Shares ALPHA COGNITION INC. COMMON SHARES, NO PAR VALUE

Exhibit 1.1

 

[_________] Shares

 

ALPHA COGNITION INC.

 

COMMON SHARES, NO PAR VALUE

 

 

Underwriting Agreement

 

[DATE]

 

Titan Partners Group LLC,

a division of American Capital Partners, LLC

 

As the Representative of the several Underwriters listed in Schedule A hereto

 

c/o Titan Partners Group LLC,

a division of American Capital Partners, LLC

▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

New York, NY 10007

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Alpha Cognition Inc., a corporation formed under the laws of the Province of British Columbia, Canada (the “Company”), confirms its agreement with Titan Partners Group LLC, a division of American Capital Partners, LLC (“Titan Partners”) and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters,” which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section  10 hereof), for which Titan Partners acting as representative (in such capacity, the “Representative”), with respect to (i) the sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective numbers of common shares, no par value, of the Company (“Common Stock”) and/or pre-funded warrants (“Pre-Funded Warrants”) to purchase one share of Common Stock at an exercise price of $0.001 per share until such time as the Pre-Funded Warrant is exercised in full and subject to adjustment as set forth therein, in each case as set forth in Schedule A hereto and (ii) the grant by the Company to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of [●] additional shares of Common Stock and/or Pre-Funded Warrants in lieu thereof. The aforesaid [●] shares of Common Stock and/or Pre-Funded Warrants in lieu thereof (the “Closing Securities”) to be purchased by the Underwriters and all or any part of the [●] shares of Common Stock and/or Pre-Funded Warrants in lieu thereof subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the “Option Securities”) are herein called, collectively, the “Securities.”

 

The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Representative deems advisable after this Underwriting Agreement (this “Agreement”) has been executed and delivered.

 

 

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-280196), covering the public offering and sale of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”) and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder (the “1933 Act Regulations”). Such registration statement, as of any time, means such registration statement, as amended, on file with the Commission at the time the registration statement became effective (including the preliminary prospectus included in the registration statement, financial statements, schedules, exhibits and all other documents filed as a part thereof or incorporated therein and all information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A of the 1933 Act Regulations (the “Rule 430A Information”)), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement.” and is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement.” Any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities is herein called the “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement” and, after such filing, the term “Registration Statement” shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. Each preliminary prospectus used in connection with the offering of the Securities (including any preliminary prospectus that omitted the 430A Information and used after effectiveness and prior to the executive and delivery of this agreement) are collectively referred to herein as a “preliminary prospectus.” The preliminary prospectus, subject to completion, dated October [__], 2024, that was included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the Applicable Time is hereinafter called the “Pricing Prospectus.” Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a final prospectus relating to the Securities in accordance with the provisions of Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 424(b)”). The final prospectus, in the form first furnished or made available to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Securities, are collectively referred to herein as the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (or any successor system)(“▇▇▇▇▇”).

 

As used in this Agreement:

 

“Applicable Time” means [__:00 [P./A.]M.], New York City time, on [●], 2024 or such other time as agreed by the Company and the Representative.

 

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including without limitation any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 405”)) relating to the Shares that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show for an offering that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Shares or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

 

“Pricing Disclosure Package” means the Pricing Prospectus and the information included on Schedule B-1 hereto, all considered together.

 

“Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the 1933 Act.

 

“Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the 1933 Act.

 

 

All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” (or other references of like import) in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include all such financial statements and schedules and other information incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing of any document under, incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, at or after the execution and delivery of this Agreement.

 

SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time, the Closing Time (as defined below) and any Date of Delivery (as defined below), and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:

 

(a) Registration Statement and Prospectuses. Each of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto has become effective under the 1933 Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued by the Commission under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued by the Commission and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted by the Commission or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated by the Commission. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.

 

Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of its effectiveness, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations. Each preliminary prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering and the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to ▇▇▇▇▇, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

The Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus, and the filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus with the Commission have been duly authorized by and on behalf of the Company, and the Registration Statement has been duly executed pursuant to such authorization.

 

(b) Accurate Disclosure. Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. As of the Applicable Time, neither (A) the Pricing Disclosure Package, nor (B) any individual Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, when considered together with the Pricing Disclosure Package, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Time or at any Date of Delivery, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto, including any prospectus wrapper) made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use therein. For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished shall be the names of the Underwriters and the information in the first paragraph under the caption “Discounts, Commissions and Expenses,” and the statements under the captions “Passive Market Making,” “Price Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids” and “Electronic Distribution” in each case contained in the “Underwriting” section of the Prospectus (collectively, the “Underwriter Information”).

 

 

(c) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, prepare, use or refer to, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. No filing of any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433(h)) is required in connection with the offering of the Shares.

 

(d) Testing-the-Waters Materials. The Company (A) has not engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication and (B) has not authorized anyone other than the Representative to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representative has been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications.

 

(e) Company an Ineligible Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, the Company is an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405.

 

(f) Emerging Growth Company Status. From the time of the initial filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly or through any individual or entity authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communication) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the 1933 Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”).

 

(g) Independent Accountants. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, the accounting firm that certified the financial statements and supporting schedules of the Company that are included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “1934 Act Regulations”) and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).

 

(h) SEC Reports. The Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by the Company under the 1934 Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the twelve months preceding the date hereof (or such shorter period as the Company was required by law or regulation to file such material) (the foregoing materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, the “SEC Reports”) on a timely basis or has received a valid extension of such time of filing and has filed any such SEC Reports prior to the expiration of any such extension. As of their respective dates, the SEC Reports complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act, as applicable, and none of the SEC Reports, when filed, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

 

(i) Financial Statements; Non-GAAP Financial Measures. The financial statements (including the related notes thereto) of the Company included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, comply as to form in all material respects with Regulation S-X under the 1933 Act and present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries (as defined below) at the dates indicated and the statement of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, except in the case of unaudited interim financial statements, which are subject to normal year-end adjustments and do not contain certain footnotes as permitted by the applicable rules of the Commission, and any supporting schedules, if any, present fairly, in all material respects, the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information, if any, and other financial data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and present fairly, in all material respects, the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G of the 1934 Act, and Item 10 of Regulation S-K, to the extent applicable. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

 

(j) Compliance with the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act of 2002. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any applicable provision of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, with which the Company is required to comply, including Section 402 related to loans.

