieved and the proportion of the bonus earned. The bonus is calculated on base salary.

For the year ended 31 December 2019, bonuses up to a maximum of 100% of base salary for Executive Directors 
could be earned, with 100% only payable for over-performance. Steve Harris, Julien Cotta and Jonathan Emms’ 
bonuses are based on performance against corporate objectives. 

The bonus achievement for Steve Harris, Julien Cotta and Jonathan Emms is as follows:

Corporate objectives

Objective 1: Sales
Objective 2: Cash
Objective 3: EBITDA

Weighting

50%
25%
25%

Threshold 
(£m)
25%

64.1
16.1
(22.7)

Bonus pay-out achievable
Over-performance 
(£m)
100%

On target 
(£m)
50%

71.2
17.9
(20.6)

78.3
19.6
(18.5)

Bonus achieved  
%

0.0%
25.0%
0.0%
 25.0%

The total bonus pay-out percentage awarded to both Steve, Julien and Jonathan is 25.0%. Jonathan Emms’ bonus has 
been pro-rated as he joined Circassia part way through the performance year.

Rod Hafner’s bonus was allocated 50% to corporate objectives, 25% to team objectives, and 25% to individual 
objectives. The bonus achievement for corporate objectives is as above.

66 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Team objectives 
Bonus pay-out achievable

Threshold

On target

Approval of  Tudorza® sNDA  
with MACE data added to label

Approval of  Tudorza® sNDA  
with exacerbations data added to label

Approval of Duaklir® NDA

Approval of Duaklir® NDA  
with exacerbations data added to label

a)  NIOX VERO®  

Re-registration in China submitted

a) and b) commercially sensitive  
NIOX® objective

Over-performance
Approval of  Tudorza® sNDA with 
exacerbations and hospitalisations data 
added to label
Approval of Duaklir® NDA with 
exacerbations data added to label and no 
boxed warning
a), b), and Functional layout of VERO 2.0 
with in house firmware complete, ready for 
industrialisation

Individual objectives  
Bonus pay-out achievable

Threshold
Complete one licensing or M&A 
transaction  
with base case NPV <$100M  
(excluding AirNOvent)

On target
Complete one licensing or M&A 
transaction  
with base case NPV >$100M  
(excluding AirNOvent)

Over-performance

Complete one licensing or M&A 
transaction which brings additional 
revenues into the business in 2019

Bonus achieved  
%

33.3%

33.3%

33.3%
100.0%

Bonus achieved  
%

0.0%
0.0%

The total bonus pay-out percentage achieved by Rod Hafner is 37.5%.

Ian Johnson will not be eligible to participate in the annual bonus scheme for 2020 and did not participate in the 
annual bonus scheme for 2019.

Deferred share bonus awards are mandatory, with 50% of bonuses paid in cash and 50% in shares, which are deferred for two 
years. The only exception to this is for Executive Directors who have served notice, in which case bonuses will be paid in cash.

67 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
 
Corporate governance 
Remuneration Committee report, continued

Share options awarded to directors during the financial year (audited)

Executive Director

Type of award

Ian Johnson
Steven Harris
Julien Cotta
Rod Hafner
Jonathan Emms

Nil cost option
Nominal cost option
Nominal cost option
Nominal cost option
Nominal cost option

Share price  
at date of grant

Number of shares  
over which award was granted

£0.19
£0.19
£0.19
£0.19
£0.17

4,322,767
803,200
518,728
562,674
1,630,435

% of shares granted  
that vest at  
threshold performance

Face value of shares  
over which award  
originally granted 
£'000

0.00%
25.00%
25.00%
25.00%
25.00%

£900
£153
£99
£107
£277

Ian Johnson’s share options will vest on the third anniversary of the date of grant and are exercisable until the tenth 
anniversary of the date of grant. Vesting is subject to either the share price reaching 62.4p, equating to three times the 
average closing price for an ordinary share for the 10 dealing days immediately preceding the grant date, for at least 30 
consecutive dealing days or a liquidity event occurring above this level.

All other share options vest 3 years from date of grant and are subject to an additional two-year holding period. 

On 1 May 2020, Messrs Roller, Johnson and Emms were granted 4,000,000, 1,677,233 and 1,128,966 options 
respectively over new ordinary shares in the Company under the Performance Share Plan.

The options will vest on the third anniversary of the date of grant and are exercisable until the tenth anniversary of 
the date of grant. Vesting is subject to either the price of an ordinary share reaching 62.4p for at least 30 consecutive 
dealing days or a liquidity event occurring above this level.

68 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
Deferred bonus share awards made during the year
During the year, the following awards were made under the Circassia Group plc Deferred Share Bonus Plan (the 
DSBP) to the Executive Directors in respect of the deferred portion of their 2018 bonus.

Executive Director

Type of award

Steven Harris
Julien Cotta
Rod Hafner

Deferred bonus
Deferred bonus
Deferred bonus

Share price  
at date of grant

Number of shares  
over which award was granted

Face value of shares over which  
award originally granted 
£'000

£0.40
£0.40
£0.40

104,896
156,206
151,604

£42
£62
£61

All deferred bonus shares are held for three years from date of grant. Awards made under the deferred share bonus 
plan from 2020 onwards will be held for two years from date of grant. 

Gain on exercise of share options
No directors exercised share options in the financial years ended 31 December 2019 and 2018.

Payments to past directors (audited)
There were no payments during the financial year to past directors.

Payments for loss of office (audited)
The Remuneration Committee’s approach when exercising its discretion under the policy is to be mindful of the 
particular circumstance of the departure and the contribution the individual made to the Group.

Dr Franceso Granata
Dr Franceso Granata stepped down as Chairman of the Company on 4 December 2019 and was paid £36,806 in lieu 
of notice until his termination date of 3 March 2020. 

Steve Harris
Steve Harris stepped down from the Board as Chief Executive Officer on 31 December 2019 and was placed on 
garden leave until his employment with the company ends on the termination date. The termination date will be at the 
latest 4 December 2020. If Mr Harris wishes to commence employment or provide services to a new company such 
that he wishes to curtail his notice period, he can do so provided he gives sufficient notice. 

Mr Harris will continue to be paid his normal monthly salary and will receive contractual benefits up to and including 
the termination date, as defined above. Depending on the agreed termination date, he will receive a maximum of 
£391,643 in respect of salary, £39,164 in respect of a pension supplement, and £1,655 of taxable benefits. He will 
receive no additional termination payments.

The Board of Directors has permitted payment of a bonus in respect of 2019. This will not be subject to the 50% 
deferral rules. No bonus shall be due or payable for the 2020 performance year or thereafter, nor will he be granted 
any long-term incentive awards.

69 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
Corporate governance 
Remuneration Committee report, continued

Portions of Mr Harris’s bonuses for the financial years 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018 were deferred for three years in 
the form of shares. The deferred bonus shares in respect of 2017 and 2018 were due to vest on 6 February 2021 and 
5 February 2022 respectively. These will now vest on the termination date, as defined above, and remain subject to 
malus and clawback provisions.

Mr Harris is entitled to retain his outstanding long-term incentive awards, and these shall vest on the normal vesting 
date, subject to the PSP rules. The 2019 award will remain subject to a two-year holding period following the end of 
the three-year performance period.

Julien Cotta
On 18 December 2019, the Board agreed for Julien Cotta to step down following the appointment of Michael Roller 
as Chief Financial Officer. Mr Cotta stepped down from the Board as CFO on 9 January 2020 and was placed on 
garden leave until his employment with the company ends on the termination date. The termination date will be at the 
latest 9 January 2021. If Mr Cotta wishes to commence employment or provide services to a new company such that 
he wishes to curtail his notice period, he can do so provided he gives sufficient notice. 

Mr Cotta will continue to be paid his normal monthly salary and will receive contractual benefits up to and including 
the termination date, as defined above. Depending on the agreed termination date, he will receive a maximum of 
£272,322 in respect of salary, £27,233 in respect of a pension supplement, and £1,999 of taxable benefits. Mr Cotta 
will also receive an ex-gratia termination payment of £90,000 within 28 days of the termination date.

The Board of Directors has permitted payment of a bonus in respect of 2019. This will not be subject to the 50% 
deferral rules. No bonus shall be due or payable for the 2020 performance year or thereafter, nor will he be granted 
any long-term incentive awards.

Portions of Mr Cotta’s bonuses for the financial years 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018 were deferred for three years in 
the form of shares. The deferred bonus shares in respect of 2017 and 2018 were due to vest on 6 February 2021 and 
5 February 2022 respectively. These will now vest on the termination date, as defined above, and remain subject to 
malus and clawback provisions.

Mr Cotta is entitled to retain his outstanding long-term incentive awards, and these shall vest on the normal vesting 
date, subject to the PSP rules. The 2019 award will remain subject to a two-year holding period following the end of 
the three-year performance period.

Rod Hafner
Rod Hafner stepped down from the Board as an Executive Director on 2 September 2019 and remained an employee of 
Circassia Limited until 17 January 2020 when he was placed on garden leave until his employment ended on 22 April 2020.

Mr Hafner continued to be paid his normal monthly salary and received contractual benefits up to and including the 
termination date. He received £77,695 in respect of salary, £7,769 in respect of a pension supplement, and £486 of 
taxable benefits. Mr Hafner also received a statutory termination payment of £10,238.

Portions of Mr Hafner’s bonuses for the financial years 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018 were deferred for three years in the  
form of shares. The deferred bonus shares in respect of 2017 and 2018 were due to vest on 6 February 2021 and  
5 February 2022 respectively. These vested on 22 April 2020 and remain subject to malus and clawback provisions. 

Mr Hafner is entitled to retain his outstanding long-term incentive awards, and these shall vest on the normal vesting 
date, subject to the PSP rules. The 2019 award is not subject to an additional two-year holding period.

70 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019PIRC guidance on payment of 2019 bonuses
The only current Executive Director entitled to a bonus in respect of 2019 is Jonathan Emms; he has waived his bonus 
entitlement in accordance with PIRC guidelines.

The Company had entered into legally binding settlement agreements with Messrs Harris, Cotta and Hafner prior to 
the date of issuance of the PIRC guidance. These agreements contained provisions for the payment of 2019 bonuses 
upon the publication of audited results for 2019.

Statement of directors’ shareholding and share interests (audited)
The following table shows the number of shares beneficially owned by the directors who served during the financial 
year which are not subject to any restrictions on transfer or to forfeiture.

The value of the shareholding is calculated using the higher of the share price on 31 December 2019 (19p) and the 
acquisition price of the shares.

The Executive Directors are required to hold shares worth at least 200% of salary.

Executive Directors
I Johnson
S Harris
J Cotta
R Hafner
J Emms

Non-Executive Directors
F Granata

Shares beneficially owned  
as at 31 December 2019

Value of owned shares  
as a % of salary

Requirement met?

–
6,494,427
46,875
900,544
300,000

331,854

0%
266%
3%
53%
18%

n/a

No
Yes
No
No
No

n/a 

On 9 April 2020, Ian Johnson, Executive Chairman of Circassia purchased 200,000 ordinary shares at a price of 22.85 
pence per share, Michael Roller, Chief Financial Officer purchased 200,000 ordinary shares at a price of 22.683 pence 
per share and Jonathan Emms, Chief Operating Officer of Circassia, purchased 300,000 ordinary shares at a price of 
23.2 pence per share.

Following these purchases, Ian Johnson holds 200,000 ordinary shares (0.05% of the issued share capital of the 
Company), Michael Roller holds 200,000 ordinary shares (0.05% of the issued share capital of the Company) and 
Jonathan Emms holds 600,000 ordinary shares (0.16% of the issued share capital of the Company).

71 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
Corporate governance 
Remuneration Committee report, continued

Statement of directors’ shareholding and share interests (audited)

Date of grant

Awards granted,  
and options held  
as at 1 January 2019

Awards and options  
granted, exercised, lapsed,  
or cancelled during year

Awards and options  
held at 31 December 2019  
and at the date of this report

Vesting  

during year

Vested  

as at year end

Unvested  

as at year end

Exercise price  

(p)

Date from which  

first exercisable

Expiry date

19-Dec-19

12-Mar-14
26-Feb-15
19-May-16
17-May-17
17-May-18
23-Aug-19

22-Oct-13
12-Mar-14
26-Feb-15
19-May-16
17-May-17
17-May-18
23-Aug-19

12-Mar-14
26-Feb-15
19-May-16
17-May-17
17-May-18
23-Aug-19

17-Oct-19

– 
– 

4,322,767
4,322,767 

4,322,767
4,322,767 

nil

19-Dec-22

19-Dec-29

52,736
42,889
212,946
425,000
425,000
– 
1,158,571

149,250 
27,536 
22,408 
111,272 
250,000 
250,000
– 
810,466

42,998
24,306
120,703
250,000
250,000
– 
688,007

– 
– 
(133,091)
– 
– 
803,200
670,109

– 
– 
– 
(69,545)
– 
– 
518,728
449,183

– 
– 
(75,439)
– 
– 
562,674
487,235

52,736
42,889
79,855
425,000
425,000
803,200
1,828,680

149,250 
27,536 
22,408 
41,727 
250,000 
250,000
518,728 
1,259,649

42,998
24,306
45,264
250,000
250,000
562,674 
1,175,242

– 
– 

1,630,435
1,630,435 

1,630,435
1,630,435 

0.08

17-Oct-22

17-Oct-29

79,855 

52,736 

42,889 

79,855 

79,855

175,480

149,250 

27,536 

22,408 

41,727 

41,727

41,727

240,921

45,264 

42,998 

24,306 

45,264 

45,264

112,568

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

4,322,767

4,322,767 

425,000

425,000

803,200

1,653,200

250,000

250,000

518,728

1,018,728

250,000

250,000

562,674

1,062,674

1,630,435

1,630,435 

nil

0.08

0.08

0.08

0.08

0.08

242

nil

0.08

0.08

0.08

0.08

0.08

nil

0.08

0.08

0.08

0.08

0.08

12-Mar-17

26-Feb-18

19-May-19

17-May-20

17-May-21

23-Aug-22

22-Oct-16

12-Mar-17

26-Feb-18

19-May-19

17-May-20

17-May-21

23-Aug-22

12-Mar-17

26-Feb-18

19-May-19

17-May-20

17-May-21

23-Aug-22

11-Mar-24

25-Feb-25

18-May-26

16-May-27

16-May-28

23-Aug-29

21-Oct-23

11-Mar-24

25-Feb-25

18-May-26

16-May-27

16-May-28

23-Aug-29

11-Mar-24

25-Feb-25

18-May-26

16-May-27

16-May-28

23-Aug-29

Plan
Executive Directors

I Johnson
2019 PSP
Total

S Harris
2014 PSP
2015 PSP
2016 PSP
2017 PSP
2018 PSP
2019 PSP
Total

J Cotta
2013 Unapproved Scheme
2014 PSP
2015 PSP
2016 PSP
2017 PSP
2018 PSP
2019 PSP
Total

R Hafner
2014 PSP
2015 PSP
2016 PSP
2017 PSP
2018 PSP
2019 PSP
Total

J Emms
2019 PSP
Total

72 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Statement of directors’ shareholding and share interests (audited)

Plan

Executive Directors

Awards granted,  

and options held  

Awards and options  

Awards and options  

granted, exercised, lapsed,  

held at 31 December 2019  

Date of grant

as at 1 January 2019

or cancelled during year

and at the date of this report

Vesting  
during year

Vested  
as at year end

Unvested  
as at year end

Exercise price  
(p)

Date from which  
first exercisable

Expiry date

2013 Unapproved Scheme

I Johnson

2019 PSP

Total

S Harris

2014 PSP

2015 PSP

2016 PSP

2017 PSP

2018 PSP

2019 PSP

Total

J Cotta

2014 PSP

2015 PSP

2016 PSP

2017 PSP

2018 PSP

2019 PSP

Total

R Hafner

2014 PSP

2015 PSP

2016 PSP

2017 PSP

2018 PSP

2019 PSP

Total

J Emms

2019 PSP

Total

19-Dec-19

12-Mar-14

26-Feb-15

19-May-16

17-May-17

17-May-18

23-Aug-19

22-Oct-13

12-Mar-14

26-Feb-15

19-May-16

17-May-17

17-May-18

23-Aug-19

12-Mar-14

26-Feb-15

19-May-16

17-May-17

17-May-18

23-Aug-19

17-Oct-19

– 

– 

4,322,767

4,322,767 

4,322,767

4,322,767 

52,736

42,889

212,946

425,000

425,000

– 

1,158,571

149,250 

27,536 

22,408 

111,272 

250,000 

250,000

– 

810,466

42,998

24,306

120,703

250,000

250,000

688,007

– 

– 

– 

(133,091)

803,200

670,109

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

(69,545)

518,728

449,183

(75,439)

562,674

487,235

52,736

42,889

79,855

425,000

425,000

803,200

1,828,680

149,250 

27,536 

22,408 

41,727 

250,000 

250,000

518,728 

1,259,649

42,998

24,306

45,264

250,000

250,000

562,674 

1,175,242

1,630,435

1,630,435 

1,630,435

1,630,435 

– 
– 

– 
– 
79,855 
– 
– 
– 
79,855

– 
– 
– 
41,727
– 
– 
– 
41,727

– 
– 
45,264 
– 
– 
– 
45,264

– 
– 

– 
– 

4,322,767
4,322,767 

nil

19-Dec-22

19-Dec-29

52,736 
42,889 
79,855 
– 
– 
– 
175,480

149,250 
27,536 
22,408 
41,727 
– 
– 
– 
240,921

42,998 
24,306 
45,264 
– 
– 
– 
112,568

–
–
–
425,000
425,000
803,200
1,653,200

–
–
–
–
250,000
250,000
518,728
1,018,728

–
–
–
250,000
250,000
562,674
1,062,674

nil
0.08
0.08
0.08
0.08
0.08

242
nil
0.08
0.08
0.08
0.08
0.08

nil
0.08
0.08
0.08
0.08
0.08

12-Mar-17
26-Feb-18
19-May-19
17-May-20
17-May-21
23-Aug-22

22-Oct-16
12-Mar-17
26-Feb-18
19-May-19
17-May-20
17-May-21
23-Aug-22

12-Mar-17
26-Feb-18
19-May-19
17-May-20
17-May-21
23-Aug-22

11-Mar-24
25-Feb-25
18-May-26
16-May-27
16-May-28
23-Aug-29

21-Oct-23
11-Mar-24
25-Feb-25
18-May-26
16-May-27
16-May-28
23-Aug-29

11-Mar-24
25-Feb-25
18-May-26
16-May-27
16-May-28
23-Aug-29

– 
– 

1,630,435
1,630,435 

0.08

17-Oct-22

17-Oct-29

73 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Corporate governance 
Remuneration Committee report, continued

Performance graph
The performance of the Company’s ordinary shares compared with the FTSE AIM 100 (the “Index”) for the period 
from its IPO on 18 March 2014 up to 31 December 2019 is shown in the graph below:

200

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

  Circassia
  FTSE AIM 100

Mar 14

Mar 15

Mar 16

Mar 17

Mar 18

Mar 19

Sep 19

Chief Executive Officer’s remuneration
The table below shows the total remuneration of the director undertaking the role of the Chief Executive Officer 
during the financial years in which the Company has been constituted as a public company. The total remuneration 
figure includes the annual bonus and LTIP awards which vested based on performance during those years. The annual 
bonus and PSP percentages show the amount paid out for each year as a percentage of the maximum.

Ian Johnson 
Steven Harris 

Total remuneration 
Percentage change in total remuneration  
from the preceding financial year 
Bonus awarded 
LTIP vesting 

(£’000)
(£’000)

(£’000)

(%)
(%)
(%)

2019

12
649
661

(1%)
25%
38%

2018

– 
669

669

(19%)
40%
20%

2017

– 
825

825

80% 
75%
21%

2016

– 
458

458

(45%)
Nil
n/a

2015

– 
831

831

(46%)
100%
n/a

2014

– 
1,528

1528

–
93%
100%

The CEO’s salary did not increase between 31 December 2018 and 31 December 2019. This average percentage 
increase in respect of employees of the Group was 2%.

74 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
Relative importance of spend on pay
The table below shows the expenditure by the Company on remuneration paid to all employees of the Group and 
distributions to shareholders for the financial period.

Overall expenditure on pay
Dividend plus share buyback

2019  
£m

37.9
Nil

2018  
£m

49.0
Nil

Statement of voting at general meeting
The annual report on remuneration was approved by shareholders at the AGM held on 7 June 2019 with the following 
votes cast for and against:

Voting results at 2019 AGM

To approve the annual report on remuneration

For (%)

99.99

Against (%)

Withheld (votes)

0.01

2,100

The annual report on remuneration was approved by shareholders at the AGM held on 30 May 2018 with the 
following votes cast for and against:

Voting results at 2018 AGM

To approve the annual report on remuneration

For (%)

79.49

Against (%)

Withheld (votes)

20.51

4,455,570

Following a 79.5% vote to approve the annual report on remuneration at the AGM held on 30 May 2018, the 
directors appointed MM&K Limited to observe and review the Group’s remuneration policy in line with comparable 
AIM listed entities and make recommendations regarding the remuneration structure for Executive and Non-
Executive Directors, along with key management.

A vote withheld is not a vote in law and is therefore not included in the percentages shown above.

Directors’ remuneration policy
The directors’ remuneration policy was approved at the AGM on 7 June 2019 and is expected to remain in force until 
the AGM in 2022. 

Statement of implementation of remuneration policy in the following financial year 
Base salary
The Committee considered the base salaries for Executive Directors and agreed there will be no change. 