 

(k) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Except as otherwise stated therein, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any change in the capital stock (other than the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of stock options and warrants described as outstanding in, and the grant of options and awards under the Company’s existing stock-based compensation plans (the “Company Stock Plans”) described in, and the issuance of any stock upon the conversion of Company securities described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and the repurchase or retirement of shares of capital stock pursuant to agreements providing for an option to repurchase or a right of first refusal on behalf of the Company pursuant to the Company’s repurchase rights), any change in short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company, or any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of capital stock, or any material adverse change, or any development that would reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”); (ii) the Company has not entered into any transaction or agreement (whether or not in the ordinary course of business) that is material to the Company or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company; (iii) the Company has not sustained any loss or interference with its business that is material to the Company and that is either from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and (iv) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.

 

 

(l) Litigation. There is no action, suit, inquiry, notice of violation, proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties before or by any court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory authority (federal, state, county, local or foreign) (collectively, an “Legal Action”) which (i) adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement or the Securities or (ii) could, if there were an unfavorable decision, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director or officer thereof, is or has been the subject of any Legal Action involving a claim of violation of or liability under federal or state securities laws or a claim of breach of fiduciary duty. There has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the Commission involving the Company or any current or former director or officer of the Company. The Commission has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company or any Subsidiary under the 1934 Act or the 1933 Act.

 

(m) Good Standing of the Company. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, and has all power and authority necessary to own or hold its properties and to conduct the business in which it is engaged, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Other than as disclosed in an exhibit to the SEC Reports as required by the 1933 Act Regulations or the 1934 Act Regulations, the Company does not have any direct or indirect subsidiaries and does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity.

 

(n) Good Standing of the Company’s Subsidiaries. Each subsidiary of the Company (each, a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly organized and is validly existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, has corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to be so qualified or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through Subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary. The only Subsidiaries of the Company are the entities listed on Exhibit 21 to the Registration Statement.

 

 

(o) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in the column entitled “Actual” under the caption “Capitalization” (except for subsequent issuances, if any, (A) pursuant to this Agreement, (B) pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (C) pursuant to the conversion of convertible securities or exercise of options referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus). The outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.

 

(p) Stock Options. Except where the failure to do so would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, with respect to the stock options (the “Stock Options”) granted pursuant to the Company Stock Plans, (i) each Stock Option intended to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), so qualifies, (ii) each grant of a Stock Option was duly authorized no later than the date on which the grant of such Stock Option was by its terms to be effective (the “Grant Date”) by all necessary corporate action, including, as applicable, approval by the board of directors of the Company (or a duly constituted and authorized committee thereof) and any required stockholder approval by the necessary number of votes or written consents, and, to the knowledge of the Company (other than with respect to the execution and delivery by the Company) the award agreement governing such grant (if any) was duly executed and delivered by each party thereto, (iii) each such grant was made, in all material respects, in accordance with the terms of the Company Stock Plans, the 1934 Act and all other applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements, including the rules of any exchange on which Company securities are traded, and (iv) each such grant was properly accounted for in accordance with GAAP in the financial statements (including the related notes) of the Company. Each Company Stock Plan is accurately described in all material respects in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no policy or practice of the Company of granting, Stock Options prior to, or otherwise coordinating the grant of Stock Options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its results of operations or prospects.

 

(q) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

(r) Authorization and Description of Securities. The Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, will be validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company. The Pre-Funded Warrants to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, will be validly issued and enforceable in accordance with their terms. The shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to the exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants (the “Warrant Shares”) have been duly authorized for issuance and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to the exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants against payment of the exercise price set forth therein, will be validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable. The issuance of the Securities and the Warrants Shares is not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company. The Common Stock and the Pre-Funded Warrants each conforms to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such description conforms to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same. No holder of Shares or Warrant Shares will be subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder.

 

 

(s) Registration Rights. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, to the extent that any person has the right to require the Company to register any securities for sale under the 1934 Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Shares, those rights have been waived as of the date of this Agreement with respect to such filing or issuance and sale of Shares pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(t) Absence of Violations, Defaults and Conflicts. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is (A) in violation of its charter, by-laws or similar organizational document, (B) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which either of them may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”), except for such defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) in violation of any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency having jurisdiction over the Company or its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, assets or operations (each, a “Governmental Entity”), except for such violations that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Shares and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described therein under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties or assets of the Company or its Subsidiaries pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or Repayment Events or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter, by-laws or similar organizational document of the Company or its Subsidiaries or any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any Governmental Entity. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or its Subsidiaries, provided that a Repayment Event shall not include the mandatory conversion of the Company’s senior convertible notes issued in September 2024 pursuant to their terms in connection with the consummation of the offering of the Securities.

 

(u) Pursuant to the 34 Act. The Company has filed with the Commission a Form 8-A (File Number 001-[______]) providing for the registration pursuant to Section 12(b) under the 1934 Act of the Common Shares. The registration of the Common Shares under the Exchange Act has been declared effective by the Commission on or prior to the date hereof. The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Shares under the 1934 Act, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration.

 

 

(v) Listing. The Common Shares have been approved for listing on the NASDAQ Capital Market, subject to notice of issuance.

 

(w) Absence of Labor Dispute. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or its Subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, which, in either case, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(x) Absence of Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any Governmental Entity (including, without limitation, any action, suit proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”), the European Medicines Agency (the “EMA”)), or any comparable regulatory authority in any jurisdiction now pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or its Subsidiaries, which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which would reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect their respective properties or assets or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any such Subsidiary is a party or of which any of their respective properties or assets is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(y) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been so described and filed as required.

 

(z) No Consents Required. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any Governmental Entity is necessary or required for the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance or sale of the Shares hereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as have been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, state securities laws or the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).