Salary per annum

Ian Johnson (Executive Chairman)
Michael Roller (CFO)
Jonathan Emms (COO)

2020  
£

300,000
220,000
300,000

2019  
£

300,000
–
300,000

75 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
Corporate governance 
Remuneration Committee report, continued

Annual bonus
The 2020 annual bonus structure and weighting for the Chief Operating Officer remains unchanged, and is set out below:

2020 Bonus Structure

 Corporate objectives
 Individual objectives

25%

Neither Ian Johnson nor Michael Roller are eligible to participate in the annual bonus scheme, as discussed on page 64 
of this report.

Details of the specific financial targets for the bonuses are not provided as these are commercially sensitive. The 
achievement against these targets will be disclosed in next financial year’s annual report.

Service contracts and letters of appointment
Executive Directors are engaged on rolling service contracts, which provide for 6 months’ written notice of 
termination from either the individual or the Company.

Non-Executive Directors are engaged by letter of appointment terminable on three months written notice from 
either the individual or the Company.

Copies of the service contracts and letters of appointment are available for inspection at the registered office.

Illustration of application of remuneration policy
The chart below sets out for illustrative purposes only, what annual remuneration the Company expects the Executive 
Directors to obtain in the next financial year if performance levels are below threshold, meet expectations or exceed 
the maximum targets.

The assumptions used in the calculations are set out below:

—  Fixed pay: this includes salary, pension and benefits. Base salary effective 1 January 2020 and expected pension 

contribution has been used. The actual monetary value of benefits received in 2019 have been used.

—  Expected: this includes salary, pension, benefits, annual bonus and PSP. This assumes that 50% of the annual bonus 
maximum will be payable for the COO. The Executive Chairman and CFO are not eligible to participate in the 
annual bonus scheme. It also assumes that 50% of PSP awards for the COO will vest (this is nil as the first tranche 
of PSP awarded to the COO vest in 2022), and 0% for the Executive Chairman and CFO.

—  Maximum: It is assumed that the maximum annual bonus would be payable and that the awards under the PSP vest 

in full. 

—  No share price growth has been assumed. 

76 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Executive Chairman

£’000
400

CFO

£’000
250

222

222

222

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

COO

£’000
1000

900

800

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

302

302

302

100% 100%

100%

200

150

100

50

0

100% 100% 100%

Fixed

Scenarios 
Expected

Maximum

Fixed

Scenarios 
Expected

Maximum

 Fixed
 Annual bonus
 Long-term variable remuneration

651

47%

496

31%

342

100%

69%

53%

Fixed

Scenarios 
Expected

Maximum

77 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
 
Corporate governance 
Remuneration Committee report, continued

Statement of consideration of employment conditions elsewhere in the company
The Company does not formally consult with employees on the matters of Executive Director remuneration. 
However, the Committee is made aware of employment conditions in the wider Group.

The same broad principles apply to the remuneration policy for both Executive Directors and the wider employee 
population. However, the remuneration for Executive Directors has a stronger emphasis on performance-related pay 
than for other employees. The following approach is used:

—  Salaries, benefits and pensions are compared to appropriate market rates and set at approximately mid-market 

level with allowance for role, responsibilities and experience.

—  When setting salary levels for the Executive Directors, the Committee considers the salary increases provided to 

other employees and in particular those based in the UK.

—  An annual bonus plan is available to all employees and is based on corporate and individual performance, with 

Executive Directors bonus weighted more heavily towards corporate objectives.

Approval
This report was approved by the Board on 16 June 2020 and signed on its behalf by:

Sharon Curran 
Chair of the Remuneration Committee

16 June 2020

78 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Corporate governance 
Directors’ report

Directors’ report 
In accordance with the Companies Act 2006, the directors present their report together with the consolidated 
financial statements and the Independent auditors’ report for the year ended 31 December 2019.

Change of name
With effect from 1 May 2020, the name of the Company was changed from Circassia Pharmaceuticals plc to  
Circassia Group plc.

Information included in Strategic report
The Company’s Strategic report is on pages 01 to 43 and includes the following information that would otherwise be 
required to be disclosed in this Directors’ report:

Subject matter

Likely future developments in the business
Research and development
Employee involvement
Disclosures concerning greenhouse gas emissions
Post balance sheet events (note 37)

Page reference

4 to 15
4 to 15
29
32
141

Corporate governance statement
The information that fulfils the requirements of the Corporate Governance Statement can be found in the Corporate 
Governance report on pages 46 to 53 and the Strategic report on pages 2 to 19 (and is incorporated into this Directors’ 
report by reference).

Results and dividend
The results for the year and the financial position as at 31 December 2019 are shown in the Consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income and the Consolidated statement of financial position. The results of the Group are explained in 
more detail in the Financial review.

The directors do not recommend the payment of a dividend for the year to 31 December 2019 (2018: £nil).

Directors and directors’ interests
The directors of the Company at the date of this report, together with their biographical details and dates of 
appointment are set out in the Corporate governance report and the Board of Directors section.

Only Ms Jo LeCouilliard and Ms Sharon Curran served throughout the year and up to the date of this report.

The Board confirms that each of the directors who served during the year has been subject to evaluation during this 
period. In accordance with the Quoted Companies Alliance Code (the “Code”), all directors of the Company will 
stand for re-election on an annual basis.

Information on the directors’ remuneration and their interests in the share capital of the Company are set out in the 
Remuneration report. None of the directors has a commercial interest in any material contract entered into by the 
Company.

As is permitted by sections 232 to 235 Companies Act 2006, and consistent with the Company’s Articles of 
Association, the Company has maintained insurance cover for its directors and officers under a Directors’ and 
Officers’ Liability Policy. Furthermore, qualifying third party indemnity was in force during the financial year and at 
the date this report was approved.

The directors may exercise their powers pursuant to the Articles of Association, the Companies Act 2006 and related 
legislation, and any resolution of the shareholders. The Articles are available for review at the registered office.

79 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Corporate governance 
Directors’ report, continued

Share capital and shareholders
Share capital
At 1 January 2019 the Company had 357,286,434 ordinary shares in issue.

The share capital of the Company increased by 12,300,971 ordinary shares on 25 January 2019 and a further 
5,271,844 ordinary shares on 4 February 2019 as a result of shares issued to BeyondAir (previously called AIT 
Therapeutics Inc.) such that BeyondAir’s holding increased from nil to 4.69%. The share capital of the Company 
increased by a further 162,680 as a result of share issues required to satisfy employee share awards and a further 
177,405 in return for broker services.

The Company has only one class of shares which carry no right to fixed income. Each share carries the right to one 
vote at general meetings of the Company. There are no restrictions on voting rights or on the holding or transfer of 
these securities.

Details of employee share schemes are set out in note 27 to the financial statements. The Circassia Pharmaceuticals 
plc Employee Benefit Trust (the “Trust”) abstains from voting on the shares held by it. No shares were acquired by the 
Trust during the year (2018: 251,377), 6,738 were transferred out (2018: 125,524) and the balance of shares held at 
31 December 2019 was therefore 727,138 (2018: 733,876).

Pursuant to the Articles of Association and vote of shareholders at the AGM which took place on 7 June 2019 the 
Company was granted authority to disapply pre-emption rights in respects of the Company’s issued share capital.

Lock up arrangements
There are currently no lock-up arrangements relating to the shares of the Company.

Share price
From 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2019 the share price ranged from a high of 55p to a low of 14p. The average 
price for the period was 20p. The mid-market price of an ordinary share on 31 December 2019 was 19p.

Treasury management
The Company’s policy on the use of financial instruments and the management of financial risks is set out in note 2 to 
the financial statements.

Going concern
The accounts have been prepared on a going concern basis. The budget is prepared annually and the 10 year plan is 
updated annually. These are built from the bottom up and presented to the Board each year for review and approval. 
The directors have reviewed the current and projected financial position of the Company, taking into account existing 
cash balances and available financial facilities. On the basis of this review, the directors have not identified any material 
uncertainties to the Group’s ability to continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting for a period of at least 
12 months from the date of approval of the financial statements.

Employment and environment
The Company’s policies on health and safety, the environment, and employee-related matters are disclosed in the 
Strategic report.

Greenhouse gas emissions have been calculated as carbon dioxide equivalents.

Political and charitable donations
There were no charitable or political donations in the year to 31 December 2019.

80 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Independent auditors
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has been re-appointed as auditor and a resolution to approve this re-appointment will 
be put to the members at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting.

The directors who held office at the date of approval of this report confirm that, so far as they are each aware, there is 
no relevant audit information of which the Company’s auditor is unaware, and each director has taken all the steps a 
director ought to have taken to make themselves aware of relevant audit information and to establish that the auditor is 
aware of that information.

Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting will be held at the offices of Circassia Group plc on 23 July 2020 at 10:00 a.m. Details 
of the business to be transacted at the forthcoming AGM will be given in a separate circular to shareholders. 

By order of the Board

Michael Roller 
Company secretary

16 June 2020

81 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Corporate governance 
Statement of directors’ responsibilities  
in respect of the financial statements

The directors are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with 
applicable law and regulation.

Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the 
directors have prepared the Group financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards 
(IFRSs) as adopted by the European Union and Parent Company financial statements in accordance with International 
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) as adopted by the European Union. Under company law the directors must not 
approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the 
Group and Parent Company and of the profit or loss of the Group and Parent Company for that period. In preparing 
the financial statements, the directors are required to:

— select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

—  state whether applicable IFRSs as adopted by the European Union have been followed for the Group financial 

statements and IFRSs as adopted by the European Union have been followed for the company financial statements, 
subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;

— make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and

—  prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Group 

and Parent Company will continue in business.

The directors are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Group and Parent Company and hence for taking 
reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the 
Group and Parent Company's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of 
the Group and Parent Company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies 
Act 2006.

The directors of the ultimate Parent Company are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the of the ultimate 
Parent Company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of 
financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

82 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Corporate governance 
Independent auditors’ report to the members  
of Circassia Group plc

Report on the audit of the financial statements

Opinion
In our opinion:

—  Circassia Group plc’s Group financial statements and Parent Company financial statements (the “financial statements”) 
give a true and fair view of the state of the Group’s and of the Parent Company’s affairs as at 31 December 2019 and 
of the Group’s loss and the Group’s and the Parent Company’s cash flows for the year then ended;

—  the Group financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting 

Standards (IFRSs) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB);

—  the Parent Company financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally 
Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards, comprising FRS 101 “Reduced Disclosure 
Framework”, and applicable law); and

—  the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

We have audited the financial statements, included within the Annual Report and Accounts (the “Annual Report”), 
which comprise: the Consolidated and Parent Company statements of financial position as at 31 December 2019; the 
Consolidated statement of comprehensive income, the Consolidated and Parent Company statements of cash flows, 
and the Consolidated and Parent Company statements of changes in equity for the year then ended; and the notes to 
the financial statements, which include a description of the significant accounting policies.

Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (“ISAs (UK)”) and applicable 
law. Our responsibilities under ISAs (UK) are further described in the Auditors’ responsibilities for the audit of 
the financial statements section of our report. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and 
appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Independence
We remained independent of the Group in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of 
the financial statements in the UK, which includes the FRC’s Ethical Standard, as applicable to listed entities, and we 
have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements.

83 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
Corporate governance 
Independent auditors’ report to the members  
of Circassia Group plc, continued

Materiality

Audit  
scope

Key audit 
matters

Our audit approach
Overview
—  Overall Group materiality: £3.2 million (2018: £3.0 million), based on 5% of average loss 

before tax from continuing operations for the three years FY17 - FY19.

—  Overall Parent Company materiality: £2.9 million (2018: £2.8 million), based on 1% of 

total assets restricted so as not to exceed 95% of Group materiality.

—  The Group’s accounting process is structured around local finance functions in each of the 
Group’s reporting entities. These functions maintain their own accounting records and 
controls (although transactional processing and certain controls for some reporting units 
are performed by the head office finance team) and report to the head office finance team 
through an integrated consolidation system.

—  In establishing the overall Group audit strategy and plan, we determined the type of work 
that needed to be performed at the reporting entities by the Group engagement team and 
by component auditors from other PwC network firms. Where the work was performed 
by component auditors, we determined the level of involvement we needed to have in 
the audit work at those reporting entities so as to be able to conclude whether sufficient 
appropriate audit evidence had been obtained as a basis for our opinion on the Group 
financial statements as a whole.

—  We have explained in more detail the split of work by the group and component teams in 

“the scope of our audit work” paragraph below.

—  Recognition of variable consideration in  Tudorza® sales for the period from 1 July 2019 

(Group)

—  Impairment of goodwill and intangible assets (Group)
—  Duaklir® contingent royalty consideration (Group)
—  COVID-19 (Group and Parent Company)

—  Impairment of investments and intercompany balances (Parent Company)

84 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019The scope of our audit
As part of designing our audit, we determined materiality and assessed the risks of material misstatement in the 
financial statements. In particular, we looked at where the directors made subjective judgements, for example in 
respect of significant accounting estimates that involved making assumptions and considering future events that 
are inherently uncertain. As in all of our audits we also addressed the risk of management override of internal 
controls, including evaluating whether there was evidence of bias by the directors that represented a risk of material 
misstatement due to fraud.

For each reporting entity we determined whether we required an audit of their reported financial information 
(“full scope”). Those reporting entities where a full scope audit was required included Circassia Pharmaceuticals 
Inc (incorporated in the USA), Circassia AB (incorporated in Sweden), determined as individually financially 
significant because they both individually contribute more than 15% of the Group’s revenue. We also determined a 
full scope audit was required for Circassia (Beijing) Medical Devices Co. Ltd, based on our professional judgement 
and undertook the statutory audit of two further reporting units incorporated in the UK, Circassia Group plc and 
Circassia Limited. Circassia Group plc is not a financially significant component of the Group. Senior members of 
the UK engagement team attended planning meetings with each engagement team and attended the audit closing 
meetings. The Group audit team reviewed the working papers of the Swedish, Chinese and US component teams.

In addition to the work performed at the in-scope reporting entities, there is work performed at head office by the 
Group audit engagement team. The Group consolidation, financial statement disclosures and a number of complex 
items, prepared by the head office finance function, were audited by the Group engagement team. These included 
goodwill, other intangible assets, investments, share-based payments, current and deferred taxes, contingent royalty 
consideration, IFRS 9 and 16 adjustments, testing of COPD revenue for the period to 30 June 2019 and central 
adjustments recorded as part of the consolidation process.

In aggregate our audit procedures gave coverage over 97% of Group revenue.

As a result of its structure and size, the Group also has a number of small reporting entities that make up the remaining 
portion of the key coverage metrics. These small reporting units are covered by the work performed by the Group audit 
engagement team, where we perform analytical review procedures. Those not subject to analytical review procedures 
were individually, and in aggregate, immaterial. This gave us the evidence we needed for our opinion on the financial 
statements as a whole.

Key audit matters
Key audit matters are those matters that, in the auditors’ professional judgement, were of most significance in the 
audit of the financial statements of the current period and include the most significant assessed risks of material 
misstatement (whether or not due to fraud) identified by the auditors, including those which had the greatest effect 
on: the overall audit strategy; the allocation of resources in the audit; and directing the efforts of the engagement 
team. These matters, and any comments we make on the results of our procedures thereon, were addressed in the 
context of our audit of the financial statements as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide 
a separate opinion on these matters. This is not a complete list of all risks identified by our audit. 

85 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Corporate governance 
Independent auditors’ report to the members  
of Circassia Group plc, continued

Key audit matter

How our audit addressed the key audit matter

Recognition of variable consideration in  Tudorza® sales  
for the period from 1 July 2019 (Group)

The Group sells  Tudorza® exclusively in the US, these sales are 
subject to various commercial and government mandated contracts 
and reimbursement arrangements that include rebates, returns 
and chargebacks. The most significant payer channels within the 
rebate accrual are Medicaid, Medicare and co-pay programmes. 
As described in Note 1, net revenue recognised includes an 
estimate of gross-to-net sales adjustments which involve significant 
estimation and judgement. Rebates provided to customers under 
these arrangements are accounted for as variable consideration, 
estimated at the time of sale using the expected value method, and 
recognised as a deduction in revenue, for which unsettled amounts 
are accrued, referred to by management as rebate accruals. 
Management has recognised total deductions in revenue in relation 
to  Tudorza® for the period from 1 July 2019 of £25.4 million, 
including an estimated accrual of £12.9 million. The main causes 
of significant estimation uncertainty are: 

–  the utilisation rates (the portion of total sales which will be made 
into each payer channel), which is influenced by market demand 
and other factors outside the control of the Group, resulting in 
significant estimation uncertainty;

–  the time lag between the point of sale and the point at which 

exact rebate amounts are known to the Group (upon receipt of a 
claim), which can be up to one year. Those payer channels with 
the longest time lag result in a greater accrued period, and as 
such a greater level of estimation uncertainty.

–  the limited history available to management, given the short 
period of time following the transition of the product sales 
through the AstraZeneca channel to the channel run directly 
by Circassia from 1 July 2019 with different commercial 
arrangements.

Refer to pages 56 (Audit Committee Report) and page 99 (Critical 
accounting estimates and judgements).

Our US component audit team have performed the following audit 
procedures:

–  evaluated methodology applied by management in estimating the accrual  

against industry practice;

–  substantively tested a sample of actual rebate claims received and paid to 

supporting documentation;

–  agreed a sample of estimated rebate percentages to contract or 

government regulations 

–  agreed a sample of estimated utilisation rates to third-party information

–  recalculated the accrual recognised using management’s assumptions;

–  traced a sample of management’s estimate of sales by channel to 
independent third-party sales data obtained by management

–  developed an expectation of the accrual balance for each of the key 

channels, based on historical claims received adjusted to reflect market 
changes in the period including an assessment of the time lag between 
the initial point of sale and the claim receipt. We then used this 
expectation to consider the appropriateness of management’s ending 
accrual position. 

We have supported and directed as appropriate the work performed by 
our component audit team, including reviewing their working papers and 
attending key meetings.

Based on the procedures performed we did not identify any material 
misstatements in the accruals.

86 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Key audit matter

How our audit addressed the key audit matter

Impairment of goodwill and intangibles  
(Group)

IAS 36 requires at least annual impairment assessments in relation to 
goodwill and intangible assets, with more regular assessment should 
an impairment trigger be identified. Management performed their 
annual impairment review and an impairment trigger was identified 
relating to the performance of the COPD assets.  This resulted in 
an impairment of £4.1 million to goodwill and £42.1 million to 
intangible assets. An impairment trigger was also identified for the 
AIT cash generating unit following the dispute that has arisen with 
BeyondAir. This resulted in an impairment of £44.0 million of 
intangible assets. No impairment was recognised in respect of the 
NIOX® cash generating unit.

Goodwill of £4.8 million and intangible assets of £163.0 million 
are significant balances to the Group. Judgement is required in 
the impairment assessment, specifically in forecasting the future 
results of products, including the growth rates applied. Judgement 
is also required in determining the discount rates to be applied to 
future cash flows. Management have utilised a value-in-use model 
for both goodwill and intangible asset impairment testing. 

Refer to page 57 (Audit Committee Report),  
page 100 (Critical accounting estimates and judgements),  
and pages 122 and 125 in the notes.

We assessed the level at which impairment testing was performed. 
Based on our knowledge of the business, including the use of assets and 
internal reporting, we agreed with management’s judgement that, for the 
assessment of the impairment of goodwill and intangible assets, the Group 
has three cash generating units (CGU’s), all of which are active.

We obtained management’s impairment analyses and gained an 
understanding of the key assumptions and judgements underlying the 
assessment. We assessed the appropriateness of the methodology applied 
and tested the mathematical accuracy of the models, with no exceptions 
identified. Management have applied a value in use method to calculate the 
CGU’s and individual assets’ recoverable amount. 

We concluded that this approach is appropriate.

We assessed the key assumptions, including:

–  Future revenue streams: For the NIOX® CGU, we used our experts 
to compare the forecast revenues with market expectations, where 
available. We observed that the management sales forecasts, including 
the growth rates applied, are close to market expectations. For 
COPD, we tested historical forecasting accuracy and assessed the 
appropriateness of assumptions. We identified and corroborated any 
differences in the historical forecasting accuracy to conclude that 
forecasting accuracy is appropriate.

–  Expenses and overheads: We tested historical forecasting accuracy 
and assessed the appropriateness of assumptions. We identified and 
corroborated any differences in the historical forecasting accuracy to 
conclude that forecasting accuracy is appropriate.

–  Discount rate: We used our experts to recalculate management’s 

discount rates and benchmark the rates against companies of a similar 
nature. 

–  We also obtained management’s sensitivity analysis and performed our 
own sensitivities reflecting what we believed to be a range of reasonably 
individually possible alternative outcomes over the forecast cash flows 
and discount rates, the results of which did not indicate an impairment 
to goodwill or other intangible assets on a CGU basis. 

We concluded management’s recognised impairment in relation to 
individual assets is appropriate.

87 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Corporate governance 
Independent auditors’ report to the members  
of Circassia Group plc, continued

Key audit matter

How our audit addressed the key audit matter

Impairment of investment in subsidiaries  
and intercompany balances (Parent Company)

Investment in subsidiaries of £56.5 million is a significant 
balance. In addition, the Parent Company has net intercompany 
receivables totalling £35.1 million from its subsidiary companies. 
Management have considered the performance of the COPD assets 
as a potential impairment trigger as the balances are expected 
to be repaid from future trading cashflows.  Management have 
recorded impairments of £12.5 million and £256.4 million against 
the investment in subsidiaries and intercompany receivables 
balances respectively in the year.