 

(aa) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Company and its Subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate Governmental Entities necessary to conduct the business now operated by them (including, without limitation, all such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations required by the FDA, the EMA, or any other federal, state, local or foreign agencies or bodies engaged in the regulation of clinical or preclinical studies, pharmaceuticals, biologics, biohazardous substances or activities related to the business now operated by the Company and its Subsidiaries), except where the failure so to possess would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has fulfilled and performed all of its material obligations with respect to the Governmental Licenses and, to the knowledge of the Company, no event has occurred which allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other material impairment of the rights of the Company as a holder of any permit, except where the failure to so fulfill or perform, or the occurrence of such event, would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. All of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except where the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Governmental Licenses which, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

(bb) Title to Property. The Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real property owned by them and good title to all other properties owned by them, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (A) are described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (B) do not, individually or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or its Subsidiaries; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or its Subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any Subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such Subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.

 

(cc) Title to Intellectual Property. The Company owns or has valid, binding and enforceable licenses or other rights under the patents, patent applications, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property necessary for, or used in the conduct, or the proposed conduct, of the business of the Company in the manner described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”); the patents, trademarks, and copyrights, if any, included within the Intellectual Property are valid, enforceable, and subsisting; other than as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (A) the Company is not obligated to pay a material royalty, grant a license to, or provide other material consideration to any third party in connection with the Intellectual Property, (B) the Company has not received any notice of any claim of infringement, misappropriation or conflict with any asserted rights of others with respect to any of the Company’s drug candidates, services, processes or Intellectual Property, (C) to the knowledge of the Company, neither the sale nor use of any of the discoveries, inventions, drug candidates, services or processes of the Company referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus do or will, to the knowledge of the Company, infringe, misappropriate or violate any right or valid patent claim of any third party, (D) none of the technology employed by the Company has been obtained or is being used by the Company in material violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, upon any of its officers, directors or employees or otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons, (E) to the knowledge of the Company, no third party has any ownership right in or to any Intellectual Property that is owned by the Company, other than any co-owner of any patent constituting Intellectual Property who is listed on the records of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (the “USPTO”) and any co-owner of any patent application constituting Intellectual Property who is named in such patent application, and, to the knowledge of the Company, no third party has any ownership right in or to any Intellectual Property in any field of use that is exclusively licensed to the Company, other than any licensor to the Company of such Intellectual Property, (F) there is no material infringement by third parties of any Intellectual Property, (G) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the Company’s rights in or to any Intellectual Property, and (H) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any Intellectual Property. The Company is in compliance with the terms of each agreement pursuant to which Intellectual Property has been licensed to the Company, and all such agreements are in full force and effect.

 

 

(dd) Patents and Patent Applications. All patents and patent applications owned by or licensed to the Company or under which the Company has rights have, to the knowledge of the Company, been duly and properly filed and maintained; to the knowledge of the Company, the parties prosecuting such patent applications have complied with their duty of candor and disclosure to the USPTO in connection with such applications; and the Company is not aware of any facts required to be disclosed to the USPTO that were not disclosed to the USPTO and which would preclude the grant of a patent in connection with any such application or would reasonably be expected to form the basis of a finding of invalidity with respect to any patents that have issued with respect to such applications. To the Company’s knowledge, all patents and patent applications owned by the Company and filed with the USPTO or any foreign or international patent authority (the “Company Patent Rights”) and all patents and patent applications in-licensed by the Company and filed with the USPTO or any foreign or international patent authority (the “In-licensed Patent Rights”) have been duly and properly filed; the Company believes it has complied with its duty of candor and disclosure to the USPTO for the Company Patent Rights and, to the Company’s knowledge, the licensors of the In-licensed Patent Rights have complied with their duty of candor and disclosure to the USPTO for the In-licensed Patent Rights.

 

(ee) FDA Compliance. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company: (A) is and at all times has been in material compliance with all statutes, rules or regulations of the FDA and other comparable Governmental Entities applicable to the ownership, testing, development, manufacture, packaging, processing, use, distribution, marketing, labeling, promotion, sale, offer for sale, storage, import, export or disposal of any product under development, manufactured or distributed by the Company (“Applicable Laws”); (B) has not received any FDA Form 483, notice of adverse finding, warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or notice from the FDA or any Governmental Authority alleging or asserting material noncompliance with any Applicable Laws or any licenses, certificates, approvals, clearances, exemptions, authorizations, permits and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Applicable Laws (“Authorizations”); (C) possesses all material Authorizations and such Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and the Company is not in material violation of any term of any such Authorizations; (D) has not received notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from the FDA or any Governmental Authority or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in material violation of any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and has no knowledge that the FDA or any Governmental Authority or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding; (E) has not received notice that the FDA or any Governmental Authority has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any material Authorizations and has no knowledge that the FDA or any Governmental Authority is considering such action; and (F) has filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were materially complete and correct on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission).

 

 

(ff) Tests and Preclinical and Clinical Trials. The studies, tests and preclinical and clinical trials conducted by or, to the Company’s knowledge, on behalf of the Company were and, if still ongoing, are being conducted in all material respects in accordance with experimental protocols, procedures and controls pursuant to accepted professional scientific standards and all Authorizations and Applicable Laws, including, without limitation, the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, “FFDCA”); the descriptions of the results of such studies, tests and trials contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are, to the Company’s knowledge, accurate and complete in all material respects and fairly present the data derived from such studies, tests and trials; except to the extent disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any studies, tests or trials, the results of which the Company believes reasonably call into question the study, test, or trial results described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus when viewed in the context in which such results are described and the clinical state of development; and, except to the extent disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, the Company has not received any notices or correspondence from the FDA or any Governmental Entity requiring the termination or suspension of any studies, tests or preclinical or clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of the Company, other than ordinary course communications with respect to modifications in connection with the design and implementation of such trials, copies of which communications have been made available to you.