Judgement is required in the impairment assessment, specifically in 
forecasting the future results of the subsidiaries. Judgement is also 
required in determining the discount rates to be applied to future 
cash flows. Management have utilised value-in-use models, consistent 
with the models used for goodwill and intangible asset impairment 
testing, for the calculation of the impairment of the intercompany 
receivables and investment in the subsidiary undertakings. 
Management have considered a range of scenarios in determining the 
recoverability of the intercompany balance in line with IFRS 9.

The company’s investment in subsidiaries and intercompany receivables 
balances are expected to be repaid from future trading cashflows. 
The performance of the COPD assets is considered to be a potential 
impairment trigger. Management have performed an assessment over the 
recoverability of the asset balances. 

After performing this assessment, management have recorded impairments 
of £12.5 million and £256.4 million against the investment in subsidiaries 
and intercompany receivables balances respectively in the year.

We have leveraged our testing (as set out in the KAM titled “Impairment 
of goodwill and intangibles” above) of the analysis and understanding 
of key assumptions and judgements in the value-in-use models used for 
testing for potential impairment of goodwill and intangible assets in the 
consolidated financial statements on a subsidiary-by-subsidiary basis. 

In assessing the carrying value of investments in subsidiaries and 
intercompany receivables balances, we compared the carrying value of 
these balances with the cash flows expected to be generated from the 
value-in-use models for each cash generating unit. 

Refer to pages 57 (Audit Committee Report),  
page 100 (Critical accounting estimates and judgements),  
and pages 125 and 130 in the notes. 

We concluded that the impairments of £12.5 million to investments in 
subsidiaries and £256.4 million to intercompany receivables recorded by 
management are appropriate.

Misstatement of Duaklir® royalty  
consideration (Group)

On 12 April 2017 the Group entered into a Development and 
Commercial Agreement (‘DCA’) with AstraZeneca to acquire the 
commercial rights to Duaklir® in the United States of America 
and the right to acquire an option to the remaining contractual 
rights and economic benefit of  Tudorza®. The option to 
acquire  Tudorza® became substantive on 23 October 2018.

As part of the terms, Circassia agreed to pay contingent 
consideration linked to the future sales of Duaklir®.

Management has considered the impact of the performance 
of Duaklir® and the potential return of the Duaklir® rights to 
AstraZeneca and has estimated that there will be no further 
royalty payments due in relation to Duaklir® sales, and the brought 
forward royalty consideration creditor of £44.1 million has been 
taken to the profit and loss account in the period.

Refer to page 57 (Audit Committee Report),  
page 100 (Critical accounting estimates and judgements),  
and page 133 in the notes. 

We have performed the following procedures to address the key  
audit matter:

–  critically assessed and challenged the assumptions inherent in 

management’s assessment;

–  tested the terms and conditions of the return of the products to 

AstraZeneca; and

–  tested management forecasts for future sales of Duaklir®.

From the procedures performed, we found that management’s analysis is 
supportable and that the disclosures within the financial statements are 
appropriate.

88 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019How our audit addressed the key audit matter

We have performed the following procedures to address the key  
audit matter:

–  held discussions with management to understand, in qualitative terms, 

the impact of COVID-19 on business operations;

–  evaluated management’s sensitivities/modelling and challenged the  

key assumptions contained within the cash flow forecasts;

–  assessed the reasonableness/achievability of management's mitigating 

actions; and

–  read management’s disclosures in the financial statements.

From the procedures performed, we agree that it is appropriate that the 
Group prepares the accounts on a going concern basis and consider that 
the related disclosures within the financial statements are appropriate.

Key audit matter

COVID-19  
(Group and Company)

In December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) 
surfaced in China and has spread globally. The extent of the impact of 
the virus was not anticipated as at 31 December 2019 and it was not 
considered a global pandemic until after the year end, when this was 
declared by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Consequently, 
the impact of the virus is not considered an adjusting post balance 
sheet event for the purposes of these financial statements. 

As noted in the company’s press release dated 9 April 2020, 
COVID-19 has had an impact on the Group’s trading in 2020, and 
may impact the Group’s ability, as well as the ability of the Group’s 
customers and suppliers, to operate in a “business as usual” 
manner, which could have a material effect on the results of the 
business, financial condition or results of operations. 

The Group has considered the potential impacts on its cash flow 
and liquidity position by performing various sensitivities and 
modelling scenarios to ensure that it has sufficient liquidity to 
continue as a going concern.

The Group has also considered the potential impacts on its 
required disclosures for this non adjusting event in relation to 
impairment testing of intangibles, goodwill, deferred tax assets 
and for the parent investments and intercompany receivables.

Refer to pages 57 and 58 (Audit Committee Report)  
and pages 98 and 99 (Critical accounting estimates and 
judgements).

How we tailored the audit scope
We tailored the scope of our audit to ensure that we performed enough work to be able to give an opinion on 
the financial statements as a whole, taking into account the structure of the Group and the Parent Company, the 
accounting processes and controls, and the industry in which they operate.

Materiality
The scope of our audit was influenced by our application of materiality. We set certain quantitative thresholds for 
materiality. These, together with qualitative considerations, helped us to determine the scope of our audit and the 
nature, timing and extent of our audit procedures on the individual financial statement line items and disclosures and 
in evaluating the effect of misstatements, both individually and in aggregate on the financial statements as a whole.  

Based on our professional judgement, we determined materiality for the financial statements as a whole as follows:

Overall materiality
How we determined it

Rationale for  
benchmark applied

Group financial statements
£3.2 million (2018: £3.0 million).
5% of average loss before tax from continuing operations  
for the three years FY17 – FY19.
The business continues to pursue revenue generating activities.  
We therefore considered loss before tax to be the most appropriate 
benchmark. To reflect the continued growth in the business and decrease 
in loss from continuing operations year on year, we determined to 
change our benchmark this year to take into account the average trading 
performance of the Group’s continuing operations over the past three years. 
This provides a stable materiality benchmark which takes into account the 
improved performance of the Group.

Parent Company financial statements
£2.9 million (2018: £2.8 million).
1% of total assets restricted so as not 
to exceed 95% of Group materiality.
We believe that total assets is 
the primary measure used by 
the shareholders in assessing the 
performance and position of the 
entity and reflects the Company’s 
principal activity as a holding 
company.

89 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
Corporate governance 
Independent auditors’ report to the members  
of Circassia Group plc, continued

For each component in the scope of our Group audit, we allocated a materiality that is less than our overall Group 
materiality. The range of materiality allocated across components was between £0.5 million and £2.9 million. Certain 
components were audited to a local statutory audit materiality that was also less than our overall Group materiality.

We agreed with the Audit Committee that we would report to them misstatements identified during our audit above 
£157,600 (Group audit) (2018: £149,500) and £157,600 (Parent Company audit) (2018: £149,500) as well as 
misstatements below those amounts that, in our view, warranted reporting for qualitative reasons.

Conclusions relating to going concern
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which ISAs (UK) require us to report to 
you where: 

—  the directors’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is not 

appropriate; or 

—  the directors have not disclosed in the financial statements any identified material uncertainties that may cast significant 
doubt about the Group’s and Parent Company’s ability to continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting for a 
period of at least twelve months from the date when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

However, because not all future events or conditions can be predicted, this statement is not a guarantee as to the 
Group’s and Parent Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. 

Reporting on other information 
The other information comprises all of the information in the Annual Report other than the financial statements and 
our auditors’ report thereon. The directors are responsible for the other information. Our opinion on the financial 
statements does not cover the other information and, accordingly, we do not express an audit opinion or, except to the 
extent otherwise explicitly stated in this report, any form of assurance thereon. 

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, 
in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our 
knowledge obtained in the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify an apparent material 
inconsistency or material misstatement, we are required to perform procedures to conclude whether there is a 
material misstatement of the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the 
work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required 
to report that fact. We have nothing to report based on these responsibilities.

With respect to the Strategic Report and Directors’ Report, we also considered whether the disclosures required by 
the UK Companies Act 2006 have been included. 

Based on the responsibilities described above and our work undertaken in the course of the audit, ISAs (UK) require 
us also to report certain opinions and matters as described below.

Strategic Report and Directors’ Report
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit, the information given in the Strategic Report 
and Directors’ Report for the year ended 31 December 2019 is consistent with the financial statements and has been 
prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements. 

In light of the knowledge and understanding of the Group and Parent Company and their environment obtained in the 
course of the audit, we did not identify any material misstatements in the Strategic Report and Directors’ Report. 

90 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Responsibilities for the financial statements and the audit
Responsibilities of the directors for the financial statements
As explained more fully in the Statement of directors' responsibilities in respect of the financial statements, the directors are 
responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the applicable framework and for being satisfied 
that they give a true and fair view. The directors are also responsible for such internal control as they determine is necessary 
to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the Group’s and the Parent Company’s 
ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going 
concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the Group or the Parent Company or to 
cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditors’ responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from 
material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditors’ report that includes our opinion. 
Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with 
ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error 
and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the 
economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements. 

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the FRC’s website at: 
www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditors’ report.

Use of this report
This report, including the opinions, has been prepared for and only for the Parent Company’s members as a body in 
accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and for no other purpose. We do not, in giving these 
opinions, accept or assume responsibility for any other purpose or to any other person to whom this report is shown 
or into whose hands it may come save where expressly agreed by our prior consent in writing.

Other required reporting

Companies Act 2006 exception reporting
Under the Companies Act 2006 we are required to report to you if, in our opinion:

— we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or

—  adequate accounting records have not been kept by the Parent Company, or returns adequate for our audit have 

not been received from branches not visited by us; or

—  certain disclosures of directors’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or

—  the Parent Company financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns. 

We have no exceptions to report arising from this responsibility. 

Miles Saunders (Senior Statutory Auditor) 
for and on behalf of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 
Chartered Accountants and Statutory Auditors

Reading 
16 June 2020

91 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Consolidated statement of comprehensive income
for the year ended 31 December 2019

4

6

7

8

8

12

10

Continuing operations

Revenue from contracts with customers
Cost of sales

Gross profit

Research and development costs
Sales and marketing
Administrative expenses

Operating loss

Other (losses) and gains – net
Finance costs
Finance income

Loss before tax

Taxation

Loss from continuing operations

Discontinued operations
Loss from discontinued operations  
(attributable to owners of Circassia Group plc)

Loss for the year

Other comprehensive expense
Items that may be subsequently reclassified  
to profit or loss
Exchange differences on translation of foreign operations 
Other comprehensive expense for the year,  
net of tax

Total comprehensive expense for the year

Underlying 
operations 
£m

Non- 
underlying 
items 
£m

  Notes

2019

Total 
£m

62.4 
(16.2)

46.2 

(109.5)
(57.5)
(13.7)

(134.5)

94.0 
(18.8)
0.2 

(59.1)

10.8 
(48.3)

Underlying 
operations 
£m

Non- 
underlying  
items 
£m

48.3 
(8.9)

39.4 

(10.8)
(54.4)
(11.4)

(37.2)

1.9 
(0.1)
0.3 

(35.1)

9.2 
(25.9)

– 
– 

– 

– 
(2.9)
(0.3)

(3.2)

(5.6)
(11.9)
– 

(20.7)

– 
(20.7)

2018

Total 
£m

48.3 
(8.9)

39.4 

(10.8)
(57.3)
(11.7)

(40.4)

(3.7)
(12.0)
0.3 

(55.8)

9.2 
(46.6)

62.4 
(16.2)

46.2 

(19.1)
(57.5)
(12.6)

(43.0)

(3.5)
(3.5)
0.2 

(49.8)

10.8 
(39.0)

– 
– 

– 

(90.4)
– 
(1.1)

(91.5)

97.5 
(15.3)
– 

(9.3)

– 
(9.3)

– 
(39.0)

– 
(9.3)

– 
(48.3)

– 
(25.9)

(70.5)
(91.2)

(70.5)
(117.1)

31

(1.6)

– 

(1.6)

(4.8)

– 

(4.8)

(1.6)
(40.6)

– 
(9.3)

(1.6)
(49.9)

(4.8)
(30.7)

– 
(91.2)

(4.8)
(121.9)

Loss per share attributable to owners of the parent during the year (expressed in £ per share) 

Basic and diluted loss per share
Loss per share from continuing operations
Total loss per share

13

13

2019 
£
(0.13)
(0.13)

2018  
£
(0.14)
(0.34)

The Company has elected to take the exemption under section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 not to present the 
Parent Company profit and loss account.

The notes on pages 98 to 143 are an integral part of these financial statements.

92 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated statement of financial position 
as at 31 December 2019

Assets
Non-current assets
Property, plant and equipment
Right-of-use assets
Goodwill
Intangible assets
Deferred tax assets
Investment in joint venture
Non-current tax assets

Current assets
Inventories
Trade and other receivables
Current tax assets
Cash and cash equivalents

Total assets

Equity
Share capital
Share premium
Other reserves
Accumulated losses

Total equity 

Liabilities
Non-current liabilities
Borrowings
Lease liabilities
Deferred tax liabilities
Contingent consideration

Current liabilities 
Trade and other payables
Lease liabilities
Non-contingent consideration
Contingent consideration

Total liabilities
Total equity and liabilities 

Notes

14

15

16

17

26

19

12

20

21

12

22

28

29

30

31

25

15

26

24

23

15

24

24

2019 
£m

0.5 
1.9 
4.8 
163.0 
28.3 
– 
– 
198.5 

6.5 
14.6 
0.2 
27.0 
48.3 
246.8 

0.3 
630.4 
14.7 
(560.6)
84.8 

109.9 
1.5 
9.3 
– 
120.7 

39.6 
0.6 
– 
1.1 
41.3 
162.0 
246.8 

2018 
£m

0.5 
–
9.3 
221.4 
19.1 
0.1 
3.0 
253.4 

4.2 
8.1 
1.0 
40.7 
54.0 
307.4 

0.3 
622.5 
15.1 
(512.0)
125.9 

–
–
10.9 
46.2 
57.1 

28.7 
–
80.3 
15.4 
124.4 
181.5 
307.4 

The notes on pages 98 to 143 are an integral part of these financial statements.

The financial statements on pages 92 to 143 were authorised for issue by the Board of Directors on 16 June 2020 and 
were signed on its behalf by

Ian Johnson 
Executive Chairman 
Circassia Group plc 

Registered number: 05822706

Michael Roller 
Chief Financial Officer 
Circassia Group plc

93 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Parent Company statement of financial position 
as at 31 December 2019

Assets
Non-current assets
Investments in subsidiaries

Current assets
Trade and other receivables 
Cash and cash equivalents

Total assets

Equity attributable to the owners of the Company
Share capital
Share premium
Accumulated losses
Other reserves

Total equity 
Liabilities
Current liabilities
Trade and other payables

Total equity and liabilities 

Notes

18

21

22

28

29

30

31

23

2019 
£m

56.5
56.5

35.1
0.1 
35.2
91.7

0.3 
630.4 
(558.7)
11.8 
83.8

7.9 
7.9 
91.7

2018 
£m

67.6 
67.6 

282.6 
0.1 
282.7 
350.3 

0.3 
622.5 
(289.9)
11.3 
344.2 

6.1 
6.1 
350.3 

The loss for the Parent Company for the year was £268.8 million (2018: £291.8 million).

The notes on pages 98 to 143 are an integral part of these financial statements.

The financial statements on pages 92 to 143 were authorised for issue by the Board of Directors on 16 June 2020  
and were signed on its behalf by

Ian Johnson 
Executive Chairman 
Circassia Group plc 

Registered number: 05822706

Michael Roller 
Chief Financial Officer 
Circassia Group plc

94 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated and Parent Company statements of cash flows 
for the year ended 31 December 2019

Cash flows from operating activities
Cash (used in)/generated from operations
Interest paid
Tax credit received 
Net cash (used in)/generated from operating activities

Cash flows from investing activities
Payments for property, plant and equipment
Payments for intangible assets
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment
Interest received
Dividends from joint venture
Grant of loans to subsidiary undertakings
Decrease in short-term bank deposits
Net cash (used in)/generated from investing activities 

Cash flows from financing activities 
Proceeds from issue of shares
Share issue transaction costs
Proceeds from borrowings
Acquisition of interest in a subsidiary
Principal elements of lease payments 
Net cash generated from financing activities 

Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at 1 January
Effects of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 

Cash and cash equivalents at 31 December

  Notes

2019 
£m

32

8

12

14

17

14

8

19

21

22

28

28

25

18

15

22

22

(28.9)
(0.1)
3.9 
(25.1)

(0.3)
(10.0)
– 
0.3 
0.1 
– 
– 
(9.9)

8.0 
(0.1)
14.9
– 
(0.9)
21.9

(13.1)
40.7 
(0.6)
27.0 

Group

2018 
£m

(51.3)
(0.2)
10.9 
(40.6)

(0.1)
(0.3)
0.5 
0.2 
0.3 
– 
15.0 
15.6 

20.4 
(0.1)
–
– 
–
20.3 

(4.7)
44.5 
0.9 
40.7 

2019 
£m

(6.7)
– 
– 
(6.7)

– 
–
–
– 
– 
(1.2)
– 
(1.2)

8.0 
(0.1)
– 
– 
– 
7.9 

– 
0.1 
– 
0.1 

Company

2018 
£m

11.7 
– 
– 
11.7 

– 
–
–
– 
– 
(45.5)
15.0 
(30.5)

20.4 
(0.1)
–
(1.7)
–
18.6 

(0.2)
0.3 
– 
0.1 

The notes on pages 98 to 143 are an integral part of these financial statements.

95 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated statement of changes in equity 
for the year ended 31 December 2019

At 1 January 2018
Loss for the year
Currency translation differences

Total comprehensive expense

Transactions with owners:
Issue of ordinary shares
Employee share option scheme

At 31 December 2018
Change in accounting policy

Restated at 1 January 2019
Loss for the year
Currency translation differences

Total comprehensive expense

Issue of ordinary shares
Acquisition of treasury shares
Employee share option scheme

At 31 December 2019

  Notes

30

31

28, 29

27

38

30

31

28, 29

31

27

Share  
capital 
£m
0.3
–
–

– 

– 
– 

0.3 
– 

0.3 
–
–

– 
– 
– 
– 

Share  
premium  
£m
602.2
–
–

– 

20.3 
– 

622.5 
– 

622.5 
–
–

– 
7.9 
– 
–

0.3 

630.4 

Other 
reserves1 
£m
17.2
–
(4.8)

(4.8)

Accumulated 
losses 
£m
(394.9)
(117.1)

–

(117.1)

–
2.7 

15.1 
– 

15.1 
–
(1.6)

(1.6)
–
(0.2)
1.4 

14.7 

–
– 

(512.0)
(0.3)

(512.3)
(48.3)
–

(48.3)
–
– 
–

(560.6)

Total  
equity 
£m
224.8
(117.1)
(4.8)

(121.9)

20.3 
2.7 

125.9 
(0.3)

125.6 
(48.3)
(1.6)

(49.9)
7.9 
(0.2)
1.4 

84.8 

1 Other reserves include share option reserve, translation reserve, treasury shares reserve, and transactions with NCI reserve.

The notes on pages 98 to 143 are an integral part of these financial statements.

96 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Parent Company statement of changes in equity
for the year ended 31 December 2019

At 1 January 2018
Loss and total comprehensive expense
Transactions with owners:
Issue of ordinary shares
Employee share option scheme

At 31 December 2018

At 1 January 2019
Loss and total comprehensive income
Transactions with owners:
Issue of ordinary shares
Acquisition of own shares
Employee share option scheme

At 31 December 2019

Share  
capital 
£m
0.3 
–

– 
–

0.3 

0.3 
–

– 
– 
–

Share  
premium  
£m
602.2 
–

20.3 
–

622.5 

622.5 
–

7.9 
– 
–

0.3 

630.4 

Retained 
earnings/ 
(Accumulated 
losses) 
£m
1.9 
(291.8)

Other 
reserves1 
£m
8.6 
–

–
2.7 

11.3 

11.3 
–

–
(0.9)
1.4 

11.8 

–
–

(289.9)

(289.9)
(268.8)

–
– 
–

(558.7)

Total  
equity 
£m
613.0
(291.8)

20.3
2.7

344.2

344.2
(268.8)

7.9 
(0.9)
1.4 

83.8

  Notes

30

28, 29

27

28

28,29

31

27

1 Other reserves include share option reserve and own shares reserve.

The notes on pages 98 to 143 are an integral part of these financial statements.

97 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements 

1. Accounting policies and significant judgements

General information
The Group is a specialty pharmaceutical group focused on the development and commercialisation of respiratory products. 

Circassia Group plc is a public company limited by shares which is listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) 
and incorporated and domiciled in the United Kingdom. The Company is resident in England and the registered office 
is The Magdalen Centre, Robert Robinson Avenue, Oxford Science Park, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, OX4 4GA.

The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of this financial information are set out below. These 
policies have been consistently applied to all the financial years presented, unless otherwise stated.

The directors do not recommend the payment of a dividend for the year ended 31 December 2019 (2018: £nil).

Basis of preparation
With effect from 1 May 2020, the name of the Company was changed from Circassia Pharmaceuticals plc to Circassia 
Group plc. The consolidated financial statements of the Circassia Group plc Group have been prepared in accordance with 
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and interpretations issued by the IFRS Interpretations Committee 
(IFRS IC) applicable to companies reporting under IFRS. The financial statements comply with IFRS as issued by the 
International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). The financial statements have been prepared using the historical cost 
convention modified by the revaluation of certain items, as stated in the accounting policies, and on a going concern basis.

The results shown for the years ended 31 December 2019 and 2018 are audited. Statutory accounts of the Company in 
respect of the financial year ended 31 December 2019 were approved by the Board of Directors on 16 June 2020 and will 
be delivered to the Registrar of Companies in due course. The report of the auditors on those accounts was unqualified 
and did not contain an emphasis of matter paragraph nor any statement under Section 498 of the Companies Act 2006. 