 

(gg) Compliance with Health Care Laws. The Company has operated and currently is in compliance with all applicable health care laws, rules and regulations (except where such failure to operate or non-compliance would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect), including, without limitation, (i) the Federal, Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. §§ 301 et seq.); (ii) all applicable federal, state, local and all applicable foreign healthcare related fraud and abuse laws, including, without limitation, the federal Anti-kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b)), the U.S. Physician Payments Sunshine Act (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7h), the civil False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. §§ 3729 et seq.), the criminal False Claims Law (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(a)), all criminal laws relating to healthcare fraud and abuse, including but not limited to 18 U.S.C. Sections 286 and 287, the healthcare fraud criminal provisions under the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) (42 U.S.C. Section 1320d et seq.), the exclusion laws (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7), and the civil monetary penalties law (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7a); (iii) HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic Clinical Health Act (42 U.S.C. Section 17921 et seq.); (iv) the regulations promulgated pursuant to such laws; and (v) any other similar local, state, federal, or foreign laws (collectively, the “Health Care Laws”). Neither the Company, nor to the Company’s knowledge, any of its officers, directors, employees or agents have engaged in activities which are, as applicable, cause for false claims liability, civil penalties, or mandatory or permissive exclusion from Medicare, Medicaid, or any other state or federal healthcare program. The Company has not received written notice or other correspondence of any claim, action, suit, audit, survey, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action (“Action”) from any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in violation of any Health Care Laws, and, to the Company’s knowledge, no such claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action is threatened. The Company is not a party to and does not have any ongoing reporting obligations pursuant to any corporate integrity agreement, deferred prosecution agreement, monitoring agreement, consent decree, settlement order, plan of correction or similar agreement imposed by any governmental or regulatory authority. Additionally, neither the Company, nor to the Company’s knowledge, any of its employees, officers or directors, has been excluded, suspended or debarred from participation in any U.S. state or federal health care program or human clinical research or, to the knowledge of the Company, is subject to a governmental inquiry, investigation, proceeding, or other similar action that could reasonably be expected to result in debarment, suspension, or exclusion.

 

 

(hh) Environmental Laws. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the Company and its Subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, (C) there are no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company threatened, administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any Subsidiary and (D) there are no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or Governmental Entity, against or affecting the Company or any Subsidiary relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.

 

(ii) Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintains effective internal control over financial reporting (as defined under Rule 13-a15 and 15d-15 under the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1934 Act Regulations and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (E) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (1) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (2) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to materially adversely affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries maintain[s] an effective system of disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15 and Rule 15d-15 under the 1934 Act Regulations) that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.

 

 

(jj) Payment of Taxes. All income tax returns of the Company and its Subsidiaries required by law to be filed have been filed and all taxes shown by such returns or otherwise assessed, which are due and payable, have been paid, except assessments against which appeals have been or will be promptly taken and as to which adequate reserves have been provided in conformity with GAAP. The United States federal income tax returns of the Company through the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 have been settled and no assessment in connection therewith has been made against the Company. The Company and its Subsidiaries have filed all other tax returns that are required to have been filed by them pursuant to applicable foreign, state, local or other law except insofar as the failure to file such returns would not result in a Material Adverse Effect, and have paid all taxes due pursuant to such returns or pursuant to any assessment received by the Company and its Subsidiaries, except for such taxes, if any, as are being contested in good faith and as to which adequate reserves have been established by the Company. The charges, accruals and reserves on the books of the Company in respect of any income and corporation tax liability for any years not finally determined are, in conformity with GAAP, adequate to meet any assessments or re-assessments for additional income tax for any years not finally determined, except to the extent of any inadequacy that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(kk) Insurance. The Company and its Subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance, with financially sound and reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks as is generally maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar business, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. The Company has no reason to believe that it or its Subsidiaries will not be able (A) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (B) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither of the Company nor its Subsidiaries has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.

 

(ll) Investment Company Act. The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be required, to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).

 

(mm) Absence of Manipulation. Neither the Company nor any affiliate of the Company has taken, nor will the Company or any affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed, or would be expected, to cause or result in, or which constitutes, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or to result in a violation of Regulation M under the 1934 Act.

 

(nn) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company, its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or its Subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA and the Company has and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

 

 

(oo) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company or its Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(pp) OFAC. None of the Company, its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or representative of the Company or its Subsidiaries is an individual or entity (“Person”) currently the subject or target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States Government, including, without limitation, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions; and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the sale of the Shares, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, joint venture partners or other Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions.

 

(qq) Statistical and Market-Related Data. Any statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes, after reasonable inquiry, to be reliable and accurate and, to the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources.

 

(rr) Privacy and Data Protection. The Company and its Subsidiaries have operated their business in a manner compliant in all material respects with all United States federal, state, local and non-United States privacy, data security and data protection laws and regulations applicable to the Company’s collection, use, transfer, protection, disposal, disclosure, handling, storage and analysis of personal data. The Company and its Subsidiaries have been and are in compliance in all material respects with internal policies and procedures designed to ensure the integrity and security of the data collected, handled or stored in connection with its business; the Company and its Subsidiaries have been and are in compliance in all material respects with internal policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with the Health Care Laws that govern privacy and data security and take, and have taken reasonably appropriate steps designed to assure compliance with such policies and procedures. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable steps to maintain the confidentiality of its personally identifiable information, protected health information, consumer information and other confidential information of the Company, its Subsidiaries and any third parties in its possession (“Sensitive Company Data”). The tangible or digital information technology systems (including computers, screens, servers, workstations, routers, hubs, switches, networks, data communications lines, technical data and hardware), software and telecommunications systems used or held for use by the Company and its Subsidiaries (the “Company IT Assets”) are adequate and operational for, in accordance with their documentation and functional specifications, the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as now operated and as currently proposed to be conducted as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Company and its Subsidiaries have used reasonable efforts to establish, and have established, commercially reasonable disaster recovery and security plans, procedures and facilities for the business consistent with industry standards and practices in all material respects, including, without limitation, for the Company IT Assets and data held or used by or for the Company and its Subsidiaries. The Company and its Subsidiaries have not suffered or incurred any security breaches, compromises or incidents with respect to any Company IT Asset or Sensitive Company Data, except where such breaches, compromises or incidents would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; and there has been no unauthorized or illegal use of or access to any Company IT Asset or Sensitive Company Data by any unauthorized third party. The Company and its Subsidiaries have not been required to notify any individual of any information security breach, compromise or incident involving Sensitive Company Data.

 

 

(ss) No Broker Fees. Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with the offering of the Shares contemplated hereby.

 

(tt) Transactions With Affiliates and Employees. Except as set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package, none of the officers or directors of the Company or any Subsidiary and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the employees of the Company or any Subsidiary is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any Subsidiary (other than for services as employees, officers and directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, providing for the borrowing of money from or lending of money to or otherwise requiring payments to or from, any officer, director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any entity in which any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director, trustee, stockholder, member or partner, in each case in excess of $120,000 other than for (i) payment of salary or consulting fees for services rendered, (ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company and (iii) other employee benefits, including stock option agreements under any stock option plan of the Company.