The exemption from audit has been claimed for the individual financial statements of Circassia Pharma Limited (registered 
number 6410308) and Prosonix Limited (registered number 05679156) for the year ended 31 December 2019 under section 
479A of Companies Act 2006. Circassia Group plc has given the required guarantee under section 479C in respect of the 
reporting year. Circassia Pharma Limited and Prosonix Limited results are included in these consolidated financial statements.

Going concern
In assessing the appropriateness of the going concern assumption, the Board has considered the availability of funding 
alongside the possible cash requirements of the Group and Company, taking into account the unprecedented circumstances 
caused by COVID-19. 

The Board has prepared cash flow forecasts for a period of 18 months from the date of approval of these financial 
statements. This base case scenario includes the benefits of actions already taken by management to mitigate the 
trading downsides brought about by COVID-19, for example, restrictions on travel, limiting new hires and reducing 
discretionary spend as well as utilising the equity facility agreed with significant shareholders. This base case assumes 
that sales of NIOX® will gradually build back towards pre-COVID-19 levels of trade (94% of the value of budgeted 
sales) by December 2020. Under this base case scenario, the Group is expected to continue to have sufficient 
resources beyond 12 months from the approval of the financial statements.
The most extreme downside scenario modelled the impact of no recovery from current levels of NIOX® sales up until 
December 2020, rising to around 76% of pre-COVID-19 sales in December 2021 and remaining at this level for the 
foreseeable future. In addition, this assumes a gradual reduction of current  Tudorza® revenue down to a reduction to 
80% of current levels by the end of 2020, when it is expected that the run off period for this activity will cease. These 
reductions in revenue would be offset by significant mitigating cost reductions and cash protection actions, within the 
control of the Board, commencing in September 2020 (for example significant salary cuts for Board members, non-
payment of discretionary bonuses and the reduction in size of certain central functions by the end of 2020). In this 
scenario the Group remains cash positive beyond 12 months from the approval of the financial statements.

98 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019After due consideration, the directors have concluded that there is a reasonable expectation that the Group has 
adequate resources to continue in operational existence for at least 12 months from the date of this report. 

New and amended standards adopted by the Group 
The Group has applied the following standards and amendments for the first time for their annual reporting period 
commencing 1 January 2019: 

IFRS 16 – Leases
The Group elected to adopt the new rules retrospectively from 1 January 2019 but has not restated comparatives for 
the 2018 reporting period, as permitted under the specific transition provisions in the standard. The reclassifications 
and the adjustments arising from the new leasing rules are therefore recognised in the opening balance sheet on  
1 January 2019. This is disclosed in note 38. 

New standards and interpretations not yet adopted 
Certain new accounting standards and interpretations have been published that are not mandatory for 31 December 
2019 reporting periods and have not been early adopted by the Group. These standards are not expected to have a 
material impact on the entity in the current or future reporting periods and on foreseeable future transactions.

Critical accounting estimates, judgements 
The preparation of financial statements requires the use of accounting estimates which, by definition, will seldom 
equal the actual results. Management also needs to exercise judgement in applying the group’s accounting policies.

This note provides an overview of the areas that involved a higher degree of judgement or complexity, and of items 
which are more likely to be materially adjusted due to estimates and assumptions turning out to be wrong. Detailed 
information about each of these estimates and judgements is included in other notes together with information about 
the basis of calculation for each affected line item in the financial statements. 

The areas involving significant estimates or judgements are: 

Rebate accruals (estimate)
When invoicing  Tudorza® sales, Circassia must estimate the rebates and chargebacks that are expected to be paid. These 
rebates typically arise from sales contracts with third-party managed care organisations, hospitals, long-term care facilities, 
group purchasing organisations and various federal or state programmes (Medicaid contracts, supplemental rebates, etc).

Accrual assumptions are calculated on a sales channel basis, taking into account specific contract provisions coupled 
with expected performance, and are then aggregated into a weighted average rebate accrual rate. Accrual rates are 
reviewed and adjusted on an as needed basis. There may be further adjustments when actual rebates are invoiced based 
on utilisation information submitted to us (in the case of contractual rebates) and claims/invoices are received (in the 
case of regulatory rebates and chargebacks).

As at 31 December 2019, the rebates and chargebacks accrual was £12.9 million (2018: £nil). If rebate claims were to 
differ by 10% from management’s estimates, the rebate and chargebacks accrual would be an estimated £4.7 million 
(2018: £nil) higher or lower.

Recognition of deferred tax asset for carried-forward tax losses (estimate)
The deferred tax assets include an amount of £18.9 million (2018: £8.2 million) which relates to carried-forward tax 
losses of Circassia AB (previously known as Aerocrine AB). These losses were generated before the company was acquired 
by Circassia Group plc. The Group has concluded that the deferred assets will be recoverable using the estimated future 
taxable income based on the approved business plans and budgets for the subsidiary. The subsidiary has generated taxable 
income from the year ended 2017 and is expected to continue generating taxable income from 2020 onwards. The losses 
can be carried forward indefinitely and have no expiry date. The judgement is how profitable the entity will be in future 
and therefore how much of the asset can be recognised. If the future profits of Circassia AB were to differ by 10% from 
management’s estimates, the deferred tax asset would be an estimated £1.9 million (2018: £0.9 million) higher or lower.

99 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Notes to the financial statements, continued 

Valuation of contingent royalty consideration payable on Duaklir® sales (estimate)
As part of the collaboration agreement entered into in April 2017 between Circassia and AstraZeneca, Circassia is 
liable to pay royalties to AstraZeneca on future sales of Duaklir® in the United States. There is some uncertainty over 
the final amount of future sales and thus royalties due and therefore actual outcomes could differ significantly from the 
estimates made. Under IFRS 3, these royalties were initially classified as additional consideration and recognised as an 
IPR&D asset with a corresponding contingent liability. The value of the IPR&D asset and corresponding liability was 
calculated by management using a tax-effected NPV of the future royalty cash outflows at the date of the transaction. 
During 2019, the sales performance of Duaklir® was well below internal forecasts and as such management concluded 
that future sales of Duaklir® were expected to remain low in the short-term and therefore as at 31 December 2019, 
the royalty liability has been remeasured to £nil. This sales underperformance led to the decision to hand the licences 
back to AstraZeneca, with the agreement completed and the licences handed back on 27 May 2020. 
The assessment of the fair value of the contingent Duaklir® royalty consideration required the selection of an 
appropriate valuation model at the date of acquisition, consideration as to the inputs necessary for the valuation model 
chosen and the estimation of the future cash flows of the product discounted at the risk adjusted rate. Key assessments 
and judgements included in the calculation of deferred royalty consideration are as follows:

Valuation model

Anticipated launch date

Sales value, volume and growth rates
Period of specified projected cash flows

Discount rate

Discounted cash flow 

Reviewed and amended to take into account development, regulatory and marketing risks
Estimates of sales value, volume and growth rates are internal forecasts based on both  
internal and external market information and market research commissioned by the Company
16 years
2019: 12.2%  
2018: 17.0 %

Goodwill and other intangible assets (estimate)
Goodwill and other intangible assets impairment reviews are undertaken annually or more frequently if events or 
changes in circumstances indicate a potential impairment. Judgements and estimates are made in respect of the carrying 
value of the cash generating units (CGUs) containing the goodwill taking into account key assumptions (see note 16) 
about the product candidates. If the Group is unable to successfully commercialise its product candidates and become 
profitable, this could result in an impairment of the related goodwill and intellectual property rights.

Investments (estimate)
Circassia Group plc holds a number of investment balances in subsidiary companies. Investment impairment reviews 
are undertaken annually or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate a potential impairment. 
Judgements and estimates are made in respect of the carrying value of the cash generating units (CGUs) containing 
the investment. If there is a significant impairment of a particular CGU or if the Group’s market capitalisation 
remains below the carrying value of Circassia Group plc’s aggregate investment in subsidiaries, this could result in an 
impairment of the investment.

Recoverable amount of intercompany receivables (judgement)
Circassia Group plc has significant intercompany receivables due from subsidiary companies. In line with IFRS 9, the 
carrying value of intercompany receivable balances owed to Circassia Group plc by its subsidiaries is assessed using  
the simplified approach to measuring expected credit losses, which uses a lifetime expected loss allowance for all trade  
receivables. Judgements and estimates are made in respect of the recoverable amount of each subsidiary. If the 
recoverable amount of a subsidiary is below the carrying value of Circassia Group plc’s intercompany receivable, this 
could result in an impairment of the receivable.

Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated. They are based on historical experience and other factors, 
including expectations of future events that may have a financial impact on the entity and that are believed to be 
reasonable under the circumstances.

100 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
Consolidation
Subsidiaries
Subsidiaries are all entities (including structured entities) over which the Group has control. The Group controls an 
entity when the Group is exposed to, or has rights to, variable returns from its involvement with the entity and has 
the ability to affect those returns through its power over the entity. Subsidiaries are fully consolidated from the date on 
which control is transferred to the Group. They are de-consolidated from the date that control ceases. Inter-company 
transactions, balances and unrealised gains and losses on transactions between Group companies are eliminated. 
Accounting policies of subsidiaries are consistent with the policies adopted by the Group. Acquisition-related costs are 
expensed as incurred.

Joint arrangements
The Group applies IFRS 11 to all joint arrangements. Under IFRS 11 investments in joint arrangements are classified 
as either joint operations or joint ventures depending on the contractual rights and obligations of each investor. 
Circassia Group plc has assessed the nature of its joint arrangements and determined them to be joint ventures.  
Joint ventures are accounted for using the equity method.

Segmental reporting
The Group had three continuing operating segments during 2019, NIOX®, COPD (2018: US AZ collaboration) and 
LungFit™PH. This is consistent with the internal reporting provided to the chief operating decision-maker. The chief 
operating decision-maker, who is responsible for allocating resources and assessing performance, has been identified as 
the Executive Chairman, who makes strategic decisions.

The allergy and respiratory operating segments have been classified as discontinued operations. Information about 
these discontinued segments is provided in note 10.

Non-underlying operations
Management primarily manages the business and measures performance based on the results of “underlying 
operations”. Non-underlying operations are excluded from the underlying results of the Group and consist of 
significant irregularly occurring and exceptional items.

Discontinued operations
A discontinued operation is a component of the Group’s business that represents a separate major line of business or 
geographical area of operations that will not be progressed in the future. Discontinued operations are presented on 
the income statement as a separate line and are shown net of tax. Cash flows relating to discontinued operations are 
disclosed in the notes.

The decision to treat the allergy business as discontinued was made on 25 April 2017 when the Group announced 
a decision to cease all further activities on the allergy programmes. As such, the allergy programme costs and the 
associated research and development tax credit for the year ended 31 December 2018 are classified as discontinued 
operations in the Consolidated statement of comprehensive income in accordance with IFRS 5 requirements. 

The respiratory programme costs and the associated research and development tax credit for the year ended  
31 December 2018 have been reclassified as discontinued operations in the Consolidated statement of comprehensive 
income in accordance with IFRS 5 requirements. The decision to treat the respiratory business as discontinued was 
made in April 2018 when the Group announced a decision to cease investment in the in-house respiratory pipeline 
and to seek an out-license partner.

The COPD CGU was not classified as a discontinued operation in the current financial year as at 31 December 2019 
the sale of the  Tudorza® and Duaklir® licences to AstraZeneca was not highly probable. 

101 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Notes to the financial statements, continued 

Financial instruments
The Group’s financial instruments comprise cash and cash equivalents, loans, receivables and payables arising directly 
from operations. 

Cash balances are mainly held on short and medium term deposits with quality financial institutions, in line with the 
Group’s policy to minimise the risk of loss. The main risks associated with the Group’s financial instruments relate to 
interest rate risk and foreign currency risk (note 2). 

Trade and other receivables 
Trade receivables are amounts due from customers for goods sold or services performed in the ordinary course 
of business. They are generally due for settlement within 30 days and therefore are all classified as current. Trade 
receivables are recognised initially at fair value and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective 
interest method, less credit loss allowance. The Group applies the IFRS 9 simplified approach to measuring expected 
credit losses which uses a lifetime expected loss allowance for all trade receivables. 

Trade receivables are written off when there is no reasonable expectation of recovery.

Other receivables are recognised initially at fair value and subsequently measured at amortised cost, using the effective 
interest method, less provision for impairment. 

Trade and other payables
Trade payables are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business 
from suppliers. They are initially recognised at fair value and subsequently held at amortised cost. Accounts payable 
are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current 
liabilities.

Leases
Until 31 December 2018, leases in which a significant portion of the risks and rewards of ownership are retained by 
the lessor were classified as operating leases. Payments made under operating leases (net of any incentives received 
from the lessor) were charged to the income statement on a straight line basis over the period of the lease. 

From 1 January 2019, leases are recognised as a right-of-use asset and a corresponding liability at the date at which the 
leased asset is available for use by the group. 

Assets and liabilities arising from a lease are initially measured on a present value basis. Lease liabilities include the net 
present value of the fixed and variable lease payments, less any lease incentives receivable.

The lease payments are discounted using the Group’s incremental borrowing rate, being the rate that the Group 
would have to pay to borrow the funds necessary to obtain an asset of similar value to the right-of-use asset in a similar 
economic environment with similar terms, security and conditions. To determine the incremental borrowing rate, the 
Group where possible, uses recent third-party financing received, adjusted to reflect changes in financing conditions 
since third party financing was received.

102 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Lease payments are allocated between principal and finance cost. The finance cost is charged to profit  
or loss over the lease period so as to produce a constant periodic rate of interest on the remaining balance  
of the liability for each period. 

Right-of-use assets are measured at cost comprising the following the amount of the initial measurement of lease 
liability, plus any lease payments made at or before the commencement date less any lease incentives received.

Right-of-use assets are generally depreciated over the shorter of the asset's useful life and the lease term on a straight-
line basis.

Payments associated with short-term leases of equipment and vehicles and all leases of low-value assets are recognised 
on a straight-line basis as an expense in profit or loss. Short-term leases are leases with a lease term of 12 months or 
less. Low-value assets comprise IT equipment and small items of office furniture. 

Goodwill and Intangible assets
Intangible fixed assets, relating to goodwill, customer relationships, technology, intellectual property rights and 
currently marketed products acquired through licensing or assigning patents and know-how are carried at historical 
cost, less accumulated amortisation, where the useful economic life of the asset is finite, and the asset will probably 
generate economic benefits exceeding costs.

Amortisation is calculated using the straight line method to allocate the cost of intangible assets over their estimated 
useful lives, as follows:

Intangible asset

Software
CMP
Customer Relationships
IPR&D
Technology

Estimated useful lives

5 years
13 years
18 years
5 – 17 years
15 – 20 years

Goodwill arising on the acquisition of subsidiaries represents the excess of the consideration transferred, the amount 
of any non-controlling interests in the acquiree and the acquisition date fair value of any previous equity interest in the 
acquiree over the fair value of the identifiable net assets acquired. 

For the purpose of impairment testing, goodwill acquired in a business combination is allocated to each of the CGUs, 
or groups of CGUs, that are expected to benefit from the synergies of the combination. Each unit or group of units 
to which the goodwill is allocated represents the lowest level within the entity at which the goodwill is monitored for 
internal management purposes. Goodwill is monitored at the operating segment level.

Goodwill impairment reviews are undertaken annually or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances 
indicate a potential impairment. The carrying value of the CGU containing the goodwill is compared to the 
recoverable amount, which is the higher of value in use and the fair value less costs of disposal. Any impairment is 
recognised immediately as an expense and is not subsequently reversed.

Where an acquired intangible asset is not yet available for use in the manner intended by management, the asset 
is tested annually for impairment by allocating the assets to the CGUs to which they relate. Amortisation would 
commence when product candidates underpinned by the intellectual property rights become available for commercial 
use. Amortisation would be calculated on a straight line basis over the shorter of the remaining useful life of the 
intellectual property or the estimated sales life of the product candidates. 

103 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
Notes to the financial statements, continued 

Expenditure on product development is capitalised as an intangible asset and amortised over the expected useful 
economic life of the product candidate concerned. Capitalisation commences from the point at which technical 
feasibility and commercial viability of the product candidate can be demonstrated and the Group is satisfied that it is 
probable that future economic benefits will result from the product candidate once completed. Capitalisation ceases 
when the product candidate receives regulatory approval for launch. No such costs have been capitalised to date.

Expenditure on research and development activities that do not meet the above criteria, including ongoing costs 
associated with acquired intellectual property rights and intellectual property rights generated internally by the 
Group, is charged to the income statement as incurred. Intellectual property and in-process research and development 
from acquisitions are recognised as intangible assets at fair value. Any residual excess of consideration over the fair 
value of net assets in an acquisition is recognised as goodwill in the financial statements.

Computer Software
Expenditure on software costs is capitalised as an intangible asset and amortised over the expected useful economic 
life of the software. Until such an asset is fully developed, the costs are capitalised and classified within intangibles 
assets as ‘Software in development’. These costs are not amortised until the software has been fully developed and 
operational, at which point the total cost of the software development is amortised over its estimated useful life.

Investments
Investments in subsidiary companies are recognised and carried at cost less any identified impairment losses at the end 
of each reporting period. Investments are impaired where there is objective evidence that the estimated future cash 
flows of the investment have been affected.

Inventories
Inventories are valued at the lower of the acquisition cost and the net realisable value. The FIFO (first in, first out) 
principle is used to calculate the value of inventories. Inventories mainly comprise products for sale and stocks of 
components for the service activities in Sweden, China and the US. The acquisition value comprises all expenses 
for purchases. The net realisable value is the expected sale price less expected costs for preparation and selling. 
Management utilise sales forecasts to calculate the level of inventory required and compare this to current levels of 
inventory held to assess net realisable value.

Write-downs of inventory generally occur in the ordinary course of business and are recognised in cost of sales. 
Inventory purchased as sample stock is recognised as sales and marketing costs. 

Impairment of non-financial assets
Assets that have an indefinite useful life, for example goodwill or intangible assets not ready for use, are not subject to 
amortisation and are tested annually for impairment. Assets that are subject to amortisation are reviewed for impairment 
whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. An impairment 
loss is recognised for the amount by which the asset’s carrying amount exceeds its recoverable amount. The recoverable 
amount is the higher of an asset’s fair value less costs to sell and value in use. For the purposes of assessing impairment, 
assets are grouped at the lowest levels for which there are separately identifiable cash flows (cash-generating units). Non-
financial assets other than goodwill that suffered an impairment are reviewed for possible reversal of the impairment at 
each reporting date. Charges or credits for impairment are passed through the income statement.

Property, plant and equipment
Property, plant and equipment is stated at historical cost less depreciation. Historical cost includes expenditure that 
is directly attributable to the acquisition of the items. Subsequent costs are included in the asset’s carrying amount or 
recognised as a separate asset, as appropriate, only when it is probable that future economic benefits associated with 
the item will flow to the Group and the cost of the item can be measured reliably. The carrying amount of replaced 
parts is derecognised. All other repairs and maintenance are charged to the income statement during the financial 
period in which they are incurred. 

104 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method to allocate the cost of assets over their estimated useful lives, 
as follows:

Property, plant and equipment

Depreciation rate

Leasehold improvements
Fixtures and fittings
Plant and equipment

Over the life of the unbreakable portion of the lease
20%
10% – 33%

Individually significant tangible assets that are intended to be held by the Group for use in the production or supply of 
goods and services or for administrative purposes and that are expected to provide economic benefit for more than one 
year are capitalised. All other assets of insignificant value are charged to the income statement in the year of acquisition.

Costs incurred relating to an asset that is not yet complete are capitalised and held as ‘Assets under construction’ until they 
are brought into use. The asset is then transferred to the appropriate asset class and depreciated in line with the policy above.

Provisions
Provisions are recognised when the Group has a present obligation (legal or constructive) as a result of a past event, 
it is probable that an outflow of resources will be required to settle the obligation and a reliable estimate can be made 
of the amount of the obligation. If the amounts involved are significant, provisions are determined by discounting the 
expected future cash flows at a pre-tax rate which reflects the current market assessment of the time value of money 
and, when appropriate, the risks specific to the liability.

A charge for restructuring costs is taken to the income statement when the Group has approved a detailed and formal 
restructuring plan, and the restructuring has either commenced or the Group has a constructive obligation, for 
example having made an announcement publicly to the employee or the Group as a whole.

Borrowings
Interest-bearing loans are initially measured at fair value (with direct transaction costs being amortised over the life of 
the loan) and are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest rate method at each reporting 
date. Changes in carrying value are recognised in profit or loss.

Contingent royalty consideration
In a business combination, future royalty payments owed to the seller are treated as contingent consideration. The 
contingent consideration is recognised as a liability, an asset or equity depending on its terms. A contingent consideration 
arrangement is initially measured at fair value on the acquisition date based on a tax-effected net present value basis of the 
future cash outflows. Contingent consideration that is classified as a liability is remeasured to fair value at each reporting 
date, with changes included in the income statement in the post-combination period until the uncertainty is resolved.

Cash and cash equivalents
In the consolidated statement of cash flows, cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held on call with 
banks, and other short-term highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less from the date  
of original investment. 

Share capital 
Ordinary shares are classified as equity. Incremental costs directly attributable to the issue of new shares or options are 
shown in equity as a deduction, net of tax, from the proceeds. 

Employee benefit expense
The Group makes contributions to defined contribution personal pension schemes for its directors and employees. 
The pension cost charge recognised in the year represents amounts payable by the Group to the funds. The Group has 
no further payment obligations once the contributions have been paid. The contributions are recognised as employee 
benefit expense when they are due.

105 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
Notes to the financial statements, continued 

Share based payments
The Group operates a number of equity-settled, share based compensation plans, under which the entity receives 
services from employees as consideration for equity instruments (options) of the Group. The fair value of the 
employee services received in exchange for the grant of the options is recognised as an expense. The total amount to 
be expensed is determined by reference to the fair value of the options granted:

— including the effect of any market performance conditions (for example, an entity’s share price);

—  excluding the impact of any service and non-market performance vesting conditions (for example, profitability, 

sales growth targets and remaining an employee of the entity over a specified time period); and

— including the impact of any non-vesting conditions (for example, the requirement for employees to save).

Non-market performance and service conditions are included in assumptions about the number of options that are 
expected to vest. The total expense is recognised over the vesting period, which is the period over which all of the 
specified vesting conditions are to be satisfied.

The grant by the Company of options over its equity instruments to the employees of subsidiary undertakings in the 
Group is treated as a capital contribution. The fair value of employee services received, measured by reference to the 
grant date fair value, is recognised over the vesting period as an increase to investment in subsidiary undertakings, 
with a corresponding credit to equity in the parent entity financial statements.

The Group’s employees participate in various share option schemes as disclosed in note 27. Equity settled share based 
payments are measured at fair value at the date of grant and expensed on a straight line basis over the vesting period 
of the award. At the end of each reporting period the Group revises its estimate of the number of options with non-
market performance conditions that are expected to become exercisable. The financial consequences of revisions to 
the original estimates, if any, are recognised in the income statement, with a corresponding adjustment to equity. 

The fair value of share options is measured using either the Finnerty model (an at-market put option variant of the 
Black-Scholes model) or the Monte Carlo Simulation. This is dependent on the conditions attached to each of the 
issued options. Where conditions are non-market based the Finnerty model is used. Where market based conditions 
are attached to options, the fair value is determined using the Monte Carlo Simulation. 

Other employee benefits
The expected cost of compensated short-term absence (e.g. holidays) is recognised when employees render services 
that increase their entitlement. An accrual is made for holidays earned but not taken, and prepayments recognised for 
holidays taken in excess of days earned. 

Revenue from contracts with customers 
Revenue is accounted for under IFRS 15. Revenue comprises the fair value of consideration received or receivable for 
the sale of goods and services in the ordinary course of the Group’s activities. Revenue is shown net of value added tax 
and trade discounts and after elimination of intra-Group sales. Revenue represents net invoice value including fixed 
and variable consideration. Variable consideration arises on the sale of goods as a result of discounts and allowances 
given and accruals for estimated future returns and rebates. Revenue is not recognised until it is highly probable that a 
significant reversal in the amount of cumulative revenue recognised will not occur. Income is reported as follows: 

106 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Sale of NIOX® 
The Group sells medical technology equipment that enables inflammation of the airways to be measured as well as 
consumable items and spare parts. Revenue is recognised when a contractual promise to a customer (performance 
obligation) has been fulfilled by transferring control of the product to the customer, substantially all of which is on 
confirmation of delivery to the customer. 
Sale of  Tudorza® and Duaklir®
The Group markets and sells  Tudorza® and Duaklir® in the United States, where it is indicated for the maintenance 
treatment of patients with COPD. Revenue is recognised when the goods are delivered to the wholesaler and 
represents net invoice value less estimated rebates, returns and chargebacks, which are considered to be key estimates. 
Delivery occurs when the products have been shipped to the specific location, the risks of obsolescence and loss 
have been transferred to the wholesaler and the wholesaler has accepted the products. When invoicing  Tudorza® and 
Duaklir® sales, customers have a right to return a product within a given period and therefore the Group recognises a 
refund liability for the amount of consideration received for which the entity does not expect to be entitled. 

Foreign currency translation
Monetary assets and liabilities in foreign currencies are translated into Sterling at the rates of exchange ruling at the 
end of the financial year. Transactions in foreign currencies are translated into Sterling at the rates of exchange ruling 
at the date of the transaction. Foreign exchange differences are taken to the income statement in the year in which 
they arise and presented within ‘Other gains and (losses) – net’.

Foreign exchange differences on translation of foreign operations into the Group presentational currency, are 
recognised as a separate element of other comprehensive income. Cumulative exchange differences are presented  
in a separate component of equity entitled ‘Translation reserve’.

Taxation including deferred tax
The charge for income tax is based on the results for the year, adjusted for items which are non-assessable  
or disallowed. It is calculated using tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted at the end of each 
reporting period. 

The Group is entitled to claim tax credits in the United Kingdom for certain research and development expenditure. 
The amount included in the financial statements at the year end represents the credit receivable by the Group for the 
year and adjustments to prior years. 

Deferred tax is accounted for using the liability method in respect of temporary differences arising from differences 
between the carrying amount of assets and liabilities in the financial information and the corresponding tax bases 
used in the computation of taxable profit. In principle, deferred tax liabilities are recognised for all taxable temporary 
differences and deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is probable that taxable profits will be available 
against which deductible temporary differences can be utilised. 

Deferred tax liabilities are recognised for taxable temporary differences arising on investments in subsidiaries and joint 
ventures, except where the Group is able to control the reversal of the temporary difference and it is probable that the 
temporary difference will not reverse in the foreseeable future.

Deferred tax assets are recognised only to the extent that it is probable that future taxable profit will be available 
against which the temporary differences can be utilised.

Deferred tax is calculated at the average tax rates that are expected to apply to the period when the asset is realised or 
the liability is settled. Deferred tax is charged or credited in the statement of comprehensive income, except when it 
relates to items credited or charged directly to equity, in which case the deferred tax is also dealt with in equity.

107 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Notes to the financial statements, continued 

2. Financial and capital risk management

Capital risk management
The Group’s objectives when managing capital are to safeguard the ability to continue as a going concern and ensure 
that sufficient capital is in place to fund the Group’s activities. The Group’s principal method of adjusting the capital 
available has been through issuing new shares. During 2019, the Company issued 17,572,815 ordinary shares with 
a value of £8.0 million to BeyondAir. This share issue was non-cash consideration in respect of the acquisition of the 
LungFit™ PH licence. The Group’s capital is comprised of share capital and share premium, which are disclosed in notes 
28 and 29 respectively. The Group monitors the availability of capital through forecasting future expenditure on an 
ongoing basis.

Transaction and translation risk
Foreign exchange fluctuations may adversely affect the Group’s results and financial condition. The Group prepares 
its financial statements in British pound sterling, but a significant proportion of its expenditure and subsidiary results 
are in various currencies including United States dollar, Swedish krona, euro and Chinese yuan. The Group does not 
currently hedge against translation risk. 

Financial risk factors
Monitoring of financial risk is part of the Board’s ongoing risk management, the effectiveness of which is reviewed 
annually. The Group’s agreed policies are implemented by the Executive Chairman, who submits periodic reports to 
the Board. 

Foreign exchange risk 
The majority of operating costs are denominated in British pound sterling, United States dollar, Swedish krona, 
euro and Chinese yuan. Foreign exchange risk arises from future commercial transactions and recognised assets and 
liabilities.

In relation to foreign currency risk, the Group’s policy is to hold the majority of its funds in United States dollars, 
monitor foreign currency rates and purchase foreign currency at spot rates. The change in foreign exchange rates that 
is assessed to be reasonably likely for each currency in 2019 is 10% (2018: 10%). 

At 31 December 2019, if the euro had weakened/strengthened by 10% against sterling with all other variables held 
constant, the post tax loss for the year would have been £0.3 million (2018: £0.5 million) lower/higher, as a result 
of net foreign exchange gains/losses on translation of euro denominated payables, receivables and foreign exchange 
losses/gains on translation of euro denominated bank balances.

The impact on post tax loss at 31 December 2019 of a 10% weakening/strengthening of the US dollar against  
British pound sterling with all other variables held constant would have been a decrease/increase of £11.0 million 
(2018: £0.7 million), as a result of net foreign exchange gains/losses on translation of dollar denominated borrowings, 
payables, receivables and foreign exchange losses/gains on translation of dollar denominated bank balances.

The impact on post tax loss and equity is immaterial for the remaining currencies. 

108 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Interest rate risk
The Group’s policy in relation to interest rate risk is to monitor short and medium term interest rates and to place 
cash on deposit for periods that optimise the amount of interest earned while maintaining access to sufficient funds to 
meet day to day cash requirements. 

The Group’s main interest expense arises from long-term borrowings with variable rates, which exposes the Group to 
cash flow interest rate risk. During 2019, the Group’s borrowings at variable rates were denominated in United States 
dollar. The Group had no borrowing in 2018.

Profit or loss is sensitive to higher/lower interest expense from cash and cash equivalents as a result of changes in 
interest rates. 

If variable interest rates had been 10 basis points higher/lower the impact on net loss and accumulated losses in 2019 
would have been an increase/decrease of £0.2 million (2018: £0.0 million) due to changes in the amount of interest 
receivable and interest payable. 

Credit risk
Credit risk arises from cash and cash equivalents, contractual cash flows of debt investments carried at amortised 
cost, deposits with banks and financial institutions, as well as credit exposures to customers, including outstanding 
receivables.

i) Risk management
The Group’s policy generally is to place funds with financial institutions which have a minimum credit rating with 
Fitch IBCA of A- long term/F1 short-term.

During 2019 the Group placed funds on deposit with 8 banks (2018: 8 banks). The Group does not allocate a quota to 
individual institutions but seeks to diversify its investments, where this is consistent with achieving competitive rates 
of return. It is the Group’s policy to place not more than £35 million (or the equivalent in other currencies) with any 
one counterparty.

The value of financial instruments held represents the maximum exposure that the Group has to them. There is no 
collateral held for this type of credit risk.

No credit limits were exceeded during any of the periods reported, and management does not expect any material 
losses from non-performance by these counterparties.

ii) Impairment of financial assets
The Group only has one type of financial asset that is subject to the expected credit loss model being trade receivables. 
While cash and cash equivalents are also subject to the impairment requirements of IFRS 9, the identified impairment 
loss was immaterial.

The Group applies the IFRS 9 simplified approach to measuring expected credit losses which uses a lifetime expected 
loss allowance for all trade receivables. To measure the expected credit losses, trade receivables have been grouped 
based on the days past due.

The expected loss rates are based on the payment profiles of sales over a period of 36 months before  
31 December 2019 and the corresponding historical credit losses experienced within this period. The historical  
loss rates are adjusted to reflect current and forward-looking information on macroeconomic factors affecting  
the ability of the customers to settle the receivables.

109 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Notes to the financial statements, continued 

On that basis, the loss allowance as at 31 December 2019 and 2018 was determined as follows:

Group 

31 December 2019

Expected loss rate
Gross trade receivables carrying amount

Loss allowance

31 December 2018

Expected loss rate
Gross trade receivables carrying amount

Loss allowance

Company 

31 December 2019

Expected loss rate
Gross receivables from subsidiary undertakings  
carrying amount

Loss allowance

31 December 2018

Expected loss rate
Gross receivables from subsidiary undertakings  
carrying amount

Loss allowance

Current 
£m

0.5%
11.9
(0.1)

Current 
£m

1.5%
3.4 
(0.1)

Current 
£m

91%

382.9
(347.8)

Current 
£m

24%

373.1 

(91.4)

More than 30 days  
past due 
£m

More than 60 days  
past due 
£m

More than 90 days  
past due 
£m

31.9%
0.1
– 

20.5%
0.1
– 

7.5%
0.4
– 

More than 30 days  
past due 
£m

More than 60 days  
past due 
£m

More than 90 days  
past due 
£m

12.5%
0.1 
– 

10.1%
0.1 
– 

7.9%
0.2 
– 

More than 30 days  
past due 
£m

More than 60 days  
past due 
£m

More than 90 days  
past due 
£m

0%

– 
– 

0%

– 
– 

0%

– 
– 

More than 30 days  
past due 
£m

More than 60 days  
past due 
£m

More than 90 days  
past due 
£m

0%

– 

– 

0%

– 

– 

0%

– 

– 

The closing loss allowance for trade receivables reconciles to the opening loss allowances as follows:

Opening loss allowance as at 1 January
Increase in loss allowances recognised in profit or loss during the year

At 31 December

2019 
£m

(0.1)
– 

(0.1)

Group
2018 
£m

– 
(0.1)
(0.1)

2019 
£m

(91.4)
(256.4)

(347.8)

Total 
£m

1.2%
12.5
(0.1)

Total 
£m

1.6%
3.8 
(0.1)

Total 
£m

91%

382.9
(347.8)

Total 
£m

24%

373.1 
(91.4)

Company
2018 
£m

– 
(91.4)
(91.4)

Trade receivables are written off where there is no reasonable expectation of recovery. Indicators that there is no 
reasonable expectation of recovery include, amongst others, the failure of a debtor to engage in a repayment plan with 
the Group, and a failure to make contractual payments for a period of greater than 120 days past due.

110 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Impairment losses on trade receivables are presented within operating profit. Subsequent recoveries of amounts 
previously written off are credited against the same line item.

Cash flow and liquidity risk
Funds are generally placed on deposit with the maturity profile of investments being structured to ensure that 
sufficient liquid funds are available to meet operating requirements. The directors do not consider that there is 
presently a material cash flow or liquidity risk.

The table below analyses the Group’s financial liabilities into relevant maturity groupings based on the remaining 
period at the balance sheet date to the contractual maturity date. 

The amounts disclosed in the table are the contracted cash flows discounted to present value where such impact  
is material:

At 31 December 

Non-contingent consideration
Borrowings
Lease liabilities
Contingent consideration
Trade and other payables

Total

Less than 1 year  
2019  
£m

Over 1 year  
2019  
£m

Less than 1 year  
2018  
£m

Over 1 year  
2018  
£m

– 
– 
0.6 
1.1 
39.6 
41.3 

– 
109.9 
1.5 
– 
– 
111.4 

80.3 
–
–
15.4 
28.7 
124.4 

– 
–
–
46.2 
– 
46.2 

Derivative financial instruments and hedging
There were no derivatives at 31 December 2019 or 31 December 2018. 

3. Operating segments
The chief operating decision-maker is the Executive Chairman, (previously the Chief Executive Officer) and is 
responsible for making key operating decisions in the Group. Assessment of performance and decisions regarding the 
allocation of resources are made by operating segment. The 2019 operating segments are identified within the Group 
by product portfolios:
—  NIOX® relates to the portfolio of products used to improve asthma diagnosis and management by measuring 

fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO); 

—  COPD (2018: US AZ collaboration) relates to the  Tudorza® and Duaklir® Pressair® products marketed in the 

United States, where they are indicated for the maintenance treatment of patients with COPD; and

—  LungFit™PH relates to the portable ventilator-compatible system, the rights to which were purchased from 

BeyondAir.

The revenues generated in the COPD CGU in the current financial year of £27.8m are derived through sales to one 
wholesaler and as such is reliant on one major customer. 

The allergy and respiratory operating segments have been classified as discontinued operations. Information about 
these discontinued segments is provided in note 10.

There were no sales between the segments in either reporting year.

111 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Notes to the financial statements, continued 

The table below presents information regarding the Group’s operating segments for the years ended 31 December 
2019 and 2018. Only the results for the Group's underlying continuing activities are included in order to aid 
comparison. Costs shared between the segments are not allocated to individual segments for decision making 
purposes. These are disclosed under the column headed ‘Unallocated’. There was no activity in the LungFit CGU for 
either financial year presented below.

NIOX®  
£m

COPD  
£m

Unallocated  
£m

Total  
£m

10.4 
2.0
7.4 
14.5 
0.3 

34.6 
(9.1)

(1.9)
(24.6)
– 

(1.0)

(3.7)

NIOX®  
£m

9.4 
1.6
6.8 
9.5 
0.1 

27.4 
(8.9)
(3.2)
(32.3)
– 

(17.0) 

(3.8)

27.8 
–
– 
– 
– 

27.8 
(7.1)

(12.2)
(32.9)
(0.1)

(24.5)

(10.7)

– 
–
– 
– 
– 

– 
– 

(5.0)
– 
(12.5)

(17.5)

(0.8)

38.2 
2.0
7.4 
14.5 
0.3 

62.4 
(16.2)

(19.1)
(57.5)
(12.6)

(43.0)

(15.2)

COPD  
£m

Unallocated  
£m

Total  
£m

20.9 
–
– 
– 
– 

20.9 
–
(1.0)
(22.1)
– 

(2.2)

– 

– 
–
– 
– 
– 

– 
– 
(6.6)
–
(11.4)

(18.0)

(0.6)

30.3 
1.6
6.8 
9.5 
0.1 

48.3 
(8.9)
(10.8)
(54.4)
(11.4)

(37.2)

(4.4)

Segment operating loss

Year ended 31 December 2019
Revenue (from external customers by country,  
based on the destination of the customer)
US
UK
EU
Asia Pacific
Rest of world

Total segment revenue
Cost of sales

Research and development
Sales and marketing
Administrative expenses

Operating loss from continuing operations
Depreciation and amortisation included  
in the expenditure above

Year ended 31 December 2018
Revenue (from external customers by country,  
based on the destination of the customer)
US
UK
EU
Asia Pacific
Rest of world

Total segment revenue
Cost of sales
Research and development
Sales and marketing
Administrative expenses

Operating loss from continuing operations
Depreciation and amortisation included  
in the expenditure above

112 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Assets by segment

Year ended 31 December 2019

Cash and cash equivalents
Property, plant and equipment
Right-of-use assets
Goodwill
Intangible assets
Deferred tax assets
Inventories
Trade and other receivables
Current tax assets

Total assets

Year ended 31 December 2018

Cash and cash equivalents
Property, plant and equipment
Goodwill
Intangible assets
Deferred tax assets
Investment in joint venture
Non-current tax assets
Inventories
Trade and other receivables
Current tax assets

Total assets

4. Revenue from contracts with customers
The Group derives the following types of revenue:

Sale of goods
Rendering of services
Licence and milestone revenue

Total revenue from contracts with customers

All revenue is recognised at a point in time, rather than over time.

NIOX®  
£m

11.4
– 
1.3 
4.8 
45.3 
18.9 
3.5 
6.8
0.2 

92.2

NIOX®  
£m

7.1 
– 
5.2 
50.7 
8.2 
– 
– 
4.2 
6.1 
– 

81.5 

COPD  
£m

15.3
0.5 
0.6 
– 
117.7 
9.4 
3.0 
7.8
– 

154.3

COPD  
£m

4.9 
0.5 
4.1 
170.7 
10.9 
0.1 
3.0 
– 
2.0 
1.0 

197.2 

Unallocated  
£m

0.3 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

0.3 

Unallocated  
£m

28.7 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

28.7 

2019  
£m

60.7 
1.6 
0.1 
62.4 

Total  
£m

27.0 
0.5 
1.9 
4.8 
163.0 
28.3 
6.5 
14.6 
0.2 

246.8 

Total  
£m

40.7 
0.5 
9.3 
221.4 
19.1 
0.1 
3.0 
4.2 
8.1 
1.0 

307.4 

2018  
£m

27.0 
21.3 
– 

48.3 

113 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
Notes to the financial statements, continued 

5. Employees and directors 
The average monthly number of persons (including Executive Directors) employed during the year was:

By activity

Office and management
Sales and marketing
Research and development

Total average headcount

Employee benefit costs

Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Other pension costs
Share options expense

Total employee benefit costs

2019 
Number

46
244
32
322

2019 
£m

32.8 
4.4 
1.3 
1.4 
39.9 

Group
2018 
Number

43
285
39

367

Group
2018 
£m

39.1 
5.7 
1.5 
2.7 

49.0 

2019 
Number

6
–
–
6

2019 
£m

2.2 
0.3 
– 
– 
2.5 

Company
2018 
Number

8
–
–

8

Company
2018 
£m

1.5 
0.2 
– 
– 

1.7 

The Group contributes to defined contribution pension schemes for its Executive Directors and employees. Contributions 
of £0.1 million (included in other payables) were payable to the funds at the year end (2018: £0.1 million).

The details of directors of the Group who received emoluments from the Group during the year are shown in the 
Remuneration Committee report on page 65.

Key management personnel
Key management personnel during the year included directors (Executive and Non-Executive), Senior VP  
of Commercial US, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, Senior VP of Human Resources  
and Senior VP of Commercial EU & RoW. The compensation paid or payable to key management is set out below. 

Short-term employee benefits (including bonus)
Post-employment benefits
Share based payment

Total

2019  
£m

 3.2 
 1.2 
 0.6 
 5.0 

2018  
£m

3.7
0.1
1.0

4.8

Post-employment benefits have increased mainly due to the restructuring of the Board, see the remuneration report 
for further information.