 

(uu) Application of Takeover Protections. The Company and the Board of Directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or other similar anti-takeover provision under the Company’s certificate of incorporation (or similar charter documents) or the laws of its state of incorporation that is or could become applicable as a result of the Underwriters and the Company fulfilling their obligations or exercising their rights under this Agreement, and any other documents or agreements executed in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder.

 

(vv) No Integrated Offering. Neither the Company, nor any of its affiliates, nor any person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause this offering of the Shares to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of any applicable shareholder approval provisions of any trading market or exchange on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated.

 

(ww) Solvency. Based on the consolidated financial condition of the Company as of the Closing Time, after giving effect to the receipt by the Company of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares hereunder, (i) the fair saleable value of the Company’s assets exceeds the amount that will be required to be paid on or in respect of the Company’s existing debts and other liabilities (including known contingent liabilities) as they mature, (ii) the Company’s assets do not constitute unreasonably small capital to carry on its business as now conducted and as proposed to be conducted including its capital needs taking into account the particular capital requirements of the business conducted by the Company, consolidated and projected capital requirements and capital availability thereof, and (iii) the current cash flow of the Company, together with the proceeds the Company would receive, were it to liquidate all of its assets, after taking into account all anticipated uses of the cash, would be sufficient to pay all amounts on or in respect of its liabilities when such amounts are required to be paid. The Company does not intend to incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature (taking into account the timing and amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its debt). The Company has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances which lead it to believe that it will file for reorganization or liquidation under the bankruptcy or reorganization laws of any jurisdiction within one year from the Closing Time.

 

 

(xx) Stock Option Plans. Each stock option granted by the Company under the Company Stock Plans was granted (i) in accordance with the terms of the Company Stock Plan and (ii) with an exercise price at least equal to the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date such stock option would be considered granted under GAAP and applicable law. No stock option granted under the Company Stock Plan has been backdated. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no Company policy or practice to knowingly grant, stock options prior to, or otherwise knowingly coordinate the grant of stock options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its Subsidiaries or their financial results or prospects.

 

(yy) U.S. Real Property Holding Corporation. The Company is not and has never been a U.S. real property holding corporation within the meaning of Section 897 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the Company shall so certify upon the Representative’s request.

 

(zz) Bank Holding Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or affiliates is subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”) and to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or affiliates owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities or twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total equity of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or affiliates exercises a controlling influence over the management or policies of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve.

 

(aaa) D&O Questionnaires. To the Company’s knowledge, all information contained in the questionnaires completed by each of the Company’s directors and officers immediately prior to the offering of the Securities and in the Lock-up Agreements (as defined below) provided to the Underwriters is true and correct in all respects and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in such questionnaires become inaccurate and incorrect.

 

(bbb) FINRA Affiliation. No officer, director or any beneficial owner of 10% or more of the Company’s unregistered securities has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA) that is participating in the offering of the Securities. The Company will advise the Representative and Underwriters’ counsel if it learns that any officer, director or owner of 10% or more of (i) the Company’s outstanding shares of Common Stock or (ii) any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member firm.

 

(ccc) Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is comprised of the persons set forth under the heading of the Prospectus captioned “Management.” The qualifications of the persons serving as board members and the overall composition of the Board of Directors comply with the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder applicable to the Company and the rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC. At least one member of the Board of Directors qualifies as a “financial expert” as such term is defined under the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder and the rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC. In addition, at least a majority of the persons serving on the Board of Directors qualify as “independent” as defined under the rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC.

 

 

(ddd) Cybersecurity. (i)(x) There has been no security breach or other compromise of or relating to any of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data (including the data of its respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained by or on behalf of it), equipment or technology (collectively, “IT Systems and Data”) and (y) the Company and the Subsidiaries have not been notified of, and has no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any security breach or other compromise to its IT Systems and Data; (ii) the Company and the Subsidiaries are presently in compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) the Company and the Subsidiaries have implemented and maintained commercially reasonable safeguards to maintain and protect its material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and Data; and (iv) the Company and the Subsidiaries have implemented backup and disaster recovery technology consistent with industry standards and practices.

 

(eee) ERISA Compliance. The Company and its subsidiaries and any “employee benefit plan” (as defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, “ERISA”)) established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or their “ERISA Affiliates” (as defined below) are in compliance in all material respects with ERISA. “ERISA Affiliate” means, with respect to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, any member of any group of organizations described in Sections 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Code”) of which the Company or such subsidiary is a member. No “reportable event” (as defined under ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates. No “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates, if such “employee benefit plan” were terminated, would have any “amount of unfunded benefit liabilities” (as defined under ERISA). Neither the Company, its Subsidiaries nor any of their ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “employee benefit plan” or (ii) Sections 412, 4971, 4975 or 4980B of the Code. Each employee benefit plan established or maintained by the Company, its Subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.

 

Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and delivered to any Underwriter or to counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering, or the purchase and sale, of the Shares shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

 

The Company has a reasonable basis for making each of the representations set forth in this Section 1. The Company acknowledges that the Underwriters and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered pursuant to Section 5 hereof, counsel to the Company and counsel to the Underwriters, will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and hereby consents to such reliance.

 

 

SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.

 

(a) Closing Shares. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A, the respective number of Closing Securities as set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional number of Closing Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof, subject, in each case, to such adjustments among the Underwriters as the Representative in its sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional shares.

 

(b) Option Securities. In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional [●] shares of Common Stock and/or Pre-Funded Warrants in lieu thereof, at the price per share set forth in Schedule A, less an amount per security equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Closing Securities but not payable on the Option Securities. The option hereby granted may be exercised for 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part at any time from time to time upon notice by the Representative to the Company setting forth the number of Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (a “Date of Delivery”) shall be determined by the Representative, but any Date of Delivery after the Closing Time shall not be later than seven full business days nor earlier than two full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time. If the option is exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of the total number of Option Securities then being purchased which the number of Closing Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Closing Securities, subject, in each case, to such adjustments as the Representative in its sole discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases of fractional securities.