114 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
6. Operating expenses by nature 
Operating loss is stated after charging the following:

Employee benefit expenses
Externally contracted research and development
Marketing costs
Legal and professional fees including patent costs
Depreciation charge of property, plant and equipment1
Depreciation charge of right-of-use assets1
Amortisation charge of intangible assets1
Impairment of goodwill
Impairment of intangible assets

Notes

5

14

17

16

17

2019  
£m

39.9
1.9
16.8
9.3
0.3
 0.5 
14.4
4.1
86.1

1 Depreciation and amortisation is included on the face of the statement of comprehensive income within ‘Research and development costs’, ‘Sales and marketing’ and ‘Administrative expenses’

7. Other gains and (losses) – net

Net foreign exchange (loss)/gain
Change in fair value of contingent Duaklir® royalty consideration
Change in fair value of contingent  Tudorza® royalty consideration
Change in fair value of contingent LungFit™ PH royalty consideration
Gain on exercise of  Tudorza® option
Change in fair value of LungFit™ PH contingent consideration 
Foreign exchange gain/(loss) on non-contingent consideration
Foreign exchange gain/(loss) on contingent royalty consideration
Foreign exchange loss on exercise of  Tudorza® option
Foreign exchange loss on contingent consideration

Total other gains and losses

2019  
£m

(3.5)
51.4 
2.2 
23.9 
– 
15.9 
3.8 
0.3 
– 
– 
94.0 

2018  
£m

49.0
1.6
10.7
7.5
0.6
– 
3.8
4.4
70.6

2018  
£m

1.9 
(1.1)
– 
– 
5.4 
–
(4.4)
(2.5)
(2.7)
(0.3)

(3.7)

On 23 January 2019, Circassia entered into an agreement with to BeyondAir to acquire the commercial rights to 
LungFit™ PH. In addition to the £8.0 million upfront payments, Circassia owed BeyondAir further consideration of 
£16.1 million based on certain triggering events. As such, on this date Circassia recognised a contingent liability, and an 
offsetting intangible asset. As the liability is denominated in United States dollars, this was revalued to £15.9 million. 

Following an announcement made by BeyondAir in December 2019 that they are terminating the agreement for the 
commercial licence of LungFit™ PH, Circassia remeasured the fair value of the contingent liability resulting in a £15.9 
million credit to other gains. On the same date, the intangible asset was impaired resulting in an impairment charge of 
£16.1 million which is included within ‘Research and Development costs’.

115 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
Notes to the financial statements, continued 

8. Finance costs and income 

Finance costs:
Bank charges and interest payable
Interest charges for lease liabilities
Interest charges for borrowings
Non-contingent consideration: unwinding of discount
Contingent royalty consideration: unwinding of discount
Non-current trade payables: unwinding of discount

Total finance costs

Finance income:
Bank interest receivable

Total finance income

9. Auditors’ remuneration

2019  
£m

(0.2)
(0.1)
(3.2)
(3.1)
(11.6)
(0.6)
(18.8)

0.2 
0.2 

Services provided by the Group’s auditors and its associates
During the year the Group obtained the following services from the Group’s auditors and its associates:

Fees payable to the Group’s auditors and its associates  
for the audit of the Parent Company and consolidated financial statements
Fees payable to the Group’s auditors and its associates for other services:
– The audit of the Company’s subsidiaries

Total

2019  
£m

0.2

0.2
0.4

2018  
£m

(0.1)
–
–
(7.2)
(3.5)
(1.2)

(12.0)

0.3 

0.3 

2018  
£m

0.2

0.1

0.3

During the year, the Group paid £1,356 (2018: £1,000) to the Group’s auditors in respect of non-audit services for an 
accounting research tool subscription.

10. Discontinued operations
During 2017 it was announced that the Group would no longer continue development of the allergy programmes. 
Subsequently during 2018, it was announced that the Group would cease investment in the in-house respiratory pipeline. As 
such, the allergy and respiratory programme costs and the associated research and development tax credit are classified as 
discontinued operations in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income to comply with IFRS 5 requirements.

Loss for the year

Expenditure
Goodwill and intangible assets impairment
Share of loss of joint venture

Loss before tax
Taxation

Loss from discontinued operations

Cash flow

Net cash outflow from operating activities

Net decrease in cash from discontinued operations
116 

Notes

19

12

Notes

2019  
£m

– 
– 
– 

– 
– 
– 

2019  
£m

– 
– 

2018  
£m

(3.7)
(75.0)
(0.1)

(78.8)
8.3 
(70.5)

2018  
£m

(0.3)
(0.3)

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
11. Non-underlying items
Management primarily manage the business and measure performance based on the results of “underlying operations”. 
Significant irregularly occurring and exceptional items are excluded from the underlying measures. The following 
non-underlying items have been recognised in the income statement for the period:

Charged to research and development costs
Impairment
Restructuring costs

Charged to sales and marketing costs
Restructuring costs

Charged to administrative expenses
AIM transfer costs
Restructuring costs

Credited/(charged) to other gains and losses
Change in fair value of contingent Duaklir® royalty consideration
Change in fair value of contingent  Tudorza® royalty consideration
Change in fair value of contingent LungFit™ PH royalty consideration
Gain on exercise of  Tudorza® option
Change in fair value of LungFit™ PH contingent consideration 
Foreign exchange (loss)/gain on non-contingent consideration
Foreign exchange (loss)/gain on contingent royalty consideration
Foreign exchange (loss)/gain on exercise of  Tudorza® option
Foreign exchange (loss)/gain on contingent consideration

Charged to finance costs
Non-contingent consideration: unwinding of discount
Contingent consideration: unwinding of discount
Contingent royalty consideration: unwinding of discount
Non-current trade payables: unwinding of discount

Loss before tax
Credited to taxation

Loss from continuing operations
Loss from discontinued operations

Total loss 

Notes

7

7

7

7

7

7

7

7

7

8

8

8

8

10

2019  
£m

(90.2)
(0.2)
(90.4)

– 
– 

– 
(1.1)
(1.1)

51.4 
2.2 
23.9 
– 
15.9 
3.8 
0.3 
– 
– 
97.5 

(3.1)
–
(11.6)
(0.6)
(15.3)

(9.3)
– 

(9.3)
– 
(9.3)

2018  
£m

– 
– 

– 

(2.9)

(2.9)

(0.3)
– 

(0.3)

(1.1)
– 
– 
5.4 
–
(4.4)
(2.5)
(2.7)
(0.3)

(5.6)

(3.5)
(0.1)
(7.1)
(1.2)

(11.9)
(20.7)
– 

(20.7)
(70.5)

(91.2)

117 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements, continued 

Impairment
On 19 December 2019, an announcement was made by BeyondAir that they are terminating the agreement for the 
commercial licence of LungFit™ PH and as such management concluded that impairment was required to the LungFit™ PH 
CGU. This resulted in an impairment of £44.0 million to intangible assets. See note 17 for further details.
During 2019, the sales performance of  Tudorza® and Duaklir® was well below internal forecasts and as such management 
concluded that impairment was required to the COPD CGU. This resulted in an impairment of £4.1 million to goodwill 
and £42.1 million to intangible assets. This sales underperformance led to the decision to hand the licences back to 
AstraZeneca, with the agreement completed and the licences handed back on 27 May 2020. See notes 16 and 17 for 
further details.

Restructuring costs
Restructuring costs comprise cost optimisation initiatives including severance payments, compensation for loss  
of office, property and other contract termination costs. Restructuring in 2018 relates to the resizing of the US  
field force, and as such is allocated to sales and marketing. Restructuring in 2019 relates mainly to the restructuring  
of the Board. 

AIM transfer costs
AIM transfer costs comprise professional fees in relation to the transfer of Circassia Group plc shares from the Main 
Market to AIM. 

Non-contingent consideration
The £3.8 million (2018: £4.4 million) foreign exchange movement on non-contingent consideration relates  
to the impact of the strengthening dollar on translation of the $100 million, $20 million and $5 million deferred 
non-contingent consideration payable to AstraZeneca. The consideration was measured by discounting the liability 
with a £11.6 million (2018: £3.5 million) increase in the liability due to the passage of time (unwinding of discount) 
recognised as a finance cost in the year.

Contingent consideration
Contingent consideration in the prior year related to the $20 million payable to AstraZeneca on approval of Duaklir®. 
This consideration was reclassified as non-contingent on the approval of Duaklir® in March 2019. 

Contingent royalty consideration 
Contingent royalty consideration relates to the amount of royalties payable to AstraZeneca on the future  Tudorza®  
and Duaklir® sales, and to BeyondAir on the future sales of LungFit™ PH. The Duaklir® liability was remeasured to fair 
value at the year end with the resulting £51.4 million (2018: £1.1 million charge) credit recorded in other gains and 
losses in the income statement. The  Tudorza® liability was remeasured to fair value at the year end with the resulting 
£2.2 million (2018: £nil) credit recorded in other gains and losses in the income statement. The LungFit™ PH liability 
was remeasured to fair value at the year end with the resulting £23.9 million (2018: £nil) credit recorded in other 
gains and losses in the income statement. The £0.3 million (2018: £2.5 million) foreign exchange movement relates to 
the impact of the weakening dollar on translation of the contingent royalty consideration.
Change in fair value of LungFit™ PH contingent consideration 
In addition to the £8.0 million upfront payments and £19.9 million of contingent royalty payments, Circassia owed 
BeyondAir further consideration of £16.1 million based on certain triggering events. As such, on this date Circassia 
recognised a contingent liability, and an offsetting intangible asset. As the liability is denominated in United States 
dollars, this was revalued to £15.9 million. Following an announcement made by BeyondAir in December 2019 that 
they are terminating the agreement for the commercial licence of LungFit™ PH, Circassia derecognised the contingent 
liability resulting in a £15.9 million credit to other gains.

Loss from discontinued operations
The costs relating to the discontinued allergy and respiratory operations are deemed to be an exceptional item  
to be excluded from the underlying operations, see note 10 for further details.

118 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 201912. Taxation 
The Group is entitled to claim tax credits in the United Kingdom for certain research and development expenditure. 
The amount included in the financial statements for the years ended 31 December 2019 and 2018 represents the 
credit receivable by the Group for the year and adjustments to prior years. The 2019 amounts have not yet been 
agreed with the relevant tax authorities. 

Current tax
United Kingdom corporation tax research and development credit
Adjustments in respect of prior year

Total current tax credit

Deferred tax
Increase in deferred tax assets
Decrease in deferred tax liabilities
Adjustments in respect of prior year 

Total deferred tax credit
Total tax credit

Tax is attributable to:
Loss on continuing operations
Loss on discontinued operations

2019  
£m

(0.1)
– 
(0.1)

(9.1)
(1.6)
– 
(10.7)
(10.8)

(10.8)
– 
(10.8)

2018  
£m

(1.0)
– 

(1.0)

(3.5)
(13.9)
0.9 

(16.5)
(17.5)

(9.2)
(8.3)

(17.5)

The tax credit for the year is lower (2018: lower) than the standard rate of corporation tax in the UK of 19.00% 
(2018: 19.00%). The differences are explained below:

Loss from continuing operations before tax
Loss from discontinued operations before tax

Loss before tax
Loss on ordinary activities before tax  
multiplied by the standard rate of corporation tax in the UK of 19.00% (2018: 19.00%)
Expenses not deductible for tax purposes (permanent differences):
Temporary timing differences on employee share options
Research and development relief uplift
Adjustments in respect of prior year
Tax losses for which no deferred income tax asset was recognised

Tax credit for the year

2019  
£m

(59.1)
– 
(59.1)

(11.2)
0.6
– 
(0.2)
–
–
(10.8)

2018  
£m

(55.8)
(78.8)

(134.6)

(25.6)
– 
0.3 
(0.4)
0.9 
7.3 

(17.5)

At 31 December 2019, the Group has tax losses to be carried forward of approximately £526.3 million  
(2018: £341.3 million). These can be utilised against future taxable profits. At 31 December 2019, Circassia Limited 
had tax losses to be carried forward of approximately £158.9 million (2018: £148.1 million). The utilisation of these 
losses will be restricted to 50% of profits generated in the United Kingdom.

At 31 December 2019, the Group has tax assets arising from tax credits in the United Kingdom for certain research 
and development expenditure of £0.2 million (2018: £4.0 million). None of this is receivable after more than one 
year (2018: £3.0 million).

119 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements, continued 

13. Loss per share
Basic loss per share is calculated by dividing the loss attributable to ordinary equity holders of the Company by the 
weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the year. As net losses were recorded in both 2019 and 
2018, the dilutive potential shares are non-dilutive and therefore excluded from the earnings per share calculation.

For the year ended 31 December 2019
Loss attributable to ordinary equity owners  
of the Parent Company (£m)
Weighted average number of ordinary shares  
in issue (Number)

Continuing operations

Underlying  
operations

Non-underlying 
operations

(39.0)

(9.3)

Total

(48.3)

Discontinued  
operations

– 

Total

(48.3)

373,703,488

373,703,488

373,703,488

373,703,488

373,703,488

Loss per share

(0.11)

(0.02)

(0.13)

– 

(0.13)

For the year ended 31 December 2018
Loss attributable to ordinary equity owners  
of the Parent Company (£m)
Weighted average number of ordinary shares  
in issue (Number)

Loss per share

Continuing operations

Underlying  
operations

Non-underlying 
operations

(25.9)

(20.7)

Total

(46.6)

Discontinued  
operations

Total

(70.5)

(117.1)

344,347,267
(0.08)

344,347,267
(0.06)

344,347,267
(0.14)

344,347,267
(0.20)

344,347,267
(0.34)

120 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
14. Property, plant and equipment

Group

At 1 January 2018
Cost
Accumulated depreciation

Net book amount

Year ended 31 December 2018
Opening net book amount 
Additions
Depreciation charge 
Disposals

Closing net book amount 

At 31 December 2018
Cost
Accumulated depreciation

Net book amount

Year ended 31 December 2019
Opening net book amount 
Additions
Depreciation charge 

Closing net book amount 

At 31 December 2019
Cost
Accumulated depreciation

Net book amount

Leasehold  
improvements  
£m

Fixtures  
and fittings  
£m

Plant and  
equipment  
£m

Total property,  
plant and equipment  
£m

0.8
(0.5)

0.3

0.3 
– 
(0.1)
– 

0.2 

0.8 
(0.6)

0.2 

0.2 
0.1 
(0.1)

0.2 

0.9 
(0.7)

0.2 

0.5
(0.2)

0.3

0.3 
0.1 
(0.1)
– 

0.3 

0.6 
(0.3)

0.3 

0.3 
0.2 
(0.2)

0.3 

0.8 
(0.5)

0.3 

2.1
(1.3)

0.8

0.8 
– 
(0.4)
(0.4)

– 

1.7 
(1.7)

– 

– 
– 
– 

– 

1.7 
(1.7)

– 

3.4
(2.0)

1.4

1.4 
0.1 
(0.6)
(0.4)

0.5 

3.1 
(2.6)

0.5 

0.5 
0.3 
(0.3)

0.5 

3.4 
(2.9)

0.5 

121 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements, continued 

15. Leases
The balance sheet shows the following amounts relating to leases: 

Right-of-use assets
Leasehold improvements
Plant and equipment

Lease liabilities
Current
Non-current

Additions to the right-of-use assets during the financial year were £2.4 million (2018: £nil). 

The statement of profit or loss shows the following amounts relating to leases: 

Depreciation charge of right-of-use assets
Interest expense (included in finance cost) 
Expense relating to leases of low-value assets that are not shown above  
as short-term leases (included in administrative expenses) 

The total cash outflow for leases in 2019 was £0.9 million. 

Notes

6

8

16. Goodwill

At 1 January
Cost
Accumulated impairment

Net book amount

Year ended 31 December
Opening net book amount
Acquisition of business 
Impairment
Exchange differences

Closing net book amount

At 31 December
Cost
Accumulated impairment

Net book amount

122 

2019  
£m

1.8 
0.1 
1.9 

(1.3)
(0.8)
(2.1)

2019  
£m

(0.5)
(0.1)

(0.2)
(0.8)

2019  
£m

88.2 
(78.9)
9.3 

9.3 
– 
(4.1)
(0.4)
4.8 

87.8 
(83.0)
4.8 

2018  
£m

– 
–

– 

– 
–

– 

2018  
£m

–
–

–
– 

2018  
£m

84.5 
(74.5)
10.0 

10.0 
3.9 
(4.4)
(0.2)

9.3 

88.2 
(78.9)

9.3 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
In 2018, following the decision to cease investment in the in-house respiratory portfolio, the respiratory portfolio 
value was written off in full resulting in an impairment charge for the respiratory CGU of £75.0 million, of which 
£4.4 million related to goodwill. Subsequently during 2018, Circassia Limited exercised its option to acquire the full 
US commercial rights over  Tudorza® resulting in goodwill of £3.9 million being recognised.
During 2019, the sales performance of  Tudorza® and Duaklir® was well below internal forecasts and as such management 
concluded that impairment was required to the COPD CGU. This resulted in an impairment of £4.1 million to goodwill. 
This sales underperformance led to the decision to hand the licences back to AstraZeneca, with the agreement completed 
and the licences handed back on 27 May 2020.

The carrying value of goodwill is allocated to the following CGUs:

Cash generating unit

NIOX®
COPD (2018: US AZ Collaboration)

2019  
£m

4.8 
– 
4.8 

2018  
£m

5.2 
4.1 
9.3 

The recoverable amount of the CGUs is assessed using a value in use model. Value in use is calculated as the net present 
value of the projected risk-adjusted post-tax cash flows plus a terminal value of the CGU to which the goodwill is 
allocated. 
The value in use for the NIOX® CGU was calculated over a ten year period using a discount factor of 11.5% (being 
a weighted average cost of capital rate for the CGU). The calculations use post-tax cash flow projections. Cash flows 
over ten years have been considered appropriate based on the product lifecycle. Cash flows beyond the ten year period 
were extrapolated using the estimated terminal growth rate stated below. The growth rate does not exceed the long-
term average growth rate for the business. The discount rate used is post-tax and reflects specific risks relating to the 
Group and uncertainties surrounding the cash flow projections. As noted earlier, the value in use calculations include 
expected revenue growth from historic levels. The impact of COVID-19 is uncertain and has not been included in the 
impairment assessment this year. The impact will be included in future years, and if sales do not resume growth then 
this would give rise to an impairment.

The value in use for the COPD (2018: US AZ Collaboration) CGU was calculated using risked post-tax cash flow 
projections, plus disposal proceeds being the forgiveness of the loan.

123 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
Notes to the financial statements, continued 

The key assumptions used for the valuations of the CGUs are as follows:

NIOX® CGU

Assumption

Valuation basis
Sales volume 
Sales price 

Operating costs
Profit margins
Period of specified projected cash flows

Long-term growth rate

Discount rate

COPD (2018: US AZ Collaboration) CGU

Approach used to determine values

Value in use
Based on past performance and management’s expectations of market development
Based on current industry trends and including long-term inflation forecasts for each territory
Management forecasts these costs based on the current structure of the business, adjusting for 
inflationary increases but not reflecting any future restructurings or cost-saving measures
Based on past performance and management’s expectations for the future
10 years

Terminal growth rates based on management’s estimate of future long-term average growth rate  
2019 – 1% 
2018 – 1%
Reflect specific risks relating to the relevant segments and the countries in which they operate 
2019 – 11.5% 
2018 – 12.5%

Valuation basis
Sales proceeds

Terminal growth rate

Discount rate

Value in use
Based on agreement with AstraZeneca
Terminal growth rates based on management’s estimate of future long-term average growth rate 
2019 – (n/a) 
2018 – (5%)
Reflect specific risks relating to the relevant segments and the countries in which they operate 
2019 – 12.2% 
2018 – 17.0%

Impact of possible changes in key assumptions
Reduction in revenue growth in the NIOX® CGU
Management have, in their sensitivity analysis, assessed the impact of the possibility that sales growth in the NIOX®  
CGU is less than that of internal forecasts.

If sales growth does not resume in future years following the impact of COVID-19 then this would give rise to an 
impairment.

COPD CGU
The goodwill allocated to the COPD CGU is fully impaired. No changes in the key assumptions mentioned above 
would result in a change to this.

124 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
17. Intangible assets 

Group

At 1 January 2018
Cost
Accumulated amortisation and 
impairment

Net book amount

Year ended 31 December 2018:
Opening net book amount 
Acquisition of business
Amortisation charge
Impairment charge
Exchange differences

Closing net book amount 

At 31 December 2018
Cost
Accumulated amortisation and 
impairment

Net book amount

Year ended 31 December 2019:
Opening net book amount 
Additions
Amortisation charge
Transfers
Impairment charge
Exchange differences

Closing net book amount 

At 31 December 2019
Cost
Accumulated amortisation and 
impairment

Net book amount

IPR&D 
£m

161.9 

(37.1)

124.8 

124.8 
– 
– 
(51.7)
– 

73.1 

161.9 

(88.8)

73.1 

73.1 
– 
(2.1)
(71.0)
– 
– 

– 

90.9 

(90.9)

– 

CMP  
£m

Customer 
relationships  
£m

Technology  
£m

Intellectual  
property  
£m

Other  
£m

Total  
intangible assets  
£m

– 

– 

– 

– 
97.4 
– 
– 
– 

97.4 

97.4 

– 

97.4 

97.4 
– 
(8.6)
(71.0) 
(42.1)
– 

117.7 

168.4 

(50.7)

117.7 

34.6 

(4.8)

29.8 

29.8 
– 
(1.8)
– 
(0.8)

27.2 

34.6 

(7.4)

27.2 

27.2 
– 
(1.8)
– 
– 
(2.1)

23.3 

34.6 

(11.3)

23.3 

50.3 

(5.2)

45.1 

45.1 
– 
(2.0)
(18.9)
(0.8)

23.4 

50.3 

(26.9)

23.4 

23.4 
– 
(1.9)
– 
– 
(1.8)

19.7 

50.3 

(30.6)

19.7 

– 

– 

– 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

–
44.0 
– 
– 
(44.0)
– 

– 

44.0 

(44.0)

– 

1.6 

(1.6)

–

–
0.3 
– 
– 
– 

0.3 

1.9 

(1.6)

0.3 

0.3 
2.0 
– 
– 
– 
– 

2.3 

3.9 

(1.6)

2.3 

The Group tests annually whether goodwill and intangible assets have suffered any impairment and tests more 
frequently when events or circumstances indicate that the current carrying value may not be recoverable.  
An impairment test is based on the value in use of the intangible assets. Key assumptions and sensitivities  
used in the impairment review at a CGU level are disclosed in note 16. 