 

(c) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates or security entitlements for, the Closing Securities shall be made at the offices of Loeb & Loeb LLP, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, at 10:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the first (second, if the pricing occurs after 4:30 P.M. (New York City time) on any given day) business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”). Delivery of the Closing Securities at the Closing Time shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company, other than with respect to any Pre-Funded Warrants or unless the Representative shall otherwise instruct.

 

In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates or security entitlements for, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, on each Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from the Representative to the Company. Delivery of the Option Securities on each such Date of Delivery shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company, other than with respect to any Pre-Funded Warrants or unless the Representative shall otherwise instruct.

 

 

Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated by the Company, against delivery to the Representative for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates or security entitlements for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representative, for its accounts, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Closing Securities and the Option Securities, if any, which it has agreed to purchase. Titan Partners, individually and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Closing Securities or the Option Securities, if any, to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.

 

(d) Underwriter Warrants. The Company hereby agrees to issue to the Representative (and/or its affiliates, employees or third-party designees) at the Closing Time and each Date of Delivery, if any, warrants (“Underwriter Warrants”) for the purchase of an aggregate of a number of shares of Common Stock (the “Underwriter Warrant Shares”), representing 7% of the Closing Securities sold at the Closing Time and 7% of the Option Securities sold at each Date of Delivery, if any, which for the avoidance of doubt shall be with reference to the Warrant Shares in the case of any Pre-Funded Warrants sold at such Closing Time or Date of Delivery, as the case may be. The Underwriter Warrants, in form and substance acceptable to the Representative, shall be exercisable, in whole or in part, commencing on the date that is 180 days after the date of this Agreement and expiring on the five-year anniversary of the date of this Agreement at an initial exercise price per share of Common Stock of $[_____]. The Representative understands and agrees that there are significant restrictions pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 against transferring the Underwriter Warrants and the underlying shares of Common Stock during the one hundred eighty (180) days after this Agreement and by its acceptance thereof shall agree that it will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate the Underwriter Warrants, or any portion thereof, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of such securities for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the date of this Agreement to anyone other than (i) an Underwriter or a selected dealer in connection with the Offering or (ii) a bona fide officer, partner, employee or registered representative of the Underwriter or selected dealer; and only if any such transferee agrees to the foregoing lock-up restrictions. Delivery of the Underwriter Warrants shall be made at the Closing Time and each Date of Delivery, if any, and shall be issued in the name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request.

 

(e) Non-accountable Expenses. The Company hereby agrees to pay the Representative a non-accountable expense allowance in the amount of one percent (1%) of the gross proceeds of the sale of Closing Securities at the Closing Time and one percent (1%) of the gross proceeds of the sale of any Option Securities on each Date of Delivery, to be paid at the Closing Time and each Date of Delivery, if any, by deduction from the proceeds on such date.

 

(f) Fee Tail. The Representative shall be entitled to compensation calculated in the manner set forth herein with respect to any public or private offering or other financing or capital-raising transaction of any kind (“Tail Financing”) to the extent that such financing or capital is provided to the Company by investors whom the Representative contacted following the execution of the Financing Engagement Agreement dated September 27, 2024 (the “Engagement Agreement”) between the Representative and the Company, if such Tail Financing is consummated at any time prior to the eighteen (18) month anniversary of the Engagement Agreement.

 

(g) Canadian Resale Restrictions. Each Underwriter is aware of the restrictions described in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus under the caption “Offer Restrictions Outside the United States – Canada” in the “Underwriting” section of the Prospectus applicable to resales of the Securities by purchasers in the offering into Canada until the expiry of four months from the Closing Time or Date of Delivery, as the case may be.

 

 

SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

 

(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430A, and will notify the Representative as soon as practicable, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus (including any document incorporated by reference therein) or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Shares. The Company will effect all filings required under Rule 424(b), in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

 

(b) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Shares as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Shares is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Shares, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representative notice of such event, (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representative with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The Company has given the Representative notice of any filings made pursuant to the 1934 Act or the 1934 Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time; the Company will give the Representative notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time and will furnish the Representative with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.

 

(c) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference therein) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representative, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to ▇▇▇▇▇, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

 

(d) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Shares is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to ▇▇▇▇▇, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(e) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representative may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Shares; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

 

(f) Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earning statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.

 

(g) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Shares in all material respects in the manner specified in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds.”

 

(h) Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to effect and maintain the listing of the Common Stock on the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC.

 

(i) Restriction on Sale of Securities.

 

(i) During a period of 120 days from the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representative, (i) directly or indirectly, offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or file or confidentially submit any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing, (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (iii) publicly announce an intention to effect any such swap, agreement or other transaction described in clauses (i) and (ii). The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Securities to be sold hereunder; (B) the issuance of equity securities in connection with an acquisition or strategic relationship, which may include the sale of equity securities; (C) any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a convertible security outstanding on the date hereof and referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (D) any shares of Common Stock issued or options to purchase Common Stock granted pursuant to existing employee benefit plans of the Company referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (E) any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to any existing non-employee director stock plan or dividend reinvestment plan referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (F) the filing by the Company of any registration statement on Form S-8 or a successor form thereto; or (G) the filing of a resale registration statement with respect to existing registration rights of the Company, upon written consent of the Representative.

 

 

(ii) From the date hereof until the one-year anniversary of the Closing Date, without the prior consent of the Representative, the Company shall be prohibited from effecting or entering into an agreement to effect any issuance by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents (or a combination of units thereof) involving a Variable Rate Transaction. “Variable Rate Transaction” means a transaction in which the Company (i) issues or sells any debt or equity securities that are convertible into, exchangeable or exercisable for, or include the right to receive, additional shares of Common Stock either (A) at a conversion price, exercise price or exchange rate or other price that is based upon, and/or varies with, the trading prices of or quotations for the shares of Common Stock at any time after the initial issuance of such debt or equity securities or (B) with a conversion, exercise or exchange price that is subject to being reset at some future date after the initial issuance of such debt or equity security or upon the occurrence of specified or contingent events directly or indirectly related to the business of the Company or the market for the Common Stock or (ii) enters into, or effects a transaction under, any agreement, including, but not limited to, an equity line of credit, whereby the Company may issue securities at a future determined price regardless of whether shares pursuant to such agreement have actually been issued and regardless of whether such agreement is subsequently canceled; provided, however that an “at the market” offering (as defined in Rule 415 under the 1933 Act) shall not be considered a Variable Rate Transaction. Any Underwriter shall be entitled to obtain injunctive relief against the Company to preclude any such issuance, which remedy shall be in addition to any right to collect damages.

 

(j) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a Prospectus relating to the Shares is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and 1934 Act Regulations. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Shares as may be required under Rule 463 under the 1933 Act.

 

(k) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that it will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433.

 

(l) Testing-the-Waters Materials. If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representative and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission.

 

(m) Emerging Growth Company Status. The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of the Securities within the meaning of the 1933 Act and (ii) completion of the 120-day restricted period referred to in Section 3(i).

 

 

SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses.

 

(a) Expenses. The Company hereby agrees to pay on each of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, to the extent not paid at the Closing Date, all expenses associated with the Offering or incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including, but not limited to: (a) all filing fees and communication expenses relating to the registration of the Securities to be sold in the Offering (including the Option Securities) with the Commission; (b) all FINRA Public Offering Filing System fees associated with the review of the Offering by FINRA; (c) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Common Stock on the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC and such other stock exchanges as the Company and the Representative together determine; (d) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration or qualification of such Shares under the “blue sky” securities laws of such states and other foreign jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate (including, without limitation, all filing and registration fees, and the fees and expenses of blue sky counsel); (e) the costs of all mailing and printing of the underwriting documents (including, without limitation, the Underwriting Agreement, any Blue Sky Surveys and, if appropriate, any Agreement Among Underwriters, Selected Dealers’ Agreement, Underwriters’ Questionnaire and Power of Attorney), Registration Statements, Prospectuses and all amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto and as many preliminary and final Prospectuses as the Representative may reasonably deem necessary; (f) the costs and expenses of the Company’s public relations firm; (g) the costs of preparing, printing and delivering the Securities; (h) the costs for “tombstones” and/or other commemorative items; (i) fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent for the Common Stock (including, without limitation, any fees required for same-day processing of any instruction letter delivered by the Company); (j) stock transfer and/or stamp taxes, if any, payable upon the transfer of securities from the Company to the Underwriters; (k) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants; (l) the fees and expenses of the Company’s legal counsel and other agents and representatives; (m) the Underwriters’ costs of mailing prospectuses to prospective investors; (n) the costs associated with advertising the Offering in the national editions of the Wall Street Journal and New York Times after the Closing Date; (o) up to $125,000 for the fees and expenses of ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇ LLP; (p) the Company’s reasonable “road show” expenses for the Offering; and (q) the costs for bound volumes of the public offering materials as well as commemorative mementos and lucite tombstones, each of which the Company or its designee will provide within a reasonable time after the Closing in such quantities as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The Underwriters may also deduct from the net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company on the Closing Date, or each Option Closing Date, if any, the expenses set forth herein to be paid by the Company to the Underwriters; provided that in no event shall the amount reimbursed to the Representative pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 4(a) exceed $125,000 in the aggregate.

 

(b) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representative in accordance with the provisions of Section 5, Section 9(a)(i), Section 9(a)(iii) or Section 10 hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for up to $50,000 of their reasonably documented out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters; provided that if this Agreement is terminated by the Representative pursuant to Section 10 hereof, the Company will have no obligation to reimburse any defaulting Underwriter.

 

 

SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein or in certificates of any officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:

 

(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration Statement has become effective and, at the Closing Time, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated; and the Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters.

 

(b) Opinion of Counsel for Company. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the opinion and the negative assurance letter, each dated the Closing Time, of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, counsel for the Company, together with the opinion of HERTIN & Partner, special counsel for the Company with respect to intellectual property matters, and the opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Law, LLP, Canadian counsel for the Company, each in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative.

 

(c) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the opinion, and negative assurance letter, each dated the Closing Time, of ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letters for each of the other Underwriters in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative.

 

(d) Officers’ Certificate. At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representative shall have received a certificate of the principal executive officer of the Company and of the principal financial officer of the Company, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the 1933 Act has been issued, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated.

 

(e) Accountant’s Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received from ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP a letter, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

 

(f) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received from ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP a letter, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.

 

(g) Approval of Listing. The Common Stock shall have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC.

 

(h) No Objection. ▇▇▇▇▇ shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.

 

(i) Lock-up Agreements. At the date of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received an agreement substantially (x) in the form of Exhibit A-1 hereto signed by each of the Company’s directors and officers appearing on Schedule B-2 hereto and (y) in the form of Exhibit A-2 hereto signed by each of the other persons listed on Schedule B-2 hereto (collectively, the “Lock-up Agreements”). The Company agrees to enforce the restrictions on transfer set forth in Lock-up Agreements.

 

(j) Ratings. Neither the Company nor its subsidiaries have any debt securities or preferred stock that are rated by any “nationally recognized statistical rating agency” (as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the 1934 Act)

 

(k) Conditions to Purchase of Option Securities. In the event that the Underwriters exercise their option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option Securities, the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Company and any of its Subsidiaries hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representative shall have received:

 

(i) Officers’ Certificate. A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of the principal executive officer of the Company and of the principal financial officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(d) hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.

 

(ii) Opinion of Counsel for Company. If requested by the Representative, the opinion, and negative assurance letter, of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, counsel for the Company, together with the opinion of HERTIN & Partner, special counsel for the Company with respect to intellectual property matters, and the opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Law, LLP, Canadian counsel for the Company, each in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinions and negative assurance letter required by Section 5(b) hereof.

 

 

(iii) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. If requested by the Representative, the opinion, and negative assurance letter, of ▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date of Delivery, relating to the Option Securities to be purchased on such Date of Delivery and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion and negative assurance letter required by Section 5(c) hereof.

 

(iv) Bring-down Comfort Letter. If requested by the Representative, a letter from ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative and dated such Date of Delivery, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representative pursuant to subsection (f) of this Section, except that the “specified date” in the letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Date of Delivery.

 

(l) Additional Documents. At the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery (if any), counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such other documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Shares as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters.

 

(m) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement, or, in the case of any condition to the purchase of Option Shares on a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the relevant Option Shares, may be terminated by the Representative by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to Closing Time or such Date of Delivery, as the case may be, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14 and 15 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

 

SECTION 6. Indemnification.