248.4 

(48.7)

199.7 

199.7 
97.7 
(3.8)
(70.6)
(1.6)

221.4 

346.1 

(124.7)

221.4 

221.4 
46.0 
(14.4)
– 
(86.1)
(3.9)

163.0 

392.1 

(229.1)

163.0 

125 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements, continued 

In-Process Research & Development (IPR&D)
IPR&D comprises a portfolio of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease product candidates.

The IPR&D has been initially valued using the Excess Earnings Method. This valuation method is based on discounting 
the cash flows that are attributable to the intangible asset, after taking into account the contribution of other assets. 
IPR&D assets are tested for impairment on the same basis. 

Currently Marketed Product (CMP)
CMP comprises the  Tudorza® product, which is currently marketed in the United States. This has a useful economic 
life of 13 years, based on the cumulative present value of the positive excess earnings. When Duaklir® was launched  
in October 2019, the related assets were transferred from IPR&D assets and into CMP.

The CMP has been initially valued using the Excess Earnings Method. This valuation method is based on discounting 
the cash flows that are attributable to the intangible asset, after taking into account the contribution of other assets. 
CMP assets are tested for impairment on the same basis. 

The CMP asset was partially impaired to the expected value receivable following the sales underperformance 
of  Tudorza® and Duaklir® which led to the decision to hand the licences back to AstraZeneca. It will be fully disposed 
of in the 2020 financial year.

Customer relationships
Customer relationships represent the existing customers, as at the date of acquisition that are expected to continue to 
support the NIOX® business. A remaining useful life of 18 years was determined at acquisition. Amortisation has been 
calculated on a straight line basis over this period from the date of acquisition.

Technology
Aerocrine developed its technology to measure fractional exhaled nitric oxide (“FeNO”) in the mid-1990s.  
The Company was the first to develop an instrument for the measurement of FeNO as a valuable tool in the 
management of airway inflammation. This technology is used by the Group in its NIOX® devices. The valuation of the 
Technology was based on a pre-determined hypothetical royalty rate attributable to the use of the Technology. The 
estimated remaining useful life of the Technology was determined as 15 years at acquisition. Amortisation has been 
calculated on a straight line basis over this period from the date of acquisition.

Intellectual property
Intellectual property comprises the LungFit™ PH licence which was acquired from BeyondAir in the current financial 
year. The asset was initially valued at £44.0 million, being the fair value of consideration. This includes £8.0 million 
paid upfront in the form of shares and contingent milestone and royalty payments valued at £36.0 million.

The intellectual property was fully impaired following an announcement made by BeyondAir in December 2019 
purporting to terminate the agreement for the commercial licence of LungFit™ PH. The Company intends to 
challenge this termination.

Other
Other intangible assets relate to licences and software. Current year additions relate to the development costs  
of the new ERP software. Amortisation will be charged once the software has been fully developed and is operational.

126 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 201918. Investments in subsidiaries

Company

Investments in subsidiaries at 1 January 
Equity settled instruments granted to employees of subsidiaries
Investment in Circassia Beijing
Provision against investments

Investments in subsidiaries at 31 December

2019  
£m

67.6 
1.4 
– 
(12.5)
56.5

2018  
£m

273.5 
2.7 
1.7 
(210.3)

67.6 

Investments in subsidiaries are recorded at cost, which is the fair value of the consideration paid.

The Group tests annually whether investments in subsidiaries have suffered any impairment and tests more frequently 
when events or circumstances indicate that the current carrying value may not be recoverable. An impairment test 
is based on the value in use of the subsidiaries. Key assumptions and sensitivities used in the impairment review are 
disclosed in note 16. 

A credit loss provision of £12.5 million (2018: £210.3 million) has been recognised due to sales underperformance 
of  Tudorza® and Duaklir® resulting in the handing back of the licences to AstraZeneca, combined with the termination  
of the agreement for the commercial licence of LungFit™ PH.
Changes in the value in use of the subsidiaries might result in a significantly higher or lower fair value of investments.  
10% higher or lower value in use would result in £22.3 million (2018: £35.4 million) lower or higher fair value of 
investments. 

The capital contribution relating to share based payment is for 9,397,741 (2018: 5,103,400) 0.08p share options  
and 4,322,767 (2018: nil) nil-cost share options granted by the Company to employees of subsidiary undertakings  
in the Group. Further details on the Group’s share option schemes can be found in note 27.

127 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Notes to the financial statements, continued 

The Group had the following subsidiaries at 31 December 2019:

Name

Circassia Limited
Circassia Pharma 
Limited
Circassia  
Pharmaceuticals Inc

Registered address
The Magdalen Centre, Robert Robinson Avenue, Science Park,  
Oxford, OX4 4GA, UK
The Magdalen Centre, Robert Robinson Avenue, Science Park,  
Oxford, OX4 4GA, UK
5151 McCrimmon Parkway, Suite 260, Morrisville,  
North Carolina 27560, USA

Circassia AB

Fyrislundsgatan 80, 754 50, Uppsala, Sweden

Circassia AG

Prosonix Limited
Circassia (Beijing) 
Medical Device Co. 
Limited

Louisenstraße 21, 61348, Bad Homburg, Germany
The Magdalen Centre, Robert Robinson Avenue, Science Park,  
Oxford, OX4 4GA, UK
Room 1109 Jing Guang Center Office Building, No 1 Chao Yang  
Men Wai Avenue, Hu Jia Lou, Chao Yang District, Beijing, 100020, 
P.R. China

Circassia srl

Viale Andrea Doria 7, 20124 Milano, Italia

Nature of business
Sale of devices for management 
of asthma

Proportion of  
ordinary shares 
held

100%

100%

Dormant
Sale of asthma management 
devices and respiratory products 100%
Development and sale of devices  
for management of asthma
Sale of devices for management  
of asthma

100%

100%

Dormant

100%

Sale of devices for management  
of asthma
Sale of devices for management  
of asthma

100%

100%

All subsidiary undertakings are included in the consolidation. The proportion of the voting rights in the subsidiary 
undertakings held directly by the Parent Company does not differ from the proportion of ordinary shares held. All 
investments held by the Parent Company are equal to the holdings of the Group. The Parent Company does not have 
any shareholdings in the preference shares of subsidiary undertakings included in the Group.

128 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
19. Investment in joint venture

At 1 January
Share of loss
Distributions to owners

At 31 December 

2019  
£m

0.1 
– 
(0.1)
– 

2018  
£m

0.5 
(0.1)
(0.3)

0.1 

The joint venture listed below has share capital consisting solely of ordinary shares, which is held directly  
by the Group.

Nature of investment in joint venture 2019 and 2018:

Name of entity

Adiga Life Sciences

Registered address
McMaster Innovation Park, Suite 305, 175 Longwood Road South 
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

% of  
ownership interest

Nature of  
the relationship

Measurement 
method

50

Note 1

Equity

Note 1
Adiga Life Sciences (“Adiga”) is a joint venture with McMaster University in Canada for early epitope and  
mechanistic clinical studies. 

Adiga Life Sciences is a private company and there is no quoted market price available for its shares.

There are no contingent liabilities or commitments relating to the Group’s interest in the joint venture.

Summarised financial information for joint venture
Set out below is the summarised financial information for Adiga which is accounted for using the equity method.

Summarised statement of financial position at 31 December

Current assets
Trade and other receivables
Cash

Net assets 

Summarised statement of comprehensive income for the year ended 31 December

Revenue
Research and development costs
Administrative expense

Loss from operation
Income tax

Post tax loss from operation

2019  
£m

– 
– 
– 
– 

2019  
£m

– 
– 
– 

– 
– 
– 

2018  
£m

0.1 
0.1 

0.2 
0.2 

2018  
£m

– 
– 
(0.2)

(0.2)
– 

(0.2)

The information above reflects the amounts presented in the financial statements of the joint venture adjusted for 
differences in accounting policies between the Group and the joint venture (and not Circassia Group plc’s share of 
those amounts).

129 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements, continued 

The Adiga Life Sciences joint venture managed clinical research organisations (CROs) in Canada in respect of allergy 
programmes on behalf of Circassia Group plc. As the allergy programmes are no longer being continued,  
the results of the joint venture for the year ended 31 December 2019 and 2018 have been included within 
discontinued operations in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income, see note 10.

Reconciliation of summarised financial information
Reconciliation of the summarised financial information presented to the carrying amount of the Company’s interest  
in the joint venture.

Summarised financial information

Opening net assets 1 January
Loss for the year
Dividends paid

Closing net assets
Interest in joint venture @ 50%
Carrying value

20. Inventories

Finished goods

2019  
£m

0.2 
– 
(0.2)
– 

– 
– 

2019  
£m

6.5

2018  
£m

1.0 
(0.2)
(0.6)

0.2 
0.1 
0.1 

2018  
£m

4.2

Inventories recognised as an expense during the year ended 31 December 2019 amounted to £13.9 million  
(2018: £7.5 million). These were included in cost of sales.

Write-downs of inventories to net realisable value amounted to £2.3 million (2018: £0.5 million). These were 
recognised as an expense during the year and included in cost of sales. The increase in write-downs is due to a higher 
level of Duaklir® inventory held at the year end compared to forecast inventory requirements. There has been no 
reversal of any write down in the year ended 31 December 2019.

21. Trade and other receivables

Trade receivables
Prepayments and accrued income
Other receivables 
Receivables from subsidiary undertakings

Total trade and other receivables 

2019 
£m

12.4 
1.9 
0.3 
– 
14.6 

Group
2018 
£m

3.7 
3.9 
0.5 
– 

8.1 

2019 
£m

– 
– 
– 
35.1
35.1

Company
2018 
£m

– 
– 
0.9 
281.7 

282.6 

Included within trade receivables is £0.6 million (2018: £0.4 million) of invoices that were more than 30 days past  
due at the end of the reporting year but which have not been impaired.

Receivables from subsidiary undertakings are amounts provided by the Company to its subsidiaries in order to 
undertake commercial operations. The receivables are unsecured and have no fixed date of repayment. Recoverability 
of the amounts is dependent on the future profitability of subsidiary undertakings. As at 31 December 2019, an 
expected credit loss of £347.8 million (2018: £91.4 million) was recognised against receivables from subsidiary 
undertakings.

130 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
The carrying amounts of the Group and Company receivables, excluding prepayments and recoverable taxes,  
are denominated in the following currencies:

British pound sterling
United States dollar
Swedish krona
Euro
Chinese yuan

2019 
£m

0.3 
9.7 
0.1 
1.6 
1.4
13.1

Group
2018 
£m

0.7 
3.7 
0.1 
1.8 
–

6.3 

2019 
£m

–
35.1
– 
– 
– 
35.1

22. Cash and cash equivalents 
The Group and Company cash and cash equivalents are held with institutions with the following Fitch IBCA  
long-term rating:

AA
AA-
A+
A
BBB

2019 
£m

0.6 
14.4 
11.7 
– 
0.3 
27.0 

Group
2018 
£m

0.6 
31.4 
– 
7.1 
1.6 

40.7 

2019 
£m

– 
0.1 
– 
– 
– 
0.1 

The Group and Company cash and cash equivalents are held in the following currencies at 31 December:

British pound sterling
United States dollar
Euro
Swedish krona
Chinese yuan

2019 
£m

1.8 
22.9 
1.8 
0.2 
0.3 
27.0 

Group
2018 
£m

23.2 
13.0 
4.0 
0.5 
–

40.7 

2019 
£m

0.1 
– 
– 
– 
– 
0.1 

Company
2018 
£m

181.7 
100.9 
– 
– 
–

282.6 

Company
2018 
£m

– 
0.1 
– 
– 
– 

0.1 

Company
2018 
£m

0.1 
– 
– 
– 
–

0.1 

131 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements, continued 

23. Trade and other payables

Trade payables 
Social security and other taxes
Accruals
Other payables
Payables to subsidiary undertakings

Total trade and other payables 

2019 
£m

9.1 
0.3 
29.3 
0.9 
– 
39.6 

Group
2018 
£m

19.1 
0.3 
7.6 
1.7 
– 

28.7 

2019 
£m

0.1 
– 
0.2 
– 
7.6 
7.9 

Company
2018 
£m

0.1 
– 
0.5 
– 
5.5 

6.1 

Trade payables are unsecured and are usually paid within 30 days of recognition.

The carrying amounts of trade and other payables are considered to be the same as their fair values, due to their  
short-term nature.

24. Financial assets and financial liabilities 
The Group’s financial instruments comprise cash and cash equivalents, short-term bank deposits, trade and other 
receivables, trade and other payables, contingent consideration and finance lease liabilities. Additional disclosures are 
set out in the accounting policies relating to financial and capital risk management (note 2). 

The Group had the following financial instruments at 31 December each year:

2019  
£m

14.6 
27.0 
41.6 

2019  
£m

39.6 
109.9 
– 

1.1 
2.1 
152.7 

2018  
£m

8.1 
40.7 

48.8 

2018  
£m

28.7 
–
80.3

61.6 
–

170.6 

Financial assets

Financial assets at amortised cost
  Trade and other receivables
  Cash and cash equivalents

Financial liabilities

Financial liabilities at amortised cost
  Trade and other payables
  Borrowings
  Non-contingent consideration
Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss
  Contingent consideration
Lease liabilities

132 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Company had the following financial instruments at 31 December each year:

Financial assets

Financial assets at amortised cost
  Cash and cash equivalents
  Other receivables 
  Receivables from subsidiary undertakings

Liabilities

Financial liabilities at amortised cost
  Trade and other payables
  Payables to subsidiary undertakings

2019  
£m

0.1 
– 
35.1
35.2

2019  
£m

0.1 
7.6 
7.7 

2018  
£m

0.1
0.9
281.7

282.7

2018  
£m

0.6 
5.5 

6.1

Cash balances comprise floating rate instant access deposits earning interest at prevailing bank rates.

In accordance with IFRS 9 the Group has reviewed all contracts for embedded derivatives that are required  
to be separately accounted for if they do not meet certain requirements set out in the standard. There were  
no such derivatives identified at 31 December 2019 or 31 December 2018.

Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss
The Group designates contingent consideration payable as fair value through profit or loss. The movement in the year 
is as follows:

Contingent consideration

At 1 January
Additional consideration payable on acquisition of LungFit™ PH
Unwinding of discount
Change in fair value
Settlement of consideration
Foreign exchange movement

At 31 December

2019  
£m

61.6 
36.8
11.6
(93.4)
(15.8)
0.3 
1.1 

2018  
£m

33.6 
– 
23.9 
1.3 
– 
2.8 

61.6 

The contingent consideration is made up of £1.1 million relating to  Tudorza® (2018: £17.5 million) and £nil relating 
to Duaklir® (2018: £44.1 million). 
On 21 June 2019, Circassia settled £15.8 million ($20 million) payable to AstraZeneca under the agreement signed in 
2017. This was offset by a loan from AstraZeneca. See note 25.

Fair value 
The directors consider that the fair values of the Group’s financial instruments do not differ significantly from their 
book values except as described below.

Contingent consideration is remeasured to fair value, calculated using a discounted cash flow approach. The valuation 
methodology uses significant inputs which are not based on observable market data (unobservable inputs), therefore 
this valuation technique is classified as level 3 in the fair value hierarchy. 

133 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements, continued 

25. Borrowings
In June 2019, the Group entered into a loan facility with AstraZeneca to finance consideration payable under  
the collaboration agreement. 

The following amounts were drawn down during the financial year: 
–   £3.8 million ($5 million) 
21 June 2019  
–   £15.8 million ($20 million) 
21 June 2019  
7 August 2019  
£82.3 million ($100 million) 
– 
1 October 2019   –   £14.9 million ($18.3 million) 

The loan is a variable rate, United States dollar denominated loan, which is carried at amortised cost. It impacts  
the Group’s exposure to cash flow interest rate risk and foreign exchange risk.

The table below analyses the Group’s borrowings into relevant maturity groupings based on the remaining period  
at the balance sheet date to the contractual maturity date. As at 31 December, the contractual maturities of the 
Group’s non-derivative financial liabilities were as follows: 

Loans

Current 
£m

Non-current  
£m

– 

109.9 

2019
Total 
£m

109.9 

Current 
£m

–

Non-current  
£m

–

2018
Total 
£m

–

As at year end, the total balance of the loan consisted of £108.7 million (2018: £nil) principal loan amount and  
£1.2 million (2018: £nil) capitalised unpaid interest. On 27 May 2020, the  Tudorza® and Duaklir® licences were 
handed back to AstraZeneca and the loan was set off in its entirety.

26. Deferred taxation

As at 1 January 2018
Credit to the income statement

As at 31 December 2018

At 1 January 2019
Credit to the income statement

As at 31 December 2019

Deferred tax liabilities
Deferred tax assets

Total deferred tax position

Intangibles 
£m

24.1 
(13.2)

10.9 

10.9 
(1.6)

9.3 

The Group has the following unrecognised potential deferred tax assets as at 31 December:

Losses

Total unrecognised deferred tax asset

134 

Tax losses 
£m

(15.7)
(3.4)

(19.1)

(19.1)
(9.2)

(28.3)

2019  
£m

9.3 
(28.3)
(19.0)

2019  
£m

61.0 
61.0 

Net deferred  
tax liability 
£m

8.4 
(16.6)

(8.2)

(8.2)
(10.8)

(19.0)

2018  
£m

10.9 
(19.1)

(8.2)

2018  
£m

58.0 

58.0 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Swedish deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognised at a rate of 20.6% (2018: 20.6%).

UK deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognised at a rate of 17% (2018: 17%).

In the Spring Budget 2020, the Government announced that from 1 April 2020 the UK corporation tax rate would 
remain at 19% (rather than reducing to 17%, as previously enacted). This new law was substantively enacted on  
17 March 2020. As the proposal to keep the rate at 19% had not been substantively enacted at the balance sheet date, 
its effects are not included in these financial statements. However, it is likely that the overall effect of the change,  
had it been substantively enacted by the balance sheet date, would be to increase the unrecognised potential deferred 
tax asset by £3.3 million.

The effect of COVID-19 is uncertain and the impact has not been included in the deferred tax asset calculation this year. 
The impact will be included in future years, and if sales do not resume growth then this would give rise to an impairment.

27. Share based payments

Share options
Options have been awarded under the Circassia PSP Share Option Scheme (“the PSP Scheme”) and the Circassia 
Unapproved Share Option Scheme (“the Unapproved Scheme”). 

The share options outstanding can be summarised as follows:

PSP Scheme 1
Unapproved Scheme 2

2019  
Number of  
ordinary shares  
(‘000)

2018  
Number of  
ordinary shares  
(‘000)

19,849
187
20,036

10,671
187

10,858

The contractual life of all options is 10 years and the options cannot normally be exercised before the third 
anniversary of the date of grant. 
1  Options granted under the PSP Scheme have a fixed exercise price and are subject to additional vesting performance conditions. The exercise price of options granted under the 2014 PSP scheme is £nil and 
all subsequent PSP scheme awards have an exercise price of £0.0008. The performance conditions for awards made before 2019 state that a proportion of an award shall vest subject to the Company Total 
Shareholder Return (TSR) ranking against the Comparator Index TSR and the remaining shall vest subject to the meeting of certain strategic Company objectives. Options typically vest over a period of 3 years.
2 Options granted under the Unapproved Scheme also have a fixed exercise price based on the market price at the date of grant. 

The movement in share options outstanding is summarised in the following table: 

2019  
Number of options  
‘000

2019  
Weighted average 
exercise price  
per share option  
£

2018  
Number of options  
‘000

2018  
Weighted average 
exercise price  
per share option  
£

Outstanding at 1 January
Granted 
Forfeited/lapsed
Exercised 

Outstanding at 31 December
Vested and exercisable at 31 December

10,858 

13,721 
(4,374)
(169)
20,036 
739 

0.04 

0.0005
0.0008
0.0008
0.02 
0.61

9,042 

5,103 
(3,129)
(158)

10,858 
762 

0.05

0.0008
0.0007
0.0005

 0.04 
 0.59 

135 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements, continued 

Share options outstanding at the end of the year have the following expiry dates and exercise prices:

Scheme

PSP 2014
PSP 2015
PSP 2016
PSP 2017
PSP 2018
PSP 2019
Unapproved

Total

Grant year

2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2013 – 2014

Expiry year

2024
2025
2026
2027
2028
2029
2023 – 2024

Exercise price  
£

Share options  
2019  
‘000

Share options  
2019  
‘000

0
0.0008
0.0008
0.0008
0.0008
0.0008
2.416

150 
119 
284 
2,614 
3,894 
12,788 
187 

20,036 

284 
291 
2,510 
3,029 
4,557 
–
187 

10,858 

The weighted average remaining contractual life of share options outstanding at the end of the year was 9.0 years 
(2018: 8.4 years).

Options exercised in 2019 resulted in 169,418 (2018: 158,044) shares being issued at a weighted average price  
of £0.0008 (2018: £0.0005) each. 

Valuation models
The fair value of PSP share options granted during the year was determined using the Monte Carlo Simulation model 
and the Finnerty Model dependent on the vesting period. 

Monte Carlo Simulation
The following weighted average assumptions were used in the Monte Carlo Simulation model in calculating the fair 
values of the options granted during the year:

Exercise price
Share price
Expected volatility
Expected life
Expected dividends
Risk free interest rate

2019  
£m

£0.0008
£0.32
36%
3 years
0%
0.74%

2018  
£m

£0.0008
£0.90
35%
3 years
0%
0.89%

The Monte Carlo Simulation model has been used to value the portion of the awards which have a market performance 
vesting condition (Total Shareholder Return (TSR)). The model incorporates a discount factor reflecting this 
performance condition into the fair value of this portion of the award.

The weighted average fair value of options granted during the year determined using the Monte Carlo Simulation 
model at the grant date was £0.24 per option (2018: £0.90).

For the options valued using the Monte Carlo Simulation, expected volatility is measured by calculating the standard 
deviation of the natural logarithm of share price movements of comparable companies. This is a standard approach  
to calculating volatility. The risk free rate of return is the rate of interest obtainable from government securities  
as at the date of grant (i.e. Gilts in the UK) over the expected term (i.e. three years).

The Finnerty Model
For LTIP awards that are subject to an additional two-year post-vesting holding period, the Finnerty model  
(an at-market put option variant of the Black-Scholes model) has been used to determine a discount for  
the lack of marketability. 

136 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
The following weighted average assumptions were used in calculating the fair values of the options granted during the year:

Exercise price
Share price
Expected volatility
Expected life
Expected dividends
Risk free interest rate

2019 

£0.0008
£0.19
45%
5 years
0%
0.38%

This discount has only been applied to the shares that are subject to the sales restriction (i.e. post any permitted sales 
for tax/legal purposes and any lapses from failing to meet performance conditions). 

The weighted average fair value of options granted during the year determined using the Finnerty Model at the grant 
date was £0.18 per option (2018: nil).

Deferred shares
During the year the Group awarded 412,706 (2018: 251,377) deferred shares to Executive Directors as part of a 
deferred bonus for 2018. The shares are held by the Circassia Pharmaceuticals plc Employee Benefit Trust (the “Trust”) 
until the third anniversary of the grant date when they will transfer to the Executive Directors so long as they are still 
an officer or employee of the Group.

Income statement
See note 5 for the total expense recognised in the income statement in respect of the above equity settled instruments 
granted to directors and employees. 

28. Share capital

Authorised, called up and fully paid

375,199,334 (2018: 357,286,434) ordinary shares of 0.08p each

Movements in ordinary shares

As at 1 January 2019
Share issue to BeyondAir
Share issue to Numis Securities
Employee share scheme issues

As at 31 December 2019

29. Share premium

Group and Company

At 1 January
Issue of new shares
Transaction costs arising on share issues

At 31 December

2019  
£m

0.3

Number  
of shares

357,286,434
17,572,815 
177,405 
162,680 

375,199,334 

2019  
£m

622.5 
8.0 
(0.1)
630.4 

2018  
£m

0.3

Par value 
£m

0.3 
– 
– 
– 

0.3 

2018  
£m

602.2 
20.4 
(0.1)

622.5 

137 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
Notes to the financial statements, continued 

30. Accumulated losses

At 1 January 
Change in accounting policy 

Restated at 1 January
Loss for the year 

At 31 December 

31. Other reserves

Group

At 1 January 2018
Employee share option scheme
Currency translation differences

At 31 December 2018
Employee share option scheme
Reclassification of treasury shares
Currency translation differences

At 31 December 2019

Company

At 1 January 2018
Employee share option scheme

At 31 December 2018
Employee share option scheme
Reclassification of acquisition of own shares

At 31 December 2019

Nature and purpose of other reserves
Share option reserve
The share option reserve is used to recognise:

2019 
£m

(512.0)
(0.3)

(512.3)
(48.3)
(560.6)

Group
2018 
£m

(394.9)
– 

(394.9)
(117.1)

(512.0)

2019 
£m

(289.9)
– 

(289.9)
(268.8)
(558.7)

Company
2018 
£m

1.9 
– 

1.9 
(291.8)

(289.9)

Share option  
reserve 
£m

Translation  
reserve 
£m

Treasury shares  
reserve 
£m

Transactions  
with non-controlling 
interests 
£m

Total other  
reserves 
£m

8.9 
2.7 
–

11.6 
1.4 
– 
–

13.0 

15.1 
–
(4.8)

10.3 
–
– 
(1.6)

8.7 

(0.7)
–
–

(0.7)
–
(0.2)
–

(0.9)

(6.1)
–
–

(6.1)
–
– 
–

(6.1)

17.2 
2.7 
(4.8)

15.1 
1.4 
(0.2)
(1.6)

14.7 

Share option  
reserve 
£m

Own shares  
reserve 
£m

Total other  
reserves 
£m

8.6
2.7

11.3
1.4 
– 

12.7 

– 
– 

– 
– 
(0.9)

(0.9)

8.6 
2.7 

11.3 
1.4 
(0.9)

11.8 

— the grant date fair value of options issued to employees but not exercised;

— the grant date fair value of shares issued to employees;

— the grant date fair value of deferred shares granted to employees but not yet vested; and

— the issue of shares held by the Circassia Pharmaceuticals plc Employee Benefit Trust (the “Trust”) to employees.

Translation reserve
Exchange differences arising on translation of the foreign controlled entity are recognised in other comprehensive income 
and accumulated in a separate reserve within equity. The cumulative amount is reclassified to profit or loss when the net 
investment is disposed of.

138 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
Transactions with non-controlling interests
This reserve is used to record the differences which arise as a result of transactions with non-controlling interests that do 
not result in a loss of control.

Treasury shares reserve/own shares reserve
This reserve arose when the Parent Company purchased own shares through the Circassia Pharmaceuticals plc Employee 
Benefit Trust (the “Trust”) to satisfy the issue of shares to employees under the Deferred Bonus Share Plan (DBSP) and the 
Performance Share Plan (PSP) in relation to 2014.

In the previous year, these shares were classified as a loan from the Trust in Circassia Limited, however during the year it came 
to light that these shares had been gifted to the Trust and therefore recognised as an own shares reserve in the Parent Company.

The details of shares purchased by the Trust are as follows:

Scheme

DSBP 2014
DSBP 2015
DSBP 2017

Total

Number of shares

110,845
156,036
251,377

518,258 

Nominal value  
of shares 
£

Amount of 
consideration paid 
£m

0.0008 
0.0008
0.0008

0.0008

0.3 
0.4
0.2

0.9 

32. Cash (used in)/generated from operations
Reconciliation of loss before tax to net cash used in operations

Notes

 10

8

8

14

17

16

17

18

19

7

7

7

5

Loss from continuing operations before tax
Loss from discontinued operations before tax

Loss before tax
Adjustments for:
Finance income
Finance costs
Depreciation charge of property, plant and equipment
Depreciation charge of right-of-use assets
Amortisation 
Goodwill impairment 
Intangible assets impairment 
Profit on sale of fixed assets
Impairment of investments 
Share of loss of joint venture
Fair value (gain)/loss on contingent royalty consideration
Fair value (gain)/loss on LungFit™ PH contingent liability
Change in fair value of deferred consideration
Share based payment charge
Foreign exchange on non-operating cash flows
Changes in working capital:
(Increase)/decrease in trade and other receivables 
Increase in credit loss provision
Increase in inventories
Increase/(decrease) in trade and other payables 

Cash (used in)/generated from operations 

2019 
£m

(59.1)
– 

(59.1)

(0.2)
18.8 
0.3 
0.5 
14.4 
4.1 
86.1 
– 
– 
– 
(77.5)
(15.9)
– 
1.4 
(0.5)

(7.1)
– 
(2.7)
8.5 
(28.9)

Group
2018 
£m

(55.8)
(78.8)

(134.6)

(0.3)
12.0 
0.6 
–
3.8 
4.4 
70.6 
(0.1)
– 
0.1 
1.1 
– 
(5.4)
2.7 
6.7 

10.9 
0.1 
(0.1)
(23.8)

(51.3)

2019 
£m

(268.8)
– 

(268.8)

(6.5)
–
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
12.5 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
–

–
256.4 
– 
(0.3)
(6.7)

Company
2018 
£m

(291.8)
– 

(291.8)

(0.2)
(4.6)
– 
–
– 
– 
– 
– 
210.3 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
6.2 

(0.1) 
91.4 
– 
0.5 

11.7 

139 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements, continued 

In the statement of cash flows, proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment comprise:

Net book amount (note 14)
Profit on disposal of property, plant and equipment

Proceeds from disposal of property, plant and equipment

Non-cash investing and financing activities disclosed in other notes are:

— Acquisition of right-of-use assets – note 15
— Acquisition of LungFit™ PH licence through the issue of shares – note 28

2019  
£m

– 
– 
– 

2018  
£m

0.4
0.1

0.5

33. Contingent liabilities and assets
At the end of 2019, BeyondAir issued a notice stating that it had terminated its Licensing Agreement for LungFit™PH 
with Circassia for material breach. Circassia strongly refutes BeyondAir’s allegations and believes there are no grounds 
for termination. Circassia intends to assert claims in accord with the dispute resolution provisions of the License 
Agreement to recover its economic losses as a result of BeyondAir’s actions, including amounts paid to BeyondAir under 
the Agreement and loss of future economic benefits that would have accrued to Circassia but for BeyondAir’s actions. 

There were no contingent liabilities at 31 December 2019 or at 31 December 2018.

34. Operating lease commitments
The Group leases various offices, warehouses and vehicles under non-cancellable operating leases expiring within 
one year to over five years. The total of future minimum lease payments payable under the Group’s non-cancellable 
operating leases for each of the following periods is as follows:

Within one year
Later than one year but not later than five years
Later than five years

2019  
£m

–
–
–

2018  
£m

1.2
1.4
1.1

From 1 January 2019, the group has recognised right-of-use assets for these leases, except for short-term and  
low-value leases which are classified as operating leases. See note 15. 

The total of future minimum sublease payments expected to be received for the Chicago property no longer  
utilised by the Group is £1.0 million (2018: £1.3 million).

35. Commitments
There were no capital commitments as at 31 December 2019 or at 31 December 2018.

140 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
36. Related party transactions

Group
There is no ultimate controlling party of the Group as ownership is split between the Company’s shareholders.  
The most significant shareholders as at 31 December are as follows: 

 Name

Griffiths R I
AstraZeneca PLC
Invesco Asset Management
Harwood Capital LLP
Lombard Odier Asset Management Europe

Ownership interest
2018  
£m

2019  
£m

27.30%
18.94%
13.65%
8.00%
5.14%

0.00%
19.89%
24.11%
0.00%
0.00%

There were no transactions with related parties during the years ended 31 December 2019 and 2018.

Company
The following transactions with subsidiaries occurred in the year:

Rendering of services to Circassia Limited1
Settlement of liabilities on behalf of the subsidiaries
Net transfer of funds to subsidiaries

1 Remuneration costs (excluding share option charges) relating to the Executive Directors of Circassia Group plc in respect of services rendered to Circassia Limited.

Balances due from subsidiary companies 
Balances due to subsidiary companies

2019  
£m

1.2 
– 
6.1 
7.3

2019  
£m

35.1 
(7.6)

2018  
£m

1.2 
(2.5)
89.2 

87.9 

2018  
£m

281.7 
(5.5)

The amounts due are unsecured and have no fixed date of repayment. Interest is charged at a rate of LIBOR + 4%.

Employee benefit trust
In 2014 the Company set up an employee benefit trust for the purposes of buying and selling shares on the employees 
behalf. Nothing was paid into the Trust by the Company during the year ended 31 December 2019 (2018: £198,293). 

No shares were purchased by the Trust during the year ended 31 December 2019 (2018: 251,377). As at 31 December 
2019 a cash balance of £4,586 (2018: £4,658) was held by the Trust.

37. Events occurring after the reporting date
On 9 April 2020, it was announced that the development and commercialisation agreement between Circassia and 
AstraZeneca was terminating. On the completion date of 27 May 2020, AstraZeneca acquired the U.S. commercial 
rights to  Tudorza® and Duaklir® together with certain ancillary rights and assets, from Circassia the consideration  
for which was equal to, and satisfied by way of set-off against, the entirety of the loan amount outstanding from the 
Company to AstraZeneca, together with accrued interest owed by the Company to AstraZeneca. 

On 30 April 2020, a special resolution was passed to approve the change of the Company’s name and with effect from 
1 May 2020, the name of the Company was changed from Circassia Pharmaceuticals plc to Circassia Group plc.

141 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements, continued 

38. Change in accounting policy
This note explains the impact of the adoption of IFRS 16 Leases on the Group’s financial statements and discloses  
the new accounting policies that have been applied from 1 January 2019 in note 1. 

The Group has adopted IFRS 16 retrospectively from 1 January 2019 but has not restated comparatives for the 2018 
reporting period, as permitted under the specific transitional provisions in the standard. The reclassifications and the 
adjustments arising from the new leasing rules are therefore recognised in the opening balance sheet on 1 January 2019. 

(a) Adjustments recognised on adoption of IFRS 16 
On adoption of IFRS 16, the group recognised lease liabilities in relation to leases which had previously been classified 
as ‘operating leases’ under the principles of IAS 17 Leases. These liabilities were measured at the present value of the 
remaining lease payments, discounted using the lessee’s incremental borrowing rate as of 1 January 2019. The weighted 
average lessee’s incremental borrowing rate applied to the lease liabilities on 1 January 2019 was 3.5%. 

Operating lease commitments disclosed as at 31 December 2018 
Discounted using the lessee’s incremental borrowing rate of at the date of initial application

Less: low-value leases recognised on a straight-line basis as expense 
Less: adjustments relating to changes in the index or rate affecting variable payments 

Lease liability recognised as at 1 January 2019 
Of which are: 
Current lease liabilities 
Non-current lease liabilities 

1 January 2019  
£m

3.7 
3.1 

(0.2)
(0.4)
2.5 

0.6
1.9
2.5

The associated right-of-use assets for property leases were measured on a retrospective basis as if the new rules  
had always been applied. Other right-of use assets were measured at the amount equal to the lease liability, adjusted  
by the amount of any prepaid or accrued lease payments relating to that lease recognised in the balance sheet as at  
31 December 2018. There were no onerous lease contracts that would have required an adjustment to the right-of-use 
assets at the date of initial application. 

142 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
The recognised right-of-use assets relate to the following types of assets:

Motor vehicles
Leasehold assets

Total right-of-use assets

1 January 2019  
£m

0.1
2.3
2.4

The change in accounting policy affected the following items in the balance sheet on 1 January 2019:

— right-of-use assets – increase by £2.4 million 

— prepayments – decrease by £0.1 million 

— finance lease liabilities – increase by £2.5 million

The net impact on accumulated losses on 1 January 2019 was an increase of £0.3 million. 

Practical expedients applied 
In applying IFRS 16 for the first time, the Group has used the following practical expedients permitted  
by the standard: 

— the use of a single discount rate to a portfolio of leases with reasonably similar characteristics 

— reliance on previous assessments on whether leases are onerous 

—  the accounting for operating leases with a remaining lease term of less than 12 months as at 1 January 2019  

as short-term leases, and

— the use of hindsight in determining the lease term where the contract contains options to extend or terminate the lease. 

The Group has also elected not to reassess whether a contract is or contains a lease at the date of initial application. 
Instead, for contracts entered into before the transition date the group relied on its assessment made applying  
IAS 17 and IFRIC 4 Determining whether an Arrangement contains a Lease. 

143 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
Reconciliation of alternative performance measures

The costs presented in the strategic report exclude depreciation and amortisation in order to aid comparison with the 
previous financial year. As these are alternative performance measures, a reconciliation has been provided below:

Expenditure per the statement of comprehensive income
Depreciation
Amortisation
Key performance indicator

2019 underlying 
continuing operations

2018 underlying 
continuing operations

(19.1)
0.1 
12.6 
(6.4)

(10.8)
0.2 
2.0 
(8.6)

2019 underlying 
continuing operations

2018 underlying 
continuing operations

Research and development

2019 total

(109.5)
0.1 
12.6 
(96.8)

2018 total

(89.4)
0.2 
2.0 
(87.2)

Administrative expenditure

2019 total

2018 total

Expenditure per the statement of comprehensive income
Depreciation
Amortisation
Key performance indicator

(12.6)
0.7 
– 
(11.9)

(11.4)
0.3 
– 
(11.1)

(13.7)
0.7 
– 
(13.0)

(11.8)
0.3 
– 
(11.5)

2019 underlying 
continuing operations

2018 underlying 
continuing operations

2019 total

2018 total

Sales and marketing

(57.5)
– 
1.8 
(55.7)

2019 total

(134.5)
0.8 
14.4 
(119.3)

(57.3)
– 
1.9 
(55.4)

EBITDA

2018 total

(119.1)
0.5 
3.9 
(114.7)

Expenditure per the statement of comprehensive income
Depreciation
Amortisation
Key performance indicator

(57.5)
– 
1.8 
(55.7)

(54.4)
– 
1.9 
(52.5)

2019 underlying 
continuing operations

2018 underlying 
continuing operations

(43.0)
0.8 
14.4 
(27.8)

(37.2)
0.5 
3.9 
(32.8)

Operating loss
Depreciation
Amortisation
EBITDA

144 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Additionally, sales are presented in the strategic report at a constant exchange rate to mitigate the exchange rate 
fluctuations. As these are alternative performance measures, a reconciliation has been provided below to statutory 
revenues:

2019

2018

Impact of 
foreign  
exchange 
movements

Underlying 
revenue  
at constant 
exchange rate

Statutory 
revenue

Impact of  
foreign  
exchange 
movements

Underlying 
revenue  
at constant 
exchange rate

Statutory  
revenue

Statutory  
revenue  
percentage 
movement

Underlying 
revenue at 
constant exchange 
rate percentage 
movement

8.7 
1.6 
2.2 
0.1 
6.6 
11.4 
30.6 

3.5 
0.5 
34.6 
27.0 
0.8 
62.4 

–
–
–
–
–
–
–

–
–
–
–
–
–

8.7 
1.6 
2.2 
0.1 
6.6 
11.4 
30.6 

3.5 
0.5 
34.6 
27.0 
0.8 
62.4 

7.2 
1.3 
2.1 
0.1 
3.0 
9.7 

23.4 
3.7 
0.3 

27.4 
20.9 
– 

48.3 

0.4 
– 
– 
– 
(0.2)
(0.3)

(0.1)
– 
– 

(0.1)
0.6 
– 

0.5 

7.6 
1.3 
2.1 
0.1 
2.8 
9.4 

23.3 
3.7 
0.3 

27.3 
21.5 
– 

48.8 

21%
23% 
5% 
(70%)
120% 
18% 

31% 
(5%)
67% 

26% 
29% 
100% 

29% 

14%
23% 
5% 
(37%)
136% 
21% 

31% 
(5%)
67% 

27% 
26% 
100% 

28% 

US
UK
Germany
Italy
China
Partner markets

Total clinical
Global research
Other revenues
Total NIOX®
Tudorza®
Duaklir®
Total sales

145 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019 
 
Advisors and contact details

Financial calendar
—  Annual General Meeting:  

23 July 2020

—  Interim results for the six months 
ending 30 June 2020: Q3 2020

Registrars
All administrative enquiries relating 
to shareholdings and requests to 
receive corporate documents by email 
should, in the first instance, be directed 
to Equiniti. Shareview is Equiniti’s 
shareholder portal offering access 
to services and information to help 
manage your shareholdings and inform 
your important investment decisions.

Shareview Portfolio
Shareview Portfolio is an online 
portfolio management tool which 
enables you to view and manage all  
the shareholdings you have, where 
Equiniti is the Registrar, in one place.  
It is free to use and provides access  
to a wide range of market information 
and investment services. Please visit  
www.shareview.co.uk

This is not a recommendation  
to buy or sell shares. The price  
of shares can go down as well  
as up, and you are not guaranteed  
to get back the amount that you 
originally invested.

Addresses for correspondence
Head office
Circassia Group plc 
Northbrook House 
Robert Robinson Avenue 
The Oxford Science Park 
Oxford OX4 4GA 
United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)1865 405560 
Fax: +44 (0)7092 987560

General enquiries: info@circassia.com 
Investors: IR@circassia.com 
Website: www.circassia.com

Registered office
The Magdalen Centre 
Robert Robinson Avenue 
Oxford Science Park 
Oxfordshire 
England 
OX4 4GA

Registrars
Equiniti Limited 
Aspect House 
Spencer Road 
Lancing 
West Sussex BN99 6DA 
United Kingdom

Shareholder support: 0371 384 2030 
Calls to this number are charged at 8p 
per minute plus network extras. 
Lines are open 8:30am to 5:30pm 
Monday to Friday.

Bankers
HSBC Bank plc 
Apex Plaza 
Reading 
RG1 1AX

Independent auditors
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 
Chartered Accountants  
and Statutory Auditors 
1 Embankment Place 
London 
WC2N 6RH

146 

Circassia Group plc  |  Annual Report and Accounts 2019Forward-looking statements
This annual report contains certain projections and other 
forward-looking statements with respect to the financial 
condition, results of operations, businesses and prospects of 
Circassia. The use of terms such as “may”, “will”, “should”, 
“expect”, “anticipate”, “project”, “estimate”, “intend”, 
“continue”, “target” or “believe” and similar expressions 
(or the negatives thereof) are generally intended to 
identify forward-looking statements. These statements 
are based on current expectations and involve risk and 
uncertainty because they relate to events and depend upon 
circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. 
There are a number of factors that could cause actual results 
or developments to differ materially from those expressed 
or implied by these forward-looking statements. Any of the 
assumptions underlying these forward-looking statements 
could prove inaccurate or incorrect and therefore any 
results contemplated in the forward-looking statements 
may not actually be achieved. Nothing contained in this 
document should be construed as a profit forecast or profit 
estimate. Investors or other recipients are cautioned not to 
place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements 
contained herein. Circassia undertakes no obligation to 
update or revise (publicly or otherwise) any forward-
looking statement, whether as a result of new information, 
future events or other circumstances.

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Circassia Group plc
Northbrook House
Robert Robinson Avenue
The Oxford Science Park
Oxford OX4 4GA
United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)1865 405560
www.circassia.com