 

(a) Indemnification of Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act (each, an “Affiliate”)), its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:

 

(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included (A) in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or (B) in any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares (“Marketing Materials”), including any roadshow or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically), or the omission or alleged omission in any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or in any Marketing Materials of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

 

 

(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company;

 

(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representative), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;

 

provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

 

(b) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Representative. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this Section 6 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

 

(c) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

 

 

SECTION 7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and of the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

 

The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, on the other hand, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate public offering price of the Shares as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.

 

The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

 

The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

 

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter in connection with the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public.

 

No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and each Underwriter’s Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the number of Closing Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.

 

 

SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.

 

SECTION 9. Termination of Agreement.

 

(a) Termination. The Representative may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time (i) if there has been, in the judgment of the Representative, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in U.S. or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representative, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, or (iv) if trading generally on the NYSE Amex or the New York Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq Capital Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority, or (v) a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or with respect to Clearstream or Euroclear systems in Europe, or (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.

 

(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15 and 16 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

 

SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Time or a Date of Delivery to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Representative shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representative shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:

 

(a) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or

 

 

(b) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the number of Securities to be purchased on such date, this Agreement or, with respect to any Date of Delivery which occurs after the Closing Time, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase, and the Company to sell, the Option Securities to be purchased and sold on such Date of Delivery shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.

 

No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.

 

In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement or, in the case of a Date of Delivery which is after the Closing Time, which does not result in a termination of the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and the Company to sell the relevant Option Securities, as the case may be, either the (i) Representative or (ii) the Company shall have the right to postpone Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.

 

SECTION 11. Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of: (i) the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via e-mail attachment at the email address set forth on the signature pages attached hereto at or prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a day on which the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC is open for trading (“Trading Day”), (ii) the next Trading Day after the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via e-mail attachment at the e-mail address as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (iii) the second (2^nd) Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service or (iv) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such notices and communications shall be as set forth below:

 

if sent to the Representative or any Underwriter, shall be delivered personally, by e-mail, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service to:

 

Titan Partners Group LLC, a division of American Capital Partners, LLC

▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

New York, NY 10007

Attention: ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

Email: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇@▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇

 

with a copy to Underwriters’ counsel (which shall not constitute notice) at:

 

Loeb & Loeb LLP

▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇

New York, NY 10154

Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇

Email: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇@▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇

 

 

if sent to the Company, shall be delivered personally, by e-mail, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service to:

 

Alpha Cognition Inc.
▇▇▇▇ – ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇

Email: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇@▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇

 

with a copy to the Company counsel (which shall not constitute notice) at:

 

▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP

▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇

Denver, Colorado 80202

Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇

Email: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇▇▇@▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇

 

SECTION 12. No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering of the Securities and the process leading thereto, each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or their respective stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering of the Securities or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or any of its Subsidiaries on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering of the Securities except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering of the Securities and the Company has consulted its own respective legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

 

SECTION 13. Parties. This Agreement shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

 

 

SECTION 14. GOVERNING LAW. This agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with the laws of, the state of New York without regard to its choice of law provisions.

 

SECTION 15. Waiver of Trial by Jury. The Company and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

SECTION 16. Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Immunity. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be instituted in (i) the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan or (ii) the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court, as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

 

SECTION 17. TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

 

SECTION 18. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

 

SECTION 19. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same agreement. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., ▇▇▇.▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.

 

SECTION 20. Effect of Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.

 

SECTION 21. Entire Agreement. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

 

SECTION 22. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes. In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

 

In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

 

For purposes of this Agreement, (A) “BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k); (B) “Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b); (C) “Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable; and (D) “U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the ▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]

 

 

	Very truly yours,
	ALPHA COGNITION INC.
	By:
		Name:
		Title:

 

Accepted as of the date hereof
Titan Partners Group LLC,
A Division of American Capital Partners, LLC
By:
	Name:
	Title:

 

For itself and as Representative of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

 

 

SCHEDULE A

 

Common Stock Closing Securities: [●]

 

Pre-Funded Warrant Closing Securities: [●]

 

Option Securities: [●]

 

Common Stock Price to Public: $[●]

 

Pre-Funded Warrant Price to Public: $[●]

 

Underwriters’ Discount¹: $[●]

 

Name of Underwriter		Number of Shares		Number of Pre-Funded Warrants
Titan Partners Group LLC, a division of American Capital Partners, LLC
[●]
Total

 

1	Other than with respect to sales of Securities to Solas/Blackwell, Manchester, Pathfinder/related funds, Soleus, SIO, Opaleye or Spartan High Net Worth Individuals, as to which the Underwriters’ Discount shall be 4.5%.

 

 

SCHEDULE B-1

 

Pricing Terms

 

1. The Company is selling [●] shares of Common Stock and [●] Pre-Funded Warrants.

 

2. The Company has granted an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional [●] shares of Common Stock and/or Pre-Funded Warrants in lieu thereof.

 

3. The public offering price per share for the Shares shall be $[●] and the public offering price per Pre-Funded Warrant shall be $[●] .

 

 

SCHEDULE B-2

 

Lock-Up Parties

 

▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇

 

▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

 

▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇

 

▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇

 

▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇

 

▇▇▇▇▇▇ ‘▇▇▇’ ▇▇▇▇▇▇

 

▇▇▇▇▇▇ D’▇▇▇▇▇▇

 

▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇

 

Manchester Management Company LLC

 

Rotorua Partners L.P.

 

▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇

 

Bigger Capital Fund, LP

 

District 2 Capital Fund LP

 

Kestrel Flight Fund LLC

 

▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇

 

Pepper Grove Holdings Limited

 

▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇

 

Manchester Explorer, ▇.▇. 

 

▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇

 

Berkeley Greenwood 

 

▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ as Trustee of The ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Family Trust

 

▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ as Trustee of The ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Family Trust 

 

▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇

 

Cool Blue Management, LLC

 

The Flying S Ranch Trust

 

▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ 

 

 

Exhibit A-1

 

FORM OF DIRECTOR AND OFFICER LOCK-UP AGREEMENT

 

[Circulated separately]

 

 

Exhibit A-2

 

FORM OF INVESTOR LOCK-UP AGREEMENT

 

[Circulated separately]

 

 

Exhibit A-2-1